I only List On eBay When I can List For Free. Just Not Enough Sales To Justify A Listing Fee.

[etvideo1ataol]

I keep finding more and more places to list and they are all free and far more user friendly, like eBay used to be.

True, sales are not as much as on eBay, but there are sales and there is ONLY a FVF.

I recently got a 200 item Free Listing Special from eBay.  So far, 3 sales off it.  It takes a lot of listings on eBay to get a few sales.  If all the money you make goes for fees on what doesn't sell, why bother?  So, I just list when it is free to do so.  If that means only fifty a month, so be it.  Gives me more time to list somewhere else.

Also the reason eBay wants images at a certain size is for eBay.  My images are always big and clear, but I keep getting the notice that they should be a certain number of pixels for better results.  That would have my scanner running very slow and would not make my images any better.

I have come to believe that the requirement is for eBay's data mining.  They are collecting our images for their use and maybe even for selling.

A lot like what is going on at Facebook.  It's why I will never use the eBay HUB which has a BIG BROTHER feel to it.  Where eBay is watching everything we do.

[rainbowcolorz]

I understand the feeling.  However, in my situation, I've made lots of Internet eBay friends who are always looking to see if I have something they might like and if they checked out my selling ID and saw nothing at all listed, I would feel .... well, lonely.  It would almost be like having an empty house.   

So, I just "relisted" a few items that rolled off and paid the .30¢ each to list them and the other 8 or 9 items have about 4 more days before they roll off or are purchased. 

Then I went and put 2 of the 8 or 10 that remain in my unsolds, somewhere else and doubled the price.  I am pretty sure those will sell.  I just wish they had sold on eBay.  

[fuzzface50]

everybody watches you where ever you go.

even in b/m stores. we just put new cameras in our walmart store last year  where they actually take a picture of everyone at the registers besides the video one. They do this to get a clear picture of you instead of a grainy video. 

we also installed lots more cameras throughout our store in al;most all isles especially the high theft ones. i thought it was a waste of money but  maybe not. we went from losing $290,000 worth of inventory a year down to just $84,000 when we did our inventory count for our fiscal year.

[mistwomandancing]

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@etvideo1ataolwrote:..........I only List On eBay When I can List For Free. Just Not Enough Sales To Justify A Listing Fee.

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I'd say, "Whatever it takes, and However you need to do it."   If the merchandise a seller deals in is mostly priced on the low side, obviously it will take more to make Good Money dealing in it.   And if it then doesn't sell like hotcakes, it will obviously take many more listings to sell enough to make it worthwhile.   And if your merchandise isn't worth paying a listing fee on the chance it might sell, you are certainly the person to know that.

I see no reason for anyone to continue efforts that don't work well, so if you've found what works for you... that's a good thing.   Being in competition with the rest of the world online (not just on eBay.. but on the entire online world) means it's important to look at business from all angles and do what it takes to succeed.  Many sellers spread business out over several online sites, just as they had a variety of places they sold in their own hometown areas.   No problem there.   Good luck to you.

I use Seller Hub and love it, but if you don't then choose something else.

[luxe_beauty_4_less]

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@etvideo1ataolwrote:

I keep finding more and more places to list and they are all free and far more user friendly, like eBay used to be.

True, sales are not as much as on eBay, but there are sales and there is ONLY a FVF.

I recently got a 200 item Free Listing Special from eBay.  So far, 3 sales off it.  It takes a lot of listings on eBay to get a few sales.  If all the money you make goes for fees on what doesn't sell, why bother?  So, I just list when it is free to do so.  If that means only fifty a month, so be it.  Gives me more time to list somewhere else.

Also the reason eBay wants images at a certain size is for eBay.  My images are always big and clear, but I keep getting the notice that they should be a certain number of pixels for better results.  That would have my scanner running very slow and would not make my images any better.

I have come to believe that the requirement is for eBay's data mining.  They are collecting our images for their use and maybe even for selling.

A lot like what is going on at Facebook.  It's why I will never use the eBay HUB which has a BIG BROTHER feel to it.  Where eBay is watching everything we do.

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I'm curious as to why you are scanning photos?  Do you not have a camera that can bluetooth your photos to your computer?  Or maybe they can automatically upload the pic to a file sharing service that then automatically downloads them to a folder on your computer (MS One Drive, google, dropbox, etc).  

