Anybody Else sell on Ebay?

Busy Beaver Lumber · December 22, 2012, 04:32:04 PM

After doing so for 9 years, and after having accumulated a feedback score close to 1900 with 100% satisfaction, I swore I would never sell on ebay again because of the ever changing policies and escalating fees, but the wife talked me back into it this past week. As usual, she was right again. It was the right thing to do.

You cant argue with what works. In the past few days alone I have done over a $80 in wood blank sales and i only had 8 free postings out there.

Anyone else sell on ebay?

petefrom bearswamp · December 22, 2012, 04:44:32 PM

got some stuff on there right now.
I have had mixed success in the past but keep going back there.
Posting fees arent bad but selling and Paypal tend to getcha

POSTON WIDEHEAD · December 22, 2012, 07:01:57 PM

I used to sell Birdhouses on Ebay and ship all over the U.S. I haven't been on the Bay since '08.

Brad_bb · December 22, 2012, 07:11:16 PM

Sure I buy and sell. It's like the biggest 24/7/365 swap meet there is. You can find rare items that ordinarily might take you years the old fashioned way. However much you spend in the fees, you still get access to buyers that you wouldn't have easy access to locally or any other way. And provided you post correctly, you'll get market value for that moment. They've got a great racket going, but they have a good product too.

Piston · December 22, 2012, 07:37:55 PM

I find that ebay is a great place to sell things, as you typically get a decent chunk of change for what your selling, providing it's easily shipped, however, it's not a great place to buy anymore.

beenthere · December 22, 2012, 07:44:38 PM

QuoteIn the past few days alone I have done over a $80 in wood blank sales

$80 doesn't seem like a lot. How many items and at what $/item?

SwampDonkey · December 22, 2012, 08:05:28 PM

I found the fees too high. We have Kijiji in Canada and I have not tried it yet. But I think the costs are far less.

easymoney · December 22, 2012, 10:09:15 PM

i have bought and sold a lot on ebay. i usually check ebay first when i need something.
also i use craigs list for local items that can't be easily shipped. i have had excellent results there.

Okrafarmer · December 22, 2012, 11:20:33 PM

I accumulated hundreds of pieces of farm equipment brochures as a kid. I had an incredible fascination with them and collected them in droves. For free, of course. After we got married, I needed extra cash, so I sold them off on Ebay, usually four at a time. I found that if somebody could see they were getting a combined lot of 4 items, they felt they were getting a better deal. Plus I only had to ship all four to one location. I typically put one really awesome tractor brochure in the lot, and three brochures that were only so-so. I would typically get $4-10 per lot. In the end, I had sold over $500 worth of brochures.

I kept the best ones! ;D

Etsy is another site that you can sell crafts and stuff, like Poston's birdhouses, for example. My sister sells a lot of hand-made needlework on there.

bill m · December 23, 2012, 09:23:41 AM

I do not buy or sell on Ebay but I will search on there. If I find something I want and it is a business with a web site I go to their web site and check prices. 9 times out of 10 I find it cheaper on their web site and if i call to order I get it even less. Most things ( not everything ) I find on Ebay is over priced.

Busy Beaver Lumber · December 23, 2012, 09:47:33 AM

Quote from: beenthere on December 22, 2012, 07:44:38 PM
QuoteIn the past few days alone I have done over a $80 in wood blank sales

$80 doesn't seem like a lot. How many items and at what $/item?

Beenthere - actually I was pretty encouraged. She listed 10 items in the $25 to $30 range and two sold in the first day and one has a bid on them and will sell. The other remaining items all have double digit watchers and I hope some of them chime in at the last minute. All the listings were free, and just had to pay final value and paypal fees. I have about 50 layered turning blanks and about 40 cutting boards heading for ebay in the next week. Will see how they sell.

Busy Beaver Lumber · December 23, 2012, 09:51:19 AM

I love craigslist as well. Right now I have about 20 ads on craigslist and normally have about that many at any given time. What I have learned is that if something does not sell in a month or so, wait 3 month and list it again and you would be suprised how many times it sells immediately as different consumers enter and exit the market over time.

Have not tried ETSY yet but I know the wife and daughter have been considering it and may give it a go. Fees are reasonable enough for sure.

shelbycharger400 · December 23, 2012, 09:55:09 AM

Ive had mixed luck with ebay in the past. Between the listing price, and paying the selling price , dealin with their online shipping calc that was more often incorrect, ect ect didnt feel like I was makin anything. I havent bought or sold anything on ebay in about 4 years. My online name even is deleted now I think.

I like selling on craigslist, but its been quiet for the last 2 months.

stumpy · December 23, 2012, 10:02:19 AM

I've sold many things on ebay including 7 vehicles and 3 motorcycles. I agree with the opinion that their policies are a pain, but in the end, for most things, you will not get a higher price nor a wider audience than you will on ebay. It has virtually eliminated the want ads in local papers. Even though there are new scams popping up all the time, as long as you learn how to identify them and avoid them, it's a very safe place to do business.