Ebay question and tips?

[Disneymom4ever]

Well, I finally put something on Ebay to sell, (have been saying I would for months), and it actually has bids on it! (I'm excited!) Anyway, please don't think this sounds stupid, but how do you sellers get your boxes for mailing? I'm just curious, I'm mailing a sweatshirt Monday, just wondering the cheapest way (don't have any lying around). I guess I could go to Wal-mart, any other ideas? Any other great selling tips out there? I think I'll try this again, (gotta save $ for DW trips! :thumbsup:).

[merlinmagic4]

Hi Lisa,

If you use Priority Mail shipping you can get all of your bags and boxes for free from the United States Postal Service. They have great Tyvek bags that hold almost everything and various size boxes. Check out their website to see what you can get. Oh, you can walk into your post office and get a small supply of shipping materials for what you have up now.

If you use parcel post shipping you will need to find your own packing materials which can get expensive and cut into your profits. I do save all boxes that pass through my door in case I have stuff I do want to send parcel post.

I have also purchased bags on ebay for shipping that I use when I ship something first class mail (I think under 13 ounces).

Ebay is a great way to make money and I pay for most of my Disney trips with it. I sell my children's outgrown clothes (when they are in perfect shape) and also shop rock bottom bargains at the end of seasons and offer it before the next season (i.e I am selling summer items now that I purchased at the end of the summer season). I'm also selling off some winter stuff too but quickly moving into summer.

Any other questions? Please let me know if you need more help. I've been doing this for a while and would be glad to help with anything at all!

[Disneymom4ever]

Thank you so much, Kelly, I am actually selling the sweatshirt with parcel post shipping, so I'll have to watch that. I will definitely check the website you mentioned for free boxes, etc! This is all so new to me, I'm learning as I go. Thanks again, if I think of any other questions, I'll let you know! :thumbsup:

[laprana]

I'm also an Ebay seller and that's how we've paid for our last 3 WDW trips, plus we're working on our trip this summer! I second the recommendation to get free boxes and shipping supplies through USPS. Ebay has a section for mailing/shipping where you can order free USPS supplies, but if you go directly to the USPS website, they have a bigger selection of sizes, products, etc. Like the other poster said, though, they are only for use with domestic and international Priority Mail, so if you want to offer cheaper shipping options, you have to find other boxes or envelopes to use. One of the things I've found as a seller is that most people do not want to pay for shipping at all, but if they have to they want to pay the least amount possible! So, it could help you sell more items by offering cheaper shipping options than Priority Mail, but then you're looking at paying for the boxes. It's kind of a Catch 22.

I agree that saving up your boxes really helps! One thing I have done is I let everyone know at work that I'll take any boxes, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, etc. that they get and don't want. They've really given me a lot of stuff because most people don't want to keep that stuff lying around their house and they just throw it out. (Once you start selling on ebay, you look at packaging materials in a whole new way! :D) If you do find a need to purchase boxes, though, I would recommend Uline. They are pretty cheap on most boxes and they are just plain old cardboard, so you can use them for any shipping method. Hope this helps and good luck with your selling!! :thumbsup:

[MNNHFLTX]

I also save all boxes and packing material that come my way, unless they're too worn to use. I used to sell a lot of books on ebay, and since I would ship them via USPS media mail those extra boxes/mailing envelopes came in handy! For a sweatshirt I'm sure that it would ship fine in a large bubble envelope--you can get those fairly cheap at Walmart, Target, etc. However you ship, I would make sure and include a reasonable amount for shipping materials into your shipping price. Just don't make it too much. As a buyer myself, nothing annoys me more than sellers who charge an hefty fee for shipping and whose packaging consists of a plain manilla envelope.

