What happens if you misplace an item you sold on eBay?

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I've been selling on eBay for over 23 years.  I try to be very careful, but unfortunately I am human and I make mistakes.  Like the time I accidentally swapped mailing labels and sent the wrong ugly Christmas sweaters to the wrong people.  It was nerve-racking, but thankfully it all turned out okay because the one family got their toddler sized sweater still in time for their holiday photo shoot and I was the only seller online that year that had a dinosaur themed Christmas sweater.

As I write this, my husband is searching for some curtain clips.  We have a great eBay storage set up (which I will talk about in the future.). But for now, I want to talk about what to do and what happens when you can't mail out an item.

I have a large amount of items on eBay.  I try to provide spectacular service, but sometimes it's just not possible.  I might misplace an item, or as happened in July, something broke as it was being packed. 

eBay allows you to have a transaction defect rate of .5% -- that's 1/2 of a percent and still remain "above standard".  For me that's two defects in a year based on my sales for the last 12 months (which I am hoping to increase this next year.)

When you lose an item, it's best to message the buyer and be honest about what happened.  Usually buyers are more understanding than you would think.  But they still could leave you a negative.  However, I will say in 23 years I have received a handful of negatives, but never one when I deserved it.  I've gotten one because someone said my "free shipping" rates were too expensive.  (Huh?), another because I wouldn't accept a check from a foreign country, things like that.

Once you contact the buyer, go into "My eBay" and go to items awaiting shipment.  Beside of the "print shipping label" there is a pull down menu, and from there select "cancel order".  Then on the next page click 'item out of stock'.   This will refund them as well as refund your fees to your account.

This won't prevent you from any repercussions.  You will get a defect on eBay, but provided it's not a normal occurrence and you sell enough, you should be fine.  Otherwise, I would suggest you list a lot of items to get your sales rate higher so it won't affect you much.  I am not sure when everyone's new evaluation day is, they may all be the same or be seller specific.  Mine is on the 20th of the month, and that's when I can see what my current percentage of defect rate is, etc.  

You can still get a negative from the buyer, but I have found that most people are understanding if you explain what happened.  It's obviously annoying to buy something and then have your order cancelled, so work to not make a practice of it.  It's been well over a year since I lost something until this
week.  That time there were two similar items that sold a few months before then.  I shipped the wrong one and the customer never told me.  My current defect is from a Christmas ornament that my husband squeezed too hard thinking it was metal but it was actually plastic and the spoon on the ornament snapped in two!  

But with over 2,000 items listed, I know that things happen.  I hope I don't get a negative, but it's always a possibility.  

I will also likely send the buyer a coupon to use in my eBay store that is specific to them, maybe something like $10 so they could get a totally free item and feel better about the whole situation.

As for me, I'm disappointed.  I like to provide amazing customer service, and losing an item not only means I don't get the money from the sale, but I feel it reflects poorly on me.

Where are the best places to find items to sell on eBay?

 I've been selling on eBay for over twenty years now.  I often get asked "Where do you find your items?"  So I'm going to be talking about places you can get items to sell on eBay, Etsy, Poshmark, and Mecari.  These are in no particular order.

1. Your Home

Most people have clothes they no longer wear, books they have read, games that no longer get played.  When first starting out, this is what I recommend because you will have listing limits, and it allows you to get a little experience without any risk or cost of goods sold when you sell items you no longer want.

2. Yard sales / Garage Sales

I sourced almost exclusively from yard sales for a number of years.  I personally have found that fundraising sales often have the best prices because the people selling the stuff aren't personally attached to the items.  A t-shirt Great-Aunt Maude brought back from Cancun often costs more at a yard sale if the seller remembers Great Aunt Maude fondly.  Where I live, it rains.  A lot.  All summer.  Because I don't like to be wet, I don't go to many sales anymore, and when I do they tend to be charity ones.

3.  Retail Stores

This is known as "retail arbitrage".  Buying something and selling it for more.  Closeout stores are often a great place to do this.  Sometimes things get discontinued or are hard to find.  I paid for my entire trip to a weight loss camp by selling limited edition Lay's potato chips at a markup.  I made a couple hundred when the coated aspirin "Ascriptin" was discontinued but I found several at a store near me.  Your profits are often smaller than if you source other routes, but it always depends on the product.

