Ebay Virgin..

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Mickeymoo

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I've never sold anything on Ebay before, but I am going to try and get some items on tonight.

Have you any 'top tips'.. like;

How many days do I put the items on for?

Do I have to check every day for questions, and messages?

What price do I start items at as I want them to sell, but I don't want to give them away.

anything would be appreciated.

thanks x
 
I'd do a 5 day auction to start.

I would check every day, although notifications will come to your email address.

Start items at the price you will be happy to sell them for (well the lowest) if for instance I was selling a bridle I'd put it on for £15 starting so if only one person bids it'll sell for £15.

When taking photos, take two, then open them with paint, resize one and copy it onto the other - that way you get two photos in one, but for free (as more than one photo costs you
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Are you selling horsey stuff? I recently sold a whole load of things and found the ebay community pages really useful for getting started.

You can search for completed listings to get an idea of how much things tend to go for. I did this and then listed accordingly. I started most things at 99p you don't pay for the listing then - pretty much everything got to prices I was very happy with!

Do try to log on each day if you can - as a buyer, if you send a seller a question it's really annoying if you don't hear back for days.

It's really quite addictive once you get started!
 
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When taking photos, take two, then open them with paint, resize one and copy it onto the other - that way you get two photos in one, but for free (as more than one photo costs you
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)

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Yes, or you can upload pics from photobucket into the body of the listing for free
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Tips on how to do this are in the community section.
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I would run auctions from Thursday to Thursday and have them finish between seven and nine. This seems to be the best night to get the decent prices. Sunday can be ropey as eBay often do their maintenance work on Sunday and the site can be slow for last minute bids. Yes, check for questions and messages every day and be at your computer to answer last minute questions in the hour before the auction closes to encourage last minute bidders. Only you can judge what price you want to start at but be realistic - people shop on eBay because they want a bargain!
 
I tend to put them on for 5-7 days, usually finishing either in the evening or at the weekend, I find that means more people are about to keep any eye on auctions and hence bid etc.

Photo shopping photos together is always good, means you keep the listing price down, and you can offer to send more pics if anyone wants them.

I tend to start @ 99p as you don't have to pay any insertion fee then but it depends on what you're happy for your items to go for. If you want at least x amount, I'd start it at that.

I'd state in your listing how long people have to pay, once the auction is finished, check for payments received. I'll send an invoice a day after the auction ends, and then a message 3 days after if still no payment. I also like to email the buyer when I've sent the item so they know it's on the way, people always seem to appreciate that
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Oh and also, leave yourself lots of time to do the listings... If you've got a fair few items, by the time you've taken photos of them all, uploaded them to the listing, written the description etc it's usually a couple of hours!
 
Make sure when you list things, you describe every tiny flaw in them - this way you show buyers how honest you are - and you stop people trying to send things back for some made-up reason. Ebay buyers can be really lovely - but there are always a few awkward ones. And I think it helps if you tell people how much something retails for - then they know what a bargain they are getting by buying from ebay...
 
Brilliant tips, thank you.. Can't wait to get going..

Milliepops - I will have to tell husband to bolt down anything he doesn't want selling.. lol.. xx
 
Along with all the other good tips, once it's sold, do try to send out at the earliest opportunity, it is appreciated so I sometimes parcel up in advance, just waiting for their address to go on - but make sure you label parcels otherwise you might send someone the wrong one! Explain too, if you can only get to a PO once a week for sending although if that is the case, perhaps time your auctions to end 2 days before that so that they aren't waiting too long.

Good luck, it is addictive. I've got loads of tack to go on but don't seem to get around to doing it somehow, I'm almost tempted to take it to Beeston but there, both sellers and buyers have to pay a premium on top of the price which can make things too expensive; shame as I've bought great bargains there too!
 
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One other tip i found (found out the hard way) time your auctions so that they DONT finish on a friday or saturday night, when most people seem to be out.

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No way
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because the ones who are IN are most likley drunk and may be looser with their bids
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oh never mind
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they will forget the bought your stuff and never pay


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[ QUOTE ]
Along with all the other good tips, once it's sold, do try to send out at the earliest opportunity, it is appreciated so I sometimes parcel up in advance, just waiting for their address to go on - but make sure you label parcels otherwise you might send someone the wrong one!

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I did this with my first load of stuff, thinking it would allow me to be super speedy with the delivery... what happened instead was a load of bidders asked questions I hadn't anticipated about the items and I had to unwrap loads of them in order to answer!!
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I've lots of tips on eBaying but have to make dinner (starving children herre I am afraid
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) so just the main one for now.

List your items on a Thursday evening, and run them over a 10 day period. That way your listings are visible over TWO weekends for maximum exposure to potential bidders. Your listings will end on a Sunday evening, when hopefully people are at home.

Good luck.
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work out your fees first, eg don't list it at £15, change it to £14.99 as the start price fee for listing at this price it is much cheaper.
Also if you start your auction at 99p or under it is free to list.
 
OMG, all your advice is amazing. thank you. I was going to write everything down tonight in preparation, but I went to the pub and had too much wine.. opps.. will definately start my new career tomorrow.x
 
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