eBay

getitright1234 · ‎08-07-2017

At present my average priced item is $25-$30. As I watch some other sellers, the $8-$12 sellers appear to be cleaning up. Its time to look around the house to see what I can list in "that" price range. I, now want my store to be at least 30% filled with $8-$12 items which is something I really was not interested in the past.

klassic*kids · ‎08-07-2017

My average cost is exactly as you say $8 - $12. The only problem with that price range is the profit margins are pretty small and you need to sell in quantity to really make any money. The past couple of days sales were pretty good, but when it's slow and sales are trinkling in s-l-o-w-l-y then you aren't making any money.

I wish for the exact opposite of you, I'd like my inventory to be higher cost items.

Either way, regardless of price the widget still needs to be something that is in demand to sell well. Good Luck!

Happy 2018! May this upcoming year be a prosperous one!

luckythewinner · ‎08-07-2017

What's Your Average Selling Price?

That's a bit like asking "do you own a bicycle or a dump truck"? It really depends upon what business you are in.

But that being said, the vast majority of my items are between $6 and $30, and the vast majority of those cost me between $0 and $1 to acquire.

retrose1 · ‎08-07-2017

Average price depends on what you are selling. I could sell a million gold bars between $8-12 but I would be losing money.

To spend lots of time on data collecting and analyzing that data, can be a total waste of time if you are looking at just one aspect of that data. I made changes when I analyzed data I observed and did not even look at the price. I looked at the subcategories that were selling and figured out why they were selling. Only then did I look at price to see if I could aquire that merchandise at a price that could profit me.

You make your money when you buy. Over the weekend I bought a car load of vintage clothing from the 60s-80s for a quarter a piece. It doesn't matter what I sell each piece for, I'm going to be making money. After a quick look through, one piece is worth a $100, several others are around $50 (if I sell one I broke even), many more around $20, so if the rest sell for $5 - 10 each, I'll still be making out like a CEO with a golden parachute. So why should I shoot for an average?

And always keep in mind the buyers that are using the site you are selling on. The vintage clothing I just bought is going on a site that specialzes in vintage, the buyers expect the sellers to know what they have and to be able to describe the quality properly and so will pay more. ebay buyers are mall shoppers looking for a bargain. Which is why my vintage goes on the other site and I only list cheap mall merchandise on ebay.

(*Bleep*)

dhbookds · ‎08-07-2017

Depends on what you want. If part of the equation is keeping busy.....more sales at lower prices could certainly be a key.....presuming, of course that the acquisition costs are very low.... so you do make a decent profit. But by your "definition", selling more is even better at $3.99, 1.99...... The real question is: IS that item..really worth your time after subtracting all the costs of selling?

With "around the house items" and presumably no real costs since you've "used" the items and gotten the worth out of the original price.....anything you get back can be welcomed. But if you are buying items, to me, shooting for $20-30 selling point or above is definitely more lucrative AND you will end up with some items that won't fit that price range which will necessarily be listed for less or donated back.

For those with a total goal of profit......the one thing I see happen is trying to buy cheap and then sell cheap and ending up with alot of non sellers......and making only $1 or 2 an item for those that do sell. When you start........selling/making any profit is fun... After a while, when it becomes work......that $1-2 profit seems too little for the effort involved.

As some say........the profit is when you buy, but if you sell 100 a month x $10....so $1000 x 80% "profit"=$800..... (figuring all costs in )......... is that worth your time to list/ship/list 100 more to maintain inventory? The answer will be different for different people.......

just my thoughts

u_cant_take_it_with_u · ‎08-07-2017

@getitright1234 wrote:
At present my average priced item is $25-$30. As I watch some other sellers, the $8-$12 sellers appear to be cleaning up. Its time to look around the house to see what I can list in "that" price range. I, now want my store to be at least 30% filled with $8-$12 items which is something I really was not interested in the past.

Ten-twelve years ago, that would have been a great plan. You would have had the THEN high bidder/buyer count, to compensate what you would lose with a lower profit margin. Not the case, with the ebay of 2017. Horrible search engine, changing buyer trends, and copious examples of the personified "bargain shopper", are all working against you. You will likely be disappointed with the end results of your strategy. I tried same, in March...It was like straightening the deckchairs on the Titanic...

siayan · ‎08-07-2017

@getitright1234 wrote:
At present my average priced item is $25-$30. As I watch some other sellers, the $8-$12 sellers appear to be cleaning up. Its time to look around the house to see what I can list in "that" price range. I, now want my store to be at least 30% filled with $8-$12 items which is something I really was not interested in the past.

