EBAY: Buying Selling

[brucethebroker]

One other issue, that hasn’t been mentioned, is the Chinese sellers crowding out good US sellers. You cannot list the same item multiple times. But, it seems the Chinese sellers can. You can list multiple items but only in one listing.

Don't know about that, but I do know that the Chinese don't have access to American garage sales..........our vintage stuff sells quite well.

 

[CaliKid]

is tracking a must on the items you sell? I have purchased lots of items on ebay and sold some. buying is pretty much a guaranteed return if not satisfied. selling seemed expensive and kind of a hassle. where do you find items that you can mark up 400 to 800 percent?

Tracking is free and is a must. I also do signature confirmation for items over $100 or so dollars. That's at my expense but it's simple insurance.

 

[CaliKid]

Can anyone give advice on how to appropriately price collectible items for sale? I’ve got some Murano glass sculptures that I inherited from a great aunt. I have no idea what they are worth and since they are hand crafted, I have not found anything comparable on eBay. I guess start high and reduce the price if it doesn’t sell? Is there a listing fee even if your item doesn’t sell?

I always look at closed auctions on Ebay. See what items sold for and what items went without a bid. Make sure to check if they included free postage, expensive postage, etc.... Also, check if items are brand new in box, have defects, etc.... Basically do your best to honestly and objectively, to the extent possible, determine where your item falls. Then price it. Most items have enough sales that you can easily determine what to list for. When I am unsure I run it as an auction first and see what happens. Have had a few pleasant surprises over the years including a rare Pez dispenser that sold for a few hundred bucks through an Ebay auction.

 

[Midpack]

Can anyone give advice on how to appropriately price collectible items for sale? I’ve got some Murano glass sculptures that I inherited from a great aunt. I have no idea what they are worth and since they are hand crafted, I have not found anything comparable on eBay. I guess start high and reduce the price if it doesn’t sell? Is there a listing fee even if your item doesn’t sell?

Could you not get an idea from this site and others like it?

https://www.yourmurano.com/us/murano-glass-sculptures/

We just sold over a dozen Murano glass pieces. We got $50-$200 for most items, about 25%-50% of retail (based on link above) on eBay. We ended up doing better going to an antique shop that sells newer items, not strictly antiques. Good luck.

 

[COcheesehead]

The best piece of advise I can give to a prospective eBay seller is to become an expert in something and have a good idea of what things sell for. My wife knows camera equipment. I know bike parts. Then when you are out and about, keep an eye open. I have even bought items at retail, on closeout, that I know I can flip. Its eBay arbitrage. Just because I can buy something at that low price, doesn't mean the rest of the world can buy it for that same price.

 

[ocean view]

thanks, I'll check that out. My great aunt passed 30 years ago, but DM just found the pieces in her cupboard and gave them to me over the holidays. I haven't had time yet to really look into their values, so I appreciate the link.

 

[TappyGee]

I just looked up my history. I’ve bought 87 items from eBay dating back at least 20 years. I’ve never had a bad experience. I only buy from sellers with positive reviews though.

One time a seller sent me the wrong size fork. She was quick to fix it and very nice. I gave her a great review. Actually I have only given great reviews. Many sellers are just people like ourselves trying to do their best.

I rarely shop there anymore since it is now more like a flea-market than a yard sale like it used to be. Also I am now in the getting rid of stuff stage of my life after cleaning out my parents hoard... My sister still shops there a lot though.

I’ve never sold on eBay.

 

[Midpack]

I just looked up my history. I’ve bought 87 items from eBay dating back at least 20 years. I’ve never had a bad experience. I only buy from sellers with positive reviews though.

One time a seller sent me the wrong size fork. She was quick to fix it and very nice. I gave her a great review. Actually I have only given great reviews. Many sellers are just people like ourselves trying to do their best.

I rarely shop there anymore since it is now more like a flea-market than a yard sale like it used to be. Also I am now in the getting rid of stuff stage of my life after cleaning out my parents hoard... My sister still shops there a lot though.

I’ve never sold on eBay.

Buyers will always have a good experience in the end, they get what they want or a refund - shady buyers sometimes get both.

Sellers can’t give negative reviews.

As a seller I’ve had 96-97% good experiences, with 100% positive feedback, and many happy customers.

Sellers are the ones who will have a few bad experiences, from shady buyers. Sellers have almost no recourse, and you’re going to provide a full refund in the end, so it’s pointless to resist.

Like I said earlier, I’ve run into about 3-4% suspect buyers and only one was a significant $ transaction. Sellers will run into it occasionally, no getting around it.

 

[msanniee]

In the 10 years I've used EBay, I've only had one issue. Outside of that, as a buyer, I've been very satisfied. Of course, I use PayPal to pay for purchases as that method does come with some protections for the consumer.

 

[morriss003]

Your experiences with EBay... Buying, selling? Good,bad? Mailing, shipping?, Returns? Payments? Problems? Commercial sources, individuals?

In short, anything about EBay that might help a beginner.

For the most part I don't touch eBay. Over 50% of the time it's been a bad experience.

 

[Mansderm]

Careful selling thru Ebay. As others mentioned, they represent buyer. I got scammed out of $1200. They and PayPal will not help you. They tell you to submit a claim thru FBI internet fraud site and nothing ever happens. You are out the price of the item, plus Ebay and PayPal fees. I will never sell on the site again. Everyone I know that has sold on Ebay has gotten scammed at some point. You may sell some low priced items without problems but if you list any high end items, it is a big risk. If you want to sell anything over $100, require local pick up and have them verify at your pick up site that the item was picked up and sold as advertised.

 

[catii]

I've bought hundreds of very-specialized items from eBay (Japanese swords), & if you know what you're doing, you can find some real bargains. I've found a few bad sellers, but the word gets out fairly quickly.

 

[brucethebroker]

For the most part I don't touch eBay. Over 50% of the time it's been a bad experience.

Would you mind sharing what has caused your 50% bad experiences? buying? selling? both? And enough details that we could learn from your experience?

 

[RoxyM]

I love Ebay! Have been a buyer since early 2000's and have gotten some really good deals. Overpaid just a very few times. Recently late 2018 I started selling things on Ebay that I had collected over many years. I bought my collectibles at garage sales, estate sales, thrift shops, and sometimes regular retail stores. Must downsize now. So far I haven't made a ton of money, but have made a profit monetarily. It is time-consuming, but I'm retired, so why not do it? Plus it's kind of fun.

I hesitated before starting selling, but now wish I'd started doing it sooner. Don't hesitate! I've sold several items between November and now, and it's great to be getting rid of things not needed, and making a few bucks.

 

[sengsational]

I got scammed out of $1200.

As a seller, I expect. Please elaborate. I was under the impression that if you have delivery confirmation and insurance, the buyer would have a hard time claiming they didn't get the item.

 

[COcheesehead]

For the most part I don't touch eBay. Over 50% of the time it's been a bad experience.

I find this hard to believe.

 

[Midpack]

As a seller, I expect. Please elaborate. I was under the impression that if you have delivery confirmation and insurance, the buyer would have a hard time claiming they didn't get the item.

I got scammed out of $220, with clear evidence the buyer was lying, but it’s easy. A few examples:

• Buy an item, use it for up to 180 days (approx 6 months), break it and return for a full refund (you have 180 days if you use PayPal).
• If you break say item A you bought anywhere that you’ve owned for a long time, order another exactly like it on eBay, item B. When item B arrives, claim it was broken, return item A for a full refund (including shipping) and keep item B. Won’t work with unique items (serial number, very rare), but it can work with lots of everyday items.

There are other similar angles. Many eBay sellers just refund without even asking for the item to be returned, and unscrupulous buyers know that. Again, I’ve had 4% scam buyers, it’s a cost of doing business on eBay. I block those buyers from further purchases, but that just means they scam another seller.

If you want “revenge” the most you can do is insist the buyer return the broken item including all packaging so you can file a claim with USPS or whoever. They might not want to be bothered, but seems unlikely to me. And as you might imagine, filing a claim with USPS is a waste of time, probably because they have no way of separating legit damage from bogus damage.

 

[COcheesehead]

The PayPal return policy is void if the item is described correctly, so be honest, take lots of pictures and describe the item well. See the complete policy here.https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/paypal-safety-and-security

In 15 years and over 2000 transactions I’ve had 2 returns. One for a size issue and the other was for what he said was a defect I did not describe, which actually was probably true.

 

[COcheesehead]

I got scammed out of $220, with clear evidence the buyer was lying, but it’s easy. A few examples:

• Buy an item, use it for up to 180 days (approx 6 months), break it and return for a full refund (you have 180 days if you use PayPal).
• If you break say item A you bought anywhere that you’ve owned for a long time, order another exactly like it on eBay, item B. When item B arrives, claim it was broken, return item A for a full refund (including shipping) and keep item B. Won’t work with unique items (serial number, very rare), but it can work with lots of everyday items.

There are other similar angles. Many eBay sellers just refund without even asking for the item to be returned, and unscrupulous buyers know that. Again, I’ve had 4% scam buyers, it’s a cost of doing business on eBay. I block those buyers from further purchases, but that just means they scam another seller.

If you want “revenge” the most you can do is insist the buyer return the broken item including all packaging so you can file a claim with USPS or whoever. They might not want to be bothered, but seems unlikely to me. And as you might imagine, filing a claim with USPS is a waste of time, probably because they have no way of separating legit damage from bogus damage.

You have to state a return policy in the listing. Mine says the item must be returned within 30 days. Buyer pays shipping. That is a standard for Powersellers like me.
For valuable items, always buy insurance.

 

[travelover]

......... I was under the impression that if you have delivery confirmation and insurance, the buyer would have a hard time claiming they didn't get the item.

When I got burned (for a relatively small amount), the buyer had moved but not updated his address with eBay. I sent the item to the listed eBay address, which was delivered with tracking but no insurance. So, even though it was clear that it was delivered to the wrong address due to the buyer's error, eBay gave him his money back. Even if I'd paid for insurance, I'm not sure there would be a claim, as it was delivered.

 

[Aerides]

Even if I'd paid for insurance, I'm not sure there would be a claim, as it was delivered.

USPS insurance won't pay if there's a delivery. Third party will (u-pic, etc) but the payment requires a claim in which the customer has to help.. with like an attestation that they didn't get the item, etc.

Amazon is tough on INR's without signature, but I thought amazon/paypal were more reasonable for the seller.

 

[Midpack]

The PayPal return policy is void if the item is described correctly, so be honest, take lots of pictures and describe the item well. See the complete policy here.https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/paypal-safety-and-security

In 15 years and over 2000 transactions I’ve had 2 returns. One for a size issue and the other was for what he said was a defect I did not describe, which actually was probably true.

You have to state a return policy in the listing. Mine says the item must be returned within 30 days. Buyer pays shipping. That is a standard for Powersellers like me.
For valuable items, always buy insurance.

We don’t all want to be Powersellers and that’s eBay “protection” that PayPal can ignore. All a buyer has to do is claim the item was damaged within 180 days, and send it back to the seller at his/her expense - no authorization needed. That’s exactly what happened to me, and I had proof the buyer damaged it himself. The buyer claimed it was damaged in shipment 30 days after he received it. eBay told me they wouldn’t honor the claim after 30 days. PayPal couldn’t care less...they refunded the purchase price including shipping as soon as the buyer provided evidence he’d returned the item. No notice or discussion. When I then cried foul with eBay, they said so sorry, we’ll refund your eBay fees but that’s all we can do.

Again I’ve only claimed a 4% scam buyers, and only 1 significant $. And I was happy with eBay until PayPal pulled the stunt above. My other two scam buyers were on $10 and $20 sales, I just ate them, not worth fighting.

Buyers on eBay can expect to be 100% happy, sellers not quite that high...

From your link:

Purchase Protection covers all eligible purchases where PayPal is used, as well as payments made through our website. To take advantage of Purchase Protection, we require, among other things, that PayPal accounts be kept in good standing and ask that a dispute be filed within 180 days of your purchase or payment.

What’s covered with PayPal Purchase Protection
You bought a book, but received a DVD
You bought an item described as “new,” but received something that was used
You purchased 3 items, but only received 2
The item was damaged during shipping
The item is missing major parts (that the seller didn’t report)
You purchased an item described as authentic, but received a knockoff instead.

 

[fritz]

Interesting to see all the responses by eBay sellers on this thread. Never have looked at this opportunity, but have purchased online for years.

I search for items we want online and end up evaluating the item and seller by price and seller rating, and if the item is exactly (or similar to) what we desire. Usually avoid overseas sellers, but have done it when the item is exactly what we want and delivery isn't excessive. Overseas delivery appears to have greatly improved over the years.

As for purchasing - find that Amazon is not competitive in most recent purchases. Jeff's advantage with no tax and minimal shipping charges (if any) has almost disappeared. I have ordered on eBay and had the item shipped to our home in an Amazon box sealed with tape labeled "Prime". Appears that some eBay sellers are also Amazon sellers, or prime members and just might be making money off a slightly higher price difference of what a Prime member saves on shipping charges - which I've found can be excessive on Amazon.

I avoided eBay for a number of years, as I once purchased an advertised "new" Sony Walkman, but what arrived was a new low quality imported pocket radio. When I complained to eBay back then - was told I could return the item (at my expense). Return shipping would have significantly reduced the refund. IIRC, eBay used PayPal exclusively back then. I understand why eBay has toughened up their policies. I buy small items off eBay now and am happy with using virtual credit card numbers and getting most items with free shipping and usually below Amazon.

Walmart online has a lot of competitive pricing and like the hassle free returns to a local Walmart store if not happy with purchase. Also can avoid shipping costs if shipped for pickup at our local Walmart store. Just bought a fireproof file safe from Walmart online, and price was significantly under what Amazon and eBay wanted (and was free shipping to our house).

I have also found that if I've searched online for specific items I'm evaluating for purchase, I've found direct sellers of those items (and some just happen to also sell on eBay or Amazon). Last year, bought new spare tire kit and trunk bed liner for new 2018 car at a Florida dealership at better pricing than offered on Amazon and eBay (seller was on eBay IIRC).

Lately, I've found items online and purchased from sellers other than Amazon or eBay due to price and shipping being much lower. This is becoming more common for us, and purchases at Amazon almost non-existent with eBay falling off significantly as well. Bought a vacuum cleaner for our daughter last year locally from Ace Hardware. The pricing was well under Amazon, eBay, and Walmart. And who doesn't love the constantly changing Amazon electronic pricing scenario (ever drop an item into your cart and have the pricing go up?). Gotta shop around....

 

[Aerides]

I have ordered on eBay and had the item shipped to our home in an Amazon box sealed with tape labeled "Prime". Appears that some eBay sellers are also Amazon sellers, or prime members and just might be making money off a slightly higher price difference of what a Prime member saves on shipping charges - which I've found can be excessive on Amazon.

This results from one of two methods:

1) the seller on ebay is also an amazon seller, and uses amazons warehouses and fulfillment channels to ship orders wherever they well. It's a service amazon offers to sellers called multi-channel-fulfillment

2) (more likely) the seller is using amazon as a drop shipper, usually charging more on ebay, then using their prime buyer account to purchase and have the item shipped to you via amazon, and pocketing the difference. Several items I sell on amazon are listed by drop shippers like this on ebay. The margins on this are usually small, but for the seller the effort is very minimal. There are hundreds of these sellers, if not more, all over ebay.

 

[Caskem]

eBay experience

Shipping is the big problem for me and selling. Even if the buyer pays for shipping, it's a pain to do it most times. And invariably, it costs way more than the estimate to ship. So, you need to be very careful or use a reserve price to ensure shipping costs don't wipe out any profit.