6. Bin Stores

These are stores filled with Amazon returns and closeouts.  Prices often vary from one day to the next, the highest prices on days they restock.  I know several people who source mainly from these.

7. Pallet liquidation

This is where you buy a pallet of Amazon returns.  I have heard of varied results on this.  I have not tried it.

8. Create Your Own Product

This isn't exactly what most people who sell on eBay want to do, but if you craft, it's a possibility.

9. Thrift Stores

This is one of my favorite places to source.  Of course, I live in a low cost of living area and thrift stores around me show this.  Most don't care if you resell or not, at least where I live.  I used to be shy about getting out my phone and researching in store, but no longer -- I have my phone out a lot unless something is cheap enough I don't mind losing the purchase price.  Books are something I almost always scan if they have a barcode, and I at least look them up if it's something without a barcode.

10. Online

If you watch, you can often find deals on one site to sell on another.  Some people do well with this, but personally I think it takes too much time.

11.  Goodwill Outlets

I know what you're thinking.  "But Goodwill is a thrift store."  True.  But I consider Outlet shopping a whole different breed of puppy.  Everything is sold by the pound, with a few exceptions -- books are usually individually, ceramic and glassware is usually a low fixed priced.  Nothing is sorted.  You need to dig.  You might find garbage (I once found a urine specimen.) or you might find treasure (same Outlet I found the urine specimen, someone found a World Series baseball bat that sold online for a quarter of a million dollars.  This is, when spending money, the most bang for your buck.  The outlets vary from region to region.  Some places they are dirty and icky, other places they are fantastic.  Some allow children on the sales floor, others make them wait outside an area at the end of the aisles on their parents.  I've been in outlets in almost a dozen states, and have seen good and bad stores.  I usually spend $30 - $40 each time I go to one.  Your milage will vary depending on where you live, but as for me, this is the main place I get items for resell.  

Can You Earn a Full Time Living Selling on eBay?

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Recently I was asked about if you can earn a full time living selling on eBay or if it was too late to get in on it, and I decided to answer that question here.

The quick and easy answer is:  Yes, you can!  However, there's a few things to know.

It is a LOT of work.  I mean a lot.  Especially if you are first starting out.  Your listing limits will be small, and there's no way you can make a living selling 10 things a month until your limits are raised.  So this is something you will need to ease into -- and start getting used to.  

When I first started selling, there were no fixed priced listings, so I had seven boxes, and I would put stuff in each box as I listed it each day.  I have always loved "smalls" -- tiny items that are easy to ship, so this worked well for me.  About nine years ago I switched to almost all fixed priced listings.  I currently have over 2500 items with about two thousand DIFFERENT listings.  That's a lot of storage space.  I am always trying to figure out the best use of space for storage.  I have different types of shelves for storage, such as bookcases for books, and for things that can be stored in 20 gallon tubs, I have invested in two of these units that store one dozen rubbermaid tubs where I can just slide out the tub needed.  I have all my tubs labeled based on items I sell, such as 'plush', 'craft kits', 'Christmas ornaments', etc. to make it easy to find things.  For very small items, I like using hanging jewelry organizers.  That way I can see through the plastic to find the item quickly when it sells.

I also have two storage units.  While some people use a storage unit for stuff that is listed, I currently use it for what some eBay sellers call their "death pile" or "money pile" -- meaning the treasures I have sourced and need to list.  This can get expensive, though, so I would recommend that you try and list as you source. 

There is a LOT of time involved.  Everything from finding items to sell, research, writing descriptions, photographing, storage, packing, and shipping will be done by you until you start making enough to hire some of this out.  Also, don't forget customer service -- everything from complaints about how much the post office charges for shipping to questions if a certain person is in a yearbook.