[Disneymom4ever]

Wow, thank you all so much for the advice, I really appreciate it! I ended up mailing the shirt today in a box I got free at Walmart, and charged about what others were charging on Ebay for shipping, so I had an idea. I ended up making about 75 cents on shipping, so I think I was fair to the buyer. The lady at the post office said Priority was barely any more, so I think I'll go this route and use their free supplies. This is really exciting, I put 2 more ads on yesterday, we'll see how those do. I've been a stay at home mom for so long, and it feels good to contribute somehow. Plus it's addicting! But now my problem is I'm always checking to see if any bids come through! Thanks again everyone, any other tips, feel free! :thumbsup:

[laprana]

It sure is addicting! Especially when things are selling...it can get really exciting when things are getting lots of bids! It's actually not a bad idea to check on your account a couple times each day because someone might have a question about one of your items, and that comes in an e-mail through e-bay. Usually, the quicker you can respond, the happier the buyer will be!

One thing we've found out (my mom, sister, and I all sell together on ebay) about shipping is that Parcel Post is good to offer on heavier items because that's where it will offer a bigger savings. Items that are 1-2 pounds will usually only have a savings of 10-50 cents or so over Priority Mail. But, when it's something that's like 7-10 pounds, Parcel Post really can save a lot!

One other good tip that can make things a lot easier on you in terms of shipping -- you can schedule a carrier pick-up when you ship things USPS Priority Mail! All you have to do is schedule the pick-up online the night before (I think the cut off is actually around 2:00 a.m.), put the packages on your front porch, in the mail box, or wherever you indicate they'll be, and your mail carrier should pick them up for you! No need to drive to the post office! There's just one catch, though -- in order to schedule a pick-up, you have to have at least 1 item being shipped via Priority Mail (or a more expensive method like Express Mail). If you have 5 packages and they're all Parcel Post, then you can't do a pick-up. But, if you have 1 being shipped Priorty and 4 being shipped Parcel Post, no problem! It's great and has really saved us a lot of time driving back and forth to the post office (not to mention gas for the car!) Hope this helps, and don't hesitate to ask if you have any more questions! Ebay can be a little confusing when you're just starting out selling!

[MegaDisney]

I use the free boxes and wrap them in plain brown paper to ship parcel post. You can buy rolls at any retailer.

[Melanie]

On the topic of eBay, what do you all think about the new feedback system and increased seller fees?

Seems it's caused quite the uproar among long-time eBay users.

[Hull-onian]

Well, I finally put something on Ebay to sell, (have been saying I would for months), and it actually has bids on it! (I'm excited!) Anyway, please don't think this sounds stupid, but how do you sellers get your boxes for mailing? I'm just curious, I'm mailing a sweatshirt Monday, just wondering the cheapest way (don't have any lying around). I guess I could go to Wal-mart, any other ideas? Any other great selling tips out there? I think I'll try this again, (gotta save $ for DW trips! :thumbsup:).

If you have a TJMAXX, they get in trucks at least three times a week. The backroom people are really good about giving free boxes and bubble wrap. Bubble wrap is very expensive. Congrats on your sales!! Keep up the good work. We are EBAYERS too. I was able to purchase a brand new Toyota with the money I earned. OH, and Walt gets the rest of it!!! LOL

[Disneymom4ever]

Thank you, thank you!! I'm SO EXCITED to hear your tips. I can't believe I can even do this without driving to the post office! This is just invaluable information to me! That's why I love Intercot so much, you guys are the best!:thumbsup: I do have a question- as far as feedback, as a seller, do you leave it for the buyer as soon as he's paid? Or do you wait until he leaves feedback first? I'm just curious. Also, (one more question, sorry)- On my account with Ebay, it says I have a balance of so much. But I didn't see where it said how to pay them, or when. Do they just automatically take it out of my Visa or debit card once a month, for example? Gosh, so much to learn. Thanks again everyone, I hope I can be funding my trips to see mouse one day also! :mickey:

[merlinmagic4]

Lisa,

Most sellers wait until the buyer has left feedback before leaving feedback themselves. I do it differently. I leave the buyer feedback as soon as they have paid. The way I look at it is that the buyer has fulfilled their end of the agreement by paying and I fulfill my end when they receive their product in a timely manner and are pleased with the item (because I have described it honestly). I have to admit I am annoyed when a buyer then neglects to leave me feedback but I can't see doing it any other way. Waiting to see what the buyer has to say first is like holding the feedback hostage. Ultimately, you need to find what works for you and I do believe I am in the minority here. I hardly ever receive feedback from a seller until I have left it first. You can do whatever works for you.


