How long does it take you to list a single item? (Honest answers only)
Been on eBay since 2007 and I still find myself spending 15-20 minutes per item — photos, uploading (which has been painfully slow lately), filling out every item specific eBay wants, writing the description, setting the price.
Multiply that by 20-30 items a week and that's basically a full day gone just on data entry.
I got fed up and started building a little automation to speed up the worst parts — batch photo processing, auto-filling item specifics, and refreshing stale listings so they don't die in search. It's been cutting my listing time roughly in half.
Curious what eats the most time for you? Is it the photos, the specifics, the relisting grind, or something else? Want to make sure I'm not the only one losing hours to this.
58 comments
kensgiftshop
·5 months agoWhen the images upload right, it only take a couple minutes for a listing.
I already have my descriptions done so just copy and pate it.
lakefor94
·5 months agoMy cats won't even eat pate. They are upscale.......
mozartbach1971
·5 months agoHave you thought about using a listing software?
mr_lincoln
·5 months agoHi @reorderflow_research
Great topic, comments and questions. I utilize all 50 of the eBay Templates to preload as much information as possible prior to creating the actual listing for a specific item. Over the years I have refined what I sell and rarely have to create a listing from scratch. Having said that what takes the most time is completing the IS (Item Specifics) since eBay shifts their order around based on category plus the different methods of how the data is entered. Some IS you have to type in the field, others you use a drop-down menu of canned choices and still others you type in the field then then have to click the thing you just typed below the field.
Like you I take pictures in batches and I use a digital camera, say 5-10 items at a time at a minimum of 6 pics per item. I take the chip out of the camera and slip it in the card reader on my laptop. Picture uploading is quick that way but editing each image still takes a little time.
I can't really assign an average time for creating listings because it depends on what I am listing. Example would be doing 10 train cars in their original boxes or 10 train cars without boxes. I take boxed cars out, take pictures, inspect and then put them back in their box. Unboxed train cars eliminates the unboxing and re-boxing. Cars with lights inside I test the lights.
As it relates to the time on my laptop, once I have all the pictures it takes between 4-5 minutes to complete the listing. That includes double checking the listing once I am finished.
sreu3058
·5 months ago‘Sell similar’ from a listing not your own? Yuck, that is stealing.
powell-collectibles
·5 months agoI’m sure reasonable minds can disagree, but I don’t see how this would be stealing. I just consider it smart. It doesn’t hurt the seller from the original listing, and it saves time for the person using it as sell similar.
eBay actually wants us to do it – that’s why they give that option to us. Heck, we are even allowed to “steal“ pictures from other sellers.
sreu3058
·5 months ago*Yes, I wholeheartedly disagree on the ethics of using another sellers pictures.
I’m sure reasonable minds can disagree, but I don’t see how this would be stealing. I just consider it smart. It doesn’t hurt the seller from the original listing, and it saves time for the person using it as sell similar.
eBay actually wants us to do it – that’s why they give that option to us. Heck, we are even allowed to “steal“ pictures from other sellers.
redlinear
·5 months agoI was researching a car part not too long ago. Searching by part number.
Zero results.
Search by what it was and came up with 7 results.
ALL of them had the same "wrong" part number listed.
Sell Similar, everybody copying somebody else's listing.
If I drive off a cliff, you following? (sell similar, yep)
fabrics24
·5 months agoDepends on the kind of listing! If I'm selling fabric, it takes maybe 8-10 minutes tops, but I can crank out multiple listings in that time. Most of the time is spent moving platforms, since I can only get photos on mobile, but can only seem to apply templates on desktop.
Templates and charts help me move along quickly; I have a handy cheat sheet for my package dimensions and a condition checkbox that I fill out for each fabric. I tend to ID my fabrics in big bunches too; I may list only one thing a day, but I'll occupy my week getting IDs and weights.
It's not foolproof; I have a big bin of fabrics I haven't identified yet that aren't in my swatchbooks, so those are obviously taking forever to list (I'm obsessed with MPN/Model info).
