any idea why my first selling experience was so bad?

[ilovecrisps]

Not an exciting post but I'm grateful for any thoughts.
I listed about 20 things in Nov. all new most with tags, the only used stuff was 2 pushchairs.

However I only sold 2 pairs of tights (monsoon BNWT for 99p), I had over 30 watchers on one of the pushchairs! I'm not sure I've ever seen a pair of monsoon tights go for less

I did ask some highish prices ie less than new in the shop but not 99p IYSWIM, I put some of it on BIN or best offer, the offers I received were a joke eg 1/3 of the asking price (and less than 1/3 of the usual selling price)

Do you have any idea where I went wrong?
Is it worth me trying again?
Should I sell lots of cheep stuff before trying to sell the pushchairs again?

(I have over 50 positive feedback as a buyer)

I'm reasonably sure my pics and description were OK the stuff was new and the tage could be seen after all.

[GlastonburyGoddess]

did you sell items like tights etc seperately? if so how much postage for individual items?

when I buy clothes, i often look for bundles as a lot of the individual items have relatively high postage eg a baby dress-£2.90 postage. I find it much better to buy bundles where possible to avoid high postage totals


perhaps the things you didnt get the amount you wanted-try a local paper ad-you will get more for the item than on ebay
hth

[PollyMorfic]

I always start at 99p. You save on listing fees, and you almost always end up selling for more than you would have with a higher starting price or reserve. Lots of people don't even bother watching items with too high a starting price.

The only exception are for very specific things that only a few people would be likely to want, and those I would start at the lowest price I wouldn't be totally gutted to see them go for, or occasionally a BIN. I've never done reserve or best offer.

I'd hold off with the pushchairs until well after christmas. If you had 30 watchers with a high starting price, I'd put money on you getting a reasonable sale if you start it at 99p and put together a decent listing.

[ilovecrisps]

Yup baby clothes and pushchairs are fairly straightforward to categorise, I double and triple checked and used other listings to place IYSWIM

Ended Sunday night TBH maybe too late sometimes eg 11pm (I had such trouble listing) but I always fail to buy the things ending at 7 I'm putting kids to bed and I reasoned if you wanted a pushchair at 60% off you'd stay up!!

Titles were something like

white Monsoon tights BNWT 2 yr wedding Christening
or similar

the tights were sold separately since they were packaged separately post was 1.45 I think TBH I only expected say 3 bids but I did expect more than 99p

thanks for all your thoughts

would my feedback put you off?

I didn't bundle since it was all new, I would try and bundle lightly worn stuff (I wouldn't sell normal worn just pass on to friends IYSWIM)

[BikeRunSki]

What was your postage like? For things like baby clothes, the cost of postage on a single item can increase the cost of the item to a level I am not interested in. I know you need to cover your costs and Ebay says that you are not allowed to "make" money on postage, but it's hard to make relatively low value, single items financially attractive.

What did you put in your title? I always search on size and make eg: "12-18 months, Monsoon", so those things need to be in the title!

[ilovecrisps]

Ummm
I thought BIN/best offer wasn't good

I've had some good stuff that way so that explains it

TBH I'm very worried about listing pushchair so low which is why I started where I did (I researched on here)

[YourCallIsImportant]

I've sold about 200 things on ebay over the years, I find that starting off with a low starting price gets the ball rolling with bidders. I also try to make sure the auctions end between 8.30 and 9.30pm on a weeknight.

If you have a sellilng price in mind then you can still start the bidding at £0.01 or £0.99 and set a reserve selling price to ensure that the item doesn't sell if it doesn't hit your reserve.

[ilovecrisps]

The other reason it was bad was I sold a footmuff as a BIN (a few pounds under comparable) then my buyer refused to pay and someone stole my photo

The other thing was I was shocked by how much the fees were I basically lost out big time.

One pushchair was a maclaren twin techno in excellent condition I had it on for 50 pounds when I got it it took me ages to find one 8 watchers not one sngle bid.

I had a doll on BNIB didn't sell yet someone paid 20% more for one from an ebay shop!!!

So you can see why I'm trying to rationalise it

[ilovecrisps]

I thought before I listed it that if thngs don't sell fees are refundable but I'm wrong yes it's only a free relist?

[classydiva]

Ive sold about a 1000 items, if someone wants it they will pay. Could be the time of year of that your stuff was too expensive. People use eBay to buy bargains.

Do some research. Use the advanced search option to check for completed listings. Nothing other than bargain hunters are going to buy over the next few months, if you can hold out wait until the Spring to list.

[ilovecrisps]

true

but isn't a twin techno for 50 quid a bargain?
others sell for up to 150 (that's crazy IMHO you could get it for less new in a sale surely)

[nannynick]

Last pushchair I brought, cost £6. Second hand, quite old, but a complete travel system.

I see ebay as a way to get things very cheap. I get the impression that you are trying to sell things at 60% ish of their current retail price. They may get to that price via auction but if you start near that price then bidders like me looking for something cheap won't start bidding, so you don't start a bidding frenzy.

If they are new things, then I would be wondering why you were selling them at well below retail price. You are not an established retailer, so people may wonder if the goods are legit.

Problem with buggies is postage. I would only buy if I could collect. So that limits things I will bid on.

