Tips for eBay sellers.

[waynepunkdude]

Thought it would be good to have a thread.

[Cat Burrito]

I've never had any problems as a seller. My thoughts are;

1) Realistically list things and avoid all the cliches about how you are losing out and doing them a favour.
2) Always offer postage. My collection only sales went for considerably less.
3) Loads of photographs!
4) Use the immediate payment button in the listing to avoid timewasters.
5) Stick to EBays rules
6) Proof of Postage as a minimum.
7) Politely bat off any idiot low bids questions and don't take them personally.

[Mr. Foxen]

Remember your time and effort in P&P. Try selling things here first, and don't forget you pay a final value fee as well as a listing one.

[PaulWarning]

not eveyone will agree with this but start your price at the minimum you're prepared to except, saves tears later, reserve prices just put people off because they don't know what the reserve is.

[Dubs]

For me, the most important thing to do is give an honest description and mention any fault or marks. I find that if you're totally honest it can actually work in your favour and I've had things sell for far more than I was expecting due to the condition of them.

[Bassassin]

Best tip? If it's a bass, bass amp/effects or bass parts, sell them here.

Jon.

[farmer61]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='1036395' date='Nov 25 2010, 02:25 PM']Best tip? If it's a bass, bass amp/effects or bass parts, sell them here.

Jon.[/quote]

RUBBISH, NOTHING EVER SELLS ON HERE IT'S A WASTE OF TIM!!!!!

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='PaulWarning' post='1036367' date='Nov 25 2010, 02:12 PM']not eveyone will agree with this but start your price at the minimum you're prepared to except, saves tears later, reserve prices just put people off because they don't know what the reserve is.[/quote]

The morally ok variation of shilling is ask about your mates for offers on something, even if they are a lowball, list it at 99p and invite that person to bid, gives you a free starting price of that, and if the market judges it high, at least it went to a mate.

[Macko1968]

[quote name='PaulWarning' post='1036367' date='Nov 25 2010, 02:12 PM']not eveyone will agree with this but start your price at the minimum you're prepared to except, saves tears later, reserve prices just put people off because they don't know what the reserve is.[/quote]

Agree 100%, why waste money on a reserve fee when you can be up front with buyers on the minimum sale price from the off.

Also proof of DELIVERY is the minimum. Ebay & Paypal require sellers to prove receipt of an item in dispute, not proof of posting.

Don't time auctions to end when folks are at work, asleep, watching England get knocked out of a tournament.

[Earbrass]

If the item has a minor fault that is quick/simple/cheap to fix, then FIX IT before putting the item up for sale.

I would never buy or bid on anything where the seller says something like "knob is missing, but it's easy to replace - you can get them for £1 from Maplins", because I would always think - "if it's really that simple, why haven't YOU done it?"

[warwickhunt]

Don't imagine for one minute that just because you've spent some money upgrading/improving your bass that anyone else is going to offer you more money for doing so!

I'm not singling out this bass for any other reason than it is a perfect example...

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Epiphone-Thunderbird-IV-Better-Than-New-/280594530465?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4154bcc0a1"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Epiphone-Thunderbird...=item4154bcc0a1[/url]

The seller has spent £200 'improving' the bass and wants £75 more than the cost of a new bass. If you break down his improvement costs into what others might also see as an improvement then he has basically added a case!

* Very nice Epiphone T-Bird flight-case included (cost £70) - essential as nothing else will fit! --- Agreed the case is handy... worth about £25-£0 used
* High quality thick leather strap (£30) --- I'm sure that most of us have our own so this is of no genuine value
* Quality strap locks fitted (£15) --- Some people like them; some don't, hence little or no value
* Additional strap button fitted to neck heel to cure the infamous T-Bird neck dive --- Hmmm so it has had an extra hole drilled/screwed into it that the new owner may well not appreciate... potentially devaluing the bass
* Brand new set of Thomastik Infeld flatwound strings (cost £35) --- Nice enough but about 75% of buyers will likely use roundwounds so these will be binned.
* Full pro set-up by Guitar Works in Reading (cost £50) --- Hmmm set up to the original owners liking but I bet it wouldn't be to my liking and I can do my own thanks.

As I say I'm not trying to diss this sale but the £200 the seller spent is virtually valueless other than the cost of a used case.

The moral; don't assume that improvements will improve the value of your bass.

[MB1]

MB1.
...Tip For Bidders!
Check the Bids list ! if you find your bidding against somebody with "Bidders Identity Protected" Dont bother!, i have found this is invariably Dubious!

Edited November 25, 2010 by MB1

[Mr. Foxen]

Variation on Warwickhunt's theme: Return your bass to stock before listing, and list upgrades separately.

Actually, the discarded crappy pickups from my cheapies have all fetched ok sums on ebay.

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='Johnston' post='1036823' date='Nov 25 2010, 07:42 PM']I always though that was the most important.

