YourMotherShouldKnow Posted April 24, 2004 Share Posted April 24, 2004 Hey do any of you guys use Ebay much? I registered there awhile ago but haven't gotten around to actually doing anything. So I'm gonna be moving soon and I think it's time to sell some stuff. Any guidance for selling? What are the keys to a successful auction? It's mostly music gear that either I don't need anymore or else don't want to drag around the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super 8 Posted April 24, 2004 Share Posted April 24, 2004 I have not actually sold anything, but I'm getting ready to. One peice of advice I can offer you is to make certain you explain UP FRONT whether or not you accept credit cards via Paypal. You WILL get screwed if you don't do this. It will cost you to get your money if they pay via CC, and by default I think it tells the buyer that they can use that method of they want. So be aware of this. Super 8 Hear my stuff here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursers Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 Being up front in general is crucial. And setting a reasonable start price is important. Others may disagree but it seems that reserve auctions aren't the most popular... The Keyboard Chronicles Podcast Check out your fellow forumites in an Apple Music playlist Check out your fellow forumites in a Spotify playlist My Music: Stainless Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwestenberg Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 You wouldn't have an ADA MP1 you want to get rid of would you? If so let me know. Mark Lyrics. Wasted space between solos. I can't tell you, but I can play it for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dak Lander Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 I buy and sell somewhat regularly on eBay. In selling, make sure to have great pictures and an honest description. Spell everything out there as well as shipping details. Use the "used and sold as-is" disclaimer. Do a great job in packaging for shipment, be fair in the charges and ship on time, and as promised. Offer insurance, or require it, depending on the value of the item. Respond to queries in a timely manner. Know what similar items are going for. I generally do not run a reserve auction. If I have a minimum dollar figure in mind I'll start the bidding there, or close to it, rather than reserve auction the item. (It costs you more.) Very often I'll start at some reasonable price that I can live with even if the item doesn't garner what I'd like to see, or I'll start at some ridiculously low price to get some bids going and let 'er run. I use and prefer PayPal for payment. It costs a bit but makes it very easy for the buyer to get their money into your hands. I've had no issues with PayPal at all in over four years of dealing with them. Don't be afraid to accept Postal Money orders or a personal check, if you express a notice that there will be a time delay for processing before shipment. Really understand that this is an auction and you may or may not sell the item, let alone sell it for a large profit. Probably the most important thing I can suggest is honesty in all transactions. Our Joint "When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it." The Duke... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YourMotherShouldKnow Posted April 25, 2004 Author Share Posted April 25, 2004 Thanks a lot everybody. Very helpful and verbose Dak. maybe I have some alkalines I can throw in the camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rog951 Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 Lance-O...gimme a call sometime tomorrow and I'll try to explain my whole selling strategy. I'm too sleepy and my eyes are too blurry to type it all in tonight! None more black. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offramp Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 I'd be up for any more info, as well...I'm right on the verge of putting some of my guitars up on eBay; I've figured out what I need to do, now I just need to attach my account to Paypal which makes me a tad nervous, but I gotta get rid of these guitars. And other stuff. Gotta, now that I just beought home my newest baby...an Aztec Gold Strat, vintage player's edition. perfect. I've upped my standards; now, up yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vortex Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 Here's a few additional "feebay" tips... Plan ahead on your shipping materials. Have proper size boxes and necessary packing materials. Get set up for online shipping quotes like UPS, USPS etc., so that you can get that info out quickly after the auction. Treat the sale as if it was you who was getting the item. Be clear in your communication and follow up with tracking #'s. Leave feedback for the buyer after feedback has been left for you. Paypal is expensive but fast. Three years for me and no problems. Personnally I try not to "hype" things up in the description. Honesty and accuracy are good thing here. Have decent pictures of the item. Work on building a solid feedback rating. Perhaps start off by selling smaller less expensive items to get the feedback established, then move on the the pricier stuff. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Base Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 I have a regular paypal account and have used it with no problems for buying and selling as long as I have used ebay. Personally, I always leave feedback as soon as I have sent the item (as long sa I think they deserve it). I don't agree with the 'I'm only leaving you feedback if you leave me some first' policy.... Fa Fa FA Fa fa fa fa fa FA fa FA FA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super 8 Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 Originally posted by Vortex: Leave feedback for the buyer after feedback has been left for you. The problem with this is that I never leave feedback for the seller until they leave feedback for me. Their only real interest is in whether or not they got paid quickly or not. Once they got their money, they should leave me some feedback. THEN I leave feedback once I've recieved the product and can decide whether or not it's what they advertised, or how long it took them to get it to me. Super 8 Hear my stuff here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dak Lander Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 As to the feedback, I leave feedback for a buyer as soon as I get the money transfered to my account and ship ASAP, normally the next day. As to seller's feedback, that depends on how long it takes for the item to arrive, if it meets the description and functions as advertised. Once it's in my hands and verified, I'll give feedback. In the years I've been buying and selling on eBay I've been fortunate in only having a couple of bad buyers and all the sellers were above board. If there was an issue it was resolved toot-sweet. I think I've only given a couple of bad feedback notes and one or two neutrals. That's how good my experiences have been. I do look heavily into what the feedback ratings are as well as what items and their dollar amounts are. Could be the reason. Our Joint "When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it." The Duke... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeronyne Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 I had 3 huge problems with Paypal, and consequently, I refuse to use or accept Paypal. Of course, this is completely anecdotal, and may not reflect the average users experience. I'm not recommending against using it, but you should be aware that in most disputes, whether they turn out in your favor or not, Paypal has complete control over your money short of a lawsuit. I would never post on a site like paypalsucks.com because it gives a skewed perspective of how many complaints are out there. I'm guessing that 99.9% of transactions through PayPal occur without incident. Based on my personal experience, though, here's some stuff to watch out for. If you send money and the person closes or drains their bank account without sending you anything, you are SOL. Paypal is even reluctant to give you the bank information after they fail to get a response. If you sell a bunch of items for relatively little amounts of money, Paypal can artbitrarily freeze your money for years. This sounds absurd, doesn't it? A colleague and I did a dutch auction back in 2000 for a huge lot of video cards I acquired. The 50 transactions for $100 each all in one day apparently triggered the Paypal "pyramid scheme" flag. It took me a long time (and money) to recover the funds. Paypal practices proactive invasion of privacy. I can't find the link to the Israeli newspaper report, but apparently, Paypal will inform the authorities if your transaction habits stray from your own typical pattern behavior. I believe the quote from the president of paypal was "If you buy nothing but Beanie Babies for years, and suddenly, you buy a car with your Paypal account, it raises our eyebrows." I wish I could find the article...I sent Paypal the link as the reason why I was terminating my account. Again, I'm sure that most, if not all of you, will never have a problem with PayPal. But that doesn't mean that there are no problems with PayPal. EDIT: Here are a few interesting media reports about Paypal (not from one of the many PayPal sucks sites): C/NET Article Just after the IPO. PayPal frequently locks customers' accounts if it suspects that fraud played a part in a transaction, even if the amount in doubt is a fraction of the total amount in an account, said Gail Koff, an attorney and founding partner of Jacoby & Meyers, which filed the lawsuit. "For instance" is not proof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hendmik Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 Originally posted by offramp: I'd be up for any more info, as well...I'm right on the verge of putting some of my guitars up on eBay; I've figured out what I need to do, now I just need to attach my account to Paypal which makes me a tad nervous, but I gotta get rid of these guitars. And other stuff. Gotta, now that I just beought home my newest baby...an Aztec Gold Strat, vintage player's edition. perfect. Don't forget to register for a UPS account. It's free and you can prepare your own shipments, estimate shipping for bidders with a zipcode, and print out your own labels to avoid the raping, overcharge that Mailboxes Etc., et al will do to you (or your bidders). Then just drop them off at a UPS shipping center. Some shipping companies charge you for dropping pre-labelled packages off. Don't take that shit. Go to Ace Pack & Ship on 20th & Wadsworth. Tell 'em Mike sent you. If you need help when you put your items up, email me. I do this stuff all the time. And contrary to what seems to be most people, I've had great experience with PayPal. Granted, I don't leave my funds in the account too long... P.S. Don't be discouraged if you get less than you want for items while you have no feedback on your profile. People are skeptical, and for good reason, of new sellers. Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to reform. Mark Twain (1835-1910) -------------------- Reporter: "Ah, do you think you could destroy the world?" The Tick: "Ehgad I hope not. That's where I keep all my stuff!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offramp Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 zeronyne, clarify for me... If I want to sell these things, and I have my Paypal account set up to receive funds and it's tied to my checking account, they'll freeze my ENTIRE checking account if they decide to get ornery? If so, that's COMPLETE horseshit. I've upped my standards; now, up yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeronyne Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 No, they can't freeze your entire checking account. But the money sits in your account on THEIR side until you "offload" it into your account. "For instance" is not proof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salyphus Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 paypalsucks.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Base Posted April 26, 2004 Share Posted April 26, 2004 GAH!!!! Within hours of posting on an ebay thread saying I have had no problems and I get my first problem buyer. Massively overbid on an item and is now refusing to pay more than half of the final price, claiming someone else was playing with his account. But he had FOUR DAYS since placing the bid to retract it and let other people have a shot on there. Grr Fa Fa FA Fa fa fa fa fa FA fa FA FA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursers Posted April 26, 2004 Share Posted April 26, 2004 What was his feedback rating? The Keyboard Chronicles Podcast Check out your fellow forumites in an Apple Music playlist Check out your fellow forumites in a Spotify playlist My Music: Stainless Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Base Posted April 26, 2004 Share Posted April 26, 2004 Just 1, soon to be 0!!! Mine is pretty good, I can weather it. Personally I think he is playing around and did it intentionally to stop anyone else winning and now wants me to accept a lower amount. But I am a bitter, vengeful person and will have to destroy any chance of anyone ever trusting him on ebay ever again... Fa Fa FA Fa fa fa fa fa FA fa FA FA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursers Posted April 26, 2004 Share Posted April 26, 2004 Go get him I sent a guy to -1 for doing exactly the same thing.. The Keyboard Chronicles Podcast Check out your fellow forumites in an Apple Music playlist Check out your fellow forumites in a Spotify playlist My Music: Stainless Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatBoy Posted April 26, 2004 Share Posted April 26, 2004 Hey mwestenberg, I have an original ADA MP-1. It does not have the switch to change output from line-level to amp-level. It is amp-level ONLY! I run it thru 100/100 Dual Monobloc and 2-412's. It sounds great but I have way too much othe crap here. I'm to lazy to use Ebay! LoL Ebay is great! Remember you have to pay Ebay for each item auctioned whether it sells or not. You can accept bids from "Positive Feedback" bidders only. Reserve auctions are great for getting activity going on your item while securing your minimum price. I believe there is a credit card service that setups for free and charges your bank account for services rendered only. Search google for free credit card services. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanThomas Posted April 26, 2004 Share Posted April 26, 2004 I'd recommend the avoidance of e-bay's "buy it now" feature (at least as a seller). Someone else that is selling the same kind of item can easily sign up for a new account, use "but it now" for your item (immediately taking it out of action) and then simply drop the whole thing leaving you spinning your wheels, wasting a lot of time reporting the fraud, etc. Meanwhile, your item is no longer competing with theirs... This did happen to me, and while (I suppose) that there's a slim chance that the bidder made an honest mistake, the result for me was the same. So, as tempting as it may be to make a quick sale, I think that feature is too easily used against you. Signatures can appear at the bottom of your posts. This option may be disabled by the message board administrators at any time, however. You may use UBB Code in your signature, but not HTML. UBB Code Images are permitted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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