Does anyone here make a living as an eBay seller?

babyshambles

If so, please share your experiences. How did you start? What do you sell? Any advice for someone who is thinking about doing the same.

Thank you.

RFW

In theory I do, can't say it's much of a living right now!

I would say I'm fairly unique as my business was already in auctions and Ebay fitted around that. We've evolved into something completely different and are doing again.

The future looks like it will be moving away from Ebay but I'm hoping that something else will come into fruition that is solely Ebay based.

You really need to know your market inside and out to make it work using Ebay. You also need a hefty mark up or a prospective high turn over. I'd also suggest that just using Ebay is not a good idea, but can be a good starting point.

baffcat

Yup, I do, and have done for five years.

Don't sell consumer electronics; it's too easy to get scammed, and don't sell clothes, as colours and sizes are too open to misinterpretation or disagreement.

Deal in things you know about, buy them cheap, sell for as much as you can, but be prepared to drop lower if sales dry up. Never pass up a stupidly good offer of stock. The more you list, the more you spread the risk of a particular item's sales ceasing. Find your own sources of supply, and tell no one else where and who they are.

Give the best service you can, have a legal returns policy, and watch what your competitors are doing.

Register as self-employed with HMRC.

forgotmyname

I sold a few bits a couple of years ago not as a business but holiday money.

The figures look impressive until you take away the postage and packing costs.

Then they didn't look so good. Make a living.

You need to purchase something unique at a good price with enough buyers to sell the entire stock.
If you see a chance you cant wait. Mate bought a ton of mixed cards and phone cases to sell on.
Just as the £1 shop started selling them then another shop doing 10 for £1.
With postage it was hard to compete.

Phone cases took over a month to arrive with rumours of the next model already hitting the boards.
Initially he sold a fair few but had to virtually give them away after.

Lots loads on the cards. But made...... [drum roll]
£13.76 on the cases...

SailorSam

If anyone has found a niche for themselves Op they're unlikely to reveal their secret.

chemical.galaxy

SailorSam wrote: »

If anyone has found a niche for themselves Op they're unlikely to reveal their secret.

Very true!

I started off a couple of years ago with a few hundred pounds and have grown a small business over the past 24 months, currently I have about 100 sales per week - which keeps me working just about part-time - I will try to double that but storage is beginning to be a problem!

The great thing is i can work around my large family.

The downside is that I get no days off really, I spend a lot of time packing and posting and uploading new stock or looking for new stock. Also I don't see anything now without putting a business angle on it and wondering whether it would work - slightly obsessed with my shop!

Choose something you know something about, and like - start small and see how it goes!

soolin

chemical.galaxy wrote: »

Also I don't see anything now without putting a business angle on it and wondering whether it would work - slightly obsessed with my shop!
!

Ha, that touched a nerve!

I was on a break with family doing the tourist bit in the UK, saw something in a shop and ended up delaying everyone as I negotiated with the shop owner to buy his remaining stock as I knew I could sell it on ebay.

I can't buy anything much now without working out what it might sell for.

I love what I do, I can't say I make a living wage, but this with my freelance work means even doing both I work less han full time. I also consider it a hobby that earns me money as I love going to auctions and tracking down stock. (tax man alas considers my hobby to be taxable though)

I am going on a road trip tomorrow, possibly, to get an expert to take a look at something I found that I think is worth some real money. If I'm wrong all it will cost me is my petrol and the lunch I shall buy him for his time- and I'll have had a nice day out.

porto_bello

If it were me, I'd give it a trial run, selling unwanted household items around the house, on free listing days.

You'll get to grips with the requirements: photos, descriptions, working out postage rates and dealing with eBay buyers. And if you find it doesn't work particularly well, you've lost nothing except got shot of a few things that you didn't want!

I find it rewarding when something goes for an unexpectedly high price and if it doesn't, simply relist.

I've never gone beyond the private seller stage as for me at least, I prefer the guarantee of a monthly income - I'd hate to put all my eggs in the eBay basket!

SailorSam

Is there anything on here that gives you an idea what you could sell.

http://www.thewholesaleforums.co.uk/

Nan_Dingle

Best to 'covert' a buying login with good feedback into a selling, business account. And open another account just for buying.

You'll need up-front money for stock and packaging.

Buyers expect the same service from start-ups as platinum sellers, so you'll need to be able to do same/next day despatch and professional computer printed despatch notes and new packaging etc.

Understand the tax implications and record all your expenses.

As a business seller, you'll need to be mindful of distance selling regs on BIN and also be prepared to write-off a %tage of sales to scams and TSFE buyers.

Strapped

I do, although things are a bit patchy at the moment. I think baffcat had it covered!

Do look at places like thewholesaleforums but remember that the rest of us are also reading...think exclusive, but also think about not getting stuck with unsold stock.

Also - whatever margin you're thinking of working to, double it. There will be additional expenses you haven't thought of.

Personally, I'm working away from ebay because it does represent a huge risk only having one main route to market.