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I have read too many horror stories about ebay and paypal. I will never do business with them ever again. I prefer doing things old school, in person. The threat of online fraud is great. I want to torture those that ruin it for others.
It can happen, yes that's true but I have not once in almost 10 years ever had a problem with either and have never fallen victim to CC fraud.
I just started using ebay to get rid of some things. Does anybody use ebay regularly? What do you think about it? I thought about trying to buy things for cheap and then selling them on ebay to see if I could make a profit. Good or bad idea?
You are ten years too late, sorry.
There was a point in time when you could make good money selling pretty much anything on eBay. It was popular for a while for buyers to pay hundreds, thousands, of dollars for the most ridiculous items they could find--probably so they could get on Leno or something.
Now, eBay is lame and I mean no-offense, but it is because of people like you who think that they can unload their junk and make a profit. I saw your list you posted on here, most of those items are not going to sell. I guaranty you that there are probably hundreds of copies of The Girl With A Dragon Tattoo on eBay right now. What makes your copy special? Call of Duty will sell, but for maybe $20 tops.
As for buying things cheap and selling them on eBay....once again, you are about ten years too late. But it can still be done. The trick is that you need to get lucky. You never know what will sell or what will bring in $$$. You will list items that you know for sure people are going to buy, yet these items won't get one bid. Other things listed on a whim that you think won't sell might bring in big money. It really depends on the item and like I said, luck. It also helps if you know the market and niche. Lego Star Wars figures, particularly the older ones, can bring in $$$$.
It is still possible to make good money off eBay, perhaps even a living, but don't quit your day job. And don't start to fill your spare room with junk that you are ultimately going to donate to Goodwill, anyways. eBay is just not worth the hassle if you are going to list multiple items on a regular basis, but can still be a good place to sell the occasional item here and there.
As for postage: it is common for sellers to list a high postage. That way even if the item sells for 99¢ the seller is still making a few bucks. Also, shipping things over seas is elfin' expensive. A pair of shoes to London, for example is $90 via UPS, and around $30 by USPS. Keep that in mind.
Quote:
Originally Posted by myrc60
It can happen, yes that's true but I have not once in almost 10 years ever had a problem with either and have never fallen victim to CC fraud.
In ten years, I have only been ripped-off once. The seller claimed to have sent the item, but it never arrived. Then two weeks later her profile was gone.
As for selling...I moved back in 2003 and updated all of my info except my phone number. A bidder wanted to get a hold of me regarding an item I was selling. He called the phone number I had listed, which was disconnected. So, instead of sending me an email, he just reported me to eBay and I lost my account. It was an honest mistake on my part, but I had to wait a year and create a whole new profile.
Outside of that, I got really tired of all the buyers who would ask if they could buy my item off-auction for a price less than listed.
I've had lots of experience with eBay. The only bad was really bad, and caused me to leave for 3 years, but I'm selling again.
I bought a car on eBay, it was my first car, and I didn't have lots of money, Paypal and eBay both promised that I would be fully covered if the car wasn't as described. The only damages listed were a broken ball joint, a small ding on the passenger side, and a cracked windshield. Maybe $1200 of damage.
When the car rolls off the truck it has 4 BALD tires, no brake pads, and this the beginning. The passenger side mirror is gone, there are holes in the carpets, and the bumper is a different color than the rest of the car, and the "small ding" was actually a major dent, and they were identical on both sides. Also the ball joint was fine but the shocks and struts were broken, and the camber was badly cracked. I purchased the vehicle for $6101, and expected to put in about $1200, I ended up spending over $3000. Before putting the money in to it I files disputes for the extra damages. eBay doesn't even ask for pictures, and denies my claim. A very costly mistake.
I've started selling again. I buy estates that have lots of unsorted coins, and sell these coins on eBay. I make about $100 per week, and it's not much work, but most importantly I really enjoy it. I actually just sold a set of wheat pennies from 1909 - 1959 for alot of money... This ends up being nearly pure profit for me as I pay wholesale prices for unsorted coins.
The only downside is I have at least 50-60 rolls of 1942, 1944, and 1945 pennies that I can't get rid of
As for postage: it is common for sellers to list a high postage. That way even if the item sells for 99¢ the seller is still making a few bucks. Also, shipping things over seas is elfin' expensive. A pair of shoes to London, for example is $90 via UPS, and around $30 by USPS. Keep that in mind.
It's very easy to limit your auctions to US buyers only; or if you want to expand your base a little without shipping getting too expensive, US/Canada buyers (with a separate higher shipping rate to Canada if someone from there wins the auction).
Few people use eBay as a source of profit, and as their only source.
Lots of people use eBay to get rid of stuff they already have and don't need. They aren't making a profit, though, they are merely offsetting their loss. For these people, eBay is a digital yard sale. If they threw the thing away (or donated it), they'd get nothing, and with eBay at least they'll get a little something. But they aren't getting back nearly as much as they put into the item in the first place.
Then other people use ebay as a venue for a full retail business. For these people, selling is their full-time job, not just something they do when they have the time or energy. Usually these people utilize many venues. Oftentimes they have a physical store somewhere, or utilize a circuit of flea markets and arts and craft fairs to sell their wares. eBay is just a supplement for them. These people are typically experienced retailers with an understanding of the market, their product, and their competitors. If eBay ceased to exist, their business would still continue because they have other sources of revenue.
From a buyer's perspective, eBay was popular at first because it was a novelty. Most buyers had never been to a real live auction before, let alone participated in one. It was fun and cool to see how it all worked, and to be part of it. Even better that they thought they were saving money. Without ever leaving the sofa. But for most buyers, the novelty has worn off. Auctions are time-consuming, and more often than not, the buyer isn't really saving THAT much. They could buy the same thing for a few dollars more and have it right away, without the uncertainty of possibly losing the item to another buyer. It's still a popular website but not nearly to the extent that it was five years ago.
I'm trying to sell off much of what I have. I moved into my parents' 2nd floor and the rooms are much smaller and there is practically NO storage space. Soooo, I'm getting rid of new or near-new clothes, CDs, DVDs, etc. I'm not going to make a fortune, but I hope to make a few bucks.
I agree that ebay is dying,at least for the small seller. I've sold on and off for years, but I don't see how people can make a living with it unless it's an offshoot of another business.
I remember when Ebay was new, it was marketed something like 'the world's biggest garage sale'. It isn't anymore.
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