OilSheikh's guide to selling on eBay

[OilSheikh]

I am just going to list a few tips on how to sell on eBay and same should be applicable elsewhere as well.

LISTING YOUR ITEM
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Clean your item > place it on a table > Write your eBay username on a Postit using a Sharpie > Take High quality pic of at least 1MB
DO NOT put it on your bed or on your carpet as it will put off people. eBay listing thumbnails are full of similar looking net-obtained images. Having your own pic makes it stand out of the crowd

In Item Description, use more pics of your item or use net-obtained attractive looking pics. List the manufacturer's product blurb and then list your bit such as It's in Excellent condition, hardly used, etc.

Use imageshack.us OR tinypic.com to upload your pics.

Include this section :
■In the case of your parcel being lost by Royal Mail, I will take it up with Royal Mail and seek compensation from them. Your total refund will depend on the amount of refund provided by Royal Mail only. Full refund will not be provided by myself.
■Items are accurately described in detail, including what you will receive. You will only get exactly what is mentioned.
■If you need further information on anything, please feel free to ask these before buying/winning the item.
■ALL USED items are cleaned as much as possible before dispatch.
■Items not sold on a trial basis.
■Returns accepted only in the rare occasion that the item does not work after reaching you and a Full refund will be made upon return.
■Returns NOT accepted if you change your mind or no longer need the item or the item is incompatible ( It is the buyer's resposibility to make sure items are compatible before purchase )


Provide additional shipping options such as 1st/2nd class recorded and suggest in this SHIPPING section that you recommend buyers should upgrade to Recorded mail.
For FAULTY items, clearly say that the item is faulty and that NO Returns are accepted. Sold as seen. Please DO NOT buy if you do not agree with this.

Enable the visitor counter, it is disabled by default for some reason. This helps you kow if you should bother relisting the item if it sells or not.
Offer International shipping and tick which continets you want to send your item to. You can specify shipping costs or just choose the option which says that Buyers should contact you for shipping cost to their location.

Your selling price must be in line with the selling price of the item on eBay. Search for your item and look through COMPLETED LISTINGS to get an idea. Consider giving FREE delivery for items of small value or add a reasonable sounding delivery cost. Remember, eBay does not charge FVF on shipping costs.

Use BUY IT NOW as opposed to auctions with a reserve. Choose Listing duration to be 10 days for items that sell and 30 days for items that don't sell much. Also, try to list your items around 6:00PM. Most people check eBay around then and on the last day of your listing, your item should appear close to ending around 6.

Use this calculator to work out fees and suggested Listing prices :
http://ecal.altervista.org/en/fee_ca...or/ebay.co.uk/

PAYMENT
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Offer discount / refund if buyer pays by BT / Postal Order.
The money you would normally pay in fees to Paypal - you can pass the saving to the buyer if they do not use Paypal.

PACKAGING
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-Use bubble envelopes NOT jiffy bags as they have more paper in them and are heavier.
6 x small bubble envelopes cost 99p @ 99p stores
-In case of books / games , just use a plastic enevlope. Again, 5/6 pack costs 99p @ 99p stores. Or you can always cut out a bin bag
For games, get rid of the manual. No one reads it anymore! And, the DVD case should be strong enough to protect the game's disc
-Where you have an item in it's box but you don't want the postman and Royal Mail to know what it is you are sending, use a bin bag and tape it over your box. Bin bag is your friend.
- Always have a FROM or IF UNDELIVERED, PLEASE RETURN TO at the back of your package

SHIPPING
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Due to postage price hikes, send all items by regular 2nd class by default. Where, postage is greater than £3, consider sending by the courier, MYHERMES. Prices are decent and takes 3-5 days for items to deliver and includes £25 compensation by default. Saturday collection can be arranged for £1 exra.

If Hermes isn't cost effective as your item is light and you HAVE TO go to the Post office, consider these :
- DO NOT go to post office branches absorbed by WHSMITH. Their prices are higher than independent post offices.
- Try using self-service machines to print labels. You can circumvent Royal Mail's stupid "letter size matters, not weight" policy. Most of you will not agree with me on this one!
- DO NOT stick a 1st/2nd class stamp and expect it to reach without any issues if the actual postage cost was much higher. Royal Mail will make the receiver pay an extra £1 service cost on top of the correct postage cost.
- Get a digital scale if you don't have one and print your labels at home. This way, you pay the correct price. From my experience, prices quoted at a post office are different by different cashiers.
- Offer Collection in person, this saves money for the buyer in shipping costs.

POST SALES
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Never leave feedback first. Wait for buyer to leave feedback first. If buyer leaves a -ve feedback, and you were a perfect seller, do complain to eBay to have the feedback removed. If you come across nasty buyers e.g. they buy item off you, complain its not the same , return ite to you and you see they have damaged it or bits are missing, you are out of luck. Best you can do is buy something from them with another eBay account and leave a -ve feedback just to get back at them.
Paypal can make your Tel no available to a buyer. Make sure you dont have one on record or its a wrong one. Some buyers will call you and harass you.

