Which plan is better for eBay selling?......


stuckeytabitha
Full Member
  • Posts: 59
  • Joined: 26 Nov 07
  • Karma:
10 Mar 13 08:30:07 am
I have been selling on eBay for a long time off and on. I really enjoy it and want to focus on it a LOT more now. I had to take some time off for some fairly big medical issues (neurosurgery) but am doing well enough to focus on this. Long ago I bought clothes, watches, cameras, other misc small lots from liquidation.com and made a small profit. Recently I bought some pallets of shelf pull items and sold the higher end stuff online and the rest at local venues. To my questions now, well actually let me point out (b/c I know it's important to focus on what you enjoy) that I LOVE thrift stores, Goodwill, garage sales, etc. I could spend all day browsing and checking my eBay app to see if I could make a profit on something. That said I have physical therapy appts and a family and can't spend all day doing so. But my point is that I love to find a "treasure" a "good deal". I get a thrill out of buying something for $5 to sell it for $20. I don't have one particular item I prefer over another. So, now to my questions for real.....

1. Is it better to focus on one item or category than to be so scattered?
2. I have had luck with clothes of course, a lot of it just my daughter's that she outgrows or small lots of shelf pulls/returns/etc, but I've always posted to sell and priced at or under what comps sell at (Completed listings), but I notice sellers with stores or Powersellers often have a lot of listings and not always at low prices. I've been looking at sellers of used clothes as well as toys (another one I enjoy) and find sometimes a pair of jeans (not necessarily a super high end brand) posted for $15, but when I search completed listings I see them selling for $8-$10. Is it best to list a lot of items with a price that brings more profit and keep relisting them? Is the success due to volume and waiting until someone is looking for that specific item and willing to pay rather than appeal to buyers buying b/c its a good deal?
3. I want to get to where I have a constant volume of listings. I have a local flea market I can sell at on the weekends to move items that are not going to sell on ebay so that may allow me to buy lots that have a variety.

*important to note that I am only after a small monthly profit right now. I just want to get some time in doing this steadily for now. And I want to prove to myself I can do so b/c I love it so much and am really tech savvy and love using my gadgets (ipad, etc). Ideally I would profit $500-$1000 a month. I am thinking I should focus a little more on a few things and do my "treasure hunting" for fun and bonus profit. I can study what clothes to keep my eye out for at garage sales, but I don't see that being enough to keep a store on ebay. I've purchased from Via Trading and like them. I've been hesitant to buy a large amount of clothes for ebay b/c it seems I would have to charge too much for used clothes. But they also have new stuff. Sorry for the long windedness :-) My mind is just really obsessed with this stuff!

Thanks for any help!


richelle_salehoo1
Site Admin
  • Posts: 5202
  • Joined: 20 Oct 08
  • Karma:
11 Mar 13 05:26:46 am
Hello stuckeytabitha,

Hope all is well with your recovery and more importantly your health :)

It depends on what works for you as a seller. Some sellers prefer to have niche specific stores while other like to offer various products in their stores. Personally I like selling various "related" items in my store. The more variety to offer the better or more chances there is to land a sale.

With increased competition, price plays a big factor in convincing buyers which products to actually buy. Many powersellers are said to often sacrifice their profit margins on certain items to make way for the more expensive sales. Plus the expense of re-listing is bound to pile up so you are bound to more loss than gain any actual profit when your product actually sells.

With your health and current physical therapy appointments, you might have to accept the fact that you cannot devote so much time just yet. So constant small sales would be to continue to help build y our seller feedback :)

Hope this helps a bit! All the best to you :)


Richelle

Customer Support Manager
SaleHoo Group Limited

fm1234
Full Member
  • Posts: 832
  • Joined: 14 Dec 05
  • Karma:
15 Mar 13 07:20:29 pm

1. Is it better to focus on one item or category than to be so scattered?


Didn't you answer yourself?


... well actually let me point out (b/c I know it's important to focus on what you enjoy) that I LOVE thrift stores, Goodwill, garage sales, etc. I could spend all day browsing ...


You're not the only one! If you have a real affinity for that kind of thing as a buyer, chances are you can make it as a seller. Some people just live for the randomness.


Frank


"Failure is not when you fall down. Failure is when you don't get back up."

--J.J. Luna

stuckeytabitha
Full Member
  • Posts: 59
  • Joined: 26 Nov 07
  • Karma:
19 Mar 13 07:48:45 pm
Thanks for the great input! I really appreciate it!


 

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