How to profit on eBay

[Nick R.]

To make money on ebay:
#1) You have to want to. That is you must actively seek out bargains at garage sales and flea markets and then clean them up and resell them. You're not going to make money selling stuff that you have lying around which you bought retail.

#2)You have to really want to sell the item. Which means, low opening bid, and no reserve unless it's an oddball item. All the reserve fees you pay to ebay will add up to more than the occasional money loser.

#3)Good description with photos hosted on ebay with supersizing. It's amazing how many vendors try to save a buck by using slow, offsite photo hosting. And answer your emails promptly.

#4)Unless you're selling rare artwork and exect people to fly to your home to inspect it, use seven day auctions. A ten day auction just gives people time to find another one to buy.

 

[Will]

Just like gambling, if you don't bid, you win already!

But you are on the selling side..

Good luck!

hahahahaha...


On the serious side, most post services and express mail services have a price book/table that send out free, read that if you are a volumn seller.

Cheers





Will

 

[iggers]

Seven or ten days?

Seven or ten days?

I've tended to favor ten day auctions, on the basis that more time means more people have the opportunity to find the listing and either bid or put it on their watch list. The point that another member made, that it helps to cover two weekends, also makes sense to me. It wouldn't occur to me that a longer time "just gives people time to find another one to buy", as my own bidding pattern is such that bidding on one item, or even winning it, does not make me less likely to bid on another.

To make money on ebay:
#4)Unless you're selling rare artwork and exect people to fly to your home to inspect it, use seven day auctions. A ten day auction just gives people time to find another one to buy.

 

[Poptart]

Ill try the two weekends idea--that's intriguing.
I do actually have some rare artwork but in the past, only the common artists have sold for me--like I have a Wallace Nutting that would probably fetch $25-75 because everyone knows the name. Then I have a Gus Baker that's a fine print and very rare and I doubt that anyone would even bid close to what it's worth so I doubt I'll ever list it. I actually sold a big pristine art litho to someone in Amsterdam after the end of the listing that he failed to meet the reserve on.
And the other stuff that was mentioned--buy low, sell low and good descriptions, I think I already try to do. People just seem to be really cheap on most items. They wait until the last minute to bid so they can get it at the opening bid price.

 

[celluloidprop]

The p/o fees are compensated by the buyers but it takes time and effort to pack and ship all this stuff.

I've eliminated a lot of that hassle by only using USPS Priority Mail and only shipping in the US. I use their free boxes, print out a shipping label on my laser printer, and drop the packages in the night box at my local PO.

 

[Poptart]

<--New listings now up for critique--click on my homepage link in my profile. Thanks for all the advice!

 

[rbiemer]

Hey, Poptart, I've seen some of your listings and they have been way better than this one:"MUST SEE CAMERA"????? .
I know low expenses are important in any profit making enterprise and time has to be considered an expense but this is too minimalist(I think).
Infrequently my browser does odd things and I thought this was happening again when I looked at this sale...
Rob

 

[Goodyear]

Yeah, I have a question. What the blazes is it?

"Must see".

I would like to see it!

 

[flashover]

I thought the secret was buy it at a yard sale for .50 cents and then sell it for 50 bucks on ebay. sell 10 items a day 7 days a week and your making money it's that simple right?

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I actually use/test the equipment being sold. Even if I bought it just to sell it. Too many "I have no clue if this camera works" selling a busted something or another. My cameras typically get a roll of film through them, or at least inspected/tested. That includes the $0.50 Diana that went for almost $100.

 

[rbiemer]

I actually use/test the equipment being sold. Even if I bought it just to sell it. Too many "I have no clue if this camera works" selling a busted something or another. My cameras typically get a roll of film through them, or at least inspected/tested. That includes the $0.50 Diana that went for almost $100.

An important ethic, I think. I've seen listings that say similar things and then go look at the "other items" and find that most of the sellers items are cameras/lenses/etc. 🙄
Those kind of disclaimers are a deal breaker for me.
Rob

 

[flashover]

I have learned the hard way if the deal looks to go to be true then it often is. I always figue about 20% of what I bid on it miss discribed or incorrectly listed. So I limit my bids and don't get caught up in the fever.

 

[david b]

Well I have done so well on ebay that I had to start a little business.

The rules I adhere to are:
- start on tuesday night around 10pm EST
- end on sunday night around 10pm EST
- never longer than 5 days
- show good pictures
- declare shipping cost in writing without a calculator
- declare return policy (I do not accept returns)
- a description that is short and sweet (I hate gigantic descriptions that are more about payment and shipping than the item)
- do the research on the item for sale
- know what you are selling
- keep it simple stupid

I am sure there is more but that's it for now. I've done well with buying on ebay and then reselling the same item on ebay. For example, I just bought a hasselblad flexbody for $1400 and then resold it ON EBAY for $2400. I do this often. Just know the item you are bidding on and ask the right questions. Good luck.