eBay selling

Poststructural Pub
1

Since I used to have an AOL account, I signed up for eBay a few years ago with it (didn’t need a credit card) and have bought a few things with it.

I recently got a Debit card and am wondering if you can sell on eBay with one, instead of a credit card (which I don’t trust myself with).

If you can, what advice would you give to somebody selling (books, clothes, and instruments) for the first time?

2

I’ve been buying on E-bay for years and only recently started selling, but I know what kind of auction page interests me. The best thing to do is shop on e-bay for the type of item you want to sell and get an idea for the market and the most attractive presentation.
I haven’t bothered with the fancy imaging options; the most important thing is that the image and description are clear. If you have photo manipulation software, you can merge two views of the item into one image which fits on the cheapest page. If you put up one item at a time you can get a feel for the market and auction techniques.

As far as the credit/debit card thing, e-bay just wants to have it on record so that their listing fees are covered. If you list a credit card with PayPal then you can really go nuts. (Been there - done that)

Good luck

Roger

3

Be careful with debit card details…they don’t have the same level of consumer protection that credit cards do. With credit cards you can dispute a charge before paying (which I had to do with Dell Computers last year). Witha debit card, once the charge goes through, your money is gone, and you ain’t gettin’ it back.

I can recommend a credit card company to you if you’re interested. I joined them as a student, no hidden fees (no fees at all if you don’t carry a balance and don’t do cash advances), great online access, and a $500 starting limit. You can use their online feature to generate temporary card numbers for online purchases so you’re not giving out the real card number. The only thing I dislike about them is that there is no contact email address, you have to phone them for inquiries.

If you want the company name, let me know and I’ll PM. You might find it a good idea to get a card so you can build a credit history, and I am sure if the credit limit was too high for your comfort you could request it to be changed.

4

Here are my Ebay selling tips:

  1. Dump the flashy pages. Just the facts please.

  2. The more facts, the better. Tell them more than they’d ever need/want to know about the item.

  3. Offer plenty of photos: front, back, sides, close-ups, etc. Even if the product is in mint condition, always take the pictures yourself; don’t use stock photos from other Web sites.

  4. Always leave feedback for the buyer immediately after they pay. Many sellers blackmail you into giving good feedback by waiting until you’ve posted yours. This pisses MANY people off, so please leave your feedback as soon as they have upheld their end of the agreement (when you get the money).

  5. Be VERY clear about shipping and handling charges.

  6. Make sure you know when the auction will end BEFORE you post it. If it ends during EST rush hour, fewer people will be around to bid at the end. Schedule it so it ends at a time when you think many people will be around their computer. I’ve lost MANY items I wanted because it ended at a weird time. Also, I’ve lost money because I’ve ended auctions are weird times.

  7. If you set your PayPal account up to accept credit card purchases, they’ll deduct a small percentage from EACH PayPal transaction as a service fee, even if that payment wasn’t made with a credit card.

  8. The higher you set your reserve price, the higher the fee.

  9. Beware of nickle-and-dime listing fees. They add up quickly.

5
  1. If you set your PayPal account up to accept credit card purchases, they’ll deduct a small percentage from EACH PayPal transaction as a service fee, even if that payment wasn’t made with a credit card.

For this reason, most non-business don’t take credit cards through paypal. But people who buy, but don’t sell, do not understand this. You -will- get somebody swearing viciously at you for refusing their credit card, and whining that ‘everyone else does it’. However, you can minimize this problem by making a clear warning very prominently displayed, preferably as the first part of your payment options section. “I am an individual, not a business, and therefore CAN NOT accept credit cards through paypal. Paypal payments must be from paypal accounts only.”

Also, sell your cheapest stuff first. When you’ve never sold anything before, you’re less likely
to receive bids.

As much as possible, start your next auction a few days before your last auction expires, so the ‘other items offered by this seller’ link goes somewhere.