eBay selling tips?

[soera]

Just think about what you like to see when you look at someone else's listing. 

Various things that prevent me from wanting something in an auction:
- incorrect spelling
- bad grammar
- not enough pictures
- using stock photos
- no pictures!
- shipping costs that seem too high (sometimes shipping prices sound like a way to trick buyers into paying more than they should
- generic descriptions of the condition (copying and pasting what "used" condition means, for instance... saying things like "may or may not include manual/case/etc.")

Hope that helps!

^^^^ a lot. Shipping costs are my #1 killer on purchases. Sometimes I dont mind incorrect spelling of item cause if I find the item on accident, some other bidder may not find it. And the "May/may not have manual/box/etc" is super lazy and means chances are if it says may not, it means definitely will not.

[karyann]

Thanks for all the informations guys! I haven't decided yet if I'm diving in or not - and I wanted your feedback first. I'm wondering if I'm willing to get the extra anxiety to have more chances to sell. Seems like it's possible to put the odds in your favor, at least!

Ive only sold 2 items on Ebay but been a buyer for years. I will agree that Ebay does support buyers over sellers. My suggestion is to sell off Ebay first.

What is it you are trying to sell? Of course if its gaming stuff, your best bet is to sell it here! But if its not, there has to be some sort of local way to sell items where you are.

The first things that come to mind currently aren't much gaming related, except a World of Warcraft action figure and some gamesharks; the rest are stuff like Harry Potter Legos. I didn't really think about putting the figure and gamesharks here though! I guess I'm too used to seeing games so I didn't think about the goodies 

[foxhack]

The first things that come to mind currently aren't much gaming related, except a World of Warcraft action figure and some gamesharks; the rest are stuff like Harry Potter Legos. I didn't really think about putting the figure and gamesharks here though! I guess I'm too used to seeing games so I didn't think about the goodies 

We don't have rules against selling non-game stuff... though gaming stuff should be the focus of your sale thread. If someone is listing one game and 200 DVDs then I, at least, will have a problem with that. :p

Of course, established forum / site users have less restrictions when listing items for sale here.

[blipcs76]

I've been buying and selling on eBay since 1998, have done hundreds of transactions and only had a problem twice.  If your buyers have a feedback score of 10+, I wouldn't worry about them being scammers.  But definitely insure anything you're not willing to give away for free. 

Buying/printing your shipping label through eBay nets you both a shipping discount and you get $50 of insurance and tracking included, so definitely use that.  As for listing your items, take good pics and list them so they end on a Wed/Thursday evening or a weekend.  Items tend to get more bids during those times.

[karyann]

We don't have rules against selling non-game stuff... though gaming stuff should be the focus of your sale thread. If someone is listing one game and 200 DVDs then I, at least, will have a problem with that. :p

Of course, established forum / site users have less restrictions when listing items for sale here.

It would bother me too, which is why I wouldn't do it 

I've been buying and selling on eBay since 1998, have done hundreds of transactions and only had a problem twice.  If your buyers have a feedback score of 10+, I wouldn't worry about them being scammers.  But definitely insure anything you're not willing to give away for free. 

Buying/printing your shipping label through eBay nets you both a shipping discount and you get $50 of insurance and tracking included, so definitely use that.  As for listing your items, take good pics and list them so they end on a Wed/Thursday evening or a weekend.  Items tend to get more bids during those times.

Oh, pretty good to know too!

[disgaeniac]

Good topic!

I'm not really interested in e-bay much myself -but- I always like reading about tips & "do's & dont's" anyways

[90snostalga]

What systems are the Gamesharks for?

[foxhack]

Buying/printing your shipping label through eBay nets you both a shipping discount and you get $50 of insurance and tracking included, so definitely use that.

First Class Packages get free tracking when printing a label through eBay, but insurance is extra.

Priority Mail packages have $50 insurance included. But if you print the label for an eBay sale through PayPal, you get $100 insurance. Note that you have to select USPS insurance, since PayPal always chooses Shipcover by default.

Depending on the size and weight of the package, using First Class or Priority Flat Small / Regional Flat Rate boxes is cheaper than going with normal Priority. Don't bother with Standard Mail (formerly called Parcel Post), it costs like a dollar less than Priority and takes up to a week to be delivered.

And for the love of god NEVER USE MEDIA MAIL.

[karyann]

What systems are the Gamesharks for?

PS2 and Xbox (original). These ones are actually called "gamesaves", but it looks like it's the same as usual gamesharks... cheat codes and stuff 

Buying/printing your shipping label through eBay nets you both a shipping discount and you get $50 of insurance and tracking included, so definitely use that.

