|
|
|
||||||||
|
Tip #13
|
||||||||||
 |
||||||||||
|
"Hey Good Buddy! Could you do me a favor and put this stuff up on Ebay?"
Just as sure as taxes, you can bet this will eventually be coming!
|
||||||||||
|
Without a doubt, you can make some extra cash by selling other people's items on Ebay. And as soon as other people find out that you are a successful seller, they come searching you out!
I used to list items for other people out of the goodness of my heart. But over the course of time, I have found my heart has hardened somewhat! Most of the time you will find a friend or family member cleaning out their garage or basement. 99% of everything they are getting rid of is shit that should have been hauled to the curb. But instead of doing that, they would rather impose on you hoping you can dump their crap and they make a few bucks.
My advice? Turn them away. Now, not all of it! There are going to be that 1 or 2 situations that might deserve your professional attention. Other than that, you will be wasting valuable time that could be spent on finding items that can make you some real money.
1.) Charge between 25% and 35% of the closing price, plus all fees. This would included insertion and final fees. You should create a sliding scale based on different breakpoints that an item will close at.
Paypal fees? I know too many people who spend too much time trying to account for Paypal fees on large consignments. Way too much accounting work! Since Paypal fees run roughly 3%, tack an extra 1.75% on ALL SALES regardless if they use Paypal or not! Since some people will use Paypal, and some won't, you'll pretty much break even by a few dollars in either direction. I have never had anybody object to this reasoning and it has saved me considerable time when making invoices.
Shipping materials? If the items are small, consider using Priority Mail as the boxes and tape are free from the Post Office. Bubble wrap and Peanuts are part of the business, and you should absorb them in your fee. But, if you are sending larger items requiring larger boxes and a ton of packing materials, then your client should be aware of extra charges on that particular item. Do not pass this on to your Ebay customers. It may reduce your chances of picking up extra bids, which will result in you losing money, anyway.
If the person doesn't like this, let them go elsewhere. By the time you take into consideration research, photography, ad writing and shipping time, it is a real bargain. Believe me, this is very time consuming, and your time is worth money. They would never consider working for free. BUT FOR SOME REASON, THEY EXPECT YOU TO WORK FOR FREE! Believe me!!!!!! After I have told friends "This is how we are going to it, and this is how I get paid", they look at me in total disbelief over the fact that I would actually want paid for my work!
I have found out that many people have this mind-set expecting you to sell their $300 item, pay them the full amount, and they will slip you $5 or $10 for your efforts and fees. They act like they are doing you the favor and giving you the honor of selling their garbage. Don't fall into this trap! Eliminate this mind-set from the beginning! And like I said, if they don't like it, let them go elswhere!
2.) Do not accept any items that you feel will not have a chance of doing some real money. Remember, you get paid off the closing price! You will put as much work into an item that sells for $10 as an item that sells for $100! The difference is you make more money for your efforts on the $100 item! I try not to accept anything I feel won't do $50 or better on Ebay. If the person doesn't like that, let them go elsewhere.
3.) You set the rules. If the person doesn't like that, let them go elsewhere. It's bad enough when somebody hauls their garbage to your house. Then it's even worse when they dictate the "Minimum" amount they will accept to sell it! Keep in mind again! If it doesn't sell , you don't get paid! My rule is simple. All auctions start at $9.95 (or less, depending on the item) with no reserve. This way the item is guaranteed to sell, and you will get paid.
I don't care what the person thinks it is worth, or what they paid for it 6 months ago. I don't care what their Uncle Hornsby thinks it's worth. I frankly don't care if they agree with my methods or not. I am not here to be a charity. I am here to sell. And that, I do know how to do! You must always remember this very simple rule: Ebay buyers dictate pricing, not the sellers. If it is worth anything at all, it will do decent money. (Read the previous tips if you are not sure!) Therfore when I start hearing "The least I'll take.....", or "The minimum I want....", or "This is how much I want you to start at....." is when I start shaking my head and pointing to the door.
You as a seller have spent a considerable amount of time learning how to make things work on Ebay. For somebody to come to you and start dictating their terms does nothing but set you back to square-one! These people do not know what you know! Don't ever think otherwise.
If you are considering using Reserves, then just go stick your head in the oven and turn on the gas. Nothing worse than running 10 Reserve auctions and having only one or two sell. You wasted VALUABLE time on the other eight, and you made nothing! I don't use reserves on my own personal auctions, and I won't start for somebody else.
4.) It is your business! Stand firm! Nothing irritates me more than a newbie wanting me to sell their stuff, and telling me how to do it. "This is what I want, and this is how much I want, and you should do this, blah, blah, blah." Well, you know what? If you know so much, maybe you should go home and do it yourself!
FOLKS!
I'm telling ya!
This is going to happen!
If you want to make money doing this,
then take this advice to the bank:
NEVER LET ANYBODY EVER, EVER
TELL YOU HOW TO RUN YOUR
ONLINE BUSINESS!
Let them go elsewhere and waste
somebody else's time!
|
||||||||||
|
Warning: This is a free publication open to all people wishing to view it. The rights of
this publication belong to me. No duplication by written or electronic means is allowed
without my approval. No links are permitted without my approval. In the event you
were spammed and paid for this site, you were conned! Please forward as much
information as possible concerning any advertisement to sell this material.
Thanks for reading! There will be more to come!
|
||||||||||
| page created with Easy Designer |