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Selling on Ebay? Newbie Questions

work_in_progress_08

13 years ago

I am considering selling an item on Ebay. Never having purchased nor sold on Ebay has me a bit frazzled. Have any of you sold an item on Ebay? I have many questions that I can't seem to find answers for on the Ebay FAQ.

Is there a cost associated with selling an item on Ebay? I see sellers having a PayPal account. Is that the only way to receive payment for an item? What is involved in setting up a PayPal account?

As a first time seller, I am wondering how important is the customer rating that I see on most items in the category the item would be listed? The item that I am considering listing is not in the "home decor" category, and I will list it for approx. $20,000. As a potential buyer, would you spend that much $$ on an item from a seller without any rating?

Since I have seen some of you purchase from Ebay, I am hoping you can give me some idea how Ebay works from both a seller and buyer's perspective.

How does Ebay differ from Craig's List?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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Comments (7)

Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
13 years ago
The only thing I can add as an occasional buyer is that I would not spend that much on a buyer with no rating unless I had mega bucks and it was something highly collectible and I had the money to lose.

My purchases are usually under a hundred and then I have been burned a few times. I look at ratings very carefully and read feedback for subliminal clues.
work_in_progress_08
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for your response bumblebeez. Another question I had was how does a seller attain their rating?

Also, could you expand on your comment about subliminal clues?

Again, thank you.
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susie100
13 years ago
Hi, WIP, I sell on Ebay all the time. There is a listing fee when you list your item, depending on the price you are charging for your item. Go to Ebay, follow the links you see for Help, to see what the cost will be. If your item sells, there is a percentage you pay to Ebay, depending on what your item sold for. Paypal is the only way to pay for things on Ebay (I believe Ebay owns Paypal). The rating is VERY important. I would not buy from anyone with less than a 99% rating and even then I would think about it. That being said, you can open your Ebay and Paypal account for free. If I can help you any further, I'd be happy to.
jakabedy
13 years ago
Is it a vehicle, or some other piece of equipment? Because I would think with a vehicle, you might get more of a pass with zero feedback -- how often does an individual sell a vehicle, anyway? But if it is something else small, collectible, etc. (a pricy guitar, etc.) there will likely be a feeling among bidders that it could be a scam.

Ratings are achieved over time, as you buy and sell.

Another option you may have is to have a friend who is a more regular ebay seller list it for you. DH does this -- he sells musical instruments, motorcycle parts, whatever, for friends who don't want to mess with it themselves. They get the benefit of DH's good feedback and long history on ebay and DH takes a cut of the selling price for his trouble. You may also have someone in your town/area who does this as a business.
work_in_progress_08
Original Author
13 years ago
jakabedy - Thank you for your post. Very timely. DH & I just had a conversation with a friend who will list the item for us. He is a regular Ebay buyer/seller with a great rating. That really makes the most sense for us, as we really don't anticipate becoming regular buyers or sellers on Ebay.

To be honest, today was the first time I've even looked at Ebay. I made an Etsy purchase last summer, when someone here on this forum linked a vintage evening bag that I really liked and was listed for $9. It is amazing how many items are for sale on Ebay.

Thanks again!
jakabedy
13 years ago
wip - excellent news! Your friend will know how to take the best photos and how to list it to its best advantage.
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
13 years ago
I would definitely go that direction!

But back to your question: Even with the new way of leaving feedback, people still feel they can't leave a negative review because it makes themselves look bad- even if there is no longer any fear of retribution- so they say something like " Fine, Thanks" which really means "Thanks for the crap".

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