How to Get Maximum Ebay Prices

You know I'm addicted to eBay.  Well, I'm addicted to the trickle of pennies flowing in.  I know a lot of people are put off ebay because they don't feel it's worth the time or slight money investment. 

So here's my top 5 ways to increase your chances of getting higher bids.

1.  Good Photos.  Have a staged place to take your photos.  A white background with light on the item works well.

2.  Low Start Price.  Sounds crazy but you need people to put that initial bid in to get things going.  People will bid a quid without much consideration, they will not bid £4.99 without a thought.

3.  Time the Auction.  Depending on what the item is, your end time can have a massive impact on the number and speed of the bids.  If you can get just two people battling it out for your item, you will get a better price.  Consider your target market.  Lego will do well ending on a Saturday tea time when the kids are watching it and pestering mum and dad.  End the auction at 11pm and no one will be watching.  However, if you're selling a fashion item, end that around 9.30 on a Thursday when fashionistas will be ebaying for next weekends outfit.

4.  Tell Everyone!! Each listing has the option to share.  I'm sure those that follow me on Twitter are sick of me posting what I'm selling, but don't forget the search facility on Twitter.  If I tweet I am selling #lego, anyone interested in lego will see my tweet promoting my item.

5.  State the Obvious.  If it's new, unused or an unwanted gift - say so.  If it's from a smoke and pet free home, this makes a massive difference.  Tell people what your item is good for.  Tell them who would love it as a gift.  Say how quick you'll post it and point out your good feedback record.  And remember, ebay has an amazingly good page rank when you google an item you are wanting to buy, and who wouldn't buy brand new but at a discount price?!

So have a go!  Just remember when you are pricing your item to consider the listing fee, the percentage ebay will take, the paypal fees and the postage charges if you're offering free postage.  I work on everything selling for a quid plus fees then anything on top of that is a bonus.

Tweet me @Claire_Sheehan if you are selling and I'll RT for you.

Oh!  Here's a bonus tip Free Postage incorporate the postage fees into your price and you'll get more bids as we all love free postage.  I work on items under a kilo being £2.60 second class, but postage scales are cheap and there's loads of online post label services that can give you the price.

Go on!!  Clear your clutter and make a few quid!  It all goes to your major financial goal.  My mortgage is shrinking thanks to ebay and my house is becoming less cluttered.  Win Win!!

My Name is Claire and I'm Addicted to Ebay

I think I really am.  I've started checking the app now to see how my listings are doing.

I've gone from listing a few things to finding things to list.  It's all part of my big clear and and organisation plan  but I'm loving the pennies (and they usually are a few pennies) it brings in.  I love seeing the amount clocking up, then BAM into the savings account.

The strangest things sell on ebay though.  I've sold a Freeview Box for more than it was brand new from Argos and I've sold about 70 balls of wool which started an eBay stampede.

I've found books don't sell well on eBay so I'll probably do a Blog Sale to get rid of the Cookbooks I don't use...(please subscribe for this one as I'll probably post it either this Saturday or next Saturday)

But by far my favourite sell is this one....

Bizzare Ebay Sell

I have sold a Morrisons voucher that I received for spending £40 in store a few weeks ago.  I can't use the voucher because I missed the week 2 voucher by being frugal and shopping at Lidl.  So the voucher was worthless to me.  Or so I thought.  I have sold it on Ebay for £4.41 and there's the proof right up there!!  I paid a 10p listing fee as the auction started at 99p and there will be 10% (44p) taken by eBay. Add that to the paypal fees of 33p and I'm left with a profit of 4.14.  Worth it?  I think so for a voucher I could do nothing with other than buy a week 2 voucher on eBay or bin!

How good?!

How exciting!!  So my eBay addiction is not waning and I'm loving it more than ever as an unexpected income stream!

Whoop Whoop!!

What's the most you've made on an item eBay and what's the oddest thing you have sold?  I'd love to hear!

Paying my Next bill with Wool

So, if you've read yesterday's post, you'll understand how I'm really going for this.