Oh and ebay will send you an invoice once a month asking you to pay. I always pay with my paypal balance but you can have a credit card on file, too.
I'm glad you are excited :) It is a great way to make money and is quite a hobby as well. I check my ebay all day long and it's the first thing I do in the morning, right before checking in with Intercot :thumbsup:

[Piglet822]

I have my ebay account set up so they automatically charge my credit card.
As the seller, I usually leave feedback when the people pay. Some people wait until feedback has been left for them before they leave their own feedback.
As a buyer, I wait until I've received my item (naturally) to leave feedback for the seller.
And you're not being silly at all. I sell occassionally on ebay as well and it's always fun to watch people bidding on your things.
Good luck to you!!!

[Melanie]

I do have a question- as far as feedback, as a seller, do you leave it for the buyer as soon as he's paid? Or do you wait until he leaves feedback first? I'm just curious.

This is one of the things getting ready to change. The seller will no longer be able to leave feedback for the buyer, only the buyer for the seller. It's caused a lot of uproar.

For what it's worth - I have always left feedback as soon as someone paid as well. Apparently so many sellers were holding their positive feedback 'hostage' until they received positive from their buyer, eBay decided to change the system. :bang:

Are you using PayPal? That's how I pay my balance on eBay. It's very simple.

[conorsmom2000]

This is one of the things getting ready to change. The seller will no longer be able to leave feedback for the buyer, only the buyer for the seller. It's caused a lot of uproar.
I had no idea about this! :confused: I wonder why they are changing things? I'm really surprised by this!

I don't sell much on eBay but when I do, I always leave feedback for the buyer first - it just seems like the right thing to do.

[MNNHFLTX]

On the topic of eBay, what do you all think about the new feedback system and increased seller fees?

Seems it's caused quite the uproar among long-time eBay users.Personally I have mixed feelings about the new feedback policies. I think that all feedback should be included in the percentage, not just from the last 12 months. Unless someone is a power-seller, the extended feedback history can make a difference. And as far as the seller only allowed to leave positive feedback for buyers, I think that's a shame, but in a way I can understand it. Nine times out of ten these days the seller does not leave feedback until the buyer does anyway, in case they want to retaliate. It's not how I do business, but there are so many that do (aside from those who have posted otherwise in this thread) that feedback for the buyer seems pointless. I guess one could argue that buyers could hold their feedback hostage too now, but in my experience that's rarely been the case.

The increased seller fees I don't mind as much. ebay has done that periodically--just a fact of life.

[Melanie]

And as far as the seller only allowed to leave positive feedback for buyers, I think that's a shame, but in a way I can understand it.

I got that all mixed up, didn't I??? :crazy:

The seller can only leave feedback now. I understand as well, but it is a shame for those of us who mainly sell instead of buy on eBay. How is a buyer to trust a seller? I know people many times use someone's feedback as a determining factor whether to bid on one of their items. I foresee many more folks getting burned with this new system. It's like blind trust now. :( Am I looking at this correctly?

[merlinmagic4]

I had no idea that was changing!

I definitely don't think it is fair. So, I will leave feedback for the buyer but will not receive any feedback on my shipping, communication, or honest description of the product I sold? Or are they going to depend on the star system?

This doesn't make sense and it makes me mad that so many sellers were "holding the feedback hostage" and now ebay feels they need to do this. I'm going to have to try and read about it on the site. I wasn't pleased with the new fees but I have not been getting gallery free, which I thought was part of the changes. Are they starting in the future?

Maybe they should let the sellers who DO leave feedback after the buyer pays receive feedback from the buyer. Maybe they just need to change it so as a seller you can't receive it until you leav it. That makes sense to me!

[laprana]

I had no idea that was changing!

