When listing an item should I...

[dairywyfe]

put more, or less, info in the "item description" area?  Does this help or hurt in searches?  Is it basically like a "tag word"... and it will pull up my listing if someone types it into their search?!  I'm still a big rookie at selling and am trying to figure it all out.  Or, does it hurt me because they HAVE to type in that word in order to pull up my item?!  I see that some sellers have TONS in the "item description" box and some have almost nothing.  Just wondering if there's a strategy here...  🙂

[dairywyfe]

ack... I meant tracking! not insurance =0

[dairywyfe]

Great advice! And you made me LOL about the gummy things... the stamps. 😉 What I was trying to say was that someone told me you can't buy postage on ebay or through paypal if you don't include tracking (I didn't mean to say insurance) 🙂

[dairywyfe]

I actually meant tracking (not insurance)... can I buy THAT on ebay... postage w/no tracking?

[penguins_dont_fly]

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@dairywyfe wrote:
SO great... thanks for the info! BUT... the only reason I wrote the whole blurb about "going digital"... because I really couldn't care less about sharing that info... is because I'm selling a lot of stuff that I bought on here... that was made by OTHER people. I don't ever want anyone... buyer, or the original creator... to think I'm claiming it as my own. Should I say it in a simpler way?!

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Maybe as a simple "Designed By: JaneDoe" or "Artist: Unknown" in both the item description and Item Specifics.

On things like the tool charms, you already name the designer ... stick to that.

The whole paragraph, especially about selling for less than you paid, is ... how do I say this tactfully .... needy? desperate for a sale? It's really just too personal ... in my opinion. (Tact was never my strong suit .. sorry ... really 😞 )

Let the items speak for themselves. Use good keywords, describe them with as much detail as possible (without writing a novel), take good pics, price them right and they will sell 🙂

[penguins_dont_fly]

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@dairywyfe wrote:
I actually meant tracking (not insurance)... can I buy THAT on ebay... postage w/no tracking?

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 First Class Package Service can be purchased through eBay labels and includes tracking 🙂

All online postage purchased through eBay for USPS includes tracking.

[d-k_treasures]

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@partial*eclipse wrote:

Your shipping might work better if you set up calculated shipping.  When you set up  a flat rate for Priority Mail, you're inevitably undercharging some buyers and/or overcharging others.  You can set also up combined-shipping rules in your Site preferences.

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Anyone see anything more on the flat rate by zone/region that ebay was supposed to allow us to do?

I have a flat rate, but if I catch a closer buyer, I will adjust the invoice down. If it's too much over, I refund some.

I don't do calculated shipping because ebay will never fix the app to not show free shipping if it's calculated. 

[partial*eclipse]

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@d-k_treasures wrote:

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 ... Anyone see anything more on the flat rate by zone/region that ebay was supposed to allow us to do?... 

It was implemented over a month ago.  It's  a significant  upgrade and elaboration of the shipping rate tables in Site Preferences.  Take a look!

[d-k_treasures]

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@partial*eclipse wrote:

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@d-k_treasures wrote:

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 ... Anyone see anything more on the flat rate by zone/region that ebay was supposed to allow us to do?... 

It was implemented over a month ago.  It's  a significant  upgrade and elaboration of the shipping rate tables in Site Preferences.  Take a look!

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Thanks - checking it out now. Looks like it's going to take some thinking.

As usual, it looks convoluted. I can see having some splits by state if the rate changes inside the state, but otherwise, not sure why it's there. Why is it there?

I usually just say 'standard shipping' on larger or heavier items, unless it fits in a FR or regional box. And for me, standard shipping includes priority or parcel select(but not ebay) because somehow, all of mine go thru a DC that seems to be the best around to get packages out. I've yet to have any parcel select items take longer than 5 days, no matter where. And I'll always upgrade a large package to priority if it's close and I don't have to worry about dimensional weight.

Edit - first question I should have asked - does it actually work?

[partial*eclipse]

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d-k_treasures wrote: .... first question I should have asked - does it actually work?

The setup works fine, once you get the hang of it.  

I have no idea whether it works in practice; I just use regular calculated shipping on items that don't have a flat rate for the postage method I plan to use (e.g., First Class, or a Priority flat-rate envelope).

[castlemagicmemories]

You are more than welcome!!

[femmefan1946]

@7606dennis

Fixed price listings, in my opinion, should be more like the old Sears' catalog descriptions giving all the info pertinent to the items that the customer needs to make a buying decision.

This is brilliant.

If I steal this, I'll tell people you said it.

[dairywyfe]

hahaha... I get it. I'm taking that out... it does sound super ridiculous/tacky now that I think about it! =0

[dairywyfe]

I have another question... why don't I get notifications... when someone replies to one of my questions? I always have to go hunting back through the messages. I just stumbled upon this one... and this is something I really wanted to know 🙂

[zzydny]

When I start a thread, I save it to a temporary Favorites file so I can pop back every so often.  (Of course, I recently started a thread that absolutely no one responded to but never mind.....)  I think that you can also (and this would make lots more sense--I know you can do this with a group so surely you can with a thread) subscribe to the thread and then you'd get a bell notice when the thread has posts.

.....editing:  There it is at the top of the page:  Bookmark!  That should take care of it.

[dairywyfe]

Have you ever been on Etsy... or visited their forums? I don't sell on there, I just buy, but I have visited/replied/asked questions on the forums... they keep great track of it for you. it's SO easy to check back... you just hit the "my threads" button and it pulls them up for you... right where you left off 🙂