eBay is an online marketplace that emphasizes it you are looking for it, it’s on eBay! Sellers offer all sorts of unusual and every day items at fixed prices and auctions as well. There are deals to be had on eBay! There is a feedback system in place to see what others have to say about sellers which is helpful. Many sellers offer FREE shipping.
One of my favorite ways to save money selling on eBay, is to use my PayPal Master Card Debit Card. It returns a 1% cash back every month for purchases made.
Biz Only
I use it strictly for my online eBay business to keep my bookkeeping straight. What ever I spend in a month using the PayPal Business Debit Card will come back to me as a Cash Back Bonus, the following month. I pay my eBay fees every month which are roughly 10% of my sales. So If I sell $2K on eBay, my fees are about $200 and I will get $2 back.
Besides my eBay fees, my shipping costs are my highest expense each month. I use my PayPal Master Card Debit Card to pay for them and that earns me between $3 to $5 back on those fees. Each month is a little different, and I like getting any dollar amount directly back into my PayPal account even if it is small. Over the course of a year, it can easily add up to over $100 for me, given my eBay expenses: fees, shipping costs and other bills associated with my eBay business.
Once upon a time, users of the Cash Back Plan made 3%, which was awesome, buy hey, I’ll take 1% anytime. And like I said every little bit helps the bottom line. In order to take advantage of the Cash Back Bonus on PayPal, it is necessary to apply for a FREE business debit card and join the program. There is no cost in joining.
In fact, you don’t need to be an eBay seller to receive money back. If you are a business PayPal member and get one of these business debit cards, then eligible purchases you make with the card will put this 1% bonus in your account the following month.
For complete transparency here are my Cash Back Bonus numbers during 2019:
These numbers do not include my final payment of 2019, but I earn approximately $93 back this past year. Not too shabby!
Recap
Tip #4
Sign up for PayPal and Request Your Business Debit Card.
Activate it (no annual fee) and Earn 1% cash back on eligible purchases!
Once an item sells on eBay there are a variety of ways to ship your item. Here is a rundown on some options:
1) eBay – Under the “bell” image at the top right corner of your eBay page you will see a list of actions. If your buyer has paid, then it will remind you that it’s TIME TO SHIP. Using eBay to ship will be one of the quickest and easiest choices.
Both the buyer and seller’s addresses are populated into the shipping label. You will need to fill in the measurements and weight of the package or envelope and select the method of shipping: first class (under 16 ounces) or priority mail, and if you are using a flat rate box with USPS.
Once complete, select Buy Postage and Print and you are done. Put a plain piece of paper your printer tray or a sticky shipping label (face down). Peel off and put on package. It’s ready to hand off and or be picked up by your mail carrier. Another option is to place on the counter at your local post office.
The USPS tracking number produced by creation of the label will automatically be loaded onto the eBay order page and the buyer can see it as well.
Process: All very simple and direct. Discounts will automatically show up as an eBay seller under costs.
2) Pirate Booty – This shipping tool is FREE to use. Requires a sign-up and gives discounts to shippers automatically. No credit card needed, no spam, no catch! Their tag line is: Get the cheapest shipping rates for all USPS services.
How it works: Measure your package’s dimensions and weigh it. Enter the package’s info and import buyer’s eBay (info in one click) and BUY postage. Print shipping label, put onto package and hand it to USPS. DONE!
I have used Pirate Ship for most of my eBay shipping during the past year and have been completely satisfied. For a few of my UPS and FedEx package’s I’ve used Ship Station – see below.
3) Ship Station – Shipping software (web based) for eCommerce! This is a robust option for shipping your eBay package’s. I have used this software for the past few years and was very happy. It’s very easy to compare shipping options to find the cheapest rates. It imports shipping info from over 70 eCommerce platforms. There are different payment plans from Starter to Enterprise with lots of options in between.
I am now using the Starter plan which allows me to ship up to 50 package’s per month and compare USPS, UPS and FedEx very easily. I use Ship Station primarily for my larger parcels, by size and weight. I have more options than Pirate Ship and eBay allow me to use.
I am a fan of Ship Station. Please use my referral link if interested in trying. You will love their customer service and product!