I definitely don't think it is fair. So, I will leave feedback for the buyer but will not receive any feedback on my shipping, communication, or honest description of the product I sold? Or are they going to depend on the star system?

Actually, the feedback change is that the seller can leave ONLY POSITIVE feedback for the buyer. The buyer can leave whatever feedback he or she wants for the seller - positive, neutral, or negative. So, if a seller is dealing with a buyer who doesn't pay or a buyer who is trying to pull a scam, the seller can't leave any feedback for the buyer except something positive. I think it's a totally unfair system that could lead to lots of problems for sellers. We haven't run into too many bad buyers over the years we've been doing ebay, but there have been a few. One lady left us negative less than 24 hours after she paid, saying that she hadn't received her item yet. What? :confused: Then there are some new buyers who don't understand the feedback system at all, and will leave a neutral saying "Great transaction! Thanks!" I think new buyers and sellers both should have to go through some kind of initial tutorial when they sign up for ebay before they can start buying and selling to show them the appropriate use of feedback, etc. But, I think the bottom line is that good sellers who do what they're supposed to do shouldn't worry too much because most buyers are good, rational people who don't abuse the system! :thumbsup:

The free gallery pictures are starting on Feb. 20, I believe, along with the change in fees. I don't think the feedback changes are happening until May, though. Gives us a little while to adjust, I guess!

[laprana]

On my account with Ebay, it says I have a balance of so much. But I didn't see where it said how to pay them, or when. Do they just automatically take it out of my Visa or debit card once a month, for example?

Like the other poster said, ebay will e-mail you an invoice each month and you can set it up to be paid a couple of different ways. You can either set it up so that it is automatically paid out of your PayPal account or charged to your debit or credit card. You can also manually make the payments each month by clicking the "make payment" button on the invoice. We have ours set up to automatically be paid by PayPal and we don't have to worry about it at all! If you do it this way, though, the only thing you have to make sure of is that you have enough money in your PayPal account to cover your fees each month. Other than that, it's as easy as can be! :thumbsup: I think you can set this up under the "preferences" tab on the left side of your "My Ebay" page. If not there, then it might be under "seller tools." (It's been a while since we set ours all up, so I'm not entirely sure where it is.)

[Disneymom4ever]

Ok, everyone, please please please tell me that Paypal is safe. I don't know if anyone's read my other thread on my card info being stolen (as well as my email address and phone #!), but I haven't used my card for anything else lately. I'm sure Paypal's great, I'm just in shock, and trying to figure this one out.

[thrillme]

I've had a paypal account for several years and I've never had a problem. Paypal is a GREAT way to pay for auctions. MUCH MUCH safer than giving your credit card to anybody.

Yes Ebay is changing big time. There's going to be an increase in fees. Supposedly they are trying to weed out the "little" guy. I've noticed a change in Ebay over the past year. A lot of people seem to be "companies" selling stuff rather than the "individual". I used to be able to find all kinds of stuff on Ebay no matter how outlandish but not anymore.

My bestest buddy used to sell on Ebay but has started to give it up because the fees were killing her. It was also tiresome of those "buyers" who either didn't read the listing carefully to find out what they were buying and those buyers who believed that the item was supposed to arrive via "transporter" the second after they paid (yes "laprana" those nutz DO exist all over the place).

Ebay can be some really good money but I don't know if these policy changes are a good thing.

[murphy1]

This is one of the things getting ready to change. The seller will no longer be able to leave feedback for the buyer, only the buyer for the seller. It's caused a lot of uproar.

For what it's worth - I have always left feedback as soon as someone paid as well. Apparently so many sellers were holding their positive feedback 'hostage' until they received positive from their buyer, eBay decided to change the system. :bang:

Are you using PayPal? That's how I pay my balance on eBay. It's very simple.

I do the same. I think it's crazy that people can't leave fdbk for buying now! I do both, so we'll have to see. I run a custom boutique, also sell fabric, supplies and any of my kids clothes or toys that are still in good shape. I am having fun with it, I have been on Ebay for 8 yrs. and doing custom and sewing for about 5. I feel bad for people who make their sole living off Ebay, but they sell their products through them, they may not be able to sell them elsewhere, so they have a big market. I get boxes from the grocery and dollar store, they are easy to get anywhere for free, I dumpster dive, too and a lot of my neighbors will even bring them to me since they know I do Ebay. I do not take postal boxes or UPS boxes and cover them with paper, that's why our postal rates are going up, up.

[murphy1]

I just got a message for a seller I buy patterns from Wow, this is happening fast:

Thank you most kindly for your recent purchase from my eBay Store. Please note that due to eBay's recent seller fee increase and reduction of tiny profits that I will be forced to close my Store in the near future.

Your item has been shipped with Delivery Confirmation and will arrive shortly. Enjoy!

[Disneymom4ever]

[QUOTE=thrillme;1545487]I've had a paypal account for several years and I've never had a problem. Paypal is a GREAT way to pay for auctions. MUCH MUCH safer than giving your credit card to anybody.

Thanks for that, that's what I thought as well. There are thousands of Paypal users I'm sure, and I really do trust it.

And thank you for the info on paying Ebay their fee, it sounds simple enough.

Gosh, I was just getting started learning the old rules, and now it's changing. I hope it's still a good thing for the small seller, like I would be. Thankfully I'm just doing this for a little extra money (well, hopefully more than a little :)). I guess time will tell.

[Melanie]

Actually, the feedback change is that the seller can leave ONLY POSITIVE feedback for the buyer. The buyer can leave whatever feedback he or she wants for the seller - positive, neutral, or negative. So, if a seller is dealing with a buyer who doesn't pay or a buyer who is trying to pull a scam, the seller can't leave any feedback for the buyer except something positive.

Okay, I apologize because I definitely understood all this incorrectly.

This is definitely crazy and I understand why folks are upset.

[murphy1]

How are we going to know that it's a person we'd want buying from us now?? Are they still doing the non-payer reporting? Luckily I have only had to use it twice in my 8 years there, but I know a lot of the big sellers use it. And I just ordered a book, the guy had 30 copies of them and right after the changes, refunded my money, so I am wondering if he is pulling out of Ebay. This overall doesn't seem like good things for Ebay.

[laprana]

How are we going to know that it's a person we'd want buying from us now?? Are they still doing the non-payer reporting?

I think the only way we're going to be able to see what kind of buyer we're dealing with is to look at the feedback that buyer leaves for others. If they're leaving nothing but negatives for sellers and abusing the system, we'll still be able to cancel their bids and block them from bidding again. I hate to do that, though, because you never know what happened in other buyer/seller transactions, you know? But, at the same time, what choice are sellers left with if they see they're dealing with a problem buyer? I'm really hoping that the whole feedback change won't be a big issue once everyone's adjusted. I think most buyers honest and aren't going to abuse the system, but again, who knows!

Ebay is keeping the reporting system for non-paying buyers and when they made the announcement of all the other changes, they mentioned something about more protection for sellers through the unpaid item dispute process. Unfortunately, they didn't really elaborate on how sellers will be more protected from non-paying buyers. :confused: Guess we'll have to wait and see.

I don't see many of these changes being good for ebay overall. I think a lot of sellers will leave, and many already have. The change in fees alone will drive some sellers away because they're going to see a drop in profits and it might not be worth it anymore. Ebay is dropping some of the listing prices (I think the insertion fee is going down by about a nickel) and they're going to offer free gallery pictures. That's great, except that they're raising the final value fee from around 5% of the selling price to I think around 9%, which will make up for the reduction in the other fees. If someone sells really expensive items like jewelry or electronics, they're really going to see a difference in the final value fees. It won't have as much as an effect on the smaller sellers who have lower priced items, though (like me!:D).

I'm not sure how this will all play out for ebay. I know that we are just rolling with the punches right now and waiting to see how it all plays out. It might not be so bad in the end, but if it is, I guess we'll have to find a new way to pay for our WDW trips!

