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

[Lirum]

Abobe post reminds me: since @1ofTheCoolKids typically PMs instead of posts, I don't feel he gets credit for how helpful he is. You're a great asset to this forum man, really!

 

[classicthrifter]

Abobe post reminds me: since @1ofTheCoolKids typically PMs instead of posts, I don't feel he gets credit for how helpful he is. You're a great asset to this forum man, really!

I'll 2nd that as @1ofTheCoolKids just send me another PM.

 

[Lirum]

so i'm trying to work my way into software development. i learn really well with projects, so i'm looking for a project. something that's been on my mind for years is a service/thing that, when something sells, scans through your own listings, and immediately emails the buyer with 1-5 more items from the same brand in the same size. almost, almost ready to work with APIs, which is what i'll need to set that up (i plan on using ebay's API, even though it looks like a dev nightmare).

other ideas for software?

 

[SpooPoker]

How do you all sell concert t shirts that might be bootlegs or just contain errors? I am not sure what this is. It has the same maker/content tags as what I believe are legit shirts. However, the tag is sliced, at least two names are spelled wrong and the tour locations are a mix of 1997 and 1998 dates. At first I thought it was kind of cool but now I am having some doubts.

ETA: Not selling it if it is fake/bootleg. I just think that even "vintage" bootlegs probably have some nostalgic value to someone. I wouldn't sell it though. Didn't think through my original question.

Thanks for any input!!

View attachment 828205

View attachment 828206

View attachment 828207

Parking lot / bootleg.

 

[classicthrifter]

Parking lot / bootleg.

Yeah, I won't be selling this one. They are still oddities to me. Probably made around the same time period and "vintage" in its own right.

 

[HansderHund]

To those that know anything about coding:

I've mentioned this before, but I had never done/seen/read about anything until I wanted to add tables to my listings. I fumbled my way through it last fall and made a few tables and some formatting changes inside GarageSale.

I needed to fix things/make changes and waited until I shifted over to GS 7. When my brother-in-law was over, I was horrified to see one of my listings on his computer. For starters, my font didn't work on his. I have Copperplate as my font in the listings, but I now know why it won't work on PC (font families).

I have only Apple stuff, so I had never thought to look at it elsewhere. I've tried a few simple remedies for a fix, but they have all failed. I probably won't understand any solutions you provide, so my question is this:

Is this a "simple" job for someone that knows what they're doing? As in, could I simply copy/past the code I'm using for one of my templates and explain the problem and they'd be able to fix it? Or is this a giant headache for someone to do? I'm naive, so I assumed taking care of a font issue would be easy, but I could be wildly incorrect.

 

[Fueco]

@HansderHund, your best bet is to use a font that works on both platforms. Ariel is basically the standard sans serif font (Times New Roman is the standard for serif fonts).

There are ways that you can use fonts that are hosted online, but they may not work with EBay's ban on "active content".

 

[Redsoxfan1104]

Anyone know how to get permanent marker off of the sole of a shoe? I've tried leather cleaner, magic eraser, and rubbing alcohol. No luck

 

[HansderHund]

@HansderHund, your best bet is to use a font that works on both platforms. Ariel is basically the standard sans serif font (Times New Roman is the standard for serif fonts).

There are ways that you can use fonts that are hosted online, but they may not work with EBay's ban on "active content".

Thanks for the information! I was a bit afraid of that. I thought copperplate was standard in MS, found it on a list of "standard" fonts since Windows '98, but obviously I'm wrong about that. I suppose I'll just work with what I have for now. On the same thought, I'd love to know how many people are looking at listings on the app vs desktops. That would be helpful information to have.

 

[txwoodworker]

re: perm marker - nail polish remover and/or Lacquer thinner

 

[leisurewear]

wd40 does the trick for me on rubber soles. trickier on leather soles unless completely unworn, usually just smears it

 

[My Main Man]

Didn't we used to have a thread with different methods for getting stains out of different materials and how to get marker off soles? Anybody have that saved? I don't know why I didn't bookmark it or follow the thread.

Edit: I found it. Not as helpful as I remember. A couple decent posts but mostly just people saying the thread was a good idea. https://www.styleforum.net/threads/the-official-thrift-reclamation-thread.398256/

 

[NGOStudio]

Looks like my suspicions about the guy asking for a discount were right. Asked for a refund this morning. I asked why and he just responds "not as described" with no details or pictures. Still waiting for him to elaborate. I plan on showing his messages to eBay if it comes to that, like @1ofTheCoolKids suggested to me, but is there any way I can fight this?

Sorry to hear and sorry that your gut was right about this. How's about nicely asking him to see if there were something you can do to make him happy, like a 15-25% discount. I know it sounds ridiculous but your option is very limited and the best route is damage control. You probably don't want to both lose the item and also getting negative feedback. This reminds me of the "cash for key" situation during my last rental. I and my buddy actually gave the deadbeat tenants some money to move out asap and swallow my 10k investment loss in the property. After you could have convinced the guy to leave you positive feedback, you can leave him one like this "We refunded XYZ% per request after inquiry to ensure satisfaction "

My buddy is building a comprehensive blacklist database. Does the buyer provides a phone number? If you're interested, I'll let my friend know.

 

[Sartoriamo]

A note for any of you who are contemplating switching to a DSLR . . .

I just bought a Nikon D3300, but I'm really wrestling with whether to continue with it, or sell it and go back to an advanced Point & Shoot. I've been using a decent quality P&S with manual control ever since I started eBay (well, mind-bogglingly, my earliest eBay listings, in the late 90s, used film that got put onto a CD at Costco). The last 7 years I've had a Canon S95, and it has served me well, but has become unreliable. Hence the thought to "upgrade" to DSLR.

However, I ran into a significant issue right away because I have not held a viewfinder up to my eye in 15 years. I ALWAYS use the LCD. So that's years of ingrained habit doing arms-length images. But it seems that in this DSLR (and others), using the LCD makes the shutter release process slow to a clunky crawl: several seconds instead of a fraction of a second, for reasons I've read about online. And, presumably related to this arms-length technique in a heavier camera, combined with the double mirror actuation of Live View, pretty much all the close-ups are motion-blurred, even with a fast shutter speed. A bunch of Googling suggests the general consensus is to use the viewfinder instead of the LCD. But damn . . . that's a MAJOR change, as I currently take every image without bending, putting my elbows on the table, or having to stabilize the camera any other way.

So, having just finally figured this out, I'll head on over to my eBay office tomorrow and see if I can actually change my workflow/desk height/etc to accommodate using a viewfinder.

I guess the main takeaway/tip from this is that if you've spent the last umpteen years using an LCD for composition on your phone/camera/tablet, a DSLR may be a bigger "adjustment" than you bargained for!!

 

[My Main Man]

My buddy is building a comprehensive blacklist database. Does the buyer provides a phone number? If you're interested, I'll let my friend know.

@Brianpore manages a very comprehensive blacklist. I'm sure he'd be willing to grant you access.