4) PayPal – Many sellers are not aware that you can ship directly from the PayPal page. On your main page dashboard there is a box that says: “You have orders ready to ship”. Click on that link and you will see a list of the names imported from eBay. Click on PRINT SHIPPING LABEL and you can fill out the necessary box size and weight and see the delivery options available, as well as their costs.
There are discounts from USPS for package’s with this shipping option too. If you spend a lot of time inside the PayPal website, then this option may be for you! The payment comes directly from your PayPal balance or any other added payment options you use. I have used PayPal for shipping in years past, but am not a regular user for shipping at this time.
5) UShip – Freight Shipping – Makes shipping big stuff easy and affordable by connecting people and businesses with discounted extra truck space. No matter what you’re shipping — a car, a boat, your mother’s piano, that massive collection of vinyl records, they have a solution for you!
I have signed up for an account, but have not used the software yet. This past summer I could have used it because I was selling a piano and needed some pricing on freight services. I will post once I use UShip. Sounds like a good option for really large items!
Recap
Tip #3 – Log into the Shipping Option your choice.
As an eBay seller I have learned that including measurements in the descriptions of clothing listings is very important to the potential buyer. It will help your buyers purchase items that fit.
Not only will you reduce the potential number of eBay messages you’ll get from people asking for measurements, it will add value to your listing with an image that includes the important measurement numbers in it.
This online tool is called Sizely. It is used by over 35,000 users worldwide. There are many, many templates to choose from:
Shirts
Dresses
Jeans
Shoes
Glasses
Underwear
Outerwear
for Kids, Men and Women.
Some benefits include:
Fewer returns on clothing items
Increase Sales
Create the images in seconds
Over 200+ design templates available
Automatic conversion of the imperial and metric system for any international buyers that plan on purchasing from you.
The templates are extremely easy to fill in and customize. There are arrows showing where the measurements start and finish. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. It will save you so much time, once you use it, you won’t know how you got along without it.
4 Plans to Chose From
The Starter Plan is free to use and has a total of 25 template designs and 30/month with hosting of 30 images. Perfect for a seller just starting out.
The Pro Plan is ideal when selling on eBay, Poshmark, Etsy and others. It costs $12 monthly and has 165 templates Designs, 300 templates/month and 365 day secure image hosting.
The most popular plan is the Ultra for $25/month. You get 235+ template designs, 1000 templates/month and unlimited secure image hosting. Ideal when selling on Amazon, Shopify and others.
For high volume eCommerce sites at $179/monthly is the Enterprise Plan. 235+ template designs, 10,000 templates/month and unlimited secure image hosting. It features single template creator, size chart creator, dynamic size charts, size chart pop-up and size predictor.
There are some extra discounts on plans when you pay annually.
Here is the step by step way to use Sizely
Go to the Sizely Website***Full Disclosure: This is my referral link. It will allow me to introduce you to the product and will earn me credit towards a higher level plan on my end. It will not cost you anymore or less. I appreciate your support.
Choose a plan: Starter, Pro, Ultra or Enterprise
Find the template of the style clothing or accessory you are selling.
Fill in the measurements and brand, model and size. Add notes if needed, perhaps color and condition.
Click “Generate” and you will get a few choices of how to view this image: copy URL, save image, or html template code which you can copy into your listing.
The image will also be saved in your History menu at the top of the website. You can use in your listing on eBay and other platforms. It looks so professional, you will be busy looking for more clothing to list and create size and measurements charts for!
Sharing your new clothing link on your social sites allows new potential buyers to get a preview of the items you are selling.
Recap
Tip #2 – Create visual measurement charts for the clothing you want to sell on eBay with Sizely. Use these images in your listings to add value to your items.
For the next month, I am going to share some of my favorite and most successful eBay tips. Each day in January 2020, I will add one of my secret tips to the list! This list will work for the new seller as well as the veteran eBayer. Or if you’ve never tried eBay, what are you waiting for? Time to jump in!
Who am I and Why Should You Listen to Me?