[retrose1]

I feel ya, but listing on ebay was never free, there was always a listing fee.  It has only been since Donahoe that ebay offered up listing specials.  I remember one year paying over a hundred in fees to ebay every month listing and fees were only about 4%.  Times have changed.

Sellers have to look at how saturated their chosen category is and how many buyers are interested in it.  My category is clothing and I often use Polo shirts as an example, there is always around a million of them listed at any given moment - but only around 250,000 of them sell in 3 months.   Sellers see the solds and what they sold for, but don't do the math.  Around 3/4 of them do NOT sell.

Sellers need to see the whole picture and then plan and expect it when it happens.  There are some items that always sell, often getting bidding wars, but the majority of merchandise on ebay does not.  If your item was mass marketed within the past 20 years, then there will be lots of them on ebay and most buyers don't want or care about them as styles and trends change.

As I said, for the most part, I sell newer used clothing on ebay, I do not expect to get more than 10% sales.  I might do better bringing my vintage back to ebay, but I have zero faith in ebay to protect me from buyers who do not understand the differences between vintage and their beloved mall stuff.

I list and sell on places other than ebay, and pay listing fees to do it.  But the security and buyers in those places more than make up for it.  A seller has to do the math and weigh the opportunities and sometimes find that paying to list might be a better option than waiting around for free.

[etvideo1ataol]

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@luxe_beauty_4_lesswrote:

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@etvideo1ataolwrote:

I keep finding more and more places to list and they are all free and far more user friendly, like eBay used to be.

True, sales are not as much as on eBay, but there are sales and there is ONLY a FVF.

I recently got a 200 item Free Listing Special from eBay.  So far, 3 sales off it.  It takes a lot of listings on eBay to get a few sales.  If all the money you make goes for fees on what doesn't sell, why bother?  So, I just list when it is free to do so.  If that means only fifty a month, so be it.  Gives me more time to list somewhere else.

Also the reason eBay wants images at a certain size is for eBay.  My images are always big and clear, but I keep getting the notice that they should be a certain number of pixels for better results.  That would have my scanner running very slow and would not make my images any better.

I have come to believe that the requirement is for eBay's data mining.  They are collecting our images for their use and maybe even for selling.

A lot like what is going on at Facebook.  It's why I will never use the eBay HUB which has a BIG BROTHER feel to it.  Where eBay is watching everything we do.

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I'm curious as to why you are scanning photos?  Do you not have a camera that can bluetooth your photos to your computer?  Or maybe they can automatically upload the pic to a file sharing service that then automatically downloads them to a folder on your computer (MS One Drive, google, dropbox, etc).  

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Much of what I list is flat. VHS tape covers. LP covers, ,magazines, books etc.  I use a camera for those things that are not.  I have a large format scanner 12x18 inches and a program that really makes things look great.  In addition, I can set it up where it will scan several items at the same time, but individually.  Saves a lot of time cropping later.

I used to used Photobucket until they jacked up their price big time.  Now I just use eBay's photo service.  The computer that I use for scanning uses Windows 95, but it's not connected to the web.  Doesn't even have USB, so I use Zip discs to get the pictures out.

I have 10 items left on my 50 free that I will use up on Sunday.  I have one VHS listing that sold for $100.00 and I am hoping mine will do that same.  It has 6 watchers.  I was forced to make the BIN price $30.00 higher by eBay.  Wish I could have made it $10.00, it would have sold by now.  So, I will lose out on an extra $10.00 and eBay will get a smaller FVF because of they greed.  Some here have heard this complaint from be before, but I am still angry at all the sales I have lost or were paid less for because eBay raised the BIN requirement from 10% to 30%.  Now, I only get BIN sales on auctions of $5.00 items.  Just can't find a lot of buyers willing to blow 30% more to get  something a few days sooner.  Lot's were willing to add 10% to do that.

[luckythewinner]

I only List On eBay When I can List For Free.  Just Not Enough Sales To Justify A Listing Fee.

I agree 100%.

True, sales are not as much as on eBay, but there are sales and there is ONLY a FVF.

I gave up on all those sites because 1 sale for every 100 I get on eBay was not worth the effort. But just like on eBay, every seller is different so you go with what works.

It takes a lot of listings on eBay to get a few sales.

I find that depends almost entirely on your inventory. I have a few items that sell within a day or two every time I list them, and others that sell once a year if I am lucky.

