Ebay

[Uncle_Alvah]

So many ads for a home based business are scams it seems.
I've been racking my brain trying to come up with viable ideas. Have a couple, but they need refinement.
However ebay is a "ready to go" kind of operation.
I buy and sell there a bit but nothing much.
Some folks say it's a good chance to earn extra coin if you work at it hard enough, others say the days of making money on ebay are over, it's gotten too big.
I'd be interested in others thoughts on this.

[tufhelp]

I sell a fair bit on eBay, but have virtually stopped buying – The reason is way to high shipping and handling fees. They might save you a buck or two or more on some goods but then you’re usually in for about $6.00 to get the item(s) shipped – No savings to me. It all reminds me of these ads you see on TV for cheaper prices on dog meds, but when you go to the web site the price exceeds what you would pay your vet because they want 6-7 dollars to ship something that should cost them in the neighborhood of $1.00 in postage.

What I do is gather and sell “collectables” of one type or another. Older musical instruments and accessories for musical instruments, action figures and accessories, interesting and “rare” tools, most anything from the 50’s and 60’s or as they are fond of saying on eBay “mid century”. I just keep my eyes open and let people know that I will buy interesting “stuff” and then when it enhances the value, clean and shine it up, take good photos and write interesting copy and I do quite well.

What ever I come up with to sell or buy locally to sell for that matter, I look up on eBay and see what the competition is like for that type of item. If I get thousands of hits, I usually pass – not enough interest. I may be wrong, but I can’t imagine the prospective buyer going through thousands of items just to bid on mine. Conversely a few hundred or even better under 100 hits and I’m in there. Sometimes I’ll just sit and watch for a few weeks or months to see if there are any swings in the market, then I’ll take a foray into the auction environment. If I’m concerned about getting taken off by to low a bid price I’ll either set a high starting bid or include a reserve that insures that I won’t loose any money.

So if you cherry pick your items and stay on top of their peculiar market tendencies, yes there is money to be made on eBay. Selling internationally (a bit of a bigger hassle) also makes more money for me. A lot of instrument sellers won’t sell over seas, I do and usually get nearly twice what I’d expect in the US market.

Keeping shipping and handling in line I also think is essential. USPS Priority mail supplies free boxes that will take care of a multitude of items, they will pick up from your door for free on their normal rounds. You can do it all on the computer with an account printing your own labels and postage. They will ship you the packaging for free. If your items are to big for standard free packaging, just dumpster dive at knick knack gift shop type places and you find plenty of boxes to recycle and you’ll also find dunnage (peanuts etc.) to protect the items if they need it. For bigger/heavier things there is also FedEx Ground which (right now anyway) kicks UPS and USPS in the butt and it is another venue for computer site use with an established account, printing your labels et al. They charge for pick-up if you can’t get it to them, but most fair sized communities now have drop off points at Kinko’s since their merger with FedEx. I usually ship one day a week for FedEx to limit my driving around time and expenses.

[figgfamily]

I sell quite a bit on ebay too. I think it depends on what you are selling on whether or not it is worth it.

I still buy on there too but am more selective about what I buy.

[Uncle_Alvah]

Shipping can indeed make or break a deal, ebay or wherever. Gotta check the "bottom line" closely. I know a couple places, for instance that sell ammo with free shipping, but I can often get it for less even including shipping elsewhere.
Saw a digital camara on ebay just yesterday. Was a great deal EXCEPT the shipping was $17.50. Pass........

[scoutinlife]

I buy alot of clothes and supplies on ebay but one thing I pay alot of attention to is shipping I understand material to package and drop off charge a little extra but some of them are way over priced for shipping and I wont usually e.ven bother bidding on a item because of that! ;)

[figgfamily]

It's even harder for us Canucks to sell on there as our shipping costs are higher.

It costs more for me to send an item across town that it would to send it to Hawaii!

[ryanmercer]

I sell what I can on eBay... I wish I had more stuff to sell on eBay as I really need to supplement my income some. Just a pointer I've learned through trial and error... have your auctions end on Friday night or Saturday night... not too late, not too early. I seem to get the best results around those times.

[FarmGirl4Jesus]

Aye, my brother (who has over 600 feedback) says the best time to post an auction is Sunday night.

Some popular things (like the Tickle Me Elmo) a bunch of people bought this past holiday season hoping to make money off of it, but there were just too many of them on Ebay for quite a few of the sellers to make back the ~$40.00 they spent on it.
Books seem to work well, in my experience.

HTH

[leera]

I've never posted an item on Ebay.I have thought about it,but have never gotten that far.

I have bid on a few things,but haven't won the bid on anything.

I have a friend who swears by Ebay and other online shopping sites..........She spent $24.99 plus shipping on a water bath canner,that locally she could have bought NEW for $20.00,no shipping,and used for $5.00.......... ???

[wvacountryroads]

Personally, i think selling on ebay would be a great home business - BUT, they key is to find your niche of items to sell.

I have seen everything for sale on there from collectibles, real estate, cars, clothes, and even homemade fudge and soap!!!

It is just like opening your own local store - you must have a demand for what you sell and do it well, your reputation must be built up as well.


the advantage of ebay - the world market, you reach so many more people than you would sitting in your little store down the road.

And, i know, i know. some of the things advertised have shipping costs that are crazy, and WE don't buy them or cater to that, but there are those out there who do not care and have money to spend on collectibles or whatever and will pay the shipping costs - hence the world market. You just make your shipping costs competative, but do not undersell your items.

I realized this when i watched a well known celebrity on a talk show talk about her purchase on Ebay of a pair of UGG boots - it was not about how much she had to pay, but the bidding war, she did not care, only that she won the bid. i know none of us here are into UGG boots (hope not, walmart boots for 14.99 are just as servicable), but i am using this example that even items that can be bought cheaper at the store sometimes even sell for more on ebay!!!

People with money to spend will spend it. Ebay is a way to target these consumers - the key is to find the right niche of items to sell, do your research, and do not focus on the shipping down side.

[gump]

IMHO selling/buying on Ebay has become too efficient, meaning there are too many buyers/sellers there to get a good deal.

I would sell locally if possible. Craigslist is a good place to advertise - free. It may take longer to sell but I think the chances of making more $$ per transaction are higher.