…and I am an eBay addict. I even bought a digital postage scale. This is probably a phase that will pass as soon as I unload all my junk. The good news is, it is an obsession that is making me a little money while ridding me of some unnecessary stuff. Here are a few things I’ve learned while researching and through my own experience:
- Start your auctions on the weekend since they will end on the weekend (for 7 day auctions) when most people are using eBay
- Don’t use any of the auction upgrades. They may help, but the costs are prohibitive unless you are selling expensive items. Instead of auction upgrades, add more photos (using your own image hosting) to your descriptions and spend some time writing good descriptions.
- Set your opening fee low, that way you capitalize on the lower listing fees and attract more bids.
- Figure out the shipping costs BEFORE you submit the auction. A few times I’ve either overcharged and had to refund, or undercharged and got stuck with the remaining due postage.
- Accept most forms of payment. It will bring you more bids and may save paypal fees.
- Maintain a good rating. Some people won’t buy from anyone with a less than perfect seller rating.
- Communicate with your buyers even though they can be really time-consuming with their requests.
I’m sure I’m forgetting some stuff, but that’s a good start. Ebay fees suck suck suck, but where else can you sell stuff to so many people?
I’m also really into ebay lately, but I’ve been buying things. I haven’t been spending much money since I only buy stuff I can find really cheap and mostly just stalk things until they get too expensive (which is in most cases). Still, I can see how it would be possible to go overboard.
What do you buy?