eBay

tempted-toy · ‎01-11-2014

I am a new eBay seller, I have seen how things work kind of but I am as green as they come. I am worried that my lack of FB and my inexperience may lead to me making a mistake in my upcoming sale, or someone taking advantage, so I wanted to make a post to ask for some advice from the vets of Canadian sellers on eBay. Anything from shipping and rates, fees, red flags to look out for, proper ways to handle PayPal and stuff to that effect. I know it is a lot and there is probably a section for tips somewhere here but this is where I first landed when checking the forum.

pierrelebel · ‎01-11-2014

Best advise I can offer: delay your decision to sell on eBay. Read the posts on the boards, read the tutorial offered by eBay.

Start by purchasing several items from different sellers, including several from outside Canada. It will give you some eBay and PayPal experience, will make it easier for you to understand how a transaction feels from the buyer's perspective and will build your feedback rating in the meantime.

As far as eventually selling on eBay (or anywhere for that matter):

Sell what you know... Know what you sell.

bb_cool_stuff · ‎01-11-2014

Sound Advice.

I waited three & a half months before I started selling after first signing on.

Be prepared to make some Newbie mistakes & don't get frustrated as we all have made similar mistakes.

Should you have any concerns, post them on the boards.

Many experienced sellers will point you in the right direction.

Good Luck.

nan*55 · ‎01-11-2014

Pierre gives great advice!!!

Get your feedback up and READ, READ,READ!!

And don't be afraid to ask questions!!!

I've been at this awhile and still make mistakes and need advice 🙂

greenmangoes · ‎01-11-2014

Yeah... Pierre does give great advice

I'm fairly new to it too and it can be overwhelming at times but hang in there and post on the forums as they are very helpful.

You only fail when you don't try!

triber · ‎01-11-2014

A little bit of advice that I would add. When you do start selling, start with lower priced items. If you make a mistake and have to refund, it's less of a loss. Every mistake is a learning opportunity.

rose-dee · ‎01-11-2014

I agree with everyone here, and Pierre's advice is gold -- just take his word for it!

Another thing I might add is that when you first start selling, you might want to restrict your "ship to" destinations to the US and Canada. You'll probably find 90% or more of your sales will be to those locations anyway. International selling is more expensive (shipping), takes a bit more courage and a lot more experience. Start carefully, then expand later when you feel you're ready.

My best tip: You see that "Sell" tab at the top of every page? Use that as your go-to for eBay information. Read and absorb as much as you can from there (make it a project to set aside a few minutes to study one topic per day) -- it's far better to be informed in advance than to make a mistake and have to backtrack or suffer consequences for something that could have been avoided. And keep up to date on changing eBay policies.

Use "Customer Support" if you can't find what you're looking for. Just type in a topic and options will appear that you can click on. Or come to these boards if you have a specific issue or question.