Selling your stuff on EBID. advice for new sellers

Frugaldom · 1 June 2009 at 9:03AM

Hi guys, just to add a spark of encouragement, our main eBid store had a really busy month in May, probably the best ever since pulling out of eBay. :j However, I could also point out that we bought very, very little from eBid over the past few months, but we've spent a small fortune via eBay. It was a simple case of what we needed wasn't available on eBid at the right price, although I did make a couple of small purchases there, too.

I've had an eBid account for over 9 years and have seen so many changes in that time that it can only continue to improve as people gradually get to know of it's existence. I've noticed hundreds of new storeholders over the past year or so. Chances are that they are mostly disenchanted eBayers. When we switched allegiance with our online store, we contacted our entire customer base to let them know of the change over. It has taken many months to convince them that eBid can be every bit as good as eBay and assure them that it's easier to offer a small discount on multiple purchases by way of the reduced fees, combined p&p, using recycled packaging materials etc, etc, etc... once people find the site, they WILL purchase from reputable looking stores, especially if they know you successfully traded on eBay previously.

Sorry this is such a long ramble, but I think the points are pertinent. Before buying from anyone on eBid, I always check them out as best I can and the easiest way to do that is via the forums. I have seen some real cracking bargains listed, but refuse to send my hard earned cash to some lout who spends more time bad mouthing eBay and anything or anybody that annoys them than they do cultivating a good sales rapport with potential customers. eBay is diversifying in a way that is needed to satisfy its shareholders and major players in the selling game. The guys who own eBid are diversifying in a way that makes it cheaper and easier for ordinary people to get involved in online selling but it's up to those sellers to convince buyers that they can be trusted. If there's an almighty crash one day, I know where I'd prefer to be, that's for sure.

OK, putting away the soap box now, especially as I've hardly a thing listed on eBid in my username.

Good luck - sales will come, just make sure you tell as many potential customers as possible.

Frugaldom · 1 June 2009 at 9:05AM

Forgot to add - Flickering Ember - I have often bought from people with minimum or no feedback, as long as they are address verified and I've checked out their username first.

But there's one thing that put me off your listing I read. It includes the following:

"Unfortunately, I am not able to get a Paypal account".

If I was you, I'd simply state that you don't accept online payments, especially if you can't get an account, rather than have potential buyers wondering if there is a particular reason for it. Just my personal thoughts on the matter, I don't mean to sound cheeky in any way.

soolin · 1 June 2009 at 10:08AM

nykmedia, you make some very useful points, thank you.

I have been the opposite of you, I have bought on ebid and sold on ebay so between us we cover it all :T

I completely agree though about image as with any site I look at the overall picture of the seller before I even think about placing a bid. It has been my main complaint about ebid that they seem to encourage this 'I got banned on ebay so am selling here instead' mentality and I think that is a disadvantage as is the silly names some users give to ebay.. A more reasoned 'I am optimising my selling by using more than one site' is a much better approach and would encourage me to buy.

Having said all that though I still would not buy from any seller who did not have a paypal account as that would worry me, but that applies on both ebay and ebid and is not a reflection of what I think of ebid sellers.

Frugaldom · 1 June 2009 at 10:25AM

soolin wrote: »

...Having said all that though I still would not buy from any seller who did not have a paypal account as that would worry me, but that applies on both ebay and ebid and is not a reflection of what I think of ebid sellers.

Hi Soolin, I am a bit like that too, although I do use the eBid version PPPay. Another pertinent point that I've just been reminded of as the eBid fees account came in (:eek: it's creeping close to £9 for the month! :rotfl:) is that eBid don't accept PPPay payments for the fees, but they do accept PayPal... this I find most curious, seeing as they own PPPay.

I think the choice of items for buying online, in general, is amazing, limitless, fantastic... We can purchase almost anything we want from virtually anywhere in the world and it's forever a buyers' market. Sellers would do well to remember that and make it as simple as possible to provide their customers with swift and trouble free transactions and provide the best possible deals. It's not a case of what you sell (or don't, as the case may be), it's a case of having the best deal on that item on a global scale. hard to get your head around that when you're mainly thinking up ways of clearing out a few extra items or setting up a business.

Just confirmed - May 2009, our book store on eBid - third busiest month of all time. :j Thanks racing fans, don't forget it's Derby week.

If I could only happen upon the next 'big thing' and then offer it exclusively through eBid at a fraction of the price... then again, with so many people being banned from eBay, they need to be allowed to buy from somewhere. :rotfl:

ThinkingOfLinking · 4 June 2009 at 5:56AM

Thanks for the feedback. I'll amend it. Nobody has bid on the items listed so far; I've got more to list. I can't get a Paypal account due to a fraudulent buyer I had when I used to be on eBay (totally different username so cannot be linked to my eBid). My Paypal account has long gone.

soolin · 4 June 2009 at 7:05AM

Flickering_Ember wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback. I'll amend it. Nobody has bid on the items listed so far; I've got more to list. I can't get a Paypal account due to a fraudulent buyer I had when I used to be on eBay (totally different username so cannot be linked to my eBid). My Paypal account has long gone.

Why don't you look at the PPay system that nykmedia mentions as buyers do like instant payments.

mira666 · 4 June 2009 at 7:29AM

I finally managed to sell something, granted it was only a t-shirt but its still my first sale. i can't stop smiling

Frugaldom · 4 June 2009 at 8:52AM

CONGRATULATIONS, Mira666 :beer:

Speaking of T shirts, did you request your free one when you signed up for a lifetime seller+ account? If not, email support with your details and size of T shirt you need and they'll send you an official eBid T-shirt and a bumper sticker completely free of charge.

I'm wearing mine now.

mira666 · 4 June 2009 at 8:59AM

i didn't

i will do that when I get home, thanks nykmedia

mira666 · 4 June 2009 at 1:14PM

have just been down and posted my first ebid parcel (the t-shirt i sold yesterday) have undercharged on the postage as sent it 1st class recorded but i don't mind. am totally on cloud 9

one quick question. does anyone know how much pppay.com charge for withdrawals? I know paypal used to charge 25p if it was less than £50 but not sure what pppay's charges are like

Many Thanks

Selling your stuff on EBID. advice for new sellers

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