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Does anyone know how to Sell things or E-bay and make money?

Date: Sun, 05/25/2008 - 12:38
Submitted by Lukeskywalker on Sun, 05/25/2008 - 12:38
Posts: 1909
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I am looking everywhere on-line on how to make money on ebay and all I get is these rip-off get rich quick skeems. I really need to know how to do this becuase I know it is a real way to make money, but I do not know how to get stared. Only serious replies please.

Thank You,
Luke


Ok....I'm going to start posting this - it will take some time, because I'm still writing it.


[quote]Suebee????????s Guide to Selling on Ebay

Part 1 - Find Something to Sell???????.

A word before we start???????.RESEARCH!! The most important thing you can do prior to starting to sell on Ebay is to research the items you want to sell. Ebay has marketing tools that contain a ???????hotlist???????? of items that are selling extremely well during a certain time period. (More on marketing tools later.) But if you know you want to sell a certain type of item, the best thing you can do for yourself and your Ebay business is to research it first. Go to Ebay, and type in the name of your item in the search window. Then click on ???????advanced search??????? - check the box for ???????completed auctions??????? and then do your search. This will bring up all completed auctions for your item for the past 30 days. This will give you a very good idea of what that item will sell for???????or whether you should even bother.

A good example of this is the NASCAR collection a co-worker asked me to sell for him. He had 4 large storage totes full of NASCAR collectibles he had gathered over the years. I took the stuff home, and spent a few hours researching every piece of it. Sadly, I had to give every bit of it back to him and tell him I couldn????????t list it for him. The items just weren????????t selling at all, or were selling for so much less than what he paid for them as to not even be worth the effort of listing them. If I had listed them without researching them, he would have had to pay the seller????????s fees for listing them, and not received anything in return. He would have been paying for nothing.

The biggest hurdle to overcome when you start selling on Ebay is finding something to sell. There are many ways to go about it, but for a part-time seller, just starting out, here are some good ideas to consider:
(I????????ll go into more detail later about each item and how to handle it)

-Used Clothing
-Used Electronics
-Books
-Shoes
-High end used purses & accessories
-Hunting, fishing & camping gear
-Gently used sporting goods
-Odd items - things you don????????t see every day!
-Antiques and primitive items
-Gently used power tools
-Box Lots (more on that later)

Obviously, you can sell larger items, like boats, campers, cars, etc. on Ebay. But if you????????re just starting out, it????????s best to start small and work your way up!

WHERE TO FIND IT:

-Yard Sales are a major source - and a cheap one!
-Curbside (I????????m not kidding. If you????????re too proud to do it, don????????t do it - but many people have made decent money on Ebay from selling what other people consider to be ???????trash???????)
-Your Closet, Your Kids???????? Closet, or Your Family????????s Closet
-Thrift Stores
-Retail Store Clearance Racks & Aisles
-Estate Sales & Auctions - these are a FANTASTIC resource for antiques and primitive d????cor items - but a word to the wise: watch the prices! It is very easy to get the ???????bidding bug??????? and get into a bidding war over an item you just KNOW will sell high on Ebay. But the person you are bidding against in the auction may well be a family member who will stop at nothing to get that item for its???????? sentimental value - or an antique dealer who knows the true value of the item and has a larger purse than you do with which to purchase it. Keep a cool head, and watch for ???????lots??????? of items grouped together - you can get some great deals this way, even if you don????????t want all the items in the lot.

There are many people who sell by drop-shipping. I????????ve always thought this was a bad deal for the seller. What happens is this: you contract with a wholesaler to sell their NEW items on Ebay. You pay for a certain number of items in advance, at wholesale cost, and list them on Ebay at a markup, which should allow for a profit for yourself, your seller fees, final value fees, Paypal fees, etc. When the item sells, you notify the wholesaler, and they drop-ship the item to your bidder. Sounds great, right? You have no inventory to maintain, no packaging and shipping worries, should be a great deal! However, a great many things can and do go wrong with this scenario. The wholesaler could be scamming you, and takes your money and disappears???????the wholesaler goes out of business without notice???????.the wholesaler fails to ship the item or ships it much later than agreed upon???????.the items shipped by the wholesaler are not of the quality you were told they would be???????.all of which leaves you , the seller, dealing with the angry bidders, loss of income, loss of your investment money, and an Ebay bill to pay on top of it.