If I'm listing something random we have lying around, it takes much longer; try more like 45 minutes.
I despise selling a lot of things less than open box because it takes so darn long to ID, and add info for, say, a random strip of velcro or a washer hose with no packaging or branding. I know I probably don't have to include every gritty detail for things like that, but I feel better about my listings when I do, because the buyer can do some independent research and get answers without me even being online.
Aside from identifying mysterious items, pictures are the hardest part of me; our facility doesn't really have a decent photo area, so I just have to pray there's a free table somewhere and do my work asap D;
I usually take all my pictures for multiple listings at once because of this.
ccook19
·5 months agoIt depends on the item. For me, the devil is in the details.
yuzuha
·5 months agoUnder 5 minutes for most items. I have templates for the types of things I sell most frequently and a dedicated photo area that I keep set up at all times. Photos only take me a few seconds unless the item has flaws I need to document in the photos, and then with the templates most listings are just plugging in dimensions and a few other details. The only item specifics I bother with are the ones that buyers would actually care about or use to search-- I deal primarily in categories where buyers know exactly what they are looking for/purchasing.
kalyoth
·5 months ago3 minutes give or take on the listings each.
chapeau-noir
·5 months agoPeople who brag that they can list in 30 nanoseconds (all the while juggling tomatoes and saving the world) aren't listing 19th century kimono, or rare books, or designer bags, etc.
It depends. Takes me 20 minutes per, but I sell pre-owned clothing.
tarotfindsandmore
·5 months agoI think clothing is probably one of the hardest things to photograph. If I sold clothes, creating the listings would take me a heck of a lot longer. One of the reasons I can do my listings so quickly is because my items are generally very small, easy to describe, and new.
Vintage jewelry was definitely my most time consuming listing project. Just the inspection and camera adjustment took me a good 10-20 min.
jonathanbrightlight
·5 months agoI mean, that’s an important point. I’m usually listing books, or maybe cds or dvds, and while I have to look several times to get the info I need, it’s usually all contained within the title and copyright pages of that book, or even on the outside cover. If I was dealing with vintage clothing, or any number of other categories, it would take longer, and I’m sure there’s some that are much faster.
bgt_masters_of_tiki_d
·5 months agoWith how long it takes ebay to upload 10-24 pictures and for me to add all of the item specifics, it takes far too long. Its really frustrating because many pictures I have to rotate the photos and half the time ebay won't save the changes and I have to do it again.
sin-n-dex
·5 months agoThis is partly why I use third party software (SixBit). I just put the image in, and then when I go to upload it can do that in the background, sometimes the upload is 30 minutes, but I can read the forum and answer emails while this is going on. If I'm listing directly on the site, I'm waiting for all the pictures to load before I can proceed, and sometimes the photos aren't done loading even by the time I've done the rest of the listing.
C.
buyersellerfinder
·5 months agoThe thing that takes me the most time is when I have to retake my images.
Take images
Upload to PC
Begin to edit, crop images just to realize they are out of focus or similar problem
Then find the item again
Set up in light box again
Retake images again
Delete old images
Probably had to do this twice out of approx 200 listings.
christworks
·5 months agoDepends on the item. I average less than 5 minutes a listing. I use AI to assist me, which has sped me up further. I use business policies, and flat rate shipping, so I do not need to input weights and measurements. I generally base my listings on ones that have sold. I will tweak the title, double check the item specifics are correct, then copy over the condition statement ChatGPT wrote for me based on what I dictated to it. I also paste that statement into the description, and add in my standard template description. I spend about 15 seconds or less determining my item price. Once I have a dozen or more listings done, they get photographed. Sometimes that is the same day or it may be the next. Because I take care of my elderly mom, I work in piecemeal, so it just depends on what else I need to get to done. The other thing is that I do use an AI batch lister program to list some things in batches. It does not work well for everything, but if you have a lot of one thing, it definitely speeds things up even more. I've listed jeans, cassette tapes, plush, magazines, and most recently bicycle derailleur using that program.
sin-n-dex
·5 months agoThe first thing I do is source, which is a few hours each time I look at a collection. But I'll look at many items I don't want to take from the shop before finding one that's OK.
