MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
I'm generally pretty good at selling, but I've got something to sell that I need to get top dollar for, so go on, how should I do it? Tips and tricks please! 🙂
In particular, what do you think the best time is to have the item end? Early Saturday evening was my best guess?
<cough> Shill bidding is against the rules.... you hear me?!?.... against the rules!!!!! </cough>
quality pictures, ending Sunday afternoon seems to work best for me
First weekend of the month seems to get good results, just after payday for most I assume.
Put:
"No reserve! bidding starts at 1p"!
Then put "Good luck"!
Good description and pics are a given, I always go to town on that. No fancy page layouts though, all nice and simple, one font, 3 colours. Job done... 🙂
"No reserve! bidding starts at 1p"!Then put "Good luck"!
I start most things at 99p becasue the listing will be cheaper. I don't use reserves any more either.
What I've got will sell, but I've seen them going for quite a range of prices (A varience of around 20% in the last couple of weeks) and I want to be at the top of that range!
Many many pics works. I put some worn original Saint brakes on fleabay and they went for £80. I was gobsmacked but I put lots of pics and description on there so no one could complain.
Feedback took AGES to comeback (possibly where the buyer was weighing up if I was being honest).
Crackers though. I'd have valued them at less than that.
Items that end Sunday afternoon early evening get a better price. I have mine end at around 8pm on a sunday and they always seem to meet or exceed expectations.
Calculate the fees carefully for your expected sale value. Most categories except technology are cheaper to sell with a buy it now than auction format when the item is worth between about 100 and 400- maybe if you price it at a touch above the average sale price on a buy it now you can actually net more money than by auction.
A lot of buyers are put off by excessive postal charges- make them realistic.
Most categories except technology are cheaper to sell with a buy it now than auction format
It's technology! 🙂
My postage is always low.
LOTS of photographs is a waste of time. I do a few GOOD, HUGE ones that show the item in detail. This will only have 3 pics: Front, back and box contents. That's all I need. 🙂
Sunday evening 20:00 to 21:00 is your sweetspot, just after tea, bairns in bed. never noticed a rise in prices on payday weekends to be honest but I might have a look.
Saturday is a night out potentially so maybe your audience is on the pop. Though I've seen some crazy bidding at midnight on Saturdays as the drunks get back in from the pub and start bidding!
Decent photos, though don't go mad with the numbers.
And for Gawds sake, no txt speak. It makes you sound like you've nicked it. And personally I've been put off by the 'hardball' statements people put like "payment within 30 seconds", "don't bid if you don't agree with my (extensive) conditions listed below".
And be honest with the details.
And don't bother with 10 day auctions, people will get bored and similar items will come and attract their attention in the meantime.
It's directional speaker cables isn't it Peter? 😉
+1 for sunday evening.
and +1 for 'hardball' comments.
I don't think 10 day listings put that many people off, there are just as many who will not bother bidding on or even looking at anything unless it only has a couple of days to go, particularly if there are many similar things also on auctions. Thursday evening is also a nice boring evening to write and start your listings to catch 2 weekends worth of people looking and have your auction finish at 8-9pm on sunday.
Is it something well known? If its at all technical or nichey, offer advice via questions bit about compatibility/suitability, and then be available to answer these questions many of which will come in the last couple of hours of auction as people notice. The lack of information on many listings must put less geeky people off if they aren't sure if the product is the right one for them, the sort of people who feel their only other choice is to go to Comet and get bamboozled into full retail for something shiny.
Simple black and white layout with bullet pointed facts works for me, brutal honesty about any tiniest flaws in it (good working condition overall, worst bits are here, here and here etc..) as well as some kind of statement at the end offereing better pictures if seriously interested (link to flickr page?) and transparency about postage and packing, ie charge what it actually costs you to post. Again, reassuring even if it doesn't make you money you might get a couple more bidders this way.
Was about to post but julian has written everything I was about to say.
Sat eve is a good time to buy but bad to sell. 10 day. End 8-9pm Sunday or Monday. Check whats on TV at the end time. Avoid bank holidays. Good clear photos in natural light against a neutral, contrasting background. Always offer a no quibble refund, and state in listing. This is what I usually put on:
"I want you to be happy with this item. If you are not happy please return it to me within 14 days of receipt. If the item is faulty I will give you a full refund of your winning bid price and postage and packing costs."