I was a little disappointed to receive my next bill as usually it's for about £20. I then remembered that before Christmas I forgot my debit card so bunged a bit of Christmas shopping on it to the tune of £200.

Bah. 

They are getting use out of their onesies though and it saves me loads in washing and ironing!! :-)

So, it needs paying off hasta pronto and I mean like in a week, because it's bugging me because I didn't think it was there.

I'm taking the Mortgage Free in Three advice of breaking down the amount into 100 chunks. 
I'm already 30 squares in.

£20 from my penny jar
£4 from making dinner not buying it yesterday
£30 from eating from the freezer and not shopping
£6 from not getting popcorn and a drink at the cinema

So that's £60 without much effort!!

I've just listed my wool stockpile on eBay. There's 60 balls so a potential £60 there as I've priced them to sell.

I don't have the time (or skill!!) to knit and crochet and its taking up space I need.  So it needs to go.

Please do go and have a look and bag a bargain!!

Do can I do it? £140 by this time next week?

I'm off to make sell some cufflinks to make sure I do!!

Magazine Pile to Cash

I've made a discovery this week and it's a cash generating one!!

Magazines sell really well on eBay!!

It started when I couldn't find a relatively new magazine, Scrap 365, in any shops in my area. I turned to eBay and managed to buy 3 out of the 8 issues I wanted to read.

When I like a magazine. I tend to but back issues and this was the key to my cash generating idea!

Last year, I subscribed to Writers Forum Magazine. Its a really useful magazine but I just don't have the time at the moment to read each issue. Many issues are still unopened in the delivery wrapping. I also found a lot of the back issues were sold out with the publisher making my stash worth more!!

So rather than take up room & clutter the house, I'm selling them to make a quick £50!

If you want to buy, the full listings are on eBay, but I'm happier to sell through the blog, so just leave me a comment or email me at infinitesafetyltd@gmail.com and I'll be in touch with payment arrangements.


ISSUES OF WRITERS FORUM FOR SALE:

All issues £3.60 each plus £1.60 p&p

#130 September 2012 - unread, in wrapper

#129 August 2012 - unread, in wrapper

#128 July 2012 - unread in wrapper

#125 April 2012 - unread, in wrapper

#124 March 2012 - read once

#122 January 2012 - read a few times

#117 August 2011 - unread, not in wrapper

#115 June 2011 - read once

#112 March 2011 - read once

#111 February 2011 - read once

#110 January 2011 - read once

#109 December 2010 - read once

Car Boot or Ebay?

The house is once again at breaking point.  It is full of, well I could use a few words here but I'll go for - things we've grown out of.

We've got toys, clothes, equipment, all sorts all piled up everywhere.  It has to go.  And this time I mean go.  My mum lives in a four bedroomed house specifically to house all our stuff.  It started off as just my stuff, but we're all storing there now!  Unless I she's got a desire to end up on a hoarders documentary on my behalf, I have to take drastic action to rid us of stuff we just don't use.

But where?

For sure, it has to be sold.  Loads of the stuff has either been played with or worn once then discarded. (Pet hate - kids opening toys to play with them once.  Don't unwrap it!!! Regift it!!!!)  There is so much stuff that I reckon we could pay for two of us to go on holiday easily.

But How?

We're divided on this.  One of us believes in car boots.  One of us believes in Ebay.

So, lets examine who's going to win this...

Early Start - Ebay Wins

Cost to Sell - Car Boot Wins

Speed of Clearance - Car Boot Wins

Extra Costs - Car Boot Wins (several teas and a breakfast are cheaper than packaging materials)

Price Obtained - Ebay Wins 

So, have I missed anything?  It looks like a car boot is the easiest, quickest way to clear the house.  But will I get a decent amount of money?

I've never done a car boot.  I've only been to about 4 and that was under duress, I may add.  I'd be really grateful if you could leave me a few comments with your advice of Car Boot Do's and Don'ts.  I don't feel prepared at all!!