Ebay sellers thread (other platforms too)

[disneysteve]

January 2023 wrap up

49 sales for at least 71 items (I don't feel like doing an exact count)
$1,075.18 gross
$610.45 net

Highest sale was $123.99. Average sale was $27.08.

The profit figure is a little wonky because of how I'm accounting for the big LEGO lot I bought. What I'm doing is assigning the cost of goods as 50% of the sale price for each item I sell until I hit the break even point. Then I'll just book future sales as all profit. So if I sell a set now for $40, I'm saying it cost me $20. Once I get to the $275 I spent, I'll say everything else cost me $0. As of now, I'm at $133.50 so almost halfway there. I've sold 7 sets so far. I have 8 more sets currently listed. I finished a set last night that I need to photograph and post. Another large set is just about done. And there are many more still to be completed.

[disneysteve]

eBay announced today that fees are going up in most categories. The only categories spared seem to be the ones that already had an increase back in October. This will definitely cut into profits a bit. They’re raising fees 0.35% so from 12.9% to 13.25% on most sales. Books and movies are going up to 14.95%.

ETA: This isn't really all that terrible, except for it being one more thing getting more expensive. Based on my sales for 2022, this would mean about $40 more in fees for the entire year. Seeing as my profit was over $7,500, making $40 less would be pretty insignificant.

[disneysteve]

I almost didn't notice but I realized yesterday that I had achieved one of my sales goals. I've had 184 sales in the past 90 days, so an average of 2 per day. I first hit 90 sales in 90 days back in July and have now doubled my sales volume.

What's the next goal? Good question. I don't necessarily want to increase my selling volume much more. Two a day is a good pace and not overwhelming, although it has it's days. An average of 2/day doesn't mean 2 every day. It could mean none for 3 days and then 6 in a day, so it can sometimes be a little crazy.

I'm more interested in working to increase my average sale price so that I make more without doing more.

[skives]

Where do you get the stuff you sell?

[disneysteve]

Where do you get the stuff you sell?

At this point, mostly estate sales. Yard sales in season. I also get stuff free online using the Freebie Alerts app. Occasionally thrift shop purchases. And then there's the one-off things like the large LEGO collection I bought privately a few weeks ago from a friend.

[disneysteve]

It's been a couple of weeks so thought I'd post an update. The first week of February was nuts. I sold 31 items in 7 days. Then sales dropped off and I only made 4 sales the following week. That was largely my own doing though. Since I bought the LEGO collection in early January, I haven't been buying anything else. My last estate sale was in mid December. I also hadn't been listing much because rather than spending my evenings listing, I've been spending them putting together LEGO sets. Then we also went away for a few days from 2/7 to 2/9. After that trip, I set a goal to list at least one item a day and sales have picked back up. I've sold 13 items since 2/11.

The LEGO collection is doing well, as I knew it would. I have sold 17 sets so far and have 8 more listed. Then there are another 12 or so that I still need to complete and get listed. I paid $275 for everything. So far I have grossed $647. Most of the 12 sets that remain are larger more valuable sets. I just sold one set last night for $159 and another for $64 to give you an idea. I had started with the cheap sets ($15-25 range) but then moved into the more costly sets.

I've been working on selling the china on Marketplace. I'm basically liquidating those super cheap because I have so much to sell (nearly 700 pieces). So far, I've sold 43 items for $76. I paid $25 for everything so I've already tripled my money, and since it's Marketplace, there are no fees. I did list one of the better teapots on ebay the other day for $130 but I'll happily take less if someone is interested. If I can get $100 for it, that would be great.

How is everyone else doing? I know a few of you sell at least sometimes.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Good work & rewarding flipping estate valuables/collectables. As for myself will list on Ebay some new shirts as Christmas presents I received (ie, Reebok & Nicklaus) but only expecting $5 each. And will list a cracked glass Invicta automatic mens diver's watch after crashing my ebike which resulted in numerous broken bones so waiting to heal first and can't do much except eat, sleep, and poop (lol), and surf the internet. Broken Invictas always sold on Ebay but never a broken glass so I'm not sure this one will sell but when I do list it I'll auction it starting at .99 cents to see it'll sell.

[disneysteve]

Good work & rewarding flipping estate valuables/collectables. As for myself will list on Ebay some new shirts as Christmas presents I received (ie, Reebok & Nicklaus) but only expecting $5 each. And will list a cracked glass Invicta automatic mens diver's watch after crashing my ebike which resulted in numerous broken bones so waiting to heal first and can't do much except eat, sleep, and poop (lol), and surf the internet. Broken Invictas always sold on Ebay but never a broken glass so I'm not sure this one will sell but when I do list it I'll auction it starting at .99 cents to see it'll sell.

Sorry to hear about your accident. I hope you have a speedy recovery.

I would imagine the Invicta will sell and a low starting bid auction is the way to go for something like that. Good luck.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Thanks doc.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Not yet but I did consign a few things and will consign and donate more to declutter.

[disneysteve]

Another freebie sale today. I sold a Tivo DVR unit for $38 that I got for free. Plus it was sold on ebay to someone local so I didn't have to worry about shipping it. We just met at a nearby supermarket and I gave it to him in person.

[disneysteve]

I'm always amazed at the stuff people just give away (or throw out). I picked up a complete Sony surround sound audio control system today with the receiver, 4 speakers, subwoofer, and remote. I listed it on ebay for $95. The receiver alone goes for $50-70. Hopefully I can get at least $80 for the bundle.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I'm always amazed at the stuff people just give away (or throw out). I picked up a complete Sony surround sound audio control system today with the receiver, 4 speakers, subwoofer, and remote. I listed it on ebay for $95. The receiver alone goes for $50-70. Hopefully I can get at least $80 for the bundle.

Because most people have no idea how to package and sell it on ebay. They also figure it'll cost them time to do it. And if it doesn't sell then the cost of disposal at a dump is more than just giving it away for free

[disneysteve]

Because most people have no idea how to package and sell it on ebay. They also figure it'll cost them time to do it. And if it doesn't sell then the cost of disposal at a dump is more than just giving it away for free

I’m not suggesting everyone sell on eBay. But it’s pretty simple to list things on Marketplace and Craigslist.

We don’t have dumps here so that’s not an issue. Trash gets picked up weekly curbside.

[kork13]

...Just for fun...