Selling on ebay

[Bill-K]

I hope this is in the right place. I've bought a couple of things on ebay, but never sold owt. I could do with some cash, so I've decided to sell my Fender JV Stratocaster guitar. Had it for years, but not played it for ages now, and it's in excellent condition - so I'm hoping it will fetch a good price. A pretty battered and scratched one sold for £720 in an ebay auction yesterday, so I'm hoping mine will fetch at least as much - hopefully £1K +...

Anyways, this will be my first attempt at selling on ebay, and I can't afford to mess it up, so I'm really just starting this thread to see if other 'ebayer' Beagles can give me some tips. Maybe there's already a similar thread, but I decided to start this one anyway !!!

I think I should consider a worldwide ebay auction (as opposed to just UK), as these guitars are well-respected globally. I guess I need to set a reserve price, and to have worldwide delivery costs sorted. Then I'll need to pack it safely, and insure it. PayPal seems the usual payment method. But I imagine there are a load of other not-so-obvious considerations such as timing, description, photos, etc., which experienced ebayers will probably have tips & hints on.

Anywayz - if anyone can pitch in with a few pointers, it would be appreciated. If there isn't already a similar thread, then maybe this will be useful to others who are considering selling on ebay. For now, though, I'm off to read up on ebay 'How to Sell' FAQ's etc.

[Curlyben]

Re: Selling on ebay

For high value items here's a couple of things to remember:

• Ebay is busiest on a Sunday evening
• Better returns just after the month end payday
• List for 10 days to finish on the first Sunday AFTER payday, that way you get 2 weekends in.
• Be honest about the item, but no need to over sell it.
• Use bullet points and grab them
• NO CAPS or Stupid colours
• Be prepared for questions
• Research P&P before the item ends so you have a definite shipping price

This are from experience with 1800 positive 100% feedback

[teaboy2]

Re: Selling on ebay

Always send by courier you will then have a tracking number to add to the sale on your paypal account which will protect you from seller claiming refund for non receipt etc.

personally mate i never sell on ebay, if its not ebay and paypal ripping you off, witholding your money, its scammers using them to scam you off the item and money, sell it in locally mate or on dedicated music site etc where your unlikely to be scammed.

[Bill-K]

Re: Selling on ebay

Thanks for those thoughts, guys - much appreciated.

I am sure aware that I am liable to be scammed as soon as I offer this axe up for sale, and that is why I'm so effing scared !!! I agree with Teaboy, and I sure wouldn't want to use ebay and PayPal if I were running a day-to-day internet business, as I'm sure there are better ways of maximising one's profits. So - yeah - they will take a bigger slice of my price than other methods.

BUT - this is a one-off cherished personal item being sold, and I need to maximise the price I get for it. I can ONLY sell this item ONCE. If I can get a £1K bid, and lose 10% of that, then that will do me. If I could sell ten of the feckers at £500, and only pay 2.5%, then it might work if I had ten of the feckers !!!

It's a trade-off, but it's a one-off. I don't want it to be a rip-off, of course. I think I need to maximise the price/bidding, but minimise the risk. This is a world-renowned geetar, so I feel I must ask the world what it is willing to pay. Us poor jerks in the UK are just not up to buying this stuff anymore. Basically, I guess I'm "Selling-out" to the highest bidder - and I don't care who it is. So - I'm still inclined to go for the world-wide coverage - and I guess I need to make that as secure as possible from being scammed. And - yes - I KNOW there are some real mean professional scammers out there !!!

[labman]

Re: Selling on ebay

For sure, don't part with it until you have genuine cleared funds in your bank. If in doubt about a scam, phone E Bay, they're pretty clued up and helpful.

[enaid]

Re: Selling on ebay

I would try a specialist buyer if you are unsure about ebay, first get it valued properly.

[Galahad]

Re: Selling on ebay

For sure, don't part with it until you have genuine cleared funds in your bank. If in doubt about a scam, phone E Bay, they're pretty clued up and helpful.

Not in my experience.

Firstly, have you got a decent amount of Positive feedback? Reason I say this is if you haven't, people are far less likely to take a chance on a high value item without being worried they might be scammed.

Personally I wouldn't offer it for sale worldwide, it invites scammers and invites a lot of aggro into your life. If the guitar goes missing or damaged, tracking number or not, you're going to have an uphill battle to prove you're right and they are wrong, especially if you go the Paypal route.

Thirdly..... DO NOT GO THE PAYPAL ROUTE!!!

I can't stress that enough, its not just about rip off fees, its because there is NO safety to using Paypal inspite of their assertions to the contrary.

If the buyer opens a dispute, Paypal do an 'investigation' which 9/10 times will result in finding in favour of the buyer. You are then out of pocket and don't have your Fender anymore! Theres plenty of horror stories on the internet about this, do a search for "paypalsucks" and sit back and wonder how Paypal are still in business.

For my listings, I always put in as much detail that I know about the item, I don't do fancy embellishments to the listing like flashy graphics or weird colours, I stick to decent pictures and decent detail. What you're aiming for is as few questions as possible, because your listing is so comprehensive.