Yeah, same as above mostly.
Sunday eve 8-9pm (not bank hols weekend).
In your title try to use the limited space as best you can, on what words people might search on.
Couple of good photos (neutral background, good light, good colour match etc).
Realistic postage.
Paypal,cheque,option to collect with cash.
Think of all the possible details they might want to know and lay them out concisely, no waffle, try to sound genuine, maybe give a reason for selling.
Be as honest as possible and try to give as much detail about the condition of the item, without putting people off.
You need to have good ebay history.
OK, so I'll finish it on Sunday evening. Makes sense. 🙂
Pretty much everything else mentioned I already do, and being a bit of a photographer, some of my shots are like studio shots.... 🙂
And for Gawds sake, no txt speak. It makes you sound like you've nicked it. And personally I've been put off by the 'hardball' statements people put like "payment within 30 seconds", "don't bid if you don't agree with my (extensive) conditions listed below".
I'm not new to this, currently running 374 feedback at 100% 😉 My adverts are superb. Yes. Really. 😉 😀
maybe give a reason for selling.
I never, ever, ever give a reason for the sale. It's pointless. My pet hate used to be car ads in the paper with "genuine reason for sale" in them! Arrgghh!!! Of course there's a reason, you muppet, you don't want it any more!!! Utter waste of text IMO.... 🙂
I never, ever, ever give a reason for the sale. It's pointless. My pet hate used to be car ads in the paper with "genuine reason for sale" in them! Arrgghh!!! Of course there's a reason, you muppet, you don't want it any more!!! Utter waste of text IMO....
I disagree. If, for example, someone is selling a two week old carbon road bike, i'm going to be rather suspicuous unless they provide a reason for the sale. Did they crash it? Nick it? What?
£1, No reserve.
Shows that you are serious about selling, gets people interested and they start researching...before they know it, they are wrapped in a bidding frenzy.
If your selling HiFi gear, be prepared to sell to European buyers.
dont forget to take a pic of the item with your reflection of you with your cock out present if you squint/look hard enough 😆
+1 for Sunday evening finish.
I always take loads of pictures and give as much info as i can.
I sold an older hybrid bike on there last week which i bought new for £350 in 2005. Lots of background on it and about 10 pics.
I had 26 watchers at the end and it went for £210! I was amazed as i didn't think it would get any bids as i started it at £150 rather than give it away. And this was for a 25" framed hub geared bike - nothing fancy.
Oh, and remember when the clocks go back - you'll think you're putting on to finish at 20:00 the following week but it'll not!
PP - sounds like you're pretty much doing all the right things. If the photos are that good maybe it's actually worth saying these are pictures of the actual product (rather than stock pictures some people use)!
Not much you can do apart from bang it on, and clench buttocks for the last 10 second frenzy to ensue....
My pet hate used to be car ads in the paper with "genuine reason for sale"
Mine's 'Cash Waiting'
Really? - that'll be why you're buying something then?
I never, ever, ever give a reason for the sale. It's pointless. My pet hate....
It was just a suggestion, I agree it's not necessary for many items. Don't forget tho, it's not you that is going to be bidding for the item, so forget your personal petty hates. there are plenty of instances where I would want a good reason for the sale (especially newish high value items) or I'd walk away (unless prehaps I could go and view the item). I also think, giving a reason for sale makes you sound more genuine to buyers, tho not to you prehaps! 😛
Granted, they could give you a load of BS and you'd be none the wiser, but for alot of people, that reassurance works on some level.
be prepared to sell to european buyers - I've sold kitesurfing kit in the past, and the european guys are happy to pay top dollar (for some reason kite kit overseas is even more ridiculously expensive than it is over here)
sunday evening +1
buy it now is good if you have a price you want, and you;'ll likely get it if the bidding starts to get close to it.
lots of pics
lots of description.
I take it you're selling your old iPhone?
A lot of the people that buy phones on eBay have totally different morals to the rest of the human race
My daughter has twice been ripped of with them, the last one the buyer instantly did a paypal refund claiming the phone was dead, when we got it back, it was fairly obvious that someone had swapped its internals with that of a knackered one.
