WAAAAAA!!!! Need help! No good at ebay!

**many houseapes** · 09-25-2005, 11:05 AM

I absolutely suck when it comes to trying to sell things on ebay....I've had little success....I have paid more in fees that I have made. I really don't understand this, because I have tried the methods that other successful ebayers have done on similar items...but it just doesn't work for me...and I cannot understand it...maybe I have bad luck. right now, I have some beautiful Halloween items on ebay...and things that I know that should sell don't, no matter how appealing that I make the price, yet I see others selling something very similar for high prices and people are buying them out....is it that people just love to spend more money than they should? here is an example of my items...5036165088.........I know that I list them in the correct catagory, I am fair about shipping costs and the starting price of the listed item...I really don't want to spend more on extra listing fees...can someone please tell me what I am doing wrong....any suggestions?

**Kimberlina** · 09-25-2005, 01:01 PM

Well, if you saw my post you will notice that I haven't sold anything on eBay in years, so I will try to look at this from the buyer's perspective.

Two things I noticed that might be of concern to buyers:

-You don't accept PayPal. I don't "do" PayPal either, (because of hacking my sister encountered to the tune of about $10k) but I get the perception that most people who use eBay do, so that may be a turnoff to some people.

-You only offer Parcel Post to mail your items. Not only is it slower than First Class Mail, but it may actually cost more. For instance, I just calculated the cost of a 5 ounce package (most of the stuff you had listed is light, so that is why so small) from my parents' zip code to my zip code. To send it First Class it is estimated to take only two days and the cost was $1.29. To send it Parcel Post would take three days at a cost of $6.44. Just for kicks, I calculated shipping costs on the item you mentioned above using the calculator in your listing. It figured the cost at $3.75. I then went to the USPS site and figured out how much it was calculating the weight at (8 ounces, roughly) and calculated first class from your city to mine. First class mail was only $1.98 as opposed to the $3.75. (Gosh, does all of that make any sense?) Anyway, Parcel Post isn't always the cheapest option, and is rarely the fastest- in my calculations from your city to mine, it was 5 days and costlier than the 3 day first class mail.

Just my

.

**Early Bird** · 09-25-2005, 02:36 PM

Could it be that there are a lot of people who don't go all out for Halloween?

Another thought. Here's what I buy on ebay:
things that I can't find anywhere else (ex: vintage linens); things that are cheaper than anywhere else (ex: vacuum bags); and
things that are more convenient to buy on ebay (ex: a long black skirt in 2x).

Halloween/fall decorations are easy to find cheaply locally -- especially if you shop the after-Halloween sales.

**many houseapes** · 09-25-2005, 03:07 PM

thanks for the input...on my very light items, I put it in the item's description to ignore ebay's calculations(sorry that I didn't add this to my earlier tantrum

) because for some things, 3.75 is too high for postage, so I offer $1.00- 1.50 postage, which covers the price of the padded envelopes too....on some things previously, I had even offered free shipping........I have to ask too....is trying to sell on ebay really worth it? There are so many people that claim to make good money from their sales...all I would be satisfied with is that if I could make enough money from it to pay for groceries(which we don't spend as much as one would expect)...................paypal.........I used to use it, but still my luck is no different. I do not use it anymore because ebay takes enough from the profit, & when you add it with the costs of postage, envelopes(for lighter, breakable things) and taxes when the gov. gets done with me...........it winds up that everyone makes a profit except my family.........right now, it seems more of a gamble than anything else.....but then yet, I don't want to lose hope & give up.....what do I do?

**Kimberlina** · 09-25-2005, 07:37 PM

My father makes good money on eBay, but he generally sells only very in-demand and very collectible things on eBay. He sold a lot of things from my Grandfather's estate on eBay, but a lot he just sold in a yard sale because it simply wasn't worth it to sell those other things on eBay. FWIW, I really like your Halloween beads, just can't afford to buy anything I don't need right now.

**many houseapes** · 09-25-2005, 09:10 PM

My dh said awhile back that he thought that you would really have to sell big ticket items to really be good at this. I also have a friend that is in charge of estate sales & she also sells things from the estates on ebay & does pretty good...oh well....I feel a little better now...i'm not so pouty

Thanks so much about your compliment on the beads...I had seen these last year & fell in love w/ them...........I have seen other ebayers divide a pkg of the same kind of beads into groups of 10 beads each, then sell them for $3 to start, plus 3.75 postage.....and people are really buying them...i suppose that if I don't sell what I have, I can always make some interesting jewelry and set it back for next autumn; hopefully, I'll find a craft fair that I can take part in.