Always put a phone number in your listing, that way someone who is actually genuinely serious about it, will call you (they won't text you!), and you might be able do a deal outside of eBay, with the price you want, no final value fees and more importantly, no messing around.

Bearing in mind the more it sells for, the more money eBay gets from you.

1). Ebag listing fees
2). Final value fees
3). Paypal fees

It all goes to Ebay. If the item doesn't sell or you get mucked about and have to open an unpaid item case, you won't get your listing fees back.

If the buyer is serious and seriously wants it, they'll come to you. Don't be giving your bank details out to anyone. On the odd occasions that I need to use a bank account, I have a dormant one that has £10 in it so the bank don't automatically close it, I get money paid into that, and then transfer it right out again, that way if a scammer gets a hold of my bank details, the most they'll ever get is £10, but as they are greedy, they'll always opt for trying to take more, which means the £10 is nice and safe.

Use eBay as the advertisement to get word of your item out there, but if you can, avoid actually selling high value items and deal with people direct that will come and get it. Theres just too many time wasters on ebay now, its been getting steadily worse for the past 5 years, and ebay just play the numbers game that thousands might leave but thousands more will replace them. That will end one day.

[teaboy2]

Re: Selling on ebay

My company sells via online as well as sales calls to other companies and organisations. For online transaction, as we have only just redesigned the website and still adding products to it, as the online selling is a new point of sale avenue that we have entered, then we at the moment only use paypal, though we will be adding sage page as that will increase credit/debit card purchases by those that do not have a paypal account. But anyway, with payments made by paypal for our products, we send items by courier and always have tracking numbers and get copies of signiture proving the item was signed for. Paypal accept that and the prove of signiture that the item was recieved.

If you do sell on ebay, make it clear on the listing that the item is only available to buyers in the UK and US, whom have fully verified Paypal accounts anyone winning bidder that does not have a fully verifed PayPal account will have their money refunded to them minus ebay listing fees. That way your ensured maximum seller protection with paypal and will recover your ebay fees at the same time. Though that won't mean 100% you will not be scammed or that paypal will not find in the buyers favour, but it will ensure that you can refuse the buyers purchase if they do not meet the conditions advertised in your item description. Ebay may not like it, but simply point out to them it is a protective measure and it is the responsability of the buyer to read the item description for additional terms of sale related to that item, as such terms of sale consitute a legally binding contract that is enforceable by law.

[Bill-K]

Re: Selling on ebay

WOW - thanks so much for alll the info and advice, guys. It seems I have basically got a tradeoff between getting a good price and making a safe sale. I've got no ebay 'rep,' as I'm a newbie seller, so maybe I should simply use other ebay listings as a guide to pricing my own axe. Then, as Enaid suggests, maybe find a trustworthy specialist buyer - or maybe surf the fender 'afficionado' sites.

I have deffo been given much food for thought here, and it's much appreciated.

[emdee1980]

Re: Selling on ebay

simple option, advertise it up on ebay, but say that you also have it advertised in other places and can remove at any time, therefore if the bidding does not go as high as you like, you have advertised it and maybe someone local will see it and want to buy without the ebay situation, also advertise it as cash only on collection

[middenmess]

Re: Selling on ebay

Never ever accept Paypal for collection items.

Check out all the details on the coverage/compensation on musical instruments sent through the post or by courier.

Check the bidders feedback whenever possible during the auction.

Check out alternative online sites like ebid etc.

[Bill-K]

Re: Selling on ebay

Thanks MD I MM. I'm really veering away from the ebay idea. I'm currently posting on a specialist US Fender Squier guitar site to try and get a valuation. The guys want loads of pics, and detail - so I've been working on that. These guys are like antiques dealers - they know all the little hidden clues and signs. I'm hoping I might find a buyer there, as they know what they're buying. they are, I think, mostly players and Squier afficionados - so I'm hoping not to get ripped off.

If, however, I can get a 'valuation' by doing a 'dummy run' auction without having to pay the commission, then I might give it a try. There's so much small print, though, and I read the recent story of the lady who auctioned her Olympic torch for a charity and appears to have been cruelly ripped off.

[A-Bit-Miffed]

Re: Selling on ebay

Hi Bill,
I too have owned a JV Strat although that was back when they 1st came out. Having been in the guitar trade until fairly recently I can confirm that these guitars can fetch anywhere from £700 to £1200+ depending on the exact model designation and condition as these instruments are far more desirable that "Real" Fenders of the same age.

I would also echo the comments regarding eBay & PayPal although I have not had many issues either buying or selling items bar the odd idiot who seems to think that I would be stupid enough to send out a replacement for a "FAULTY" item without having had the offending article returned.

Hope this helps
ABM

[Bill-K]

Re: Selling on ebay

Thanks so much for that, ABM.

I have posted this good lady's intimate details here, and they have been really helpful.

I think I need to try and find the UK market for these lovely creatures, because I may want 'visitaion rights !!!'

[A-Bit-Miffed]

Re: Selling on ebay

Happy to help Bill.

Visitation rights should be a prerequisite of the sale

I don't like seeing these marvellous instruments being sold for silly money. A few years ago I found one on ebay and helped the seller achieve more than double the amount she would have received from the original auction. She was even kind enough to send me a thank you email lol.

ABM