Ebay

[denialrenae]

I can't remember who, but someone mentioned selling on Ebay. I know how to sell on ebay, I sell many things. But how do you sell your wares on Ebay? Do you offer them at a discount just so that you get exposure? Anyone have any tips on this?

Denial
www.petalpinsbydenial.com

[Kathy Ann]

I use Ebay for overruns and new product intros. When I have leftover materials from a custom order, I make them anyway and then offer them on Ebay at a slight discount. Or if I invent something and I want to see what people think of it, I'll introduce it on Ebay, where people are more likely to ask questions or make suggestions.

These days Ebay is full of bargain hunters, so I don't know if you could get top dollar for anything except famous-name antiques or authentic designer items. It's downright heartbreaking if you happen to sell anything handmade that is also being done in catalogs, because Ebay is flooded with flimsy dropship merchandise made by overseas slave labor. My Ebay listings do drive traffic to my website.

I also use Overstock.com auctions. They have problems because they launched full steam when they should have called it a beta release. They don't want to take any cues from auction sites that are already there, so they're kind of re-inventing the wheel, with comical results. BUT they are a lot cheaper than Ebay -free if you use the trial periods of their listing tools - and your listings show up on Google, which also can drive traffic to your website.

Another one I use is Auctionfire. They are totally free to list, and you can unabashedly link back to your website. Your listings show up on Froogle complete with a photo. Only one sale there in a year but it isn't costing me anything and I have gotten some website orders as a result of the Froogle exposure. People see a specific item in the auction listing and then come to my website to order it custom-made to their own specs.

[Barberry Field]

HI, I was interested in selling on ebay, do you have any hints on how to go about it?

How do you get your items so that people find and look at your things?

[Kathy Ann]

Deb, just go to http://www.ebay.com and register. They ask for credit or debit card numbers, and that stopped me cold for a long time. Then I finally understood it's so that scammers can't keep selling after getting kicked off, unless they are able to come up with another valid credit card in someone else's name.

You may also want to sign up for Paypal if you haven't already, because most bidders pay through Paypal.

Before you list, browse through or use keyword search to find items similar to yours and see how they are being sold and how you can improve on theirs. Once you reach a page of items, look in the left hand column for "completed items". This is a valuable tool because it shows you items that have already been sold. You can see what the bidders were willing to pay, and what the successful listings looked like.

I believe that most people shop by keywords as opposed to browsing categories, so I try to use words in my title that people will be using in their search.

[greenoak]

deb.... good luck.... we have done it for a while and i would sure suggest doing some research, like kathy ann said.......whatever you sell put it in the search and take a look at the results.... and how they word it and where they list it.... many things go so cheap or not at all its a wonder anyone messes with them...

i sure cant find much i could make money selling on there...
its all about the details and you have to respond fast...
ann of greenoak



www.greenoakantiques.com

[Barberry Field]

Hi All!

I have registered with Ebay, and bought a few things, I have been researching things, but, I noticed like what you said, that somethings go without every being bid on...If Isell, I want to be noticed....I want it to be worth my while. Kathy, what is your ebay id? Does anyone else have one?

Has selling on ebay generated any links to your web sites, which possible generated sales on your site?

[Casual Cottage]

Hello All,
I have bought and sold on Ebay, but I've really ever made much money at it. The people who seem to make the money are the ones that sell continuously. There are several ladies who make pillows, totes, quilts, etc. that get fantastic prices, but they also have alot of repeat buyers and they do all of their selling on Ebay. I use my website name as my user ID. There are pros and cons to that. I do get visitors to the website from Ebay because you can create a "Me" page and put your website address on it. I have just never had alot of luck on Ebay, but I have not been very consistent on listing. With the recent price increase on Ebay, it's hard to show a profit.

[Kathy Ann]

I also use my website name as my Ebay i.d. - KathyAnnsCottage. Along with my "about Me" page, I mention the KathyAnnsCottage website wihout saying "dot com". I have a field on my order form that asks where they found me. A fair number tell me it's Ebay. I have a hunch some of the respones that say "Google" and "Froogle" are actually Overstock or AUctionfire because the listings show up in the search engines. I feel like I am starting to get more of a return from the smaller auction sites because of the search engine exposure and lower fees.

I sell all my leftover craft supplies on Ebay. I call it "stash reduction". That goes over pretty well.

I have to list at least one thing every 3 weeks to keep the cash back on my Paypal debit card. So that keeps me active, otherwise I might go for months without listing anything.

[Barberry Field]

Okay, that is great information. I would assume that I should not list duplicate items on my web and e-bay at the same time? Or if so, they would have to be the same price?

That is great to hear that you have recieved traffic through e-bay! I am going to start listing a few things and see how it goes...I really need to begin to generate a following, and I would love to have repeat customers.

I am going to check out your e-bay things now!

Hey, I love that everyone is so helpful. It is so refreshing that we each seem to want to help each other be successful. Nothing like the public stores. It is so nice to see that we don't look at each other as competion, and are willing to give advice through experience or even just talking back and forth about things. I really am soooo happy to found this forum! It is like having a rally for each other!!! :D

[Kathy Ann]

It's pretty slim pickins today! I am purposely not advertising because I have to build bookcases for the next couple of weeks! So I relisted my memory bear just as a favor to a new customer who didn't bid in time and really wants to go thru Ebay rather than deal with me directly. Plus she saw it on Ebay so she's entitled to the intro price. She may buy it before you see it, in which case you won't see any listings at all under my name!

I always have my auction items cheaper than my website, but there's no reason you can't have it at the same price or even higher, if you are adding in your auction fees.

[greenoak]

i think underselling your website would be bad.... if you want your website to be for bringing in money....you dont want people to wait around for ebay or feel like they got a worst deal because they bought it from your website....


discontinued or one of a kind might be great...

i think there are a lot of rules about staying honest with ebay too....i know my dil is real careful about that...and how she contacts bidders.... you cant find a buyer thru ebay then try and cut ebay out of their payment....dont know all the details there... just know there are things she wont do ...

our name is terristrinkets and i think our web is on her about me page...

ann at greenoak

[Kathy Ann]

Yeah, that's why when the lady contacted me and said that she had missed my bid, I didn't hesitate to re-list as opposed to just offering her the price off-Ebay. They drive enough business to me as it is, I don't need to cheat them out of fees as well. I don't feel that I undercut, since a new product intro is a special deal anyway, and my overrun fabric would just pile up or go in the Goodwill bin if I didn't take a smaller profit on it. It's a win-win!

[Barberry Field]

All good points, everyone! I don't think that I would under sell what I was sellling on my web, only if I wanted it to be a clearance type thing. I think the best thing for me right now is to keep it separte, so that my customers won't get confused...maybe they will find me through ebay and look at both places to see new stuff!

I will see....Kathy I did see your bear! So CUTE!

Ann, I will take a look at yours! Thanks guys! er I mean....gals! LOL