And I have a whole lot of 'stale' inventory that sells sloely but steadily - but when I list 500 of them, there is no way to guess which 25 will be the ones that sell this time.

[retrose1]

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@etvideo1ataolwrote:

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Much of what I list is flat. VHS tape covers. LP covers, ,magazines, books etc.  I use a camera for those things that are not.  

I have 10 items left on my 50 free that I will use up on Sunday.  I have one VHS listing that sold for $100.00 and I am hoping mine will do that same.  It has 6 watchers.  I was forced to make the BIN price $30.00 higher by eBay.  Wish I could have made it $10.00, it would have sold by now.  So, I will lose out on an extra $10.00 and eBay will get a smaller FVF because of they greed.  Some here have heard this complaint from be before, but I am still angry at all the sales I have lost or were paid less for because eBay raised the BIN requirement from 10% to 30%.  Now, I only get BIN sales on auctions of $5.00 items.  Just can't find a lot of buyers willing to blow 30% more to get  something a few days sooner.  Lot's were willing to add 10% to do that.

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I faced the fact a long time ago, even before ebay did the 30% more BIN, that on common items with little cult deman- BIN is the way to go and auctions will cost you a lot more sales than the 30% will.

The buyers that ebay has brought to the site now are mall shoppers, they want their stuff now.  They do not want to wait 5 or 6 days to find out they won the item they are looking for - especially when ebay shows them lots of others that they can get shipped out that day.  And usually less than your BIN price.

I still do some auctions - in fact I have a few running right now.  But I do not have a BIN attached to them as I know that there is a following for those particular items and the price can vary widely.  Since I got them for a good price, why risk leaving money on the table by putting a BIN on it, so it's a real auction and if it sells for min bid, then maybe my research was wrong and I'll use BIN on them if I list them again.

But as I said in my earlier post, if the items were mass marketed within the past 20 years, unless there is a cult following, just listing BIN for the price you want for it will get you more sales on ebay, because there is a lot of common stuff on ebay.

[etvideo1ataol]

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@retrose1wrote:

I feel ya, but listing on ebay was never free, there was always a listing fee.  It has only been since Donahoe that ebay offered up listing specials.  I remember one year paying over a hundred in fees to ebay every month listing and fees were only about 4%.  Times have changed.

Sellers have to look at how saturated their chosen category is and how many buyers are interested in it.  My category is clothing and I often use Polo shirts as an example, there is always around a million of them listed at any given moment - but only around 250,000 of them sell in 3 months.   Sellers see the solds and what they sold for, but don't do the math.  Around 3/4 of them do NOT sell.

Sellers need to see the whole picture and then plan and expect it when it happens.  There are some items that always sell, often getting bidding wars, but the majority of merchandise on ebay does not.  If your item was mass marketed within the past 20 years, then there will be lots of them on ebay and most buyers don't want or care about them as styles and trends change.

As I said, for the most part, I sell newer used clothing on ebay, I do not expect to get more than 10% sales.  I might do better bringing my vintage back to ebay, but I have zero faith in ebay to protect me from buyers who do not understand the differences between vintage and their beloved mall stuff.

I list and sell on places other than ebay, and pay listing fees to do it.  But the security and buyers in those places more than make up for it.  A seller has to do the math and weigh the opportunities and sometimes find that paying to list might be a better option than waiting around for free.

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Yes, it was never free, but it was 5 cents and I listed thousands of items at 5 cents each because MOST sold.  But those days are long gone.

I don't have merchandise, I have stuff, stuff acquired over 76 years that I don't need and maybe never needed.  Some, I just inherited, or was given to me.  I have no need to go out looking for things to list.

Happily, eBay provides me with regular free listing specials.  I have 250 listings right now and every one was list free.  20 sales this month so far.  About half that many other places.

I have found sites that specialize.  One does music, another books, still another videos.  And then there are those that do everything.

Not sure I will still be on eBay when I can no longer use Turbo Lister.  Won't use the HUB, I like controlling my listings and eBay doesn't need to know what I am working on until I list it.

Had two sales yesterday, one newly listed and one a regular relist.  Nothing today so far, but Thursday's are slow for me.  One of the 250 has a bid.  Somebody else not willing to add 30% to get it sooner and it is just a $10.00 item.

[tunicaslot]

Glad to hear you are branching out and hope things pick up for you! I've started using a couple of other venues more frequently - so far only one sale - so the bulk of my listings will remain here until I see improvement elsewhere.

