An idiots guide to selling on ebay

[ProfGumby]

So, what are (the cliff notes version) the things a noob needs to know about selling on ebay? What kinds of things should I look out for, be aware of? And the same would go for paypal.

[bongomania]

Rule #1: Read and obey Ebay and Paypal's rules to the letter. Not because they're good rules (they're not) but because that is the only way to make sure you stand a chance of getting your money back if a deal goes bad.

Rule#2: Research the past and present deals on Ebay for the same item you're selling, and watch a couple of auctions for the same item go through to completion, before listing your item. That way you have an idea of what a realistic selling price will be, and you'll see whether your item is popular or a dud. If it's popular, you can set a low starting bid and expect to make a decent price for it. If it didn't move well for other people, it won't move well for you either--so make sure your starting bid or reserve amount is the minimum you could feel OK about selling the item for.

#3: Post lots of clear pics, and be thorough in your description of the item.

#4: Offer to ship the item internationally if it is at all feasible. Most of the biggest bids I've gotten came from international buyers. The only items I don't like to ship internationally are physically big objects like basses, but that's up to your personal comfort level.

#5: Only ship to a Paypal "confirmed" address. Period. See rule #1.

There's a lot more, but this should get you started safely.

[RWP]

Before shipping to Italy read about possible problems.

http://forums.ebay.com.sg/thread.jsp...adID=500000654

[hbarcat]

Several friends of mine who have been selling on the Bay for years are looking at alternatives (selling on more specialized forums) because they have been screwed more than a few times in the past year by the new rules which side heavily with buyers.

Be aware that the new buyer friendly environment means that there are many scam artists moving in to take advantage of sellers by falsely claiming they never received an item or otherwise getting payments reversed.

[RWP]

As much as I like ebay it seems like they are making business decisions forcing a departure from their original business model. Looks like they don't want the little guy selling stuff from their basement, they want mega sellers doing thousands daily. If you are new, they will hold funds in your paypal account until you get positive feedback from the buyer. If a buyer screws you, you can not leave him negative feedback etc. All this to protect the buyer, and I can understand that, however it makes it more and more difficult to sell. So play their game or go somewhere else to sell.

[Pilgrim]

I have almost 800 feedbacks on Ebay - most as a buyer, but a number as a seller. I agree that they are less friendly to the individual seller than they used to be, but they still are a decent place to sell if you keep your head on. There are simply some costs of doing business that you can't avoid.

The first response is absolutely right. Read the rules, follow them, and also study other auctions to determine what you should and should not say in your auctions. If you don't say "no returns, no refunds" then you're leaving the door wide open.

Also - if you ship something as expensive as a bass, Make SURE that you ship with a signature required so that you can prove it arrived. This may be a problem if shipping to a residence, so make sure the buyer will be able to pick up the shipment within a day or so. I've had problems with shippers sending stuff with my personal signature required and NOT telling me - and I'm out of town for a week when they finally ship. I had to drive 40 miles round-trip through a blinding snowstorm to get a bass at UPS before they shipped it back. Pissed me off royally!!

[ProfGumby]

Thanks guys.

I will most likely try the first sale or two under the watchful eye of a friend who sells on the bay regularly.

So far, I have never had to resort to selling bass related things there as they classifieds here are a much nicer place.