ebay newbie, please give me your best tips

[moonandforward]

I've got quite a lot of Boden dresses that I'm too fat to wear, plus some pretty heels.
Is it worth the hassle? I could do with the cash but the post office is a few miles away so it wouldn't be worth it unless I can clear £5 per item.
TIA

You could sell the items together as a "bundle" so you only have to do one listing and photo, and pay one set of fees. Weigh the bundle before you do the listing so you can calculate postage and not be out of pocket.

It is worth the hassle! You can put a starting bid of £5 on the items if you want to. eBay tells you what it thinks the postage will be too, otherwise you can work it out yourself. I think you should put them on individually. Time it so that the auction ends on a Sunday night at 9pm or so. Good luck.

Great advice thanks.
I sunday night at 9pm a magic buying time? I can't get to the post office on a monday, would a tuesday but OK or will I get marked down for late postage?
Sorry, I'm very green at this.
Also DS, who's away at the moment, has had an account for a few years. Should I use his so I've got feedback or is that wrong?

List individually for boden, you should do well. I don't find bundles sell well and never list in more than 2s, even in children's clothes.

I would specify in your description that you don't accept returns, there seem to be an exhausting number of chancers on eBay at the moment and eBay finds in their favour to the extent I lost money refunding something the other week, not because it was Mis described, just because it didn't fit the buyer (but I then resold the next week for twice the price!)

Take as many pics as poss, include measurements and make sure you charge enough for postage. Wash and iron everything before posting. Good luck. eBay is great when it works I've paid for a few holidays with eBay proceeds.

Use his account and list so it ends on sun eve (def prime time) but explain tue is your posting day.

Thanks so much, I'll let you know.

send Hermes and they will collect from your house and then no need for post office visits, cheaper too often and tracked. Link with eBay so tracking is uploaded too.

I agree, no bundles.

I always put a v low starting bid with no reserve and usually do quite well.

Put as many key works as you can in the item name.

BODEN Maxi Dress, size 12, Green, Floral. VGC. NO RESERVE!!

Make sure items and clean and ironed.
Take as many photos as possible.
Preferably with the clothes hung up, in good light. With as little back drop as possible (nothing worse than seeing people's bad taste in carpets/sofas).
Take photos from every angle and care labels
Take honest photos of any signs of wear or damage
Take close up photos of good condition areas which would normally experience lots of wear, cuffs and hems for example.
Quote the retail price, or price or the nearest current equivalent item.
List for 7 or 10 days, ending 9pm Sunday as pp said.

Good luck.

Def list in single items.
Do great pics. I always have about 8 pics.
Always give measurements, pit to pit and shoulder seam to hem line.
Give fabric content.
State condition accurately, if it is excellent then say so.
List any faults honestly with a pic of it.
Saying no returns doesn't make a lot of difference.... a buyer, if they change their mind, can always find some reason to return it for a refund. And if you don't agree to a refund then if they go to eBay resolution centre, it always gives them their refund. I say no returns but will take a return without fuss.
I always send by royal mail. A dress and/or a pair of shoes will go second class for £2.80. In over 800 sales I've only had about 6 non deliveries, and only 2 returns. My items are excellent condition, laundered, wrapped in a sheet of tissue and plastic envelope plus parcel tape....making a good impression.
Be fair with postage. I add £1 to postage to cover sundries, time and effort.

Don't bother with no reserve, that is pointless unless something is reserved at the minimum of £50

And never start low in case you only get one bid. Seeing as listing is free whatever price you start at there is no need any more to start at 99p, there is no listing saving like there used to be. And don't charge for time and effort unless you are a business. p&p only. I would suggest a pricey buy it now price with free p&p, & best offer then buyers can do a best offer, not wait for an auction to end and you can get the price you want.

And don't say no returns, that is pointless too. You cannot refuse a return and saying that you don't accept returns makes you look obstructive and will put buyers off.

I always send tracked.
In fact these days I send 'free postage' but start the item at £5. That way my postage costs are covered.
Then I send second class signed for. It means I can track that the item reaches the buyer and they dob't muck me around.
Do not send internationally! If it gets lost then you're doomed.

I never bother with RM as so many times they don't get a signature. Have always successfully used Hermes, no need to pay for signature for low priced items, plus they collect from me. No brainer really. Plus linking Hermes to eBay automatically adds the tracking to eBay so all evidence is there in case of a chargeback.

List as separate items nice photos iron them etc.

List on a Thursday evening for 10 days.

All small parcels are currently 2.85 so postage is quite steady at the moment.

"And don't say no returns, that is pointless too. You cannot refuse a return and saying that you don't accept returns makes you look obstructive and will put buyers off."

Professional sellers must accept returns but people just selling off their own items don't have to, unless the item is faulty or not as described.

Always have good pic's and show back and front of dress/item.
Measure arm pit to arm pit and length of dress
Pack nicely,nothing worse than a crumpled up dress falling out of a package you have negative thoughts straight away.
I always price with the lowest I'd accept and include postage costs so offer p&p paid and I do very well.
If getting to Post Office is a problem I would increase your dispatch time to 2 days this helps with your estimated date of arrival and gives a wee bit of breathing space.
I have always contacted my buyer to notify them the item will be posted next collection and inform them I get proof of postage or recorded the delivery,depends on the item price and have never had an item go "missing".
Good luck with your sales Boden sell well so you should be fine.

I wouldn't recommend Hermes - they are shite in our area and parcels never arrive plus their claim system is daylight robbery. I always use Royal Mail and get a Certificate of Posting. If I think an item is going to sell for more than £20 then I will send it 2nd Class Signed For so it is insured. Don't worry if you can't post immediately after a sale. You have the choice of a longer dispatch time when you do the listing.

The Ebay postage calculator is not always accurate and I prefer to use the Royal Mail Get a Price website and weigh each item using my kitchen scales. I add £1 for the bag and packing and I enclose a printed invoice and my address. I bought a pack of plastic mailing bags off Amazon for about £2.75 for 25 bags which are handy.

Always try and end on a weekend evening. You can request a time to end the auction but I think there might be a small fee for that sometimes. I would list your items separately starting at £4.95 as Boden sells quite well. Give measurements as PPs have said. Armpit to armpit garment laid flat, inside leg, length and waist measurement.

I always sell clean washed clothing and state this in the listing. If you are non-smoking household say so as this gives buyers confidence that the item is fresh. Good photos, I find, take a bit of practise but I manage on my phone. Accurate descriptions are a must. If an item is not in good condition say so. If there is some pilling or a tiny mark mention it.

TBH, if a buyer kicks up and wants a refund don't even bother to argue with them just ask them to return tracked (or send them a PrePaid label which you can download on eBay). It took me quite a while to find my way around the eBay website but it has improved enormously and their help centre people are very good.

And good luck! I sold a load of my old clothes that no longer fit me and I have made several hundred quid in just a few months so it's deffo worth doing.

Blimey that was a bit long!

I've seen people state that they will use recycled packaging, which is obviously good for the environment etc. I certainly wouldn't object to receiving a well packaged item in recycled packaging.

Consider a FB Boden selling group as an alternative to eBay - it would be fixed price rather than auction but may feel a bit friendlier!

I do recycle whenever possible. It's not always easy to find bags large enough for some garments.