Tips for Selling on Ebay

randombar · 29-01-2009 2:32pm #1

Hi Lads,

I was just wondering if anyone had some good advice (from experience) about selling on ebay. I'm just starting off this lark and depending how it goes I might get into it?

This time round I ended up buying 2 mac mini's and want to sell one off again on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110344195939&_trksid=p3907.m32&_trkparms=tab%3DSelling

This isn't a plug or anything cause I'm selling it in oz.

Anyways I was just wondering if people thought the add was ok etc. I only put it up today but I keep going back looking if there's any bids (there's 1!!!!) so is it just a waiting game? Should I use any of the add ons they advertise?

I'd love a bit of feedback and some friendly advice if ye have it.

Thanks
Gary

P.S. 43 degrees in Melbourne today, way too hot!!!! :cool:

jackbauer · 29-01-2009 3:30pm

few basics. If you accept paypal then only ship with a method that supports online track and trace and proof of delivery else you are wide open to a claim of non receipt of goods. If you offer collection on an item do not accept paypal. Reason being you cannot prove the buyer received the item. Dont use any of the addons with the exception of gallery photo then only use the smallest option. Everything else is a waste of money. Keep an eye out for free fee days and use those to lower your costs. Keep up good communication with your buyer at all times. As you get more experience you'll spot the problem buyers and scams a mile away.best of luck.

Judgement Day · 29-01-2009 9:22pm

My only comment is about your end time. Is it 11.30am? If so it is a strange time. Evenings (especially weekends) 8/10pm seems to be the best.

rubadub · 30-01-2009 7:32pm

Doesn't say what plug is on it, I am guessing australian, but many people can be buying these abroad cheap and selling on with different plugs, this is a small point but can end up with neg/neutral feedback.

As it is universal PSU if you were selling outside AU then many sellers will include a adaptor to the buyers country for free.

Your header is "Apple Mac Mini G4 - 1.42GHz - 1 GB RAM - 80 GB HD"

I would ditch the "-" in future, you only needed a space, but you ended up taking up 3 characters. This is the first port of call for people. I see so many poorly worded titles (and pick up bargains because of it!).

Also try and figure out what people will search for, and watch those spaces.

e.g.
on ebay.com.au a search for
Apple Mac Mini G4 80 GB
Turned up your auction.

BUT
Apple Mac Mini G4 80GB
shows up nothing!

If I was searching I presume people do not waste characters like spaces so I usually would search for 80gb and not 80 gb

samhail · 30-01-2009 7:56pm

jackbauer wrote: »

few basics. If you accept paypal then only ship with a method that supports online track and trace and proof of delivery else you are wide open to a claim of non receipt of goods. If you offer collection on an item do not accept paypal. Reason being you cannot prove the buyer received the item. Dont use any of the addons with the exception of gallery photo then only use the smallest option. Everything else is a waste of money. Keep an eye out for free fee days and use those to lower your costs. Keep up good communication with your buyer at all times. As you get more experience you'll spot the problem buyers and scams a mile away.best of luck.

a quick addition - its always safest to only send to the Address that is sent through on the paypal account (and to make sure that it is verified)
If you send it to an unverified account you, as a seller, will not be covered by any paypal/eBay protection for sellers.

if i were you i would check out http://pages.ebay.com.au/useprotection/sell.html alot of good info there.
(if only to look at the flash they have for that video and smile

)

randombar · 30-01-2009 11:53pm

rubadub wrote: »

Doesn't say what plug is on it, I am guessing australian, but many people can be buying these abroad cheap and selling on with different plugs, this is a small point but can end up with neg/neutral feedback.

As it is universal PSU if you were selling outside AU then many sellers will include a adaptor to the buyers country for free.

Your header is "Apple Mac Mini G4 - 1.42GHz - 1 GB RAM - 80 GB HD"

I would ditch the "-" in future, you only needed a space, but you ended up taking up 3 characters. This is the first port of call for people. I see so many poorly worded titles (and pick up bargains because of it!).

