Thread: Selling on ebay is there any profit still?

Keeping on subject, it really is all about strategy.

The things you do really help in the end. Heck if you want major bucks, Ebay isn't the best thing to sell major items. Open a business locally on your own, or think of a new idea such as a patent. That way you could sell on ebay too and you control the prices (as long as they are reasonable).

It truely is how you sell things to people however. When I was younger I had a broken ps2 that I sold on ebay with a few games and an extra controller. I gave out all the information in big letters that it was broken, but when the PS2 was $300, I sold the broken PS2 for $250. I didn't trick them, the buyer knew it was broken. I saw people selling broken PS2s on there for way less (one even sold two for $125). I was pretty much selling my broken PS2 for as much as a ebay was going for on ebay. So there still is people that will buy stuff, you just need to know how to do it. That is why strategy comes in to play.

- Devin

Ebay can also be used to supplement your own online site, use Ebays massive traffic and direct them to your own (staying within Ebays T&C's of course).

I started off years ago selling on ebay and then developed my own sites and still to this day use ebay for buying of course but also to develop my own sites as well.

Due to the success of ebay and the nature with which it has grown it is harder to get a sustainable profit from it (not impossible though) and so strategies need to be adated likewise IMO.

No it's not impossible, but it's not giving you what you really want. Not worth it in some cases. Auctions cost you over time, and sometimes eBay is ridiculous.

See some people are so close in competition now a days on ebay its getting boring. A lot of people sell there item cheaper but make most of there money by selling more for shipping. Meaning asking for inaccurate shipping prices just to make the extra cash. Really is pointless, and more and more people catch on to it and do the same.

However, true it could be a good advertisement to you. Tons of people visit eBay everyday, so even if you don't sell something for what you really wanted, you can think of it as a payment for advertisement. Very good thought.

- Devin

I wrote an article that I uploaded to ezinearticles on this very subject, take a look at Ebay Marketing

HTH,

Mike

I am in a hurry so I just read the first part and I agree with you. Going for zero profit doesn't always mean its a bad thing. It's going to be a free advertisement for you. Not all items are going to help you but some will. I sell a lot of automotive parts and some ideas have a small discount price on them because of certain reasons. Whether that be the companies decision to make more money for themseleves, or it being that is a cheap item already. However, your points are what recognize and you are definately on the right path. Nice review for what I read so far. I have to go do somethings so I'll read the rest later.

- Devin

There are also still some Niche sections on Ebay, sure they have competition but no where near the popular sections (ipods ect)

good jobs, i am just courious, how can you redirect traffic to your own site in ebay, ebay rules said no external links in your auction, then how do the people know your own store site?

Ebay says no external websites, however they never said no business logos, (using business name as ebay username), banners, etc. For example your website is www.ebay.com. Yeah you can't put www.ebay.com in the text because it will link it. However, you could write ebay.com in the text (description). Also, make banners that say ebay.com will also make people know where it came from and that you have a website. There are many different ways to advertise on ebay EASILY.

- Devin

Most people on ebay are net savvy enough so that if you put a contact email address in the listing, like sales@mydomain.com, they realise that there is a website associatted to it.

Also you are allowed to link to an external page in your 'about me' page, take a look at Ebay Articles there are a few ones on there that may interest you.

Also when you are posting items out you can drop a link to your site into the email you send to confirm postage, this is a great way as the customer sees you care enough to let them know what is going on and also then 'invites' them to take a look at your site..

The list is endless..