How to get started as a seller on eBay?

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by calcol, Mar 3, 2021.

  1. Mr.Q

    Mr.Q Well-Known Member

    I'm careful when buying on ebay but will never consider selling. Why, first, transaction fees, second, 3rd party transaction fees. lastly, have to charge more to make little. Not for me!
     
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  3. juris klavins

    juris klavins Well-Known Member

    Good point - lots of potential buyers will avoid your offerings unless you show many feedbacks, regardless of the source. I'm the same way - I will be more apt to buy from a seller with hundreds of positive feedbacks showing rather than a 'newbie' seller with only a few total feedbacks.
    One way to build up the number of positive selling feedbacks is to start out selling lots of inexpensive, cheap to ship (in envelopes) items that sell quickly and don't necessarily make you a profit - ship daily, communicate with your buyers, leave them positive feedback as soon as they pay, etc, - in turn, your positive feedbacks will accumulate quickly and your higher priced (and profit) items will be easier to sell. ;)
     
    Last edited: Mar 4, 2021
  4. Mac McDonald

    Mac McDonald Well-Known Member

    Wow...there's still an auctioneer in these parts (rural Indiana) that sells for less, including online...if not reaching quite the name recog and numbers of eBay :)
     
  5. Mac McDonald

    Mac McDonald Well-Known Member

    Amen. Based on my buying experience, if fairly successful end-results, it takes a different type of person/personality to deal with those folks at eBay...at least the ones who answer the phones and communicate (not). Probably being older, with common sense, a hearing deficiency and tech-challenged didn't help :).
     
  6. coolhandred24

    coolhandred24 Member

    I have been selling on eBay since 1998 and as a seller you have to adjust to what is happening. I sold on eBay before paypal, when you had to wait on money orders, personal checks, and even cash! before shipping items. Then paypal came along and we were eventually forced into using them. Then paypal was spun off, and then sales tax was collected, and sellers always adjusted. Most recently eBay has moved to managed payments, but as has been said the percentage taken by eBay has not saved a seller anything. But you can not sell anything without incurring a charge as a sales commission in any venue. Ebay's approx 12.5% under managed payments is not a killer, but it is a factor in being able to make a profit.

    The Feedback system is flawed. As a seller you can not leave negative feedback, and if I get stiffed, (which happens every so often), I put the buyer on my "Blocked Buyers" list. The majority of buyers are good folks, (95%) and I feel the key to being a successful seller is to offer a variety of pieces. Dealing with eBay when you have a issue can be a real challenge as I have ended up talking with customer service reps that are in Indonesia, while their immediate supervisor is in Iceland. Plus most of them do not have a clue, nor do they care about collectibles. They seem to be geared toward electronics, sneakers, and other widely available goods.

    Go ahead, start listing and try selling coins. I would stick with your established account as it really doesn't make a difference. Take multiple pictures and describe your items as best as possible. Good luck on your endeavors.
     
    calcol, Lehigh96 and -jeffB like this.
  7. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    The answer to both of these is the same: eBay has many, many more people looking, and possibly buying.
     
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