Don't know what you sell but the $10 to $20 items are the bread and butter for me. If it is nothing to aquire and ships first class or flat rate its a piece of cake. BUT without those $50 to $100 items it is tough to keep the monthly $$$$ up. That's the icing. Need 20 to 30 of those a month

____________________________________________________________________
Prov 20:14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

thatsallfolks · ‎08-07-2017

@getitright1234 wrote:
At present my average priced item is $25-$30. As I watch some other sellers, the $8-$12 sellers appear to be cleaning up. Its time to look around the house to see what I can list in "that" price range. I, now want my store to be at least 30% filled with $8-$12 items which is something I really was not interested in the past.

How is a seller's average selling price relevant if their goal is to make money?

odditiesandantiquities1 · ‎08-07-2017

@getitright1234 wrote:
At present my average priced item is $25-$30. As I watch some other sellers, the $8-$12 sellers appear to be cleaning up. Its time to look around the house to see what I can list in "that" price range. I, now want my store to be at least 30% filled with $8-$12 items which is something I really was not interested in the past.

I sell items in the higher end of pricing so I generaly go on a percentage price for eac sale.

divwido · ‎08-07-2017

on eBay about $ 8 to $ 15. Unless I'm selling off old inventory cheap.

Good Moms let you lick the Beaters.

Great Moms turn them off first.

sharingtheland · ‎08-07-2017

Since the first of the month my sales prices have ranged from $25 to $250, with most well above $25. I sold two items "from my closet" for around $12 each but I did that only because they were uber easy to list, pack and ship, weighed around 3-6 ounces and I had the photos from long ago.

I spend more for inventory now but I make more. I realize buying something for $1 and selling it for $8 seems like a very high % return but not after fees and shipping and time and all that.

Not being snarky; just how I'm playing the game lately and I've played it many different ways over the years. The $250 item was in a lot of 3 that I paid around $100 for less than a month ago; I've sold 2 of the 3 and the 3rd is going to go soon. It took me the same amount of time to list those 3 as it would have to list 3 other anythings and I knew they would sell quickly for $$$ because I had done the research.

Of course, my shipping department is not happy with some of the, um, larger oddly shaped items I list lately that he has to pack up.

(I realize some will tear my math apart but whatever) (works for me) (currently)

Sherry

=^.^= =^.^=
( ) ( )
" " =^.^= " "

pantlandia · ‎08-07-2017

Currently a couple of bucks. It's all I can do right now due to space issues.

pingpong517 · ‎08-07-2017

@getitright1234 wrote:
At present my average priced item is $25-$30. As I watch some other sellers, the $8-$12 sellers appear to be cleaning up. Its time to look around the house to see what I can list in "that" price range. I, now want my store to be at least 30% filled with $8-$12 items which is something I really was not interested in the past.

you say the $8-$12 sellers are cleaning up? well are your prices realistic? Are you comparing the same things...same items/condition? apples to apples....

not knowing what you are selling... no one can say what exactly, so you will get a supply and demand, guns vs butter, prffit margin economics talk here.

I would only say in gereral: your store should have a rang of item with prices... some high end , some middle..and some lower...BUT all with enough profit in them to make it work.... changing with demand or economic conditions is something to always watch... buyer may want to spend less, not want the higher quality item/price... (all depending on catagory and items--of course)... so it maybe things have changed... and then you get into the amount needed to sell at lower prices vs higher price....and are you in the volume sales or want to just keep a steady number ...

some will say the chinese are responsible for alot of the low priced **bleep** on ebay...maybe so, but if i'm going to generalize here , I'd just say thay make a great stir fryed chicken with cashews dinner plate.

I think it is just more online competition from all sorces--ebay sellers/amazon/ as well as walmart, etc.... easier to look around for lower prices, free shipping is a big deal(as we all know)....

And last is the category and items --- change demand, increase in sellers, buyer wants/and do wants... money to spend.... it all keeps revolving( and yes there are some thing thta do fine no matter what, but not talking about that.)...

keziak · ‎08-07-2017

@retrose1 wrote:
Average price depends on what you are selling. I could sell a million gold bars between $8-12 but I would be losing money.

