Buying and Selling on eBay: Tips, Tricks, Problems & Questions

[Snoogz]

I just became a top rated seller. It's nice to get some discounts

What kinda discounts r u getting now?

 

[suited]



What kinda discounts r u getting now?

Would also like to know...I just became a powerseller and it looks like my shipping is slightly cheaper - $4.99 for a legal flat rate down from 5.15, I believe.

 

[green_machine]

cheaper shipping and if you process within 1 day and offer returns, you save 20% on your final fees. kind of like paying 8% instead of 10%.

 

[Dolfan954]

I think if you are selling "fashion" your cross pollenation is low. If you sell manly man stuff, should be better for you actually.

Hey now!!!!

I agree though. I often browse during commercial breaks. I would guess the increase in alcohol consumption would aid in impulse purchases, too.

 

[SpooPoker]

Is this the thread where we post ebay lulz?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GUCCI-BY-TO...49?pt=US_CSA_MC_Outerwear&hash=item2a286eff89

I PAID $24,000 euro IN 1999.

GOOD LUCK BIDDING. BE PREPARED TO PAY WITHIN 10 MINUTES OF BEING NOTIFIED OF WINNING BID.

 

[jrd617]



Is this the thread where we post ebay lulz?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GUCCI-BY-TO...49?pt=US_CSA_MC_Outerwear&hash=item2a286eff89

****, that thing is the ducknuts

 

[FaceOfBoh]

Feedback of 3 and one's a neg. :foo:

 

[chiron]

Is this the thread where we post ebay lulz?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GUCCI-BY-TO...49?pt=US_CSA_MC_Outerwear&hash=item2a286eff89

His feed back is even better...

 

[hrb]

has anyone ever bought any items from italy? I frequently see ties pop up at good prices that look nice, but for some reason when i see that the seller is in italy my ebaydar pings and i don't bid. Any experiences, positive or negative?


WRT the Tom Ford listing, quite the celebrity sell off. He's got one "$24,000" TF jacket, one swatch watch, one 1996 canon battery charger. everyone hold the phones and get on that loot. be sure to have another open window already logged into paypal. don't want to ruin your life by trying to pay 11 minutes after the bid. Just food for thought, someone should bid, (seller will probably wet himself) 'attempt' to pay 15 minutes post bid and send a letter of apology with a cancelation request.

 

[HansderHund]



has anyone ever bought any items from italy? I frequently see ties pop up at good prices that look nice, but for some reason when i see that the seller is in italy my ebaydar pings and i don't bid. Any experiences, positive or negative?

Often. I live within the EU, so maybe that makes the difference. The Italian Post has strange rates and admittedly takes awhile. Whenever I order something from Italy, I just hold my breath and click. Some things have taken a couple of weeks to reach me and one even took about a month. I even bought from an incredibly sketchy seller that received a bunch of negative feedback after I placed my order and closed his shop. I still received the item about a month later. To put this in perspective, I can receive something as soon as a couple of days from Germany.

When it comes to sending things to Italy, I will make sure I can track it and its insured. I also let the person know that I send by Austrian Post and that they'll receive it through their own postal system. Generally, Italians know what to expect when I say this.

 

[gyasih]

Trying to look this up on USPS.com, what is the typical price to send shoes and trees to Australia? It seems most options are over $45 and it's determined by weight.

Thanks

 

[HansderHund]

I wanted to take a moment to thank all of the sellers (and buyers) that contribute to this thread. I, and I'm sure countless others, have learned a lot from your experience, so THANK YOU!

Many people here sell for a living or make a considerable amount of their annual income from sales. I am a hobby seller for the most part, selling to make a bit extra money or to get rid of unwanted/unused things. As time has gone by, I've become more and more involved in it, but still not nearly the levels of many on here. Therefore, I'd like to take a minute to explain my setup. I use a small corner of my home office to do everything. I don't have the space to dedicate a room to it and I like to be able to put it all away after photos are taken.

I started out simply snapping a few pictures, listing it and waiting. I've gotten a bit more complicated, but I still try to keep things simple enough that it doesn't become a chore.

My setup includes:
- DSLR camera
-Tripod
- Mac
- Software
- Mannequin
- Lighting
- Background

Camera: I use a Sony Alpha 100 that I've had for years now. I enjoy photography but know little about it in the way of technical details. I've found this helpful:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/master-your-dslr-camera-better/id487976827?mt=8


It's probably for the beginner, but it helps to show you some of the functions and how to best utilize them on your camera.

I also use a tripod to get the best results.

Computer: I am a fan of Mac (don't flame me ), but something that is speedy is necessary. You're going to use it to import/export your photos and to create listings. A bigger monitor is helpful. Many on here use GarageSale and I will likely try it out in the coming days.

Mannequin: I didn't use a mannequin for the longest time simply because I didn't want to have it sitting around. I grabbed one on eBay for €16 + €29 shipping. You can pin it, it has a heavy steal base and adjusts to a height of about a meter. I feel that it was well worth the money. Any Europeans that would like the ebay username of the seller, just let me know. I can recommend him.

