Well, join the crowd. I'm sure that all you armchair psychiatrist out there are ready to analyze me. I could use the attention. But things around here have been super busy this week. I have been trying to get as much in my ebay store as I can, trying to get ready for the shopping season. Last week end I had 12 auctions ending. That is always a busy time, exciting but busy. Then everything has to be boxed, weighed, and get the postage on the box and then get them out the door. Whew!! I did it. While I didn't sell everything, I sold enough to make it worthwhile. I finally got the last package mailed today. A late payer always keeps you on edge because you keep thinking they are going to back out. But it all worked out.
About the crazy thing.....I am so tired of boxes of stuff sitting everywhere. By the couch....by the table....by the window....by the door.....everywhere.
Have you ever sold on ebay? I mean really geared up for mega sales? I currently have about 90 things listed and I easily have 3 times that much stuff to get listed. Also, because I have had a store for over 30 days, things that did not sell are coming off. Do I pull them, do I relist, do I donate them, do I have a yard sale?????
My head hurts...
It's a vicious cycle. You must buy to list.....you must list to sell.....when you sell you must buy more to list.......
Sometime I wonder if it is worth it....But I need the cash and the distraction of keeping busy is a plus. I mean, you can only look for a job so many hours in a day. And there are only so many out there......and more than enough applicants to fill 10 times the number of jobs available.
My goal on ebay is to average $100 a day in sales. A few days I have accomplished that. Most days I don't.
I don't know the secret to selling on ebay. (There are dozens of books, ebooks and the like out there, for a price) so I am just flying by the seat of my pants.
The way things sell on ebay just baffles me. When you are on the selling side things are weird. I sold this earlier this week.
For $12.99. There were other cups just like this one listed for less but mine sold in 3 hours. Why? Who knows. I charged a reasonable fee for shipping and that may have been the selling pointI also sold this
It's a used jelly jar glass.It came free with the jelly, well in this case strawberry preserves. Of course it has the original lid and it is kinda cute if you like Snow White and Dopey. But $6.99 cute? Not for me.See, the things people will buy just boggles the brain.
Based upon this type of sales I think my skull nail art will be a hit......
But I don't think I'll hold my breath just yet....Off to yard sales tomorrow. Hope I find some real treasures.
Call me crazy too. I think for me personally when I am shopping online if the photos are pleasing - some peoples are so poorly lit, out of focus, etc. Wording makes a difference, when your grammer is poor it makes me think the seller didn't take much time - and may be the same way with their care of the item. SHipping definately can sway me to. I've seen exact same items listed for shipping variations of 5-15 dollars! So if an item is super cheap but the shipping is outrageous it makes me think the seller is trying to make some "extra" money off the item. I look at other items the seller has too and when the seller seems to have shipping relatively modest or similar it makes me feel like they are being fair across the board. What do you think? Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I've had the same myself being a new seller.
ReplyDeleteExactly!! I try to take good pictures but sometimes the lighting just sucks. I have an aqua planter on line now that has a pink background. I took the pic with a white background. The item looks good so I just left it. I have an item that I'm watching right now. A 99c item that has a shipping of over $35. That's just crazy because it is a small item. In days past you could get away with charging high shipping but not now because ebay takes a percent of shipping. So right away you are already behind on shipping.
ReplyDeleteI always look at other things a seller has for sale too. I don't like to see what their kitchen or garage looks like, just the item please. There is one seller that sells mostly kitchen items and she has a handwritten note in the picture stating that the item has not been washed. Please, I don't want it sitting around my house with yard sale cooties on it!!
Being a new store seller on ebay has made me look at selling in a new light. Good luck with your sales!!
Are you a member of Ebay underground? They have all sorts of advice for free. You can find them on proboards here:
ReplyDeletehttp://ebayunderground.proboards.com/index.cgi
Yes, I love ebay underground. I have learned lots of valuable info there. But,I am just a stubborn hard headed person who has to learn the hard way!!!;)
ReplyDeleteSometimes I research an item and still let it go too cheap. Sometimes there just aren't any listed at the moment and I don't subscribed to terapeak yet. I guess it would be worth it, but I can't swing it right now. The folks on ebay underground are so willing to help, it's great!!
anna I think you can get a free version of Terapeak. It only lets you search the last 14 days. I have a free version but I do not know if they started charging after I joined?
ReplyDeleteok I just checked and they are charging now Wonder how Im not getting billed? hmmm now that I said it I will probably get a bill. I dont remember ever paying anything
ReplyDeletelooked at my account and yes in 2010 they had a free version and are still honoring that. If you ever need something to look up just let me know Im beckypries on proboards
ReplyDeleteI think I saw Terapeak for free at one point. You sign up and you get 30 days free. I will join soon when I feel like I have too much stuff that I just can't find any info on. Maybe I'm wrong on the "selling to fast theory of pricing too low" or maybe its just what someone wanted and the price was reasonable. Thanks for the look up offer. If I have something that just stumps me I will yell!
ReplyDeleteThe part I didn't like (well, still don't) about ebay and some other resale venues is that every step of the way someone is nibbling at your profit. Listing fees and final value fees and paypal fees and always something more!
ReplyDeleteWhen I did sell, I would list 5 items and sell 1 and there was not a LOT of competition for my items, they are desireable, and my prices started low. I never went into the red, but it was not good enough to make me jump for joy.
I am an older dog trying to learn new tricks!
When you learn those tricks, let me know. I am an old dog just trying to learn.
ReplyDeleteWhat ebay hasn't figured out is that they would be nothing if we did not list something to sell. Buyers are great, but you need sellers.
I almost hate to figure my profit margin because ebay sometimes makes more than me.....grrrrrrr