How

[amethyst1415]

How should I be listing items to get some sales? I've tried extremely detailed listings, simple listings, stock pictures, real pictures, stock and real pictures, free shipping (which I lose money on), charging for shipping, etc. How long do people normally wait for things to sell?

[westernstargifts]

At first glance I would say you need to use more of the characters (up to 80) in your title.  Fill them up with descriptive words that buyers might use to find your listings.

Also you could add measurements of the garments.  Sizes are not always the same from one brand to another.

Looking at the shipping for your Pink Aunt T I see the the shipping to the U.S., usually our biggest market, is $188.20.  i think you might need to change that to something they might be willing to pay for a $10.50 shirt.  Although I don't sell clothing I believe you could ship it for Small Packet U.S. for 8.25. 

Be consistent with your pricing.  If buyers see it constantly changing they might look elsewhere.  Do a search of similar items on eBay and see how much they sell for and try to keep your prices in a range that will allow you to compete.

It takes time to get sales, especially when you are a new seller.

Good luck!

[amethyst1415]

What on earth are you talking about? I am charging $5 for shipping. Where are you getting $188.20?????

[mr.elmwood]

Clothing is an over saturated market. It is tough to make a buck in that. Offering a critique makes no sense when what you are selling is very hard to sell.

There are a lot of things you can improve on, greatly, but why, if the product does not have a good chance of selling anyway?

[amethyst1415]

Well, judging how you treat your customers I am not interested in anything you have to say.

[maggiebvintage2010]

I don't see shipping charges to the US at all for most of your items.  There is a message in red saying shipping charges cannot be calculated, please contact the seller.  A few of your non-clothing items do have calculated shipping, but it is a bit of overkill to send a lunch box by Xpresspost, to US & Canada.  Using Small Packet - USA Air, you should be able to ship the majority of what you have listed.  Maximum length + width + height is 90 cm, up to 500 grams costs $10.66, over 500g up to 1 kilo is $16.03.

You have only recently started selling - you need to take the time to explore all your listings after they appear on eBay, so you see what others see.  Then you can go back to revise, and figure out where you are making errors, and what you need to change.  Shipping takes a lot of time to figure out.  With the free version of Selling Manager, you can create shipping policies that are saved for repeat use.

[mr.elmwood]

---

@jg01302 wrote:

Well, judging how you treat your customers I am not interested in anything you have to say.

---

Another satisfied customer.

If you do not like the answer to your question, do not ask your question.

[richardsamuel69]

This is you second or maybe 3rd post regarding this very same topic inwhich seasoned members (ie. Mr Elmwood & others) have gave you very good advice.

You may not agree with or like some of the advice that you have received but outright insulting another member who very CLEARLY has it figured out (Over 4000 positve feedback) and you do not, doesn't seem to be a very educated thing to do.

Luckily Mr.Elmwood has alligator skin and probably got a huge belly laugh out of your previous comment.

Bottom line is that YOU DO NEED HELP HERE and rather then insult members trying to help you, if you don't like what you read you should scroll past their comment or simply don't ask us who have it figured out for help.

Just my opinion.

[mr.elmwood]

Richard, I managed an inner city liquor store in Winnipeg. I dealt with armed gang members. Name callers! Oh! Ya got me.

Same thing all the time. Folks come looking for help, thoughts, and ideas. As soon as they are offered, they get shot down with "I don't like you, therefore you are wrong".

Take the average five posters and add up their experience, give or take a Pierre. 50-60 years of selling and 50-75,000 sales.

Yeah, we don't know what we are doing.

[richardsamuel69]

For what it is worth I also reviewed your listings again as I did last week and despite last weeks advise about the character length in your titles, you continue not to utilize the 80 characters you are given.

On most items your descriptions are really no existent. for example the two listings with your fridge magnets. What size are they? Sellers have a hard enough time getting buyers to read the details of the description when IT IS in the description let alone if they has to ask. Most would just say "Oh that's a cute saying" and move on too lazy to ask you what size it is just as you were to lazy to put the size in the description.

Your Blu Ray & PS4 game - Description doesn't say if they are sealed, used, new or otherwise. You also used stock photos so the potential buyer has no clue either.

Your Joe Louis Card- Description says very little. Is it a cigarette card? is it graded? does it have damage? size? etc.

I can go on with each listing.

Please don't take this as a personal attack on you. Keep in mind people in general are basically stupid. Several times you get asked questions that are already in the description. If you don't put it in the description at all some will just move on.

I told you last week in another post. eBay isn't for everyone. Perhaps you are the type of person who is best selling in person? Mail order is a totally different animal. Continually asking for advise and not making changes isn't going to make you successful especially if you insult the members who are giving you the advise. Remember you could be competition to fellow eBayers (If you figure it out) but members here are still willing to help you despite this. That has to be worth something to you.