Learning about what sells is another time consuming activity.  While the YouTuber "Daily Refinement" suggests staying in one niche (he does clothes), that isn't always possible for everyone.  I live over 20 minutes from the closest stoplight, and there is no way I could depend on thrift stores in my area to provide enough of one type of item for me to sell.  While he suggests finding people who will source for you, I'd rather do that myself.  So I watch a lot of YouTube to see what others sell.  I watch a number of people, but I particularly enjoy "Bolo Buddies", "The Rebel Reseller",  and "Prison2Profit".

Another thing to consider when selling on eBay is taxes.  There have been people all upset that eBay is going to start sending a 1099-K this year when you reach $600 in sales/shipping.  But the fact is, everyone should have been paying taxes on their profits the whole time.   I have an accountant and while I was hesitant to spend the money for a few years, she has helped me save so much that it's well worth hiring her each year.  Remember things like shipping supplies, your postage scale, milage while finding items to sell, the cost of those items, eBay fees (which are high), and even a home office can be deducted.  

My husband hasn't worked since October, and we've been having a rough go of it financially lately.  Things were getting bad for him at work due to him having to switch meds, and he needed to leave that environment for a while.  What he didn't count on was how much work eBay is.  Also, since I was already getting deductions for things like the home office, that cannot be doubled, and he has to work harder to make the same amount as I had been.  Ideally, he wouldn't have quit his job until he could prove to himself that he was capable of brining home what he was making working outside the home by doing this in his spare time.  Unfortunately he didn't have that luxury, and it's been a bit difficult especially since he has been having trouble with meds (as have I) since we switched insurance.

So, yes, you can still make a full time living on eBay.  It is a lot of work, a lot of learning, planning, and LOTS of shipping.  There is an old meme about what people think eBay sellers do, and what they really do, and the "what I really do" is a man surrounded by shipping boxes.  That's about the sum total of it.  

There's so much to learn about selling, and I learn something new almost daily.  But for now, I invite you to check out my articles about making money online.  

I've saved and made thousands of dollars with these phone apps!

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Selling your stuff on eBay is super easy with the app.  This is the one that has netted me the most money, but then again I love 'picking' and reselling.  I like the app because I can take the photos, edit them, and create the listing all right on my phone or iPad.  My husband lists on eBay occasionally, and he has never even listed from a computer, he's always listed from a mobile device.  I also like the portability of it.  There was one time I was sitting in a car listing and selling items I was listing.  How is that for fast turn around?

Store apps!  You would be amazed at how much you can get back through the apps of your favorite stores.  I don't really shop at Target, so I don't use Cartwheel, but I love Kroger, CVS, Walgreens, and Dollar General apps.  There are coupons you can add to your cards and sometimes even freebies!  Walmart's store app works slightly differently and you scan the QR code on your receipt after you shop there, and they will see if there are any advertised sales anywhere else in the area and refund you via a Walmart e-gift card.  Even gas stations get into apps.  I have Sheetz, 7-11,  and Circle K on my phone, and there are often coupons there as well as purchase x number of items get one free offers.  Cici's Pizza, Chilis, and Rita's Italian Ice have rewards programs.  I am sure this is just a drop in the bucket of the many rewards programs and store apps out there, but these are the ones I use and am most familiar with them!  I have saved the most with the Kroger, CVS, and Sheetz apps.

How to Price Items on eBay -- a 20+ year seller shares her secrets

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I've been selling items on eBay since 1998.  My current account was created in 2003 and merged into my first one, but I still have over 21 years of experience selling.

What are my best tips and secrets for pricing an item?

First, check eBay for completed listings of the item you would like to sell.   This will give you a good idea on what people have been asking for their items.  Second, click the box for "sold items".  This will tell you what people have been asking for their items.  Look at the top priciest items -- are they auction or fixed price?  I tend to list fixed price because I feel that I can ask higher prices and always add best offers and run sales.  When did the item sell?  Christmas sells all year long, but if you are selling in August, you might see lower prices on items than you would after Thanksgiving, so this is another reason I like fixed price listings -- I charge Christmas prices in January.  In fact, January is a huge time for crafters to buy Christmas patterns as they are planning for next year.

