learning as I go

[robkim1990]

I have been selling on EBay on and off for 6 or more years. Since my mothers passing and not knowing what to do with items that had no sentimental value to me I started selling. I enjoyed it so much that it's close to becoming a full time job. I was thinking about opening a store but my stuff is so eclectic I'm not sure that's the right move for me. Any advice? Is this where I should ask for advice? If so,I. have another question. I've gotten burned a few times on shipping. I don't want to gouge people but it does cost money to ship. Any thoughts? Thank you. Kim

[slocode111]

The most important consideration when trying to decide whether or not to open a store is most often a financial decision. Ebay has a "Fee Illustrator" calculator whereby you can fill in some information about the quantity and average selling price of your past eBay sales and you will be given a list of the various store options and their overall cost to you as compaired with what you have sold in the past. I used it to discover that my best bet was to continue selling without a store.

Following is an eBay community search link to the question, Should I open a store? This will take you to a list of discussions, questions and answers about the topic you are asking about & may also help you make that descision.

If you are making a "Branding" play and using eBay to add a popular venue to your market stream you may decide that opening a store is worthwhile even if it is financially less appropriate than listing your items in the general eBay marketplace.

Opening a store is a descision that only you can make for yourself and following the 2 links above can help you decide what's best for you.

[reallynicestamps]

About your pictures.

If you are uploading a photo, and it is sideways, look on the right side of the picture. See the circly-arrowy thing? That will change the orientation of the photo. Click on it until the picture is upright.

Also in your titles, include sizes. In your description include measurements. DD normally wears Size 10 but she bought a pair of LuLuLemons in Vancouver a few months ago that fit perfectly and are marked Size TWO!

You have a dress listing that does not mention that it is a child's dress. You have 80 keystrokes to sell your item. Use them all.

And you are sooooo right about the Lincoln Bust. Is there a category for 'Unbelievably Awful Things'?

[reallynicestamps]

I've gotten burned a few times on shipping. I don't want to gouge people but it does cost money to ship.

Use Calculated Shipping. After weighing and measuring your item, including packaging, you enter those parameters into the Sell Your Item form and choose your shipping service.

This shows your customer how much it will cost to deliver the item to his doorstep.

And in my opinion it looks more 'official' than Fixed Price meaning you have fewer complaints.

You can reduce the cost of shipping by reducing how much you pay for postage.

Here in Canada we get a discount of 5%to 18% on certain Canada Post services when we buy Paypal shipping labels. This may also be true in the US.

Choose not to have the postage value show on the PP shipping label.

Or buy (on eBay) discounted Mint Never Hinged postage. Stamp dealers get large accumulations of useable postage with every estate they purchase. You can get 20% or more off the face value by taking it off their hands. *

*Don't buy 'unused' or 'no gum' these may have been soaked off and are not only harder to use but are actually illegal, since they have already paid for USPS service. Also be careful of what you will actually be recieving. There are a lot of three cent stamps out there. My own postage lots are counted 100s of a single value, so I can tell my Canadian customers what they are getting.

[scorez_galore]

Or you can weight the item, and use a zip code furthest from you;) I almost always make a buck or 3 on shipping! It covers my costs:D

I had a woman tell me she thought $11.25 was high for a pair of jeans to be sent from California here to her in FL. Know what? She's right! It ONY cost me $5.85 to use a flat rate bubble mailer, so I refunded her $3.25

Now I set 2 prices, so THE BUYER is the 1 making the decisions. 1) Decision to buy, because the price is there in black & white 2) Which way to go. Cheaper, slower Economy Shipping or Expedited Shipping, faster, pricier shipping. It is always sent the same way...I just expedite their item over any others and make them a priority:)

Oh, & I typically set the" Expedited" Shipping at .99 or less. For ex: I send shoes in Flat Rate $5.85 Bubble mailers. I start out w Economy at say- $6.72 (random, depends on my frame of mind wen listing) so I make close to $1. Then put option #2 up as $7.61 or whatever. Since its only .89 (less than 1 dollar is the goal) more to send Priority...they often select Priority, so you covered your ink & tape costs, etc. It's a HANDLING fee, really.

[scampin]

I sell large heavy items and many times the shipping calculator is light especially after eBay takes their cut. My concern it is arriving safely so if I lose a few bucks on shipping and don't have damage I'm OK. My gripe is surcharges from UPS or FedEx that are not calculated into the cost to the customer by the shipping calculator. I would prefer to invoice my customers but that isn't usually an option.

This is why you must sell at a price that makes a decent profit to cover thecost of doing business.

I have learned to just look at the big picture and don't stress over a few dollars. I look at the week and the month and as long as their is profit and income for me, I'm OK.