im a beginner seller on ebay

[thejesso]

questions :  when posting items for sale should I sell my items for what I've seen them sell for on ebay or sell for 5 or 10 less ?? 

what items typically should I post "buy now "

or run an Auction  ??

whats the best site or group to offer advice to a new seller looking for any and all info  ?? 

is this site great for that ??

[asset_liquidators]

No auctions. Use Buy it Now with Immediate Payment Required.

Sure you can list for 5-10 less but the next one to come along may do the same and so may the next one. That becomes "a race to the bottom". Next thing you know that item is about worthless. You gotta do what's right for you but just be aware that the undercutting can backfire.

[jasal1367]

شكرا لك اخي الكريم أخوك في الله بتوفيق 👏👏

[ten_o_nine]

Pricing:

Start with competitive prices, but also consider your costs, profit margins, and the item's condition. Begin with a lower price to attract buyers, then raise it based on demand.
Buy It Now vs. Auction:
Buy It Now: Use for in-demand items or those with fixed prices.
Auction: Best for rare or unique items, or when you're unsure of their value.

Best site or group:

eBay Seller Center
eBay Seller Hub
eBay's official social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)

[monroe67]

"whats the best site or group to offer advice to a new seller looking for any and all info  ??"
You've found it:  eBay's Selling Community pages.  

I have learned the best info about selling on eBay from regular reading of the questions and answers on this Selling forum.  Other good sources are the Payments and Buying forums (fora?).  

Also, eBay's User Agreement.  There's a link to it, in a smaller font size, at the bottom of each eBay page when you access on a desktop or laptop computer.  When you do open the User Agreement, please read and pay attention to Item 5, Fees and Taxes.  Be sure to click the hyperlinks within that article.  All the detailed info is in those hyperlinks.  

BTW, in certain categories, auctions do have their place.  That's why they have not been done away with by eBay.  If you do list any item for sale in eBay's auction format, there is nothing for you to "run." 

You will establish the length of the auction at the time you create the listing.  You also will set the opening bid for your auction.  Nobody can bid lower than that opening bid.  During that auction period, buyers may place bids.  At the end of the auction, the highest bidder wins.  eBay notifies that highest bidder and, in general, the winning bidder has up to 4 days to pay.  The buyer submits his/her payment info to eBay, and once eBay has confirmed payment, eBay will tell you, the seller, that it's time to send the sold item to the buyer.  At that time, eBay will also provide you with the buyer's name and delivery address.  

Best of Luck !!

[dbfolks166mt]

A few pointers. 

1. NEVER list anything on eBay you are not prepared to take the financial loss on. 
2. As a new seller avoid listing high value and high target items that scammers love. 
3. If you are wanting to make a profit build a cost model so you know what price to list items at to do so.    Factor in ALL costs: what you paid for it, supplies, income taxes, fees, POV........... 
4. Diversify across multiple venues not everything is for or can even be sold on eBay and in some  cases there are better options that will net you a bigger return and save the buyers some costs. 
5.  Read through this forum and learn to identify common scams before you are a victim.
6. Establish a separate bank account to handle your eBay transactions. It keeps things easy from  an accounting perspective and you probably really don't want eBay having access to your personal      bank account. 
7. Make sure you setup the shipping correctly on the listing with regards to the size and weight of the item you will be shipping. 
8. While auctions and BIN both have their pro's and con's as a new seller I would recommend you use      BIN with immediate payment required and avoid using OBO. 
9. Avoid using promoted listings until you see how things go. PL can become an added and unnecessary expense that provides little to no benefit depending on what you are selling. 
10. EBay customer support is useless these days and they will give out incorrect information simply to get  you off the phone. 
11. Utilize this forum to ask questions BEFORE you have a problem, there are a LOT of experienced sellers  on this forum that can provide sound advice. 
12. Fully read and understand the MBG, when you list items advise that you accept returns. Too many new  sellers believe no returns equates to no refunds and that is NOT the case.  
13. While most transactions go smoothly be prepared to deal with issues like returns, NAD's, INR's..... Factor the cost of those into your cost model.  
14. Make sure you do everything you can possibly do to keep your feedback and performance metrics in    good standing. You do not want to have your account suspended.  
15. DO NOT drop ship. It is a poor business model and in some cases a violation of eBay policy. 

[mam98031]

Here are some important links to areas you should really take the time to learn about as a new seller.

https://academy.ebay.com/student/catalog?locale=en


https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/selling/selling?id=4081

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/get-started/seller-fees.html

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/service-and-payments/funds-availability.html

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/getting-paid/getting-paid-items-youve-sold/pending-payments?id=415...

https://www.ebay.com/help/listings/creating-managing-listings/creating-listing?id=4105


And make sure you know this policy extremely well.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy...

[snoopwiz]

Unless you are selling rare, in demand collectibles,  fixed price/buy it now may be the way to go.

Fully understand ALL your costs associated with selling your goods on eBay.

eBay final value fees. (Do you know what they will be yet?)

eBay promoted listings (although optional), be sure you are not "accidentally" signed up for them. Ask board members if unsure

eBay store cost if after research you find you can save by subscribing to a store.

Your shipping cost plus the percentage eBay charges as part of their final value fees.

Packing material, ink for printer.

Car expenses incurred while sourcing items, taking to post office, etc.

Ask here if unsure. Quite often you will get faster, more accurate answers. Otherwise, use eBays presence on Social Media to ask.

[ckimodog]

@thejesso 

Buy it now, fixed price, immediate payment required and no best offers.  Best offers sometimes end up with no payment.  Keep it simple and easy.

Good luck to you & Happy Selling

[adamcartwright]

Others have given you some great advice. I'll add one thing --

You don't always want to undercut the competition. When figuring your pricing, consider the condition of your item relative to the conditions of the competitors. If your item is in better condition, it can get a higher price.

So take the time to do that research when you're listing.

[aussiehomesupply]

I usually list my items as buy now, but that is just a preference. If you are not too strict on the price you sell the products at you can try to run an auction. You can always decline the bid if it doesn't meet your reserve/threshold. 

Best of luck.

[eternal_x]

Thanks for the advice its valuable for everyone.

[mam98031]

---

@aussiehomesupply wrote:

I usually list my items as buy now, but that is just a preference. If you are not too strict on the price you sell the products at you can try to run an auction. You can always decline the bid if it doesn't meet your reserve/threshold. 

Best of luck.

---

That isn't exactly how auctions work.  If you have a reserve price on the listing / auction, the bid does register, but the buyer doesn't win the auction unless they meet or exceed the reserve price you set.  Sellers do not "decline" bids.

[speedystarnotes]

I never do an auction. As for some reason they don't get the same traction as "Buy Now" Listings and of course auctions expire.

And the price you sell them at really doesn't matter too much I don't think. The items I sell I try to offer the cheapest prices around, yet other accounts, that are selling identical quality items are selling them for multitudes more than me and are getting alot more traction and recognition from eBay. It's an algorithm and of course eBay gets a cut of your profits too so of course they'll prioritize more expensive listings.