It is at this step I decide if I can make enough to make listing worth my time.  eBay fees are not exactly cheap, but they do allow for a world wide audience.  If I can't make about $10 profit, I won't list an item.

I generally price my items a bit above what the highest has sold for on eBay.  I have these things going for my sales:

• I am an experienced seller (20+ years of experience)
• Great feedback
• I ship worldwide (many people don't)
• I am willing to wait for the right buyer.
• I give 10% of all my sales to charity.  This helps sales.  You can read why here.

For items I can't find the exact item, I will search comparable listings.  Say I have a collectible for Florida State University, but I can find something similar for Vanderbilt.  Because Florida State has a bigger fan base due to Football, I would charge more than the item for Vanderbilt.  Items for schools that have die hard fans often will sell better than a school with no football team, such as New York University.  

I found what I could tell was a vintage drinking glass for the Nebraska Cornhuskers one time.  I couldn't find anything like it online.  So I decided to list it on auction, and listed it at the lowest I was willing to take.  From my research I figured I could get at least $30 for it.  Some of the people who collect Nebraska items want everything, and after searching eBay, Pinterest, and Google, I couldn't find any drinking glasses just like this.  So I listed it with good photos.  Seven days later, it sold for over $50.  The buyer sent me several photos of his Cornhusker room with hundreds if not thousands of items licensed by the University of Nebraska.  I could have easily thought, "It's just an old drinking glass" and put a $9.99 buy it now on it.  But I decided to research and it paid off -- it sold for about 53 times what I paid for it.

I also consider cross collectors when I find something that I don't know how to price.  There are people who collect cat items.  There are people who collect figurines made by a certain company.  If I had an item that would appeal to two or more different types of collectors, I would charge quite a bit more if I could find nothing to base my pricing on -- I figure 

I'll admit, sometimes I do make mistakes and wish I had sold things for more than what I listed them for.  But it's much rarer these days after I do research.  I started using fixed priced listings in 2014.  I had bought a Christmas Cross Stitch Stocking Kit for $1 and it sold for $28.  I was happy until I saw some of the prices Christmas Cross Stitch Stocking Kits can bring.  Had I waited I could have sold my kit for over $60.  (If you follow the link, you will see I didn't have nearly the expensive lesson as I could have.)  

I started pricing my items high after that.  My mother loved to watch my listings and she told me I was listing things for more than they were worth and I was expecting too much from them.  Well, I have sold consistently since then -- and I will run sales from time to time to get stuff that has sat around for a while to move.

As Jay and Rayne say at Scavenger Life, I "list it and forget it".  Yes, I'll run sales, I'll see what best offers come in, etc. But sometimes I list as high as I possibly think someone will pay for an item.  I had an item sell last year for $60 that I had originally listed at $325.  It was a glass item marketed to kids in the 1980s and I had hoped to get more for it because I expected collectors would really want it.  But after a year on eBay I took a decent best offer, the item is now out of my storage and I don't have to worry about breaking it.  I paid 25 cents for it, so I still made a great profit, just not as much as I had hoped, but I'm still happy about it.  

In the end, pricing kind of depends if you want the "fast nickel or slow dime".  I prefer more money, and I have enough listings up that I daily make a "slow dime" sale.  Each person has to decide exactly how they want to list.  I have enough listings that I make lots of sales, but I remember the times when I needed money so desperately, I priced lower than I should have because I wanted to ensure things would sell.

Finally, I want to share with you my favorite tape dispenser.  This has a place for regular transparent tape, packing tape, as well as a pencil holder where I store my Sharpies for shipping.  Other than my scale, I consider this tape dispenser to be the single best item I ever bought to invest in my eBay business.  

How to Find Your eBay Shipping Supplies Coupon

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Every three months, I have difficulty finding my coupon for the free eBay shipping supplies I get because I have a store on eBay.  I decided to write about how to find it.

First, you will need to have a store that is eligible for the coupon.  If you do, it's not that difficult to find.

First go to the SUBSCRIBER DISCOUNTS page

Then click here: 

Your coupon for use at the eBay Shipping Supplies Store will be there once you click on "see details"

I actually write in my calendar to use the coupon so I don't forget!

