First Time Ebay Seller - Advice?

Mr Unoriginal

Mr Unoriginal

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I'm trying to sell a few complete SNES games and a system. Obviously I'm looking for the most money possible. What are some tips I can try regarding how long to run the auction, when to end it, should I have a buy it now, reserve? Any help is appreciated.
 
End on saturdays if its an auction to get the highest interest. Week long (7 days) should be fine but shorter works if you want to start it sooner. Reserve not really useful unless you are scared to sell it dirt cheap but you can always counter that by starting with higher starting bid.
Hope thats some help.

If you have a complete FFII (SNES) I might be interested in just the box/manual. But thats an aside.
 
[quote name='Snuckles']No matter what you do, sell with proof of tracking![/QUOTE]
This, definetely do this! Also you may want to (if so inclined to do so) show them your CAG marketplace feedback.
 
[quote name='japatten']ALWAYS get insurance as well as delivery confirmation, it will save you many headaches![/QUOTE]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I was planning on getting DC, but I didn't think to get insurance. If I put something in the description about the buyer paying for insurance if they want, would that cover me?
 
[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']Thanks for the advice everyone. I was planning on getting DC, but I didn't think to get insurance. If I put something in the description about the buyer paying for insurance if they want, would that cover me?[/QUOTE]

No, paying for insurance falls on the seller. It is the seller's responsibility to get the item to the buyer in the condition described. If you don't purchase the insurance and the buyer receives the item damaged or if the item gets lost and the buyer decides to open a dispute, you will lose the dispute since the "buyer did not purchase insurance" argument will not hold up. According to eBay's Selling Practices Policy, you are not allow to charge for insurance separately (http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-practices.html). What you can do is incorporate the insurance cost into the S&H fees so that the buyer pays for it. Also, don't use stock pictures, upload your own pictures.
 
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[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']Thanks for the advice everyone. I was planning on getting DC, but I didn't think to get insurance. If I put something in the description about the buyer paying for insurance if they want, would that cover me?[/QUOTE]

This is what I do, it is offered but not required.

The obvious thing that hasn't been listed is to have your own pictures of the item. I always like to offer a buy it now price that is on the high side, it's kinda like a $.25 gamble of getting a great deal. It has worked for me in the past.
 
I would write your Ebay name on a sheet of paper and include that in your photo. Just for the sake of proving it is your picture. Its not hard to do and it has its benefits, especially for first time sellers.
 
Everyone is going to say end it on a saturday night but my family has relied on ebay 100% for income for several years now and it is a cardinal law that ebay auctions should end on a sunday night. Saturday night people are out doing stuff or going to bed for church the next day, around 10pm at night on sunday people are on ebay and about to go to bed. Gets you way more purchases out of your watchers instead of someone watching your item on friday then forgetting to check it saturday night.

Also, get Turbo Lister 2! Look it up on google, it's a freeware program from ebay and if you switch it so YOU host the pics( aka upload them to a photobucket account or something and link them) you can have up to 12 pics on a ad and not be charged a penny. You have to pay for every pic that ebay hosts.
 
[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']Thanks for the advice everyone. I was planning on getting DC, but I didn't think to get insurance. If I put something in the description about the buyer paying for insurance if they want, would that cover me?[/QUOTE]

Yeah but I HIGHLY suggest getting a account on USPS.com and printing all of your postage, if you print all of your postage from USPS.com they throw in the DCs on the label itself instead of having to keep up with the stubs from real DCs
 
If you can wait a bit, look around and maybe buy a few items first to get your ebay rating up a bit. It would be better than starting out at zero. I agree with the ending on Sunday advice as well.
 
It'd be nice. I don't have a postal scale, working printer, or paypal debit card. So I have to do everything by hand cheap as possible. Can't afford DC and all that.
 
[quote name='Neo Queen Serenity']No, paying for insurance falls on the seller. It is the seller's responsibility to get the item to the buyer in the condition described. If you don't purchase the insurance and the buyer receives the item damaged or if the item gets lost and the buyer decides to open a dispute, you will lose the dispute since the "buyer did not purchase insurance" argument will not hold up. According to eBay's Selling Practices Policy, you are not allow to charge for insurance separately (http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-practices.html). What you can do is incorporate the insurance cost into the S&H fees so that the buyer pays for it. Also, don't use stock pictures, upload your own pictures.[/QUOTE]

That's interesting since I had a case recently opened from a seller who said he/she didn't receive my item and did not purchase shipping insurance. However, the I won the dispute since the tracking number confirmed the package delivered.

I did throw in the "shipping insurance was offered but buyer did not purchase" argument too, but the tracking number pulled me through.

Oh yea, if I sell items that are $100+, I usually throw in shipping insurance (I pay for it) to give me peace of mind in case something happens and I lose a dispute.
 
