Newbie to selling on ebay

[dianabugger]

Hi,
Just wondering if any of you lovely ebay peeps have any tips for me selling on ebay? I need to sell a range of different items clothing, shoes etc and not sure how to go about it. Ive startec by ordering my satchels 3kg and 500g...if im selling a pair of jeans would the 3kg take the weight or would i jave to weigh each individual item...sorry for questions..but need to start somewhere 😊

[egglesdtp]

If you intend to sell clothes, you will need to buy (1) a set of kitchen scales which can weigh up to at least 3kg and (2) a tape measure.

You must know the weight of an item before you list it, so you can charge the correct postage. For exampe, a pair of jeans may weigh more or less than 500g, so that will make a big difference in what you need to charge for postage.

Make sure you include measurments in all your listings, as sizes vary so much between brands and even within brands, it is no good just saying something is size 14 (or heaven forbid, size L) when this is meaningless.

Take plenty of photos of your clothes - front, back and close up so people can see the texture and pattern.

[kopenhagen5]

Also register your eBay account for selling and upgrade your PayPal account to Premier so you can accept payments.

Make sure you describe any defects if they are secondhand as buyers of clothes can be extremely picky.

[rocket2retro]

You will need to bookmark the Australia Post postage calculator. A 1kg pair of jeans, for example, may be cheaper to post within your own state in a box/bag than it would be to use a 3kg satchel.

I'd opt for scales that weigh up to 10 kg or more. Then you can work out the combined postage if someone bought a lot of items at once. There are a lot of relatively cheap digital scales on eBay.

[padi*0409]

If you decide to go for auctions, never ever do as eBay suggest and start at 99 cents, start your auctions at the lowest price you're willing to accept.

And be aware that if you have a "buy it now" price on an auction, that dissappears as soon as the first bid is made on it.

Also check on "completed listings" in you category to see what others have been able to achieve price-wise on similar listings. 

[clarry100]

Keep in mind too that the weight of them item when you mail it includes the satchel weight and any other packaging you may use.

So an item that weighs in at 450grams on its own may well be over the 500 grams once its packaged and ready to send.

[*tippy*toes*]

Welcome to selling! If you're selling clothes take photos of everything, including seams and hems. You don't have to list all the photos, just have them available and keep them for 6 months after the item sells.

Describe absolutely everything. If there is a loose thread in a hem or a scuff on a shoe, mention it. Fashion is one of the harder categories to sell in as buyers can be very picky.

Another reason to have photos and descriptions of everything is to cover yourself. Some buyers will buy something for an event, have no further use for it so will claim not as described so you are forced to refund them.

They may claim there is a stain or a pulled thread and you need to be able to prove it wasn't there when you sent it. Some buyers will go so far as to damage it and say it was like that when they received it.

Good luck with it all. Come back anytime you need to know anything. Everyone here is more than happy to help you on the right path.

[clarry100]

Excellent advice there from Tippy.

Follow these things to the letter.

[redders_60]

As stated above; Measurements are a must!  All items to be measured lying flat & totally unstretched. If the item has stretch; Let the buyer know approx how stretchy in your opinion. (For tops I used to use little; no; medium, some stretch, or very stretchy in my descriptions & stated that that was my opinion only) Be careful how you word your clothing ad! - If in doubt; Leave it out! But do be prepared for a lower price if you don't put in the effort needed to sell used clothing.

Measure jeans across the waist; approx hipline; Rise (crotch seam up over the fly) Inside leg length & across the bottom of the leg ends. Outer of waist to leg end along the length is also helpful for tall or short people.

I have 3 prs of same higher end brand jeans - exactly identical - except for the tagged sizes - which are 12; 14 & 16 respectively. Bought from the same store on the same day & tried on instore. The fit is the same but the tagged sizes differ! Jeans can be difficult to sell due to packed weight for sale & size variations.

Photography - If you can afford a mannequin then tops; lingerie & etc sell better when shown on one. Never show clothing on a crumpled unmade bed or with other clothing not part of the listing to be seen!  (Crop your pics!) Over the times I've seen many ads where the ensuite door was open in pics taken in bedrooms & that's not a pretty sight!

I rarely sell clothing anymore but have 3 mannequins. One sz 8 to 10; One sz 10 to 12 & a rare full figure plus size lady who is a nicely curvy 16 with a C cup bust size. I suppose Dotti; Dolly & Dorothy will appear on Ebay one day for sale! 

[lyndal1838]

And never take your photographs in the nude when your reflection can be seen in a mirror.....yes, it has happened.