Top tips for a first time seller

[travailtotravel]

Great MN ebayers, I have a load of clothes that I want to get rid of and am toying with the idea of ebaying for the first time.

Most of the items are low cost type things like tops etc - is it better to bundle?

What do you wish you'd known when you got started?

What do I pay Paypal - is it easy to set it up? It says I pay 1.2-3% - for an item that might sell for say £2.50-£5 what would I pay.

Sorry for the numpty questions,I am working my way through the info but figure wise MNers know it all anyway!

I wish I had known about ebay fees, I was NOT expecting an email invoice for £12 after selling a bunch of baby clothes. You have to be very careful when you start listing to minimise the cost of the listing. I chucked a load of Buy It Nows on, plus an dusk photo or- it all adds up.

extra not dusk- that'd be some swanky photo of a babygrow!

I can see it now ... modelled here on the beach (which would put your listing fees up).

Does it tell you as you add stuff how much your listing fee is or do you have to get savvy and work it out yourself?

This is a good calculator to help you work out what the actual profit you will get is.

Weigh things acurately and use Royal Mail price finder For big bundles (several kg) check couriers for prices - they may beat Royal Mail standard parcels.

Have a look and see what similar items are selling for. Are they in bundles? Things like Gap, Next, or big designer brands that are in as new condition will sell well seperately. George etc will be better in bundles. Keep them in age bands.

No it tells you when you've compiled your listing but I think that the listing fees together with the papal charges enraged me when I first sold some bits, so now I am a bit more careful.

OOh, useful calc, thanks bluecarrot

It will tell you before you make the listing live how much the fees will be.

We have just had a free listing weekend. People have mixed feelings on these. People (like me) who wait til these special weekends cause a flood in the market. However, if you think a reasonable price for item A is £10.00 but its pretty low demand, free listing weekend means you can list if for £10 without an insertion fee (only 25p for £10 but if you are listing lots of items, it adds up)

An example is a course set that I sold. I listed it for£60 and there was only 2 watchers. If I put it on at 99p, it might sell for £2, like another poor seller got just the week before I listed mine. But by putting it at £55 (which it what I determined to be reasonable based on my research) I am telling the prospective buyers that thats what its worth...and they paid it - £57 plus postage in fact.

Things I wish I'd known...

Be aware of listing fees, selling fees and PayPal fees.

Always get proof of postage

Be honest on listings, any faults (e.g slight bobbling on a jumper etc)

Think about when you list your item, most things sell best on a evening (when ppl are home from work). Also for some reason things seem to sell well when the auction ends on a Monday. (I'm guessing it's because it picks up lots of viewings at the weekend).

Take a good photo, try diff backgrounds to see which suits bests.

Don't over charge postage, weigh items on your kitchen scales and get a royal mail quote online (don't forget to add on a few grammes for packaging.

Erm...I'll try and think of more

Also, join this bunch of MN ebay stars www.mumsnet.com/Talk/ebay/1549225-Christmas-Challenge-300-00-by-Christmas for support and advice.

I was on one of the previous challenges and it really kept me motivated. Might just join this one myself, even though unemployment is my motivator now!

Oh, titles. Make sure your title gives a really good description. Dont say "Jumper age 3". Say "Blue Thomas the Tank Engine warm fleece jumper, age 3, VGC" (Very Good Condition) Think of those M&S ads ;)

Basically, think of the best keywords you would search for when looking for that item and squueze them in :)

Oh, and dont forget to put a bit in saying "Im also selling more items in the same age group - have a look at my other items for more info. I will be happy to combine postage." or similar.

Ok ... though combining postage will be a separate master class I think!

This has just come through in the MSE newsletter. Might be useful.

That just means stick the items they want in a bag thats similar to whatever packaging you will use (or the actual packaging!) and reweigh it, look up cost on royal mail, and then create the invoice (not hard. honest - if it comes up, we will help you )

End items at about 9pm for most bidders, I find Mon & Tues nights best

Never take Paypal for collection items - cash only.

Send anything of value with a signature - recorded only covers you up to £46 pound.

Collect Plus is a good value courier if you are near a shop where you can drop items off - much quicker than queueing at the post office.

Do lots of research before you list anything. Check what prices the same/similar things have sold for. Look at the listings of the ones that did well. You can't copy other listings word for word but you can get good ideas for what sort of info to include. Look at what categories things are listed in. Sometimes there are 2 or 3 possible places to list, with some not getting much traffic. [You can list an item in 2 categories, but it will cost you double listing fees.] Don't start an item at 99p if you would be devastated to sell it at that price. If necessary, wait for the next free listing weekend to test the water at a higher price. You need one bidder to make a sale, but you need at least 2 bidders to reach anything over the starting price....

If you are listing adult clothes put measurements, chest size length etc as these can vary in different brands.

Thanks guys - my internet is being intermitent at the moment (not good for ebaying!) but this is all good stuff.

be honest

childrens clothes generally weigh less than 750g so will cost £2.20 to post so do not charge more than £2.70 , combining postage place items on scales reweigh, if 2 t shirts will still be 2.20 anything weighinh more than 1kg send collect+ for £4

unless you can post within 24hours of payment don't offer first class

don't end items for example on sunday night if you only post on fridays as that is too long to expect a reasonable person to wait, instead end on wednesdays

don't try and sell 99p goods with signed for postage why would anyone pay an extra pound for something only worth a pound

dont list stuff for 99p if you want more

buy it now is 40p insertion fee whether it sells or not so don't use for stuff under £3 at least, persoanlly would not use under £5 unless very sure it will sell