Trouble selling my first item - any feedback?

[i_sell_good_things]

Hello!

So I have decided to start reselling on ebay as of a few weeks ago, but i still have not got any sales. I have 9 items listed, they are all DVDs and video games. I have dropped the prices on pretty much every item to be competitive. If someone experienced could look at my items (my username is i_sell_good_things) and give me some feedback, I would be so grateful! Also, I live in Canada and was wondering how much of a handicap that is for selling on ebay.

Thank you so much

[gone.c-33]

Your first handicap will be selling DVDs. Unless you’re talking rare, out of print movies not available to stream or download anywhere, most people can’t get rid of them for $1 each.

Being from Canada, your shipping costs will also be detrimental, especially when selling such low cost items. I would suggest diversifying your items, maybe finding some that would make the shipping costs worthwhile.

[simba6]

Your prices are in line with other sales.  Sales have been slowing down here.  Other than more price cuts, you will just have to wait for sales to happen.  A wider line of merchandise can also help.

[i_sell_good_things]

What exactly do you mean by sales have been slowing down? Also, do sales get easier when you have a few under your belt?

[i_sell_good_things]

I'm pretty picky with what i pick up, plus by DVDs i more mean DVD sets (seasons of tv shows). Ive also been lucky to find alot of them new. Do you know if selling gets easier once you start getting sales under your belt?

[aeparts1]

Selling, in any shape or form, is NEVER easy, no matter how many sales you have under your belt. It is always a grind.

[i_sell_good_things]

Thanks, good to know. I have just a couple of questions.  I promote my items at 2.2%, Is their anything i can do besides lowering prices to get a sale or more views? If you have sold video games and DVDs in the past, do you have an expected length of time for it to sit before selling? How many views do you expect to get, again on DVDs and video games,  before selling? Thanks for helping out!

[tobaccocardyahoo]

DVDs have dropped in marketability to the point that Best Buy will cease offering DVDs and BluRays after this holiday season.

My wife brought home a DVD from our public library. I refused to get off the sofa to put it in the player. I did a Roku search and watched the movie on Pluto. There was so little interest that the ads were minimal.

Your shipping costs will put off some buyers even if cost+ shipping is competitive. And some buyers are concerned about duties and slow Canada Post shipping.

[reallynicestamps]

Best to ask your questions on dotCA where we all face the same shipping problems.

Basically the demand for CDs and DVDs has dropped so far that the thrift stores don't even put them near the counter any more, never mind behind it. Nobody is stealing them.

And your competition is buying by the pallet, not singly or in small job lots. So there's that.

I'd suggest using Free Shipping and don't bother tracking.

DON'T PANIC!

Free Shipping means you move your costs for shipping and packaging into your asking price.

Which is cheaper a $20 DVD with $17.80 shipping or a $37.50 DVD with Free Shipping?
How about a $25 DVD with Free Shipping or a $39.99 DVD with Free Shipping?

The $25 offer is untracked-- which is actually not allowed by Canada Post for international shipping.

I'm looking at your listings from Vancouver Island, and you could ship LetterMail for under five dollars . Under $15 if you used Registered Mail.

Tracking is a Seller Protection.

Our southern neighbours have a fetish for tracking, but if you use Cookie Jar Insurance (long story), you will find that most people are honest and Not Received claims are few and far between.

Go commando and save money.

The occasional loss will be offset by more sales and cheaper shipping costs .

[slippinjimmy]

@i_sell_good_things 

Here are some issues, some are minor and some are major (in no particular order)

1 - You need to learn how to crop your images.

2 - DVD's are a hard sell, hardly anyone want them anymore unless there is something special about them

3 - Your shipping charges to the US are high, at least high compared to what US sellers charge

4 - The total price when you include US shipping are high

5 - Your tag line about disinfecting? What's that about? I think you should get rid of it

6 - You are in Canada, you ship to Canada BUT you don't show a shipping amount to Canada which means your listings will be buried in Search for Canadian buyers and for common stuff buyers will just pick another listing rather than ask how much.

To get sales you need in demand items and have the lowest or close to lowest pricing, right now you don't have either.

[ckimodog]

@i_sell_good_things 

Selling certain items that are in a very saturated venue is never easy.  You have lots of competition.  I don't think it matters if you're in Canada or Timbuktu.  There are lots of buyers in Canada and if you have something people want, they'll buy it. 

Focus on your prices, the condition of the item and your shipping costs.  It's been a very difficult year for many sellers due to so many reasons, especially economical.  Grant it this is just my opinion.  My thoughts are people are purchasing essentials and putting the extras on the back burner.  At least for now.  

Just keep listing & stay positive.

Happy Selling and Welcome back!

[frankenhobbit]

Also, Remember that eBay fees are calculated on the item plus shipping plus tax.

So when your shipping is that high a part of the total price, it has a disproportional effect on your margin.  The best way to shift those type of items now is to bundle them so that the shipping becomes a smaller part of the total cost to the buyer.

As for the product, not sure DVD's is the way to go. Goodwill stores here literally have  bins full of DVD's at $1.19 a pound. They stay there. Even sealed ones. Unless it is niche or rare, it's not worth the hassle. Even BluRays are sold by the pound now. 

[luckythewinner]

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@i_sell_good_things wrote:

Thanks, good to know. I have just a couple of questions.  I promote my items at 2.2%, Is their anything i can do besides lowering prices to get a sale or more views? If you have sold video games and DVDs in the past, do you have an expected length of time for it to sit before selling? How many views do you expect to get, again on DVDs and video games,  before selling? Thanks for helping out!

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No one can tell you how long it will take or how many views it will get before a buyer clicks the "Buy" button.

Retailers spend countless hours and countless millions of dollars trying to figure out buyer demand, and they get it wrong and go out of business all the time.

If all it took to make money on eBay was to list an item and wait an "expected length of time", then everyone would be rich. 

[i_sell_good_things]

Thanks everyone!

[moondogblues]

Just adding that Law and Order (the original) is being shown on a station here in Oregon.  The commercials are annoying but it's free.