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How difficult is it to set up auctions on eBay?

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DaveMMR:
I've sold a number of things through eBay and I've [knock on wood] never had a problem with it. 

Besides what's already been said, here's some pointers based on what I've come across as both a buyer and a seller:


* Make sure you are description is thorough, but not overly long.  A paragraph is good.  Stick to talking about the item and don't go off on a tangent.
* Take a couple of good pics.  If you know basic HTML, you can upload your pictures to a host (e.g. Photobucket) and link to them in your description without eBay charging you.  However, I think eBay allows one free pic and then it's cheap for additional pics.
* Try to start the item at a low price so you'll get more views.  And don't panic if you have no bidders for a while, everyone likes to "Bid Snipe".
* For 35 cents, the gallery is a good investment.  A picture is added to the search listing and prospective buyers can see at a glance what the item looks like.
* Avoid getting too creative with the fonts.  Standard sized text and some occasional bold/larger text for headers is fine, but I've seen auctions where people treat eBay like a Myspace page.  And need I say that animated GIFs are a no-no?
* Pre-weigh your package before listing and don't charge more than acceptable for shipping (a buck or two over actual cost is fine for packaging materials).  Some people charge ridiculous amounts as a way of "fee-avoidance" (especially when the item is had for much, much cheaper than expected).  Some people will balk at this in their feedback and if you get way too greedy, eBay can take disciplinary action.
* Outline your return, payment and shipping policies up front so there's no confusion.  If the buyer wants to send a check, hold the item until it clears.
* Be kind and leave feedback as soon as possible.  It helps build your rep.
There are dozens of places and books you can read to get more advice, but these are some basics off the top of my head.  Good luck and have fun!

Jouster:
I wouldn't even bother...it is way too difficult for the average person to do anything on eBay.  You can tell that by seeing the incredibly lower number of auctions that actually place there.

Jouster

boykster:

--- Quote from: Jouster on August 12, 2007, 12:50:21 pm ---I wouldn't even bother...it is way too difficult for the average person to do anything on eBay.  You can tell that by seeing the incredibly lower number of auctions that actually place there.

Jouster

--- End quote ---

might as well just stop breathing while you at it, life is so complicated after all..... :dizzy:

ebay is ridiculously simple to use, and it THE auction site to sell stuff.  You don't need to have a flashy listing to sell your stuff, as ppl in this thread have stated, keep it simple, descriptive, and have fun.

somunny:

--- Quote from: DaveMMR on August 12, 2007, 10:38:55 am ---I've sold a number of things through eBay and I've [knock on wood] never had a problem with it. 

Besides what's already been said, here's some pointers based on what I've come across as both a buyer and a seller:


* Make sure you are description is thorough, but not overly long.  A paragraph is good.  Stick to talking about the item and don't go off on a tangent.
* Take a couple of good pics.  If you know basic HTML, you can upload your pictures to a host (e.g. Photobucket) and link to them in your description without eBay charging you.  However, I think eBay allows one free pic and then it's cheap for additional pics.
* Try to start the item at a low price so you'll get more views.  And don't panic if you have no bidders for a while, everyone likes to "Bid Snipe".
* For 35 cents, the gallery is a good investment.  A picture is added to the search listing and prospective buyers can see at a glance what the item looks like.
* Avoid getting too creative with the fonts.  Standard sized text and some occasional bold/larger text for headers is fine, but I've seen auctions where people treat eBay like a Myspace page.  And need I say that animated GIFs are a no-no?
* Pre-weigh your package before listing and don't charge more than acceptable for shipping (a buck or two over actual cost is fine for packaging materials).  Some people charge ridiculous amounts as a way of "fee-avoidance" (especially when the item is had for much, much cheaper than expected).  Some people will balk at this in their feedback and if you get way too greedy, eBay can take disciplinary action.
* Outline your return, payment and shipping policies up front so there's no confusion.  If the buyer wants to send a check, hold the item until it clears.
* Be kind and leave feedback as soon as possible.  It helps build your rep.

--- End quote ---

I agree with everything except the final bullet.  It may be the *right* thing to do, but it isn't the *smart* thing to do.  As someone who has sold several hundred items on ebay, I can attest that the possibility of receiving a retaliatory negative is the only thing that has kept an impatient (or just plain A-hole) buyer from leaving me a negative because they think the package should have arrived sooner than it did.  Sometimes the Post Office loses track of stuff.  It happens!  Make sure you have your tracking numbers and keep the buyer posted if such a situation should arise.

The other thing you run into are buyers that simply do not leave feedback.  Either they're not on ebay that frequently or they just don't give a hang.  I ran across a bidder who had a 60+ rating but had never left a single feedback in return.  IMO, these people have no business being on ebay.  Not much you can do about 'em though.

shmokes:
Last October I won an auction for a bee costume.  Three days after I won the auction the seller emailed me saying that she did not have the item.  She refunded me the money, but it was now too late for me to order a bee costume from somewhere else and get it in time for Halloween.  I left negative feedback, and I got negative feedback in return, in spite of the fact that I had paypaled her the money within about 30 seconds of the auction closing.  She then sent me an email saying that if I cancelled her negative feedback she would cancel mine.  I told her to go ---fudgesicle--- herself, that I would rather have the negative feedback then let her get away with ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- like that.  If there's one thing about Ebay that I absolutely hate, it's the fees.  But a close second is the feedback system.  There is absolutely no oversight.  There's no department that I can report behavior like this to.  This lady should not be allowed to do business on Ebay.  Irritating.  It's the first and only negative feedback I've ever had.

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