You HAVE to try this!! EBAY your way to DISNEY!!

[kilee]

Gap clothes, especially new w/ the tags, go great. The problem is your starting too high. I sell and buy all the time. I never look at clothing auctions that start for more than $3.00. Many times I may end up paying $15.00 in the end, it's just the starting price that usually catches my eye.

If you picked them up for $5.00, you may want to start as close to that amount that your willing to go. Next time try garage sales and thrift stores too. You can pick up great gently used name brand clothes for $.25-$2.00. This way you can start them low and really make a profit. I sell almost all clothes. I pretty much $.99 or less per item. I start most everything off at $.99. Most of the time they go for $5.00-$17.50 each. It's just getting the right brands and attracting the buyers. Last thing is, clothes can be heavy (jeans and sweaters), So don't overinflate your shipping price to make an extra profit. I figure if an auction is starting at 10.00 and they have their shipping for 1 pair of jeans at $9.00-- For that price I can go to the outlet myself and get them new.

 

[kilee]

Mine always says "SAMPLE DO NOT MAIL" on the screen. But when I print them they don't say that, and I have used at least 100 of these w/o a problem.

 

[DMRick]

Mine always says "SAMPLE DO NOT MAIL" on the screen. But when I print them they don't say that, and I have used at least 100 of these w/o a problem.

Do the ones that start off saying sample remain trackable? I thought you had to register to make them trackable.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

After reading all this, I'd kind of like to give it another shot, but I'm really leery of it. I have so much stuff sitting around that I'm not going to use, and I'd like to sell it, but ebay really gives me cold feet. I have questions...

1. My main problem is that I just don't have a lot of time. I'm online here at work, but I can't conduct ebay business here (most likely, any emails sent to me here will be stopped by our email filter and deleted). At home, I really can only get online for an hour on Wednesday nights and a few hours on Friday nights. When I sold on ebay last year, I posted this information in my auctions, but people really got upset that I didn't answer their questions sooner. So, should I even bother to try?

If so...

2. I thought about limiting myself to no more than 3 postings per week. Good/bad idea?

3. Because of my time constraints, I'd only be able to get to the post office to ship on Saturday mornings. I have to be at work before the post office opens, and I leave after it closes. I don't get a lunch hour. I should probably state this right in the auction as well?

4. I guess shipping has me a little befuddled. I'm not going to do this as a business - just like a tag sale kind of thing, to get rid of things I'm not using. So investing in a postal scale, and finding time to answer emails about shipping costs, is a little inconvenient for me. But since my items are so small - small enough to wrap in tissue and place in a bubble envelope - I don't really mind paying for shipping. Most of my shipping costs will be $1.00 - $2.00 (I don't care about the price of packing materials). But I would like to ask for mandatory signature confirmation, which is an additional $1.80. Any advice about how to make the shipping end easier?

5. What do you do if you don't own (or want) a digital camera or scanner? And I really hesitate to waste film taking pictures of things to sell. I thought about purchasing one of those new one-time use digital cameras. Has anyone used one before?

Man, after all this, I get the feeling that maybe I shouldn't do it! If anyone can offer some advice, I'd appreciate it! Thanks!

 

[kilee]

I don't know how to put "quotes" in post or I'd reference what I'm referring to. I print the labels that say sample on them, and I have never had a problem tracking them. I have a file for them, and I actually don't put them away until I can write the delivery date/time on them. So they do work. I, however, don't get the option for reduced DC w/ Media Mail. So, there are limits on what I've gotten going this route. 95% of what I sell is clothes, and they all go priority so I haven't worried about it.

apirateslifeforme:

It doesn't sound to me as though you really have the time or ambition to do this. I found it consumes for me about 2-3 hours a week. I list about 20-30 items a week. I do go to the Post office 2-3 times a week though. Most buyers, in my opinion, want it yesterday, so I like to ship pretty quick, provided I got paid in a timely manner. It's a personal decision and only you can know just how much effort you're willing to give.

 

[disneychrista]

Pirate - if you are truely interested in doing this why not set up a yahoo email account that you can access from work, that way you can at least check your email for buyer questions? Of course you will need to be allowed to access you yahoo mail from work (some company's permit this, others don't). As for mailing only one day a week, as long as you clearly state this in your auctions then you shouldn't have a problem. I go to the PO 2 times a week for the week following the close of my auctions (for those that pay on time) and then only once a week for those who are slow to pay. I also only list every other week. So one week is posting new items then next is shipping those items. You will need to either get a one time use digital camera or a cheap digital. You could try to post auctions w/o picutres but many buyers want to see a picutre of the item. (I know I won't bid unless there is a photo).

