Selling items for under $10

[mikal3141]

ok, another question. i find the fees can destroy any profit you make at under 10 items. any thoughts? comments?

[farmingnorth]

I sell postcards mainly and most of them sell for around $2.  For a price point like that it's not worth listing them unless there are free promos going on.  I have tried doing an ebay store and I have tried doing individual paid listings but the fees cut so much into any profit that it's not worth doing one bit. 

The sad reality of it is that I'm forced to wait for free promos and that is the only time Ebay sees any income from me as a seller.  Right now I've got over 5000 ready to get listed!  Ebay needs a real option for low value sales.

[mikal3141]

yes, i found the fees have become so great that i sell minimal.....not sure how i was awarded a "power seller " tag.  the only reason i have all listings at the time is we bought out an estate, this is about 1% of it. most wont be on ebay, some will. most at in person sales.

[surplusdealdude]

ebay does have a discounted option - it's an anchor store.

Pretty hefty upfront cost - $199.95 ($179.95 on a yearly subscription), but the cost for listings is 5 cents each.  If you have a LOT of listings, it might be a good choice.

And, for small items, there's Paypal micropayments, much cheaper than regular Paypal fees.  5 cents and 5% of the amount.

https://www.paypalobjects.com/IntegrationCenter/ic_micropayments.html

[inuk_the_polar_bear]

Under $10 has little to do with it. It is the other costs and time consuming activities. I want $25 an hour for my time. $10 sales with listing, printing, packaging, mailing, do not provide that.

If you were selling a consistent product with simple packaging and you could sell ten a day, maybe yes. One or two is a time waster. Lower prices have to be made back with volume. Volume only works with simplicity in the other steps.

My main bottle-neck is parcelling up a sale. Bubble mailers saved me on that one. A ten minute box making process became a few seconds of envelope stuffing at home! LOL!!!

[bb_cool_stuff]

Time, Time, Time.

Like Femme has mentioned previously " Your time is worth seventeen cents a minute. "

You can sell items for a profit under ten, but you would have to move a lot of product.

Pierre mentions from time to time a seller who sells items in volume for low prices. Can't recall the name of the seller but they seem to be one of the larger sellers on eBay.

If you are part time seller moving some deadstock at little or no cost " Go For It "

[i*m-still-here]

Mika............. I looked at some of your sold items and I know I don't have to point out that selling 5 pairs of earrings for $7 including shipping is a sure way to lose money.

IMO selling items for under $10 is draining.

My approach it just the opposite to selling scads of low cost items.

It takes me just as long to sell a $10 item as it takes to sell a $1,000 item.

I sell lower priced stuff too.

It's a part of this job that hate the most and so I'll never replace that stuff but when I get a sale for $20 item I always feel like it's a waste of my time, but it does pay the fees. 

............ So much better to sell 2 or 3 pieces a week @ $500 - $2,000 each than 150-600 items @$10 each.

That's my goal and very attainable............... I'm closer every day.

It's not that hard to keep upgrading, and while it does take some skill...................  eBay is the best teacher I know of.

[ricarmic]

My personal view is that:

It is often the "little" stuff that brings in the folks that eventually buy the big stuff. I have made a subsequent $3750 sale to a fellow that first bought a $19.94 item. It at least tends to bring more exposure to the little stuff.

I shouldn't sell stuff for less than $15. Having said this I do sell mutiple quantity items and the odd one offs for $10 or $12. each. My goal for "small" stuff is to have it $15 or $20. each (I have no idea how folks can make a living wage selling $1 & $2 items but then again, maybe I just have inefficient processes)

Some day if I have time, I'll create a post with my view of how long it takes me to "sell one eBay item" .... today is not the day tho....

[mikal3141]

those ear rings were nothing special. but ya, they went very very cheap. will make about 0.00 when thats done.