Selling your stuff on EBID. advice for new sellers

Thanks to the board guides for permission to start this thread, and thanks to the Amazon thread which has inspired me to provide something similar

Newcomers please read.
This thread is for discussing our collective attempts to sell succesfully on EBID. The aim of the threads opening postings is to provide help, advice and guidance for sellers using, or considering using EBID to sell.

http://uk.ebid.net/

Intentions for this first post ( which will be regularly edited ) is to provide tips on using EBID as a seller. The tips will include all the following topics and more:
What it costs to join, what it costs to sell, what works well - and what doesn't! Tips on listing auctions, on using the bulk uploader. Tips on feedback, on ebids 'buddy points system'. Advice on selling strategies. What payment options does ebid accept? what's the verdict on pppay?

I will be editing and adding to this opening post regularly as I get feedback and tips from other users. The second posting in this thread will be used for a FAQ for the most common questions about EBID.

I appreciate EBID is not for everyone, however it is a viable option for some of us, and this thread will help more people avoid the any known problems and make the most of what EBID has to offer.

Important. please read

For those of you who already sell on EBID, This is NOT a thread for plugging individual auctions or shops. Nor is it a promotion thread for ebid. Please keep your postings to the topic of giving advice on selling succesfully on EBID.

For those of you who don't sell on EBID at the moment, but are considering doing so. This is a good place to pose your questions.

For those of you (for whatever reason) don't like EBID and have no intention of selling on EBID. Are you on the right thread? :cool:

Finally
Who the heck am I and what do I know about EBID?.
My name is Val. I sell succesfully on EBID, and Amazon predominantly, with some listings on smaller sites too.
I have been selling on EBID for just over 2 years and have carried out around 2000 transactions there. I am under no illusions about EBID, it's not perfect and I'm often raising unresolved issues on the EBID forums. However EBID does have redeeming features and has some of the qualities that the bigger site has lost long ago. Somewhere along the line I (and others) have started to 'care' about EBID and want it to succeed. I'm starting this thread because EBID - love it or hate it- should have a place here!
___________________________________________________________________

Third update. 25th June

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EBID : Wilkpedia definition

eBid is an online auction website founded in December 1998.
eBid operates in ten countries, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Ireland and five other European countries
EBID owns its own online payment service Pppay to allow for buyers and sellers to pay each other in Euros and Pounds Sterling, although members are not restricted to using this form of payment.
Unlike eBay, listing a basic auction on eBid is free and a small percentage final value fee is paid on selling your item.
Currently eBid has 3 membership levels available for new members,
Bronze (free) buyer only,
Silver (free but requires credit/debit card verification) occasional seller, final value fee's are 3% but the seller has a restricted range of options at the moment, but these are due to be improved soon.
Gold not available to new members.
Platinum subscription based membership aimed at professional sellers with a recurring fee, payable every 7,30,90 or 365 days, OR a one off lifetime payment (currently less than £100.00).
Platinum members can open up to 5 shops free. For a basic auction Platinum members pay no fee, for a gallery one they pay 2% fvf. Options like BIN only auctions & Run until Sold, are also available for free.

Thanks to jmccarmods for summerising on the following table what each membership level gives in terms of selling features:

smallebidv2.gif

......................................................................................................

Getting around EBID

Once you've set up your account you can access lots of useful information by clicking on the 'My ebid' tab near the top of anyy ebid page.
From here members can control all aspects of their eBid account using the sub menu which is displayed:

'My Gallery' Here's where you upload photos for use in your auctions.

'My All About' Here's where you can tell buyers about you as a seller, for example what your returns policies are, whether you offer combined postage etc.. TIP. Do take a little time to complete this page- especially if you have no feedback as this will help you gain some buyer confidence

'eBid Stores' Platinum users can create up to 5 stores. It's very easy to do, although you will need to make or acquire your own store banner to display

'My Buddy Points' eBid's Loyalty scheme. - will be covered later

'My WatchList' List of auctions you are watching.

'My Interests' keyword mailing facility. ( doesn't work that well!)

'My Emails' choose which emails you wish to receive.

'My Subscriptions' Review & update your registered credit cards and subscriptions.

'My Feedback' Post, monitor, request and edit feedback. Tip. The edit facility is useful

'My Money' View your statement and invoices.

'My BulkUpload' Here's where you find the dowmloadable upload spreadsheet.

'My Defaults' Set defaults here. Tip You can make your own default listing templates plus set other choices such as how your visitor counts work

'My Favourites' Keep track of your best sellers, stores and searches.

'My Personal Details' edit or change your address, email and password.

.......................................................................................................

EBID help and FAQ.
Here's a direct link to the EBID help and FAQ .

http://uk.ebid.net/help_main.php.