USED CLOTHING, PURSES, SHOES & ACCESSORIES:

Yes, I said used. You will be very surprised at how well those old jeans will sell on Ebay! There are a few key things to remember when you look at purchasing used clothing to sell on Ebay, or when you are selling your own used clothing:

-clothing must be in decent wearable condition - all fasteners, buttons, zippers must work properly. No holes, stains or tears that were not designed into the clothing in the first place. A good rule of thumb is not to sell something you wouldn????????t be willing to wear yourself, or to put on your child or family member.

-believe it or not, used shoes will actually sell. And not just to the odd shoe fetishist (just kidding - but they????????re out there, and some people even angle their used shoe auctions towards them!). Good high end used athletic shoes, like Nike, Reebok, and Skechers are in high demand - especially if they appear to be nearly unworn.

-purses are big right now - especially if you can get your hands on Coach, or a similar high end name. Again, the watchword here is condition - they must be nearly new to command a decent price.


-the better the brand name, the better it will sell. Don????????t expect to get a whole lot out of a pair of jeans with a store????????s brand name (like K-Mart has their own brand name, Wal-Mart has theirs, etc.). Bidders on Ebay will pay for the brand name they like.

-Take Measurements!! I can????????t stress this enough. Clothing size standards vary from manufacturer to manufacturer - a size 10 in one company????????s jeans will not fit the same as a size 10 from another company. This is especially true of women????????s clothing. Even with men????????s clothing, where pants are sized by the waist and inseam measurements, I recommend taking measurements anyway - you never know if a used clothing article has been altered somehow, and no longer matches the size label.

-Box Lots are a GOOD thing when it comes to clothing. If you do end up with a large supply of store-brand clothing that won????????t sell individually, think about doing a box lot of like sizes. If you can make up a box lot of, say, 10 pieces of the same size clothing (or within 1 or 2 sizes of each other), you can still sell those store brand items and make decent money on them.

-Beware of consignment shops! These are not a good source of resale clothing for Ebay. Their markup is generally too high, due to the fact that they have to cover their own overhead, pay a percentage of the sale to the consignee, and still try to make a profit themselves. You will find yourself hard pressed to make any money reselling consignment shop clothing on Ebay, unless you happen to hit an incredible deal on their clearance rack!

-Speaking of clearance racks???????.hit them whenever possible. In Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Kohls, etc - you can find some incredible deals - and then you can sell your items as NWT! (new with tags)


ELECTRONICS, HUNTING/FISHING/CAMPING GEAR, SPORTS GEAR & TOOLS:

As with clothing, condition is all-important here.

-Any electronics item should be thoroughly tested before you buy it for reselling on Ebay - it should operate, and all functions of the item should work properly. If you????????re handy at repairing things like DVD players, VCR????????s, etc. - you could do well with this category by purchasing items that need repair.

-Sports Gear is big right now - and probably always will be. Golf Clubs, Sport Equipment, Sports Uniforms & Shoes, etc - all go very well on Ebay. The key is to check the condition of every item to be sure everything is as it should be.

-Hunting/Fishing/Camping Gear & Tools - another big seller on Ebay. If you are able to pick up used camping gear at a yard sale, check it over thoroughly to be sure the gear is all in good condition, all pieces are present, and it????????s not mildewed or smelly (especially in the case of backpacks or tents). Tools, especially power tools , should be thoroughly tested before purchase to ensure operation.

ODD ITEMS - STUFF YOU DON????????T SEE EVERY DAY:

Here????????s where it can get interesting! We????????ve all heard the stories of ghosts being sold on Ebay, pieces of grilled cheese sandwich with what appears to be a religious image on the bread, etc. But if you can find a true oddity - something you can identify as being truly strange, odd and/or rare, you may well have a very good seller on your hands! Some examples:

-items found in an elderly relative????????s attic (provided they have given you permission to take them)
-old farm implements (saw an antique pig castrator go for big bucks once)
-antique ???????blue books???????? (old dirty novels - believe it or not, there????????s a market for them!)