To spend lots of time on data collecting and analyzing that data, can be a total waste of time if you are looking at just one aspect of that data. I made changes when I analyzed data I observed and did not even look at the price. I looked at the subcategories that were selling and figured out why they were selling. Only then did I look at price to see if I could aquire that merchandise at a price that could profit me.

You make your money when you buy. Over the weekend I bought a car load of vintage clothing from the 60s-80s for a quarter a piece. It doesn't matter what I sell each piece for, I'm going to be making money. After a quick look through, one piece is worth a $100, several others are around $50 (if I sell one I broke even), many more around $20, so if the rest sell for $5 - 10 each, I'll still be making out like a CEO with a golden parachute. So why should I shoot for an average?

Just curious, did you get the clothing from an estate sale? Is it easy or hard to find vintage clothing still in good condition? (not a competitor asking, I sell books).

retrose1 · ‎08-07-2017

@keziak wrote:
@retrose1 wrote:
Average price depends on what you are selling. I could sell a million gold bars between $8-12 but I would be losing money.

To spend lots of time on data collecting and analyzing that data, can be a total waste of time if you are looking at just one aspect of that data. I made changes when I analyzed data I observed and did not even look at the price. I looked at the subcategories that were selling and figured out why they were selling. Only then did I look at price to see if I could aquire that merchandise at a price that could profit me.

You make your money when you buy. Over the weekend I bought a car load of vintage clothing from the 60s-80s for a quarter a piece. It doesn't matter what I sell each piece for, I'm going to be making money. After a quick look through, one piece is worth a $100, several others are around $50 (if I sell one I broke even), many more around $20, so if the rest sell for $5 - 10 each, I'll still be making out like a CEO with a golden parachute. So why should I shoot for an average?

Just curious, did you get the clothing from an estate sale? Is it easy or hard to find vintage clothing still in good condition? (not a competitor asking, I sell books).

This was just a garage sale. A surprising one at that as it was amost 5 in the afternoon and out in the boondocks (I was going to pick up my dad's prescription). The people did a lot of murder mysteries and had tons of good looking costume clothing they made out of 60s-80s garments, many never altered and those that were are now better than the boring things they started out as. I spotted the 80s prom dresses on the rack in their driveway and immediately turned around.

It was hilarious since they were getting ready to pack up and were willing to sell everything at giveaway prices UNTIL they found out that I used to have the vintage clothing store and knew how to make money off them. I had paid for the garments and had them packed in the car when they found out and when I was looking at all the other stuff they had around, suddenly everything was high priced and that I must not have heard them right when they told me that the fondue pots were $1 each, now they are $5 each, and the wood bowls were 25 cents each, now they are a buck ea. So after a few more minutes of them trying to recoup the huge bargain they gave me, I just left.

That was a rare instance, most of the time you either find nothing, or maybe a couple of memory pieces OR the mother load, but mother loads are usually in the house of a hoarder who never throw anything out, when you find stuff at a sale.

Most estate sales/auctions will throw out the clothing and will keep the small like accessories, like vanity items or purses or hankies and the rest will get donated or put in the dumpster. Some sales or auctions will keep show pieces because they know that they might get big bucks for it, but if they tried a couple of times and failed, they dump it all. You have better luck finding vintage clothing at garage sales that are family done.

The reason is that vintage clothing takes time and knowledge and a lot of space and most dealers don't want to invest that much into a line of merchandise. As far as finding it, it is getting harder and harder the further away from the time period it gets. 20 years ago I could find loads of hippie 60s clothing just about everywhere, now, not so much. I find more 80s and 90s in the same amounts.

You can find it anywhere, and if you are at a thrift shop, used clothing or rummage sale and find one piece, look eveywhere as there might be more because someone had a whole house full and donated it. A few weeks ago I found a lovely - and hard to find, plus sized 60s dress at the Salvation Army. I looked carefully and found 8 more dresses, a few sweaters and cashmere coat out of the same closet. And most of the time the clothes are in good wearable condition, the biggest problem with vintage is the sizes and body shapes for vintage are vastly different than today.

The thing is that with the focus on minimalism and getting rid of everything every year to make room for the new trendy styles, I have a feeling that it will be almost impossible to find vintage in 25 more years anywhere.

(*Bleep*)