Setting up eBay store?

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Setting up eBay store?

Post by GGSAE »

For the more active sellers; at which point do you go the eBay store route? I’ve got about 30 items currently for sale but tons more in the queue, not sure if I want to make the plunge...


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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by IMJ »

This is exactly how I feel...
I've got a whole business plan outlined for this same thing including a copyrighted name I want to use but I'm having a hard time deciding if I want to go the store route or just sell my stuff garage sale style....

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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by GGSAE »

IMJ wrote:This is exactly how I feel...
I've got a whole business plan outlined for this same thing including a copyrighted name I want to use but I'm having a hard time deciding if I want to go the store route or just sell my stuff garage sale style....
I’m not sure how your local market is for whatever you’re trying to sell John, but for me I need an additional outlet other than the monthly show I’m already setting-up at. I’m just debating about the pros and cons of staying within the free 50 listings or expanding to include several hundred listings that I would have in a store.


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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by maraxusofkeld »

This may sound silly, but if you live in an area where you can sell higher priced items. I would sell them locally and the less desirable on ebay. For myself, it is really the other way around, but I have never committed to a store as it goes in spurts as to what I have for sale. They do have a cost calculator that you can use to see if having the store is worth your time based on how many items you plan to list, etc.

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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by superman-prime »

when i had a few 100 extra above my freebees i went to a store fromt after a year to a mid sized it helps sales alot as you just list and go a small one is cheep and you get free supplies coupon from ebay every qtr as well just do month to month for a while till your sure you will use all the free listings

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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by GGSAE »

maraxusofkeld wrote:This may sound silly, but if you live in an area where you can sell higher priced items. I would sell them locally and the less desirable on ebay. For myself, it is really the other way around, but I have never committed to a store as it goes in spurts as to what I have for sale. They do have a cost calculator that you can use to see if having the store is worth your time based on how many items you plan to list, etc.
My problem is the local market is quite cheap overall, I have my outlet for moving cheap stuff (shows, garage sales, etc) but I really need to increase my online presence for the $20+ books.


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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by GGSAE »

superman-prime wrote:when i had a few 100 extra above my freebees i went to a store fromt after a year to a mid sized it helps sales alot as you just list and go a small one is cheep and you get free supplies coupon from ebay every qtr as well just do month to month for a while till your sure you will use all the free listings
Thanks. I’ll start at the max freebies and work my way up.


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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by IMJ »

So, you guys with stores.... are you listing to your listing limit and then opening the listings all at once, or do you list and run the listing while you sort of list more inventory over time?

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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by superman-prime »

i started when i piled up enough to fully stock my first month hon a entry level store and moved up

dont forget 10 of the exact same item counts as 1 listing insert as far as ebay cares and costs just more fvf not insert fees if you are in a low cost area with good hunting but no buyers you are in a great situation less comitition depending on what you sell and you can sell just about anything

for instance scrubing bubbles shower cleaner is findable in most areas a few times a year sells for 99 bucks costs 5 to 10 at gw savers or the occasional doller store

ink cartrages findable every where for a buck or 2 look it up on your fine easy green

old sealed media you have to look it up till you et used to it but my last pack of vhs sold for 40 paid a buck at a g sale

any old sealed electroncis great mark up and easy finds found a old dvd vcr combo went for 350

the first thing i did was expand in to anything i could find and my sales skyrocketed from 10 k first part year to 40 now 100ish

just a few examples big cities have more comitition but more avalibility good luck

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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by GGSAE »

So you've started a general 'dollar-store' retail online-platform. Seems like you've found a model that works for you, I'm only interested in comics with minimum price points.
So going with the cheapest option for a store and trying it out on a monthly-basis sounds like the way to go. I think what I'll do is max out the freebies, then maybe save a bunch of drafts so I can list those at bulk in one-shot.

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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by IMJ »

How are you shipping? I'd really like to have my packages just to drop off at the post office rather than go-in and interact with a postal employee who resents me shipping cheap.

I see that people are printing paypal shipping labels, but how are they paying the shipping and more importantly how are the getting the appropriate weights from paypal so that the post office doesn't reject the shipment because of an error in the calculation after it's dropped off?

For the years I've been selling, I admit that I've remained old school on this. I walk my packages into whoever I'm shipping with and deal with a clerk. But nowadays you'd swear that postal employees are getting spiffs for higher shipping options and my God it's like they resent Book Rate nowadays. I don't even want to interact with these people anymore...

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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by maraxusofkeld »

IMJ wrote:How are you shipping? I'd really like to have my packages just to drop off at the post office rather than go-in and interact with a postal employee who resents me shipping cheap.

I see that people are printing paypal shipping labels, but how are they paying the shipping and more importantly how are the getting the appropriate weights from paypal so that the post office doesn't reject the shipment because of an error in the calculation after it's dropped off?

For the years I've been selling, I admit that I've remained old school on this. I walk my packages into whoever I'm shipping with and deal with a clerk. But nowadays you'd swear that postal employees are getting spiffs for higher shipping options and my God it's like they resent Book Rate nowadays. I don't even want to interact with these people anymore...

