Re-New to selling on ebay. paypal / ebay questions.

pfpf

hi,
I have done a bit of reading over the last few days so if anything below is already covered in any stickies then apologies.

as mentioned on another thread i'm beginning to sell some items after a 10 year break, and wow, have things changed.
a couple of questions if anyone can reply please.

1. it looks like most of my stuff will be under 1kg and certainly under 2kg and either "small" or "medium" sized ref. RM dimensions, and under £20 value. is the consensus for this type of parcel that RM is the best option? I have read about various couriers but its a confusing minefield. if there's a significant saving even on small parcels i'll look deeper.

2. when paying for something with paypal can I choose not to use the paypal balance first and go to an alternative payment method. I want to save my paypal sales money for a big purchase and not whittle it away on other purchases.

3. if not is one person allowed 2 personal paypal accounts?

4. when marking an item "despatched" is the buyer receiving an email confirming this from ebay? I can see lots of customisation but nothing about that particular option.

I think that's it for now but theres sure to be ongoing questions in the coming weeks

thanks again.

p.s
Soolin on another thread mentioned ebay can upgrade you to a business seller if they think you are, errr, a business. I mentioned on there that I was going to be selling my collection's, so a lot of one range of things.
how do ebay decide and if they upgrade do I have a choice?
does becoming a business seller make things more expensive for me and do I have to pay tax etc and my own stuff?
I am not intending selling lots in one go, it will be a few items at any one time.
the items would be classed as toys/collectable figures.

jon81uk

1. As a private seller where everything is usually small parcel under 1kg, under £20 then the £2.85 standard small parcel second class Royal Mail is usually fine. But many people also seem to say myHermes is good value, especially if you need it tracked.

2. Paypal always seems to use the balance first when buying. But withdrawals are now free so you could withdraw and put into a savings account or similar.

3. I think so.

4. Yes buyers get emails when items are marked as despatched.

mrcol1000

Agree with 1 above. If you drop My Hermes off at a parcel shop then it is cheaper than Royal Mail for small parcels. For small parcels My Hermes now charges the same for up to 2kg, £2.75. It is not really that much longer and you get tracking as standard.

I have had a few people claim non delivery for My Hermes and they have lost cases because online tracking shows delivery (and the buyer always seems to find the parcel after they lose the case).

Just make sure the parcel is well protected. If it can be broken then My Hermes will break it. If you protect it so it can not be broken and then wrap it a couple more times you are normally alright.

paulofessex

My warning would be not to accumulate too much money in your PayPal account otherwise it could be frozen for six months should a dispute or issue arise. Best to withdraw some to bank account as you go.
Also be aware of your pay pal account is new, at times they withhold funds from a buyer until the buyer has left feedback.

alanq

paulofessex wrote: »

Also be aware of your pay pal account is new, at times they withhold funds from a buyer until the buyer has left feedback.

Shouldn't that be seller?

theonlywayisup

alanq wrote: »

Shouldn't that be seller?

No, they may hold the funds from the buyer (is I think what the poster is saying), as opposed to holding funds of the seller.

pfpf

another quick question.
to get a feel for selling again I have listed a few items for nothing, well pence and offered free P&P. I am not making anything of course but it doesn't matter just now.
I've set my listings to free P&P RM 2nd class, and set my despatch speed to "within 3 days", I have posted within 24 hours though and will adjust this setting once i'm more organised.
so on a selling page its showing the estimated delivery time to be 6 working days and gives an estimated delivery date to the buyer.
I have noticed that date relates to "today" so moves as the days pass. but what happens after the sale is complete. does the estimated delivery date keep changing for the buyer until he pays? could he pay the day before the original estimate and then mark me down for late delivery even if I sent on payment day?
I only ask as a 99p sale hasn't been paid for yet although it ended sunday evening.

I have switched off the 2 day auto reminder as I don't want this to trigger bad feeling and feedback.

It appears I cant switch off the "after about a month we'll send an email to your buyer requesting feedback" option which also concerns me.

thanks for reading.

hollydays

Why would you sell things with the chance of making a loss?

Norman_Castle

pfpf wrote: »

I have switched off the 2 day auto reminder as I don't want this to trigger bad feeling and feedback.

I didn't know there was an automatic reminder. I often send an invoice to slower payers. I would leave it switched on and then it will be ebay reminding them rather than you.

pfpf

loss: its pence. its just on a hand full of things as I haven't been a seller on ebay for 10 years and wanted to test the water so needed to ensure something sold.

reminder: its under "manage communications with buyers". but good point, i'll switch it back on.

any observations on:

but what happens after the sale is complete. does the estimated delivery date keep changing for the buyer until he pays? could he pay the day before the original estimate and then mark me down for late delivery even if I sent on payment day?
I only ask as a 99p sale hasn't been paid for yet although it ended sunday evening.

Norman_Castle

Domestic dispatch time
Will usually dispatch within 3 working days of receiving cleared payment

http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/buy/contextual/domestic-handling-time.html