Once I get an item that's OK, I will photograph them all, spending 30-60 seconds on each picture.
Then I have to get the pictures off my phone and do any necessary edits. I might spend 60 seconds to 2 minutes pending on whether or not it needs modification (like hiding prices or grades, cropping, I don't change any colours or lighting, if I don't like the picture I'll retake it later)
Once I have my pictures done, I'll spend a few minutes picking stuff to be listed next (sometimes I grab the whole folder from a given session of photos, other times I'll pick many items across different folders to list a variety). I do this picking task when I'm tired or feeling lazy, and don't want to do any actual work. I'll pick items to be listed so I have direction the next time I do listings.
Once the pictures are in my listing folder queue to go up, I have to do actual listings. This takes me 2-3 minutes to create a listing, then 1 minute to upload all the photos and stuff and get it on the site (with third party listing software). If I'm listing directly on the account, it's still 2-3 minutes a listing, but might go up to 5 minutes if photos are slow to upload.
When you add all the time I spend, it's probably in total of 10 minutes per listing, however I batch my tasks to do several of the same thing at once (like today I took 150 photos of coins, on another day I might list 100 items over the course of a couple of evenings).
Time spent tends to increase after it sells... 5-10 minutes finding and packing, 5-10 minutes doing customs forms for international sales, 5 minutes addressing an envelope on a domestic sale. I would say I spend 20-25 minutes packing each order from sale until it's in the mailbag. I spend about 4-5 hours packing on Sunday for everything that sold from late Thursday night until Sunday, which might be 10-15 items.
I also have to log the sales on my spreadsheet and I print each sales order to PDF (for the benefit of Canadian sales tax, as a record of where it shipped and what taxes eBay collected). I would spend around 5-10 minutes logging each order and creating records.
So in reality from source to ship, to log the sale, I might spend 45 minutes per item, or maybe 60 minutes if it's a few items in a package, pending on how long I'm searching for them. I always start searching for the easy stuff first and look through all the boxes for whatever I can't easily find.
C.
lakefor94
·5 months agoDang, you all are like a bunch of speed demons, hat off to ya.
I use a template(s) for listing and it still takes me probably 40 minutes per listing, start to finish, with the product boxed in whatever is handy to keep dust off and inventory labeled to be put in the out building(s).
Closer to 45 minutes if I am eating sunflower seeds while listing.
If I have a bunch of small items, I can do those in probably 30 minutes per and have them put up. Maybe I could do 3 an hour on a good day, without seeds.
Addendum: someone mentioned slow pic uploads. When I sit down to list, the first pics uploaded always seem to be slow then every listing after that are fast uploads of the pics.
ten_o_nine
·5 months agoreorderflow_research
OP5 months agoThanks everyone — this is really helpful. Sounds like "Sell Similar" is the go-to for most of you, which makes sense for repeat items. Where it falls apart for me is when I'm listing something new that doesn't match anything I've sold before — that's where the item specifics and description writing eat my time. Appreciate all the honest answers. Gives me a much better idea of where the real bottleneck is.
redlinear
·5 months agoSell similar takes me longer. Carefully inspecting and correcting somebody else's mistakes.
And it's easy to miss one and then it's your mistake
reorderflow_research
OP5 months ago@redlinear That's a great point — Sell Similar sounds like a timesaver until you're spending half the time fixing wrong specifics and catching mistakes. Especially in categories where one wrong detail means a return.
That got me thinking — for those of you spending 15-20+ minutes per listing, what would actually help the most? Faster photo workflow? Item specifics that fill themselves correctly?
