The Lessons to be learned. Ebay Dump #3

[Johny12]

A.L.L. stands for Afghanistan Lessons Learned, and is intended to document our knowledge and experience in a fresh perspective for any and all service-members who may be part of the upcoming surge into Afghanistan this year. He and I and maybe others (who could one day also join this endeavor in the future) have walked the walk and walked the ground. We have learned the lessons the hard way, so there is no reason for others do to do the same. The wheel has been invented and there is no patent on it.

[krickard]

Dear Ironlord, I am starting to list things on Ebay and I see that you have much experience! Please tell me what is selling, I have a basement full of stuff from my parents house to sell and my family could really use the extra $ right now. I just listed a Roseville window box with a reserve of $100 and it didn't even come close! I'm trying to look up things to get their value and charge a fair price. I currently have a old Fisher Price circus wagon on there with no bids at all. Do you have any advice? I realize not everything will sell, but I seem to be having bad luck! Also, I read on here about not using a reserve but I also want to make a profit and not sell something for $1 then have to bother with shipping it. So I guess my question is, what is selling and what's the smartest way to list it? Thanks so much!

[ironlord1963]

    Krickard,  That can be a tough question to answer, as for what is selling, I have a little of everything for me it is the learning experience and not so much the $$$.  Not that I argue with the $$.  For me I have to buy everything I sell so it can be hard to make profit sometimes.  Last week I posted 411 items and sold 44 items just over 10% of what I posted and after figuring out my profit I made somewhere about $80.00 in actual profit after fees.  So it can be really hard to make $$$.00 on ebay with Antiques and Collectiables.  It sounds like in your case you have the items, and don't have to figure in the cost of the product, so actually you can make $$$.00 in profit.  I have found that you need to post lots of items at one time, this allows for you to cover the cost of the fees, which must be covered first before you get profit.  If you have lots of items you need to get a good photo space and download turbo lister and spend a few weeks get your item ready.  A couple of really important things is a good title, this is how you get the bidders to look at your item, Good Photos are a must, if you don't have clear photo's of shots on the kitchen table, they will distract bidders.  As for the reserve issue, well it is a gamble.  if you have a great item with good title and description you can start at .99 and people will bid, but sometimes you won't get what you want and other times you get more.  Keep in mind the whole picture and not just what one item will do.  If you got great stuff you will make $$$.00 for sure, I got Thrift store stuff and I still make money.  If you wish you can look at some of the stuff I have on ebay I'm under ironlord1963 of course, this week I got 405 items I think and it is starting to look like a good week, but in the end I will be lucky to make 200.00 if profit for quite a bit of work.  I still have to have a day job, and like I said earlier for me it is the experience of the lesson, not the amount of the gain.  Good luck and please feel free to ask any specfic question about this, I think we can all learn for our experience here.   

[Slappy Finds]

@krickard,
Hey, I am brand new here, but have been listing on Ebay since 99.  The way i do it is i separate items that you know have a better chance to sell at a good price when sold started at .99, and ones that you are not so sure of. For firsts, look up those same items you have before you list them and take notes(in your head or on paper is acceptable). Make sure you see what the "completed listings" are for it and take note of how much shipping was charged. If you know it will get bids, then take that .99 cent chance. Also, when people bid on stuff, it is like a competition to many of them and they do not like to lose. So more hands on it, means more people will not like to lose. Many listings you need to take a chance with and some-no. the ones you do not want to take a chance with, then you need to figure out the absolute lowest price you would take for it, and even go slightly lower than that and cross your fingers. People do not like reserves because it guarantees them nothing, and many sellers use that with no intention of selling the item, but just seeing how much they can get for it-hence Ebay lets people know that many buyers do not like it, as it costs Ebay money by items listed, but not selling.  Take your time with stuff and do your research, no matter how long it takes you, and it will pay off. I have been doing this for years, and just joined this community an hour ago, because you can never have too many resources. If you are not sure of some of the stuff you have--It seems like you are in the right place for help.
Finally, in your post you said you have a bunch of stuff from your parents house, which means you did not just blow a wad of cash at an estate sale or such for it, so after you do research on your items, consider it found money and take a chance on some of it, and if you know you have high ticket items, use your due diligence and make some cash. 
I hope this helps, and if you have any questions i am here to help too!

[krickard]

Thanks guys, I am learning that I have much more to learn about Ebay. I realize this is not gonna be fast $    One question I have is: is it smart to use the calculated shipping costs when selling or should I use a flat rate? Also, UPS (who is great to work with 'cause they do everything for you) charges a fee for supplies, should I add a few dollars as a handling cost for that? Thanks again!

