Selling on EBay. What do I need to know? (Vanity)

[LuLuLuLu]

We've got some antique and other stuff that we don't use and don't want, so I've decided to sell it on ebay. I know I need to do some research to set reasonable reserves, but I'm wondering if there is anything else I need to know?

One thing that concerns me is the seller's rating. Years ago I bought things on ebay, and so if I long in with the same user name (assuming I can remember it), will it be detrimental that I have no feedback as a seller?

Another concern is the whole Paypal thing. I've read horror stories.

Help me out here, folks. I'd like to hear the good, the bad and especially the ugly of selling on ebay.

Many thanks in advance.

[Hildy]

I think PayPal is worse if you're the buyer than if you're the seller. Peronally, I've never had a problem on EBAY as a buyer.

[EllaMinnow]

I've been selling on ebay for 3 years, and the one tip I give to potential sellers is to have good feedback as a buyer first. It's a lot easier to learn ebay from the buyers' side first. Since you've done that, you shouldn't have a problem.

Personally, I've never had a problem with Paypal - but I do know others have.

[SheLion]

I've been selling on Ebay since 1998. Nothing big like antiques or vehicles. And I've been with Pay Pal just about as long. I enjoy it, and it's a hobby for me.

Plus, it's a good way to get rid of "stuff" that you no longer need or want. I really enjoy it.

The only heartburn I have with being a seller is the newbie buyers. They can't wait to slap a negative on your feedback. You have to be really careful and treat them with kid gloves, or you'll get a negative for "not being nice." That's my big beef.

Instead of working things out in email, they can't wait to give negatives. But........their day will come. :)

[abner]

I've never had a problem with Paypal, but I know someone that hates it.

I just started a drop off store in my neighborhood to sell for other people. It is going to go gangbusters I think. I have a tiny sign out front and I am almost afraid to put up the big signs that I have.

Good luck.

[boris]

I tried to sell a "nearly new" external SCSI Jaz Drive with cable, Adaptec controller, 10 2-gb media (personally checked by me for readability), 4 1-gb media (ditto). I pay shipping.

Opening price for the whole shebang: $125.

Bids: zero.

Eventually went into the trash bin. Understand: each 2-gb medium (disk) originally cost ~$100...

--Boris

[Former Fetus]

I've been selling on eBay for a couple of years. It is my experience that most people look at the % of positive ratings, rather than whether you have been buying or selling. Now, if your rating is less than perfect, people will check it out and then it might make a difference if you have only bought before.

As for Pay Pal, I've never had any problems. The only people I know who had trouble, it wasn't really Pay Pal but some scam artist presenting himself as working from Pay Pal. Follow their safety advice and you should have no trouble. If you are planning on selling a big item, you need to keep in mind that Pay Pal will take a fee from the seller. Some people will charge an extra 5% if the buyer wants to use Pay Pal.

[Swordmaker]

I have used eBay to purchase over $50,000 worth of merchandise and was stung only once. I have also sold using eBay.

A low eBay rating WILL affect your auctions... many people are leary of buying from a low rating eBayer. It is a classic catch... you have to make transactions to build a good rating. Buyer ratings and seller ratings are basically the same and each increment your number. Unless you really go looking you cannot tell the difference easily. As for low rating buyers don't be too afraid of selling to a low rating... just don't ship the item until you have the cash (not just a check) in hand. In other words, make sure the funds have cleared.

Be wary of buyers that are suddenly purchasing large ticket items that don't fit their previous purchasing pattern... their accounts may have been hijacked by crooks who will buy large ticket items and send a forged cashiers check or other fraudulent instrument.

PayPal is a bank. Using it is as safe as using a bank. There will be fees and if your items are large, you may run up against a transaction limit. By using PayPal, you can specify that you will only accept electronic check transactions from the buyers bank account into your PayPal account. Using credit cards is more expensive because PayPal has to pay the merchant's discount to Visa or MasterCard, etc., so they pass that fee on to you plus their own fees.

For large ticket items consider using a escros service... but not one offered by the buyer,.. as it is common that fraudulent buyers create their OWN fraudulent escrow service. Use one that is recommended on eBay by other eBayers.

[Maigret]

I furnished almost my whole house through ebay and have intermittently sold, I'd just suggest that you can easily build up your feedback by buying some inexpensive things, and by selling items like books, cds, and other inexpensive goods.

Try not to be too wordy in your auction, I especially hate the ones that are a hundred lines of 'rules', I never bid on anything that is sold that way. Just ask yourself if you were buying the item what you would want to know about it, you can put a small disclaimer at the end saying how many days till payment is expected if insurance is available etc.

I love PayPal, it has saved me money by giving me refunds when a seller has been a loser. In fact I try not to buy anything on ebay without using PayPal.

[Sender]

I've been buying on eBay and paying with PayPal for years with no problems at all. I've never sold anything yet on eBay.

