How do I get started selling on Ebay?

[California]

How do I get started selling on Ebay?

I've had a seller's account since 1998, and sold a lot of stuff after Y2K when there was a flood of surplus-auction electronics (from Y2K upgrades) that could be resold at ridiculous markups. At the time I made $14k, one year. I have 100% positive feedback, 300+ times, and many more sales than that. But after Y2K I've sold only rarely.

But its a new world now. I need to learn how to use the current tools. Postage to print out for the shipping label instead of going to the post office, for one. Listing tools. I assume most of what I had to hand-push is now automated and available for a fee.

The kids are pestering us to get rid of all the treasures we've accumulated and inherited over many years before they have a mess to deal with like I inherited. For example a 45 lb blacksmith vise from the 1920's, value $100+ that I don't need. I have 3 excellent inherited vises in use and six more that are just hogging my limited storage space. Thorsen (Made in USA) socket sets. All stuff I, or Dad, recognized as valuable and underpriced so we bought it, but there's way too much of this stuff. My kids recognize they are facing the same chaos I inherited - 20 years of dump runs, a flea market sale (mostly furniture), and gifts to others and there's still too much stuff here. At least we're down to stuff we realized has value so we saved it. But five 'telephone bits'? (24 inch long 3/8 drill bits). One is plenty. The rest have to go. I have probably 40 lbs of drill bits that Dad got at surplus auctions when McClellan AFB that did aircraft maintenance, was decomissioned. Spare set of pipe threader dies? Don't need that!

What modern tools do you guys use to write listings and pay postage from home? And any new gotchas to avoid?

 

[OzKioti]

Check out Ebay's commission percentage. It's increased over the years!

 

[Oaktree]

I'd be interested in knowing more about this too. Like you, I've got a lot of stuff I never use that I'd like to get some money for but really haven't a clue how to use Ebay.

Curiously, how does a newbie get established? I've heard that few if any will buy from you without a track record. Kind of like can't get a job without experience, but can't get experience without a job.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I got out of Ebay completely when they started taking away a seller's ability to combat fraud. It became a circus. It became so "buyers" could get away with murder, and you had no recourse. I walked away when the non-payers became "normal", and if you gave them a negative feedback for non-payment, they would retaliate with a negative feedback, which Ebay would not remove or interfere with. Or the seller would say the item never arrived and demand payment returned, which Ebay would come after you for and REQUIRE you to return money for an item that the buyer either received OR they were too cheap to pay for the shipping insurance. But the BUYER got all the breaks when there was any doubt. Sellers were left holding the bag. It just got to be way too big a hassle, so I walked away.

My story is similar to yours California, I sold a bunch of electronics back around Y2K. I ran it as a side business and made a ton of cash. I was still in the main frame computer industry, and it was a free for all. Customers were calling us begging us to take all their main frame stuff for free. If we'd come get it, and "decommission" it for them, they'd help us load it. This was all running stuff when we unplugged it, not "junk yard" stuff. Usually full software sets and complete manual sets also. Semi truck loads of it. Was a booming business with an artificially looming sunset. The whole Y2K crock was the second biggest scam inflicted on modern man. We had mainframes from the 60's that would quite easily run ANY post-2000 date you cared to enter. Those few that couldn't, it only took a coder (one of us) a few lines of code to sort it out, something ANY programmer (of the times) worth their weight in warm goat pee could handle. It was all just a scam to force an entire industry to dump hardware and retool (it was the retooling -interface- that cost the huge $, not the computer hardware itself).

 

[Code54]

You might want to think about Facebook marketplace for your tools - local pickup, no shipping. Very simple and no cost (FREE)

 

[California]

Y2k was a scam, yep. In a Large Public Agency, we had to respond to a consultant who wanted EVERYTHING inventoried. As the network/PC/help desk specialist tasked with doing the inventory in our 60 person branch, I questioned if they were serious about including battery-powered wall clocks.

Yes, literally everything! Ok, whatever.

