How do people sell things on Ebay so cheaply? (boxes)

[John23]

Depends on how you get the item (2nd hand, flea market, or if its lying around the house), but most of it seems like a tremendous waste of time if you're trying to make money (if you don't have a good source, that's below cost). Trying to make a few dollars on a cd....and factor in gas, traffic, hassle to the post office....then ebay has changed things around the last few years....their fees and format.

I'd rather buy cd's, electronics, video games, etc from best buy or amazon. You know you're going to get it. You know when it'll be shipped. Ebay can be a crapshoot....look at the feedback for some of the electronic/video game sellers....like 98% with hundreds of negatives.

And trying to compete with best buy or walmart, when they can lower prices whenever they want....man, tough game. But I guess some people can do it.

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by John23

Depends on how you get the item (2nd hand, flea market, or if its lying around the house), but most of it seems like a tremendous waste of time if you're trying to make money (if you don't have a good source, that's below cost). Trying to make a few dollars on a cd....and factor in gas, traffic, hassle to the post office....then ebay has changed things around the last few years....their fees and format.

For a few years I sold video games on Amazon. I bought the shipping materials in bulk at Uline.com, bought the postage using Paypal's Multi Order Shipment center (doesn't have to be an Ebay order, and you get the electronic rate for delivery confirmation).. I found it to be very easy, and I still use it to sell used items I don't want any longer.

[bentlebee]

Soem items might be stolen or fake. I bought and sold stuff on Ebay and always are able to proof where it comes from.

I once bought a brand name item and it was ridiculous cheap and it was stated that it was authentic although I had a hard time believing it, but after I paid for the item I received an email from Ebay that I wouldn't receive the item due to the fact that they found out it was a fake, or stolen item...I did get my money back and was happy that I never got it.

I found out that a person who once was a friend....was actually a convicted felon and I knew she had a lot of brand name purses, laptop bags, etc but she claimed she was so much into brand names and didn't like fakes...she also told me she sold many things on Ebay and when she didn't want to have the bags she sold them. One day she told me that she had an issue with Ebay since a buyer claimed it wasn't an authentic brand and she claimed it was and she had a dispute (this came up after I told her what had happened to us)....1 year later I found out that she had been convicted of stealing from several big department shops and indeed one of the items where brand name bags....well I guess she will have had a hard time proving where she got it from. Real brand name bags often have serial #.

What you can do to avoid things like this is ask for more pictures and serial numbers and pay by using Paypal. I know many people charge more for shipping due to the fact that you pay less to Ebay for the fees and it makes up that way. I have done that to, just smart as long as the shipping and the item cost are still way cheaper and the customer gets a good deal.

[texdav]

I know peole who buy items that come to be asemble and they part out the item.Many also run abusiness fron their garage with no real overhead cost. A store front cost money to run and maintain.I am sure that alot of teh items are solten .I know the amount of thft before products get to stores is huge in this country.

[darstar]

I did quite well for about 5 years on Ebay , selling vintage auto parts. Most were from my own collections , so , the profit was high , however , it got harder to sell , it took longer , with more listings and re listings. Eventually I started to run out of stuff to sell that had a low margin , so I quit , as my fees were getting out of hand. The high priced and rare items included cars as well , and it still made sense to market these. I went quickly to become a Platinum Power Seller , once I sold a car or two. Then about a year ago , the big ticket stuff started to take longer to sell , until , I pulled back , and , am now waiting for a stronger market. You get real spoiled when your average sale is over 500.00 to 1,000.......... I think , maybe the train has come into the station..........

[BartowCounty]

Best Buy might be expensive, but when I need to return the item I can! Try returning a item from e bay. You have to pay for the shipping back and thats only if the seller will take it back. I've Been stuck a time or two. Screw e bay and craigs list. Pay a little more and have return privileges.
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[jerryf09]

There are some good deals to be had on the net itself because of the tax situation, I only have to claim taxes on the items sold in my state, its also cheaper if you buy in bulk which is exactly what a lot of the power sellers do, liquidated merchandise by the semi truck load from major dept stores, etc. Ask me how I know that.

[Sunny-Days90]

People who do this buy is large bulk and rely on low profit margins and massive sales.

One of the top 5 ebay sellers has posted that they make on average 0.75 per item sold, but sell 20,000 items per month and currently have 65,000 item's listed.

Bulk and massive sales are the way to go.

One of our best friends sold $300,000 on ebay last year selling items from garage sales, flea markets and estate sales and auctions.
They buy everything they can get their hands on when we go to an auction with them. They do not put their number card down the entire auction in most cases.

[darstar]

I sold over 300,000 last year, and , it was my own stuff !.. Cashed in for my retirement.

[Peggy Anne]

Ebay goes through cycles. They got a bit too corporate lately. I do better playing dice. Still sell stuff, though, because people need old stuff. 1950's toy catalogs are worth quite a bit.