To print the shipping labels through PayPal, you just weight the package, enter the dimensions, and choose what USPS service you want. I was hesitant to use it at first but it actually pretty convenient. The charges are just deducted right from your PayPal account.

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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by GGSAE »

IMJ wrote:How are you shipping? I'd really like to have my packages just to drop off at the post office rather than go-in and interact with a postal employee who resents me shipping cheap.

I see that people are printing paypal shipping labels, but how are they paying the shipping and more importantly how are the getting the appropriate weights from paypal so that the post office doesn't reject the shipment because of an error in the calculation after it's dropped off?

For the years I've been selling, I admit that I've remained old school on this. I walk my packages into whoever I'm shipping with and deal with a clerk. But nowadays you'd swear that postal employees are getting spiffs for higher shipping options and my God it's like they resent Book Rate nowadays. I don't even want to interact with these people anymore...
I guess my shipping experience is a lot different. I ship with Canada Post and enjoy chatting with the clerks, in fact one location I go that’s close to my work I’m on a first name basis with the manager...It’s a quick process and relatively painless but I guess I can look about doing it online not sure if that would be any quicker.


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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by mkb28 »

maraxusofkeld wrote:
IMJ wrote:How are you shipping? I'd really like to have my packages just to drop off at the post office rather than go-in and interact with a postal employee who resents me shipping cheap.

I see that people are printing paypal shipping labels, but how are they paying the shipping and more importantly how are the getting the appropriate weights from paypal so that the post office doesn't reject the shipment because of an error in the calculation after it's dropped off?

For the years I've been selling, I admit that I've remained old school on this. I walk my packages into whoever I'm shipping with and deal with a clerk. But nowadays you'd swear that postal employees are getting spiffs for higher shipping options and my God it's like they resent Book Rate nowadays. I don't even want to interact with these people anymore...

To print the shipping labels through PayPal, you just weight the package, enter the dimensions, and choose what USPS service you want. I was hesitant to use it at first but it actually pretty convenient. The charges are just deducted right from your PayPal account.
The best Christmas gift my wife gave me was a scale to weigh my packages at home. I enter the info and print from home and just drop off the package at the PO. No interactions with the clerk. :thumb:

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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by GGSAE »

mkb28 wrote:
maraxusofkeld wrote:
IMJ wrote:How are you shipping? I'd really like to have my packages just to drop off at the post office rather than go-in and interact with a postal employee who resents me shipping cheap.

I see that people are printing paypal shipping labels, but how are they paying the shipping and more importantly how are the getting the appropriate weights from paypal so that the post office doesn't reject the shipment because of an error in the calculation after it's dropped off?

For the years I've been selling, I admit that I've remained old school on this. I walk my packages into whoever I'm shipping with and deal with a clerk. But nowadays you'd swear that postal employees are getting spiffs for higher shipping options and my God it's like they resent Book Rate nowadays. I don't even want to interact with these people anymore...

To print the shipping labels through PayPal, you just weight the package, enter the dimensions, and choose what USPS service you want. I was hesitant to use it at first but it actually pretty convenient. The charges are just deducted right from your PayPal account.
The best Christmas gift my wife gave me was a scale to weigh my packages at home. I enter the info and print from home and just drop off the package at the PO. No interactions with the clerk. :thumb:
I don't understand how fraud isn't committed? Couldn't someone just lie about the dimensions and weight for cheaper shipping?

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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by mkb28 »

GGSAE wrote:
mkb28 wrote:
maraxusofkeld wrote:
IMJ wrote:How are you shipping? I'd really like to have my packages just to drop off at the post office rather than go-in and interact with a postal employee who resents me shipping cheap.

I see that people are printing paypal shipping labels, but how are they paying the shipping and more importantly how are the getting the appropriate weights from paypal so that the post office doesn't reject the shipment because of an error in the calculation after it's dropped off?

For the years I've been selling, I admit that I've remained old school on this. I walk my packages into whoever I'm shipping with and deal with a clerk. But nowadays you'd swear that postal employees are getting spiffs for higher shipping options and my God it's like they resent Book Rate nowadays. I don't even want to interact with these people anymore...

To print the shipping labels through PayPal, you just weight the package, enter the dimensions, and choose what USPS service you want. I was hesitant to use it at first but it actually pretty convenient. The charges are just deducted right from your PayPal account.
The best Christmas gift my wife gave me was a scale to weigh my packages at home. I enter the info and print from home and just drop off the package at the PO. No interactions with the clerk. :thumb:
I don't understand how fraud isn't committed? Couldn't someone just lie about the dimensions and weight for cheaper shipping?
I would imagine the PO is double checking the weight to make sure everything is correct. Plus, I always add at least 2 ounces to make sure there are no discrepancies.

