eBay

sakic92710 · ‎04-14-2024

A group of sellers ALWAYS give the advice, "Sell what is in demand." So.........what is that? Without mentioning gold, phones, shoes & Gretzky RCs, what do you consider 'in demand' items? I don't need to know because I don't have them nor can I afford to buy a pallet or warehouse full of these. Please enlighten the general public with your wisdom on what you consider are items that will make eBay a valuable part of their lives. 🙂 Stop being vague. 🙂 Or are you in the "I don't want to say because I don't want the competition" dept. while hiding your ID with an alternate username? lol Not showing anyone that your advice is not helping your stagnant sales, too? 😛

sakic92710 · ‎04-14-2024

"The thing is, it's not as simple a question as you think it is. There's almost no whole category of things that ALL sell well; you have to learn about them to know which specific examples within a category are in demand. And the more in-demand they are, the harder it will be for you to find sources for, because you've got competition on that end too. "

This is my entire point. The answer is not simple so sellers shouldn't just throw out vague, useless advice like, "sell what is in demand." Add something useful to their advice or don't bother thinking they are geniuses for offering it up. lol

gurlcat · ‎04-14-2024

@sakic92710 wrote:
My main opinion is the advice they give is so vague that it is of no use. Such as, "Sell what people want." Well over 100 million buyers on eBay. What do they all want? lol No one can answer that.

Honest and sincere question: Why do you want to be an eBay seller? I know some people start out with the simple need to get rid of stuff they already have and they know it's worth money, so they start an account and create their listings. But that doesn't seem to be the case with you so why is it you want to sell on eBay rather than some other way to make money?

my-cottage-books-and-antiques · ‎04-14-2024

@sakic92710 " The answer is not simple so sellers shouldn't just throw out vague, useless advice like, "sell what is in demand." Add something useful to their advice or don't bother thinking they are geniuses for offering it up. lol"

Actually, it's useful advice for those who receive it, IF they then ask themselves:

Am I selling items for which there really is demand (particularly on the platform(s) I sell on? )

If so, what sort of demand is it? Broad demand, like, say, the latest Apple product, or narrow demand, such as a particular type of antique?

Would I perhaps benefit from a better mix of broad and narrow demand items?

Given my sourcing opportunities, am I overlooking things for which there is more demand than I have realized?

Yes, it is very general advice, and people can give you more particular advice, but YOU know what your sourcing opportunities are, YOU know what constraints you may be under in terms of paying for inventory, and storing inventory, and shipping costs.

There are tons of You Tube videos, Facebook posts and other social media posts, all about in demand items. Items to purchase, items to make, items to design.

But only you know which of those items are really feasible for you. And only you know which types of items you are willing to really LEARN about, because within every category there are items that are in high demand and items that aren't....and it takes time and effort to recognize which items are which.

Perhaps instead of criticizing people who have given you valid---if basic---advice, perhaps you'd do better to spend some time evaluating your own business within the general framework of that advice.

my-cottage-books-and-antiques · ‎04-14-2024

@sakic92710 I'll also add : I find that I retain more if I do my own research. Yes, you Tube videos, etc are helpful, but spending time with Solds and Terapeak, and, when possible, trade papers and events (for me, antique shows, even if online), reference books about stuff I sell, etc---is never wasted time.

sakic92710 · ‎04-14-2024

I've been selling on eBay & online since 2001. I have bought a lot of 'stuff' in hopes of reselling for profit. I used to be able to without difficulty. Now it is more difficult. Why do I want to sell on eBay over other ways to make money? I prefer working for myself - from home. I prefer not having a job that can be taken away from me at any given moment then I'm stuck without a paycheck. I want to be able to pay bills & get food & have the opportunity to find more items to sell for profit. Now, at almost 60, I'm stuck in a position where it is necessary I job hunt. Starting over at 60. Great!!! lol

gurlcat · ‎04-14-2024

Thank you, that provides a fuller picture than what I was imagining. -Well, I figured the working for yourself and not having it taken away were parts of it, but I didn't know you had online selling experience going back that far. The post struck me as almost something like someone who thinks acting looks fun and easy, then not getting any roles and demanding that successful actors tell them "What kind of acting do people like?!" or "How do you act?" -Like if it isn't in your bones already then it probably isn't for you.

You didn't say if you are still trying to sell the same kinds of things that used to sell easily or if it's some other factor. But let's say it's the items, like the ones that used to sell like hotcakes no longer do. Maybe think back to the ones that you sold well (especially the ones you enjoyed selling) and ask yourself what are SIMILAR OR RELATED kinds of items, because maybe that's what's hot now. With so much experience, I assume you know how to look at sold listings for real data on prices, etc.