[murphy1]

Oh, great! More and more work!! LOL

Oh, PayPal is supersafe, I have never had a problem with it or with someone getting my info.

[MNNHFLTX]

I don't see many of these changes being good for ebay overall. I think a lot of sellers will leave, and many already have. The change in fees alone will drive some sellers away because they're going to see a drop in profits and it might not be worth it anymore. Ebay is dropping some of the listing prices (I think the insertion fee is going down by about a nickel) and they're going to offer free gallery pictures. That's great, except that they're raising the final value fee from around 5% of the selling price to I think around 9%, which will make up for the reduction in the other fees. If someone sells really expensive items like jewelry or electronics, they're really going to see a difference in the final value fees. It won't have as much as an effect on the smaller sellers who have lower priced items, though (like me!:D).

I'm not sure how this will all play out for ebay. I know that we are just rolling with the punches right now and waiting to see how it all plays out. It might not be so bad in the end, but if it is, I guess we'll have to find a new way to pay for our WDW trips!I agree that we'll all have to wait and see the effect of these changes once the dust settles. Right now a lot of sellers are in reactionary mode and making threats about leaving, but I have my doubts that many of them will. Yes, there will be a reduction in profits for major sellers (which I am most definitely not), but ebay also provides a venue with less overhead than if they were to have an actual "storefront", rather than a virtual one. And with the millions of people that peruse ebay on a regular basis, you can't beat the exposure.

[Flower]

Wow - I too have been thinking about listing some items, what are EBAY's fees now that so many people are pulling out? It sounds like EBAY is shooting themselves in the foot with these changes. I like that both parties can leave feedback, I have never sold but have bought quite a bit.

My other concern is that because I would be a Canadian seller, I know the postage fees are high to ship to the US.

Shari (Murphy1),
I did not know that you sold on EBAY, I met Terra & David was wearing the little jumper with Mickey on it that you made for him - it was absolutely beautiful! (And now her new little guy will be able to wear it, I am sure!!!)

[murphy1]

Thanks Lea Ann. I'm having fun with the boutique stuff. I am trying to do more of my smocked work there and specialize. The one I made for Terra was a gift, she is sooo sweet.

Lisa, something happened with a pattern I bought and got in mail today, Make sure you put that your items come from a smoke free home. I got this pattern and it wreaked of smoke, so bad my allergies started up. Luckily I wiped the papers off with baby wipes and let it all air out, but it was just terrible (not knocking any smokers out there, I just have terrible allergic reaction to things and try to buy from smoke free home). If you don't have pets, put that in there too (I do though, but I keep them out of my studio and work area).

[Disneymom4ever]

Oh, no Shari, that's terrible! As a matter of fact, I bought a keychain of all things at Christmas for a stocking stuffer, and it actually wreaked of smoke like you wouldn't believe! I had forgotten about that. I will definitely add that to my ads from now on, thank you! I think my problem is when I run out of things around the house to sell, how can I continue this? (I'm not crafty at all!). I actually stopped at a thrift store (a nice one) just to take a look, but it overwhelmed me, and I just left. I'm going to sort through my garage (we have boxes out there) and see what I can come up with this weekend! Thanks again for the tip! :thumbsup:

[murphy1]

Just keep a Rubbermaid box and everytime you have something you think you might want to sell, put it on Ebay. I am constantly amazed doing this, by how all of a sudden I thought I didn't have anything and then I do! Disney stuff, I sell my luggage tags from trip, souveniers. There are so many things, if you are ever in doubt about a market for something, just look it up and chances are someone wants it, kind of like a big garage sale. You might want to buy templates if you really get going, I love them, they are easy once you learn how they work and the seller of them will work with you, I buy them for $1-$3 a lot. I have made some great pocket change on Ebay as many on here are saying. Oh, we have an American Girl Place store near me, I'm going to see what people are buying and see if I can get it on sale at the store and then sell on Ebay.

[merlinmagic4]

Oh, we have an American Girl Place store near me, I'm going to see what people are buying and see if I can get it on sale at the store and then sell on Ebay.

