Best way to sell bigger ticket items for a friend

[tecton7777]

I've been helping a friend sell some collectible game cards.  Not too much money - largest sale about $300, & so I just write a check to him, minus the fees & shipping.  I don't mind if I pay taxes on it since it's small. 

However he dug up something that's worth a lot more than that, and I would prefer the money go directly to him.   I spent a long time searching, but couldn't find a good answer on using my ebay account but his bank account as a second account.  I suspect that's not possible but......  

Simplest might be for me to just open his own account on ebay and I'd just do the legwork for him.  Downside there is he'll have zero feedback and will be selling some expensive stuff.  Is there any way to add his bank account to my ebay account, alongside my own?  Probably not, but thought perhaps one of you has experience and/or advice with this.

Thanks!

[whattheactualfox]

Sadly, you can only have one bank account per user account. Now if you want to keep it simple. When the funds are deposited to your account, just send it over to him via PayPal or Zelle (Banks use Zelle and it makes it easy to send funds)

[caldreamer]

When you sell stuff for your friend....that creates a tax liability for you.    Remember everything gets reported to under SS#.   You cannot add your friend's bank account to your EBAY account (again because of tax purposes).

Also what happens if you sell this "high value" item for your friend (and then pay him) and then customer "reverse credit card charges" later on.   You would get stuck holding the bag.   EBAY does NOT help if you get scammed.

Just be a good friend and give him advice how to setup him own account.   

[katzrul15]

The taxable income would be yours as e-Bay and the IRS sees these transactions as yours.

The bank account attached has to match the account user info exactly, so unfortunately, it would not work.  You are allowed 1 checking account to be attached to your Seller account at a time.

Would not recommend a new user ID try to tackle high-dollar items and he would have selling limits per month with 21 day payout holds, etc.  Likely would not work. 

You can create an agreement between the 2 of you and be compensated for your work, taxes and exposure. 

Good luck.  I stopped selling for others a long time ago.  If you proceed, make sure you have an agreement in writing. 

[1grandmashope_1]

@tecton7777 

Can't do the tandem bank account thing. 

My hope is that you are careful.  High ticket items can be a target for scammers. 

I would hate for you to lose a friendship over this.

In my honest opinion,  it is never a good idea to sell for others. There are too many possible problems that may arise that might not even have to do with scams. 

With that said, I hope that whatever you decide that it all works out for the both of you. 

Best moving forward,

Grandma 

[eleanor*rigby]

---

@caldreamer wrote:

When you sell stuff for your friend....that creates a tax liability for you.    Remember everything gets reported to under SS#.   You cannot add your friend's bank account to your EBAY account (again because of tax purposes).

Also what happens if you sell this "high value" item for your friend (and then pay him) and then customer "reverse credit card charges" later on.   You would get stuck holding the bag.   EBAY does

---

Not to mention the 180-day return/refund window offered by PayPal if the buyer chooses to pay with that option. Or the INAD return of an empty box, or a box of rocks or whatever. 

@tecton7777 

Bad idea. Too many ways for this deal to go south. Good way to ruin a friendship or end up in small claims court. 

[lamber9347]

@tecton7777 The unavailability to add a second bank account has been addressed, so I wanted to post about selling for a friend. Others are advising you not do to this for all valid reasons, however you strike me as already being in the know. You seem perfectly aware of the fees involved and the tax reporting. 

I have been selling for other friends of mine, up to six now, for a long time with absolutely no issues. No loss of friendships, no loss of anything really. My friends are fully aware of how things work when selling online, mostly because I keep them informed. I do keep 20% for my troubles plus deduct all fees associated. I keep excellent spreadsheets for each person individually, with all fees listed. They get money for items they no longer want/need, so they are good. I rarely get returns and if I did, my friends understand the original item may be lost in the return process and they are good with that. There is no time limit in my paying them either. 

So just wanted you to hear another voice saying, you can continue to sell for your friend and all will be just fine. I only want to emphasize the communication has to be about everything, and write it all down for them to see. Best of luck to you....

[toysaver]

Cards are a big scam item.  I don't recommend a payout to him until the all clear retrun / refund period has passed.  New packs will be opened, any valuable cards removed and the buyer will make up a story.   I hope this friendship does not end badly.

"Best way to sell bigger ticket items for a friend"

DON'T

[lightlily_arts]

I would have your friend set up his own account.  He can start by selling some lower priced items until he can establish himself as a good seller before moving his higher ticketed items.  It just doesn't work out for you to be saddled with charge backs or the taxes.

[soh.maryl]

The simplest way to do this is for him to have his own account which you would help him open.  Then you would be his guide.  And you do not let him list that very expensive item until you are confident that he knows what he is doing.  As a new seller, eBay might not let him list it first anyway.

It's understandable that you would want to help your friend, but it's time to cut the cord.  This is for your own safety as well as to help him gain knowledge and become a confident seller.  

[postingid7659]

Having a new to eBay member start selling expensive items is a recipe for disaster.  He'll draw every scammer from New York to Los Angeles.  

The ONLY good way to do this is you buy the items from your friend and sell them as though they are yours.  I would pay no more than 50% of what they will bring on eBay.   That lets you make about a 35% profit on them.   

[eleanor*rigby]

Just feel like I should add that if you decide to help your friend open his own eBay account, use HIS computer. Don't invite him over to set up an account on YOUR device. eBay associates accounts based on the IP address, meaning if his account goes south, so does yours (and vice versa).

[craft-stash]

JUST say NO!

And light up💨

[bbravo65]

...keep your friendship staying away from money if you really wanted to have a true best friend until the last days of your life...

...any moment you can earn some bucks from "helping" your friends, that friendship is no longer in purity...

...as most the above posters suggested, help your friend to learn how to sell on eBay with your experiences...explain every thing, the positives and negatives, the good and bad, the pretty and ugly, what to get and what to lose, happy days and lost of sleep nights...

..."la vie on rose" on eBay but also "les miserables"...

[aproudparent2010]

Please keep in mind buyers have 6 months on PayPal to come back for a refund. If  a few months down the road a buyer opens a case for refund are you going to just take the hit or will your friend be willing to give the money back?