#ebay | The ABC's of Selling Online

Size.ly Clothing Measurement Tool Review

If you sell clothing online: on eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, and other popular platforms, Size.ly is a must-have online seller tool for you! I will break down all the pluses and minuses in my personal review of Size.ly below. I will include screenshot images of my step-by-step process of creating wonderful, clean images that contain all the measurements.

Why Sell Clothing?

Clothing is a very popular and easy item to sell online. Here are some reasons for selling clothing:

Most everyone wears clothing, so it can have high demand with buyers!
It doesn’t “break” when it is shipped to the buyer, and “easy to ship” items are always welcome to a seller’s inventory.
Styles change all the time, so many folks want the latest fashions and love to shop online to find them!
It feels good to sell lightly used t-shirts, dresses, jackets, and shoes to buyers to “give the items a new life”. It is another type of recycling! And you can make money too!
Clothing is easy to find in most discount departments and thrift stores. It is inexpensive to source products, then re-sell them.
We all have an abundance of extra clothing in our closets, which we will never ever wear again. Why not sell them? And make extra cash at the same time! It’s a win-win!

Steps to Listing Clothing

Find clothing (to sell) that is in “very good to new with tags” condition for higher resale prices.
Measure clothing so the buyer sees accurate sizing. A small, medium or large, etc size can differ greatly, depending on when it was made and by the maker or designer. (Hint: Size.ly will help you in this department! – Keep reading!)
In your description, don’t forget to note the flaws, if there are any! If there is a stain or spot, please point it out and be as accurate as possible. You want your buyers to be as informed as possible before their purchase is made.
Take many photos! Front, back, side, labels for sizing and garment care, hems, sleeves, etc.
Use a mannequin whenever possible. They are available online and make an attractive appearance to the potential buyer!
Most buyers prefer items that come from a smoke-free environment. Note that as well!

Cut Down on Returns

When buyers purchase clothing online, they are not able to try things on in person, like when shopping in a store.

Showing the measurements with a template can give the potential buyer a visual aid and helps cut down on possible “returns” because items were the wrong size. It may not eliminate the returns but can help reduce returns greatly. Fewer returns mean keeping more profits!

Size.ly is an app which is an online app that allows you to pick a template and fill in the measurements of the piece of clothing you want to list/sell. Depending on the plan you sign up for: Micro, Pro, Ultra, or Enterprise, you will have access to more templates.

Here are some templates available in the TOPS category. Find the template that matches what you want to list and it’s very easy to fill in the measurements. There are so many templates to choose from, including bottoms, outerwear, underwear, kids, accessories, glasses, bags, shoes, misc, and more.

Here’s How to Fill in a Size.ly Template

As an example of how to fill in the template, here is a Women’s T-Shirt (shown as a Warner Bros Brand: Harry Potter T-Shirt photo here).

Step One – Take Photos of Article of Clothing

Step Two – Find the Blank Template of the Type of Clothing on Size.ly. In this example it is: Women’s Tee.

Step Three – Measure Clothing and Fill in Template

Using your measuring tape, fill in the spaces with the measurements for shoulder, sleeves, length, and so on. When you are finished, click Generate and you will have the image below ready to use.

The file can be a saved a jpg, or as a URL or HTML code to put into your listing. See the screenshot below.

Once you are finished, your templates will be stored in the Size.ly History section of your account. You can find them easily for editing or deleting or finding the saved image or URL to use again. Depending on your plan you can save the images (called image hosting) from thirty days to an unlimited time! Be sure to check out the Pricing Plan section below in this review!

Here is a page of my template history:

Inches and Centimeters

Another plus on the finished template is that measurements are automatically converted from Inches to Centimeters! That’s a great feature and a real-time-saver.

Step Four – Upload your newly created and completed clothing template, along with the other photos you’ve taken to make your description and listing.

Wah-La! Congrats! Your listing will have the look and feel of a professionally done listing! And it will give your future buyers a lot of helpful sizing information!

Recap

Pluses

Easy to use
There are many blank templates to choose from with many popular styles of clothing
Time saver
Helps make a professional-looking description
Cool visual aid
Automatically converts between inches and centimeters
Cuts down on possible returns, since measurements are shown and easy to understand
The price is right (See below for plans and pricing to fit your needs!)
It can help boost your sales!
You will join more than 35,000 other sellers who use Size.ly for their clothing listings

Minuses

It may take creating a few templates to feel comfortable using it (but you can do it!)
Some clothing templates are only offered under the more expensive plans

Pricing and Plans

You can start with a Micro account and move up as you find your needs grow! Saving money is easy when choosing a yearly plan vs a monthly plan! Click here to sign-up today using my affiliate link. Money-making note: Size.ly has an awesome referral plan, which is easy to join!

There are many, many more templates as you pay more per plan.

Take a look at the monthly payment rates and the 4 levels of Size.ly here:

Now take a look at the billed yearly plan comparisons and the money you can save with your year commitment!

On my scale of the “Z” Rating from Anne Z. with 5 being the highest and 1 the lowest, I give Size.ly a solid 5 ZZZZZ’s for all that it offers sellers/businesses.

What’s not to love? There is something for every type of clothing seller from FREE to Enterprise! The price is right. Please use my personal link to sign up today and test it out for yourself! You will be a very happy clothing seller if you do!

Here is more info in the eBay Tip Section of my website. eBay Tip #2 – Sizely Clothing Measurement Templates.

Please feel share your experiences below. Or ask me questions if you have them and I will get back to you!

eBay Tip #10 – Be Like Nordstrom!

