Selling On Ebay
Stuff is a funny thing. Take a look at the items selling on EBay, and it’s immediately clear that stuff can define, refine, or, at times, confine us. During times of stress, some gather their stuff to them for protection, and comfort; others push it away in the belief that purging themselves of it will somehow aid in the transformation to a better life; while still others cling to their stuff as if the loss of a single item will bring about the loss of an entire life. Some people delineate their worth as human beings, and that of others, almost entirely based on the type, and amount of stuff they’ve acquired. Nowhere else on earth is there a more poignant exhibition of the power of stuff than on EBay.
Selling online is rapidly replacing methods that are more traditional. Listings in the newspaper’s classified section; posting flyers on local bulletin boards; bazaars and street fairs; or reliance on luring customers to a store location are making as rapid a departure as the dinosaurs lost to asteroids. Even hardcore shoppers are finding that it’s easier, and far more efficient to access dozens of choices, and a wide array of price, and quality in a single sitting than to physically visit multiple stores that may, or may not yield the desired results.
The cost of selling on EBay, much like any other multi-level business, is relative to the amount of time, effort, and expense a seller chooses to put into it, as well as somewhat determined by the product. There is more than enough “how to” information available on the EBay website, as well as through related free websites, and the purchase of books. The “Sell Your Item Checklist” advises the seller to choose one or two categories first. Listing options such as the “standard method” utilizing the more recognizable descriptive paragraphs; or “Item Specifics and Pre-filled Item Information available for relevant categories” listing in which the seller provides the UPC number to automatically retrieve the manufacturer’s description. The latter method is especially usefully when selling on EBay Books because simply entering the ISBN completes the description without the effort necessary to look up details such as publisher, author, and edition.
In recent years, EBay has added several options to the normal auction based sale, which is most effective when selling a few items, including additional, zoom-capable photographs: a “buy it now” feature that bypasses the bidding process: and payment methods via ACH, and debit card. The fee schedule for a traditional auction has been expanded to include the new options, but is still relatively reasonable. It would be impossible to explain the complicated payment structure as fees depend mainly on the level of detail, and number of options the seller chooses. Selling products via a personalized EBay Store requires the seller to make additional, more complicated choices, but offers more exposure, and sales opportunities. Selling on Amazon vs. EBay really depends upon the product, seller preferences, and which fee structure is more beneficial given those factors. There are no fees associated with selling on Craigslist, but exposure may be more limited. EBay is hugely popular, but much of the public is still unaware that they are no longer limited to auctions. From an exposure standpoint, selling on Amazon may offer more opportunities for customers to find, and view a seller’s merchandise.
Not everyone is interested in just making money on EBay. There are plethoras of EBay communities from live chat rooms for specific genres; to discussion boards for general topics; as well as various methods that embed sellers in social networking websites. The Answer Center gives fellow users the opportunity to offer selling, as well as buying, tips and tricks to each other through the EBay Community Team. Often, the sense of community and support alone are enough to engage sellers in the process, regardless of the amount of money they earn.
Dime store junk and garage store treasures are no longer relegated to wasting away in backroom storage bins. My poor children have been tortured their entire lives by my obsession with my long lost favorite doll, Betty, of Betty’s Beauty Parlor® fame. Though I’m able to show them a lone remnant of the days spent lovingly washing, setting, and styling her hair, Betty’s adorable yellow dress with the red, white polka dotted collar lends little to their understanding of the entirety of her awesomeness. Without her styling tools, beauty parlor chair, and free standing, “real” battery operated hair dryer, the little yellow dress is nothing more than a ghost in a shoebox. EBay is more than a junk store, it’s a portal to the past in which Betty’s Beauty Parlor® not only lives on, but is also available for transport forty-eight years into the present. Although the discovery just happened to coincide with my birthday, and my son offered to purchase it as a present, the thrill of being able to cement the image in my mind again, as well as share it with my children, was enough. Personally, knowing that a replacement is just that, it wouldn’t hold the same power as the original. However, I can totally understand how it may mean the world to someone else to have the choice to regain a cherished memory. Many choose the very smart option of ridding themselves of unwanted stuff via selling on EBay, using the money to purchase whatever stuff is most relevant to their ever-shifting personal need to define, refine, or confine their lives.