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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by IMJ »

mkb28 wrote:The best Christmas gift my wife gave me was a scale to weigh my packages at home. I enter the info and print from home and just drop off the package at the PO. No interactions with the clerk. :thumb:
Any input on an affordable scale? Anyone else? These are great answers and confirmation to the stuff I've had floating around in my head, so thank you.
mkb28 wrote:I would imagine the PO is double checking the weight to make sure everything is correct. Plus, I always add at least 2 ounces to make sure there are no discrepancies.
This is wisdom. A concern of mine was a post office rejecting a shipment for some shipping error, or even someone's opinion problems. But I like this solution because it's just not worth it in the current market place to have a shipping issue that could've been avoided.

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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by superman-prime »

you get a warning in the mail if you under ship
i round up everything

the po is cheaking all wieghts now at d c regionals so if you udner cut it will automaticly let ebay know and after a few bill you up and warn your acct

a added bonus if you have the time always do free shipping and just bump the price up adds to your ebay metrics and keeps ya in teh green besides vero you have issues if you keep your dsr high and free shipping adds 2 top ratings every item and if htey dont leave feedback it still averages in so its great

also i never sell anything under 15 bucks shipping and fees kill you good luck all

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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by superman-prime »

and many things listed above are not relly doller store items the last box of micro cassettes i found i sold for 300 for 72 new sealed anything out of print is gold i try to be diverse as possible in case one segment goes to crap although i tend to ahve lots of funko magic pokemon and dvd blu ray and such

hope some of that helps some and use regional when its close to you saves a ton

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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by IMJ »

superman-prime wrote:and many things listed above are not relly doller store items the last box of micro cassettes i found i sold for 300 for 72 new sealed anything out of print is gold i try to be diverse as possible in case one segment goes to crap although i tend to ahve lots of funko magic pokemon and dvd blu ray and such

hope some of that helps some and use regional when its close to you saves a ton
All good input, but from my perspective I'm not planning on running an eBay store like an Amazon on or something. Basically just a rebranded version of the comics, cards collectibles stuff I was doing like 13 years ago.

But again, anyone on a scale model and location to buy?

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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by Elveen »

A home scale is the KEY. I've had two in my time as a seller. Get a nice one.

As for a store.

I've had a store that I had 700-800 items listed. Now I probably have like 380 listed.

I'm thinking of just ending my store all together. The 13% of fees (average) sucks!

And I just don't list many of my "good" books on eBay, I sell them in a live market.

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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by Elveen »

If you are going to go all in on eBay with the store and pay all the fees and all that.

You should try to be a top rated seller. I was a top rated seller for years and years and years, and this led to me getting 20% discount on my fees. There were months I was paying $400 in fees (so saving 20% was huge).

But now the requirements of being a TRS is just too much. You have to pack up books every other day.

It's just too much when I have the other two full time jobs.

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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by GGSAE »

Elveen wrote:A home scale is the KEY. I've had two in my time as a seller. Get a nice one.

As for a store.

I've had a store that I had 700-800 items listed. Now I probably have like 380 listed.

I'm thinking of just ending my store all together. The 13% of fees (average) sucks!

And I just don't list many of my "good" books on eBay, I sell them in a live market.
Thanks Elveen. See I’m the exact opposite, I’m using eBay to sell the bigger ticket items since the local pool of buyers are too cheap!


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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by IMJ »

Elveen wrote:If you are going to go all in on eBay with the store and pay all the fees and all that.

You should try to be a top rated seller. I was a top rated seller for years and years and years, and this led to me getting 20% discount on my fees. There were months I was paying $400 in fees (so saving 20% was huge).

But now the requirements of being a TRS is just too much. You have to pack up books every other day.

It's just too much when I have the other two full time jobs.
See, I like that you've combined the two realities here. This is where I am at too. I'm not making a living selling comic books. But I do have a unique situation.
-I have a large enough and varied collection that I pretty much have to follow a store seller model (as opposed to the garage-sale-just-list-it model)
-I have no desire nor time to set up at a convention.
-I've got a 9-5, 2 properties and my other investments that I play with

Put this all together and my best options look like an online platform. I've looked at several online platforms and although some have neater niche followings, ebay is really my route because I've got a lot more pop culture stuff to clear out than just comic books.

Elv, What model scale did you wind up using, can we ask? I haven't even begun to look at those things.... Maybe I'll get out today for a bit to do that.

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Re: Setting up eBay store?

Post by mkb28 »

IMJ wrote:
mkb28 wrote:The best Christmas gift my wife gave me was a scale to weigh my packages at home. I enter the info and print from home and just drop off the package at the PO. No interactions with the clerk. :thumb:
Any input on an affordable scale? Anyone else? These are great answers and confirmation to the stuff I've had floating around in my head, so thank you.

I have a Royal DG200 shipping scale (max 200 lbs weight) that my wife purchased at Sam's Club. Not sure of the price, but it has been perfect so far. I don't have an eBay store and my preference would be to sell on the Valiant Fans forum first and then eBay. The reality is I need eBay to reach a much larger audience. I hate paying the 10% to eBay and 4% to Paypal, but it is a cost to do business. Good luck! :thumb:


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