Anne Z
I am Anne Zarraonandia (AnneZ) and I am a professional seller on eBay. I’ve been buying and mostly selling on eBay since July of 1998. I’ve seen the marketplace change over the years and know what works and what does not. I’ve made a doozy of mistakes and learned from each one of them! I’ve learned to make adjustments over time and keep trying new things to make more sales and make more money too! It can be a process!
I am a trained Education Specialist (by eBay and self taught) and have taught hundreds of people how to begin selling on eBay. I teach in person classes in Mill Valley, CA and also teach people all around the world with my online course: The ABC’s of Selling Online Using eBay.
I have grossed almost a one half million dollars on eBay by selling everyday household items from shoes to toys to books to artwork to sporting goods to autographs to clothing and much more. I sell my own items, items on consignment and love to shop for bargains as garage sales and thrift stores to resell.
There is money to be made on eBay and I can show you how. I hope you find this list helpful!
Tip Categories
Listing
Shipping
Pricing
Photos
Communication
Sourcing
Consignment
Donation
Mindset
Cross Posting
Social Media
3rd Party Tools
Money Saving
Here’s Tip #1
If you are a newbie on eBay, the best way to create and build your reputation is by buying the supplies you will need to sell on eBay. With each purchase, your individual rating will grow and that number will show people you are trustworthy. Every new person on eBay starts with a (0) next to their user name. Your initial goal should be getting that number to a (10).
Today’s tip and task will be to increase your feedback score. Here is a list of some ideas of things to buy in order to achieve that goal! This will be a double win, you will increasing your feedback score AND buying the supplies necessary to sell on eBay!
1) Shipping labels – I like the having two halves to print two separate orders. There are many sellers on eBay who offer this product. The way they work, put into printer (usually face down), print a label, peel off and put on package. The other half can be used on your next sale.
2) Packing/Shipping Tape – In order to seal up boxes of items you will sell, it is key to have some rolls of clear packing/shipping tape on hand. Often they come with a dispenser or holder with a sharp edge to easily tear the tape off. Look for deals when you buy in bulk. A great way to earn a positive feedback with this purchase.
3) Postal Scale – How much does that package weigh? I always suggest getting a scale to new eBay sellers. They are cost effective and very handy to see what your item weighs before shipping. Even when you ship items using a flat rate box or envelope, the form will often need to be filled in with a weight. There are many good deals on eBay for shipping scales. Try getting one that can handle up to fifty pounds. A smart investment!
4) Measuring Tape and/or Tape Measure – I think it’s a good idea to have at least one of each. A metal measuring tape is so quick and easy for measuring boxes and a cloth or plastic tape measure suits measuring clothing. These small items can make a seller’s life a dream! We are in the midst of using dimensional weights for shipping packages for all our shipping services these days. USPS, UPS and FedEx all require weight and dimensions for package.
5) Cardboard Background – A Tri-fold display makes a plain background for your item photographs. A good business practice is to take clear, close-up pictures and your background will help you achieve that goal. Students use this product for their science projects. They can fold up and be easily stored flat, or leave up in a permanent location to make your photo taking a breeze. They can be found in stationary stores or on eBay.
6) Scissors – I don’t know about you, but I have misplace my scissors very easily when I share them with family members. Why not have your very own pair of scissors just for your eBay selling? Keep them with your other supplies and make a work station that is specifically for your eBay listing and shipping. Buy a few pair at a time and you will never be without this important tool.
7) Bubble Wrap – If you plan to ship fragile items, then bubble wrap is a must have for your shipping station. The larger bubbles are for more fragile items, the smaller can work for most other objects. If you buy by the roll it can be hung from above on a rod, out of the way. I must confess that I do not buy a ton of bubble wrap because I let my friends and family know that I can use bubble wrap that comes in their packages from online buying. This is a great way to recycle supplies and re-use at least one extra time.
8) Fragile Stickers & Do Not Bend Stickers – I buy these two products on eBay in bulk and use them practically every day on my packages. They come is varying sizes and are quite inexpensive when you buy in larger quantities. A seller should always have these on hand for their packages!
9) Paper – Plain white, 8 1/2” x11” letter sized paper is a must have for eBay sellers. While I use less than in the past, I still use paper for printing packing slips and other shipping labels that can slide into a clear package envelope with a sticky back. This is an alternative to using sticky mailing labels. Either one will work, but it’s nice to be prepared in case you run out of shipping labels.