An hour later I got a call from the Mac specialist in another branch. He was livid, raging, bellowing. He had already disposed of Mac monitors that were incompatible with his newest generation of Macs and now he was required to go find the monitors and copy the serial numbers. Just printing his inventory records wasn't acceptable.

Your Tax Dollars At Work.

 

[California]

I've avoided Facebook so far and don't plan to join it. Craigslist works for local - including all the 'interesting' folks who want to swap a 'treasured bicycle' or surplus vinyl siding instead of cash. (Real examples in my experience).

 

[Fuddy1952]

I sell occasionally on Ebay and have 100%+ feedback. I've been happy and their listing fee going up doesn't matter. Some things I was shocked how much they went for.
My advice to a newbie is try it. Two ways to sell, buy it now (a fixed price) or auction.
Now, a 45# anvil would probably be local pickup only (weight).
A few tips: We don't have a computer, I just use my smart phone. You'll need a source for boxes and packing, tape, printer and a scale.
A digital scale is cheap and I got a Canon all in one wireless printer at Walmart for $19.
I found this to be the best way to do it:
Suppose you're listing a wrench. Find a box slightly larger. Pack it so it's ready to ship (if listing a bunch of stuff, put a note on it). Measure & weigh box. Say it's 12"×6"×4", 1 lb. 4oz. On bottom I pencil this info.
When listening you can exaggerate size & weight some (you make a little profit on shipping).
I'm not computer savvy, so I use an app "screenshot easy". When it sells I go through the steps, when printing a ship label I take a picture with screenshot. Send that to printer.
I think most people like buy it now, free shipping so factor that into selling price if you want.
When listing give an honest description, noting any flaws. You can list up to about 10 pictures. If you're not sure something works say untested. Search for something similar to what you're selling to get a price idea.
About 20 years ago I met a local Ebay seller who owned nothing. He showed me how he searched finding items in demand. He would buy as he got orders, relabeled then ship out.
He said he averaged $200K/year doing that!
To me it's a matter of getting rid of junk that's gathering dust.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Oh...I forgot to mention. When shipping size matters. You don't need a shoebox to mail a socket. Boxes are easy to make. I use a 4"x4"x24" on workbench. Mark a larger box, put 4x4 on mark and bend. Cut excess off and tape it.

 

[Hay Dude]

I got out of Ebay completely when they started taking away a seller's ability to combat fraud. It became a circus. It became so "buyers" could get away with murder, and you had no recourse. I walked away when the non-payers became "normal", and if you gave them a negative feedback for non-payment, they would retaliate with a negative feedback, which Ebay would not remove or interfere with. Or the seller would say the item never arrived and demand payment returned, which Ebay would come after you for and REQUIRE you to return money for an item that the buyer either received OR they were too cheap to pay for the shipping insurance. But the BUYER got all the breaks when there was any doubt. Sellers were left holding the bag. It just got to be way too big a hassle, so I walked away.

My story is similar to yours California, I sold a bunch of electronics back around Y2K. I ran it as a side business and made a ton of cash. I was still in the main frame computer industry, and it was a free for all. Customers were calling us begging us to take all their main frame stuff for free. If we'd come get it, and "decommission" it for them, they'd help us load it. This was all running stuff when we unplugged it, not "junk yard" stuff. Usually full software sets and complete manual sets also. Semi truck loads of it. Was a booming business with an artificially looming sunset. The whole Y2K crock was the second biggest scam inflicted on modern man. We had mainframes from the 60's that would quite easily run ANY post-2000 date you cared to enter. Those few that couldn't, it only took a coder (one of us) a few lines of code to sort it out, something ANY programmer (of the times) worth their weight in warm goat pee could handle. It was all just a scam to force an entire industry to dump hardware and retool (it was the retooling -interface- that cost the huge $, not the computer hardware itself).

Our “news“ media is a disgraceful bunch of liars. I did some whole house generators with my electrician. People were afraid planes would fall from the sky. Had one customer bug-out for Grand Cayman because he had a vacation home with a whole house generator.
Now it’s “the world will end if we don’t spend 50 trillion on windmills and solar panels”.