Welcome to the official eBay Buy & Flip thread.
This thread is the second part to the Beginners guide to flipping on eBay.
Original thread that is a great guide for beginners: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=133146123
The original thread went to 9,000 posts. This may be a lot to read, however you may learn a lot if you skim through. Go to settings and turn your view to 50 posts per page if that helps.
I run a website called www.buyandflip.net. I also started a forum, http://www.buyandflip.net/forum if you would like to check it out and join.
WHO POSTED:
Check out the post counts from this thread and the last one as this will give you a feel as to who the regular posters are.
(note: post counts do not relate to eBay experience):
This thread: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/misc.p...ed&t=153127071
Original thread: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/misc.p...ed&t=133146123
RULES:
No advertising/selling/trying to make money off other members. There are always exceptions, but for the most part do not advertise your crap in here. Posting your eBay auctions to ask for advice or just to show how you list items is fine.
No arguing. Take it to PM if you want to bitch at each other.
Please do not come in and say “I have an iPhone that I want to sell, how much can I get?” We are not appraisers and will probably respond with “Completed Listings” and that’s it. This means check completed listings on eBay. Basically search for the item you have or want to sell and check the completed listings. This will show recent items sold so you can get an idea of what the market is like.
If someone new comes into the thread, play nice. You were new here once. Newbs are welcome!
Trolls will be kicked in the face.
Cliffs from the previous thread:
** shout out to Skyebr for helping with cliffs. **
CAMERA:
Use a camera with a good macro feature. I also use an Eye-Fi Card for easy picture uploading. Go to your local electronics store and test the cameras, take a close up picture of your phone or a penny and see which one works well with close up shots.
TAKING PICTURES:
Have a background with your eBay user name on it. Having many large and small pieces of white paper with my user name on it for various sizes of items. This not only makes all of your eBay listings uniformed, but it gives the buyer confidence, and stop picture stealing.
Shipping Supplies:
USPS.com and order postage supplies (they are free for priority mail)
Buy packing stuff through Ebay and build up feedback.
2 pounds---->USPS is the way to go (use first class mail up to 13 oz, use priority mail for 13 oz-32 oz)
2 pounds and up---->UPS is your cheapest option
http://www.ebay.com/sch/Printers-Sca...%7C2500%7C3000
If you plan on selling alot on ebay, clearly best bet is to invest $20 in a postage scale. Measure and weigh the boxes at home and then print labels thru ebay/paypal (you save a little bit going through them than sending directly thru post office). Know the prices and dimensions of the flat rate boxes. If the package you are sending costs more priority than flat rate, ship flat rate.
TIPS:
Have one of each size of flat rate shipping boxes set up so you can set the item in each box to see which box would work best. The best part about flat rate shipping are the boxes are provided by USPS, a great way to save money!
Magic Erasers are great. Use them to remove marker from NES cartridges & such.
Send non-paying bidders invoices daily until the 7 days to file a claim is over.
Resources:
www.checkesnfree.com
http://www.estatesales.net
auctionzip.com
terapeak
Importing Items to Flip:
Anything name brand is fake
Using the Escrow service the funds do not go to the supplier until you say that you are satisfied with the order. The feedback system helps me see who I should go for
order a sample from them if you really want to. imo, samples are the best ways to test the suppliers. you get to see how quick they ship, how good the quality of the item is, and how easily the suppliers get the product from manufacturing to your doorstep. after taht, if everything checks out okay, order a small batch of products from them. get an amount that isn't enough to fuk you over IF they do decide to scam you. after ordering from the suppliers a few more times, you should then start ordering bigger batches.
stay away from suppliers that don't offer escrow or paypal in the beginning. you should check how many years they've been in business too. if they're a recent company, then there's a higher chance of them scamming you.
Tip which could save you some money when buying Stock: If there are more then 2 sellers of the same item, Send the message to all of them saying that one of the sellers selling the same item would do it for $XX and ask if they can beat that price.
For example if the lowest price for item is $30 , send to all of them that someone offered it for $25 and ask if they can beat that.
putting up all your items for sale, you should use the sample order and actually put that up on one of these channels and see how long it takes to sell. if it takes too long, move onto another product. if it sells within a day or 2, BUY A BATCH. always be testing + validating before investing money. this is where people maek the mistake of INVESTING TOO MUCH without research. TEST, TEST, TEST and VALIDATE, VALIDATE, VALIDATE.
And make sure you do your research on the seller. Look at their feedback and if they're a company, look up the company name and find whatever you can. I might just be a little overly cautious but doing business with companies overseas can be risky so I want to know who I'm buying from.
always look for the gold suppliers. it's also good if they're onsite checked, an assessed supplier, and have escrow available.
Some sellers do warn you though that you may have to pay additional fees but they are very vague about it. Before you buy, talk to the supplier to get a first impression of how they are business wise. Check reviews from other customers and then just use best judgment.