[ironlord1963]

    I personnally have not used Calculated shipping.  #1 I don't always know what the final weight is, would work well with widgets, or someone who would pack before it is sold.  #2  Since everything is Zoned, I kind of feel that give a unfair advantage to those who live near me.  Basically some would pay less, some more.  I have a simple but seem to work system.  Since cost is controlled by Zones and Weight, weight being based of the pound, I always try and figure out the cost to Zone 8.  1 Pound zone 8 is 8.28 for me.  I put $9.00, 2 Pound 10.11, I put 11.00 and so one.  Sometimes I add a buck if the packaging will require something more, i.e. Plates or large items.  If some one in zone 8 buys it I make a few cents to cover handling, if someone near I make enough to cover anycost.  It usually balances out pretty well in the end.  The biggest trick it in the packing iteself.  You have to be real good about figuring out about the weight is going to be.  If your item weighs about 8 oz.  and is small you can keep the weight under 1 pound you do good.  8 oz. and a large or very fragile item packing material could make it more then 1 pound.  The easy part is that the price only goes up by the pound.  So you have room, but those items that are close to the next pound can be probmatic.  Remember to try and not cheat the packing material.  Give it not enough to keep it under the next level, this has bit me twice and had to give a refund based on damage, if don't insure my packing, I am my own insurance, if it gets danaged most like it was my fault.  Before I bore you too much I will go, maybe I will add more later, I have many packing tips and etc.     

[Slappy Finds]

Yeah, I have never used the calculated shipping costs. After a while, you will get a feel for how much something will cost to ship. My simple formula if i am unsure is check others auctions for the same or very similar items and find the highest shipping cost and then the lowest, and then make yours in the middle somewhere. This is just for US shipping. I have not done international in about 6 years, so i am not sure for that one. Flat Rate to all buyers. You can also go get a scale and use the weight estimator if you want, but i personally think it is a waste of time once you get the feel what you should charge for shipping. I also do not use the prepaid shipping labels they offer either. If you do it correctly, you are paying more with those rates as well most of the time. Trust me, if you keep at at, you will get a feel real quick, and if you happen to live in the midwest, you will get the benefit of having to ship less distance then people who live on the coasts(i live in NJ) and most of the time, score a few cents extra for your stuff by using a flat rate to all buyers. UPS, I would not bother with. Why pay someone else to do stuff you can do for free? You need the money, then cut out the vultures. May I ask, how much stuff do you have to send off, and what types and sizes of the stuff are you trying to sell? I may be able to steer you better knowing what kinds basement finds you are working with. Some of the stuff may even be a Craiglists add for free rather then Ebay.

[krickard]

I have things that are very heavy, old whiskey jugs for example that I have posted on CL with no luck. Large items also old framed pictures, pottery, books, fishing gear, old lanterns, scales. You name it and they (my parents) collected it. I have sold a few things on CL but not a lot. I found a post on CL, someone interested in buying everything just call them and they will come out. But I wonder what kind of price will I get with these sorts of people, I'm sure they try to buy stuff as cheaply as possible for resale. There are small things too, figurines, dishes, silverware, old toys, postcards. These are the things I mean to sell on Ebay hoping for a better price.
I will try to do a flat rate and take both of your advice. Those are good points you both have made. thank you!

[Slappy Finds]

For the really large stuff, keep em off Ebay unless you want to mess with large shipping items, and possible shipping damage. You can always do a local or regional auction for pick up only on Ebay, but also check you local papers for people who buy estates, and and antique shops. give em a call. If they are local, go to their store and ask them if they know about any of the items(take pictures-so you are not lugging this stuff all around). Most importantly, most Antique shops have free magazines, newsletters and flyers for other shops, dealers and events. Take em home, and make a few calls and visit a few websites with your new plethora of resources. If you have truly unique finds, or at least think you do, make some new contacts with the shops/dealers, and if they are willing, ask them to tell you about your items if they know about em. Most will help you, especially if it is am item they are interested in. 
If there are Flea Markets in your area, you can take the big stuff there as well.

[CollectorsOnlineMall]

I got sick of ebay - although we occasionally sells some things there.   I started my own online mall and have been doing well because of Goodle Product Search, Oodle and soon I'm going to list a feed on The Find.  I began this in earnest about 1 1/2 years ago and it took me about 6 months before sales really started rolling in.

You don't have to go through all this trouble thought because Google now makes it easy to have a store and list your product there.    Many of my customers tell me they never shop on ebay anymore because of all the hassle.   It was tough at first getting used to all fixed priced listings but I've made Make an Offer buttons which helped.   

I sold on ebay for a long, long time, and things certainly arent' what they used to be.   

[Slappy Finds]

I may check out that Google one. I have been selling on Ebay for 10+ years, and it is not the same as it was at an earlier age. It is profitable, but i have been waiting for something to come along to make Ebay an afterthought for a few years now. There is alot of nonsense, but if you have patience as a new seller, then you will be OK. I may throw up my own sight as well, but traffic is the question there--If i do the Google option anytime soon, i will let all you know my thoughts on it!

[classifieds]

We had a great experience with eBay.... Sometimes its just dumb luck though. We purchased several heavy ceramic clocks and advertised them as "antique replica" clocks, as they were not really antiques, they just had the look.. We purchased several dozen from a local dollar store who had a surplus, for $5. each... We sold these clocks between $20. - $55. USD!!!! lol! And we started the auctions a $1.!! Amazingly there was some sort of demand.. This is a honest to goodness true story, and we purchased about 6 dozen clocks this way, before their temporary surplus ran out... I believe you can apply this same technique, if there is a demand and if you create an appeal for the product..