10) Printer Ink – One can never have too much printer ink on hand. If you use an inkjet printer, you will need to frequently replace cartridges. If you have a laser printer like I do, then your ink will last much longer. In either case, have a back-up supply of ink is essential to the eBay seller. After all a goal is to sell your items and the more you sell, the more money you will make.
This list is a basic starting point of supplies you will need as you begin to sell on eBay. There are other items like a half mannequin for modeling shirts and tops you might want to sell. You may need other stationary supplies like pens, markers and post-it notes. My tip for today is to be sure and buy those needed supplies on eBay and watch your “Feedback” grow! You will become a trusted member of the eBay community in no time flat!
Recap
Tip #1 – Buy your essential selling supplies on eBay to grow your personal feedback. Once you purchase and pay the seller, they will leave you positive feedback. As your feedback number increases, you will become a more trusted eBay community member!
When I mention to people that I sell on eBay, one of the first questions I get asked it what do I sell?
I answer: “Anything I can put into a box and ship”.
Next they ask me if I would be interested in selling things for them.
I answer: “Sure, what do you have?”
The problem with that question, is that I’ve gotten myself into many pickles because I sometimes get too many consignment clients at one time and it becomes overwhelming.
I Am A One Woman Show
I am a one person show right, and I have to keep track of all the sales I make for my consignment clients. Luckily one of my biggest helpers is the software called “Cross Post-It”. It is a web based software for people like me that sell on eBay and other online platforms. It helps me to list, ship, track packages and handle bookkeeping for my clients from my computer as long as I have internet service.
I can set the commission I make from each sale from each of my clients. (I usually take a 50% cut from my sales.) It gets real time feeds directly from eBay, so that when a sale happens, it records it by item number, client name or any number of sorting techniques. Every product I enter has its own unique ITEM # and so it’s fool proof as far as what is what.
And if I have trouble locating where I’ve put that item as I wait for it to sell, it has a blank line where I can fill in exactly where it’s located in my eBay office. That feature has been a life-saver to me many, many times.
Cross Post-It Keeps Track For Me
There are so many reasons why I love Cross Post-it. The best feature has to be the ease it provides when paying my clients. It allows me to use PayPal or print a check with my printer. It will add up all the sales, less commission or any other fees and print a line item inventory sales record for my client and copy for myself too. It keeps track on check numbers and make reconciliation super easy, especially for people like me without a bookkeeping background. All the info I need is one spot online.
Best Tool Out There for Consignors
I have reached almost 6000 items entered into my data base for my over 120 clients. I can keep notes about each client, like who referred them to me, contact info and miscellaneous info like pick-up and meeting times with my clients and new items they want me to sell for them. Cross Post-it has helped my consignment business immensely.
One day last fall, I received a call from their marketing staff and was asked to share some thoughts about Cross Post-it. I am honored to share it below. If you have an interest in selling on consignment and you want a robust software to help you navigate keeping track of your sales and payments, then Cross Post-it is definitely for you. I am so glad not to have a hassle with spreadsheets and files that are misplaced and hard to keep track of. Please let me know if you are interested and I can introduce you to the product.
Anne Z Shares Her Thoughts About Cross Post-It
On my scale of the “Z” Rating with 5 being the highest and 1 the lowest, I give Cross Post-It a solid 5 ZZZZZ’s for all that it offers consignment sellers/businesses.
Share your experiences below! I’d love to hear your comments and questions!
Many years ago, Anne Z entered a contest run by the Queen of Auctions, Lynn Dralle. And guess what? Anne won! Unfortunately it was not for an all expense paid vacation to Hawaii, but rather Anne earned a chance to have a twenty minute phone call with Lynn with recommendations about Anne’s eBay business.. It was so fun getting to compare notes with Lynn because she is one successful eBay seller.
Lynn is a third-generation antiques dealer with over 40 years experience in the antiques business (She started helping her grandmother in the antiques store and at shows when she was just 5). She is also an eBay consultant, author of the series “The Best Things I’ve Sold on eBay”, and teacher. Here is a link to her eBay store.