Doing Family Research on eBay

It might sound like it's crazy to go to eBay and expect to find anything that helps you with your genealogy research, but it happened to me.  I'm going to show you the tips and tricks that I use to keep an eye on items that get posted on eBay, receive alerts to new items that might have gotten out of our family, and how I was able to purchase my great-great-Grandfather's Civil War medal after it was posted for sale by a non-family member on eBay.

This post contains affiliate links.

I have been amateur genealogist since I was a child.  I was fascinated with one branch of my mother's side of the family, but as I aged and things like DNA testing became available, I realized I was more than just one branch of our family tree.  I started to want to learn everything about all eight of my great-grandparents and the generations their lives.

What It's Like To Have Sold on eBay for Twenty Years

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A couple weeks ago a friend set up a group for people who sell things to let people know of sales and such. I wasn't allowed in. Why? Because I sell on eBay instead of Etsy or a multi level marketing company. I don't think they understand what selling on eBay is like, so I thought I would share:
I want to tell you a little bit about selling on eBay. I've been doing it for twenty years. (How many of you have stayed in the same job for that long?) . I've become a lot more knowledgeable and serious about it in recent years. Five years ago I had under 300 items listed. Now I am hoping to have 1300 by the end of the month! Unlike selling with some MLM I have all 1300 items in my house (plus many more that are not listed yet.) . I also have TWO storage units filled with unlisted items -- at this point I have quit sourcing for new items to sell.
I have repeat customers who I know what they like and if I am out and see something that I think these people would like, I purchase it. A couple examples are I have a buyer who loves community cookbooks from Virginia. I have another who loves co-ed Catholic high school cookbooks. Sometimes I will buy these things (and those for repeat customers) even if I have a low ROI (return on investment) because I want to keep customers coming back to me. It's not exactly common that people buy multiple times from the same seller on eBay and I want to be a seller they seek out!
When people begin selling on eBay, it's fun and many times people will not think it is a job. I've easily sold over 15,000 items (and that's probably a low estimate) over the last 20 years. That's sourcing an item, taking photos, writing description, waiting on payment to come in the mail (pre-paypal), packing the item, shipping, and any follow up that needs done. I do enjoy the flexibility and freedom it gives me, as well as being able to bring in decent money without having to leave the house and having to have another car, business clothes, etc.
There have been times people have told me they would "let" me teach them to sell on eBay. How do you think you would respond if someone came up to you and said they would let you teach them how to do your job.
I no longer sell for others. Why? After someone called me and said "Their buddy is in jail and owes them money and he had some belt buckles that belonged to him". Another time, someone called and wanted me to list magazines for her. She said that some of them could even sell for FIVE DOLLARS EACH! (I don't list anything that low.) . Also, I have made as low as 1% selling items for others. It's the same amount of work to list something that I will keep the money from as it is to list something for someone and make only a few cents. While I do make exceptions for selling for others, it's extremely rare, and I generally say I don't sell for others.
I have over 6,000 positive feedback at 100% satisfaction on my new account (back in the day I had multiple accounts for different things.) . I called eBay one time about having my listing limits raised. I was told "Your buyers love you." With pride, I said, "Yes they do."
Many people sell more than I do. I'm small potatoes in the circles on Facebook I hang out in. But I learn more and more stuff every single day. The eBay of 1998 is not the eBay of 2018. I've kept up with changes. I have bought multiple computers over the years, not only that I have invested in iPads, cameras, and even photo studio tabletop boxes where I can take nicer photos. Of course then there are all the reference materials I have. Ring sizers so I can tell what size a ring in, a book on how to identify first edition books, plus my favorite item of all -- a tape dispenser that has one side for regular sized tape and beside it a place for packing tape. I have invested in myself so I can become the best seller I can be.
I also have spent literally thousands of dollars in the last twenty years on tape, boxes, bubble wrap, and more. I highly recommend uPackAndShip on eBay
It's a job. A real job. I'm thankful for it because it allowed me to be able to bring in some income while I was dipping into savings each month when my mother needed help. I am thankful for it because if I am sick, I can pretty much just leave everything but shipping for a few days, and I am working with my husband to get things easier for him to be able to ship if I don't feel up to it. When my mother was in ICU in Pittsburgh, I asked a friend to ship a couple items for me. I have to be responsible for each and every sale, no matter what happens. I had to ship items between the day my mother died and her funeral. I have to *plan* for days off, and I never get paid time off like most jobs give. I sometimes think people don't understand this when it comes to the planning I need to do (and factoring costs) of being gone for more than a weekend. My September through January are always busy. I barely have time to breathe because I can work as much as I want because that's the busy time of year. But, my husband usually has Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday off as his "weekend", and I can do what I need to do those days and work harder on the days he has off so we can spend his days off together. No one loves their job 100% of the time, but I have to say most of the time I very much enjoy it, and I am thankful for the flexibility.
I often wear a slap bracelet ruler when I am listing. It makes finding a ruler easier. There is a lot of measuring. There is a lot of cleaning of times. A lot of research. Sometimes a lot of negotiation.
I give 10% of everything I bring in to charity. It helps my items be seen on eBay. It helps others. And I get 10% discount on my eBay fees.I do many things to bring in money. This is the one I have done longest. So that is a bit of insight into my life.
As Christmas approaches, remember real people like me sell on eBay. If you can buy from a smaller seller (vs. a big company) on eBay you are helping someone pay their light bill, save for a vacation, or buy school clothes for their kids. Yes, some eBay individuals are huge sellers, but think of us as small businesses, not a cog in a giant corporation.
I have one professional in my area who gives me a small business discount when I do business with him. Why? Because I'm bringing money into our area. I might sell something to Australia (which I do often), but then I buy gasoline for my car locally -- which helps the store employing my husband and over two dozen others stay in business.
This is a glimpse of my life. If you enjoyed reading this, I can write about other things I do to make money and such over the next few weeks.