I have started doing much more of that. I buy things at rock bottom clearance and then put them up on ebay for the next season. For example, I might buy bathing suits at a summer clearance sale and then put them up on ebay in February or March (believe it or not that's when they start selling!). I try to at least double my money and still offer it at a savings compared to retail value (i.e. I buy a 20.00 suit for 2.99 and list it for 8.99 - I triple my money and the buyer is still paying less than 50%).

The American Girl store could be a gold mine, especially if they have Christmas outfit clearance items!

[murphy1]

Kelly, my middle dd got that Nikki doll, who was Girl of the Year last year. She also got Sprocket, her dog (we got a gift certificate for all of it). She hasn't even played with it, it's brand new and they are going for four times what we got it for on Ebay, so I might have to sell it. My kids want me to work at that store to get them stuff!!! Don't think so :D It's a mad house in there!

[AvonleaCF]

The top story on CNN today is about a boycott of eBay starting Monday, February 19. Read about it here (http://money.cnn.com/2008/02/15/smbusiness/ebay_strike_update.fsb/index.htm?cnn=yes).

[Disneymom4ever]

That's a great idea about buying things on clearance, I'm going to look into that. My dh was laughing at me as I was digging through the garage looking for stuff. No such luck. Right now I'm doing 2 ads a week, but I'm running out, so I'll find other avenues soon. It's so addicting, I tell you!

You know, I do have a question. So I know you can mail from home, with free confirmation if you do so, and free pick-up, which I like. I actually just ordered free supplies from USPS. My question is, how do you know how much to charge exactly for shipping? Do you all have scales out there? I saw they sell them on USPS, but they're $35-$40. I'm just wondering the best way to go about this. Once again, thanks for all your help! :thumbsup:

[merlinmagic4]

I do calculated shipping on many of my auctions. I can usually guess when an item is under a pound and if it is more I stand on the scale without and then with the package to see what it weighs (digital) :blush: I'm usually right on the money, though!

However, if you are going to print your own postage at home and have carrier pick up (I don't do that) I would highly recommend a scale. I would be afraid the package would come back with insufficient postage if you miscalculated. Then your buyer would be upset.

Oh, and it's interesting to find out when people like their auctions to end to get the best prices. For instance, mine always end on weekends, usually Sunday. I am experimenting with the listings ending on Sunday night (around 9pm EST) instead of Sunday afternoon. You want you listing to be "ending soonest" when people are likely to be online shopping!

[murphy1]

I have been a pretty lucky guesser on the postage. For some reason, my figures are pretty accurate with the PO, I don't use Ebay's post calculator, it hasn't worked for me, I go directly to USPS site. I also have a Post extension office and UPS Store near my house, they have been caluculating more difficult items for me. I wouldn't buy a meter until you are really going, especially if you can get it done for free, unless you start doing more and then get one to where it pays for itself.

Cindy, thanks for that article. I actually know Laura Skidmore from her Ebay biz, she is very well known in the Vintage sewing community, glad she has a site now.

You guys might like Mousesurplus, he has a store on Ebay and three brick and morter locations. I am hoping to get to his store in FL while I'm there, I'd like to see his plans for Ebay since he does so much there. He sells everything from Disney souveniers to the fabric they use in the hotels, even furnishings like at Poly or WL.

[Disneymom4ever]

Wow, Shari, what a great store he has there, there's some really neat stuff. And a lot of bids, too! He's doing something right! I agree about the meter, my little Paypal account can't afford that yet!
Kelly, I love the scale idea, I'll try that. And yes, someone told me years ago about making sure to start your ads on a Sunday, so that's what I've been trying. It's working so far. That's exactly what I thought about Sun. night, I'm actually waiting until tonight to post another one. We'll see....:mickey:

[RoosMomKanga]

The free gallery pictures are starting on Feb. 20, I believe, along with the change in fees. I don't think the feedback changes are happening until May, though. Gives us a little while to adjust, I guess!WOW! This has been helpful! I've been trying to start doing this since before Christmas and I promised myself I would start this week. I even watched the Ebay tutorials, but what was holding me up was getting some tips (mainly about mailing, but I'm sure there are other things and I found the tutorials informative but they don't give you the "best way" tips like we all share for WDW here). I know there's books about this, but I didn't think it was worth it just to sell a couple of dozen things.

