Do You Sell On Ebay Or Amazon?

**staceyy** · 01-03-2006, 02:50 AM

I sometimes sell books on Ebay and Amazon and average about $400 per month. I sometimes think I should grow this activity and maybe start selling other things also. I make handmade greeting cards and am a trained pastry chef but I don't know if there is much of a market for these sorts of items.

I'd like to hear from others who sell through these venues. I'd like to know what you sell and how successful you've been. I've never posted a photo with an item and feel a bit intimidated by the process.Is it difficult? I think I heard Amazon would post the photos for you. Is this true? Do you know what items sell the best? What has been your whole experience? Do you know of anyone who has been successful at running a business through Ebay or Amazon? Thanks for any input.

I sometimes think I would gladly pay to sit with a successful Ebayer for a few days to learn the ropes. Would you?

**PrairieRose** · 01-04-2006, 12:26 AM

I've got gobs of things I want to sell on Ebay but I haven't taken the time to learn how yet Stacey.

I hope you find some good tips......and yes, I'd pay to sit with a successful ebayer to learn the ropes.

But then I love shortcuts.

**catzz64** · 01-04-2006, 12:44 AM

I just finished listing some items on ebay (my seller id is coyote*dragon). I have sold a lot of books on half.com as well.

It is fairly easy, I'm certainly no pro though! I got started just by reading tutorials. Ebay also offers workshops, I haven't taken advantage of that yet, but would also love to figure out how to open a store.

I sell mostly outgrown clothing, and lately am trying to declutter so am selling just about anything that isn't nailed down...we moved into a much smaller condo and I just don't have room to store things.

Ebay also publishes a list of best sellers, I think it is done monthly, so you can see what sells well. As for pics, I use another service for templates and picture services and can just download the info to ebay via html, it's just a matter of copy and pasting. That way I avoid their extra pic charges and the listing looks nicer as well.

I have never posted anything without a photo, I'm not sure things sell real well without photos...most ppl like to see what they are bidding on and I think the better the photos, the more you can make.

I would love to chat with someone who has more experience at it as well...I've been doing it piece-meal for about 2 years.

**jlxian** · 01-06-2006, 02:10 PM

Are there tutorials for how to use eBay? I've got tons of books I'd like to sell, but haven't got the slightest idea how to go about it.

I have lots of questions, including which site is better to use for selling books --- especially home decorating and gardening books.

Is there any place to get help with these kinds of questions?

**tervsforme** · 01-07-2006, 03:08 PM

There are tutorials to selling on E-Bay, they are pretty good. I think that books are much easier to sell on Amazon. To check it out, take one of your books and look it up on Amazon. When the book comes up, click on the used section and see what they are selling for in the condition your book is in. I would think that decorating books and gardening books should do quite well. Mass market novels usually go for $.01 a piece, so I sell those in lots on E-Bay. There is also a selling section on Amazon, might be worth looking into.

Let me know if you have any questions, I've sold a lot in the past!

**catzz64** · 01-08-2006, 12:36 PM

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner...I haven't felt well...there are tutorials on ebay. I have sold a lot of books on half.com as well. I have never tried Amazon...I'll have to check that out.

**SHOPGIRL** · 01-08-2006, 12:45 PM

I've tried Amazon, ebay, and Yahoo. I've had the best luck with ebay. Yes, the fees are higher, but they get so much more exposure I've found it's worth the extra money. Just get started and you'll learn along the way.

**midwestgal** · 01-08-2006, 12:54 PM

I've bought and sold on Ebay quite a lot in the last 4 years. I collect vintage toys and was adding to and upgrading my collection. Now I am downsizing it, so I have been selling quite a lot lately. To me, dabbling in Ebay was really to support by "addiction," but I think there are many who do really well in a business of some sort. For the most part, I have found that toy collectors are very nice people, so I have had almost no problems on Ebay. I read all the Ebay tutorials to teach myself to sell. The photo part is more tricky, though. My husband bought me a digital camera, read the manual, figured out how to put photos on Ebay and showed me how. I then fine-tuned it. I think the best way to learn to do this is to find someone who knows how, and have them sit down with you for a tutorial. Photos help your selling tremendously. I almost never bid on anything that does not have a photo.

Vintage toys are a good seller, and I have had much success with this. From what I have seen on Ebay, the most successful sellers seem to focus on a very specific area (vintage toys, linens, children's clothing, glassware of a certain type, shipping supplies etc.) Then they seem to build a real reputation with customers who keep coming back again and again. And they usually seem to get top dollar because they have established a reputable, honest business with prompt shipping, which seems to be very important!

**webjoba** · 01-08-2006, 01:04 PM

I sell books - mainly on Amazon. Amazon just makes it so easy and payment process is really simple too. I mostly sell books I have read or been given rather than buying them to sell on.

Made $162 so far in January but will run out of books pretty soon.

I used to do Ebay but it is so up and down and it is more complicated to run what with photos, paypal etc.

**staceyy** · 01-08-2006, 09:15 PM

I went onto Craigslist and found a young woman who was advertising she would do computer training in any area a person might need. I contacted her and she is now training me on Ebay. She is an experienced seller. She charges $20 an hour but covers a lot in that hour. I feel lucky to have found her. I'm planning on starting an Ebay business. She's also training me in other computer areas that I am weak.

Stacey

**momof42003** · 01-11-2006, 07:59 PM

Good for you Staceyy... I hope that you make good money on ebay, or which ever you choose..

**jlxian** · 01-12-2006, 10:52 AM

Thanks for all the advice on selling books etc online. I just need to take the plunge!

**Daydream Believer** · 01-14-2006, 10:48 PM

staceyy - If you could get the pictures of your hand made greeting cards onto an e-Bay listing, I definitely think you would be able to sell them on there. I would recommend going with small sets of them - like for holiday, get well, etc. I think you could do well with them on there...... Might even want to consider doing "custom" cards for sale. Good luck........