What is the best way to make money from home that is legit?

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 I hear the questions all the time. Is it hard to sell on eBay? Is it better to open an Etsy or Amazon store? Should I sell a multi-level marketing product? Do people really win contests or sweepstakes? How can I make money from a blog? Each one of these questions could be the focus of a blog post itself. But here are some quick answers from me.

Selling on eBay 

Selling on eBay can be time consuming, and with all these things there is a learning curve.  However, in my opinion, it's the best way to start making some extra money.  Instead of going out and buying inventory, sell some of the things you have around your house.  It can be confusing the first few times you list on eBay, but I started selling in 1998, and I had to learn everything on my own.  I have a number of blog posts about selling on eBay, there are lots of good instructions on the eBay site itself, and there are also a huge number of books available for the eBay newbie.

What are the Pros and Cons of Selling Online and on eBay and Etsy

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This is the first of two posts.  I'm going to discuss the Pros and Cons of selling online as well as the Pros and Cons of selling things locally.  I am mainly going to discuss what I consider "The Big Three", but please be aware there are many different places you can sell items on the Internet.

I've been selling on eBay for 18 years, and so I have a few years of experience under my belt.  I was a "picker" from the time I was a child.  One of my first eBay sales was a book from the 1940s I picked up at a garage sale for a quarter when I was about 8 or 10 years old.  I had to wait for eBay to come on the scene, and then when it did, I sold the book I picked up thinking, "This looks like it might be worth something" for $90.  So I've had an eye for antiques, collectibles, and the unusual since I was a child.

8 Tips for Listing Your Items on eBay

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I've been an eBay member since 1998 and have been selling most of that time.  That's a long time, and I'd like to share a few basic tips for anyone who would like to sell a few things.

Why I Donate Through eBay For Charity

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eBay for Charity was created after 9/11.  Originally, eBay only had things set up to donate to the Red Cross and the program was called "Auction For America".  After that time, it began to develop into what it is today.  For a while it was called Giving Works, and now it's "eBay for Charity".  I have been using it with my eBay listings since about 2008.  For the 2016-2017 year I am giving 10% of all my eBay sales to charity.  Here are a few reasons why.
 Let me explain with an example from November 2013. . .

