Newbie starting out, any tips?

[walkinthewoods]

I have bought only a few bits and pieces so far but have positive feedback. Will people be unwilling to buy from me because I'm new iyswim?

I'm thinking of starting off with small, low value goods to test the water.

[piscesmoon]

Everyone has to start somewhere. I should do the low value and work up some feedback. I might think twice about an expensive item but not otherwise. I would rather buy from someone having a clear out than from someone doing it as a business. Goodluck.

[walkinthewoods]

Yes I'm doing it as a clear out primarily. Any pit falls I should look out for?

[blithedance]

Buy a few things first to build up a little feedback. Then sell a few things that are small, desirable, easy to describe and post, and that nobody can find fault with.

Be prepared for lunatics who leave unjustified negative feedback, Buy it Now pesterers, non-payers, people asking to post to Greece, the post office cocking things up, and it all taking over your life. Refuse to get drawn into a dispute over £5.50. Be prepared for your ebay and paypal accounts to neeed a thousand different ID's and email codes and be frozen for no apparent reason.

DH and I came our nearest ever to divorce/nervous breakdown/suicide pact during his recent ebaying efforts. Was just a learning curve really but it was grim.

[Tryharder]

Blithedance, can I be cheeky and ask why your husband's ebaying efforts caused so much trouble. Am genuinely interested to know?

I agree 100% about it taking over your life. My bedroom is stacked high with goods to sell - it's like Steptoe's yard.

[blithedance]

umm. I have done a fair bit of ebaying on and off, have about 200 fb. No particular problems.

He needed to sell some stuff from a closing down business venture, so opened an ebay business account which is much more complicated than a personal account. He was also very busy so when ebay bounced back some listings on a technicality, it mucked up the posting schedule, the snow made deliveries late which upset some buyers. A nutter claimed a broken item and immediately left an abusive neg FB. Then because he was selling high value items (electrical equipment) his Paypal account very quickly reached the point where they freeze it until you do another identity check (money laundering regs). Took 2 weeks of negotiating to get it unfrozen.

Really he started too big too fast, then got caught out by various not-so-obvious things and took every communication as a personal insult to his integrity. It's much easier if you aren't a business.

But it's still worth starting with a dozen small simple things so you get the whole listing/paying/posting routine sorted. If it's not working you can resort to a car boot sale! Really if you have the patience it's a good way of moving on household tat and old handbags and baby stuff.

[motherlovebone]

would say dont be overly nice. be business like.
there are some really grabby horrible buyers there who will take the mick.
a few of us on here have fallen prey to hard nosed buyers trying it on.
see my wwyd thread!

[piscesmoon]

I am overly nice and I think it pays off! I have got 100% feedback and some very friendly comments, even when things have gone wrong e.g packing things badly, selling something incomplete and something getting lost in the post.

[Tryharder]

To me, Ebay is more of a hobby than an actual business venture. TBH, the vast majority of what i sell goes for 99p or a couple of quid tops and by the time you've paid FVFs and PP have had their cut, you've made, what? a few pence really.

But every so often, you get something that goes for a lot of money and it's quite an adrenaline rush...

Also be prepared for any lovely items you list to go for 99p and for any old tat more average items to go sky high - and then you spend the next week worrying that the buyer will hate it and demand a refund..

Sigh.

It's probably not worth it really, is it?