pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on sat 15 may 04
a short primer for an aspirant's apprise...
Hi Susan,
There is a basic listing fee, and, when the item sells, a
small fee as is a percentage of the sale.
Additional optional features cost extra.
A 'Gallery Image' I think is 25 or 50 cents extra, and, is a
good idea to do.
Likely, opting for something to be a 'feature item', 'Photo
Gallery Item Feature" or having one's title in 'bold type'
or other extras are not ( at least in my experience) worth
it, unless maybe the item is some major world beater of some
kind, which , generally, if listed in the right Catagory at
all anyway, would be found plenty well enough without them.
Sub-Titles and initial description text, may be employed to
accomidate abstract key words or terms as allow searches to
locate the item without they took recourse to do so
specifically by Catagory, or, as well, for searches buyers
may make within a Catagory as are other than systematic
looking through the listings. This cost nothing extra to do.
How these various fees may combine into a rough tendency of
percentage, will vary with the occasion, but, 8 to 10
percent is likely about right generally, for most things of
average value. Can be less if for an expensive item, or,
more for a low price item.
Too, remember that the title-description is quite important,
as is the Catagory in which an item is listed, as these (in
addition to sub-titles and initial descriptive text terms
even if literally nonsense of words occuring as are not
sentences,) combine for prospective bidders-buyers to find
or recognise the mention of the item.
Many Auctions languish for not having been listed in the
optimum Catagory.
One may elect to have a "But it Now" feature, which, if
elected by a bidder, ends the Auction at the price you
elected for the 'Buy it Now' feature to have. This costs
extra.
One may also have a 'reserve' price for an item, as is not
disclosed, but is actuated when the bids have reached it and
there is a flag which sez, "Reserve Price Met" or
something...or, Not Met, as may be...and allows you to refus
e to consumate the Auction unless the bids have reached that
price, or, exceeded it. This of course costs a little extra,
and, is often misused by the nervous or the novice to ensure
that no bids are made by otherwise interested parties.
My own experience is almost entirely one of such selling as
allows fate-to-the-winds, and relies on the item having the
operatively correct title and description and Catagory
location ( or multiple Catagory locations) and having
starting prices ( as is a free method to accomplish
something similar to the 'reserve' price option,) as invite
bids to occur. Or, as well, to have key words or terms
abstractly in the sub-title option ( as costs like 25 cents
to do I think,) and or in the initial text
description,(costing nothing) that are followed by the real
literary 'description'.
Too, having ( again) operatively correct, clear images and
close ups of various possibly important details of the item
may matter very much to prospective bidders. Many Auctions
are compromised by poor images and or lack of pertainent
detail closeups.
List any damage or missing parts an item may have, or appear
to have, and have an image of it or a close up of that
aspect if possible. Be scropulously honest, and, matter of
fact.
Make it as close to the bidder's being able TO see it as if
it were at a flea market, as you can under the limitations
of the format of the 'e-bay'...which, in essence, is a
'Virtual Flea Market'.
Study as well the listeings you may find for similar items,
and see how they did it. Maybe they did it well, and then
again, maybe not.
If you have or have access to any old Catalogues or
reference Books as show images of the items you are selling,
have a mention of that and an attending image from the
Catalogue or Book.
Now, with big bulky 'Antique' funrature things, you will do
well to bear in mind that by some method or other, the
Auction's winners will probably wish to recieve or retrieve
the items.
One may opt for stating in the listing's text, that an item
must be either picked up by the winner or their assigns, and
that the seller assumes NO interest or participation in
anything having to do with freight, hauling, shipping, costs
attentand to all that, estimates as to those costs, or and,
that all of that or whatever arrangement there will be, is
the sole responsibility of the Buyer to investigate, and
decide on and do.
No matter what, INSIST the item be paid for PROMPTLY, and
( absolutely) NOT when they or their assign decide to come
to get it.
If electing that position, it is also important to state
clearly, how long the item may sit unretrieved before
forfeiture or fees, or where, if after a set period of time
of your courtesy, the Buyer shall assume the additional
expence to favor the seller, of paying Storage, as, say,
$2.00 or $5.00 a day or something. This can be a fine
incentive for a buyer to refrain from leaving the damned
thing in your care interminably, which, they will reliably
do, too, unless you have a storage fee pre-diem, AND make
sure they have paid for the Item "Promptly" with any storage
as a seperate agreement to be paid when they or their
assigns DO (finally?) come and get it. State the item shall
not be released untill such storage, if applicable, has been
paid in CASH when they pick it up, or as may be. "Period".
If you intend to ship bulky things, there are many attending
liabilities for you.
Time and trouble and locateing or making appropriate Boxes
or Crates and buying sundry packing supplies, tape, peanuts,
padding, making deals with Common Carriers, Commercial
Haulers, fed ex 'heavy weight' or whatever...known as lots
of time and troubles in other words...
Possible insurance claims resulting from damage as will be
contested by the shipper/carrier when they damage things,
where, then, they can or will say you did not pack it well
enough - no matter if the Truck ran over it even...
How much to charge for your troubles in these regards...
Small items are of course of less concern.
For small to mediun items, get a fed-ex 'commercial'
account...they are the cheapest, and, they have the highest
weight limit, and, their upper weight limit of 125 lbs ( I
think) but is only applicable for a commercial destination.
If you ship to a residential location the limit I think is
70 lbs.
U.P.S. I think still has the 'Hand Carry' option for an
additional $5.00, which means an item will 9 supposedly) not
be set upon the conveyor belts to possibly tumble off from
25 feet up or have things tumble on to it. I think their
weight limit was 75 lbs but I am not sure...if you like
them, get an account.
If (fed ex) selling things as weigh more than 70 lbs, but
less when packed or crated than the 125 limit, state in your
listing that you will ONLY ship to a Commercial address.
Everyone or anyone can find someone with a Commercial
address to recieve something for them if it interests them
to do so.
Too...
State the approxoximate (Crated or Boxed) weight and size of
the item ( if bulky or heavy) in your listing, and also your
zip code...and with the attending mention that, "If you
wanna know how-much-to-ship, YOU - the interested party or
prospective bidder - call U.P.S. or fed-ex and ask them."
Add a few pounds too to your 'estimate' in the listing...
If you have a packaging or packing/crating charge, say what
it will be for that item.
Period...otherwise you will get many emails a day from
gumpers saying "Here's my 'zipcode' and how much to ship
that Chiffarobe?" and it will drive you nuts and waste your
days...and trip you up later when you forgot the weight of
the Crate and...so on.
Do not accept any personal checks, foreign checks or foreign
insturments of any kind from anyone period under any
circumstances, no matter what line of crap the insist on
about how it will be "okay"...you will get burned, and
reliably.
Either start a paypal account to recieve credit card
payments, or, as well, state clearly that you accept ONLY
"U.S. Postal" or other Domestic Money Orders, or, you will,
as well, accept "Cash" if you and they like.
Well...thats a good start anyway...
Best of luck!
Phil
el ve
----- Original Message -----
From:
> When selling on ebay what is the sellers cost. I took a
quick glance at the
> website and figured it is 8%. Is that correct? Are
there any other fees?
> Any advice?
>
> This pertains to not only my artwork but antiques that I
need to get rid of
> from my parents estate.
>
> Thanks!!!!!!
>
> Susan
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