[Koko2]

I stopped working earlier this year, and was planning on selling a lot of things laying around the house to get by until my next job. I have thousands of dollars worth of stuff listed online. My sales on Ebay are completely terrible.

If I do auctions starting at a dirt cheap below-average price that barely covers shipping, no one bids until a snipe at the last minute for the starting price. If I do BINs pricing them at the average sale price determined by completed listings, nothing sells. I've sold online for a long time and have great feedback, so it's frustrating and somewhat of a mystery. I know people are buying because I see all of the things selling in completed listings.

They just aren't buying my stuff unless it's at a deep discount or the item is the last one available online for a reasonable price. If there's three at the same price, buyers will buy the other ones first before they buy mine. I'm like the seller that everyone expects a bargain from. No one ever overpays for my stuff like I see them doing for other sellers. Also, for the less than 10% of my stuff that sells, the buyers are now usually not paying until I have to open a case against them to receive the money.

My Amazon sales are a lot worse than past years too. I've run up my credit card balance the past couple months because I'm buying things and hoping that the stuff laying around my house will sell, but then it hardly ever does sell. The only things that sell are things that friends give me to sell online.

[Yoda]

yeah, years ago evilbay was a great place to sell items but ebay has upped their % they take from vendors so much that it is hardly worth it unless you have a LOT of items to list.

I sell and buy collectibles and I very seldom sell on ebay anymore.

Ebay is a good deal for buyers though.

[Koko2]

I'm not near a large city, so I don't have many alternatives. Garage sales are mediocre although at least I sell something when I do them during the spring or summer. Pawn shops offer even less money than Ebay buyers, and I assume that many Ebay buyers are pawn shops or resellers in general. Oh, and craigslist doesn't get any replies at all around here, so it's not worth the effort.

[Koko2]

Originally Posted by Yoda

yeah, years ago evilbay was a great place to sell items but ebay has upped their % they take from vendors so much that it is hardly worth it unless you have a LOT of items to list.

I sell and buy collectibles and I very seldom sell on ebay anymore.

Ebay is a good deal for buyers though.

Yes, indeed. A buyer who comparison shops can get things really cheap on Ebay. A buyer who doesn't can pay a lot more than something is worth. As a seller, my specialty seems to be the value shoppers who want something dirt cheap.

My theory is that while my track record is long and solid, I don't have that "power seller" mystique that attracts buyers who are willing to pay a premium or at least a fair price. I only had power seller status for one month, after selling off some coins once for considerable money. My sales are usually way too low to obtain that status.

I see power sellers routinely selling the same goods for twice the rate as joe average sellers. They sell in quantity, they often use stock photos and don't bother to describe any wear beyond a generic "Very Good, shows light wear". If the buyer is unhappy with the condition, the power seller's sales volume is so high that they can afford to take the occasional negative feedback in stride. So the power sellers use a buyer account to buy things cheap from people like me who describe wear to avoid negative feedback, then they turn around and sell them at a profit.

[IndieVisible]

Try CraigsList

[Koko2]

I did. Being away from a metro area, there were no replies after much effort to list several things, and they removed the listings before the standard three weeks were up.

[thickntired]

Have you tried an antique mall? I know smaller towns often have them and the booths don't usually have to sell antiques.

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What about taking them to an ebay reseller. Sort of like consignment. I sold a few things on Craig's list last year. Demand is really flakey. It isn't like you can predict it. You can have something out there for months with no bites and then several people call at once. If you go to the city regularly you could post there and state that you could meet them on Thursdays or something like that. Another option is amazon. They way they show it is a little different so depending on your merch it could be a good option. I know if I have wanted something that costs a lot new but doesn't generally get a lot of wear and tear it is worth it to me to check out the used versions. But honestly, I look at seller ratings too.

[Maranara]

The best way to sell on eBay is with a set price listing, not a bid war. You can sell up to 50 items on "Buy It Now" with no listing charges and get the price you want. Yes, it sometimes takes a bit for them to sell, and you should revisit the items now and then and adjust prices accordingly, but I think it's the only way to sell unless it's a very wanted item that people are constantly having "bid wars" over.

I've been an eBay seller for right at two years. While I still have a regular job, I'm happy with how I've done. Feel free to ask any questions you'd like.