ANTIQUES & BOX LOTS:

Antiques can be a big seller, but you????????ve ABSOLUTELY got to know what you????????ve got before you sell it. Research is key in this category. Check out antique reference books from your local library - get the most recent copies they have - and use them to research your item before you list it. Then research it on Ebay as mentioned at the top of this article before you even consider listing it. In time, you will come to know the general value of almost anything, and you????????ll know to look for maker????????s marks, damage, missing pieces, etc. That cookie jar at the yard sale for $5 may be worth $250, but you have to know what to look for in order to make that sale!

Box Lots are sometimes an Ebay seller????????s best friend. If you have an odd lot of antiques, primitive d????cor items, clothing, shoes, tools, etc - that you don????????t???????? think will sell well individually, the best thing you can do is lump them together in a box lot! Pricing of a box lot is key - you need to take into account the cost of all the items included in the lot before setting your price.

Now that you understand the ins and outs of finding things to sell, let????????s move on to HOW to sell???????.[/quote]


Submitted by SUEBEEHONEY70 on Sun, 05/25/2008 - 16:22

SUEBEEHONEY70

( Posts: 4583 | Credits: )


Quote:

PART 2.???????.How Do I Sell This Stuff???

Ok - you????????ve researched what you want to sell, you????????ve stocked up on a small amount of inventory, and you????????re ready to start making money on Ebay!

But how do you start?? It????????s not that hard, really, but many people are intimidated by it. (I sell for other people in this case - some want to learn to sell, but some would just rather pay me to do it! Once you become proficient at selling, this can also come into play for you.)

GETTING STARTED:

-Set up a Seller????????s Account on Ebay. If you already have a bidder????????s account on Ebay, this can be done by going to your ???????My Ebay??????? page (click on the My Ebay button at the top of the Ebay homepage). On the menu that runs down the left side of the My Ebay page, you will see a link that says ???????Start Selling???????. Click on that, and it will take you through several steps that will set up your seller????????s account. If you do not have a bidder????????s account, go to the Ebay homepage and click on the button at the top of the page that says ???????Sell???????. This will take you through the setup of your Ebay account, and then your seller????????s account.

-Set up a Paypal Account. As a new seller on Ebay, you are required to accept some form of credit card payment, which can be done through Paypal. Paypal is totally owned by Ebay, and is one of the safest ways to receive your payments from Ebay. Many sellers will not accept anything else. There are fees involved with accepting money through Paypal as a seller. It used to be free???????but things change, and as Ebay has evolved, so has the fee structure for everything involved with it. You can also accept payment by check, or money order - but you have to be willing to accept the possible problems with those methods of payment. Checks can bounce, money orders can be forged, and there????????s the whole mailing time - if your bidder ???????forgets???????? to mail the payment, or it gets lost in the mail, you????????re left waiting endlessly for your payment. It????????s a personal choice, of course, but if you want your money right away, Paypal is really the only method of doing that. I highly recommend you read the new rules from Ebay and Paypal regarding the recent changes made to both sites - here:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/ia/rules_for_sellers.html

https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_update-policy

It is especially important to note that with some items, considered ???????high risk??????? by Paypal, there is a possibility for payment to be held for 21 days by Paypal, or until the bidder indicates they????????ve received the item and are satisfied with it.

-Get a camera! You will need a digital camera to take pictures of your items for Ebay. Try to get a decent quality camera - something that takes a clear picture and does not distort colors, with auto flash and auto focus, as well as a zoom feature. A decent HP or Kodak digital camera can be had for less than $100 right now. My personal choice is the HP Photosmart - I????????ve had the same one for over 3 years now, and I????????ve never had a single complaint about it, nor a day????????s trouble.

-Get a scale! If you can afford to get an inexpensive digital postal scale, so much the better for you. Otherwise, you run the risk of underestimating the shipping cost of your items, and you'll end up paying the difference between what your bidder pays for shipping, and what it actually cost!

-Stock up on boxes & shipping supplies! Hit the local dollar stores, grocery stores, gift shops, malls, etc. Ask them if you can have their empty boxes and packing supplies (packing peanuts & bubble wrap are expensive if you have to buy them, and that eats into your profits!) The US Postal Service will deliver, free of charge, all the Priority Mail boxes and envelopes you need. They don????????t charge for them, and will deliver them right to your door. However, not everything ships via Priority Mail, so stock up on the other boxes as well.