Do I need to buy a scale to mail or just estimate things, and are those mailing calculators easy to set up? Do you only put up the one photo, or should I wait for that gallery offer? Should I try to put them on before the fees go up- are they going up a lot? Do you usually group small inexpensive items together? Do you always put it on a week auction, or when don't you? Any other tips or mistakes you've made? Can you tell I'm nervous about all this?

We just have some small "treasures" (Treasure to someone else I'm sure) stored in our basement (and a few bigger ticket items) and I've been wanting to make some extra $$ for our upcoming big trip to France and DLP (we've been saving for this for almost 6 years a little at a time- hard to do when you have one in college). We've bought on Ebay for years and have a PayPal account (not verified through bank, just credit card), but I'm sooooo nervous about selling! Thanks for all this!!!

[PirateLover]

Hi, I'm about to sell my first item on eBay (I'm waiting until next week, after the "strike".) It is a huge lot- 65 R.L. Stine teen horror novels. I would like to send it media mail but I've never done this before and I'm wondering if I am able to use my own box with this service? Since it is only for books, cds, dvds and the like I'm just wondering how they would confirm that I'm shipping books if I take a pre-packed box to the post office. Will I have to buy one of their boxes and pack it there?

[merlinmagic4]

Hi, I'm about to sell my first item on eBay (I'm waiting until next week, after the "strike".) It is a huge lot- 65 R.L. Stine teen horror novels. I would like to send it media mail but I've never done this before and I'm wondering if I am able to use my own box with this service? Since it is only for books, cds, dvds and the like I'm just wondering how they would confirm that I'm shipping books if I take a pre-packed box to the post office. Will I have to buy one of their boxes and pack it there?

You can pack it in your own box. They just take your word for it; you'll be all set! Good luck with it but be careful, it's addicting!!!

[merlinmagic4]

Do I need to buy a scale to mail or just estimate things, and are those mailing calculators easy to set up? Do you only put up the one photo, or should I wait for that gallery offer? Should I try to put them on before the fees go up- are they going up a lot? Do you usually group small inexpensive items together? Do you always put it on a week auction, or when don't you? Any other tips or mistakes you've made? Can you tell I'm nervous about all this?

!

I'm glad you are finding this helpful :) You don't need to buy a scale (although I definitely recommend it). You can estimate. I stand on a digital scale without the package and then stand on it with the package to get a weight. I am usually right on the money. The postal service rates are based on weight ranges (1-2 pounds, 2-3 pounds etc). I use the calculated method for the most part - you just enter the weight of your package and the buyer can calculate it based on their zip code. I do use flat rate shipping for things that can go first class mail (under 13 ounces I think) but for everything else I use priority mail because the packaging is free. '

I list through Auctiva and get up to 10 photos free in the listing although I have still had to pay for gallery. The gallery will be free soon, though.

I sell a lot of clothing by "lot" which is grouping items together. Yes, it can work well because people feel they are getting more for their shipping cost.

I do a week if I start on Saturday or Sunday, five day auctions on Tuesdays, or three day auctions on Thursdays. I like my auctions to end on the weekend. More obscure items should be listed for longer but things like children's clothing will usually sell just as well on a shorter auction.

Hope this helps and good luck!

[PirateLover]

You can pack it in your own box. They just take your word for it; you'll be all set! Good luck with it but be careful, it's addicting!!!
Thanks! That's great news since I have a perfect box. I am going to see how this goes and go from there. I don't have too much else to sell. This is probably my biggest item. I just want to get them all gone and I saw some other people selling big lots of them for decent prices. I have a few other books I can sell, and I have some collectibles from my grandfather's that my parents want to get rid of that I might sell if the books go well. :thumbsup: