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

[capnwes]

Thank you, that makes sense


I suppose it works because that's how I found them, rather high in the results too

I reported the listing.....
"We looked into your report and didn’t find the listing to be in violation of our policy. This determination was made using automation or artificial intelligence."

to which I replied (to an unmanned email address)
"Your artificial intelligence is a special needs case."

to which they replied.
"mailer-daemon, Sorry, we were unable to deliver your message to the following address."

 

[tonylamerCJC]

What has been your experience and what steps are you taking to ensure your business remains viable?

@Sartoriamo I posted my thoughts on the Thrift Store Thread, but I have a lot to say about this and I want to spend a few hundred characters here. I won't go nuts, but I've been making these points for the last few years.

Google Lens was very clearly going to destroy thrifting as we knew it. I repeated this to anyone who would listen. This doesn't mean you can't find things anymore, but it means it'll be much harder. You have to bank on extreme laziness and stupidity. The thrift-store employee just has to point their phone at the set of Kristiansen chairs that came in yesterday. Suddenly the $5 price tag comes off them and they're on sale in the showcase for $1000. The fact that mispricing still occurs on the scale it does is insane. But there's no way that can last.

We have people on the Thrift thread who, over the last 15 years I've been there, have consistently found gold and highly desirable watches. That's the same thing as a store putting out a baseball autographed by the 1937 Yankees. It makes no sense at all and, again, it can't last. At some point these stores will have new managers or some policy directive will shoot down from the head office. If huge scores happen, they'll happen less frequently.

Just think about vinyl: when was the last time someone posted a $500 vinyl find? We used to get those--not often, but we'd get them. I had maybe 10 of those between 2009-2014. Three times I found records worth $1000 and paid 50 cents-$1 for them. Then Zero. None after 2014. All the vinyl got filtered out immediately because chains AND donors realized its value.

I think you'll be able to find things now that other people aren't willing to buy. But the days of abundance are done.

As an aside, one thing that really bothers me is the YouTube re-selling community. I'm sure this is because I'm an elitist prick who 1) did this before the era of the smart phone and 2) reads books as a hobby. When I watch these videos, it's like watching third-graders lecturing kindergarteners. These guys are amazed if someone knows what vicuna is. I'm listening to them venerate sellers who know that 'Erzegemildo Zegna' is a good brand. Sometimes they post their Zoom calls and you see 20 people listening intently as their guru unravels a concept they've just discovered: buy low and sell high. The YouTube re-selling heroes are buying Tupperware for $1 and selling it for fifteen. They preach a cult-like positive hustle attitude which ignores all economic reality. And when they talk about their income from re-selling, they include what buyers paid in postage. They don't subtract selling costs. And they don't subtract the cost of their items.

I'm like you--I do this as a hobby and my eBay ASP is close to $150. Sales have been tailing off since the free-money era ended. I'm much happier doing local value-added stuff.

 

[goatamous II]

For my Canucks

Free Shipping Tuesdays 2024

Celebrate Small Business month this October. Ship one (1) package for free every Tuesday with Canada Post.

www.canadapost-postescanada.ca

 

[Sartoriamo]

Oh, and one other thing for those in the US with a store: time to cash in your third quarter shipping supply coupon!

 

[dougc33]

Oh, and one other thing for those in the US with a store: time to cash in your third quarter shipping supply coupon!

Separate topic - anyone else having issues receiving messages? Seems like my inbox "froze" - am getting offers to buy but they don't show up as a message.