Selling on ebay: is it worth the effort?

[franch]

I've only ever bought off ebay and have been amazed by the professionalism of the people out there who are selling their junk, in terms of how quickly they deliver, the quality of the packaging, etc etc. We're moving soon and I'm considering becoming an ebay seller, but am worried it'll take up too much time: photographing the stuff, writing descriptions, packaging it all up beautifully, traipsing to the PO. Will what I earn really repay me for all this? Or will I find myself wasting hours on end for a few pennies' profit?

Maybe I should stick to good old MN? I've sold a couple of things on here before and although there's not much profit to be made, it's certainly a more friendly affair, in a reassuringly amateurish kind of way

Will watch with interest - I am wondering whether I should find a niche on eBay and trade, but not sure I'm as organised as some people seem!

I did meet one woman who goes round car boot sales buying battered old leather briefcases and selling them for £40/£50 a time - wow!

I'm too damned lazy myself, franch, but some folks I know sell a lot on Ebay and rave about it.

When we moved I sold a few bits on Ebay. Didn't earn lots of money from it. I certainly wouldn't go out looking for things to buy and then sell on Ebay.

If you already have bits and pieces you no longer want, why don't you sell them and see if you get the Ebay bug to sell more!

i have bought loads of stuff from ebay and decided as ivebeen on a diet to sell all my "fat clothes".it was a bit tedious taking pics and writing about items but ive made about £80 so far and although you have to pay to list items and stuff its still £80 that i didnt have before and at least i have room in my cupboard for new stuff

give it a go. you never know you might enjoy it

I make tons of money on Ebay getting rid of stuff. This month me & our nanny made over GBP600. She's selling her clothes before she goes back to Oz, and I sell anything that I consider clutter (a sweeping generalisation which means anything I don't like, especially if it's dp's).

As soon as DP turns his back his annoying box set of Auf Wiedersehen Pet is going to be photographed and online at a starting price of 99p.

I do it and love it if you treat it as a job then it makes the time worthwhile, although sometimes pay rates vary madly

I've sold lots of things on Ebay for a pittance, 60p for a (perfect condition) bouncy seat (after fees). My ads look as good as anybody else's, just sometimes you get unlikely & don't get a decent price.

I think it's only worth while if you have items that you "know" will fetch at least £5 each.

oops, "unlucky", I meant

If you do treat it as a job I wonder what the hourly rate would be! I wouldn't go out and buy things to sell, just getting rid of junk when we move. Saw a thing on that BBC2 programme about time management recently where a woman was going out and buying fur gilets from market stalls and selling them on ebay for a profit - they worked out her hourly rate, taking into account all the work she put into it, and it was practically zero - she was really shocked - which made me think twice even about putting my own stuff on there. Will probably give it a go at some point - if it turns out to be a roaring success then the two bulging bags of clothes I've just taken to the charity shop will haunt me forever - still, maybe my laziness will get me into heaven