What items sell better, Auction or Buy it Now? I'm new at selling.

Hi, I am new to selling on Ebay. So far  have listed items as buy it now as my items for the most part are brand new and in factory packaging. I don't want low-ballers so didn't want to list them as auctions starting at 0.99 - but after reading some of your posts, I realised I can list auction items at a price I'm comfortable living with. Now I'm wondering if it is better to listing at AUCTION or BUY IT NOW? What seems to sell better? I have 100% positive review so far....

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Re: Most of the listings on eBay nowadays are Fixed Price, bu...

I personally like to list my stuff in auction format. I've been very (pleasantly!) surprised at how high people will bid for some things. I always start at the price I want...if the item is bid higher, that's just a bonus!

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Re: Most of the listings on eBay nowadays are Fixed Price, bu...

Most of the listings on eBay nowadays are Fixed Price, but most sellers start out with Auctions. Benefits are :

* Most auctions have a 7 day listing, which is plenty.

*You can learn what the real market price for the item is fairly quickly.

   - And by the by, don't take eBay's truly stupid advice to start your auctions at 99 cents. This might have been reasonable a decade ago, but today, start your item at a price you would be content to accept (cost including eBay fees plus a markup).

*You have 50 Free Auction listings every month, and another 50 on eBaydotCOM, so if something doesn't sell you are only out your procurement costs + your time.

 

Personally, I prefer Fixed Price, but my items are slow movers, which is also reflected in my prices, and FP /Good Til Cancelled is a good choice for me. Less labour for one thing.

 

I would suggest using FreeShipping domestically. Here's how. Include the cost of domestic shipping in your asking price. Then using Flat Rate S&H, reduce the actual shipping cost by the amount you added into the asking price.

For example.

Your item cost you $5 and will cost $5 to ship within Canada. You want to take home $5 in profit.

So you list at $15, either as starting price in an auction or as Fixed Price.

Now when you set up US shipping, say it will cost you $10, you give it as $5.

Your Canadian buyer would pay $15including" Free" shipping. Your US buyer would pay $20 including shipping.

 

In fact, shipping to the US is not always more expensive than domestically, which really ticks off Canadians. In that case you can give your shipping fee to the USA as $0.00, and charge the American customer the same $15 as your Canadian customer.

 

Free Shipping is an advertising gimmick. Buyers love it.

 

 

 

 

 Ten percent of nothing is—let me do the math here. Nothing into nothin'. Carry the nothin'...-- Jayne Cobb

 

 

 

 

 

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Re: Most of the listings on eBay nowadays are Fixed Price, bu...

I personally like to list my stuff in auction format. I've been very (pleasantly!) surprised at how high people will bid for some things. I always start at the price I want...if the item is bid higher, that's just a bonus!

Message 2 of 5
latest reply

Re: Most of the listings on eBay nowadays are Fixed Price, bu...

Most of the listings on eBay nowadays are Fixed Price, but most sellers start out with Auctions. Benefits are :

* Most auctions have a 7 day listing, which is plenty.

*You can learn what the real market price for the item is fairly quickly.

   - And by the by, don't take eBay's truly stupid advice to start your auctions at 99 cents. This might have been reasonable a decade ago, but today, start your item at a price you would be content to accept (cost including eBay fees plus a markup).

*You have 50 Free Auction listings every month, and another 50 on eBaydotCOM, so if something doesn't sell you are only out your procurement costs + your time.

 

Personally, I prefer Fixed Price, but my items are slow movers, which is also reflected in my prices, and FP /Good Til Cancelled is a good choice for me. Less labour for one thing.

 

I would suggest using FreeShipping domestically. Here's how. Include the cost of domestic shipping in your asking price. Then using Flat Rate S&H, reduce the actual shipping cost by the amount you added into the asking price.

For example.

Your item cost you $5 and will cost $5 to ship within Canada. You want to take home $5 in profit.

So you list at $15, either as starting price in an auction or as Fixed Price.

Now when you set up US shipping, say it will cost you $10, you give it as $5.

Your Canadian buyer would pay $15including" Free" shipping. Your US buyer would pay $20 including shipping.

 

In fact, shipping to the US is not always more expensive than domestically, which really ticks off Canadians. In that case you can give your shipping fee to the USA as $0.00, and charge the American customer the same $15 as your Canadian customer.

 

Free Shipping is an advertising gimmick. Buyers love it.

 

 

 

 

 Ten percent of nothing is—let me do the math here. Nothing into nothin'. Carry the nothin'...-- Jayne Cobb

 

 

 

 

 

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Re: Most of the listings on eBay nowadays are Fixed Price, bu...

Thank you so much! I truly appreciate it. I have a 100% rating but my listing limit last month was 20 items and this month 30 items. Rather frustrating as I have stacks of brand new product because I'm trying to start my own e-business. Im wondering if purchasing an ebay store is the solution. Or is Amazon better than Ebay? Im at a fork in the road and not sure what to do to get more sales
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Re: Most of the listings on eBay nowadays are Fixed Price, bu...

One more quick question - does the 50 free auction listings still count even when you have a selling limit? As a new EBay seller - my current limit is 50. So the listings that I have at fixed cost is still counted against my 50 limit. Will that be reflected if I sell on Ebay dot com (I want to use the Ebay Gift Works program) Thank you for you tips and tricks advice 🙂 I really appreciate it
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