I just really think your best bet is to stick with (or expand from) things you already know and understand. Even if you think you might warm up to something completely foreign to you just because it's hot, it's going to take a long time to get to know it well enough. And like @my-cottage-books-and-antiques said, none of us knows what you have local access to for sourcing. That's a huge factor!

sakic92710 · ‎04-14-2024

Thanks for the intelligent conversation! I would try many items whether I knew much about them or not. Always sports collectibles was my favorite but I would try several different categories if I felt I could make a profit. Some things would sell immediately for high amounts. However, if I had 3 of the same, I might sell the first 2 very quickly & the third would take a while & sell for much less. I remember having old 1970 cartridges for baseball & golf. Hockey, also. Immediately, I sold Pete Rose & Reggie Jackson for $200 a piece. By the time I sold the 3rd Rose, I only got about $60. Same with Arnold Palmer. $165 for the 1st one. Down to $40 for the final one. I bought 1000s of pinback buttons. I'm sure I sold 40-50 of them & got my money back. I know I sold 3 for about $100. I bought 1600 sports magazines. Mainly Hockey News & SI. After selling about 400 issues, I know I tripled my money or better. Still have several 100 left. Bought them 16 years ago? lol I still have a few items where I bought large collections & are still sitting on 95-100% of the lot. Marketplace has been my main selling site now but it has rare highs & lots of lows. Over 1 week ago, I sold $275 in a day. This past week, $80 total. Ouch! lol Finding buyers or them finding you seems to be too infrequent. Have a good night.

powell-memorabilia · ‎04-15-2024

@sakic92710 wrote:
I wrote a 2nd post on why I do not list much on eBay. Mainly because of the cross border S/H charges. Almost impossible to sell items for that price if I have to add a fee of $10+ I can list 1000s of items for under $10 but who is going to buy something for $4 & pay that much in shipping cost? It only works out well if they make several purchases.

Here you have another seller, in Canada, telling you what you have, and that she also sells, that will make you some good money. Your first response is to tell yourself and everyone else that it is too hard.

You actually have to work to figure out how to make money. You have to be adaptable. Reminiscing about what worked 15 years ago isn’t going to help you today. Thinking about what works 15 years ago, and what has changed, and what will get you back on track will. looking at what other sellers do and what they sell will help. But, at the end of the day, it is about putting in work. And the kind of work that makes people uncomfortable. Thinking about what you are doing wrong is really hard.

Looking in the mirror isn’t something that a lot of people do well – they are much happier shaking their fist at the sky, telling everyone that it is someone else’s fault. absolutely, blaming everyone else provides a little short term relief, but it leads to long-term misery. I don’t care if we’re talking about eBay, a job, a relationship, etc. Putting responsibility for your successes and failures is a much healthier way to go. You’ll have a lot fewer failures in life. If you take the approach that failure or success starts and ends with you.

conservitvs · ‎04-15-2024

@sakic92710 wrote:
My main opinion is the advice they give is so vague that it is of no use. Such as, "Sell what people want." Well over 100 million buyers on eBay. What do they all want? lol No one can answer that.

Oh, I can answer that…

They all want different things. Some may even want the same things.

And there you go... I answered the question no one can answer. 🙂

CONSERVITVS • Volunteer Community Mentor
eBay member since: 1996

sakic92710 · ‎04-15-2024

I did the prior research on GB presentation packs - the item the seller is talking about. For sold listings, it shows 7,400. However, less than 400 of those are within North America. Nothing I saw regarding this seller's sales of the packs makes me feel very positive about posting mine. I calculate situations out. I don't blindly or purposelessly try to find fault in methods. I do try to find ways around negative aspects. If you knew the giant hole I was in over the last 2 years & found a way to dig myself out, you would see my resolve. 🙂

aldet_4021 · ‎04-15-2024

@sakic92710 I think one of the things you are asking is also about how quickly something sells. So, if you list on 4/15/24, and it sells on 4/16/24, I think most people would agree that was a great turnaround time and that there must be some "demand" for what you sold. But what if it takes a year? 2 years? If it took you 3 1/2 years to sell, there's demand - you sold it - but that's not what you're looking for.

Plus, there's price. If I dig up a $20 Saint-Guadens gold piece from 1923 in my back yard, beautiful condition, and list it for $100 because I need to get my electricity turned back on, that would sell in seconds. If I listed it for $400,000, it may never sell. Is there demand for a gold coin these days? Yep. An amazing, collectible, Saint-Guadens double eagle? Holy cats yes. But price will affect how much demand there is, so there might be lots of watchers at 400k, but no bids or buyers.

