Ebay n00b, need advice

[Yzzim]

Alright, I'm going to start selling a couple things on Ebay worth between $200-$400. I've never sold anything on Ebay before so I'd like some advice as to what I should and shouldn't do.

Should I have a reserve price?
Should I use the Buy It Now option?
Any tips on setting up an auction? Layout, design, etc.
Does it matter when I start my auction? Do more people look at auctions on a certain day?
How many days should I let my auction go for? I'd like to get it over with quickly, but don't want to hurt the price in the process...
Should I try and make a profit off shipping charges? I hate when other people do it, so I don't think I'm going to. How common do people do it?

Anything else I should know?

TIA!

 

[edro]

1. Don't use a Reserve, they suck.
2. Use Buy It Now, people love it.
3. Use basic HTML tags, they have a link to show you some.
4. Include as many pics as possible.
5. Include a shipping price, and don't make it too high.

 

[edro]

6. Post 3 day auctions.
7. Start your 3 day auction Thursday night at like 9pm Eastern, that way they end at Sunday 9pm.

 

[Passions]

No, reserves are useless.
Yes, Buy it now is popular. But if you do, set a high minimum or else its pretty much useless too. (It gets cancelled if under the minumum.)
HTML is fine.
Time really doesn't matter, but some people say to end on weekends.
7 days is popular.
Profit off shipping is sometimes necessary, but I usually don't do it. I know people will sell an item for $25 and have a $175 shipping price in the description.
Ebay thinks you only sold an $25 item, so you avoid the fees. Hah! But, don't do that. uhh yeah.

Be honest about your description! People will think you are shady if you don't have high feedback and sell a high priced item.

 

[Stifko]

Why is doing only 3 day auctions good advice?

 

[Yzzim]

<< Be honest about your description! People will think you are shady if you don't have high feedback and sell a high priced item. >>


I've got like 5-7 positive evals so I know people will think I'm shady. I'm going to take as many pictures as possible so people know that I actually have the item I'm selling. I do have 50-60+ positive heatwares, but I doubt people will know what the heck heatware is.

I suppose I could have a buddy sell the item. He has 40-60 (can't remember) positive evals...

 

[Muadib]

1. Don't use a Reserve, they suck.
Why is that?

 

[Ns1]

i personally use reserves....

i do 1$ opening bid and put a decent reserve (gotta love 30 cent listing fees )

i do 7 day start on sunday end on sunday

 

[edro]

Reserves make people mad.

You gotta keep on bidding to finally win. People get pissed off after a while and when they see "reserve" they just hit the BACK button.

 

[GMachine]

I sell things once in a while on EBAY. I've had great success selling there. I mostly sell guitar equipment like effects or amps and other electronics that people tend to like. I always use a reserve because I price reasonably and if people want it, they will buy it. I always use a 3 day auction because people wait til the last second anyway so may as well speed up the process. I just post simple ads with no html and take a few pictures. If you're honest it will show in your replys to people and in your comments. I only have like six or seven but they're all positive. Good luck.

 

[b0mbrman]

<< 1. Don't use a Reserve, they suck.
2. Use Buy It Now, people love it.
3. Use basic HTML tags, they have a link to show you some.
4. Include as many pics as possible.
5. Include a shipping price, and don't make it too high. >>


Pics are very important.

Make sure you include *everything* that will be included in your shipping. Free shipping is nice but ebay charges you fees for whatever the bid is...

 

[Atrail]

How are the charges configured?

 

[Rob9874]

Make your auction end Sunday night, but no need to make it a 3-day. 3-day auctions are quick and easy, but the longer it's on there, the more people will see it. I like to do 7-day auctions, Sun-Sun. 5 dayers from Tue-Sun work too.

Yeah, don't use a reserve. I won't bid on auctions with a reserve. Just start it at the lowest you'll be willing to sell for. The increased listing fee will pay for itself with higher bids.

 

[RossMAN]

If I am selling brand new retail packaged software do you guys recommend an actual picture of the product or something borrowed from a webpage (professional) pict?

 

[Ns1]

charges it's 30-2 bucks listing fee (depending on start bid, paid no matter what), then 5-7% of final bid

 

[Yzzim]

<< Reserves make people mad.

You gotta keep on bidding to finally win. People get pissed off after a while and when they see "reserve" they just hit the BACK button. >>


Don't people have to keep bidding without a reserve? Say I start the auction at $100 and the item usually sells for $300 people are going to have to bid until it gets up to around $300 (hopefully).

A reserve would just insure that I get the lowest price I want, like $275 or something. Granted, I could start the bidding at $275, but wouldn't people back away from starting the bids at such a high price?

 

[BlueApple]

<< If I am selling brand new retail packaged software do you guys recommend an actual picture of the product or something borrowed from a webpage (professional) pict? >>


I'd do actual product. Not only does it show the buyer you are dedicated to your selling and just don't copy some image from the net, it also reassures them that they will get what they expect. Never leave the buyer felt surprised with what he/she gets.

 

[b0mbrman]

Another vote here for actual product...and make sure you put something "homey" in it...like your rug or something...make it look like you didn't take it out of a magazine...and put your name on the pic too so no one steals it

 

[djheater]

As far as software packaging. I was selling a boxed XP and had "borrowed" an image. People kept emailing and asking if the one I had was "new as in sealed in box new, or just new new."
I guess they would have felt a little more reassured if it were a crappy pic.

...heh... there's a cynical life lesson.
People don't want professionalism, they want what they expect.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Put a reserve on your stuff. Otherwise you have to sell for the to-low-price when the auctio ends. If you don't they give you bad feedback and you're done.

 

[Jzero]

Reserves are suck. It's kinda OK if you're selling a big-ticket item or something you dont' want to lose money on, but quite frankly, I see an auction that starts at $1 and has a reserve, I just move on.
Don't use me for a price check. If you don't want to risk a loss, don't sell it on Ebay.
I never bid on reserve auctions.
And I love Buy It Now but you have to have like +10 feedback to be eligible.

 

[rpc64]

Here's another vote for don't use a reserve. They are irritating and not as many people will look at your auction.

 

[RossMAN]

Thanks for the replies. I will gladly take a picture of the actual product, it's Visual Studio Pro 6.0 (should have sold it before VS .NET was released ).

Any suggestions on how a beginning photographer like me should take a pict of the actual software?

 

[Hossenfeffer]

For me, a clear photo is more than fine. If you want to take a detail pic of the label and/or seal on the box, that's always an option as well.

 

[bonk102]

def. avoid reserve, it's pointless, just dont start too low and you'll be fine