I've gotten some great bargains on things because they end while most folk at making their morning cup of tea in work .[/quote]

... hence it's a BAD idea for SELLERS!

[tauzero]

Read the [url="http://upce.toffee.net/"]upce FAQ[/url].

[spinynorman]

[quote name='PaulWarning' post='1036367' date='Nov 25 2010, 02:12 PM']not eveyone will agree with this but start your price at the minimum you're prepared to except, saves tears later, reserve prices just put people off because they don't know what the reserve is.[/quote]

Actually I don't think this is usually the way to get the best price. Buyers can be just as put off by a £100+ starting price as by a reserve. I usually start with the lowest price my nerves can stand, which tends to be £9.99. The exception is if you're not confident more than a couple of people will want what you're selling, in which case I'd put it on a long term BIN with best offers.

[sprocketflup]

Always always always list your item as 'Rare' everybody falls for that one

(hmm wheres the sarcastic smiley?)

[Delberthot]

go into great detail about the item you are selling and list all flaws and faults as mentioned previously.

If you want to let someone know how much of an amazing deal they are getting, go online and find the most expensive online price so that there seems a greater difference between what you are selling it for and what they are buying it for. Cheeky but it does work.

Lots of pictures - use photobucket or similar and insert them using the HTML editor. Its a wee bit tricky the first time you do it but you soon get the hang of it. That way you're not giving Ebay any more money than you have to.

List the brand, model and anything important in the title: "1982 Squier JV Precision MIJ Bass" is going to attract a lot more people than "base guiter"

The previous two are my main bugbears. If you're trying to sell your car you wouldn;t make a potential buyer view it from round the corner at a distance with some grit in his eye cos that's what they both equate to: ie not knowing exactly what you are going to get.

Quote facts about the item you are selling but don't just copy and paste from the manufacturer's website - that Rickenbacker description does my head in every time I see it "famous for its bell like blah blah blah blah". Use your own words and maybe explain why each feature is going to help them.

Invite questions but only post certain ones if they are going to help your sale like things you may have forgotten to put in the description

If you sell your item elsewhere, like here, simply end the auction. Don't write in the title "sold, please do not bid". Its in My Ebay at the right hand side.

I automatically block users with negative feedback or unpaid item strikes etc and anyone from Italy. Nothing against them but their mail system is a shambles and a lot of stuff goes walkies.

If you are selling something here as well and its really what you want to get for it then add money onto the Ebay listing to cover the fees you're likely to get if you sell it there.

Be prepared for dicks. They're in every walk of life. They'll not pay you, say something's damaged when it isn;t, give you grief and do your box in.

One thing to rmember is that if someone sends you a message saying that the item you are listing is overpriced and what are you thinking about, don;t reply to it when you're drunk and then post it cos that's exactly what I did a couple of years ago when I was selling a Rickenbacker 4000. Amazed I didn't have my account suspended as I completely tore in about the guy.

And remember, you're trying to sell something to as many people as you can. The more people you interest, the greater the chances are of achieving a good price as they all fall in love with the item you are selling because you described it so well and made them believe that they could not live without it. Corny but that's what selling is all about.


439 positive feedback points and 100% so I must be doing something right

Edited November 29, 2010 by Delberthot

[tino]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1036320' date='Nov 25 2010, 01:41 PM']Thought it would be good to have a thread.[/quote]
1. Expect to make a loss
2. Be happy if you break even
3.Have a party to celebrate any financial gain.
4.DONT deal with Lithuanians

[tom1946]

Avoid selling cars :<<

I have a mint focus as a classified ad for £1995, some half wit offered £1000

[MB1]

[quote name='tom1946' post='1041528' date='Nov 29 2010, 07:31 PM']Avoid selling cars :<<

I have a mint focus as a classified ad for £1995, some half wit offered £1000 [/quote]

MB1.
We buy any car. com, any!,any!, any!, any!....Lying Bastards!

[robocorpse]

[quote name='Earbrass' post='1036570' date='Nov 25 2010, 04:39 PM']If the item has a minor fault that is quick/simple/cheap to fix, then FIX IT before putting the item up for sale.
I would never buy or bid on anything where the seller says something like "knob is missing, but it's easy to replace - you can get them for £1 from Maplins", because I would always think - "if it's really that simple, why haven't YOU done it?"[/quote]

2 reasons.
1) The £5 plus P+P for the part, the hour its going to take me to locate and order the spare part on the web (or the petrol to pick it up from the local guitar shop/or Maplin etc), then the time to fit it is usually worth more than the tenner I might lose off the sale if I don't.
2) I have regularly got as much, or sometimes MORE money for "project" lots than a complete instrument in good condition because everyone likes a bargain, and they think they are getting it cheap, so they bid, then when they get outbid, they feel a little pang and think "sod it, I'll go another fiver" then it starts rising. Psychology...