Better descriptions without the generic AI fluff? Something else entirely? Genuinely curious what the biggest time killer is once you break it down.
redlinear
·5 months agoI use a listing tool. When all my pics are taken and I sit down and start actually "listing" an item. THAT averages about 2 minutes per listing. (I listed 8 typical items yesterday in 15 minutes).
If I do the same on eBay, I do the "sell similar" on one of my own listings and change as needed. Since I'm starting with a listing that I typed myself, I know what to look for and what to change. THAT usually takes 4 or 5 minutes per listing because pics load slow, editing pics takes for-ever, and it's a bit more labor/typing intensive than my listing tool.
Both of those consider that I am IGNORING most of the item specifics and completely staying away from "Compatibilities".
ITEM SPECIFICS:
Manufacturer part number
OEM part number
Other part number
Supersceded part number
UGH!!! (and those are some of the less insane item specifics)
iamthecrosseyedcow
·5 months agoTakes me 5 to 30 minutes, depending upon what I'm listing. I always use my own listings as templates (sell similar), which helps a lot.
However, if I decide during the listing process that I need to to find or confirm some arcane little fact for the listing description, I can fall down the "Research Rabbit Hole" for an hour...sigh...I really enjoy researching stuff...
jonathanbrightlight
·5 months agoI would have a tough time determining that, because I take photos of a bunch of items at once, then go and list them, then shelve them. I’d estimate maybe 8-10 minutes per listing I guess, though it varies mostly depending on the number of photos it needs (based on the condition and value).
wilsonharborsales
·5 months ago3 to 5 seconds per item, but I use LE.
gloryglorygifts
·5 months agoIt depends on what I'm listing. If it is something that is like a collection, it takes about 3-5 minutes because I make a generic long description, upload pics and change the items specs. If it is a single one that I need to take photos of, that takes about 6-7. I have it down to a science because my website is pretty much the same so I use the same descriptions from either and copy and paste them. It helps that my items are generally smaller in size, so the photos aren't a major hassle. I also use photos my distributor has given me on many of them, so that's a plus.
I'm not sure what you sell, but it did usually take much longer to load clothing and jewelry when I sold them. I'm in a different market now.
meme6253
·5 months agoIt only takes a few minutes, The longest time consumer is description & item specifics.But yes over the course of time it is time consuming.
tobaccocardyahoo
·5 months agoIt depends on what I am listing.
I often list similar items, items which are part of a set or series.
They take less than 2 minutes per listing.
When they are small and flat, I can create multiple images from a single scan on my flatbed scanner.
When the flatbed is too slow, I can speed things up with a "scanner" which is actually a digital camera in a mount which can automatically generate multiple images. It takes a little extra effort to get the color balance correct.
Words are my greatest skill, and I can generate the descriptions without much thought or time. Measuring can slow me down a little.
Most items can be priced without any research, been selling similar items a long time.
The time to list is not an issue, the desire to list is subject to my mood and which items appeal to me.
adamcartwright
·5 months ago@reorderflow_research
Haven't timed it, but I know it takes me longer than the average bear.
But the last time I had an issue, the X CSR told me my listing was exemplary, so I guess in my defense it's worth the time I put in.
femmefan1946
·5 months agoMost of my products are flat so I can scan them which takes less a minute each at 1200dpi from scanner to desktop.
I rarely use more than two pictures - same stamp at 600dpi and 1200dpi.
I use only the useful Item Specifics - but I do use them.
I have a dozen templates for my listings.
The templates have HTML coding for a colour background - which I believe attracts the eye over all those ads for other goods.
My ToS is part of the template.
The slowest part is working out Accept/Reject parameters for Best Offer, because I am dysnumeric.
12345jamesstamps
·5 months agoI have a few drafts...so I just shoot in the photo and write the title in...a minute per item.
But I spend time doing all the photos first one day.
Then I do all the descriptions another day,
Then I list the item(s).
Posting just a few items in my category in a day doesn't work...
steve_stuff
·5 months ago"...and that's basically a full day gone just on data entry."
