5 eBay Selling Tips for Newbies
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I’m directing this article to those who are just starting their eBay
Selling Venture. Whether you’re selling books, DVDs, CDs, collectibles
or clothing, all things (with the exception of eBooks and services) need
to be mailed. |
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And it’s the postage, handling fees and mailing that seems to cause a great deal of angst among new sellers.
You’ve heard the advice – don’t overcharge for shipping. That is very good advice, indeed, as nothing turns off potential buyers like sellers who gouge you on the shipping costs. It’s also a practice that can rack up bad feedback.
However, I’m going to play Devil’s Advocate here and suggest that you don’t go overboard and give so much of a break on shipping that you’re chipping away at your profits. It’s good to remember the “hidden costs” of shipping: bubble wrap to secure your breakables, tape, shipping envelopes, boxes, etc. Then there’s the gas you put in your car to take all those trips to the post office.
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You might think I’m being cheap, but, if you added up all your eBay expenses for the year (as some did for their recent taxes) you might be shocked to see how all the packing materials and gas for your car added up and took a little chunk out of your eBay profits. And, believe me, they do add up. Some people are even more surprised to find they underestimated the weight of their packages, causing their profits to shrink even further. |
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How can you be fair to both you and your buyers?
1. Buy a
scale. It may sound simple, but purchasing a scale can save you a
bundle in shipping. If you’re just eyeballing the weight of the
package, you can often times guess too low, and be in for quite a shock
when you go to the post office and see the package is going to cost
twice what you thought to ship.
2. Know the dimensions of your
packaging before listing the item. Some packages cost more to ship
because of their dimensions. Knowing the weight alone isn’t enough.
3.
Offer the buyer a variety of shipping methods. Some prefer speedy
delivery with Express mailing, while some prefer to save money with
parcel post even though the wait is longer. It’s always a good idea when
using parcel post or other slower ground shipping to alert the buyer by
email that it can take anywhere from 8 to 10 days.
4. Save
yourself money whenever possible by using boxes that have been used.
Most stores are more than happy to let you rummage through their old
boxes and take some home with you. But, do remember to choose boxes
that are presentable, secure and strong enough for your items. And, if
you have breakables, don’t skimp on the bubble wrap.
5. Another
eBay selling tip is to give yourself a small handling fee that will
cover your expenses. Some sellers add on an additional $1 or $2 to the
shipping fees for their handling fees (depending on the cost of the item
and how much packaging you have to use). I really advocate doing this
because your expenses will add up if you do a lot of selling on eBay.
Be sure to be upfront with your buyers that you have a small handling
fee so they can’t complain about it later.
Applying these eBay
selling tips as well as being fair to both yourself and your buyer will
keep you both happy, and keep more of your profit in your pocket.
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