As far as pics ect - it's their playground. Takes me twice as long to list on another site due to their glitches - you think you have the listing set but you may have to reset your zip code - which means you have to set up the shipping again and then you have to be careful about your pricing - because move your mouse an inch and the price readjusts. So all sites have those little problems which are annoying.

[etvideo1ataol]

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@retrose1wrote:

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@etvideo1ataolwrote:

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Much of what I list is flat. VHS tape covers. LP covers, ,magazines, books etc.  I use a camera for those things that are not.  

I have 10 items left on my 50 free that I will use up on Sunday.  I have one VHS listing that sold for $100.00 and I am hoping mine will do that same.  It has 6 watchers.  I was forced to make the BIN price $30.00 higher by eBay.  Wish I could have made it $10.00, it would have sold by now.  So, I will lose out on an extra $10.00 and eBay will get a smaller FVF because of they greed.  Some here have heard this complaint from be before, but I am still angry at all the sales I have lost or were paid less for because eBay raised the BIN requirement from 10% to 30%.  Now, I only get BIN sales on auctions of $5.00 items.  Just can't find a lot of buyers willing to blow 30% more to get  something a few days sooner.  Lot's were willing to add 10% to do that.

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I faced the fact a long time ago, even before ebay did the 30% more BIN, that on common items with little cult deman- BIN is the way to go and auctions will cost you a lot more sales than the 30% will.

The buyers that ebay has brought to the site now are mall shoppers, they want their stuff now.  They do not want to wait 5 or 6 days to find out they won the item they are looking for - especially when ebay shows them lots of others that they can get shipped out that day.  And usually less than your BIN price.

I still do some auctions - in fact I have a few running right now.  But I do not have a BIN attached to them as I know that there is a following for those particular items and the price can vary widely.  Since I got them for a good price, why risk leaving money on the table by putting a BIN on it, so it's a real auction and if it sells for min bid, then maybe my research was wrong and I'll use BIN on them if I list them again.

But as I said in my earlier post, if the items were mass marketed within the past 20 years, unless there is a cult following, just listing BIN for the price you want for it will get you more sales on ebay, because there is a lot of common stuff on ebay.

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Sometimes a Free Listing special is Auction only.  When It not, I use BIN on those things I know the value of.  The last 200 special allowed a BIN, so all 200 are BIN.

Things that I don't know the value of, usually start as an Auction.  Most of what is ending on Sunday is from another special.  They ran for 30 days.  That was a 50 item special.  13 of them sold.

I feel like there has been a small increase in sales because of the economy, at least in higher price items, but others say they don't see it.

[retrose1]

OP, I totally understand your distaste for ebay data mining your information I have it too. 

But you have to face the fact that everyplace you go and everything you do is data mined by the company and used to manipulate you into giving them more business.  Even something as innocuous as asking for your zip code when you check out, or paying for your purchases with a credit card.

Our grocery sends our house coupons every month, and they are tailored to what we buy.  A friend of mine gets the coupon mailer and her coupons are totally different than ours because they are tailored for her shopping habits.

A person can not stop data mining - what they need to do is recognize when it is being used to manipulate you into doing what the company wnats.

[etvideo1ataol]

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@retrose1wrote:

OP, I totally understand your distaste for ebay data mining your information I have it too. 

But you have to face the fact that everyplace you go and everything you do is data mined by the company and used to manipulate you into giving them more business.  Even something as innocuous as asking for your zip code when you check out, or paying for your purchases with a credit card.

Our grocery sends our house coupons every month, and they are tailored to what we buy.  A friend of mine gets the coupon mailer and her coupons are totally different than ours because they are tailored for her shopping habits.

A person can not stop data mining - what they need to do is recognize when it is being used to manipulate you into doing what the company wnats.

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eBay is constantly asking me if I am still interested in something because I looked at it.  I research things that I list in sold items.

The thing is, what they are asking if I am still interested are often what I also have listed.

[chrysylys]

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@retrose1wrote:

Our grocery sends our house coupons every month, and they are tailored to what we buy.  A friend of mine gets the coupon mailer and her coupons are totally different than ours because they are tailored for her shopping habits.

A person can not stop data mining -

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 --  but you can curtail it by not giving more information than required.

My grocery stores have no idea who I am or where I live.