My eBay background

I started selling on Ebay about three years ago just before we embarked on a house move. As we were downsizing to a considerably smaller house there were lots of things to sell and, since then, I’ve become a complete addict. Although I mostly sell, I do occasionally buy as well and there are some fantastic bargains to be had out there.

In the last month or so I’ve sold 28 items and made myself a nice profit of £333. Of course, some of that profit has been spent on postage or been eaten up by Ebay selling fees but, nevertheless, it’s a tidy sum when you consider that everything I sold was something I no longer wore or used and was therefore just sitting in my wardrobe. I can guarantee that if you look around your home you will find things to sell on Ebay and, what’s more, you will get a real thrill out of watching those bids coming in. Selling on Ebay is easy and fun, although I must say that wrapping parcels and queueing at the Post Office is not the high point of the transaction!

It’s always heartening when a buyer leaves you positive feedback and tells you how pleased they are with their purchase, just because you no longer wear that jacket or use that handbag doesn’t mean that someone out in the Ebay marketplace won’t treasure it – and be prepared to part with cash to buy it.

And it’s not just clothes that sell on Ebay. There are dozens of categories on the site including consumer electronics, baby, pottery, coins, sporting goods, dvds and cars to name but a few. If you want to get an idea of what sells well in any category, take a look at Ebay Pulse which you can find on the website’s site map. Ebay Pulse shows you which are the most watched items right now in any category. As a rule of thumb, the more watchers an item has the higher the final bids will go but, remember, only the seller can see how many watchers their item has.

Undoubtedly, my best sale recently has been my five year old ski jacket which went for an astonishing £71. And one of my best purchases has been a pair of O’Neill ski pants for my teenage daughter for less than £30. According to the seller they had only been worn for one week and, when they arrived, they were in pristine condition. They go very nicely with her bargain ski jacket from TK Maxx, that’s one very fussy fifteen year old kitted out for the slopes for less than £100.

Talking of purchases, you can save a great deal of money buying your lotions and potions on Ebay. I bought my favourite moisturizer for almost a third of its retail price – the only thing wrong with it was a crack in the lid. You will be surprised at the range of goodies available at low prices. It can be a good idea to purchase travel size products, they cost very little and it’s a great way to try out a new product. Just make sure you buy from a reputable seller with 100% feedback and remember to check the postage, some sellers rack up their profits by charging extortionate postal fees.

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