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Question about selling stuff on line

Posted: Jul 4, 2015

I have quite a bit of clutter and am considering selling on ebay, craigslist, etc. I have never done this before, either bought or sold. I have read the tips on craigslist about dealing locally, meeting in a very public place, what not to accept as payment, etc. - all great information. What about if it use ebay? How can I protect myself there, make sure I don't send someone something and not be paid, at least be as cautious as possible. TIA for all suggestions.

;

Selling on e bay - It's easy!

[ In Reply To ..]
Set up a paypal account first, most e bayers take that was only form of payment. You are paid first before you ship off anything. Be honest in your description of stuff you are selling, incorporate the cost of shipping into your beginning bid as offering "Free shipping" is often a deal maker. Clearly delineate your shipping and return policy at the bottom of your description of item. Price your item fairly for both you and the seller. You can always relist at no extra charge and make changes in listing if needed. I would make one practice go around on something if you can just to work out the bugs. I re-use shipping materials/packing/boxes and clearly state I recycle material but pack for your item's safety in my return/shipping policy. Get good clear pictures of the items you are selling. I use a towel (doesn't show wrinkles) hung up on one of the tri-fold boards like the kids use for science fair projects -- sets up easy and stores away. I also do shipping labels through paypal or set up a business account online with USPS and print my own labels you usually get a bit of a discount and free tracking. Ebay will automatically send your seller a notice saying it has been shipped but I always follow up with a direct e mail to the buyer, thank them for their purchase and let them know to contact you ASAP with any problems. E bay is all about keeping a good rating and a little teeny complaint will bring your rating down. Threw a lot at you, but take a dive, it's easy and you clear out some clutter and make a few $$ too. GOOD LUCK!!

Question for It's Easy. sm - Another EBay wannabe

[ In Reply To ..]
Hi. I am not the OP, but would like to sell on Ebay, too. Mostly stuff from my husband's hobby that we no longer need and some other stuff we don't need. Have been a member there for years, but that was for buying. My question is about determining shipping costs. We tried to sell one item in the past and it drove me crazy trying to figure out what to charge for postage. I read the USPS information. What is the easiest way to determine shipping ahead of time, particularly when you don't know where in the USA the buyer will be located? Some items may need to go UPS or FedX due to weight and size and buyer preference. Thanks for any information and sorry to post on another person's thread.

invest in a postal scale (not that expensive) - not the original answerer :-)

[ In Reply To ..]
You can key in the package weight & measurements and your potential buyer can see what the shipping costs will be.

I've used both Craigslist and eBay, each has - its own particular points. (sm)

[ In Reply To ..]
Selling on eBay is easy and quite safe. Both the seller and the buyer are offered a certain amount of protection, too. I use PayPal both for buying on eBay and selling on it. When selling, eBay takes a small percentage of the sale amount, but what you get in return is a much larger potential market for your items. You have the choice to sell just in the U.S., or North America, or the whole world if you wish. You also have choices as to whether to sell for a fixed price, or by auction, or "best offer", or a combination of those things.

When you sell something on eBay, the buyer will be notified that they won the item, and they must pay for it within 3 days. As soon as payment has cleared, you'll be notified to ship your item. I make it a point to ship ASAP once payment has cleared - people like fast shipping.

eBay has ratings for both buyers and sellers, along with feedback. I always leave feedback for the shipper, and as a buyer I always pay right away, and have gotten a 100% rating as both a buyer and a shipper. (Those ratings can help you to get a perspective on how good an eBay-er you are dealing with, too.)

As a buyer I've always appreciated when sellers include a nice little note with their item, and I do the same when I sell. I sold a pair of ice skates recently, and included a little note with a picture of an ice-skater on it, and wished her many happy years of ice skating on my skates. I think making people's purchases personal adds a nice little extra touch.

Craigslist is great for things you don't want to ship. It's also great for things you want to give away free. I once gave away a computer I no longer needed to a young single mom who wanted it as a learning tool for her 6-year-old son for Christmas. I took it to her house and helped her set it up, knowing how happy that little boy was going to be on Christmas morning!

Although one should always be careful when dealing in person with buyers or sellers, I personally have had only EXCELLENT transactions on Craigslist. I've bought and sold several bicycles on CL, sometimes meeting at my place and once at a Denny's parking lot. Once when I had to move & downsize, I quickly sold all my too-big furniture and household items through CL, and simultaneously found just the right smaller items for my new place. In one instance, I delivered an item I was selling to a woman in San Francisco, and then walked just 2 blocks to pick up another item I was buying! When I needed bricks for a garden project, I got half a ton of free bricks on CL from some contractors after the Napa earthquake, and they even helped me load them into my truck!

The best advice I can give for Craigslist is just use your good sense, and go with your gut. Having someone with you is also a good idea if you're traveling to buy or sell an item. Most people are good people, and I can say I've met a lot of good people using Craigslist.

I would add-- - Val

[ In Reply To ..]
Remember to weigh your item and the box it will be shipped in. I sell fragile china on Ebay and DESPITE my excellent packing, at least 3 pieces arrived broken, and the breaks were weird -- the box was not crushed. I understand that the USPS unloads boxes on a conveyer belt and many boxes drop off the end of the belt onto the floor, so I figure that impact may have been enough of a jolt to break the piece. Pack carefully.

Also remember that on Ebay, Ebay and Paypal take a percentage, so you need to decide if the price you might get is worth the labor of packing the piece and driving to the PO. It's no fun when you made nothing on a piece and misjudged the weight and ended up paying for the postage too.

Don't buy packing from Walmart. Find a packing supplier near you. I get my black foam from Uline and my packing pebbles from a local packing supply place. Boxes are a good price at Walmart and heavy duty boxes seem to be price well at the Home Depot.

Good luck!

Thanks so much - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I appreciate all the good advice. I feel ready to take the plunge.

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