Selling on eBay

For everybody who has been asking about how to sell on eBay, I’m going to tell you how I learned. BECAUSE, if I try to teach each person individually, it would take tons of time, and unfortunately, I just don’t have that kind of time these days.


The first thing you need to do is to set up a PayPal account if you don’t already have one. I didn’t set mine up, Rob did years ago, so I really don’t know how to do that part. Just go to PayPal.com and follow the instructions. You must have PayPal to sell on eBay now, that’s the only form of payment they “officially” let you accept.


Next you need to set up an account with eBay. Once again, Rob did this years ago, so I’m in the dark again, but it can’t be hard. Just go to eBay.com, click Register, and fill in the information. You’ll create a user ID and a password. My advice: make it simple and short, something easy to remember.


Once you’ve set up an account, you can click on “Sell” at the top and post your item. There are so many things that vary from person to person, and when you first start selling, it can take FOREVER to get something listed. You have to have a digital camera. You have to know how to use your picture program. It helps if you crop your pictures to make them look nicer. These programs are all different, and I only know how to use mine, so I can’t help you there……see why it’s impossible for me to show everybody how to do this????


You also have to have a postal scale to weigh your items so you can figure out shipping costs.


You have to have something to ship your item in. The post office provides free Priority Mail shipping boxes for bigger items. For small items under 13 ounces, you have to provide your own package. I ship all my smaller items in polybags that I buy on eBay.


You also have to have bubble wrap or packing peanuts if you’re selling something fragile. You have to pack VERY well, because you will be held responsible if your item arrives broken!!


Here’s what I did, and what I suggest you do:


Go to the library and check out all the books you can find on selling on eBay! You can also go straight to the eBay site, and they have tons of tutorials that walk you through every process, but it helps to have a book right in front of you.


Get a notebook and make sections like: Listing, Shipping, Fees, etc. Write all the important stuff in the correct section, because you’ll need to refer to it over and over until you get it memorized.


It helps if you buy a few things on eBay before you sell, as a lot of people won’t buy from people with a 0 feedback score. So, buying a few things and getting good feedback will help you sell your items better.


You’ll have to read about what to do as you go along. Every different item you sell will be set up differently, and you just have to look at other peoples auctions for the same thing and figure it out.


I guess what I’m trying to say is this: It took me a good 6 months to read everything and figure out everything about selling, and I’m still learning. Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, eBay goes and changes the rules (they do that often), and you have to learn something new.

There’s really no way to sit down and show somebody how to sell in just a couple of hours. There’s too much to it. If you want to sell, you’ve got to make that commitment to teach yourself because you will be learning new stuff constantly.


My next suggestion: If you don’t have the time to commit to learning eBay, just put it on Craigslist. It’s much easier for the casual seller, there are no fees, and you do have to worry about shipping it!

I sell all of my bigger items on Craigslist. On eBay you have to pack it up just like it will be shipped, weigh it and figure out the shipping method. That’s why I only like to sell clothes on eBay!!!


Sorry I haven’t been much help, but it’s really something you have to figure out on your own. I could help you get one item on eBay, but the next one will be completely different, and if you didn’t do it yourself, you’d be completely lost all over again.

I also bought an eBook from somebody who was a proven seller on eBay, and used her tips and ideas to grow my business.


The last thing you need to know is that eBay takes a LOT of time and effort and storage space. You can spend 12-14 hours a day trying to get everything done. There is all the listing, getting the packages ready for shipping, and you have to deal with a lot of people (some of who will be dishonest and try to get something for nothing!!)

You need to have LOTS of room for storing your items, and have to be able to get to those items right away. The downside for me is that my whole house looks like a warehouse, there is inventory in the living room, dining room, bedroom, Sarah’s room, AND out in the shed and up in the attic!!!!!


You really, really have to love it to deal with it long term. Selling casually means you can put things up for auction when you want to. Having a store means you HAVE to maintain it EVERY day, no matter if you’re sick, on vacation, etc. You will always have something that needs to be done.


For me, it’s really the only option because I have a hard time taking time off a “real” job when Sarah goes in the hospital or has an extended illness. But, a real job is a lot less work, and when it’s time to go home, you can leave it until the next day. Just something to think about….