Archive for March, 2009
Selling items online, more specifically selling on eBay
Mar 28th
Before you dive head first in to your first eBay, or any other online auction site, you should surf the site first. Check out the different areas of the site and see what other people are selling. Not only that, but you should buy something first. Once you know how the site works, it makes it easier for you to sell something. It’s really not as easy as taking a picture, posting it and typing in a price then hoping for someone to buy your item. Thought and research are needed to sell items successfully online.
There are certain days and times of the day that are better suited for buying and selling. More importantly, if what you are selling is readily available on the site, then you may have to list it when most of the other auctions are ending. Either that or your item has to be better and cheaper than all the rest. Knowing as much about the item(s) that you are selling as you can is also an added advantage when listing online. If you know absolutely nothing about the item, you could be selling it for way too much, or way too little. This is where research about the item(s) comes in to play. Knowing how much something is worth new or used is quite useful, not to mention if you know how much those items have sold for in the past. I am not saying you have to be an expert in the field of whatever it is you’re selling, but you have to be more knowledgeable than not.
Personally I think the single most important factor that goes in to being a successful online seller is to have the gift of gab. Knowing what people type in to search for items is very important so the title of your auction is key. You only have a certain amount of characters so making the most of that space is your best chance of selling the item. Using certain key words that pertain to your item like size, color, condition as well as other words like unique, rare, vintage, or new all help with people finding your item. If you have so much to say or you want to be as detailed as possible, you can add a subtitle. (Which I personally recommend) I also suggest you take at least 5 to 10 digital pictures of the item and then find the best two and use them. If it is a higher priced item, then more pictures is best.
Once you have a solid title, subtitle and the image is posted, you want to type your description. Being as specific as possible is also a good practice. Letting anyone who looks at your item know exactly what they are getting when the bid on or win your auction goes a long way to get repeat business. Being honest and open with potential bidders can never be a bad thing. Never mislead a potential buyer with false advertisement as it is very easy to irritate someone and then you get negative feedback. You name is your brand and having as much positive feedback from buyers and sellers is another way for people to trust you and buy from you. Making sure you send money to the seller quickly, or ship the item to the buyer quickly also helps with getting a good reputation and positive feedback.
I could go on and on about what to do and not to do, but then I wouldnt be in business. I want you to try all this on your own, but if you do not have time or the patience then that is where we come in. We can do all this for you and more at a very reasonable rate. Check us out on eBay by searching illsellyourstuff1. You can also follow us on Twitter by searching @illsellyourstuf and we also have a Facebook page, just search illsellyourstuff.net .
I suggest you do some research, and if you have items you want to sell and need help, just email us at illsellyourstuff@gmail.com or reply on our site here.
Good luck and happy bidding!
Spring Cleaning Means Yard Sales Are Coming
Mar 23rd
You can feel the change coming…the smell of the outside is the first sign of the changing season. After being shut in all winter, many people are looking forward to Spring so they can clean out the house and or garage. I know for me, the garage is an absolute mess and the first weekend of 60+ degree weather means it will be emptied and cleaned. This also means purging all of those things that no longer are needed or wanted. April and May are Prime yard/garage sale months and as everyone knows, you have a sale like that to make room. This also means that those jeans you bought for $50 may be for sale at the yard sale for $5. You know you don’t want to, but it’s the only way to get rid of the things that you no longer need, want or quite frankly fit in to. More often than not, you will take just about any price to make room for all the things you bought over the winter that have no home.
My suggestion, don’t do it. Simply, don’t do it! For a nominal investment, you can sell those next to new jeans for $30 online instead of $5 at the yard sale. And, you do not have all those people trying to low-ball you. You set the price, anonymously and firmly. You do not have to tell people “no” the price is what it is. Selling things of value on eBay or Craigslist is easy if you know how and when to sell them. Of course I’m not saying don’t have that yard sale, but make sure what you are getting rid of is something you cannot get more for online.
Worried about not knowing if it’s worth more online? Don’t Worry! Ask us, we can help. Take a picture and email it to us if you are unsure. If it is something we feel we can get a good price for you, we’ll tell you. We are not in the business of cheating you or telling you something that isn’t true. Quite frankly, we’d rather not sell anything for you that isn’t worth at least $30 or more.
Springtime is for renewal. Take the time to clean out the house and garage. Make two piles, those things that you just want to get rid of at a yard sale and the other for things that you want to make some real money with. Those things that you know are worth something more than a few bucks at a yard sale. Spring cleaning just makes us feel better about our selves and our home. Why not make some extra cash in the process.
Good luck with the Spring cleaning and if you need help, just email us at illsellyourstuff@gmail.com
Tough Economic Times
Mar 15th
In these tough economic times, people everywhere are struggling to makes ends meet. Sometimes finding a part-time job is the answer, however that takes away from time with family or friends. Most people already work more than 40 hours with their full-time job making the thought of a part-time job that much less appealing. In my opinion the answer is simple…downsize. Downsize your life, your “things”, your possessions. Currently right now I can turn to my right and open a hope chest only to find sweaters I did not wear this year. Why not? Mostly because they are out of sight…”out of sight, out of mind” is not just a saying, it’s true.
Why not take those items that are hidden in the back of your closet, in your drawers below all the things you wear all the time, in that hope chest, that Tupperware bin under the bed, or wherever and sell them. There are plenty of people out there right now bargain shopping for clothes, let alone anything else. I bought a Sean John button down shirt on a whim because I thought it looked good on P Diddy! Well I am sure not P Diddy and to be honest while it is a great shirt, it just isn’t me. I know I am not the only one out there that has things like this or has done something like this.
I could give it away to someone, and if I was independently wealthy I just might have done that. But I am not, just like you I am struggling to make sure I keep my savings in tact and I can make that car payment, house payment, credit card payment, utility payment on time. To me the answer is simple, sell it on eBay. Sell it on Craigslist. Sell it on my web site.
Of course you can’t sell it for what you paid for it, but if the shirt is just collecting dust on a shelf, or hanging in the closet with the tags on, why not sell it? Stop holding on to the past, think about the future. Those new items with tags can be worth so much more to someone who is actually going to wear them. Those items you bought and never wore are new to someone else and just might pay what you bought it for. If you are waiting to lose weight to fit in to that great new pair of jeans or dress or designer outfit, don’t wait any longer. How long have you wanted to fit in to that outfit? It just might be out of style by now and you wouldn’t wear it anyway.
My point to this ramble is that you can get through the tough times by taking a hard look at yourself and asking…”Do I really need all of this?” Many times the answer is no, the answer is that you are just keeping it because. Well because is not the right answer, because is not a reason to clutter your house and keep cash out of your pockets.
If you are unsure how to sell them and get the best possible price with the least amount of effort, then look no further. We can help! We make it our mission to get you the customer, the best possible price for your unwanted things. We can help you pay that car payment, that house payment, or even buy new stuff that you actually want or need.
Check us out at www.illsellyourstuff.net or you can follow us on Twitter or on Facebook