[richardsamuel69]

Yes I know. Once in awhile eBay does that campaign (Usually in the spring) Turn your junk into cash!!! and it brings the newbies out of the woodwork. They think it's so simple because eBay makes them think that. Then when their stuff doesn't sell here they are. Then they hate the reality that they are doing something wrong.

[mr.elmwood]

People think selling is easy. It is not. It is work. Work with rules and procedures.

"I wanna sell my stuff but I don't wanna listen to people who have honed their skills by already having made all the mistakes".

The regular posters on this board are probably in the top couple of points of sellers in Canada. How is that? We have been in business for years and make money doing this.

We know what works and why. We know what does not work and why.

There was a seller on on .com, name escapes me, got bitter and twisted and got banned from posting. Why? FB of over 4000. broke even or lost money on every sale. FB represents about half of sales. That means, that seller, did not make any money in 8000 sales.

Richard, you have now been banished to the "i do not care what you say" pile as you are not telling the OP what they want to hear.

I was in Chicago for eBay live 08. They had a "Listing Makeover Booth". I signed up and Jennifer P shredded me and my listings in front of an audience. She completely re-did an entire listing.

If there had been a prize for worst listing, I would have won, hands down, walk away. My sales doubled after I implemented what she said to as "best practices".

"Best practices" are more or less universal. We all adapt them to our individual genre. Most people asking "what is wrong" do not like BP as it is contrary to what they want to do.

Well? What yer doing is not working. Insulting the messenger does not change the message.

[richardsamuel69]

"Richard, you have now been banished to the "i do not care what you say" pile as you are not telling the OP what they want to hear."

Yep, Oh well, I know how many successful sales I have had on eBay and how much money I have made. I read these boards primarily because I have the time to and for entertainment. If I am able to help out a less fortunate member who is willing to listen and learn along the way so be it. I'm sure the same reasoning you frequent these boards Mr Elmwood??? If this one isn't willing to listen and learn or appreciate advise, then I'll just move on to the next.

[amethyst1415]

You didn't answer my question. You told me not to bother because what I was selling doesn't sell anyway. Thanks for the help..

[bb_cool_stuff]

You have been offered Solid Advice.

How you choose to use that advice is your choice, but don't revert to casting aspersions toward the regulars.

The best way to succeed is to remember that it's always about something much bigger than yourself.

[westernstargifts]

What on earth are you talking about? I am charging $5 for shipping. Where are you getting $188.20?????

I was referring to this listing which has now ended.

Looking at the shipping for your Pink Aunt T I see the the shipping to the U.S., usually our biggest market, is $188.20.  i think you might need to change that to something they might be willing to pay for a $10.50 shirt.  Although I don't sell clothing I believe you could ship it for Small Packet U.S. for 8.25. 

I clicked on the Shipping & payment tab, selected U.S. and entered a Florida zip code that I happened to know by memory...33037.  eBay displayed the cost of shipping to that location as $188.20.

[westernstargifts]

What on earth are you talking about? I am charging $5 for shipping. Where are you getting $188.20?????

[westernstargifts]

I was referring to this listing which has now ended.

[westernstargifts]

Looking at the shipping for your Pink Aunt T I see the the shipping to the U.S., usually our biggest market, is $188.20.  i think you might need to change that to something they might be willing to pay for a $10.50 shirt.  Although I don't sell clothing I believe you could ship it for Small Packet U.S. for 8.25. 

I clicked on the Shipping & payment tab, selected U.S. and entered a Florida zip code that I happened to know by memory...33037.  eBay displayed the cost of shipping to that location as $188.20.

[amethyst1415]

I don't know why that happened. I was only charging $5 for shipping. I would not have charged $188. I am not stupid. It is expensive to ship to the states and I was losing money, but it was not that expensive. I noticed on my listing the weight was wrong, so I fixed that...so that MAY have had something to do with it.

[reallynicestamps]

free shipping (which I lose money on),

Then you are doing it wrong.

"Free Shipping" is an advertising ploy, like BOGO or 'We pay the sales tax" which just means that certain costs are included in the asking price.

Free Shipping means "The shipping cost is in the asking price and will not be added on after the purchase".

Which is cheapest:

 A $5 item with $10 shipping

A $10 item with $5 shipping

A $15 item with Free Shipping

[kh-leslie]

Hi Everyone,

Let's please keep the hostile comments and interpersonal disputes out of our posts, as they are prohibited by the community's Guidelines. Please note that further instances of hostility and/or disputes may result in the thread being locked.

Thank you for your help in keeping the community a friendly and welcoming place for everyone.