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

[VLSI]

Mind sharing your method? I was currently passing the image URLs through a script that spit out the html code so that part was easy, but I was using imgur for hosting and their image uploaded is painfully slow (not to mention there site goes down frequently in the middle of the night when I usually am making listings).

 

[TheNeedMachine]

Argh, this is why I almost never offer international shipping. After the listing ends (naturally), the buyer in Ukraine asks if I can send the item (a vest) Priority International with a tracking #...instead of via what I had in the listing, which was First Class International for $10.
Yes, I can send Priority International, but what about the tracking #? I know there is insured, certificate of mailing, and registered, all of which have some sort of number, and cost varying amounts...but which one will track it for him (at least, until it leaves the USA)? He buys a lot of stuff from the US and has a fair amount of feedback, all positive, so I assume he knows what he's talking about in requesting Priority International with a tracking #.

 

[Brianpore]

Argh, this is why I almost never offer international shipping. After the listing ends (naturally), the buyer in Ukraine asks if I can send the item (a vest) Priority International with a tracking #...instead of via what I had in the listing, which was First Class International for $10.
Yes, I can send Priority International, but what about the tracking #? I know there is insured, certificate of mailing, and registered, all of which have some sort of number, and cost varying amounts...but which one will track it for him (at least, until it leaves the USA)? He buys a lot of stuff from the US and has a fair amount of feedback, all positive, so I assume he knows what he's talking about in requesting Priority International with a tracking #.

International Shipping you have TWO options and IMO only two options. Both are expensive! These are the only two that will protect you on ebay that I know of. If you dont want to have issues, look into the prices of these to options and charge accordingly. You are at risk if you dont use one of these. ONLY SHIP TO THE PAYPAL ADDRESS

1) Express Mail
2) Registered 1st Class Mail.

Mind sharing your method? I was currently passing the image URLs through a script that spit out the html code so that part was easy, but I was using imgur for hosting and their image uploaded is painfully slow (not to mention there site goes down frequently in the middle of the night when I usually am making listings).

I have a photobucket pro account. $15 a year is worth if for the 1000's of images I have. It's free if you dont sell a lot and has all the same features. Nice and easy, pretty fast upload, easy to set up folders and once all the pictures are in, you can highlight them all, click one button then another to copy all the HTML in large mode of thumbnail mode.

 

[TheNeedMachine]

Mind sharing your method? I was currently passing the image URLs through a script that spit out the html code so that part was easy, but I was using imgur for hosting and their image uploaded is painfully slow (not to mention there site goes down frequently in the middle of the night when I usually am making listings).

I personally already have a domain where I upload crap I want access to from anywhere, or to share with someone else (photos, mp3s, whatever). I pay for it, but it's already part of what I do outside of eBay, so I just create directories for the date I expect to list my next batch, upload the photos there, and edit a template I have that has the HTML and image inserts. Taking & editing etc the photos takes me the most time; once ready it's an extra 30 seconds to drag & drop to the server and 30 seconds to edit the template for the photo names / online locations. At that point, I've got my free 12 in eBay and however many I want in the item description.
I have to renew the domain yearly, and pay for server space / bandwidth quarterly (both more or less unlimited - I'd never hit the max on either), but again it's something I've had forever and use for myriad other purposes.
If you want free image hosting that doesn't take forever, nor put watermarks etc on your images, lots of folks already have online "cloud" backup / storage and don't even know it...I have a few GB's from Comcast for free as part of having them for internet, also get another 2 GB free from Norton as part of my anti-virus suite...and one other I don't remember. I don't use any of them - just more passwords to remember.

 

[GMMcL]

Sorry, no time to multiquote:

Re: my Egypt issue, I did restrict the countries shipped to. And I have those same restrictions re: no bad feedback, etc. Didn't solve the problem. Canceling transaction. Just hope he doesn't hit me with bad feedback before transaction cancels.....

Re: pics: I also put them in the body of my listing. I have word doc templates (in HTML code) that highlight all the spots I need to modify, and that have a spot for pics. I have an Excel spreadsheet that tracks size and item description, and when I post the pics to PB, I also put the HTML code for the pics for that item right in the cell next to the item description. Copy and paste that, and whammo! Listing is done. BUT: the highlight all and click button thing is new and a GAME CHANGER! Thanks, Brian! (Now, if only Ebay would let me use HTML links for the standard 12 pictures.... Hunting my hard drive for those pics is a huge pain in the a$$)

 

[TheNeedMachine]

International Shipping you have TWO options and IMO only two options. Both are expensive! These are the only two that will protect you on ebay that I know of. If you dont want to have issues, look into the prices of these to options and charge accordingly. You are at risk if you dont use one of these. ONLY SHIP TO THE PAYPAL ADDRESS

1) Express Mail
2) Registered 1st Class Mail.