[BertieBottlesOfMulledWine]

When buying baby clothes, there's so much stuff that I always use the search filters, so be sure to fill in the additional information tick box things, as much info as possible.

I also look at the seller's other items to see if they have anything else I want. So if you have lots of different clothes to list, do the ones of the same size and gender at once. And I look at the listing itself to see whether the seller will combine postage. I don't like bundles as I like to pick and choose but I do like to combine postage when I can.

Oh and if you're not sure on the size of something (unlikely with brand new items, but still) then list it as the smaller size but mention the confusion in the listing. It's annoying when I buy something listed as 18-24 months which turns out to be 12-18 month size, because when I get it it's no use to me. At least if I bought something which was 12-18 months that turned out to be 18-24 month size I could just put it away for a bit.

HTH :)

[nancydrewrockinaroundxmastree]

I have sold 200+ items on ebay. Everything I have ever sold - from used baby clothes to a £12k car have started with a 99p starting bid and no reserve. In my opinion that is the very best way to attract bidders.

Equall I have bought many items off ebay and I just wont bother if there is a high starting bid. I rarely look at anything that isn't starting at 99p even if I go on to spend £100 on it. Not sure why higher starting points turn me off so much but they really do.

[ilovecrisps]

thanks all

looks like general idea is to try again with a 99p start and a reserve
I was put off that by the rel high cost of the reserve if it doesn't sell

I am right aren't I if it doesn't sell you still pay to list it?


Pushchairs were all collect, I was too scared of being scammed if it's £2 it doesn't really matter if it's £100!!it's interesting you say that Nick I was thinking someone would say it needs to be posted

hats off to anyone who gets to 12k from a 99p start!

I don't think I'll list as a BIN/best offer again although I'll keep using them I have had good deals that way!

[tutu100]

Where you live will affect what you get for the pushchairs if you list collection only. So if you live in a city, then it shouldn't affect the price too much, but if you live in the middle of no where there might not be too much bidding competition and they may go for less than you want. If you do have boxes big enough I would try and post them. Royal Mail do an offer through ebay, IIRC it's about £12 for parcels under 30kgs.

I don't think this is the time of year to be selling pushchairs (I once sold my travel system at the beginning of Jan for 1/2 what I'd thought it would go for, I've since seen many others go for much more). If you can I would hold off until Feb, or advertise at a fixed price on local ads like Netmums or Gumtree. That way you will definatley get the price you want if the item sells and the people will come and pick it up.

[ragged]

Recent weather may have put people off collection, don't want to travel in the snow if you don't have to.

Worst time to finish an auction is 11am-4pm, best time is in the middle evening hours, probably on a weekday night.

Collection only makes for useless selling prices where we are (rural).
I can't help but suspect that either maybe you didn't put them in right categories or didn't use the best titles, or the auctions finished in daytime.

If you're brave, post your ebay name here and we can give you more feedback (presuming listings still visible).

I've had a lot of watchers in last month on things that didn't sell that high, but that's Christmas - people do a lot of browsing but not so much buying.

"Monsoon tights 18-24 months BNWT" would have been a better title, but getting it into right category is just as important.

I put stuff on BIN so that I can get a long listing time (28 days), when I think there's low demand but still some demand for an item. I avoid setting reserves otherwise, usually, not worth the fee I reckon except for something superduper.

[ilovecrisps]

Pushchairs were up early Nov

I live in a fairly child full part of London!

Do you think weekdays are better?

Do you think my low selling feedback would put people off?

Am I right in thinking that if it doesn't sell youve lost your listing money?

Had forgotten about netmums thanks for that!

[EricNorthpolesChristmas]

Yes if it doesn't sell you still have to pay fees.

[BikeRunSki]

1- No, I find week ends better.
2 - Yes
3- Yes
4 - Try www.pushchairtrader.co.uk too.

[dikkertjedap]

I sell lots on ebay. My advise would be:

• starting price £0.10
  
• low P&P so for anything over 2 kgs check MyHermes, TNT, etc.
  

Take the rough with the smooth. I sold some lovely stuff for only £0.10 ... happens. But lots of stuff went up to very significantly more and in some cases more than original new price (but no longer available in shops). If you list at £0.10 with just one photo and no bells and whistles (one category, etc.) you only pay fees if it sells. I do quite well, but it is a lot of effort (also I am also on the look out for free packaging because that is how I keep my P&P so low), and still a high percentage goes to ebay and paypal (same company by the way).

Nevertheless, clears the clutter and earns some money. I also only sell immaculate stuff which is suitable to be given as presents. Anything not immaculate goes to charity shop or local hospital if toys/books.

[Curlylox]

Hope op doesn't mind me jumping in quickly, I have 100% feedback on a score of over 250 but as a buyer. I would like to sell but as I haven't got any feedback as a seller would I not have much interest in anything I list??

[higgle]

Curlylox it doesn't make any difference. You sometimes get a bargain if someone selling has no feedback at all, but no feedback as a seller is not off putting. I buy and sell and always always start at 99p - even BNWT designer stuff. Unless the rules have changed you can't have a reserve of less than £50 in any event. Sure I have had the odd item go for 99p but I've also reaped the reward of a few furious bidding wars too.

[Curlylox]

Thanks higgle