I haven't posted in awhile so I thought I would just cut and paste a question and response from a friend.
How are you? I know you do ebay...I never win my bid. I am new at this. Help! I tried to sell a really nice coach pink bag, I bought because I thought it was the same one I had,it is huge. I am bidding on a few things now but need need help. Thanks
Oh, that's a few good hours to tell you how to sell things. So many people ask me I started a blog but I haven't really done enough work on it to recommend it yet.
One thing is for sure - people do not buy expensive items that have a lot of fakes from buyers with low feedback (ie designer purses). So if your fdbk is under 100 or even under 500-1000 for Coach, you will either not be able to sell your item or get a much lower bid than an established seller. Plus there is the whole marketing aspect. There are tens of thousands of purses being sold with Coach as possibly the most popular. For buyers to pull up your item when they are searching requires knowledge in online marketing. The key is the title being used specifically for search words. Forget 'pretty, LOOK, and, with' and don't use commas, apostraphes or other punctuation. For a purse you want to use all the words people call them: shouder bag handbag purse and then the type: Tote, Hobo, Clutch. For newer Coach you would include the style # in the title. Use all of the spaces provided. Don't worry if the title doesn't make sense. It does not have to read like a sentance. There are certain words that the abbreviations will pull up the item even when someone searchs uses the full word - like VTG for vintage but only in a vintage category. This helps you squeeze in a few more words.
There are a lot of tips and tricks. There are others things like timing, placement, start prices, shipping costs and that is just to get them to look. Then your description and pictures have to convince them to buy. Check out my Coach bag I have listed as an example of description for that type of item. It is much more detailed then when I am selling a tank top. I have one listed that I really want to keep so it is over priced. If I sell it for that price fine, otherwise I want to keep it. However, you can get some ideas regarding pics, title and description.
You need to start by selling low-priced items that are easy for you to ship. Used clothes are the best to start. Forget children's clothes. It is hard to even get a $1 and you end up paying more in fees when you include the ones that don't sell so you lose money. The best option for children's clothes is to do a lot of all one size and gender. You still won't get much but it controls the fees from selling them individually. You can build up your feedback which increases buyer's trust and also gain the knowledge needed before selling things with a lot of competition, expensive items, items you are not as familiar with compared to other sellers (vintage, antiques, jewelry)and items hard to ship which often leads to under quoting shipping costs and losing money.
As far as buying.. bidding as soon as you see an item is a newbie mistake. You can watch the item. But for me I always forget to go back and place a bid before it closes. If I am buying a book or shipping supplies it is not an issue and I just use the Buy it Now or place the maximum bid I want to pay. However, if I am buying a Coach bag or a pair of $200 jeans, I don't want to get in a bidding war. In these cases, I prefer to use a bidding service that will place my bid just before closing. You can usually use the service a few times for free. Here is one: http://www.auctionsniper.com/
Well, I could go on and on.
Wanderlust Bargains eBay Store
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Silly Questions
Some interesting questions I have received on my items:
I have a shed that is 10x12, will your 200ft. string of lights go all the way around? For a moment I thought I was in grade school math class facing a dreaded word problem.
Do you know where I can buy batteries for this item? Is this the first time this person has needed to purchase batteries?
My waist measures 34", will these 28" pants fit me?
I have a shed that is 10x12, will your 200ft. string of lights go all the way around? For a moment I thought I was in grade school math class facing a dreaded word problem.
Do you know where I can buy batteries for this item? Is this the first time this person has needed to purchase batteries?
My waist measures 34", will these 28" pants fit me?
Monday, December 7, 2009
Crazy Things Sold on eBay
When I get together with family or friends, I usually end up reporting the strangest item most recently sold. It is a theory you can sell almost anything on eBay, with the implicit understanding that the item is legal and within eBay guidelines. Therefore, I am starting a list. This is not only for entertainment but also to broaden sellers' viewpoints on what can be reused-recycled through eBay. Please make sure to provide an accurate description in your listing. This is not an attempt to take advantage of on-line buyers. There are buyers looking for a good deal that may enjoy fixing items or have the skills to repair it to save money or re-sell it themselves.
