Can you make money on Ebay anymore?
By sumimasen
@sumimasen (644)
United States
February 7, 2008 4:12pm CST
I've been wondering for a while if Ebay has outgrown its small-business appeal. I think that many people who sell on Ebay have been there for many years, and that making a profit is extremely difficult, unless you have a specific and unique item.
I know of one power-seller who has had one of the initial Ebay accounts, and sells electronics. He's almost a one-man wholesale operation. He tends to make a few hundred dollars revenue on each product he sells. He knows when items can be sold for a profit, and he keeps meticulous records of each transaction. Needless to say, his approval rating is in the high nineties. People love to buy from him because he delivers. His Ebay account is his SOLE means of income and he does well.
I feel as if I'd rather use Craigslist or a similar free classifieds to get rid of my useless junk. At least that way, it's a local person who will utilize my purchase. And, with a meeting in person, there's less likelyhood that the buyer will be disappointed in the purchase.
What do you think? Is it still possible to make money on Ebay? Or is it just a matter of choosing what to sell?
3 people like this
6 responses
@moneyandgc (3428)
• United States
8 Feb 08
I used to sell items on ebay occassionally but I haven't in quite some time. The fees just keep getting higher and I don't want to have to pay for something that didn't sell. The final thing for me was when they bought paypal and made it a rule that you couldn't ask for "non-credit card" transactions. I didn't want to upgrade my account have have to pay even MORE fees.
Once in awhile I will buy something from ebay, but I don't sell there anymore.
@sumimasen (644)
• United States
8 Feb 08
Oh that's something I didn't write about. Paypal and Ebay are SO intertwined. It's weird how they kind of joined forces when Ebay was first around. The entire transaction issue changes things around a bit - the fees are instantaneous and sometimes cruel! They're charging us for electrons!
@angel08 (120)
• Philippines
8 Feb 08
Yes, we sell pre-owned clothes and books, we usually get old books (without damaged)from our friends which they read it already, and we sell it. sometimes we get products whom the one who can let us consign from them and give us a month or two and return it if we didn't sell it.this way we don't have to cash out money to buy our items.
1 person likes this
@sumimasen (644)
• United States
8 Feb 08
Ahh good answer. Books seem pretty lucrative. The market for books is bizarre, I think.
Amazon and all the other companies have put a lot of bookstores and record stores out of business.
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
7 Feb 08
I used to sell a little on Ebay and sold a couple of collectable type things for an amazing price but then there was a lot I didn't sell and it just turns me off them when I have to pay the fees when i didn't sell, it takes away from the profit that is made in the first place, I will get back to it one day.
1 person likes this
@sumimasen (644)
• United States
8 Feb 08
Thanks for writing, your comment was useful! I hate those fees, too.
@skydancer (2101)
• United States
8 Feb 08
I haven't sold anything on e-bay in forever, but I plan to do so again soon as I have a few things that would sell fairly well. What I normally do is look up the item I am about to list or a similar item, and see whether people are bidding on the or not, which gives me a good idea as to whether my item will sell and what kind of bids to expect on it. It is true most of the time that you do have to have a specific and unique item - and a highly demanded one at that in good condition. For me it is very much a matter of choosing what to sell, and when you can find items that sell well, then it is worth doing. I have never made an INCOME off of e-bay sales, however, just a couple hundred dollars here and there. I have never thought of running an actual business there.
1 person likes this
@sumimasen (644)
• United States
8 Feb 08
Thanks for writing.
I'm the same say, I've only made a fist full of dollars off of Ebay.
It's weird how people have turned Ebay into their personal Antique store.
@AzraelValley (677)
• Philippines
9 Feb 08
I'm palnning to sell some of my stuffon ebay. I think tath I could get a living out of this. I already have a job online but I'm just getting a few dollars from all the the work that I am doing.
Do you know any produict that can be easily be sold on Ebay?
Thanks!
@Samanthavv (1380)
• United States
9 Feb 08
I agree completely. Unless you're selling a high priced or big ticket item, then all that happens on ebay is that you lose out and you hardly get your money's worth out of whatever it was you're selling. Between the actual value of the item, the shipping, and then having to go to the post office, most times it just isn't worth it. However, as a buyer, ebay is your new best friend. I buy stuff on there like crazy. Even things like ziplock bags and saran wrap. I just make sure the items I'm buying are new in the box. So I get 500 ziplock baggies for $10 bucks plus $5 bucks shipping, instead of paying $5.75 for a box of 50 at the local grocery store. That's really the only time I see ebay as a great thing, because all the items that are going for insane amounts of money, I just search online till I find a cheaper one.
