Hello Charles,

Do's:
   Always take a picture of your items. Most people will not
even look at what you have without it unless they are looking
for something specific. Take more then one picture and take
the best pictures you can with a digital camera.

   Send a Money Order whenever possible. Don't pay $5+ for
a Money Order. Get one free from your bank.

   Your rating and feedback are important! Alway represent
your item honestly; wear, flaws, condition, etc. The book I
recently purchased was in the extremely used condition. This
made it more like the one I read years ago and won out over
the books just like it but in perfect condition.

   When selling ALWAYS pack item so well it would be hard
for them to get damaged in any way. My paperback book was
wrapped FOUR times using four different packagings.

   When figuring up the postage and shipping costs, decide
whether you need to buy boxes, bubble wrap, etc. and add
that on the postage you list with your items.

   Check out your options for insuring items. Usually you ask
the buyer and they pay. If it is a small amount and someone
has purchased from you previously, you may want to insure
for them as a courtesy. This will come back in your feedback.

   If you have something to sell but will not let it go below a
certain amount, put a "reserve" on it. If your lowest price is
not met, it will not sell. Sometimes this can cost you a sell but
is better than losing money.

Don'ts:
   Be careful of personal information you give out. I recently
bought a book on ebay. I was naively going to send a check.
My friend told me that was too much info to give a stranger.
She has personal knowledge of this problem. Do not pay with
a personal credit card.

   If you are buying and there are identical items for sale at
around the same prices, check out the postage charge. Buy
the item with the lowest charge. Many sellers sell their items
for less but make a bigger profit on the postage. I have even
found Melaleuca's products on there selling below wholesale.
The postage was enormous. When I asked my friend how
the person could make money that way, she told me they
make it charging a higher postage than necessary.

   Relative to the above, if something seems off about an item,
don't buy until you check it out. At the same time when you
begin to sell, if something does not feel right about the person
who purchases from you, be careful of shipping to them. Never
give anyone credit and allow them to "pay later."

   Don't use Pay Pal if at all possible. They charge you extra
and many times mess up your order. They are slow to rectify
problems and sometimes not at all. This can create a negative
standing between you and ebay.

   Along the same line, always check out the ebay charges.
You are charged a small amount for everything and this can
mount up.

   As you have probably read in my posts I am decluttering my
home. Carolyn's advise to me was to NEVER throw anything away.
Someone on ebay will want what you may think of as junk.

Charles, I by no means am an expert on ebay. I have not begun
selling yet but Carolyn has already helped me to head off many
problems. With being careful and with a little help from "your
friends" your experience should be enjoyable and profitable. I
wish you the best. Feel free to contact me in the future if I can
help you in any way. If you have a question I can't answer I will
get it from others for you.

Don' t know your situation but it is such a blessing from God not
to have to work outside the home for a boss and around people
who don't respect God or your lifestyle. Makes for a great prayer
list though  :=) .

Love In Jesus,

Shelva
hallelujah74@hotmail.com
 
 

May the LORD Jesus Christ give you the abundant life He promised to give you
on this earth.... John 10:10.