A friend gave me a broken juicer. At first, I listed the item for repair or parts. However, the motor was broken and was heavy, incurring high shipping charges. Therefore, I offered each piece individually and discarded the motor. The sale of the parts yielded more than the same model of blender new. I read a story once that the first item sold on eBay was a broken laser pointer. I am not sure if this is true, but I believe you could sell a broken one today. I have sold so many damaged items to the tinkers across the country; broken items deserve their own list. Just insert the work 'BROKEN' in front of each item:
Jewelry, watches(broken jewelry and watches even have their own category on eBay), cameras, cell phones, printers, frames, dolls, Christmas ornaments, a wall clock, a sink faucet
Numerous damaged clothing items have sold that had stains, holes, broken zippers, ripped seams, loose hemlines, or snags.
Other:
Recipes, catalogs I obtain free in the mail, stickers received in the mail as promotional items, children’s fast food meal toys (usually sold in bulk unless it is older. Sales are better when item is sealed), used hair barrettes, empty-used ink jet cartridges
Other strange eBay sales facts: I tend to sell more holiday decorations the week after the holiday than the total amount sold the month preceding the date. This is especially true for Halloween and Christmas
I will update as I sell other interesting items.
A friend gave me a broken juicer. At first, I listed the item for repair or parts. However, the motor was broken and was heavy, incurring high shipping charges. Therefore, I offered each piece individually and discarded the motor. The sale of the parts yielded more than the same model of blender new. I read a story once that the first item sold on eBay was a broken laser pointer. I am not sure if this is true, but I believe you could sell a broken one today. I have sold so many damaged items to the tinkers across the country; broken items deserve their own list. Just insert the work 'BROKEN' in front of each item:
Jewelry, watches(broken jewelry and watches even have their own category on eBay), cameras, cell phones, printers, frames, dolls, Christmas ornaments, a wall clock, a sink faucet
Numerous damaged clothing items have sold that had stains, holes, broken zippers, ripped seams, loose hemlines, or snags.
Other:
Recipes, catalogs I obtain free in the mail, stickers received in the mail as promotional items, children’s fast food meal toys (usually sold in bulk unless it is older. Sales are better when item is sealed), used hair barrettes, empty-used ink jet cartridges
Other strange eBay sales facts: I tend to sell more holiday decorations the week after the holiday than the total amount sold the month preceding the date. This is especially true for Halloween and Christmas
I will update as I sell other interesting items.
Shipping Services
For most items, the U.S. post office will offer the lowest cost and often most convenient shipping services.
If you have very large, heavy, and/or odd-shaped items, it is advisable to check the services of other transit companies like UPS, FedEx, DLS and any regional services you can find. Make sure to verify the measurements, weight as packaged to ship, and if it is odd sized. There can be substantial surcharges if the item is a nonstandard shape or oversize. There are even surcharges for large items that do not meet a minimum weight. Try not to estimate the packaged weight. Underestimating can cause substantial differences in the shipping charged and the actual cost. You do not need to package it. Just weigh the item, and packaging material required, and add them together. Make sure the box is the correct size and sturdy enough for the weight and fragility of the item you are shipping. Consider if double boxing is required and what type of protection will be required to prevent damage from crushing or moving around in the box. Bubble wrap, peanuts, and air pillows reduce shipping costs but you usually need to purchase them. Sometimes it is a cost savings to use newspaper, tissue, or other supplies on hand and pay higher shipping fees rather than purchasing the materials.
For items you do not want to attempt shipping, then you can offer them for local pick-up only. Post them to other boards like craigslist.com. Yet, even if you have them listed on Craig’s list, you can still list the same item on eBay. Just make sure and note in the listing the item is for sale elsewhere and subject to possible sell before the item ends. If you do sell the item using a forum other than eBay, make sure and end your item on eBay. You do not want to sell something you no longer own. When using local pick-up only, I usually list the item in my store only. Due to the limited buyers within driving distance it usually does not justify the cost of sending it to auction
You can sell cars, machinery and other high-priced, large items on auction and offer pick-up only. It is advisable to use auction listings for items that the buyer is willing to drive a greater distance or pay a third party to arrange shipping. If you are selling your basketball hoop or dog kennel, then you might want to list it in your store inventory with local pick-up only. See paragraph above.