Customer Service

Customer Service is king! Anyone who has ever bought anything knows that! If you want to be a good online seller, your customer service will allow you to stand out above the crowd! One of my favorite retailers, Nordstrom, does this the best! Have you ever needed to return any purchase, for any reason, to Nordstrom? It is no hassle and ALWAYS a pleasant experience.

The Customer is Always Right

If you want to be successful selling online, then there will be occasions when your buyer will not be happy! My policy is to validate there concerns, thank them for letting me know and always work with them on a positive solution, often with their input. You might wonder, “Doesn’t that lose you money?” NOPE, just the opposite. I bend over backwards, like Nordstrom, to be the best-seller for my buyer. Am I always happy about it? No, but I want my reputation to speak to future customers in a positive way.

Feedback

On eBay and other selling platforms, there is usually a Feedback system in place, so potential buyers can read comments from past transactions. Your online reputation is everything! I am closing in on 10,000 positive feedbacks on eBay and I am excited about it! Why? Because, anyone who looks at my feedback score can see that I’ve been a very good seller! That will attract new buyers!

The Nordstom Tire Story

I googled this phrase “Nordstrom Tire Story” just now and found 995,000 results for it. If you never heard it, back in the 1970’s a man returned a car tire to Nordstrom in Alaska and they refunded his money. Nordstrom doesn’t even sell tires! This story has become part of the Nordstrom lore and their reputation remains top-notch! Read what Snopes says about it here! As an online seller, this is the best example why you should accept returns (you won’t get as many as you may fear!). I strive to be like Nordstrom whenever I can in my online selling!

No Questions Asked

I want my customers to be happy! That is my primary goal. Happy customers return to your website. They buy more stuff! Take a return. Send a refund or partial refund. eBay will scope out the bad buyers, so leave that to them. In today’s online shopping world, customers look for peace of mind when buying! Let your customer service stand out and be known!

Sometimes They Won’t Return It

I have accepted returns for as long as I can remember on eBay. I probably only have 3 in a total of 1,000 transactions. Many times the item may not be worth returning to me because the shipping costs would not make it worth it. I will ask the buyer to kindly dispose of the item or donate to their local charity. Or a few times, I said I would accept the return and they didn’t follow through with it. I am not out any money, because I only refund money once I get the item back. Sometimes the buyer changes their mind, because you were so open to receiving it. You just never know!

Time is Money

The longer you as a seller go back and forth with your customer by messaging each other on eBay, the more time you are spending on it, rather than listing more items which can make you money. Your time is valuable. I will often use the line: “I am sorry that you are unhappy with the item’s condition”. (Validation!) And then I will write: “How can I best make this transaction a good one for you?” Both of these responses show that you are willing to work with the buyer. They often turn their attitude around and say “Thank you!” (best case scenario).

Kill Them With Kindness

When I have an unhappy customer, I try to be as nice as heavenly possible! I may feel like sending a nasty note back their way (you can write the message and NOT send to feel better). Instead, I try to remain as professional as possible. I will always sign my name. Once they feel heard, you can see the difference in their next responses. I once had a buyer say they were sorry because they were in a bad mood. Another admitted to over-reacting. Try your best to be kind and it will often work in your favor! Or sometimes you just move on!

You Might Re-Sell it For More $

I try to see a positive, even when a return does come my way. Perhaps the jacket didn’t fit properly, or they just plain changed their mind. No worries. I can re-list with a click of the mouse and re-use my old description. I often then raise the price of the item. I have sold it again for more money, many times! Seriously, this trick works! If one person was interested, why not get more dough when the next person is interested!

Recap

Tip #10

Goal: To achieve an excellent online reputation
Task: Answer customers questions, comments or complaints with polite validation
Task: Offer returns or refunds, no question asked
Task: Ask how you can make the situation a positive one for the buyer
Task: Be like Nordstrom!
Task: Be kind!

eBay Tip #7 – Items Needed to Begin Selling on eBay

Tip #7

Be sure to keep these items handy in one general selling area and away from the rest of the household! No one likes to go hunting for scissors or the scale every time you are ready to ship a package!

Basic Supply List – the Essentials

Computer or iPad or iPhone
Printer
Scale – up to 50 pounds is best
2-up Labels
Digital camera or iPad or iPhone
Shipping Boxes
Paper, ink, packing tape
Scissors, tape measure or ruler
A backdrop or 3 sided Science Display Board
Bubble wrap

Additional Helpful Supplies

Fragile stickers
Do Not Bend Stickers
USPS Priority Stickers
Blue painter’s tape
Brown gummed tape-heavy duty packing
Tripod
Jewelry Easel
Plate Easel
Shirt Folding Accessory
Impulse Sealer
Polybags
Mannequins, styrofoam head displays
Additional Digital memory card for camera-more storage
Plastic tubs for storage
Banker’s storage boxes
Photo Studio Light tent
White Board for planning & dry erase pens
USB Scanner for scanning bar codes

Recap

Tip #7

Goals: Be prepared before you begin listing on eBay
Task: Gather or buy the essentials

Places to Sell Online

As an online seller for over 25 years, I am asked practically every single day….

“Where Can I Sell My Stuff?”

Here are some of my favorite places to sell online:

eBay
Craigslist
Facebook Marketplace
Nextdoor
5 Miles
Offer Up
Amazon
Poshmark
MaxSold
Etsy
Mercari

I will be reviewing each of these sites and give my insights on them, along with their strengths, and weaknesses from my personal use and experience.

Please add your comments and opinions to help others in their search for the best sites to sell stuff!

Becoming eBay Summit

10/10/19

New eBay Hires

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!