Other Info:
eBay is a numbers game, and feedback is calculated overall--both sales and purchases. Yep, they will leave you feedback, that's what the digital photos, online recipes, audio books, etc. are there for. Many sellers started off this way, especially new sellers. Most often, a buyer is looking for transactions and feedback percentages. Zero feedback terrifies most buyers. You have to get your numbers up, and as a buyer your feedback will then read as 100%. My advice would be to buy up 20 or so digital photos, some stupid digital books, or other BIN digital items with free shipping. Get that foundation going, then layer a few 'real' purchases on top of that. Buy something you need from a Top Rated seller to diversify your feedback. but be sure to do this after all the digital purchases. Most buyers will only look at the most recent feedback, which is why it looks even better if you've diversified your purchases
Use auctiva. Its a great tool and only 10 dollars a month.. It will make listing 100x's faster. No copy paste bs. You just have to create a template, upload all your pics then click this click that and done.
Templates:
Item Sold / Gross Sale / Cost to Aquire Good / Ebay Fees / Paypal Fees / Actual Shipping Cost / Profit or Loss
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Thank you for choosing "". We would like to confirm your purchase has already been dispatched promptly and is en-route.
Once the product arrives please inspect your purchases carefully, if there is any need for assistance please do not hesitate to contact us through the eBay messaging system. Once you are fully satisfied with your order please remember to leave feedback, we strive for "5 star rating" from every customer and if we can help in anyway please contact us for assistance.
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Item: 2 Sets of Scrabble Tiles
Sale Price: $25.00
Purchase Price: $3.00
Shipping Charged: $2.99
Actual Shipping Cost: $3.82
Shipping Difference: -$0.83
Ebay Listing Fee: $0.00 (free for your first 50 listing's then 10 cents a piece)
Ebay Final Fee: $2.25
Ebay Shipping Fee: $0.27
Paypal Fee: $1.11
Total Profit/Loss: $17.54
Listing Styles:
$19.99 + $2.99 Shipping.
or
$22.99 + Free Shipping.
Which would be more appealing to a buyer...will ebay give me better search location because I offer free shipping. Or will buyers search for free shipping and more liking to find my auctions than if I didnt offer free shipping.
You can set buyer requirements to include a minimum feedback level. It's part of the auction listing page. I've been letting 0 ratings big on my stuff. I have it set to the default of -1.
Don't have a PayPal account
Have received 2 Unpaid Item strike(s) within 12 Month(s)
Have a primary shipping address in a location I don't ship to
Have 4 Policy Violation report(s) within 1 Month(s)
Have a feedback score of -1 or lower
Account>Site preferences>Selling preferences>buyer requirements
centering your text and images does miracles
In eBay you can change the settings in your auctions to exclude certain regions, and if you are doing "buy it now" you can require immediate payment at the end of the auction.
Taxes:
You will get a 1099 form from Ebay. This will go on your schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business).
I hope you've been keeping a spreadsheet/track of everything so far. All shipping and ebay/paypal fees are deductible. Also if you are purchasing inventory this is your cost of goods sold which will directly reduce your revenue from all your sales.
The goal of course it to lower your eBay profit as much as possible.
Also, if you bought a laptop or computer for ebay business that is a business expense.
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04-08-2013, 10:56 AM #1
The OFFICIAL eBay Buy & Flip thread - Part II - No Hustle Without Rustle - Make $$$
Last edited by BradInPhx; 04-08-2013 at 11:40 AM.
eBay buy & flip crew
Positive thoughts go out to: Redraider86, ShayZ, PushTheWeak & Slash_
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- Join Date: Dec 2010
- Location: Australia
- Age: 33
- Posts: 10,860
- Rep Power: 9158
whats your opinion on the ebay fee increase to 9.9% in may?
Never been hugged crew
Message girl on ********, she goes offline and Add Friend button appears crew
Extreme Assisted Dips Crew
Don't have a ******** wall because noone would post on it anyway crew
Want to order pizza, too scared to pick up phone crew
Nobody cares about my birthday crew
Friendzone crew
Leave Chestparrot alone crew
No friends except my neopet crew
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04-08-2013, 12:06 PM #20
wat do...
here is a pic of an item i received back today of a wireless wifi camera that i sold for around $100 a few weeks ago, dude tells me it didnt work at all.
i thought that was odd because it was brand new, never opened. he told he could try to fix it and keep it if i issued a partial refund. i said no, just send it back. it didnt have the packaging upon return, it was all taken apart (as seen in the pic) and the positive wiring wasnt even connected anymore.
my gut tells me he had one, tried to work on it, ****ed it up, then ordered one from me, then sent me the old bull**** one, but i cannot verify. i mean who the does **** like that? say he was being truthful, who would get a faulty electronic device, then teat it apart and try to fix it? this is not acceptable. im not a huge seller that moves a ton of volume, i cant just eat the cost.
ive been very polite to the guy as well. i offered to pay for the return shipping and everything even though its not part of the seller agreement.
EDIT: just messaged me and said he sent it back just the way he got it. what a *******.
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04-08-2013, 12:08 PM #21
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04-08-2013, 12:09 PM #22
1st page!
Seriously though; I'm happy to offer advice for uk miscers. I've got a fairly successfully Ebay page going now (make c. £2k PCM, apart from March...) , and have previously had another page in the past that also did well
I had to give the previous page up when I received a ban, down to being scammed out of some moneyLast edited by DavidVlad; 04-08-2013 at 12:16 PM.
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