Has anyone sold on Ebay?

[Daren]

I searched the archive and found alot of discussion of buying on ebay, but none about selling. I have bought stuff myself. I just added an auction, I had to try it. It is a desk I built, if this works I just built a walnut trestle table that is next.

Long Ebay Link

The description may sound a little cheesy to you guys who do this stuff, but I am not trying to sell to guys like us. (just someone with money that is easily impressed) No bids yet, but 5 people are stalking it. I have always bought "buy it now", I am not a big auction guy. What do people do, wait till late then start jumping in?

[stumpy]

I used to buy on EBAY, but not much anymore because the prices on most stuff are like other auctions, TOO HIGH. This is why I still sell on EBAY whenever I can. If I were to buy there, I wait till the last half hour. My theory is, putting in a bid any earlier is just raising the price. When I sell there, I always use "Buy it now" with a price that I would be happy with. I believe it triggers buyers to snatch it up before the bidding goes too high. The only time I don't do this if I have something that I feel will be so popular that the bidding will go nuts!

[pappy]

Real nice work Daren  8) I really like the grain configuration... what is the wood species??

[HORSELOGGER]

  Nice work Daren

[Daren]

Red Maple, I think.  A guy across town cut it down in the winter and had all the limbs gone before he told me he needed it moved. Just a big log laying in his back yard, I drove by it a couple times and didn't even get out of the truck (a thermometer and birdhouse were still nailed to it). A few days later I got out and walked up to it and could tell by the hinge on the stump cut it was curly so we got her out of his yard that day. I have never seen so much metal in my life, but the lumber is awesome. Long Link 1
I used some of the tame stuff on that table. I am trying to learn how to build a guitar, if I get it figured out that is where the pretty stuff is going.
Hey HORSELOGGER, your old Jonsered played a part in this. Here is me wackin' her in Long Link 2

[HORSELOGGER]

So,.. then what yer sayin is ya couldnt of done it with out me   Well, as a small gesture of yer appreciation, just send that desk set on up here and we'll call it even :D

[SwampDonkey]

Daren, you did good to get one with curl all the way up the log. Most red maple here have alot of curl near the butt, but when you get up the tree another 3 feet it might be straight grained. I never new this before dealing with alot of soft maple buyers when I worked at the marketing board.

[mike_van]

Darin, nice looking furniture. I've been on ebay almost 5 years, I always TRY to sell more than I buy.  From what i've seen, many watchers are not potential bidders, they're just curious to see what something brings.  It's hard to tell the quality of your work from a photo, thats one drawback, shipping will be expensive no doubt, if you have to, most bidders will realize this.  And, lastly, your 1 feedback score.  We here will kind of "know" you, but others won't.  This is just me, but with 1000 transactions on ebay I have not been "burned" yet, but I wouldn't send a new seller a whole lot of $$$$$$. You just don't know what they are like, no feedback to go by.  I put it in my watch list too, good luck with it, I hope it goes good.  I've had stuff sit all week with no bids & then sell in the last minute.  If it doesn't, I would relist, $100.00  opening bid & $500.00 reserve, just to try to get some action on it.

[Daren]

Mike I am just testing the waters, I know shipping will be killer. If it doesn't sell I can sell it locally for much more than my opening bid, that is what I will do. The feedback thing is a problem, but guys with 1000 positives had only 1 when they started. If it doesn't work out I will just keep doing what I am doing. It only cost me $6.75 to try something new.

[mike_van]

I know Darin, for 6.75 you can't get an add in a paper that next to no one will read.  ebay's been good to me, sometimes i'm just floored by what some will pay for something.   I had a set of  moose antlers I got from a bulky waste day for free , sold for 85.00 + 30.00 shipping - At a tag sale you would have been lucky to get 10.00 for them.    Buyer emaled and said "love the antlers"  I wanted to say "love your 85.00 more"   but didn't.  8)

[DonE911]

I've sold some stuff on ebay.... anything that was difficult to ship didn't sell well if at all.

I sold some stuff that I was amazed at what people paid for it.  I haven't sold any outright junk, but well used things for sure.   I sold some RC equipment and got more than I paid for it, after I had used it for 8 months.... go figure. I set the reserve low on that one and there was only one bid until the last 5 minutes of the auction and then all heck broke loose.  It's fairly common with ebay

[woodmills1]

I have sold lotsa stuff on E-Bay though none has been wood or wood products.  I get a lot of bids on smaller collectable things but not many on large things like furniture or trunks.  I did ship one old kitchen broiler piece that was at the PO limit and was expensive but the buyer pays shipping on E bay if you write the bid correctly.  big audience there at ebay

[Camp Run Farm]

Love Ebay, we have sold quite a few things and also buy quite a bit.  We have been lucky so far, we have never had a problem and actually met some nice people.  Since we have to travel a little distance to the stores I use Ebay for some hardware type items, I buy saw blades for my sawzall, brand name blades cheaper than the hardware store and they show up in the mail box, you can't beat that.  I am sure there are some scammers on there but it is like anything else, you just have to read between the lines.

I bought a 300 pound pot belly stove at an auction $130 and it sold to a guy in California for over $300.  I put it on a pallet and a trucking company picked it up.  I also sold an anvil to a guy from Memphis, when the auction closed he jumped in his car and drove 12 hours to pick it up.  He was buying it for his father for Christmas.  There are some strange characters out there.

The table and chair look really  nice, it is just a shame that most people don't appreciate what you have put into it.

We have had good luck using Paypal seems to work well and it makes it easy to pay and get paid.

Ed

[EdK]

I sold an item on ebay that I bought for $75 on sale and saw kicking around my basement - unused. Two bidders cranked it right up to $160 in no time. After the winning bidder paid in full I sent an email link to the 2nd bidder showing where to buy on-line brand new for $99  :D

[Pedalbiker]

Ebay reaches a huge market but it has drawbacks.

Make sure you are charging enough for the shipping to cover your costs.  My preference is to have a fixed shipping charge and paypal, then its no muss, no fuss but i've burned myself on shipping a couple of times.

Also keep in mind that paypal costs money for the seller to use.  Its convenient and as a buyer I much prefer it instead of going to the trouble of getting a money order.  As a seller it does simplify things but you pay for the service.

Its not uncommon for the bidding to take off in the last few minutes.  Its called sniping and when I'm buying i try to wait and bid at the last moment if possible.  All it takes though is two different bidders to help your wallet.

[beenthere]

When I go to buy on eBay, if only PayPal is accepted, I don't bid.  I prefer money order, and the first thing I look at is the payment option. Just wierd on my part, I imagine.  But my one time going around with PayPal was enough for me. I couldn't tell if I was afoot or horseback with that outfit.  :

I also use the feature that 'bids' for me up to a top limit. And I use that feature on eBay, not one of the sniping services. I expect the one on eBay to put my bid in last, just before the 'bell' rings for closing. Many times I will wait until the last few seconds to place my 'top' bid, as I think others do as well.

One way to get the count up on your track record is to do some buying, and get good feedback that way. I expect it helps even though it is not feedback as a seller.

I look close at the shipping cost too. Often it is fixed and just too high, and not dependent on the actual shipping cost.

[SwampDonkey]

I find shipping is too high on alot of items on ebay also. Most seem to ship with UPS instead of the USPS. By the time UPS tacks on their fuel sur charges the shipping can be worth as much as the item bought.  : If they don't ship by USPS or CP then I don't bid. Some of us have to learn the hard way. ;)

[mike_van]

I charge actual rate for shipping, I bought a good scale, weigh the item, then use the shipping calculator option.  No "packing & handling" fees on my stuff. Those to me are the cost of doing business, as are ebay & paypal fees.  I don't have rent on a store, no advertising, no other costs.  Fixed shipping to me is a ripoff, you might pay 20.00, the box comes with 9.90 postage on it.   Any buyer NOT using paypal  is at the greatest risk, if  paypal is  used with your credit card and there is a problem, the card company [visa - master, whatever]  will  give you your money back. As far as credit card companys are concerned, the customer [buyer] is always right, it's one of their come-ons to use their card. Wiring money & cash are the most risky.  If you use a USPS money order & never get your goods, the postal service will go after the seller for mail fraud.  The old rule of "if something seems too good to be true" really applies on ebay. There is lots of fraud there with big money items [tractors, antiques, etc.]  Beware of 0 FB sellers for expensive items, ask for more photos, get their contact info & phone them.  If you don't get answers or they are too busy to send pics, DON'T BID - They may have just lifted the photo  from the web and don't even have the item.

[Daren]

beenthere, I hate PayPal too. I have only bought a few things I found on Ebay, but I have not bought from an individual. Just tools and stuff like that from Ebay stores. I contact the seller and see if they take credit cards over the phone. I think I will change my listing and offer other options too. I thought I was the only one who felt weird about it. I can't afford to buy stuff just to get my score up. This is just a test thing, I keep busy doing what I am doing. I just thought if it worked I could build more of what I wanted to build and try to sell it, instead of so much custom building for a customer that thinks it cost too much and took too long. I actually have people bring a sale flier (Menards, Walmart, Home Depot...) and think I will custom make a copy of whatever it is for the same money (or less). They aren't all like that, but they are out there. Most times when I give a quote for a custom piece they swallow real hard or start blinking fast or even sweat, but 8 out of 10 people give me a tip when they come after it they are so pleased. I made $150 last week in tips on 2 pieces that where bid at $1250 combined (and both customers thought I wanted to much when I bid them, they were just suprised and happy with the final product). I don't know how others do it, but I get 1/2 the money up front on custom woodworker (unless it is something small, or they are a repeat customer). All my current business is word of mouth, then final payment when they pick it up.
Mike, shipping I hope won't be a problem. I encouraged any potential buyers to contact me and we would work together on shipping. I have shipped lumber and turning blanks, what a mess. It has cost more to ship than the wood did. There for awhile I was selling turning blanks to some people I met online in a turner board, it was a $1 a pound to ship+- and I was only selling the blanks for $1 lb.

[Steve]

One thing that hasn't been stressed is to have good pictures. I put a touch of mineral spirits on an area in the wood to show what it will look like when it has a finish on it.  A short story (like you have is a great addition as well).

Describe it well and offer a money back guarantee. I cherish my feedback rating and will do whatever it takes to make a customer happy. The vast majority are great and are no problem at all. If you do find someone you don't want to deal with you can lock them out of your auctions.
There can be more time than you might think making up the individual auctions. Having one of a kind items doesn't allow you to reuse listings, although I use the sell similar link and that saves time. There are is 3rd party software that speeds up the listing process a lot.
I figuire about 8% for Ebay and Paypal expenses. That includes the listing fees, sales comisssion and merchant accout (essentially what Paypal functions as).
I think finding a little niche and working it is definitely an advantage. There is a lot of competion there and it all is accessed equally thru the search function.
What I really find it is good for is to advertise your business site  as people can see your work and then they will email you about what they really want.  I always mention my site URL in the auctions so people can see what I have to offer there. Right now I'm about to go live with this new site. http://66.220.111.187:8080/curlykoaStore/. It is still unfinished just thought I'd show off a little.

[Fla._Deadheader]

We have had a mail order business since 1986. When you are selling and trying to keep prices low, it is near impossible to compete with others who sell cheap and then add other charges. Comparing item prices retail, will give false prices. Shipping AND HANDLING must be charged on single item purchases. We do it and most everyone else in Mail Order has to, OR inflate the price , which we DO NOT DO.

  I just drove a small load of Cypress to Charleston. Charged $325.00 to do it. 

  Truck Freight wanted $408.55    Fuel charges were high, but, I did avoid a Holiday Inn Express. Used a MUCH better place for overnight, and had great company on the trip.

