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Be Mindful With Your Money

How to sell on eBay

January 21, 2015 By Zina Kumok

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A few weeks ago I wrote about how I sold some clothes. I sold some through a store that buys used clothes and I sold one pair of shoes on eBay. This month I wanted to finally get rid of a few things that I thought would be good to sell online.

I had a broken iPod classic that had been sitting in a drawer for a few months. Since Apple is no longer making iPod classics, their prices are surging online and people are buying old or broken iPods for half the cost of what a new one would cost.

Screenshot 2015-01-11 at 7.49.49 PM

This was the first time that I’d tried to sell something major on eBay. I’m comfortable buying things on the site – as long as you check the reviews and read the description carefully, you’ll usually end up happy.

But selling? That’s a whole other ballgame. eBay sides with the buyer in most cases so if you get someone who claims that you gave them a wrong description or that your item never arrived, it can be bad. Still, I didn’t know where else I could sell my iPod where I would get the best price.

In the end, I sold the iPod for $158, which was much more than I expected. Here’s what I learned:

1. Be honest

You’re not a used car salesman, so why sell like one? On eBay, your reputation is everything. If I see a seller with negative feedback, I won’t buy from them. It pays to list every defect your item has, even if you’re worried it’ll drive people away.

2. Take good photos

I have a DSLR that I use to take all my photos with. Even though it’d be faster to take photos on my cell phone, I don’t think I’d make as much off my stuff. A good photo will show the details of your item better. That way, people know that your iPod has a few scratches and won’t be surprised when they get it in the mail. A good photo shows that you’re serious about selling and that you’re investing more than just the bare minimum.

3. Lower your costs

Shipping is one of the few costs associated with selling online. Luckily, you can control that cost. If you print your shipping label on eBay, you can save money off postage. You can also estimate your postage costs before you ship. You can use a scale to weigh what you’re selling and then a postage calculator to get an idea of how much you should charge. Then you can charge the buyer the accurate cost of shipping, instead of paying for it yourself.

If you don’t have any boxes or shipping materials at home, go to stores to see what they have. Liquor stores often give away boxes for customers and even your office might have boxes they want to recycle. Buying a box can eat away into your profits, especially if it’s a low-cost item.

4. See what works

I like to look at other listings for similar items that have sold to see what condition their item was in, what their description was and what kind of photos they took. Search for the item you want to sell and check the box that says “Sold listings.” That’ll give you an idea of what to list your item for and what you can reasonably expect. There’s even a button that says, “Have one to sell?” that will let you copy some of the info from that listing.

5. What’s worth selling?

Clothes, I’ve found, are often easier to consign or donate. You can also arrange a clothing swap with your friends where you each bring a set of items you don’t want anymore.

Why sell on eBay? You can get more money for your item than on Craigslist. You don’t have to meet creepy people in a McDonald’s parking lot. Plus, the more you sell on eBay, the easier it gets. Some people I know make a side business off flipping items on eBay. I generally try to only sell things that I already had, instead of hunting down valuables at Goodwill that I can resell.

Do you sell on eBay? Or are you mostly a buyer? What’s stopped you from selling online?

Want to sell on eBay but don't know where to get started? Tips from someone who sells frequently!

Related posts:

Why getting rid of our car made financial sense to us - and why you might want to consider selling your car, too!Why We Got Rid of Our Car Contrary to what some viral media stars will tell you, if you're not saving money in your 20s, you're definitely doing it wrong!If You Aren’t Saving in Your 20s, You’re Doing It Wrong How to get the best deals selling your old clothesHow I tried to sell my clothes How to Sell Your Stuff

7 Comments
Filed Under: hustling Tagged With: ebay, making money, selling

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Comments

  1. Holly@ClubThrifty says

    January 21, 2015 at 1:05 pm

    I have sold plenty of things on ebay, but it’s been a while. I guess I prefer Craigslist if at all possible- I hate that trip to the post office!

    Reply
    • zinakumok@gmail.com says

      January 22, 2015 at 2:45 am

      I like to post a bunch of things at once so I only have to make one trip to the post office. I like the idea of Craigslist, but always scared to meet people in person!

      Reply
  2. Stefanie @ The Broke and Beautiful Life says

    January 21, 2015 at 7:08 pm

    In my experience, unless you’re selling something that’s worth more than $25, it’s really not worth it.

    Reply
    • zinakumok@gmail.com says

      January 22, 2015 at 2:45 am

      Yeah it’s definitely a hassle if you’re not making a large profit.

      Reply
  3. dojo says

    January 22, 2015 at 9:06 am

    Husband has sold many things, starting with 99 cents (they were bid up to hundreds of bucks). ALWAYS be honest and take the best photos possible. Make sure you write a comprehensive description and try to have the bidding end when people are actually online more. This will allow for more bidders – bigger prices.

    Reply
    • zinakumok@gmail.com says

      January 22, 2015 at 1:50 pm

      That was my mistake this time around. The bidding ended Friday night and even though a lot of people have the eBay app, I’m sure many weren’t sitting at home checking their bids. It’s something else to keep in mind though!

      Reply
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    September 4, 2015 at 3:10 pm

    Effectively composed and very helpful. Preferred how straight to the point just about every of the 10 things had been and there were being
    no tangents. Many thanks, very practical

    Reply

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