-Set up an area of your home for your Ebay business. You will need a place to store shipping supplies, your inventory, and to keep records. You will also need a place to take pictures - nothing looks worse or tackier than items photographed on your sofa! Try to set up a corner of a room with a plain backdrop, like a white bed sheet or a pastel colored fabric, with a small card table or stand under it to support your items.


FEES:

There are fees involved with everything in life these days, aren????????t there? It sure seems that way. You CAN make money on Ebay, though, if you structure your pricing properly, and take into account all the fees involved.

I????????m not going to list out all the exact fees, because they can (and do) change. But here is where to find the fee structure on Ebay:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/fees.html

As you can see from the info on Ebay????????s fee page, there are fees for pretty much everything, and not much is given for free anymore. There are fees for:

-Listing your item (sliding scale based on your starting bid)
-Listing an item with a Buy It Now price
-Using the Listing Designer
-Listing an item with Reserve pricing
-Listing an item with photos (first photo is free, there is a charge for each additional photo)
-Using Ebay????????s special listing features - like bold, highlight, featured on Homepage, etc - to get more attention for your listing.

And the list goes on???????..

There are also fees for using Paypal - here????????s where to find those fees:

http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_display-fees-outside

It seems like there are an awful lot of fees, right? Well, perhaps there are???????.but the way I like to think about it is this:

If you took your item, listed in the local newspaper????????s classified ads for one week, how much would you spend to list that one item? And how many people would you reach with that listing?

The answer is pretty obvious - you????????d spend quite a bit and reach relatively few people. And it would only sell for however much you asked for it in the ad.

With Ebay, you????????re getting a global marketplace (provided you choose to allow international bidders) - or at the least, you????????re reaching the entire country. How much would THAT cost in a newspaper ad? You????????re getting photos of your item in your listing, payment by a trusted payment source, with pretty much immediate payment.

PRICING STRUCTURE:

The way to approach your pricing on Ebay is the way any business owner would. You need to take into account the following items:

-what you paid for the item (if it????????s free, what you make is what I call ???????icing on the cake???????!)
-the fees involved in selling it (both Ebay and Paypal fees need to be considered)
-your time

Most part-time Ebay sellers don????????t end up figuring in their time spent listing the items, because it????????s done in their spare time, and any money they make over and above the fees & cost of the item is money in the bank for them. That????????s pretty much how I approach it. I do this in my spare time. It????????s not a job - but it does help make ends meet. I don????????t have set business hours - I do it when I have time.

Here's a fee calculator I use for pricing structure on Ebay - it's very helpful!

http://ebcalc.com/auction/single/


Submitted by SUEBEEHONEY70 on Sun, 05/25/2008 - 17:04

SUEBEEHONEY70

( Posts: 4583 | Credits: )


Quote:

PART 3 - Listing Your Items???????..

I won????????t kid you - listing is work! But I find it fun, and once you get used to HOW to list items, it will go a lot faster, I assure you. The first few listings will go very slowly, as you work your way through everything that has to be done to list the items - but after that, you????????ll see each one get faster!

Here are some tips for successful listing - there????????s also a great guide on Ebay to selling your items:

http://pages.ebay.com/sell/top10tips.html?_trksid=m37

-DESCRIPTION IS KEY! Tell people what you are selling. Don????????t simply throw a picture onto a listing and say ???????this is a shirt???????. Believe it or not, there are lots of listings out there like that. Ok - so is it a blue shirt, does it have a collar or is it a t-shirt, what size is it, does it have any stains or holes, what are the measurements so I know it will fit me, what brand is it?? These are all things that should be addressed in your listing. For clothing items, measurements are extremely important - as I mentioned in Section 1 - sizes vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Measuring the clothing takes extra time, but it also results in higher final selling prices! A full, accurate description of your item is the key to more sales.

-NEVER SELL WITHOUT PHOTOS! Many items currently listed on Ebay will never sell. Why? Because the seller doesn????????t have a camera or has simply not bothered to take a picture of the item. Would you buy something sight unseen? Nope. Neither will most bidders. And if they do, and are unsatisfied with the item, you will end up with negative feedback from the unhappy bidder who didn????????t get what they expected from the listing.

