kids clothes - advice on eBaying - singles/bundles & what is TurboLister?

[jeangenie]

Hi, am relatively new to selling on eBay but am trying to declutter the house at the moment so am looking for advice from eBay experts. I have loads of used girls clothes and am wondering whether it is best to list singly or in big bundles? I've noticed some bundles recently go for not much money at all (like under £5) so am thinking maybe getting a quid or so for each items seperately might be better...
also, some of my things might have a tiny stain - should I bother listing them? obviously I would say there was a small stain but am wondering whether that would put people off, especially if in a bundle? (just seems a shame to chuck them, as they are lovely otherwise)
Also, have seen in another thread about something called TurboLister - what is ths and where do I find it? my listings recently have taken forever and I would like to be able to save them as I go along so that I can set the auctions to finish at a chosen time without having to do all my listings 10 or 7 days before in one go (does that make sense?!)

THANKS

Looking at other similar items will give you an idea of whether to go for bundles or singles.
Be careful if you choose the single item option as you will have to take into account the insertion fee etc for each one, plus the packaging for each one etc etc. That quid or so can soon turn into pennies.
Avoid extras like gallery.

even if you list as a bundle it would be best to mention every stain etc. Worded right it won't put people off, but if not mentioned you may find they want to return for a refund

check out turbo lister here

(I think) if you choose to option to set a time for upload it will cost extra. I just make folders and then upload at the appropriate time, it only takes a minute or so.

Hope some of this makes sense

oh, and try to stagger similar items incase a buyer is trying to win more of your stuff

Oh thank you SLM

would definitely mention every stain - will check other listings to see how to do that without putting folk off

I might try little mini bundles to start off with but list my labelled stuff separately (monsoon, gap etc)

thanks for the TL link

Don't you think gallery makes a difference though? I often don't bother clicking if I don't see a gallery pic first - I make my initial judgement as to whether I might be interested on the gallery pic...

any one else have a view on bundle vs single listings?

I have been an e-bayer for years and I don't even bother (like jeangenie) looking at something if it doesn't have a gallery listing.
It is the best money spent, of all the e-bay options, - in my opinion......

I like bundles.
But not if they are too big although lots of people do seem to like big bundles - but only if there is lots of stuff that is next, monsoon, osh kosh etc.
Often I see a bundle and think , I like half of it, but the other half, I'm not so keen - so I don't bid, especially when it starts getting into the £30 up, up up category.
It's difficult, isn't it ?

I've just started doing ebay, after years of trying to psych myself up.

Some single stuff sells v. well, particularly mini-Boden (stupid prices), Next, GAP and Monsoon.

I've experimented with doing a couple of bundles, mainly because selling large quantities of stuff singly is such a faff. But the bundles of items I've listed seem to attract so very little interest in terms of watchers, but also just of hits, that I'm not convinced small bundles are worth it. I've withdrawn some stuff that I had on in little bundles and am either going to give it away, or save up until I have a huge bundle and do it that way. You can look at my current listings to get an idea -- my ebay ID is frogs273. There's a bundle of pinafores and a mini-bundle of 2 tops, but I may well withdraw them before the end of the auction unless they attract a bit more interest.

And I have paid for gallery -- I think it's worth it as I also tend to be less likely to look at stuff without a gallery picture. I have also tried to be scrupulously honest wrt mentioning stains, and it doestn't seem to affect the price. I've got 3 v. similar mini-Boden tops on atm, and the one with the highest bid is the one where I've specifically said there is a small brown mark on one arm. Of the last lot of stuff I sold, loads of people mentioned in the feedback that the item was just as described, which can only be a good thing. I've just bought a T-shirt for dd2 which turned out to have several small stains on the front which hadn't been mentioned, and yes, it pissed me off and I wouldn't buy from that seller again.

The other problem with bundles is that clothes sizes vary so much according to brand. My dd2 has just grown out of clothes ranging in size from 12-18 months to 5 years (she is a smallish 3yo).

So although the clothes would all fit the same size child, I do wonder whether people would be put off by the range of printed sizes in the clothes that would logically form a single bundle.