 

[DznyDreams]

Do all of you sell only things you have around your own home? I moved over the summer, and before I read this thread I had already significantly reduced the amount of clutter in my closets.....drats! I'll run out of stuff to sell rather quickly. Any suggestions?

 

[DMRick]

I thought about purchasing one of those new one-time use digital cameras. Has anyone used one before?

All those are are regular throw away camera's that get developed on CD..you can use your own camera and just have it developed onto CD.

I really think you would be too limited at this time to sell on eBay...I think you would end up very frustrated, as would your buyers. If you can only get online for one hour on Weds, you wouldn't be able to answer questions, or have the time to put stuff up and send out email. At this time, one large garage sale of all of your items might work out better. eBay does take time..even to sell a few things, time is involved : (

 

[Taja]

Sandy3550:

If someone has responded already, please ignore this post. I'm still back on September 24th (your posting date)!

I would suggest checking with USPS, UPS and FedEx (also DHL and Airborne if they are convenient for you) for shipping rates to Taiwan. If you ship via USPS, you are dealing with two different postal systems (US and Taiwan) with different requirements. This tends to slow down shipment and increase costs for international shipments (but not always!).

Ask all of the carriers about cost, customs handling and delivery confirmation. Since the private carriers operate as businesses in other countries, they have control over the final delivery process more than USPS does.

Not a direct answer, but I hope it helps!


Taja

 

[maggiew]

I just submitted my first non-paying bidder alert. This was for an auction ending 8/3/03! I know, I gave him way to much time. I submitted the NPB alert within the alloted time. Then within the 10 days, I was never able to get in touch with him. He never replied to emails and then they started bouncing back. So today I requested my final values fees for this auction. What else do I need to do?? Does he automatically get a NPB alert after the 10 days or once I request my final value fees. Is that all??

Can I now relist this item? Should I send out a second chance bid to the second highest bidder? Although it is for a new modem, so maybe they already got one and I should just relist???


I sure hope I don't get a negative out of this because so far I only have a rating of 29. I just started out at the end of July.

Maggie

 

[Gillian]

for anyone looking for the download, here's the link again

http://www.uspswebtools.com/ShippingAssistant/sa_Splash.htm

you have to download the program, install it and register. It's not the label printing form that you fill out online.

 

[dg39]

I'm getting alittle confused now that we're talking about the shipping labels. This is what I do, please tell me if its right or not.

I downloaded shipping assistant and when I want to send out a package parcel post, media or any other way, I go to that site and print them. But sometimes when I'm just doing priority mail, I just go to usps.com and click on print label w/o postage, because I go to the post office for that. The label comes on the screen "sample", but when I print it, the word "sample" is not there. Now I'm wondering if these labels are good or not.

Should I just stick to the shipping assistant program I downloaded to do all my labels.

Oh, and whichever label I use whether its from the downloaded site or the regular usps.com site, I still get charged the discounted dc or free dc(priority). Am I doing this right.....

 

[Mrs. Snowgod]

Originally posted by maggiew
I just submitted my first non-paying bidder alert. This was for an auction ending 8/3/03! I know, I gave him way to much time. I submitted the NPB alert within the alloted time. Then within the 10 days, I was never able to get in touch with him. He never replied to emails and then they started bouncing back. So today I requested my final values fees for this auction. What else do I need to do?? Does he automatically get a NPB alert after the 10 days or once I request my final value fees. Is that all??

Can I now relist this item? Should I send out a second chance bid to the second highest bidder? Although it is for a new modem, so maybe they already got one and I should just relist???


I sure hope I don't get a negative out of this because so far I only have a rating of 29. I just started out at the end of July.

Maggie

Maggie, after you go through all the steps that take you to requesting your FVF back, you are free to send a 2nd chance offer or relist.
FYI, the 2nd chance offer is cool - it is essentially a private BIN offer that is good for 24 hours. The item is offered to the bidder at the price they originally bid (if they bid more than once, it is their highest bid) - if you are offering this item to your 2nd highest bidder, hopefully that bid price is decent. If that person does not accept the offer by using the "Buy" link in the 24 hour period, you can then relist in the normal manner.

HTH!

 

[Mrs. Snowgod]

Well, I feel like I've been away - been lurking but had little time to post.