It is certainly a good thing to have a lot of positive feedback, but it is not absolutely necessary. If you are selling big-ticket items or expensive, fragile antiques then having no feedback is more of a liability than if you are selling $5 items that are not so great a risk.

IMHO, it is less worrisome to have no feedback than to have negative feedback. I have bought items from far away countries from sellers with little or no feedback and have been pleasantly surprised. If a seller has numerous negative feedback, I'm not buying from them even if they have a thousand positive ones.

[Graymatter]

Always look at recent completed auctions for items similar to what you're selling. You'll get an idea of the prices and the interest shown in such items.

Be thorough and very specific in your selling terms. Read the terms of other sellers.

Think twice about selling large items that can't be shipped cheaply. Buyers often bid on them, then experience deep remorse when they realize they must find a shipper and pay through the nose. Don't complicate your life by offering to find a shipper and arrange for shipping.

I'd go on but I'm getting depressed, remembering the mistakes I made. I haven't sold in over a year. Not worth the agony.

[abner]

If you can, don't use a reserve. Put a starting price of what you need to get for the item. People will either buy or not regardless of price.

Don't start your auctions at a price that you can't afford. You will lose money that way.

Keep your shipping to a minimum. People get crazy about shipping amounts. If you charge a handling or packing fee, make sure that is in your auction.

[Leisler]

Describe everything fully. Leave nothing out. At a minimum this will keep people from emailing you and waisting time answering question you should of resolved thru good text and pictures.

Describe it just as it is. No more no less. You don't want it back and you want good responses.

Buy the extra photos, they are worth it. Do the ten day post.

Don't give it away. Just cause it doesn't sell in one post, so what. Use the history function and you can look back and see what similar items have sold for in the past. Make sure you post it in the correct category. Do a search for like minded items being sold.

Try what to you is the simplest piece to sell first so that you can get your feet wet and not care too much about the piece itself, or the price, but more to lean the ropes before you get to more expensive and/or difficult pieces.

[LuLuLuLu]

THIS is why I love FR!! Within minutes, I have answers.

The antiques are not big items. Some depression glass, some Old Leed's Spray. I'm also looking to get rid of some nice (but unused since I met Mr. Lu six years ago) gold rimmed wine glasses.

That kind of stuff.

Oh, and cookbooks. Are books a good thing to sell? I could take them to Half Priced Books and get maybe enough for a pack of gum.

I'm not really in this for the money, but I don't want to give it way, either.

You all are just GREAT!

[af_vet_1981]

I tried to sell a "nearly new" external SCSI Jaz Drive with cable, Adaptec controller, 10 2-gb media (personally checked by me for readability), 4 1-gb media (ditto). I pay shipping. Opening price for the whole shebang: $125.

Bids: zero.

Eventually went into the trash bin. Understand: each 2-gb medium (disk) originally cost ~$100...

You started the bidding too high, a common mistake. You could have started it below $10 and let the marketplace decide what it was worth. It was not worth $125.

[sistergoldenhair]

ping

[abner]

PJ sells books with success.

eBay can be fickle. One item one week will not sell, but the next the same item can go for big bucks.

Just make sure that in the end, it is worth your time and trouble to list, answer silly questions and to take the time to ship the item.

I had someone bring me some bar stools last week that even if they sold for a decent amount, by the time I would have shipped them(packing etc) it wouldn't be worth the time to sell them.

[af_vet_1981]

Put a starting price of what you need to get for the item. People will either buy or not regardless of price.

No, that is not true. The item is not worth "what you need to get for" it. It is worth what a seller will pay. Otherwise keep it and save yourself the fees for a failed sales attempt. The best policy is to advertise it properly and list it long enough for the marketplace to decide what it is worth. You can always take it to a dealer and receive what it is really worth to someone else who has to make a living selling what you don't want anymore.

[lowbridge]

I especially hate the ones that are a hundred lines of 'rules', I never bid on anything that is sold that way.

I once saw a DVD on eBay that I wanted, but one of the sellers rules was that you had to ask for his permission before you bid. If you didn't, he would cancel your bid. So, I emailed him for his permission, and then promptly forgot about the auction. I didnt check my email for a few days. If I had, I would have noticed that he emailed back his permission. His auction closed without a single bidder. The problem wasnt that the DVD wouldnt have sold (it was a popular item usually went for 15-20 dollars on ebay at the time), the problem was that sellers dumb rule. I eventually bought that DVD...from a local store instead of online.

[boris]

"You started the bidding too high, a common mistake. You could have started it below $10 and let the marketplace decide what it was worth. It was not worth $125."

Evidently. Which was why it went in the trash.

As I pointed out, a single Jaz media, new in wrapper, was ~$100. Not worth $125? Hell, the controller and cable were worth that much.

And no, I would not sell and ship the entire lot if the high bid were $15.

--Boris