Writing listings isn't 'data entry', it's the internet version of putting product on a real shelf or hanger so it can be seen and hopefully bought. Stocking the shelf/store - it's part of the job.
Data entry is writing 'shelf one' or 'box two' in the yellow 'my note' box or using the sku column so you can find/pack it when it sells or move to the 'with bid' box.
And all our new listings start as a 'Sell similar' of one of our own listing that really is similar, so the category, shipping, etc is same - five maybe six minutes. Taking photos and uploading them into computer takes more time then the editing/making most listing.
If we don't have anything close to a new item we pick based on weight/size/shipping offered
redlinear
·5 months ago@reorderflow_research
The whole story
I part out vehicles. The way eBay is now, basically best case scenario, it takes two people, 240 hours (120 each), From purchase to 350 listings typed. This includes all aspects of "eBay" (shipping, messages, problems, revising listings, etc).
Worst case scenario adds 80 hours to that.
15 years ago, that time was half of what it is now. Mostly due to Item Specifics and Search Manipulation.
I've also done estate sales, close-out auctions, and flat out bought warehouse inventories, and salvage yard loose parts inventories.
THAT takes more hours start to finish.
I've been teaching someone how to do this also. He's been working an hour a day on a vehicle. Take a few parts off and list them. He's now listing 3 items per day (3 listings per hour). That includes removal of parts-TO-finished listing. And, he doesn't have to deal with shipping or anything else yet.
He's a rookie, still learning though.
I'm telling ya, that minimum wage Dollar General help wanted sign is looking mighty tempting
evry1nositswindy
·5 months agoI try to have a group of things that are similar to list on any given day. I take a listing I already have, hit sell similar, and then create drafts. I take pictures with my phone and upload them to all the drafts. Then I go to my desktop and adjust descriptions to fit the new items. It doesn't take long at all to complete all the drafts.
shire123
·5 months agoSmall time seller here. I think your estimates are about right. But the one thing that I do that really speeds things up is I look for the same item on ebay (either listed or sold) and click on "sell one like this". In that way a lot of the specifics are already loaded. Category is already chosen. Just need to check that they are accurate.
sreu3058
·5 months agoI find the listing process on EBay easier than other sites.
I am a ‘careful’ lister (I double check and review it) so it takes me a little longer than most, probably, and, I add a video to all my listings, and a brief history of the individual item.
Plus Measurements, weight.
Just keep plodding along 🙂
ryry-jj
·5 months agoI spend the most time mustering up the motivation to list. Once I get there, 10-15 minutes, sometimes faster when I "sell similar" from my own listings....& if I pre organize that correctly, even faster.
dhbookds
·5 months agoTo be clear: I am not dependent on the money (fortunately).......I sell on ebay because I enjoy the hunt, and need an easy way to get rid of the stuff...
At that point, it still takes 10-15 min per listing w/ full description and measurements. Drives me crazy.
I used to feel that pressure to list and resented the time it took. At some point I asked myself why I was doing something that made me feel guilty when I did something else beside listing. Sat down and made a list of what I enjoyed about listing......the research and writing the descriptions. I learned to put up with the rest of it and concentrate on the enjoyment....the pressure went away.
To answer your question......can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 30 or more. But when it's more, such as 8 plates......I get a charge out of the fact I paid 50c each and am asking x for them. I changed my motivation from making more listings, to actually enjoying what I'm doing......
All that said, I KNOW everyone has a different goal/want/need.....my experience is unique to me....but if you can work on your thought process, you may find that you can do away with the "craziness".
44012
·5 months ago15-20 minutes
hartungcards
·5 months ago"Curious what eats the most time for you? Is it the photos, the specifics, the relisting grind, or something else?"
It's something else. It's the annual increase in system activity experienced during this period, which causes processing delays.
tarotfindsandmore
·5 months agoI list in batches. I create all the drafts (2-5 min each, usually closer to 2 but up to 5 if I have to look up prices), then take all the pics (20-30 min for a half dozen, sometimes less), load them (5 min), bulk list (1-2 min to fix any errors if necessary) so, all in all, 4-7 min per listing.
