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

[Lollipop Mom]

Sandy...yes, FedEx does cover insurance on the first $50. It may even be $100 but I'm not certain on that!

I was just going through my auction history to see how this week did last year to decide if I want to bother listing or wait untill after Christmas and came across something I'd forgotten about...

the last two years ebay has done some free listing days just before or just after Christmas. Last year it started on 12/26 and that was one of my best weeks all year. I think it may have been free fixed priced listings but I'm not certain.

I have no idea if they will do it again this year but keep an eye on the Ebay General Announcement Board in the days right around Christmas just in case! Last year I believe it was announced around 5 PM EST Christmas day and lasted from 12/26 to 12/28 or something like that.

Free listing days are great for putting up fixed price listings on more expensive things, that way you don't have to worry about it going for a low opening bid. Another benefit is that if it doesn't sell and you relist it, if it does sell then you get that listing fee credited back so you still had a free listing (does that make sense?)

Hope everyone is doing well!

 

[cpl100]

Thanks for that tip. My stuff isn't moving this weekend! I wonder if it's because everyone is out shoveling snow and not in on their computer shopping! I have a few items ending tonight but only one has a bid, the minimum. Hoping for some last minute action!

 

[jgates]

Ok - where did all you guys go?

I was thinking of listing this on Ebay - On the back it says Play Pal Plastics. It is a bank about 11" high but the stopper on the bottom is missing. Anybody have any idea if this is worthwhile to anyone but a Disneyaholic? Have you seen anything like it I could use for my description?

I know it is no $1000 crow - but I don't want to send it to Goodwill without checking first!

Hmm... Never mind - I think this is the guy!

http://pages.tias.com/147/PictPage/76529.html

Probably not worth $45 without the stopper though.

 

[disneychrista]

IMO, almost anything is worth the change to list once.

 

[jcemom]

I just did a quick search and found this same bank from various collectibles shops with asking prices ranging from $15-$45. Of course, I don't know what they are "selling" for, just what people are "asking" for them. Hey, it's worth a shot. You never know who is out there and what they're looking for!

 

[Lollipop Mom]

just an idea on that bank...do your kids have any other old banks you could steal a stopper from? My son has a favorite piggy bank and the dog chewed up the stopper last year. He threw a fit that he couldn't keep his money in anymore. I discovered that the hole is the same size as another bank we had so I just took the stopper out of that one. Or maybe check the dollar store or toys r us for a cheap bank you could get and pull the stopper from.

 

[pjlla]

RE: the Donald bank.....Just be sure to note on the listing that the stopper is a replacement.... somebody might get picky about that!!

ANYHOW.... quick question for the experts..... I had several auctions end tonight. I had a winning bidder contact me to let me know that she would also be interested in buying something else that didn't sell tonight. I figured it wasn't right to sell it to her "off-line" as E-bay would not get it's FVF. Is it okay if I relist it as a "buy it now" and let her know exactly when it will be listed so she could just grab it? This is what I offered to do. I figured I can't do a "second chance" as it got no bids in the first place. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I DID THE RIGHT THING!!!..........P

 

[cuterlt]

That's what I've done in the past pjlla - but I have also restricted the bidder list to the one I've emailed with to make sure that they're the one who gets the BIN, and then email them the new auction number so that can do it quickly....
Good luck!

 

[Mrs. Snowgod]

Originally posted by pjlla
I figured it wasn't right to sell it to her "off-line" as E-bay would not get it's FVF. Is it okay if I relist it as a "buy it now" and let her know exactly when it will be listed so she could just grab it? This is what I offered to do. I figured I can't do a "second chance" as it got no bids in the first place. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I DID THE RIGHT THING!!!..........P

This is just my opinion, and as such, not worth too much , but I would have just sold it to her without relisting. Unless, of course, she insisted that she wanted it to be "official" through ebay. I don't think it is right to end an auction early and lie about the reason to cheat ebay out of FVF. But if the auction ended naturally, and the buyer has established contact with you based on a completed ebay listing, there isn't a whole lot of difference between an additional sale as described above, and having them go to your website to buy (if you had a website). And once an ebay sale is transacted, it is your privilege to include a link to an off-ebay sales venue in your email correspondence, as I understand it.

By the rules, however, you did the correct thing.

 

[pjlla]

Well... considering that the item in question was listed for under $2 and I've already paid 30 cents in listing fees, I guess I shouldn't feel too bad if e-bay doesn't get the rest (if she pays me with paypal, after the fees I'll probably clear .57!!)...ha,ha

 

[DMRick]

Is it okay if I relist it as a "buy it now" and let her know exactly when it will be listed so she could just grab it?

By the rules, however, you did the correct thing.