Glad to see you back, C.Ann - I was worried about you! I hope your DH and DD are doing better than last time you mentioned them. Last time you posted was a couple days ago, I think, but I missed you!

I invested in what I hope will be a long term source of packing materials: a paper shredder.

I mentioned a while back that I was using Discover card cash-back credits to get double-rewards for Staples, and then buying my supplies for non-Priority items with it. I went through 3 rolls of bubble wrap and was going to buy more, and DH suggested a paper shredder.

I picked one up today using another double rewards coupon (redeem $20 in cash-back bonus and get a $40 Staples coupon) for $44 total, so it's like I paid only $4 for it. I will shred all of my junk mail and scrap paper, and if that is not enough I can shred old newspapers and magazines. I'll bag it up in grocery bags, and use it to pack my eBay stuff. I will still wrap fragiles in one layer of bubble wrap, but that won't be nearly the amount I was using before.

 

[Mrs. Snowgod]

If anyone decides to try a paper shredder, get the strip-cut type, and not the cross-cut! The strip-cut makes paper ribbons, and the cross-cut makes confetti! I wouldn't want to receive a package packed with confetti!!!

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

Originally posted by dg39
I'm getting alittle confused now that we're talking about the shipping labels. This is what I do, please tell me if its right or not.

I downloaded shipping assistant and when I want to send out a package parcel post, media or any other way, I go to that site and print them. But sometimes when I'm just doing priority mail, I just go to usps.com and click on print label w/o postage, because I go to the post office for that. The label comes on the screen "sample", but when I print it, the word "sample" is not there. Now I'm wondering if these labels are good or not.

Should I just stick to the shipping assistant program I downloaded to do all my labels.

Oh, and whichever label I use whether its from the downloaded site or the regular usps.com site, I still get charged the discounted dc or free dc(priority). Am I doing this right.....

I go to USPS.com and print the label w/o postage because I don't have a scale and don't want to pay the wrong amount. I've don't this with a number of items in the past week and have not had any problems at the PO. It's so convenient to have the label pre-printed with both addresses. All the clerk does is scna the barcode and asks me if I want insurance, etc. DC is included when you use the label printing software at USPS.com!
I think the image on screen says SAMPLE just to give an idea as to what what your print-out will look like.

 

[DMRick]

If you ship via USPS, you are dealing with two different postal systems (US and Taiwan) with different requirements.

Be very careful when using UPS for out of hte coutnry shipments. They charge an exhorbitant fee (and some of the others do to..I only have experience with UPS doing this, since I know for sure they charge a fee). One gal in Canada got charged an additional $40 for an item that was inexpensive because of the UPS charge.

Oh shipping labels..when I use the non shipping assistant labels (when I'm sending just Priority and want DC)..mine do not show sample on my screen. It has a place where I can tic off and see a sample, but when I'm going ot print them for real..sample isn't on the one on the screen. So I"m not sure what the rest of you use to get that sample.

 

[Kajunswty]

The person who one my auction (the only one who bid) is a new user very new with only 1 feedback. I would like to cancel the auction since he has not contacted me and it has been 3 days. I had that listed in the auction.

How do I cancel the auction and when I do will he still be able to leave feedback?

thanks!!

 

[jcemom]

Well...I kept reading here about half.com and decided to list some of my hardcover books (fiction) for sale. I was thrilled to have sold 3 already this week...until I decided to check out the transaction details! Half.com charges 3.25 set shipping, which I thought was fair -- 2.00-2.50 postage plus the cost of the bubble envy -- BUT they are only giving me 2.33!!!! I emailed them for an explanation and can't wait to see what they have to say! They also deduct their fee. So, after losing 1.00 per sale, I am not quite so thrilled. Some of the books that sell for higher prices I don't mind losing that dollar, but on books that only sell for a couple of bucks...I'd rather keep the book than give it away -- which is what it amounts to after the shipping loss and the fee!!

Anyone else who sells through half.com have this experience???

 

[CajunDixie]

apirateslifeforme I can tell you right now I for one wouldnt bid on your auctions. Not having pics and requiring a mandatory signature confirmation at a cost of an additional $1.80 would have me leaving your auction ASAP. You yourself can only go to the PO on Saturdays so why would you expect your sellers to be able to sign for their purchases? After so many days without a signature the packages would be returned to you. Sounds like you'd be better off having a Saturday and Sunday garage sale.