If you have very large, heavy, and/or odd-shaped items, it is advisable to check the services of other transit companies like UPS, FedEx, DLS and any regional services you can find. Make sure to verify the measurements, weight as packaged to ship, and if it is odd sized. There can be substantial surcharges if the item is a nonstandard shape or oversize. There are even surcharges for large items that do not meet a minimum weight. Try not to estimate the packaged weight. Underestimating can cause substantial differences in the shipping charged and the actual cost. You do not need to package it. Just weigh the item, and packaging material required, and add them together. Make sure the box is the correct size and sturdy enough for the weight and fragility of the item you are shipping. Consider if double boxing is required and what type of protection will be required to prevent damage from crushing or moving around in the box. Bubble wrap, peanuts, and air pillows reduce shipping costs but you usually need to purchase them. Sometimes it is a cost savings to use newspaper, tissue, or other supplies on hand and pay higher shipping fees rather than purchasing the materials.
For items you do not want to attempt shipping, then you can offer them for local pick-up only. Post them to other boards like craigslist.com. Yet, even if you have them listed on Craig’s list, you can still list the same item on eBay. Just make sure and note in the listing the item is for sale elsewhere and subject to possible sell before the item ends. If you do sell the item using a forum other than eBay, make sure and end your item on eBay. You do not want to sell something you no longer own. When using local pick-up only, I usually list the item in my store only. Due to the limited buyers within driving distance it usually does not justify the cost of sending it to auction
You can sell cars, machinery and other high-priced, large items on auction and offer pick-up only. It is advisable to use auction listings for items that the buyer is willing to drive a greater distance or pay a third party to arrange shipping. If you are selling your basketball hoop or dog kennel, then you might want to list it in your store inventory with local pick-up only. See paragraph above.
eBay Holiday Shopping
At the beginning of December go to the post office website, usps.com, to verify the last day shipments can be mailed to reach customers by the 25th using First Class, Parcel Post and Priority Shipping options for domestic shipping.
Make sure your items that weight more than 13 ozs., and cannot be sent by First Class Mail, end prior to the deadline for parcel shipping. Do the same for the First Class Mail deadline and in the last week of shopping make sure everything in your store ends in time to ship it by the Priority deadline.
You may want to hide your store inventory if you do not make changes to all your inventory shipping options. You can hide your inventory items, and keep your auctions active, by setting your store to vacation mode. This is found in the Managing Your Store section.
Make sure your items that weight more than 13 ozs., and cannot be sent by First Class Mail, end prior to the deadline for parcel shipping. Do the same for the First Class Mail deadline and in the last week of shopping make sure everything in your store ends in time to ship it by the Priority deadline.
You may want to hide your store inventory if you do not make changes to all your inventory shipping options. You can hide your inventory items, and keep your auctions active, by setting your store to vacation mode. This is found in the Managing Your Store section.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Physical Inventory
You want to store your physical inventory so that it is accessible for shipping and protected from damage. As your sales increase, so will the time you need to spend shipping. You want to manage this time since new listings are the way to generate additional sales - not searching for a lost item. Plus, if you cannot find an item you sold, or it is now damaged, you will need to refund the buyer and risk negative feedback and/or low star ratings. When you start out, you may just need to set aside a shelf in a closet or garage for your items. As your inventory grows additional organization will save you time.
Consider using clear storage bins. You can stack the bins or line them up on a shelf. This helps protect your inventory from dust, moisture and damage. It also helps to organize items by type for faster retrieval.
Label the outside of the bin with the category of the item.
Since my categories tend to increase and decrease in storage requirements I tape a post-it to the outside that can easily be replaced/updated.
Put individual items in clear storage bags (ziploc style) inside the bin.
This may seem reduntant. However, when you are looking through the bin for a specific item it helps protect the other items. For instance, you do not want to snag clothes or get items dirty. Using clear storage bags makes it easier and faster to sort through the bin.
Consider using clear storage bins. You can stack the bins or line them up on a shelf. This helps protect your inventory from dust, moisture and damage. It also helps to organize items by type for faster retrieval.
Label the outside of the bin with the category of the item.
Since my categories tend to increase and decrease in storage requirements I tape a post-it to the outside that can easily be replaced/updated.
Put individual items in clear storage bags (ziploc style) inside the bin.
This may seem reduntant. However, when you are looking through the bin for a specific item it helps protect the other items. For instance, you do not want to snag clothes or get items dirty. Using clear storage bags makes it easier and faster to sort through the bin.
Taxes
Talk to your tax adivsor/financial consultant regarding taxes - hobby or business, possible tax deductions, income, and sales tax guidelines for your state.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