Once the auction is over, there is no "rule" that you must sell through eBay. Of course eBay has made it so that the person used eBay mail to get in touch with you : )

I have no problem selling once an item has closed without a bidder, unless the person would rather go through eBay,

I have mulitples of what I sell, and many of my sales are winners of one item, but they buy several..and a good part of my clients used to be eBay buyers and now they buy direct. I sold about 10 items today alone to people who had bought one of the item on eBay. Some saw the item last week, or last month on eBay and now wish to buy..so they write and ask if I will sell. Sure will..I'm not breaking any ebay rules. They prob are by using eBay's mail, when they don't have mine direct..but I'm not. Think of it this way. You put a dresser in the local newspaper. It didn't sell. Someone getting ready to paint, spread the newspaper out and saw your ad. They call and ask if you still have it, and could they buy it. Would you put the ad back in the paper? Nope..eBay tries to make us think we have to list our item with them, in order to sell it.
I wouldn't end an auction early to sell something, but you bet your bippy, I would sell it after the fact.

 

[dis4harley]

i had a question for some of you
i am going to register with e-bay and wanted to know when you are first getting started do you give them your regular checking account/debit card?
is it safe to do that?
i just wanted to try listing a few things first to see how they do but i cant open an account for ebay until i know if i can sell anything
any advice for a newbi would be greatly appreciated

 

[claudia]

i am going to register with e-bay and wanted to know when you are first getting started do you give them your regular checking account/debit card

When I first started I used my regular checking account to get myself going. That was a few years ago and I never had any problems doing that. I recently moved and did change banks, so I made my primary account at my new bank and left my ebay/paypal account as the one that I originally signed up with.

 

[welovedis]

Good Morning!

I have a bidder from Japan that bought some pretty fragile old platters from me:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3161649963&category=1019&rd=1
(hope it ok to post that) and I need some help with the packaging of this. I had this all set -each plate bubble wrapped, placed inside one sturdy cardboard box, then that box is inside another (slightly larger) box with packing peanuts cushioning it. Does that sound ok to ship something like this to Japan?

I have never shipped anything overseas that was breakable, so I wanted to be sure I'm doing that right!

Thanks everyone!

 

[claudia]

I have never shipped anything overseas that was breakable, so I wanted to be sure I'm doing that right!

It sounds like you have packed this very well. The only advice I could offer is just to check to see if there is atleast 4" from each side (all four sides and top and bottom) of the plate to the inside of the carton. This will allow for any trauma the box may suffer in transit, and should allow everything to arrive in perfect condition.

 

[welovedis]

Claudia-
Thanks for the quick post. I checked the box and the plates are about 2 inches from all the edges of the inside box. That is actually the edge of the bubble wrap-the edge of the plate is buried since I used lots of wrap on each plate and wrapped them individually. Should they be 4" from the edge of the inside box (sturdy box-actually a re-used PM large square box). Then that box is inside a heavy corrugated cardboard box with packing peanuts around each side and top and bottom. Phew!

If this sounds like the inside box is too small, should I just pack them in the bigger box (there would be 4 inches all around them that way) or try to find 2 other boxes that would work together?

 

[claudia]

what test is your outer box? (that would be stamped on the bottom of the carton)....if it is 200 lb. or more you may be fine with just one carton. I owned a company where I did most of my work with our government....so the 4" is something that the government specified to allow for (delicate) materials to have a buffer during shipping (used to ship many plaster of paris molds before castings were made). Possibly the thought was that the items would have space for movement and also have enough room from the side incase of an accidental bump of drop??
Oh gosh....I don't want to advise you to do something against what you feel is an appropriate way to ship them. If you pack the box up securely and shake it around, like it would be handled by a shipper.....as long as nothing rattles or clinks you will probably be fine with either choice. I would write in big bold letters "fragile" all over the box as well.

 

[welovedis]

Oh gosh....I don't want to advise you to do something against what you feel is an appropriate way to ship them

Oh, I didn't mean that at all...I just didn't know if I explained the way I was packing it properly, but that is why I posted as I wasn't sure if that is a good way to package a breakable item. The outside box is only rated 32 lbs/inch...does that sound right? it seems like it is a about as strong as a Priority Box. Perhaps I should get something stronger.

When I shake the whole package (one box inside the other) nothing moves-maybe a package peanut moves a tiny bit, but that is about it. I still have some leeway as I told the purchaser that I was basing the shipping on 15 pounds and it is coming in at a little less than 14, so I could do a different box.

Off I go to look thru my box stash, if not I have a boxman near me & I'll buy one.

Thanks for the advice, I really need it!

 

[DMRick]

I never list on Mondays..and I seldom sell on Mondays. That said, I just sold five items in a row while sitting here BIN! People are on line and buying, so get it listed! Do the BIN.

 

[welovedis]

DMRick-that is awesome! I have had more email on items I listed last night that I ever have before...weird! Maybe lots of people don't want to go out in the cold!