If I want to send 1-2 games in a bubble mailer, what # should I get? I think #1 is the type I need but I wanted to verify (I know to buy in bulk on eBay)
 
When selling old games with cardboard boxes (SNES, 32x, N64, etc.) I would always wrap them first with saran or plastic wrap making sure all the exposed cardboard is covered, then adding a layer or two of bubble wrap and securing it all with packing tape. In some cases you might even want to tape the game (Wrapped already of course) to a piece of spare cardboard (I do this for all CD's and clear plastic jewel cases to prevent cracks). It might sound like overkill but taking that extra time to wrap and package everything very well can save you in the long run and you greatly eliminate damaging the product so insurance wont be necessary.


I only list auctions that will end on Sunday-Thursday, 6-9 PM pacific time. That way you have people viewing and bidding from 6-12 no matter where they are at in the U.S. so there's a greater chance they'll be at home from work/school and will be able to bid in the last few minutes. Just think all you need is at least two people in a bid war to drive up the price of what you're selling. Another tip is to list similar items so they end in the same time frame, as well as offer a combined shipping discount (Make note of both in the item description so bidders will know). It might take some planning but can increase bidders' interest in items that people not be interested in getting simply by themselves.


For shipping I would recommend using USPS and printing everything out through Paypal Multi-order shipping. You get a discount on domestic Priority/Express Mail (Plus free DC) and you only have to pay $0.19 for delivery confirmation on First Class Mail/Media Mail/Parcel Post as opposed to $0.80 at the post office. BTW get DC for EVERYTHING mailed in the US (If you print labels out online its mandatory). Printing labels out at home saves a ton of time from having to stand in line at the PO and you don't have to fill in DC numbers or shipment info individually on Ebay if requested. If you plan on selling a lot of things you'll probably want to get a small digital scale to weight items at home, but you can get those for 20 or less.
 
[quote name='BmBoWnZ']If I want to send 1-2 games in a bubble mailer, what # should I get? I think #1 is the type I need but I wanted to verify (I know to buy in bulk on eBay)[/QUOTE]

The #1 size mailers easily fit 1 to 2 DVD sized cases. 3 games would even fit but would definitely be pushing it.
 
I actually haven't listed yet. I got a PM from someone who read the thread who recommended Amazon instead. Is this a better option? I think it's cheaper on the fees and a little easier to manage, but I wouldn't necessarily get as much money, is this the case?
 
[quote name='Grizzly Taint']The #1 size mailers easily fit 1 to 2 DVD sized cases. 3 games would even fit but would definitely be pushing it.[/QUOTE]
Thanks. Ordered a box of 100 JiffyLites for $25 shipped
 
Alright I just recently hit 13 positive feedback (Got a star at 10 :)). Once you hit a certain point, does PayPal stop putting holds on your received payments? I had no "pending" balance, my few new payments were all available right then and it let me withdraw to my savings account.
 
Hmm, I've been thinking of putting a $300 Best Buy gift card and my mint FF VII black edition on ebay. How much does ebay take from your profit?
 
Where's the best place/seller to get packaging tape in bulk? Does anyone use a reliable eBay seller to get theirs? The prices at Target/OfficeMax seem mighty high
 
Great knowledge in this thread! I've been experimenting myself and trying to figure out is it more rewarding financially to sell a system in a bundle or sell it and the items individually
 
[quote name='NonShalant']Great knowledge in this thread! I've been experimenting myself and trying to figure out is it more rewarding financially to sell a system in a bundle or sell it and the items individually[/QUOTE]

From what I can tell you're better off individually.. I got a ps3 80 gb backwards compatibility with 8 games and a headset for 264, which i think is ridiculously underppriced compared to what he would have gotten selling separately (Games like MW2, MAG, Demon Souls, etc.)
 
[quote name='BmBoWnZ']From what I can tell you're better off individually.. I got a ps3 80 gb backwards compatibility with 8 games and a headset for 264, which i think is ridiculously underppriced compared to what he would have gotten selling separately (Games like MW2, MAG, Demon Souls, etc.)[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the reply, I just sold my ps3 with 4 games and Blu-rays for 320 free shipping, but I wonder if I could've got more listing them separately. I did the math and it seemed that way but i wanted to make sure it wasnt a random case. Now that my buyer still hasn't paid a week later, it looks like i'll have to relist it
 
[quote name='NonShalant']Thanks for the reply, I just sold my ps3 with 4 games and Blu-rays for 320 free shipping, but I wonder if I could've got more listing them separately. I did the math and it seemed that way but i wanted to make sure it wasnt a random case. Now that my buyer still hasn't paid a week later, it looks like i'll have to relist it[/QUOTE]

I think if the games are crummy you'll make more in a bundle. But otherwise you wanna list separately.
 
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