Also try and figure out what people will search for, and watch those spaces.

e.g.
on ebay.com.au a search for
Apple Mac Mini G4 80 GB
Turned up your auction.

BUT
Apple Mac Mini G4 80GB
shows up nothing!

If I was searching I presume people do not waste characters like spaces so I usually would search for 80gb and not 80 gb

That's good advice all right, the plug is actually australian/american.

And ya I'll have to have a closer look at the searches.

What happens if it sells for $30 or something? Do I have any comeback??

allthedoyles · 31-01-2009 12:10am

You have uploaded 3 photos . I always use a programme like publisher/word / printmaster and put the 2/3 photos on the one page .( export as a jpeg ) In this way , there is only a charge for one photo.

When describing an item , always say in BIG LETTERS .'' This is GENUINE - ORIGINAL - or BRAND NEW IN BOX (BNIB in the search box )

Also say that these are ACTUAL PHOTOS of item on sale .

Have your item ending on Friday evening or Saturday afternoon ( helps USA purchasers )but dont set to start at a specific time or you pay more .

Start with a low bidding and slightly increase shipping costs ( remember shipping cost is not just postage cost , but includes packaging materials , administration and handling charges .

Use colours in the description page and highlight and increase size of the important words .

randombar · 31-01-2009 12:14am

allthedoyles wrote: »

You have uploaded 3 photos . I always use a programme like publisher/word / printmaster and put the 2/3 photos on the one page .( export as a jpeg ) In this way , there is only a charge for one photo.

When describing an item , always say in BIG LETTERS .'' This is GENUINE - ORIGINAL - or BRAND NEW IN BOX (BNIB in the search box )

Also say that these are ACTUAL PHOTOS of item on sale .

Have your item ending on Friday evening or Saturday afternoon ( helps USA purchasers )but dont set to start at a specific time or you pay more .

Start with a low bidding and slightly increase shipping costs ( remember shipping cost is not just postage cost , but includes packaging materials , administration and handling charges .

Use colours in the description page and highlight and increase size of the important words .

That's good all right, all makes sense now I think about it.

Can I go back and change it now or what??

allthedoyles · 31-01-2009 12:20am

Nope , once it has bids it is signed and sealed !

rubadub · 02-02-2009 2:38pm

GaryCocs wrote: »

What happens if it sells for $30 or something? Do I have any comeback??

Once the bids are on you are stuck as mentioned. You could have put an opening bid or reserve price. I prefer people with lowest opening bids, reserves are just messing about.

Unscrupulous people will go against the rules and get a shill to bid on it, e.g. if it is really low your mate bids on it for you, no money changes hand, you just tell ebay it did. Ebay still get their cut. Then you resell. But that is against the rules AFAIK, but no real way of them finding out, unless you did it each time.

High shipping costs are good for you put can put off ignorant buyers who see it as a ripoff, it is really a partial reserve price. When you sell the item ebay get no cut of the shipping cost.

e.g. if I sell a plasma for €50 and €1000 shipping, ebay only get a cut of the €50. So to make the same profit on it, I would have to charge people €50 shipping and a good bit over €1000 for the TV.

So in effect I can offer it at a lower price, this is why I actively look for sellers with high postage, they are usually cheaper.

byte · 02-02-2009 10:02pm

On the topic of Selling Tips, I notice some Irish sellers have their prices configured in Sterling, so I'd assume they list their items through ebay.co.uk as opposed to the .ie variant.

Does such an approach make your auctions more appealable to the significantly bigger UK eBay market (considering eBay does a currency conversion regardless)?

allthedoyles · 03-02-2009 10:01pm

byte wrote: »

Does such an approach make your auctions more appealable to the significantly bigger UK eBay market ?

Ebay recently brought in improvements whereby, all .ie items are visible on UK / USA eBay sites .

However , we feel that if the target audience is UK , then its best to enter auction items on the co.uk website .

Likewise for USA viewers .

the groutch · 03-02-2009 10:52pm

try buying or selling several low value items first, build up a bit of feedback before you start selling big items like computers, as people are more likely to bid higher on an item whose seller has good feedback

Tips for Selling on Ebay

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