How much should I charge this merchant to create her eBay listings?

[city*satins]

After years of dithering, I've retired from eBay for real.

A local consignment boutique owner sells high end items (clothing, jewelry, handbags, etc) and has started listing things on eBay but has already run into difficulties (time, poor photos, unattractive listings, measurements missing or even incorrect, important information not included) and has asked me to take over this for her.  She does not want me to manage the sales themselves, or shipping etc, in fact the items must remain in her store.   She just wants the listings to provide sufficient information in pictures and text and format to increase the likelihood of a sale and decrease the probability of a return. (she's already had a few problems)

The deal is that I come to her store a couple of days a week. I photograph, inspect, and measure items that we agree can fetch more on eBay than in her store. I take the info home, upload the pics and edit them, create draft listings in her eBay drafts folder, all formatted and ready to launch, then launch the listings once she's approved them.

We've done a few as kind of a 'let's see' and are ready to go ahead but are at a loss on how to price my work.  A percentage of the selling price isn't sensible, nor is an hourly rate (I don't think) She has suggested that I offer her a per-listing price (basically a piecework model) and I'm okay with that but I have really no idea what to propose.

Can anyone recommend an amount?  Like for instance $10 or $15 per listing?  Some take less than fifteen minutes to do, but some take as much as an hour (items with complex detail or multiple pieces )  Nothing I'd list for her would be priced at less than $75 and some would list for as much as $4,000.  But my payment would not depend on the item actually selling, just on it getting listed.

Thanks for your help.

[inhawaii]

I wouldn't do it.

It's just not a good idea. 

It's hard enough to sell and profit on ebay for ONE let alone TWO people.

Who is responsible for the taxes on these sales?

I've done it once or twice for friends or relatives.

What a pain in the butt.

[ittybitnot]

 I take the info home, upload the pics and edit them, create draft listings in her eBay drafts folder, all formatted and ready to launch, then launch the listings once she's approved them.

@city*satins 

Seems like you are on the right track for getting paid for your work.  Something to consider though, is I would NEVER EVER access that account (by signing in and placing drafts, etc.) from any of my devices or my internet connection.  There is the possibility, should the seller you are working for ever get in "ebay trouble" and get shut down, your accounts and/or anyone they can "link" to YOU will be shut down as well. 

You can do photo editing/descriptions from home, but I think it would be wise to take the info back to the seller's location, and use their computer and internet to access that account.  

[myboardid]

If I were doing it, I would charge by the hour.  You need to know that you will either be an employee, subject to the tax laws for such, or an independent contractor, depending on the laws of your state.  As an independent  contractor you will have to pay your own taxes and fees.  You have specialized skills she doesn't have and your expertise is valuable.  My fee would be at least $25/hr,  maybe more.   Will you be responsible for any problems should they arise (and they will!)

[divwido]

I wouldn't do it. 

And take NOTHING HOME. 

There's is too much cominngling, too much work, not enough money no matter how you slice it.  You do 110% for less than 100% of the money isn't enough.

I see more red flags than I'm comfortable with.

[wrong66]

Might be too late if they already did work at home on their computer.

[evry1nositswindy]

Exactly what @myboardid said.  An independent contractor is the way to go, getting paid for your time not per sale.  Is there a way to do the computer work there rather than at your home?  I have sold some things for my dad and I have to pay taxes on that income.  I also just had a problem with an INR on his items; luckily I hadn't already paid him, but if I had, he would owe me money!  Nothing good can come of this--no good deed goes unpunished as they say. 

[luckythewinner]

---

@city*satins wrote:

Can anyone recommend an amount?  Like for instance $10 or $15 per listing?

---

I would charge an hourly rate, and that includes the time spent "agreeing" on what should be sold.  Otherwise, you may find yourself with all the one-hour listings and her doing all the quick ones 🙂

And I would only do this if it is on her selling account. Otherwise it will be your 1099-K and your out-of-stock defects if you do not control the merchandise. 

And don't forget that under this arrangement, you are working for yourself so you will need to be paying self-employment taxes. So figure that into your hourly rate. 

[terrycece62]

Good luck if you decide to do this, I would not encourage you to do this, but it is your decision

I would charge store owner hourly rate $25 /hour at least seems reasonable making you a part time 2 day/week employee

[dhbookds]

would charge an hourly rate, and that includes the time spent "agreeing" on what should be sold

I agree with this part......you could end up  spending alot of time with her trying to decide what YOU will list........I'd make the rate high enough that it encourages HER to do the picking before you get there....with the agreement you can turn down some stuff....

Knowing myself,  I'd rather be paid on a per item listing as keeping up with time spent and also rate being high enough to encourage only higher end items......  If you do all the prep work for the listing under the hourly rate at the store........  It really shouldn't take that long to do the listings......

I'd probably try $20 an hr at the store and $10-12 per listing..........with the understanding that either of you may want to renegotiate after you see how it goes.........   

just my thoughts..........with absolutely no experience.........

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

@city*satins 

Just an idea as I was in a similar situation years ago.

Why don't you strike a deal like $10 for each listing you work on and have shop owner consign your items at only 10% commission? That way you have a genuine interest in the growth of this store.

     Agree with other posters that shop owners ebay account should only be at her store.

     Good luck to you.

[katzrul15]

Hourly rate - remember this person is paying for your knowledge and expertise, in addition to your time.

If you give away your intellectual capital for free, then free is all it is worth.

[city*satins]

Thank you everyone. You've all given me a number of things to think about before going any further with this merchant.

I'm aware of the income reporting requirement, especially since I have had to file income tax returns in both the US and Canada for my own eBay for the last 18 years, but I've never done a 'contract/part-time employee' scenario and clearly I'll need to talk with my accountant (darn! I thought I was finally done with expense this year!) to see what the effect will be of each model.

The seller account is the merchant's, but I have to say it never occurred to me that there was any possible negative impact of my using her account from my home location - given that she is currently at some risk due to some unsuccessful returns/cancelled sales, I should have realized that could affect my own eBay accounts if she is booted off. I don't plan to sell again, but it's a door I don't want to close by accident!

Thanks so much!

[ckimodog]

Definitely an hourly rate.  

[simply-the-best-for-you]

You're WAY off the mark on a per listing price.   Someone who is Ebay-famous was doing this for $2 per listing & that's someone was REALLY well known to Ebay & in the community.   I would think that $1/listing for someone without that Ebay clout.  I've never heard more than $2/listing.   Though hey, if you can get someone to pay you $10, more power to you.  They'd be WAY overpaying.  

I hate listing, so I have researched this over the years, but not in depth & I've never heard anything more than $2.   Personally, I'd think about a percentage, depending on her STR & how much you think you can improve it.  

As for accessing her acct, that's not a big deal anymore, as she can set you up as an employee & allow you to do certain tasks on her acct.