**many houseapes** · 09-25-2005, 09:15 PM

I think that I should also say in the same breath, that I am kicking myself for buying the beads(even though I really like them & decided to take a chance), because I consider it unnecessary spending.............

**Kimberlina** · 09-25-2005, 09:23 PM

Beads, unnecessary spending? Perish the thought! (I really shouldn't have, but I did just buy some beads at the store the other day for us in Christmas gifts.)

Maybe it is just a week or two early still for Halloween items. I have no idea.

**bamamomto4** · 09-25-2005, 09:33 PM

I only have a minute right now and will look more later but one thing on the beads I would is change the title...something like
"HUGE LOT HALLOWEEN BEADS PUMPKINS CANDY CORN"

and add GLASS on there if there's enough room.
I sell on ebay and I dont think you have to sell big ticket items to make money. I sell stuff I no longer want,out grown clothes,yard sale finds etc and make money.I made right at or over $600 this month on ebay.

I would also accept paypal.If you do just the regular account you're not charged any fees,and can accept up to $100 a month in credit card charges or state that you dont accept CC payments. On some items,I wont bid on if tey dont take paypal because there is usually the same thing from a diff seller that will accept it.
Also,the shipping to me on the beads is $3.75. Theres a setting on there to change and I'd do $2.50 or $3.00 FLAT shipping service or first class. It will not cost that much,so the diff will pay the cost of envelopes. I'd also list the shipping charge in the description as well.

From experience,most of my items wont get bids till like the LAST day or last couple of hours. I also bid that way on things I want really bad lol

Gotta run but I'll post more later.

**Michelle** · 09-26-2005, 08:19 AM

Originally posted by bamamomto4

I would also accept paypal.If you do just the regular account you're not charged any fees,and can accept up to $100 a month in credit card charges or state that you dont accept CC payments.
From experience,most of my items wont get bids till like the LAST day or last couple of hours. I also bid that way on things I want really bad lol

I hope I am wrong, but I believe this has been changed just recently. You can't accept CC's with a personal account--if you receive a CC payment, Pay Pal prompts you to upgrade your account.

Ebay just instituted a new policy too that if you write that you accept Pay Pal, you *must* accept CC's.

It's one reason lots of people are now turned off of selling on Ebay.

In my experience, things that are sold in lots do better than individual ones. For example, people are more apt to buy a lot of 3 pairs of pants vs. 1 pair. Name brands do well as one item auctions (e.g. Tommy Hilfiger or similar)

Good luck with your selling. I hope it gets better for you

**Renee-2kids** · 09-26-2005, 09:19 AM

Yes, if you use Paypal, you have to accept credit cards and you get charged every time.

One day I think it's worth it. The next day I don't.

**many houseapes** · 09-26-2005, 09:46 AM

I had also heard that about paypal...another reason why I stopped accepting it....bamamom...where exactly is that setting to change the shipping info? Maybe i'm just blind here, but I looked & didn't see one, so I have been adding my own calculations for some things in my description....and for some of my buyers, its been a little confusing

**bamamomto4** · 09-26-2005, 01:16 PM

Yea,I think everyone is right.They did make changes and I remember a friend having to update her paypal account. I've had mine since at least 2001,so a lot has changed

sorry

It's there on the calculations page.Might have a TAB to click and change. I know it's there because I use my own pricing for shipping.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=5427405995

I've sold a "lot" of baby clothes last year and ended up getting around 75¢ per item. The next clothing "lot" I had was listed seperate and I made more per item. All these were name brands to. I think clothes are kinda if-y,just depends on what people are looking for. This is jusy my opinion,from my own experience.

**many houseapes** · 09-26-2005, 03:43 PM

I'll look up that calculation page when I relist...that should make it go a little better. Thanks

**dolphin** · 10-13-2005, 01:15 AM

I'm sorry I didn't see this before but I see you did sell your beads.

Something I would have done is not list them in the category you listed them in. I would use Jewelry/Loose Beads for listing fancy beads like in costume jewelry. Your's are nice but they are beads made more for crafting so I would have listed them in Crafts even if I couldn't find a clear area where they belong I would have put them in Crafts & Hobbies/Other Supplies. I put alot of stuff in there and it always sells.

What I always do is check out "Completed Listings" and see what categorys other people listed in and which ones sold in the best. "Completed Listings" is a great training tool to use to learn how to list because you can see what sold and what didn't and it helps you to learn to list correctly and to get maximum bids.

Just keep trying. I get frustrated too sometimes then I'll list something for $4.99 and get a $25.00 bid on the second day and I'm hooked again, lol. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.