The time before that the buyer sent back a bar of chocolate instead of the phone & got a full refund as he had a signature to say she'd received it back
Be careful out there
put your mobile number in the ad.
if its a decent product then someone will contact you direct. do a decent deal and avoid fees.
ebay should just be used for advertising only where at all possible!
I take it you're selling your old iPhone?A lot of the people that buy phones on eBay have totally different morals to the rest of the human race
My daughter has twice been ripped of with them, the last one the buyer instantly did a paypal refund claiming the phone was dead, when we got it back, it was fairly obvious that someone had swapped its internals with that of a knackered one.
The time before that the buyer sent back a bar of chocolate instead of the phone & got a full refund as he had a signature to say she'd received it backBe careful out there
Yowsers! Ouch!
They'd struggle to get a refund off me becasue I rip the money off paypal before I post (to Mrs PPs account) and I've stopped the DD on the bank account mine is linked to after a recent cock-up on Paypals account. They've tried to take money off me since, but it don't work any more! 8)
Good warning though, and I'll heed it. Thankyou.
PS
Good guess too... 😉
If anybody wants to see the ad, my eBay name is the same as my STW forum name..... 🙂
putting L@@K in the listing always helps me decide to buy from someone else.
got most of my tips on here over the years and they all work...
1 - No reserve
2 - Start at 1p
3 - Search for the same item and copy the text to save you time faffing
4 - get your mates to bid and get the ball rolling (cough) and place strategic bids later on but be careful 😉 (i nearly sold an anthem frame to a mate, had 5 minutes left and he was the highest bidder)
5 - Make sure the acution ends after 6pm on a sunday night, better chance of people being at home.
6 - never, ever, ever put a 'buy it now'.
They'd struggle to get a refund off me becasue I rip the money off paypal before I post
My old fuzzy brain seems to recall they changed something so that you couldn't take the money before the buyer had left feedback or a couple of weeks had passed, or something like that
Dunno - could be imagining it though 🙂
Use the html function to add hi def pics, easily done wih photo bucket
Give it to someone you know with lots of feedback( if you have less than 100+)
End it at 20:30pm
Join forums relating to the item just to publicise your auction
Specify that viewing prior to bidding and cash on collection would be fine as would postage , but specify that the item would be safely packaged and insured
My old fuzzy brain seems to recall they changed something so that you couldn't take the money before the buyer had left feedback or a couple of weeks had passed, or something like that
Nope if you have zero balance and paypal decide to reverse a payment you end up with a negative balance, then thry take it out of the bank you attach to paypal...... There is no escape!
You're selling your iPhone on't bay? 😯
Uplink's daughter's experience sadly doesn't surpise me. iPhones are praps the biggest magnet for scammers on there. Took me 4 attempts to sell mine; by the end I would happily have taken a loss on it, just to see it gone.
One bloke wanted to do a stupid banker's draft thing, in spite of the 'PayPal Only' specification, another promised payment on receipt, and another emailed me to say he'd meet me with cash for it. Yeah, right, you mean you turn up with a few mates and rob me. Told him not to play games, and reported him. Afterwards thought it might have been fun to meet him, and have a few of my mates waiting nearby, in case he tried owt. Bludgeon the robbing bastard to death.
But I'm having therapy now.
Nope if you have zero balance and paypal decide to reverse a payment you end up with a negative balance, then thry take it out of the bank you attach to paypal...... There is no escape!
As I already said, they've tried and they can't. I've stopped it at the bank. Mr Lloyd, he say 'NO!'
3 - Search for the same item and copy the text to save you time faffing
Nope. Never, ever do that.
Write your own description, make it good, well written and informative. Sell the item with the facts and not BS or padding.
It's an iPhone. We all know what it does and Ebay kindly list the spec for you.
Put some effort in and it shows. People like to see an honest, private seller advert I think. There's so many big companies on ebay now and people would rather buy private.
Uplink's daughter's experience sadly doesn't surpise me. iPhones are praps the biggest magnet for scammers on there.
it wasn't iPhones for her - just £50/60 mobiles
Yeah, 'phones in general attract scammers. iPhones attract more than just about any other item.