The pics would probably take less time if I moved my set up away from the window nearby. It forces me to adjust the settings on the camera every time I start a photo session. That's usually the most time consuming part, but also why I do photos in batches.
kibble-net
·5 months ago10-15 minutes for an initial listing - about 2-3 minutes for pictures, 1-2 for price research, and the remainder for item specifics and writing a description.
However, when I relist the same item (i.e. another copy of the same board game) that time is cut down tremendously since I only have to do pictures and minor description edits.
So on average that's about 5 to 10 listings in an hour if I put my nose to the grindstone.
grann-4629
·5 months ago***********
inhawaii
·5 months ago5 minutes if I don't need to take photos.
10 minutes if I do need to take photos.
grann-4629
·5 months agoHope you make some profit ... your time is worth money.
btw ... ever heard 'Copperhead Road' by Steve Earle (hint) 🤭
jimw1776
·5 months agoI take pictures for about 10-15 new items, then clean them all up. Then I start listing. At that point, it still takes 10-15 min per listing w/ full description and measurements. Drives me crazy. Of course, timing could change depending on what I'm listing. But once I'm on a roll, with no distractions...I'm ok. Wish I could make the timing better
recordsetter
·5 months agosomethings just take more time to list ... it all depends on what your selling ...
if you sell postage stamps it should take only a minute a listing ...
if your selling 10" long diecast car models with opening doors and hoods can take 20+ minutes a listing ... lot more to clean, inspect, more pictures ... more time figuring out shipping
caldreamer
·5 months agoTakes me about 15-20 minutes to photograph, take measurements, write description and list. If you use a desktop computer, it is much easier to list. You don't need to fill in every item specific (only ones that pertain to your item). Most of them are ridiculous and will only confuse the customer if you fill in everything.
toomuchstuffagain35
·5 months agoI gave up on entering most IS except the especially specific ones for the item after seeing the offshore sellers spamming every single IS available, mostly with specifics NOT specific to their item in the least.
iamalwaysright
·5 months agoI only really just do the bare minimum with Item Specifics. Usually only the ones that eBay requires me to fill out. Not sure if that helps or hurts my listings. But it makes it that much easier to churn out another new listing using the “sell similar” function so I don’t have to keep changing all them selections around in the IS section.
Unavailable member
·5 months agoIt literally takes me a few seconds to list.
I have all my descriptions already written in word on my desk top along with images. All it takes is a copy paste, upload image. List and done!
dirk12955
·5 months agoI can't remember the last time I made a new listing from scratch.
The best thing on ebay when making a new listing is "Sell similar"
a_c_green
·5 months agoMe neither, and I agree that "Sell Similar" is a huge timesaver for generating new listings off of a similar older listing of mine. (Sell Similar on your own existing listing will bring in everything. The similar operation of "Sell One Like This" on someone else's listing as a source will get you only the title and Item Specifics, no photos or text.)
If you're in a niche market, such that you're selling the same (or similar) things over and over, then it's fairly quick to generate new listings from old. It's when you're listing something completely new to you that you might have to start from scratch. If you use someone else's listing as a source, be very careful to check every detail that comes in from that other seller. I often see other sellers using my listings as a source, and I sometimes get a giggle over details from my item that are all wrong for theirs.
I also keep all my old listing photos on the desktop here in individual folders, along with the listing text if there was some effort involved in writing it, because old inactive eBay listings go away after a few months. That way, if I turn up another example to sell of an item that I last sold in a previous year, I can grab my old files for it instead of having to re-invent the wheel each time.
dirk12955
·5 months agoIn the last 2 hours I made and ate breakfast, Loaded the dishwasher after putting away the clean dishes from last night, Gave myself my Insulin shots, Fed the dogs and
let them out to play, Visited with my Grandson, and,
Made 16 new listings.