Try to get good, clear shots of your item in a well-lit place. If your photo is dark, the colors don????????t appear to be true, or you take pictures that don????????t show the entire item, chances are that it might still sell, but for less than if you had taken more care with the photos. (For example, don????????t take pictures of a box lot of clothing folded up in the box and expect your bidders to know there are 10 pieces of clothing in the box!)

-LIST YOUR POLICIES!
-How often do you ship?
-Will you accept returns? If so, will you
refund their money or substitute another
item?
-What methods of payment do you accept?
-How soon is payment expected (3 days, 7
days, immediately?)
-Does your item come from a smoking or non
smoking home? This is a MUST, in my books - also,
you need to mention if you have pets. People with
smoke sensitivities and allergies will appreciate
this!

Don????????t overload your listing with policies. Be short and to the point, but list them. Ebay????????s listing form provides these options for you to fill in, and they can be saved as a template listing for all your items, which makes it much easier, so you don????????t have to remember everything for each listing! I????????ve run across many listings that totally turned me off because there were 3 lines of description about the item, one photo, and then half a page of policies.

-SHIPPING COSTS - Ebay provides a feature on the listing page that allows you to specify how the item will be shipped - provide up to 3 methods of shipment for your bidders to choose from, including one cheap method, one mid-level and one express. This will carry through to the Ebay checkout for your bidder, and they can choose how they want the item shipped.

-HOW LONG TO LIST?? This is a matter of personal choice. However, there are additional fees associated with listing for longer periods of time. Generally, listings on Ebay run for 3 to 7 days. I personally choose the 7 day listing format. It allows more time for more bidders to see your item. If you are in a hurry to make money, you can choose the 3 day listing format, but you need to keep in mind that when you do that, if your item doesn????????t sell in 3 days, you will end up relisting it more frequently than if you had listed it for 7 days???????thus increasing your selling fees.

That????????s pretty much it for listing the items???????.now on to how to proceed after your item sells!


Submitted by SUEBEEHONEY70 on Sun, 05/25/2008 - 17:27

SUEBEEHONEY70

( Posts: 4583 | Credits: )


There is almost nothing better that I would like to do is to some day work at home making good money and for myself. Since I was 14 years old I have been working hard for someone else. Even though I thank God I have a good job, I just do not want to end or live this part of my life that way and I hope that maybe I too can make a good income on e-Bay like so many other people have.

Thanks,
Luke


Submitted by Lukeskywalker on Sun, 05/25/2008 - 17:49

Lukeskywalker

( Posts: 1909 | Credits: )


Whew....ok, done! LOL

My fingers are killing me! :shock:

Like I said, that listing is far from being an exhaustive one, but I've tried to highlight some of the areas that the Ebay seller section fails to hit. They give you a really good tutorial there that is helpful, but the things I've listed are things that I've learned in years of being a seller. Things that aren't taught by Ebay, but are learned by experience.

Sorry it was so long, but there's really no way to condense all that info into a shorter version! :-)

I'm always a PM away if you have questions, I'll be glad to help!

Sue


Submitted by SUEBEEHONEY70 on Sun, 05/25/2008 - 17:52

SUEBEEHONEY70

( Posts: 4583 | Credits: )


OMG Suebee, this is so amazing and thank you so very much. You just outlined an entire course in one night, wow, I cant wait to get started and I hope everyone else who reads this gives this a try also. God bless you Suebee, I cant wait to get started and I do know that nothing worth while is going to be easy, but lets face it, we are all here after going through what we have gone through, so we are all a child of "not easy", so lets get started.....


Luke


Submitted by Lukeskywalker on Sun, 05/25/2008 - 17:52

Lukeskywalker

( Posts: 1909 | Credits: )


No problem, Luke - I needed a break from furniture re-arranging anyway! :lol:

I expect you on my doorstep in about 10 minutes to help me wrestle everything back into place, now, you hear? :lol:

Just kidding....

I'm glad it will help. Like I said, there's a LOT more to be said, but that's a start. If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me anytime. I'll answer as soon as I can.