First Class Packages get free tracking when printing a label through eBay, but insurance is extra.

Priority Mail packages have $50 insurance included. But if you print the label for an eBay sale through PayPal, you get $100 insurance. Note that you have to select USPS insurance, since PayPal always chooses Shipcover by default.

Depending on the size and weight of the package, using First Class or Priority Flat Small / Regional Flat Rate boxes is cheaper than going with normal Priority. Don't bother with Standard Mail (formerly called Parcel Post), it costs like a dollar less than Priority and takes up to a week to be delivered.

And for the love of god NEVER USE MEDIA MAIL.

Now that I think about it, is this US only? I'm in Canada and we often don't have the same bonus and perks. 

[disgaeniac]

What's wrong with media mail?

I almost always use it when dropping things off at the post office...and I've never had any problems with it?

[foxhack]

Now that I think about it, is this US only? I'm in Canada and we often don't have the same bonus and perks. 

... whoops.

Yeah, this is for the US only. I don't know if Canada has different rules. Sorry. :\

What's wrong with media mail?

I almost always use it when dropping things off at the post office...and I've never had any problems with it?

Video games (cart, floppy, or CD/DVD), music CDs and movies are not allowed to be shipped through Media Mail. It doesn't matter what you heard - they're not allowed. If a postal inspector opens your package and sees that it contains games or DVDs, then he'll upgrade the postage to Priority and charge any postage due to the person who's getting the package. Imagine your customer's face when he gets that item he paid five bucks for and it has $15 postage due. Imagine having to refund all the money he paid you -and then some-. Imagine getting a negative over saving a couple of bucks. Media mail isn't worth it and I refuse to do business with anyone who ships or asks me to send stuff that way.

And really, if you're sending one game only, send it first class. It's only like a quarter extra.

[disgaeniac]

Now that I think about it, is this US only? I'm in Canada and we often don't have the same bonus and perks. 

... whoops.

Yeah, this is for the US only. I don't know if Canada has different rules. Sorry. :\

What's wrong with media mail?

I almost always use it when dropping things off at the post office...and I've never had any problems with it?

Video games (cart, floppy, or CD/DVD), music CDs and movies are not allowed to be shipped through Media Mail. It doesn't matter what you heard - they're not allowed. If a postal inspector opens your package and sees that it contains games or DVDs, then he'll upgrade the postage to Priority and charge any postage due to the person who's getting the package. Imagine your customer's face when he gets that item he paid five bucks for and it has $15 postage due. Imagine having to refund all the money he paid you -and then some-. Imagine getting a negative over saving a couple of bucks. Media mail isn't worth it and I refuse to do business with anyone who ships or asks me to send stuff that way.

And really, if you're sending one game only, send it first class. It's only like a quarter extra.

Must be an interpretation thing.

Because "Computer programs" (on cart, disc, etc) ARE, indeed eligible for media mail.

And, IMO, never wanting to deal with me (or the thousands of others of us around here) just because they used "Media Mail" just sounds silly & paranoid.

Maybe postal inspectors actually *would* do that in Mexico -but- knowing hundreds of people/spanning (easily) thousands of transactions...that's just never happened.

Of course, there migt be a .0000000009% chance of exception -but- again, seems a silly thing for a deal-breaker 

To each their own, though 

[turf]

I'm about certian we've had this conversation before.  Either that or this is a serious case of deja vu.

[foxhack]

Must be an interpretation thing.

Because "Computer programs" (on cart, disc, etc) ARE, indeed eligible for media mail.

Nope. Looks like they finally updated the text on that to make sure games are definitely not allowed. Also, this nails it. Straight from the USPS Manager.

(Also I never talk about the Mexican "postal service." All of my business with shipping is done via the USPS, in the US of A.)

[disgaeniac]

I'm about certian we've had this conversation before.  Either that or this is a serious case of deja vu.

You could be right & I'm just not remembering it.

Also

@Foxhack -

regardless of the fine print...unless you get $ bonuses based on the USPS' performance; I just still can't see why you'd make that a deal-breaker for you -BUT- like I said; we're all free to do wtf we want to.

I'll just note though, that - tellers (that don't already know me) in the post office (when I say that I'm shipping video games); w/o fail will 'suggest' that I send them media mail for the savings 

Are they incompetent?

Very likely!

I just don't get why it's such a sore point for you (But - then again, I don't have to "get" it) and it's certainly not anything that I'm going to argue about and/or make it anything personal with you or against you ==>

==> (*Got nothin' but luv for da Foxy one:)