How long did it take you to make your first sale?

[soul5555511]

Just wondering from other sellers how long did it take you to sell your first item? What was it and what did you sell it for?

[femmefan1946]

It was 2003, such a crazy time.....

Probably seven days, since auctions were cheaper than Fixed Price at that time.

We oldies usually encourage newbies to do some buying before trying to sell. This has the advantage of allowing you to see the eBay experience from your customer's perspective and also to build feedback and credibility.

I'd encourage you to buy a digital scale, a tape measure and packing material like poly or bubble envelopes.

[triber]

For me it was 1998, but if I remember, in those days there were only auctions. Maybe my memory is not that good, but I seem to remember that in those days, everything I listed, sold.

[pierrelebel]

"it was 1998, but if I remember, in those days there were only auctions'

You are correct.  Only auction in those days, mostly seven day duration.  And about 70%-80% of listings sold.

More buyers than sellers in the early days.

That was then.... this is now.

[cumos55]

The first sale for each seller is indicated on the Seller Dashboard at the bottom under ... Lifetime Transactions.

First sale was February 3, 2003.

Seven auctions were listed.... six sold..... and received first feedback within 24 hours of that first series of sales...

Did sell a CPR marked bread plate in silver plate for about $90 US.... Approximately $135 Canadian dollars

Sold for about three months... with the most surprising series of sales which was for slot cars....  mainly from before 1970...

Purchased for about $10-$15  in total... and they all sold for close to $400 US......

Back selling full-time  starting January 2004.....  and have done so since then....store only after March 2006....

[pierrelebel]

"The first sale for each seller is indicated on the Seller Dashboard at the bottom under ... Lifetime Transactions."

Not for us old-timers (started selling on eBay in 1998).

The dashboard page for old timers shows  First eBay Sale:  11/01/2001 - that is wrong of course.

It is better to go to the first feedback to get an indication of timing.  My first feedback received:

A pleasure to do business with you again! Prompt and easy to work with. A+++

Member id librarian-c ( Feedback Score Of 1232)

Nov-20-98 06:37

[cumos55]

First feedback   was February 6, 2003.

My memory is not prefect.  missed my estimate  by a few days, not a few years...  Memory is not perfect....

2001 must have been a magical year for eBay.....  Cannot remember something from before 2001.  

How could eBay be sort of right with me and not for "old-timers"?       Bad Memory

[pierrelebel]

"How could eBay be sort of right with me and not for "old-timers"?  "

Because they set the same date for all sellers with a sale prior to:

First eBay Sale:  11/01/2001

[cumos55]

Fully understood.....

[pjcdn2005]

Your items might sell more quickly if you use some of the suggestions given in the following thread. They will help more people to find yourlistings.

http://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Listing-Tools/Bidding-Price/m-p/191045#U191045

[rose-dee]

I started selling in October, 2007, but I'd been buying on and off for a few years prior to that.  My first item took very little time to sell, but eBay was a different place then. 

Even 3 years ago, almost everything I listed sold within a month or two.  "Boutique" sellers such as myself used to be popular and "hot" sellers in my categories.  Now I find I wait much longer for most sales (except for the very unusual, OOAK items).  Overall I would say that I've had to lower my prices somewhat, run more discount sales, offer better (lower) shipping, and accept a lower profit margin than prior to 2012.  I'm still not sure why this is (one theory is site swamping by too many mega-sellers). 

On the other side of the equation, a modest decrease in seller fees has helped, along with the drooping Canadian dollar, since most of my customers are in the U.S.  Still, I think most sellers would agree that it's tougher now to remain a successful seller than it was before 2012, when there were dramatic changes made to eBay and to seller policies. 

I try to use the 3-month rule where my items are concerned: if an item hasn't sold after 3 months on BIN, do something about it, or about the whole store category.  Letting a thing sit at one price and/or get really stale as a listing seems to be the kiss of death on the new eBay.

IMO the one constant as a seller on eBay has been the absolute necessity to observe and adapt.  EBay keeps shape-shifting, radically at times, and a seller -- especially a smaller volume seller -- needs to be creative and resourceful and always on their toes to keep his/her head above water.

[mr.elmwood]

July 4, 2002. Not a clue.

That was a long time ago. Where was the dollar? Pierre? I was making 20% on the exchange and had no clue what I was doing. SYI form was five pages long. There were variable listings fees based on the opening listing price. Variable FVF.

It was a small, small world back then.

[pierrelebel]

You can check the last ten years here:

http://www.bankofcanada.ca/rates/exchange/10-year-converter/

[ricarmic]

My first feedback was June 5/1999, sadly my first Neutral was 3 transactions later June 7/1999 - spoke of nice stamps but slow delivery.... so the problem of over border shipping has been with us for a very long time......

I was surprised at how many of my "early buyers" were still live ids! Looks to be lots of "old time buyers" around too!!!!

[rose-dee]

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@ricarmic wrote:

I was surprised at how many of my "early buyers" were still live ids! Looks to be lots of "old time buyers" around too!!!!

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Yes, that's a really good point, and something that had struck me when I looked at the first couple of pages of my early FB. 

It means the good ol' buyers haven't all gone away, as we sometimes theorize on these boards.