Submitted by SUEBEEHONEY70 on Sun, 05/25/2008 - 18:28

SUEBEEHONEY70

( Posts: 4583 | Credits: )


SUEBEE- that post was too funny!!

Thank you for taking the time to post all that info. |As I have said, my brother makes his living by selling on EBAY, not a rich one, but does pretty good! His wife is the one who had a stroke a year ago, and it works out perfectly for him. But he also puts alot of time into it doing the things you mentioned and going to auctions, etc.

He once found an Indian headress in a box at an auction, went in together with a friend after he researched it and bought it for around $200.oo. When it sold on EBAY, it sold for over six hundred.

You are so right, research is everything.

Thanks agian!!..karen


Submitted by Bossy4455 on Mon, 05/26/2008 - 09:02

Bossy4455

( Posts: 5854 | Credits: )


Suebee, I am looking over your guide to selling on ebay, and I cant tell you how excited I am right now. I know I have alot of work ahead of me but it is going to be fun. I have to get a HP digital camera, do a ebay search on what I think I have that will sell well, etc. Thanks Suebee, there is always a light and sometimes its name is Suebeehoney70!!! :!: :D :rose: :rose: :hug:


Submitted by Lukeskywalker on Mon, 05/26/2008 - 11:16

Lukeskywalker

( Posts: 1909 | Credits: )


Quote:

I have to get a HP digital camera...


Why? Kodak is generally a little better quality, and significantly cheaper. Look around @ your local WalMart, and have a go at the reviews on Cnet.com.

Question... Is there an Aldi grocery store in your area? I just picked up their next-week's flyer. They have a Traveler [private brand] 5 MP camera with batteries and charger for $60. FWIW, I have a Traveler handy-cam I picked up last year. It's good quality, and takes as good of pics as my Kodak or JVC cameras.

camera ad

store locator


Submitted by unclewulf on Tue, 05/27/2008 - 16:16

unclewulf

( Posts: 3172 | Credits: )


do any body know some good dropshipping items.


Submitted by on Wed, 05/28/2008 - 23:43

( Posts: 202330 | Credits: )


Luke the only tip I can really give you is to offer items at a price where customers know they are getting a deal. It's usually good to set it at some obscenely low price but set a reserve price at the least amount you want to sell it for. Also customer service is great as well, make yourself a merchant that they love and want to do business with, the more positive feedback you receive the more people will be willing to do business with you.


Submitted by JCEMT on Thu, 05/29/2008 - 09:45

JCEMT

( Posts: 2934 | Credits: )


I have to offer a differing opinion here.

I NEVER set a reserve on my items, unless it's something like a car. (And yes, I have listed a car, a camper and a large lawn tractor before...)

Reserve auctions come at an additional listing cost, and to be honest, as a bidder myself, I stay away from reserve auctions. Why? Because I don't know how much the seller has the reserve set at (unless they disclose it in the listing, which they normally don't), and I don't care to waste my time bidding $1.00 at a time (or whatever) to try and guess what the reserve is. Most bidders won't.

As for dropshipping items, I don't recommend it. Some people have had good luck with it, but I don't feel at all comfortable not having the inventory in my hands and being certain of its' quality...and of the dropshipper's integrity. Call it being overcautious, but it's MY reputation on the line with Ebay here...not the dropshipper's. If the dropshipper's quality stinks, or they ship the item late (or not at all), I'm the one stuck refunding the bidder's money and facing their wrath in the form of negative feedback, which Ebay is increasingly watchful of - a certain amount of negative feedback as a seller, and you get suspended. And it doesn't take much anymore.


Submitted by SUEBEEHONEY70 on Thu, 05/29/2008 - 10:09

SUEBEEHONEY70

( Posts: 4583 | Credits: )


I sold over 3000 items on ebay! Mostly antiques and memorobilia! Drop ship companies did me in literally. I would list an item off their site and when it sold they would no longer have it in stock and I had to give a refund. When I would find an item I liked 20 or 30 others were selling it for below cost! One month I could not pay my ebay bill due to unsold merchandise and ebay kicked me off for good. 2000 plus positive feebacks at 99.7 percent and they had 0 tolerance. I should have stuck to what I knew.
Here are some examples of trash to treasure that I found.
Four matching Sandwich glass goblets paid 10.00 sold for 175.00
A brown paper bag the said Pepsi, paid 50 cents sold for 125.00.
A wood turkey call. Paid around a dollar in a huge haul from an estate sale. Sold for 80.00.
A Rookwood vase bought as an investment in 1989 for 200.00 sold in 2003 for 1500.00
Silver candelabrum. Boss told me to throw them out they were clogging her file cabinet!
Sold as severence pay for 2000.00. Those were the good old days of ebay! I could write a book!