Other than that, my experience with Ebay has been great (with the exception of one prick who left me negative feedback totally unfairly, considering I'd been completely honest in the description). But that's 'cos I sell weird toot that only specialists would be interested in. Scammers woon't bother with my toot.
Maybe it's just me but I can't see the large pics.
As JP said images not there - you can click though them to see them but they don't show on the listing
Not a great ad IMHO. You seem to have ignored a lot of the advice above. Far too much text, a massive list of irrelevant information, only one pic at the top of the page, hard to read font, etc.
Far too much text, a massive list of irrelevant information, only one pic at the top of the page, hard to read font, etc.
Go on then, what is irrelevent? Nothing as far as I can see.
Can't work out what's happened to the pics though, they showed up fine in preview and online last night for me.... I've always inseted pics like this and never had a problem before. Anyone got any ideas? 😕
Right.
After much faffage and cursing, I think I've fixed the pics. 🙂
I think it is pretty much exactly what I would have done, I don't get the comment above about too much text.
Most of the below is not needed IMHO as it it just standard iPhone info and repetitive, specific model specs and differences would be more useful but its your dollar. New text layout and pics are better though. Not sure a 42 inch phone with a 35 inch screen is portable enough for me though 🙂
.
.
[i]Product Information
iPhone redefines what you can do on a mobile phone. Tap a number to make a call. Listen to voicemail in any order with Visual Voicemail. 3G gives you fast access to the Internet and email over your cellular network. And 3G makes it easier to multitask: When connected via 3G, you can surf the web even while you’re on a call.
Product Identifiers
Brand Apple
Model iPhone 3G Black (8GB)
MPN IPHONE3G8GB
Key Features
Display Technology touch screen
Family Line Apple iphone
Band EDGE, GSM, GSM 1800, GSM 1900, GSM 850, GSM 900, HSDPA, HSDPA 2100, HSDPA 850, UMTS, UMTS 2100, WCDMA
Style Smartphone
Input Devices Supported Microphone, Touch Screen
Phone Design Mobile
Connectivity
Wireless Interface Bluetooth, Built-in Modem, WLAN 802.11b, WLAN 802.11g
Connectivity Bluetooth, USB, WLAN, WiFi
Battery
Battery Type Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery
Talking Battery Life 10 Hours
Standby Battery Life 300 Hours
Hardware
Antenna Type Integrated
Phone Screen
Screen Size 35 Inch
Screen Type 16M Colors, 16M Colors (TFT)
Memory
Memory Card Supported Built-In Memory
Digital Camera
Camera 2 Megapixels
Display
Display Size 320 x 480
Display Technology touch screen
Colors
Phone Color Black, White
Features
Phone Features Email, Hands Free Options, Integrated speakerphone, Speakerphone, Vibrating Alert, Voice dialing
Multimedia Features Integrated Digital Camera, MP3 player, MPEG4 video playback, Video Recorder
Organizer Features Alarm clock, Calendar
Security Features Keyboard Lock
Supported Data Formats HSDPA, J2ME, UMTS, WAP
Other Features PC synchronization, Screensaver, Vertical and Horizontal Display
Included Functionalities/Items
Phone Applications Calculator, Countdown timer, Currency converter, Games, JAVA Applications, Stopwatch
Bundled Items Headset
MP3 Player MP3 Player
Digital Camera Built-in Digital Camera
GPS Built in GPS Receiver
Voice Recorder Included With Voice Recorder
Computer Link Bluetooth, USB, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi
Dimensions
Depth 48 Inch
Weight 47 gr
Miscellaneous
Audio Output Built in Speaker, Headphone Jack
Messaging Protocols Supported SMS
Cradle type USB / Serial Cradle[/i]
I thought all that gumpf is put on automatically by ebay. Most buyers would know to skip it to the sellers info/text.
So update time...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280578432387&_trksid=p2763.l1259#ht_3526wt_1139
I'm not 100% sure ending it on a Sunday was the best plan, because everyone else seemed to think the same thing, and as such the prices were lower than I'd been seeing during the week. I watched about 10 end before mine and they were going for £165-£175 in the same condition, so I was very pleased with £190 for mine on the night, to be honest! I reckon ending it in the week would have got about £10-£15 more, but seeing as a few weeks ago I was planning on getting £150 for it, I'm as happy as larry! 😀