Potentual sellers will find some answers there, however in my experience they do not cover everything so I will continue to add to this page and answer queries posted.
There is no such word as "bidded". I bid, you bid, they bid, Ebid ;)
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Comments

  • val4xx
    val4xx Posts: 78 Forumite
    This post will be for Questions and Answers about selling on EBID

    Q. I signed up for EBID and now want to change my membership level. How do i do this?

    A. If you signed up for anything less than the 'lifetime' platinum, you will be on a recurring subscription which debits every ( 7days, 30 days, annual etc..) based on your original choice. If you decide you want tochage or cancel your recurrring subscription you do this via the 'my subscriptions' area of your EBID account. To stop a platinum subscription you'll need to downgrade to either silver (no subscription, still able to sell- but less seller tools) or bronze( buyer rights only).

    Q. I set up an auction and have just noticed i've been charged a 'featured' listing fee when i never requested featured listing?

    A. Part of online listing process is selecting one of the following auction types:
    free
    gallery ( pic displayed)
    featured ( listed before other auctions in it's category- incurrs a £1.00 fee every time an auction reposts)

    The problem (which is regularly reported to ebid!) is that if you don't t make a concious choice, the template defaults to 'featured.
    One way to avoid this known issue is to us ethe 'my defaults' area to set your auction format preference. Click on "My Defaults" then the to set your auction options is in Section 4.
    If you've already been caught out by this known issue, send an email to ebid support explaining you did not select the featured option - but the template defaulted to it anyway, then ask for a refund of fees. Most cases reported on the ebid forums DO get refunded.

    Q. Can i sell E books on EBID?

    A. No. E books are not allowed (and based on forum polls the majority of users agree with this decision). For a comprehensive list of what is not allowed to be sold on EBID visit http://uk.ebid.net/help_selling.php
    There is no such word as "bidded". I bid, you bid, they bid, Ebid ;)
  • frivolous_fay
    frivolous_fay Posts: 13,302
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker Mortgage-free Glee!
    Forumite
    Nice to see an informed, rational post about ebid :) Hope this can become a helpful, constructive thread :)
    My TV is broken! :cry:
    Edit: refunded £515 for TV 1.5 years out of warranty - thank you Sale of Goods Act! :j
  • edsjad
    edsjad Posts: 194 Forumite
    val4xx wrote: »
    This post will be for Questions and Answers about selling on EBID

    great - i'd never heard of it before - what's good to sell on ebid? do international buyers go on it? please say more about it or post a link for me to find out more... thank you.
    Aiming to take control of my life:A

    £10 per day in JUNE
    So far: £18 ebay; £20 cash for clothes; £50 flea market
  • sara2323
    sara2323 Posts: 479 Forumite
    I'm a little fed up with ebay and the service provided by the ebay staff (if you call automated replies to e-mail service!!) and would like to know about alternatives such as Ebid.

    Especially from those who have used Ebid, is it reliabale, fees etc..

    Thanks
  • val4xx
    val4xx Posts: 78 Forumite
    Using the Wilkpedia definition as a starting point I've made my first update to the opening thread so that there is some basic information available.
    I has been trying to build the opening post using the EBID help pages, but it wasn't reading right, I'm now looking at gathering the most useful postings I can find on specific topics ( how to list, using the bulk uploader etc..).
    If anyone has something they think would fit well on the first information post, or on the FAQ post, please either post it here or PM me :hello:
    ______________________________

    Hi Edsjad.
    EBID does have an international presence, but the UK site is by far the most established. I know there's a free offer on just now for EX USA Yahoo users to join the site, so the US site is growing too.

    Hi Sara.
    When you contact EBID support you do get an automated acknowledgement, but this is followed up by a response from a real person! Usually the responses are very helpful, although sometimes they do appear to have skim read an email and give incomplete replies, but there's always the the option to email them back :D
    There is no such word as "bidded". I bid, you bid, they bid, Ebid ;)
  • edsjad wrote: »
    great - i'd never heard of it before - what's good to sell on ebid? do international buyers go on it? please say more about it or post a link for me to find out more... thank you.


    Hi edsjad,

    You can find an ebid link on the 'sticky' thread Helpful Links To Ebay and other auction sites, I would put a link here for you, but I don't think it's allowed.

    Personally, I enjoy selling on there. I have just had a buyer (who bought 10 items from me) come back and bid on another 33 items!

    If you choose to sell on there, it is worthwhile remembering to keep your p&p charges realistic, I know it works on ebay to put high p&p with a low bid, but on ebid buyers seem to prefer to see the true cost of the item with the true cost of p&p

    Sarena
  • Hi Val

    After reading your first post I decided to give Ebid a go. I've signed up for 30 days Platinum and am trying to do a bulk upload. I mainly sell books on Amazon and Play, so I prefer the BIN option.

