Selling a food item that you don't have in stock.

[inhawaii]

I sell some food items.  It's risky because some times if the product doesn't sell quickly enough and expires, I'm stuck with it. Not that big of a deal because it's usually something I enjoy eating.  😃

Today I ran across a seller selling a similar item as me, but in his/her disclaimer it basically says that the item is not on hand and will be purchased and shipped AFTER it sells.  This is to "ensure freshness".  Does eBay allow that?

[bubbleman2010]

ebay doesn't care unless you can't fullfill the order dropshippers have nothing on hand and really no reason for food sellers to...

[myboardid]

Yes, they do!  You don't have to have the item in your prosession to sell it, but you'd better have a quick source so you can get it to the buyer within the estimated delivery window. 

[city*satins]

Yes, it's allowed but depending on the time between the order and order fulfillment, it may be governed by eBay's policy regarding "presales"

Here's a link to it:

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-policies/presale-listings-policy?id=4252&st=3&pos=1&query...

[bubbleman2010]

I know a couple ladies that have a entire grocery store listed. It is stocked every Thursday night starting at 8 pm and goes on all night long. They are there on Friday filling their carts and spend Sat. and Sun. boxing orders. Hard way to make a buck,but gives them something to do....

[inhawaii]

Hardly seems fair but oh well.  I think i'm going to add to my listing that my items are IN STOCK  and ready to ship the next day ... and my competitors are not. 

[bubbleman2010]

No one reads and they won't care you're dealing in a race to the basement pricing category and all they are interested in is cheap,cheap,cheap. The gals I know involved clip coupons to help beat the other sellers...

[bubbleman2010]

I took a cow to market this morning the packages will all be marked not for resale and if the beef eaters of the world knewwhat the actual cost was they'd be screaming at their grocery store. By the time my kids get done raiding the freezer about all I'll have left is hamburgar...

[duggmills]

If I were interested in the food product I might look at it in my local store to get a flavor of what current shelf life is and then ask the seller if their's was the same date.

If it's Hostess Twinkies, no worries because "back when" shelf life was only limited by the glue on the packaging....

One kind'a wonders how good something might be if it won't sustain bacterial life. Fungus will thrive on anything including marine diesel fuel in the tropics of the South Pacific.... like Bougainville Island in the Solomons  - the birth place of Cargo Religion or Cargo Cult.

[sockmonkeydave]

@bubbleman2010

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@bubbleman2010wrote:

I took a cow to market this morning the packages will all be marked not for resale and if the beef eaters of the world knewwhat the actual cost was they'd be screaming at their grocery store. By the time my kids get done raiding the freezer about all I'll have left is hamburgar...

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I took a cow to market today... and I sold her for 3 magick beans.

[inhawaii]

People don't read.  Good point.  LOL

I'll never forget one of the first things i ever sold on ebay was an EXPIRED Ruths Chris gift card.  The titles said it was expired. The whole listing talked about the card beign expired. "I checked with my local Ruths Chris and they said they would still accept the card. Please check with your local Ruths Chris before bidding."  There was even a picture of the expired card that showed the expiration date. 

Some lady won it and immediately after receiving it messaged me "EXCUSE ME, THIS CARD IS EXPIRED!"

[bubbleman2010]

If it were me and living in Hawaii I'd be selling lava rocks for firepits and grills. Lage flat rate boxful triple the shipping costs and ship for free. I used to sell geodes,but they put the hammer down and no more geode picking up on public property...

[bubbleman2010]

Use the god or godess of Kookalackawacha angle in your sales pitch..

[duggmills]

When we were living in Hawaii on the big island in Kona I thought of setting up a booth on Hwy 19 between the airport and town to sell white spray paint, white painted lava rocks and black markers and paint for the tourists to  write their initials and messages in the black lava fields for others as others  have done for years and for everyone to see.... yes, it's  against county rules.

[sockmonkeydave]

@bubbleman2010

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@bubbleman2010wrote:

If it were me and living in Hawaii I'd be selling lava rocks for firepits and grills. Lage flat rate boxful triple the shipping costs and ship for free. I used to sell geodes,but they put the hammer down and no more geode picking up on public property...

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My biz partner lives on the gulf coast, fine white sand, great for sand blasting.

Other than the fact you can't take sand from the beach.

The shipping would have killed us.