I honestly don't know the answer to this question, and I wish I did. When I buy, I start with "vintage things that I think are interesting" because that's what I love. I am confident there's demand for them, but I need to be patient. How patient? I am still trying to figure that out.

my-cottage-books-and-antiques · ‎04-15-2024

@sakic92710

" Some things would sell immediately for high amounts. However, if I had 3 of the same, I might sell the first 2 very quickly & the third would take a while & sell for much less. I remember having old 1970 cartridges for baseball & golf. Hockey, also. Immediately, I sold Pete Rose & Reggie Jackson for $200 a piece. By the time I sold the 3rd Rose, I only got about $60. Same with Arnold Palmer. $165 for the 1st one. Down to $40 for the final one."

Which comes as little surprise to me. And which is one reason people say "Sell what's in demand" rather than trying to provide an itemized list of some sort. "Demand" is elastic, it is relative, and it can change quickly. Asking people to tell you what is in demand is a general question, and even when people give you specific answers, such as the stamp collecting stuff, you basically say "But that won't work for me"

OK, fine.

But that is why YOU need to do the work to figure out what will WORK for YOU. We don't know your circumstances, your sourcing opportunities, etc. We don't know what kind of margins you need, there are just so many factors here that only YOU know.

There are literally tons of things for which there is demand. But can YOU find them at a low enough price to make money on them? Will you know them when you see them?

Understand there is a difference in types of demand. Long tail items usually don't have wide demand, but are often very affordable and they can have enough demand to be very profitable, ....if you are patient. Other items will fly out the door quickly, but you might not be able to source them at as good a price.

But it's up to YOU. I sell a variety, much of it long tail, which is generally a long game. There's a LOT of stuff I know little or nothing about, but I'm always learning. It is rare for me to go into a decent sized thrift store, flea market or antique shop and come out empty handed. I can almost always come out with at least something, and sometimes very good "somethings".

Learning opportunities are all around you. Spend less time coming here and complaining and more time taking advantage of those opportunities.

fashunu4eeuh · ‎04-15-2024

@sakic92710 wrote:
No. I am saying some sellers give advice without any proof that they succeed on eBay with that same advice.

Hi @sakic92710 . And so it raises the question of their credibility.

To be frank, that’s fair. It points to one drawback of using a posting ID. It may lower one’s reliability in the eyes of the community.

But that said—in the end, whether a respondent uses a posting ID or not—readers are still free to accept or reject the advice given. It must stand on its own merit.

I do believe that most everyone here tries to do the best they can. Yes, there will always be those who are pills or trolls. But even so, that doesn’t necessarily negate the value that each voice brings to the table. For myself, i’d like to engage fellow users in a dialogue, and hopefully take it a step beyond that to offer what help i may.

Besides, posting with one’s primary account is not a guarantee of quality of content. There could be just as many misinformed sellers freely posting with their main accounts, as there are those with posting IDs who get it right.

In conclusion, it is a sad testimony that there exists those few who would sabotage a fellow poster’s selling account because they didn’t like or agree with something said herein. It’s happened (and has made me more cautious as a result).

So, for the time being, posting ID it is.

luckythewinner · ‎04-15-2024

A group of sellers ALWAYS give the advice, "Sell what is in demand." So.........what is that?

If the answer to that was easy, then everyone would be rich. Big box stores like Walmart and Target pay consultants millions of dollars a year to analyze and predict buyer demand.

For an eBay seller, this usually means staying on top a niche, knowing it inside and out, recognizing trends, and having an intuitive feel for whether an item is desirable.

It also means knowing the value of items so that they can recognize undervalued items and acquire inventory at a price that leaves room for profit. Because there is a second half of that advice that is often left off:

"Sell what is in demand at a price that buyers are willing to pay".

my-cottage-books-and-antiques · ‎04-15-2024

@aldet_4021 Exactly. There's "demand" and then there's "demand" Some sellers try to buy only stuff with fast turnover. Others (like me) are more willing to play the slow game...in part, because that's the kind of stuff my sourcing turns up. And some sellers manage to find a happy medium, often with high turnover providing cash flow and slower turnover providing profit.

ebay sellers are incredibly diverse. Some are here to clean out a closet, some are here to pay for vacation, some are here to earn a living. Some are located in areas with great thrift stores, etc, some aren't. Some have plenty of money to acquire stock, some have very little. Ultimately, it all comes down to figuring out what works for YOU. And recognizing that what worked a few years ago might not work now. So, always be learning and always be ready to pivot.