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

[Brianpore]

Quote: I should have skipped the small 12" one and just gone full out 24" x 36".

With a 2 light setup I am happy with these results. Now all those little dust particles on the black are really really going to bother me.

 

[alexSF]

Just a quick question,

Do you think that for the common ebay user is obvious to refine the search with "worldwide" item location?
(considering that ebay.com site don't have "item location" easily accesible from the left side bar anymore)

I have two items (english shoes) for sale on ebay.it (my country)
Do you think I would get a lot more audience listing them on ebay.co.uk or especially ebay.com?
(I used to list items there but the paypal currency conversion to convert money in euro it's really annoying as they eat a lot of money)

Thanks in advance

 

[Brianpore]

Just a quick question,

Do you think that for the common ebay user is obvious to refine the search with "worldwide" item location?

I have two items (english shoes) for sale on ebay.it (my country)
Do you think I would get a lot more audience listing them on ebay.co.uk or especially ebay.com?

(I used to list items there but the paypal currency conversion to convert money in euro it's really annoying as they eat a lot of money)

Thanks in advance

ebay.com for the US has (at minimum, I would think it's actually higher) 55% of all ebay traffic. UK as under 3% and Italy even less. Your missing a huge target audience if you dont sell on ebay.com but at the same time, shipping is a huge issue as well. There are enough people within the US selling the same items where they can buy one from someone locally and not risk/pay for international shipping.

http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/ebay.com

 

[alexSF]



ebay.com for the US has (at minimum, I would think it's actually higher) 55% of all ebay traffic. UK as under 3% and Italy even less. Your missing a huge target audience if you dont sell on ebay.com but at the same time, shipping is a huge issue as well. There are enough people within the US selling the same items where they can buy one from someone locally and not risk/pay for international shipping.

http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/ebay.com

Many thanks for your reply.

I listed items recently with buy it now plus best offer, I received offers from lots of countries except USA, very strange comparing years ago.
I noticed the problem since ebay.com site has removed the selection of item location on the left bar (it is present on the foreign sites.) I tried and honestly I don't know how to modify it know from the site.

(I personally use the same serching text for every country, changing only the ebay.xx in the url and it works perfectly, so for me isn't a problem but for the common user surely yes)

I would definitely try to list items also on ebay.com site, many thanks

 

[Ds13]

Anyone ever got this message before when trying to start an auction through garagesale?

"An error occurred while compiling an eBay API request for template (Item Title) Please check your Console output."

Google didn't turn up much

Thanks!

 

[DanM]

For those of you selling primarily through Buy It Now, how do you handle going on vacation? Do you use the eBay setting to hide all of your auctions for the time you are on vacation, or change your handling time to avoid being late on shipping (this is the direction in leaning).

 

[hooker4186]



For those of you selling primarily through Buy It Now, how do you handle going on vacation? Do you use the eBay setting to hide all of your auctions for the time you are on vacation, or change your handling time to avoid being late on shipping (this is the direction in leaning).

I change the handling time, and copy/paste in a note in all caps at the top of the listing saying that I'm away until X date and that stuff will be shipped upon my return on X date. Done it a couple times and so far so good.

 

[Brianpore]

Quote: I dont worry about the handling time for the month month. You can miss the 90% one month being top rated without an issue. I do set the away message and in all of my best offer replys I note the actual shipping date and for every item that sells I send a follow up message making sure they are 100% aware I am away and if there is any issue with the ship date I will send them a full refund right away. In multiple years and prob 300+ items sold I've had 2 people request a refund or ask about the shipping time doing it this way but there is more exposure to a problem then just turning the items off

 

[hooker4186]



I dont worry about the handling time for the month month. You can miss the 90% one month being top rated without an issue. I do set the away message and in all of my best offer replys I note the actual shipping date and for every item that sells I send a follow up message making sure they are 100% aware I am away and if there is any issue with the ship date I will send them a full refund right away. In multiple years and prob 300+ items sold I've had 2 people request a refund or ask about the shipping time doing it this way but there is more exposure to a problem then just turning the items off 

Yeah - if you have a store then the away message is the best option. I don't do enough volume to make a store worthwhile so have to go with my halfass method.

 

[Eloctinar]

I dont worry about the handling time for the month month. You can miss the 90% one month being top rated without an issue.

I do set the away message and in all of my best offer replys I note the actual shipping date and for every item that sells I send a follow up message making sure they are 100% aware I am away

The message is a really good idea, without a message, customers could leave low star rating for shipping time and some crazy customers could leave neg feedback

D anyone know if low star rating is worst than loosing top seller or power seller?

 

[TheNeedMachine]

For those of you selling primarily through Buy It Now, how do you handle going on vacation? Do you use the eBay setting to hide all of your auctions for the time you are on vacation, or change your handling time to avoid being late on shipping (this is the direction in leaning).

Since I have a basic store with 150 free BIN's and don't list that many, and usually get offers for more freebie listings, I just end mine a few days before I go and relist when I return. If I had hundreds or thousands of items, I'd go with the vacation settings (store required); otherwise change the handling time and add a message to all of them. That's if I'm going on a real vacation - if it's just a long weekend, I don't bother ending/changing.

 

[SpooPoker]



Anyone ever got this message before when trying to start an auction through garagesale? 

"An error occurred while compiling an eBay API request for template (Item Title) Please check your Console output."

Google didn't turn up much

Thanks! 

yes, i just go back and try again and it usually goes through.

 

[Ds13]

I tried it about 10-15 times and then it finally went through. I should have edited my post.

Thanks!

 

[Fueco]

For those of you selling primarily through Buy It Now, how do you handle going on vacation? Do you use the eBay setting to hide all of your auctions for the time you are on vacation, or change your handling time to avoid being late on shipping (this is the direction in leaning).

If I'm going to be away for more than ten days or so, I'll hide all of the listings. If I'm away for less than a week, I turn on my vacation settings with a shipping delay notification. I've also never dropped below 90% of auctions with tracking uploaded in time.

I'll be out of town for three or four weeks beginning in 13 days. I've switched all of my auctions to BIN listings beginning this weekend (at the end of the current cycle). I'll set my vacation settings to on a few days before I actually leave, and will be messaging all buyers between now and them to let them know that I will be out of town for an extended time, and to be patient with me if they require a return.

On the weekend prior to when I come back home, I will restart all of my seven day auction so as to minimize my actual downtime...


For those of you without store subscriptions, I think the ability to have a vacation mode is the single best reason to upgrade to a store, if only for a month.

 

[bboowwyy]

Finally got a mannequin. Only using natural light atm & am liking the results.