Thank you for the info. I offered both options to the buyer, haven't heard back yet. This is the same guy who asked if I would make an exception and ship to Ukraine - I told him I modified the listing to allow him to bid but that the shipping would be more than domestic, and for him to check the auction for the cost & method ($10, 1st class international). If it ends up being a hassle I'll offer him the opportunity to bow out gracefully and give 2nd highest bidder a crack at it. In hindsight, I should have set up shipping that way to begin with - additional options for registered and express. Eh - that's why I don't bother with international. With 300 million Americans I figure that's a broad enough audience for most things I offer on eBay.

 

[Brianpore]

Quote: True, but I sell about 2-3 international things a month which is nice. Shipping is usually like $29 for a shirt and $59 for a suit or sport coat

Sorry, no time to multiquote:

Re: my Egypt issue, I did restrict the countries shipped to. And I have those same restrictions re: no bad feedback, etc. Didn't solve the problem. Canceling transaction. Just hope he doesn't hit me with bad feedback before transaction cancels.....

Re: pics: I also put them in the body of my listing. I have word doc templates (in HTML code) that highlight all the spots I need to modify, and that have a spot for pics. I have an Excel spreadsheet that tracks size and item description, and when I post the pics to PB, I also put the HTML code for the pics for that item right in the cell next to the item description. Copy and paste that, and whammo! Listing is done. BUT: the highlight all and click button thing is new and a GAME CHANGER! Thanks, Brian! (Now, if only Ebay would let me use HTML links for the standard 12 pictures.... Hunting my hard drive for those pics is a huge pain in the a$$)

Ebay should let you use HTML links for the 12 pictures, but you need to copy and paste them one by one.

Also, what I do is just keep a folder on my desktop called ebay thrift pictures. I just drop them from camera into that folder. They are already in order and super easy to find (desktop/ebaythriftpics). Once you upload them just delete them and you only have 50-100? photos in the folder at a time, easy to find

 

[n-domino]

Hey guys,

As an eBay seller I have a question regarding the status of payments. I recently changed my primary e-mail address with both eBay and Paypal. Afterwards, I happened to sell a couple of items. All were paid for through Paypal. However, that '$' icon - instead of being blue and denoting the transaction has been completed - is in the form of an hourglass and says the payment is being processed through Paypal.

Does this have to do with the fact that I changed my e-mail address? Approximately how long will it take for me to receive the payment in my Paypal account?

Paypal's customer service is virtually nonexistant, so I posted this here. Any answers will be much appreciated!

 

[VLSI]

Check the Paypal transaction to see if it was paid by "echeck". This means the funds came from a bank account, instead of credit card or Paypal balance, and will tke a few days to post. It shouldn't be affected by your change of email address. Paypal is fairly easy to get by phone.

 

[n-domino]

Check the Paypal transaction to see if it was paid by "echeck". This means the funds came from a bank account, instead of credit card or Paypal balance, and will tke a few days to post. It shouldn't be affected by your change of email address. Paypal is fairly easy to get by phone.

Hmmmm. To the right of all those icons is a link that says "View Paypal Transaction." When I click on it it directs me to paypal where it says, "The transaction id in your link is invalid."

I cannot find where to see if it was paid by echeck.


Edit: Nevermind, I was able to fix the issue.

 

[capnwes]

Got a Neutral Feedback today. Someone please check and see if I am missing something here.
http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=weso0119&ftab=AllFeedback

 

[VLSI]

Only see 1 neutral in the last 6 months, nothing today.

 

[capnwes]

Only see 1 neutral in the last 6 months, nothing today.

Never mind he changed just changed it.

It originally read ""THE COLOR IS NOT PURPLE IT IS RED!!"

Was for the BB Pheasant Burgundy tie

 

[VLSI]



Never mind he changed just changed it.

It originally read ""THE COLOR IS NOT PURPLE IT IS RED!!"

Was for the BB Pheasant Burgundy tie

Just looked at the listing

Look at his feedback left for others: "ok" "good" "very good"
Sorry Wes, you just didn't make the grade.

However, your main gallery shot does look very purple. You should probably try to correct the color in the future. If I feel like it, I will generally open up photoshop, get one picture to look good, and then use "match color" feature on the rest so it's consistent. The tool has some issues but as long as the pictures are similar it does a good job.

 

[Tristan.sf]

As someone who is inexperienced with selling on eBay, I want to thank everyone who has contributed their advice to this thread.

This is a very simple question, but I was wondering, for shipping shoes--new in box and new without box--what size of USPS boxes does everyone use? I found the medium flat rate boxes (Priority and Express) to be too small (11" x 8.5" x 5.5") and had to use a larger one (Priority 12" x 12" x 8").