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Selling on Ebay is a great way to acquire that extra income that always comes in so handy! It costs you very little to start doing and you see money coming in a week later!
At first I thought to myself that selling on Ebay does sound like a great way to add some income to the family pot. But what do I have that's worth the effort. I had no idea what I could start selling. I played with the idea for several months and finally decided to just list a couple of items and see how things went. Like I said, I have four beautiful children, so I decided to start with the abundance of children's clothing that no longer fit. I figured I would get at least a quarter a piece for each outfit and at least that was something.
So, I went through the closets and found several items that no longer fit. I checked them over for tears and stains. Those that were stained or ripped, I weeded out. I started with 11 items. Then, by grouping them into size, I was able to list them as "lots" (two or more of a particular size). Since Ebay only charges a minimum of .25 per auction, I was able to again minimize my costs for listing the items! I photographed the items (I suggest borrowing a digital camera from someone, if you don't have one), listed them on Ebay and sat back to watch.
I figured maybe $15.00 max for all my items. At the end of the first two weeks, I had made over $60, just on children's clothing that no,longer fit my kids! I was shocked! That would take the whole family to dinner and a movie! WOW! It was so exciting! I began digging deeper. I was sure I had more clothing, and other miscellaneous stuff that was simply taking up space to get rid of! Three weeks after I listed my first item on Ebay, I had made over $520! Not a whole, you might say, but it put new tires on the car, bought my husband's birthday present and I still have money left over! This was only for 3 weeks worth of auctions, with minimal effort! And I still hadn't bought a thing to put on Ebay. This was all my old junk that was cluttering up my closet space! I was in a frenzy now! My husband and I went through everything, weeding out the things we didn't need or want anymore.
But what happens when you run out of stuff? Well, I'll tell you! As for kids items, no problem! Kids outgrow things at an alarming rate! So, there is usally quite a supply of children's items no longer usable! Garage sales, rummage sales and thrift stores are also great places to find quality children's items at a really good price. For instance, I can go to a garage sale and pick up several nice girls outfits for .25. I bring them home, wash them, take a picture and post them on Ebay. They usually bring anywhere between $3 and $10! My only cost was the $.25 at the garage sale and the $.25 Ebay charge to list the item! The rest is all profit! It does not sound like a whole lot, but when you times that by 10-20 listings, it really adds up!
Here are some tips you should be aware of before listing your items with Ebay!
1. Check your items out on Ebay. Search for them and make sure people are buying those particular kinds of items.
2. Open up a PayPal account!!! I cannot stress this enough. PayPal is fast, secure and free! Most people prefer to pay for an auction via PayPal. You can transfer the money from your PayPal account to your checking account anytime. PayPal is an absolute must for Ebay sellers!
3. Make sure your items are quality! I don't mean big and expensive! I mean, make sure clothing has no stains or rips. Make sure glass items are not broken or cracked. Make sure electronic items work properly. It does no good to sell a damaged item, only to have to return the money!
4. Be as descriptive as possible in the listing! People want to know exactly what they are bidding on. If it does have some damage, say it! It should be noted though, to keep your descriptions honest. Do not lie about the product you are listing.
5. You should accept money orders as well as PayPal. Some people do not want to use PayPal or do not have a credit card with which to use. Money orders offer these people an alternative. Accepting peronal checks is risky and I have found that it can be costly.
6. If you really want to get serious about selling on Ebay, try building your own website to promote your auctions! This can be a great tool. Not only does it provide your bidders with a convenient way to view all your auctions, in one place. But it also provides them with shipping and payment information and an easy way to contact you with questions!
7. List auctions for at least 7 days! The longer your item is listed, the more people will have a chance to view it. I usually list my items for 7 days. Be sure that length of time includes a weekend. Many more people bid and search Ebay on the weekends.
8. Try to ship in a timely manner. Never ship before payment is received, but always try to get an item shipped out as soon as possible after payment is received. If you have shipping times, use your website and let your bidders know that. I am handicapped and do not drive. Therefore, all my shipping is done on Fridays (my husband's day off work). I clearly state that under the shipping section of my website.
9. If you do run out of your stuff to sell, use garage sales, thrift shops and rummage sales to acquire more. BUT, make sure that you're at least going to get back what you paid for it! It's not a profit, if you don't get your money and more back!
10. Always, always. always include a picture with your listings! Most people, myself included, will not bid on an auction that does not display a picture!
11. Don't kill yourself posting new items everyday. Spread it out. Post on Fridays and Mondays or some other combination. I try to keep at least 25 auctions going at a time. This means I don't have to kill myself everyday posting new auctions.
12. Keep a record of your items, start & end date, high bid, payment received date. This is not only helpful, but it keeps things organized and allows you to easily scan your list and see when an auction ended and whether or not payment has yet been received. It also allows you to easily follow up on your auctions.
13. Create a directory in your bookmarks and bookmark each auction! If an auction ends with Buy It Now or just ends, it will fall off your sellers list and you may not know the auction ended! Bookmarking each item listed, allows you to watch your auctions more closely, easily get to the auction when it ends and refer back to leave feedback for the bidder when payment is received. Once payment has been received and you have shipped out the item, you can delete the bookmark.
14. Use Buy It Now! Many people prefer to just make the purchase without waiting to get the highest bid. Do not place reserves on items, unless you absolutely have to have at least a certain amount of money for them. Many people will not bid on a reserved price item.
15. HAVE FUN! I can't stress this enough! Selling on Ebay is a fun and rewarding experience! It's a blast to watch the last few minutes of your auctions and watch the numbers go up! Enjoy the experience. Don't stress over how much money it's bringing. Just be glad you got rid of it and made a little cash.
I hope I have been at least a little helpful in getting your items on Ebay. Remember, you won't start making any money if you don't get them listed. If you don't already have a free Ebay account, sign up for one below. You can also sign up for your free PayPal account by clicking the link below.