I have just had a look at frogs stuff - I like your adverts frogs.
Isn't it funny how your stained top is at the highest price - often there is no logic to e-bay

frogs your listings look great - I agree - I would never try to sell anything with a stain that wasn't mentioned as it would drive me mad if I received something like that. I've left some of my nicest maternity wear out of my recent listings because there were a few spots on, just have to try to find some recipient who won't mind as I wouldn't give to a charity shop either as I reckon they might just chuck them, and they are too nice to be chucked...

Oblomov - I see what you mean about the bundles, I guess I'll just have to try a couple of different assortments and see. I had sort of planned to do a largish (15 items) bundle of girls 12-18 mths but when I look at the pics I can see that some stuff would appeal to a certain buyer (trendyish stuff) whereas others wouldn't (babyish dungarees etc) - so back to the drawing board I think...

I just did lots of maternity wear and most sold on one bid at 99p, makes you wonder whether it is worth it...though I am glad to be recycling anyway, whatever about the money

I agree re gallery, I think it is def worth doing, its only 15 pence anyway.
Also think bundles prob easier for you than sellig single items, unless they are labels such as Gap/Monsoon/Boden as frogs says.
I have bought and sold a lot on ebay (though less so at the mo) but do question whether its worth doing for the sake of a pound per item...
I give things to my local charity shop if I think they won't make more than a pound and only try and list things that I think people would really like/find useful IYSWIM.
My username is annaw70 is you want to have a look at my listings (maternity not kids clothes but gives you an idea of listing styles etc).
HTH

What do you all reckon wrt putting photos of individual items within a bundle?

I've put together a biggish bundle of 2-3 girl's stuff (25+ items) and not sure whether to take pics of each item. Atm I've taken pics of all the tops together, all the pinafores etc, but looking at other listings there doesn't seem to be a single best solution. I suspect the cost of putting up photos of each item separately would be prohibitive -- it's not a massively high-value bundle.

Opinions?

use photobucket to add the extra photos - it's free

Agree, would use photobucket (I dont know how to but assume its fairly easy) but wouldn't take pics of each item, but as you suggest would take pics of groups of clothing such as dresses, tops, trousers etc.
At least this is what I prefer to see if I'm looking at such a large bundle.
HTH

I use Auctivia to list on e-bay, you get as many photos as you like and free backgrounds etc..

Ive never had much luck with bundles as postage is high. Its not worth listing anything with stains as you get stupid people who dont read the listing in full and then leeve you neg feedback. I find weekdays and sunday evenings the best time to end listings, Fri and sat nights are a waste of time as people go out.
I always use gallery because if i am looking for items on e-bay i always check out the gallery picture before clickig.
I've sold 2nd hand items for more than they have cost me new and other times items hav'nt sold.

I only use Gallery for clothes/shoes things like that, don't bother for books/dvds

where/how do you get auctivia Marne?

oooh, and what's photobucket? (complete novice as you can see!)

hi auctiva is free. www.auctiva.com it is a chore uploading your photos but as marne says you can put loads of photos on. still have to pay for gallery. but it works out to be so much cheaper than regular ebay.

The photos can't be changed though so you need to make sure your happy before you press send to ebay, because the photos become jpegs in the text (i hope that is clear). My advice is to log on and playaround i spent half a day doing that, also you can design your own layout, shop etc.

I have sold clothes before I mostly sell in bundles easier and cheaper i take lots of photos and i describe any and all faults otherwise people get narky. In my experience most buyers don't really read the text they look at the photos. Don't make your bundles too big because the postage is massive but for 7.70standard parcels you can get quite a large bundle together. if you have designer clothes, i would do as singles or put a buy it now or reserve on for you bundle ie: bundle of 5 oilily dresses 100.00 i hope that helps
best of luck selling.

and more.... when taking photos group items together ie all t shirts, trousers, dresses, sleep suits and sell as that bundle.

Try if you can put measurements on or a measurement table state the sizes

so if they fit your 1 year old but are labelled 18=24months state comes up small currently fits 1year old. I try to keep all t he same sizes together because as frogs said different makes produce a range of sizes all for the same aged child. then you get loads of questions about measurements.

enjoy