Here is the winning entry produced by Anne. The task was: make a short movie based on a tip from The Queen of Auctions and her advice. My theme was “Buy Low, Sell High”. See if you recognize the background music Anne added!
Anne Z is a certified USPTA tennis professional (retired) who takes her many years of experience in teaching tennis to the online arena. Anne breaks down the tasks of online selling into simple language, especially for those who don’t have much computer, internet or photography background.
She is encouraging and has a positive attitude which translates into success, even for the newbie online seller. Anne was an Education Specialist trained by eBay for many years. Beside teaching eBay in a classroom setting, she has tutored many students privately as well.
Anne has been selling and buying on eBay since July 1998 and on Amazon for almost as long. She is a Top Rated seller and Silver Level Power Seller on eBay. Her eBay store is known as A to Z Pirate Booty. She has sold over $350,000 in her eBay Biz!
From a long time tennis teaching career to a successful eBay business, Anne has mastered it all. Anne can teach you about what sells on eBay and how to ship, even the most fragile items. If it fits in a box, she can ship it!
Want to sell on eBay just like Anne does?
Not sure how and where to start? Sign up for The ABC’s of Selling Online Using eBay today! Click here to find out more!
So honored to once again be included in this awesome eBay seller panel (Becoming eBay event at eBay Headquarters in San Jose, CA) sharing our unique seller experiences with the new quarterly hires for eBay! What a smart bunch of people eBay has working for them: enthusiastic and friendly and willing to learn what will make eBay strong and competitive!
The seller panel meets in the lobby gathering space outside of the central auditorium and catches up with hellos and what’s up in our selling domains between each other. The group consists of Northern California eBay sellers that have a wide range of selling niches. I like to share my story of as a former tennis teaching professional, I sell a ton of used “dead” tennis balls on eBay. People always chuckle when they hear that and want to know “to whom”. I sell mainly to dog owners and the lots range from five, ten, twenty-five, fifty and one hundred ball lots! I also sell the used balls to teachers for their classroom chairs and to retirement homes for the bottom of walkers, so they slide on the floor more easily.
Some of the other panelist/sellers sell things like: tickets to concerts and shows, old motorcycle parts, skateboards, ephemera (paper collectibles), designer shoes and clothing. The list goes on and on! One member of our panel received the eBay Shine Award a couple years back, which was a huge honor for how quickly she grew her eBay business. She sells electronics and has a warehouse and many employees now!
Clapping Ovation
As we get the call to enter the room of new hires, we are thrilled to be part of their celebration and the end of their three day retreat and training on all the parts of eBay. They jump to their feet and give us all a standing ovation and lots of clapping! It’s so exciting and I for one always feel a sense of pride for all that I have accomplished in my over twenty years of selling on eBay!
We take our seats in tall director chairs on stage. The microphone is passed down the line for each of us to give a short introduction of our selves. Then the audience lines up to ask questions of our group. The audience is grouped by different eBay divisions: Trust and Safety, Managed Payments, Customer Service and others sitting at large round tables.
After about an hour of questions and answers the panel again receives another ovation and we are dismissed to one panelist per table for dinner. The food is catered and has something for everyone. We line up and serve ourselves: pasta, chicken, meat and lots of assorted salads. I love getting to know the people at my table. They are a very diverse group and always interested learning all they can about their new company.
Buying and Selling Gives A Different Perspective
One of my top pieces of advice to all the new hires is for them to experience eBay as a buyer and as a seller. Once they do that, they can see what it’s really all about. They can better understand the frustrations that many of us go through when selling online in general and eBay specifically. While selling on eBay can give a person many freedoms like no boss, keeping your own hours and being flexible on what you sell, it can be challenging dealing with all sorts of buyers out in the real world. It is very eye opening “wearing the different hats” of a buyer and a seller!
As the evening winds down, we say our goodbyes. Most of them will work for eBay for a while. Many will move around to other tech companies, but each is excited to begin their new adventure on the various eBay campuses in their new positions. I drive home to Marin County after receiving my “gift” bag for my participation and always look forward to my upcoming invitation in another few months at the eBay headquarters in San Jose!