Submitted by Frogpatch on Thu, 05/29/2008 - 10:14

Frogpatch

( Posts: 5381 | Credits: )


To all, I had PM'd Sue a while back about this very subject, she had told me ask away, I got busy and never ask, but I'm so glad Luke did, this is absolutely, the greatest information...So many of us need to make extra income to dig our way out and to make sure we dont' have to return back to this spot, I am going to study this see if I can give something a shot!!! THANK YOU!!!!!


Submitted by lmale on Thu, 05/29/2008 - 16:28

lmale

( Posts: 742 | Credits: )


I have sold some items on e-bay that got me through the awful 6 mos waiting period for disability...it is easy to do and fun also...good luck...I have an above ground swimming pool liner still the box to sell on e-bay for my sister..thanks for reminding me of that I had forgotten about it.


Submitted by ladybug on Thu, 05/29/2008 - 18:31

ladybug

( Posts: 2753 | Credits: )


i sold a lot of stuff on ebay when i first got into debt, i sold a couple of thousand dollars worth of designer handbags. than once i sold away all of mine, i'd start buying used ones and selling those, too. a word of advice though.. if you're selling anything designer, make sure it is 100% authentic. I can spot a fake 20 miles away and other hard-core shoppers can, too. Research, research, research! i'm not saying everyone who sells fakes goes out to do it, sometimes they really do not know themselves. I had a friend who sold a fake that she swore up and down was real but the buyer didn't fall for it and she had to refund her the money ($240 which she already spent!)


Submitted by bea2ls on Wed, 06/04/2008 - 18:01

bea2ls

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bea2ls -

that's very good advice regarding designer items.

Another word of caution - if you're not up on current trends and values, DON'T attempt to buy something you think is valuable until you have researched the item. I understand that sometimes you are on the spot when it comes to buying something (like at a yard sale or auction) - but it's truly not a bargain if you pay $20 for it and then can't sell it (or worse!).

A good example is a friend of mine that wanted to start selling, and asked me to teach her. She had picked up a few items at the local Goodwill store, and brough them with her. Her first item was a Liz Claiborne purse. Liz Claiborne used to be a very high-end brand name - not so much anymore. She paid $1.99 for the purse, and thought she'd make $10 to $20 on it on Ebay. It only took about 2 minutes of research for me to show her that she would be better off keeping the purse and using it herself! There were literally thousands of Liz Claiborne items on Ebay, hundreds of purses, and very few of them were selling for anything more than $1.00.

Now, the art prints and paintings she found at Goodwill, however.... :-)


Submitted by SUEBEEHONEY70 on Wed, 06/04/2008 - 18:59

SUEBEEHONEY70

( Posts: 4583 | Credits: )


Hey guys....

Just a quick update on Ebay sales! Things started off pretty good last month, and then kind of slowed down. I was selling about 10 items a week at first, but then I went through a "dry" period where not much of anything was selling for about 3 weeks. Very depressing! But I've been doing Ebay long enough to know it never lasts too long.

This morning, I logged on to find that after 3 weeks of nearly no sales (maybe 2 items sold, and for only minimum bids), I had 3 items sold since last night, all with Buy It Now, which means I got the price I wanted for them, not just the minimum bid that I was willing to settle for. Today at lunch, I logged on again, and it jumped up to 7 items, with one bidder taking 2 items and is currently the high bidder on another that hasn't ended yet.

For those of you who doubt that this is a good way to make money, my gross sales for the last 31 days are $241. Even after you account for the seller fees, etc., I'm taking home a decent amount of extra money for very little work.


Submitted by SUEBEEHONEY70 on Wed, 06/18/2008 - 09:48

SUEBEEHONEY70

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