Lighting: I struggle with this one. I want to accurately show the colors of the items that I'm selling and came up with a cheap and portable solution. I bought a work light with a halogen bulb. Photographers might say this isn't the best solution, but it serves my needs. I wanted something that was adjustable, the legs to fold and a place to keep the cord. I bought this for €20:

Background: I see many people on ebay that use no background or use a bed sheet. These work in some situations, but I wanted something blank so it wouldn't be distracting. One afternoon I built a simple background. It consists of a wooden frame, fabric and a couple of hinges. It works well and is easy to put away. I also have a stained piece of wood(not pictured) that I use for the "flooring" of the photo and to photograph small items.

Details:

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

I used 15mmx30mm wood and L brackets to build the frames. I had a specific size in mind, so I made two separate frames, one 100cmx 63cm and the other 100cmx50cm. I used leftover white fabric to cover it and stapled it in place. I added four small hinges to the side so it would fold for storage. I had the materials around the house, so it was cheap to make. If you'd like to save some time, you could also buy a couple of blank art canvases and add hinges.

http://www.styleforum.net/content/type/61/id/654703/width/350/height/700[/IMG[/SPOILER]]

I want everything to be easy to prepare but also to store it when it's not in use. Here is the final result. I know the photos/presentation doesn't measure up to a lot of the guys around here, but it's always a work in progress. Note that I didn't crop/edit the photos as I would before listing. The "flooring" of the photo is also missing, but it gives you an idea.

[IMG]http://www.styleforum.net/content/type/61/id/654698/width/350/height/700

 

[FaceOfBoh]

Great post Hans. I have almost the same set up. I'm going to grab your portable lighting idea. My one deficiency is lighting for accurate representation of colour.

 

[HansderHund]

It was mentioned earlier that there are some brands that can regularly be good deals on ebay. I'd add Pringle to that list.

As far as buying on ebay, my advice:

1. Lower your expectations. If I am buying something used on ebay, I am expecting it to appear used even if the seller doesn't specifically mention it. It's a realistic way to look at things and 99% of the time my expectations are exceeded.

2. Be courteous in all communication. Deadboy (I believe?) mentioned in one of his correspondences that he's just a guy selling things in Canada, not some huge corporation. This is 100% accurate. A lot of the time, you're dealing with a seller that has a normal day job and simply does this on the side. There is no reason to behave in a rude/impolite way just because you're behind a computer. Most people selling are trying to be honest and not screw you over, so if they say that they won't be able to ship for a couple of days due to XXX reason, be willing to accept that.

3. Do your research. Many people save a lot of money buying on ebay, but some things are better purchasing in a store. If you don't know your size in a brand, maybe you're better off purchasing it from a store before you attempt to buy things online.

4. Expect NO RETURNS. Many retail stores have the public believe that they can return something in any condition for any reason. Assume that's not the case on ebay and really think about what you're buying.

5. Check shipping costs. It's important to know how much it will cost to ship the item before you bid or buy it. Shipping prices are listed clearly by the seller, you either agree with them and continue or not and find something else. Most sellers charge exact or slightly below actual shipping costs. Don't haggle with them over that price, it's fixed. I buy from a number of countries and can tell when shipping prices have been inflated to discourage international buyers or to compensate for the trouble involved in shipping internationally. I either accept that price knowing they're making a bit off of it or I move on to something else. I'd suggest doing the same.

6. Read the measurements. If you're buying clothes or shoes, check the measurements in the listing. Compare them to your own clothes to see how they fit. A size M in one brand may mean a size XL in another. If they haven't listed the measurements, ask the seller before you bid.

7. Pay for your item. You bought it or bid, you have to pay for it. It doesn't matter whether you decided you don't like it, you found it cheaper, etc. You're causing more work for the seller if you don't pay. You also might end up on their blocked list which means you could miss out on other things that they have.

8. Communicate. If the seller happens to have brands or sizes you like, ask them what else they have or to contact you if they find something else. It's amazing what kind of deals you can get if you strike up a real business relationship with a seller. Most sellers are happy to make deals/list items together/combine shipping if they know they have a repeat customer.

 

[HansderHund]



Trying to look this up on USPS.com, what is the typical price to send shoes and trees to Australia? It seems most options are over $45 and it's determined by weight.

Thanks

I can only say what it costs me from the US to Austria, and it's normally around $45. I believe it's a flat rate international box that is sent and weight doesn't matter (up to a certain amount). Not sure if this is the same for Australia.

Great post Hans. I have almost the same set up. I'm going to grab your portable lighting idea. My one deficiency is lighting for accurate representation of colour.

My pleasure! Lighting is a challenge for me as well, I finally just settled on the work light and then adjust the exposure in iPhoto. I try not to get too complicated with things and this has worked out best for time/benefit.