So, here is the much-asked for, long-awaited re-post of this topic.
Blogger really tore up my last post, and I had to delete it.
In How I Sell on eBay Part 1 :: My Closet
I showed you the hub of my business.
In How I Sell on eBay Part 1 :: My Closet
I showed you the hub of my business.
I challenged those of you with selling on your minds to:
- Find and clear out a place to start storing items you think you want to sell. Create a staging area for the items you are selling.
- Start filling it with items you want to sell. Anything. You'd be surprised what another person's treasure looks like.
- Pick up some FedEx/UPS/USPS Priority labels and Priority boxes.
- Find a postal scale. You'll definitely need one to weigh packages.
Your space doesn't have to look like mine, you know.
You just need a space to store and sort your stuff to sell.
And a sunny spot to take snapshots in.
Throughout the past 10 years, I have had about 1,000 transactions on eBay.
I started out selling mainly the things around my home that I no longer needed or used.
Now, I usually buy with resale in mind.
The items that I list are things that I am familiar with,
like, and enjoy using myself.
Items, that if they DON'T sell, I figure I simply had enjoyed the thrill of the hunt.
I DO NOT RECOMMEND starting out selling things you have no clue about
simply because you think it might make you huge profits.
Why not?
Because you will not enjoy the process.
EBay is a job I take seriously, but I wanna like what I do and like what I sell.
You should, too.
Vintage bedspreads
Creative Memories Items
Baby and Children's Clothing
Melmac and Melamie Dishes and Serveware
Vintage Framed Art
Linens
(I especially LOVE LINENS)
Vintage Christmas Pretties
Silver
Vintage Lingerie
Homeschooling Curriculum
(Our city has A LOT of homeschoolers, hence, a lot of curriculum)
Household Decor and Home Staging Items
Pampered Chef Items
Medical Scrubs
Vintage Jewelry and Clothing
Fabric and Sewing Notions
WHERE DO I FIND THESE ITEMS?
Estate Sales, Yard Sales, Good Will and Salvation Army, mainly.
MY GUIDELINES FOR CHOOSING WHAT I SELL:
- Item must be something I know about, like, and/or had previous experience selling.
- The purchase price must allow for profit. I aim for at least a 150% profit ++ (A $10 item selling for $25++). I typically don't mess with too many items that will close/sell for under $10. (Amazon is a different story.)
- Keep in mind the weight, size and fragility -- heavy, bulky and/or delicate items can be more trouble to pack and ship for eBay than they're worth.
- I examine items for chips, cracks, permanent marker, and grime that may be difficult to remove.
- Examine clothing carefully for stains, small holes, missing buttons, broken zippers and torn linings. Also -- if it smells smoky, like mildew or mothballs, leave it there no matter how cool it is. Smells are very hard to get out completely and buyers will complain about it in feedback. You can, however, get most yellowing stains out of vintage linens by washing them and setting them in the sunshine outside (in God's awesome sunlight) to dry.
An ASIDE NOTE:
(I do not have this, yet, but will be getting it in the future.)
But, if YOUR cell phone has Internet access, you can actually check eBay
to see if the item is selling well. You can check right there at the thrift store
or in the driveway of the yard sale, before purchasing the item.
HOW DO I KNOW IF AN ITEM WILL SELL?
I don't always know.
You'll gain experience as you go with what items sell better than others,
what prices to set,
whether to have a reserve auction or a .99 starting bid auction.
Through this series of posts, I will give you the knowledge I have acquired,
but sometimes, experience IS the best teacher.
I have brought home an item that I thought was
marvelous, unusual, the BE ALL and END ALL of collectibles!
But, apparently, I was the only one who though so, because I received nary a bid!
Other times, I found something that I thought was "cute, different, and charming"
and, by the time the virtual gavel had sounded on the auctioneer's bench,
I sat and stared in shock at the computer monitor,
shook my head and declared the bidder to be crazy to pay that much!
(But extremely delighted that they did!)
(As in: .50 panties selling for $152.50)
My attitude is:
"If it doesn't sell the first time,
maybe the right buyer wasn't buying this week.
So, I'll list it again
(sometimes, I lower the price).
And if it doesn't sell the second time, oh well."
What do you have to sell that you no longer need or use?
What makes you heart go pitter patter when you see it?
Chances are, it will make someone else's heart go pitter patter, too.
They will want it and pay for it.
There is a great sense of satisfaction in knowing
that you helped someone else acquire what they wanted or needed.
A few Qs and As from the last post:
Q: Val asks: Thanks so much for sharing. This is definitely something to think about. I've got a little stash of things I'd like to sell. Now maybe I should just start listing them. Do you only list certain things on eBay or Craigslist, or do you list things in multiple places?
A: Leslie replies: It sounds tempting to try to get the most exposure for your item to ensure that it sells, doesn't it? But, I never list an item in two places. It can cause trouble if you forget to cancel the listing on one site if it sells on the other. Many, many times, people are "watching" your item on eBay and don't bid till the last minute, so you may grow impatient waiting for a bid on your item, don't. Wait out the auction.
Q: Queenbee asks: Great post! I've never sold on eBay before and this post really has me interested. How do you decide between [what to sell on] Craigslist or eBay? Do you suggest selling kids' clothes individually or as a "lot"? I'm trying to find ways to make money all the time, so this is just my type of thing. Thanks for sharing.
A: Leslie replies: I use Craigslist for items that should it be shipped, it wouldn't be cost effective for the buyer and time wise for me. I usually sell clothes as a lot. But you can and SHOULD see how individual pieces are selling. If it is easier and more profitable for you to list them individually, do so!
I know you all will have many questions
if this is something you are interested in doing.
PLEASE, ask me anything, and I will answer you in future posts.
The next post in this series will be:
Where to Find Cheap Packing Materials
and
How to Search on eBay
(to see if what you have to sell is worth anything)
Future Topics:
Setting Up a PayPal Account
Setting Up an eBay Seller Account
How Many Pictures DO I Need to Take?
What About Seller Auction Fees?
How To Maintain a Good Seller Rating
What To Do After the Auction Closes
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