    I have emailed a bulk upload with only 6 books on it to see if I have got the format right, this was about 3 hours ago. I have seen different estimates regarding upload times - do you know if they do uploads at weekends? Do you have to delete the advisory tabs in the excel spreadsheet before emailing? Do you have any tips where you have previously made 'false starts' in trying to bulk upload?

    Sorry I have so many questions, but I can't seem to find the answers on the FAQ on Ebid.

    TIA FFM :)
    AMAZON SELLERS CLUB member 0077 come and join us :hello: make some space and get hold of some cash, we're on the ebay and other auctions, car boot and jumble sales board.
  • val4xx
    val4xx Posts: 78 Forumite
    Hi Val

    After reading your first post I decided to give Ebid a go. I've signed up for 30 days Platinum and am trying to do a bulk upload. I mainly sell books on Amazon and Play, so I prefer the BIN option.

    I have emailed a bulk upload with only 6 books on it to see if I have got the format right, this was about 3 hours ago. I have seen different estimates regarding upload times - do you know if they do uploads at weekends? Do you have to delete the advisory tabs in the excel spreadsheet before emailing? Do you have any tips where you have previously made 'false starts' in trying to bulk upload?

    Sorry I have so many questions, but I can't seem to find the answers on the FAQ on Ebid.

    TIA FFM :)

    Hi there.
    Well done for braving the bulk upload spreadsheet so early!.

    and how did you guess i'd made some 'false starts' when i first started using it :D .

    Uploads are usually dealt with within a few hours- even at weekends. Although there have been an instance recemtly where uploads took days to go through ( i think there was a software upgrade problem) However this was exceptional.

    I'll give a very brief overview of the bulk uploader just now, and make this the next thing I put on message 1

    The bulk uploader is an excel based spreadsheet which users complete with auction titles etc.. Users need to fill in various 'codes' for categories, postage options, where they'll ship to etc.... If you want to display photos in your auctions they need to be already online somewhere, either in the EBID gallery, or on a third party site such as photobucket.

    The most frustrating things I find with using the bulk uploader are:
    1. If you've made even one error on your uploaded spreadsheet ( maybe missed out a postage code), your whole spreadsheet gets rejected. You will get notified if this happens ( or probably 'when' this happens!) and you'll need to edit the mistake and resubmit.
    2. EBid regularly add to and tweak their categories, so if yuou saved a version of a spreadsheet with the right category for your product, the next time you want to upload a similar auction the category might have changed
    3. Unless you want a really basic look, auction descriptions need to be prepared in html then pasted into the menu bar ( i'm making that sound more complex than it really is!). Because I tend to upload books- i uploade them with a generic auction description which i can copy/paste down the spreadsheet and a note that more detail will be added later.

    It doesn't matter if you delete the 'example' lines or not. personally I DO delete them once i've done everything else.

    Good luck with your sales.
    There is no such word as "bidded". I bid, you bid, they bid, Ebid ;)
  • Hi Val

    Thanks for the quick reply :)

    So, based on what you said, do you get a confirmation of either success (or not) when the bulk upload is attempted?

    If that is the case I will sit back and wait for the email - rather than pondering about what I might have done wrong.

    I mentioned 'false starts' based on my own experience of bulk uploads to both Amazon and Play - there are 'favourite/typical/predictable errors' here and there that can cause items to be rejected - I assumed Ebid was probably the same :)

    Great thread by the way - thanks for starting it.

    FFM :)
    AMAZON SELLERS CLUB member 0077 come and join us :hello: make some space and get hold of some cash, we're on the ebay and other auctions, car boot and jumble sales board.
  • val4xx
    val4xx Posts: 78 Forumite
    Hi again FFM.
    They tell you when you've got it wrong,. If it's gone ok- the auctions appear.

    What you might like to do whilst you're waiting is set yourself up a few listing templates in your 'my defaults' area. You can then set up some generic default templates for things you sell. For example if I have a pile of postcards I want to list, I can use my 'default' postcard template which aready has the correct postage and other listing choices i use for postcards. All i need to do then is enter the title, description and upload my photo. For the next postcard i want to list i can choose to 'list similar' and just change the title and pic.

    If I don't have too many books to list i sometimes use my 'default' book template and work my way through the pile and have Amazon open in a separate window to help me complete the descriptions :D

    EBID does have a 'list with ISBN' function- but last time i tried it there were very few ISBN details set up - even for common mass market paperbacks, so I've not tried it since.
    There is no such word as "bidded". I bid, you bid, they bid, Ebid ;)
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