Seven Tips to Write a Killer eBay Title that will Help Your Item Sell

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Writing a title for an eBay item is MUCH simpler than many people make it.  In the beginning it takes a little thought but soon it will become second nature.  I have actually seen titles that said "A++++ Very Good Condition"  But how could anyone know from that what item was being sold?  How would anyone find it?

Here are a few things I have learned after eighteen years of selling on eBay.

*Give basic information.  Look at your widget.  What color is it?  Size?  Year made?  Is there a model number? These are often called "key words".

Why I donate with eBay for Charity Giving Works -- The Reasons may Surprise You!

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eBay Giving Works program allows you to donate 10% - 100% of your listing's sale to the charity of your choice (provided they are signed up with the program.)

1.   It makes me feel good to help others.

2.  It's an easy way to donate to causes I care about.

3.  It helps my listings stand out.

4.  If there are two identical items people will be more likely to chose your item to purchase.

5.  You don't have to pay eBay fees on the portion you donate.  That means your donation dollar goes further than if you sold the item on eBay and then donated to your favorite charity offline.

6.  Tax deductible giving!

7.  I have a section in my store that is called Partial Proceeds to Charity.

8.  It actually earns me more money!  I know this sounds odd, but I have done experiments in the past with items selling identical items and I almost always had the item sell for MORE than it would have if I had kept all the money myself.  Granted, it's not much more, but if I can make a difference and make a donation and still make about $1 more, I see no reason NOT to use this great feature on eBay!

What sold on eBay videos

I have long been a fan of the "What sold on eBay" videos.  I decided to do one myself.   I'm going to post it here, but be sure and go follow me on youtube to see more of these in the future.

Why Back To School Sales Should Interest you -- Even if you don't have School Aged Children

I don't have children, school aged or otherwise, but I'm really looking forward to the school supply sales.  Why?  Well, for one reason I'm an office supply junkie.  The other reason is because I love bargains.  So why should you be interested in back to school sales?

1.   Christmas.   What do you need at Christmas time?   Tape.  Scissors.  More tape because you misplaced that last roll.  Pens.  These things don't expire, so the perfect time to buy them is at Back to School.   Also, sales on fun notebooks, pencils, etc. make good gifts to children.  I know when I was in school, it was near mid-year that I needed new notebooks.  My parents never bought extra, so they had to pay full price.  If you are making a gift of notebooks, don't use the cheap notebooks, but the ones that are fun.  Also, Crayola items are often on sale and these make great stocking stuffers.

Goal setting and Online Selling (Guest Post)

When Chip Meyer, a work at home dad, posted this on an eBay seller's group I belong to I asked him if he would like to have a guest post for me here on The Radar Report.  He agreed to let me use his post which I found highly motivational. Thanks, Chip.

You can check out his YouTube channel here and find his sales on eBay here.

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I see a lot of people talk about needing to make extra money. I think a lot of people around the country/world are in this same situation. But, the solution is pretty simple. If you struggle with work ethic and motivation.......find something that gives you HOPE.

For me, it's playing with numbers. I can calculate my profit on items I sell and learn how many I need to list to sell a certain number per month, per week, per day, etc. It's simple math. But, when I start looking at the numbers, I realize the ridiculously small amount of effort it takes to push just a little harder. You can honestly build your business as big as you want to.

The beauty is YOU control YOU from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed. And, playing with the numbers and pushing just a little harder can demonstrate on paper just how much of your dreams you can realize.....and in how much time.

I encourage you, if you are struggling with hope, to break down some numbers on paper, pin them on your computer/work station/bathroom mirror/anywhere you will receive a constant reminder of how simple it is to list 5 things a day, or 10, or even 1....whatever it takes to get to your goal of $5000/mo or maybe just 1 sale a week. They are YOUR dreams....none are too big nor too small.

And use that excitement you find to attack your goals head-on today. For that excitement you feel inside.......is hope. And, it motivates you when channeled properly.

Now, GO GET EM!  ~ Chip Meyer 


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You can visit his eBay store here:  Choppography

His Golf Shirts 101 video: