Average Spending on EBAY

[Tom52]

I have only sold one item on ebay, a $2,300 Gibson guitar. It works O.K. but the ebay fees and the Paypal fees add up.

I have purchased many items of ebay, DVDs, GPS, car parts, guitar parts to name a few.

I have used Craig's list quite successfully to sell household items that we no longer need. It works much better than ebay and you can sell for more than you can get for the items at a garage sale.

[FUEGO]

Usually small electronics or electronics accessories. In the last year I got a refurbished Eee PC and a brand new Dell quad core desktop. Also 2x mp3 player covers (his and hers for DW and I). A refurbished mp3 player for 1/10 the price of an Ipod that can do some awesome stuff. Replacement laptop power supply for 1/6 the price of the "refurb" unit from dell.

Usually stuff I buy on ebay is stuff that is way cheaper on there. I have only had one major issue out of many dozens of purchases and it was eventually resolved and was only a dispute over missing $20 worth of accessories that were promised to be included with the item for something that cost $300 new and I got for $100 lightly used. So I got the cash and then bought the replacement parts that I probably would have bought anyway due to hygenic reasons.

In the past, college textbooks, old rare books, electronic parts. Ebay is just another place I go to comparison shop if I want something. And it is an excellent place to get a good quick estimate of fair value for something (ie if I want to figure out what to list something for on Craigslist or sell something to a friend at a "fair" price).

[Delawaredave5]

I buy and sell about $500/year on ebay. Great way to rid house of stuff.

What makes me angry is Paypal and fees. I sell a lot of books and cheap stuff for under $10 -- the damn Paypal fees for merchant account are over a buck.

When you add ebay fee and shipping - it is a "near waste of time" - but gets books in hands of people that want them

[ziggy29]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delawaredave5 I buy and sell about $500/year on ebay. Great way to rid house of stuff. What makes me angry is Paypal and fees. I sell a lot of books and cheap stuff for under $10 -- the damn Paypal fees for merchant account are over a buck.

There's no question that eBay, which was founded on letting the "little guy" sell stuff in their garage for a few bucks, no longer cares about that segment of its customer base. They are now only concerned about the big-time seller with huge volume and "storefronts".

[Moemg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggy29 There's no question that eBay, which was founded on letting the "little guy" sell stuff in their garage for a few bucks, no longer cares about that segment of its customer base. They are now only concerned about the big-time seller with huge volume and "storefronts".

Ebay was definitely headed that way but I think it is starting to see the error
of this way of thinking . The thing that made ebay was all the little sellers selling unique items and they were heading towards becoming anything but that . They lost tons of buyers and sellers so they are now backtracking and trying to be more friendly to the small sellers .

[Delawaredave5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moemg Ebay was definitely headed that way but I think it is starting to see the error of this way of thinking . The thing that made ebay was all the little sellers selling unique items and they were heading towards becoming anything but that . They lost tons of buyers and sellers so they are now backtracking and trying to be more friendly to the small sellers .

How are they "more friendly" ? Have fees gone down ?

I used to sell books for 99 cents. Used to make shipping $5 - and I'd make a couple bucks there.

Ebay now caps shipping on paperback books at $4. So now I don't make any money on shipping. Sell a book for two bucks - and the ebay and Paypal fees are 1/2 of that.

Maybe I'm expecting too much.

[Moemg]

The first five items you list are free . If you are selling low cost items it works out great . $4 for shipping paperbacks is pretty generous considering they go media mail . I sell hard cover books on amazon . For paperbacks find a swap center you will do better. Ebay has also just started multiple listing so I usually sell skirts in several sizes . Now I can sell them all with one listing rather than several so it saves on fees . I do agree the fees eat up profit but I still make a decent amount and it keeps me amused .