Hope this was of help.

[0iD]

I am just going to list a few tips on how to sell on eBay and same should be applicable elsewhere as well.

LISTING YOUR ITEM
-----------------------
Clean your item > place it on a table > Write your eBay username on a Postit using a Sharpie > Take High quality pic of at least 1MB
DO NOT put it on your bed or on your carpet as it will put off people. eBay listing thumbnails are full of similar looking net-obtained images. Having your own pic makes it stand out of the crowd

I'll bare it in mind next time I sell a car on there

[OilSheikh]

I'll bare it in mind next time I sell a car on there

In the case of cars, you will get more people expressing an interest if you manage to haul your car up to your bedroom and have it on your bed!

[Zak33]

Use BUY IT NOW as opposed to auctions with a reserve.

and even better... use an Auction, start it at 99p and have no reserve.

then you always get it sold

[OilSheikh]

and even better... use an Auction, start it at 99p and have no reserve.

then you always get it sold

Yeah, course you will get it sold, but won't be at the price you wanted and you will end up doing shill-bidding

[scaryjim]

Yeah, course you will get it sold, but won't be at the price you wanted ...

That depends on what price you want, doesn't it - If you just want it gone at no expense to yourself, then 99p + postage might well be the price you want

I've sold plenty of stuff at that kind of price and was more than happy to have junk I wasn't using got rid of at no expense to me beyond a fine minute wait at the post office on my way to work

[OilSheikh]

That depends on what price you want, doesn't it - If you just want it gone at no expense to yourself, then 99p + postage might well be the price you want

I've sold plenty of stuff at that kind of price and was more than happy to have junk I wasn't using got rid of at no expense to me beyond a fine minute wait at the post office on my way to work

Yup, for junk stuff like that, obviously thats a good way to get rid of things. Pair it up with the bi-weekly Free insertion weekend and you have a winner!
But, no one would dream of listing their £400 graphics card with a 99p starting bid acution. Just too risky.

[ik9000]

For games, get rid of the manual. No one reads it anymore! And, the DVD case should be strong enough to protect the game's disc

Maybe give the buyer the option - i get your point is to save weight + therefore postage, but I'd prob pay the extra 20p to have the manual.

[Zak33]

Yeah, course you will get it sold, but won't be at the price you wanted and you will end up doing shill-bidding

if it's worth the money, it always gets it's price.
7 days listings, and if it's not going to sell, pull it off sale properly and relist another month.

but in all honesty.... if it's worth the money and you've done a good job listing it.... it'll sell.

[Zak33]

Yup, for junk stuff like that, obviously thats a good way to get rid of things. Pair it up with the bi-weekly Free insertion weekend and you have a winner!
But, no one would dream of listing their £400 graphics card with a 99p starting bid acution. Just too risky.

I do... every single time without fail.

I had a 580GTX that I didn't want... started it at 99p... got £197 plus £8:50 postage.

I repeat, if it's worth the money and well listed.. it will sell. There are THOUSANDS of buyers looking for a good card.. it WILL sell.

7 days is long enough... 10 too long. 99p start has no listing fee.

[jim]

Good advice and thread OilSheikh, agree with much of that.

But I have to say I'm with Zak on the pricing. I start everything at 99p.

eBay is so big now with so many people browsing that people don't let things go for less than they're worth. More often than not, eBay knows the value of something better than I do.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I do... every single time without fail.

I had a 580GTX that I didn't want... started it at 99p... got £197 plus £8:50 postage.

I repeat, if it's worth the money and well listed.. it will sell. There are THOUSANDS of buyers looking for a good card.. it WILL sell.

7 days is long enough... 10 too long. 99p start has no listing fee.

How did you get a GTX580,you didn't want??

[Zak33]

dont' ask....I get into all sorts of weird situations.

thing is I can't sell it on here because I was making money from it and that's against the rules.

I have a perfectly good 6970 so I took the money for the 580

[Zak33]

Good advice and thread OilSheikh, agree with much of that.

More often than not, eBay knows the value of something better than I do.

agree with both those sentiments

[Knoxville]

One little thing I've noticed myself with eBay is WHEN you list can make a difference. The same item with no reserve can fetch a better price if you time your auction to end on a sunday afternoon or bank holiday, when people are idly browsing than it would if your auction ends at 3 a.m on a tuesday.

[Zak33]

can fetch a better price if you time your auction to end on a sunday afternoon or bank holiday, when people are idly browsing than it would if your auction ends at 3 a.m on a tuesday.

totally right.

Of a Friday night, about 9pm... ok a lot of people are out on the lash... but a lot bid while on the lash