Mar. 15, 2019: My eBay Notebook, page 5

Good morning!  Yes, I am still here; and I'm still learning!

My tip today is terrific for new beginners and is meant to keep you out of hot water.  The tip is on updating your listings; and also an update on insertion fees (note to update Nov. 21, 2018).

But first.  Here are 2 items I currently have for sale on eBay. 

This cutie is a mama bunny hugging her precious baby bunny.  Would this just delight someone you know?  Easter is coming up.  It's listed as $33.25 bin (buy it now) or BO (best offer).  It's eBay id # is 303097181991 or here's the direct link.  Sorry; don't know why their links display so funny.

http://ebay.us/jCdLwy?cmpnId=5338273189

Please note there is a best offer on this, so don't feel foolish making an offer.  You never know.

This a talking toy; battery operated.  It's Franklin the Turtle.  He's a bin toy for $24.99 or make me a BO / best offer.  Id # is  303095988206.  Strange link is: 

http://ebay.us/QYZQcE?cmpnId=5338273189

And now for my blog tips today.

1-If you work your blog early in the morning (I usually work mine around 3 am), you may see updates like "LOWER YOUR PRICE $2" ... even if you just did that earlier that same morning.  Happened to me today.  I keep close notes on every item I work, what messages came from eBay, and price changes, etc.  That's one reason to keep your item numbers low enough to handle.

Also always check to make sure that bo (best offer) was not added by eBay.  They like to do that is they think it will help you close the sale and it's been listed a week or longer.  I've read where many people were surprised to learn they accepted a BO even though they had not had it listed, and many said they lost money.  Just be careful to run though your list quickly every day to making sure BO wasn't added where you didn't put it.

I got up just a little over 50 items one time.  Then I noticed how the insertion fees worked.  My invoice kept going up and up.

The more you list, the more you sell.  THIS IS TRUE, but also your expenses continue to go up on all the items that don't sell; through the insertion fees.

New people learn this the hard way.

I watched a video where one girl keeps her listings at 33 and exactly 33.  Right now, I only have 8 listings, and I like it like that -- for learning purposes.

First, anything over 50 items will have insertion fees, regardless of whether you sell it or not.  Once you sell, insertion fees need to go into your profit on that item.  You probably have 50 free listings each month with no insertion fees.  But if any of those 50 don't sell, you will have insertion fees on each remaining item ... and each month that they continue NOT to sell.  If you have 50 that didn't sell; you will owe $16 the next month, and the next month, ... till you sell those items.

Getting 1000 free listings without insertion fees is terrific, if you sell them.  But if you don't, you will $320 the next month for them.

The way I've found around this; DON'T DO GOOD TIL CANCELED.  GTC is the shortened description.  If an item does not sell in 30 days (and I've set up a chart to know when I listed and 28 days after to cancel it and relist as sell similar), giving you a new eBay id number.  When you get a new id number; it IS A NEW LISTING, and if there is a promo for no insertion fees going on, you will not pay those.  If there is no promo going on, you can decide whether it's worth adding insertion fees to your profit margin, or just cancelling it.  You can always have a garage sale and sell everything really cheap with NO FEES.

Right now, I'm trying to learn how to buy WHAT SELLS, so that it will sell quickly.  Rule of thumb for many top rated sellers is, "IF YOU BUY SOMETHING AND CAN'T GET $15 PROFIT; DON'T BUY IT."  That is good advice.  But now you must find those items.

I am working on that now.

Join a group or groups on Facebook.  I am a member of one that lists what items the members found on Friday's.  On Monday's, the members list their big ticket items (over $100 sold items) by cost, where they bought it, how much did they get, and how long did it take to sell.

I recently sold a small quilt for a profit of $12.47.  It cost me nothing.  I sold a trench rain coat for a profit of 13.03.  It cost me 3.31.  Provo cartridges for the cricut sell well.  I sold one for a profit of 10.51.  I bought it years ago, so basically the cost was $0 now.  Another one sold for a profit of 8.10.  Cost $0; I owned many years.  I sold a wool coat for a profit of $11.35.  Cost was $3.81.  A pair of jeans: profit was 13.26; cost was 5.17.  I sold a DVD for profit of $2.68; cost $0; owned many, many years.  A pretty blouse brought a profit of 8.81; cost $2.15.

I am not really selling for a business, but to declutter my home for now.  Some day, I may decide to sell as a business, but for now; my small amount of sales is fine.  It gives me a little income, but not a lot.  And I'm learning so much, which will be helpful should I decide to go into business.

You can make good sales (or what I consider good) for 50 items a month.  And you can work them every day to keep expenses low.

The best thing is to have a new item ready to go for every item you sell.

I hope you've found this helpful.

Till next time!