  The Customer WAS VERY HAPPY with product and shipping. ;D ;D

[asy]

Hey Daren,

GREAT ad! Well written, good photos... VERY nice.

Wanna know what the BEST line in the ad is? The ONE line that would tip me over the edge if I was vascillating about bidding?

" No shipping games or handling fees."

That's it.

To me that says "Honest seller".

I have been so p'd off recently about sellers charging reasonable shipping and a 'required insurance fee' which is huge, but doesn't come up in the top shipping section... it's awful.

I have done a little on ebay (username= asyoz) and just love it, your ad is great. Good luck.

asy :D

[Daren]

I just added that thing about shipping. That is why I posted this question, to get ideas from you all. I have made changes to the listing based on what I have learned here. Thanks everyone for the help.

[asy]

Its not uncommon for the bidding to take off in the last few minutes.  Its called sniping and when I'm buying i try to wait and bid at the last moment if possible.  All it takes though is two different bidders to help your wallet.

I use an eBay Sniping service called POWERSNIPE
It's fantastic, leaves the bid till the last 3 seconds, so as it's unlikely you'll be outbid. Also you can set bidding groups for example, if 10 vendors had the saw blade you wanted, you could set a bid on each one (differrent bids if you want) and set the sniper to keep bidding until it won one for you, then it cancels all the other bids. Much better on your time...

asy :D

[rebocardo]

As someone that ran a mail order company from 1986 onwards, that wanted to make and sell bunkbeds on E-Bay (I own the URL www.bunkbedsusa.com) and as someone that is close to 100 positive feedbacks as a seller on E-Bay I will give my $0.02 on how to increase your sales.

This is all friendly advice, the unfriendly advice is that advice buyers give when they do not buy your stuff and listing the stuff just makes you poorer because noone bought it.

Because S&H will be a huge cost when designing stuff to sell on E-Bay you have to design it so it can be shipped in smaller boxes, that means either folding legs and backs, or something the end user can assemble themselves. This would be something to promote and to inform the buyer about.

The wood itself is beautiful, but, if you want people to fork over $500 on-line, imo, you need to add curves and wood inlay of contrasting wood. From an artist's point of view that has built double hung windows with a router, the furniture looks too square.

Do not take pictures in front of a garage. It makes the stuff look way too hack. Empty the garage, make a white cubicle and white floor to shoot the pictures so the only thing seen is the table itself. Not a oil spotted driveway. Soft white folded rumbled up blankets give nice background shots. A flower vase with bright colored flowers on a wood table never unsold it.

Either go with buy it now or start the auction off at under $100 with a reserve. That starting price is way too high.

As for your pictures, you realize the wood makes makes the left hand leg look bowed? I had to look twice. When designing furniture you are going to sell on-line, you have to take into account how it looks photographed vs. how it looks in person.

It is fine to show a picture of a log, they do not need to know it started in your driveway. It just makes people think hack job.

Anyone willing to fork over $500 for a table and chair wants the illusion that it was worked over by a skilled craftsman in a little hollow under a shed roof hunched over chiseling it with loving care and skill passed down in family generations. They really do not need to see your Ford Bronco, city landscape, and garage.

So in short, polish the marketing and astheics up a tad if you are looking at $500 an item.

Looking at an item does not mean buying interest. I watch many things to see prices and watch mistakes to see how they pan out. I watch some items just to laugh at them and see if anyone was crazy enough to pay for it.

You totally picked the wrong category to advertise it!

It should be some place in Collectibles or something.

How does your item compare to this found in Collectibles:

# 6211454972   VINTAGE 8 PC RED MAPLE DININGROOM SET 1930's

You are not reselling something of previous determined value (Roseville pottery let us say) people are seeking out, you are trying to sell something newly created where you have tried to add value to the raw material. Truth be told, that wood as a slab kiln dried without a finish might have sold for  $150.00 just by itself. These are things to consider when making furniture, especially when compared with new stuff from South America and such.