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moemg The first five items you list are free . If you are selling low cost items it works out great . $4 for shipping paperbacks is pretty generous considering they go media mail . I sell hard cover books on amazon . For paperbacks find a swap center you will do better. Ebay has also just started multiple listing so I usually sell skirts in several sizes . Now I can sell them all with one listing rather than several so it saves on fees . I do agree the fees eat up profit but I still make a decent amount and it keeps me amused .

Moemg, I think you mentioned that you sell new skirts. Whre do you get your stock?

Ha

[novaman]

While I probably spend about $150 a year on Ebay, I've been mostly dissapointed and will likely not continue. Most everything I've bought has turned out to be counterfeit- from the replacement cell phone battery, to the BMW car accessories, to the Deisel jeans- they were ALL fakes. My last straw is the P90X system I just bought- it said genuine and new in box- that much is true, but little clues give away that it is counterfeit- from the numerous poor spellings in the manuals, to the frequent freeze ups on the DVD's- you just know that this isn't the real deal.

I suspect that a huge percentage of the stuff being sold is counterfeit.

[Moemg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha Moemg, I think you mentioned that you sell new skirts. Whre do you get your stock? Ha

I'd be glad to tell you but then I'd have to kill you so you did not compete with me .

[Moemg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by novaman . I suspect that a huge percentage of the stuff being sold is counterfeit.

If you report something to ebay that is counterfeit they will refund your money and ask you to destroy the item . Ebay is really tough on counterfeits .

[WhoDaresWins]

I am some kind of a fossil. I have never bought or sold on Ebay.

[Bimmerbill]

I like it. It saves me a lot of money. I just bought an electronic ignitor bulb for my gas oven off of ebay. $29 delivered. Sears wanted $72. That's good savings.

[ksr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delawaredave5 What makes me angry is Paypal and fees. I sell a lot of books and cheap stuff for under $10 -- the damn Paypal fees for merchant account are over a buck. When you add ebay fee and shipping - it is a "near waste of time" - but gets books in hands of people that want them

I started to feel this way about books, too. For low-priced books, I use paperbackswap instead now. It gives me that same sense of satisfaction you mention - getting books to people who want them, without me feeling like I've been "taken" by eBay/PayPay fees. And I've received a couple of really nice books through paperbackswap as well.

[rescueme]

I guess I'm one of those "black swans", but I purchased a used car (2005 Cadillac SRX) on eBay early last year, after participation in several auctions over a couple of months.

I had test driven a similar vehicle (2007 leftover) through a local dealer, but we could not agree on a price.

The car was purchased from the original (GM) dealer as a one-owner returned leased unit, along with a 5-year certification. Although several states away, it was delivered to my door (via a car carrier) and had been completely reconditioned (I would suppose a bit better than a private sale).

After 18 months, I'm still satisified with my experience (even my wife, who thought I was crazy at the time).

[TromboneAl]

It sure can be fun. I always snipe (bid in the last few seconds). I download the correct time put the clock up, set up the bid with the maximum I'm willing to pay, wait until 15 seconds to go, and click the final button. Then in a few seconds I get to find out whether I lost, or whether I won, and for how much.

[Moemg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl It sure can be fun. I always snipe (bid in the last few seconds). I download the correct time put the clock up, set up the bid with the maximum I'm willing to pay, wait until 15 seconds to go, and click the final button. Then in a few seconds I get to find out whether I lost, or whether I won, and for how much.

Try this
Auction Sniper : eBay Sniper and eBay Bidding snipe, bid sniping for eBay

[Westernskies]

Quote:

Originally Posted by novaman Most everything I've bought has turned out to be counterfeit- from the replacement cell phone battery, to the BMW car accessories, to the Deisel jeans- they were ALL fakes....I suspect that a huge percentage of the stuff being sold is counterfeit.

I would expect "Deisel" jeans to be counterfeit...

[mickeyd]

Never even been to the Ebay web site. I only buy what I need right now.

[Midpack]

Sold about 50 items, grossed about $2500. Never bought anything on eBay, not that I wouldn't. Just that most items are bid up too high, the bargains are less frequent from what I've seen.