THANKS CRC and eBay Motors!!

Just want to throw a big shout out to the challenge sponsors and to say thank you, both for sponsoring the event but also for providing great products and services to the enthusiast community!

1. I happened to win a CRC Benchtop Pro parts washer last October at the challenge. I just recently used it, and it rocks. More detailed review with pictures below. 

2. Since early November, I've been spending a few hours here and there taking pictures, boxing parts, and listing them on eBay Motors. What wasn't useful to me anymore (and honestly I thought I'd have to scrap or trash), has turned into about $1500 so far because eBay Motors can connect my parts with people who want them. I get it out of my garage, the part goes to someone who wants it (not into a landfill), AND I get some extra spending money on top. WIN/WIN/WIN. Incredible. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

What's your strategy for maximizing eBay sales?

Do you prefer to list your extra parts as Buy-it-Now or auction style?

In reply to Indy "Nub" Guy :

Well my strategy for the most part is not to worry too much about maximizing $$. I'm trying to get stuff out of my garage into the hands of someone who can use it. 

That said, if it's a common part, I do a quick eBay search on sold items to see what they sell for, then I price mine around that and put it up buy-it-now. I take pics, and then immediately box the part so that I can weight it and put the measurements into eBay. Then eBay will charge the buyer accurate shipping, and I can buy and print the labels directly through eBay too when the part sells. eBay has a nice feature called 'easy pricing' where it automatically drops your price 10% or something every 10 days until the item sells or you reach a minimum. If it is not a common part, then I still usually do buy it now, but I just figure a price that i feel is fair. Again, the easy pricing thing is nice. 

Also, I allow offers and I pretty much just take any offer I get. 

Keep in mind that most of the stuff I sell is obscure enough that you're not going to see 2 people who really want the item within the same 7-10 days. So auctions generally aren't a good format because you don't get competitive bidding. If the part is super common and sought after (miata hardtop, for example), then an auction style might be an easy way to get market value. 

As promised here's the parts washer pics!

I didn't get any of the unit itself, but I'll add a link to the crc website. It's a parts washer. But the fluid is really nice. It doesn't have any strong smell, and the light smell it does have is pleasant. It also cleans really well. This throttle body I was preparing to put into my spares stash, but I wanted to clean it and the injectors first.

Started here:

Literally 4 minutes later:

Mmmm clean.

The only thing I'm worried about is freezing when the unit has fluid in it. I can't find much info on the net about whether this cleaning solution freezes at a similar temp to water or not. Right now I'm assuming it does, so I'm storing the washer inside rather than out in my garage.

On Amazon, it says the solution will freeze. Down under asked questions.

https://www.amazon.com/CRC-1000872-SmartWasher-BenchtopPRO-Bioremidiating/dp/B07TS53DYQ

I too am not a parts dealer and just want to clean out my garage, hate to waste stuff and keep other from having it and also like fake PayPal money that I earn and then can use on other parts with zero guilt.

My strategy is to list everything no reserve, with an opening bid of 99 cents. I have always gotten a fair price. I sold a Mustang roller, I wasn't going to use and got a fair price. The biggest thing is be honest, communicative and give good descriptions with great photos. An I-phone works great, but put your items on a nice bench or table with great light and then shoot them. My benches are stainless, which makes for great photography.

And thanks for the kind word on our partners. We try to pick folks to partner with, that match your needs.

CRC rocks, not just because they sponsored a lot of our race cars, but because a few Christmases ago they gave me the greatest gift ever. I win a case of brakekleen off their Facebook page. 

Who paid you to come say this? Lol

Vajingo said:

Who paid you to come say this? Lol

I don't know about you, but I try to say thank you whenever someone has done right by me. I also don't sell my opinions to the highest bidder, again, maybe you do. 

"Lol"

I've sold some stuff on eBay this year. I've got some things listed now. Anyone want a set of hubcaps for a 63 dart? Apparently, the answer is no.
 

I've got to get back to it but unfortunately  it's still easier to ignore the mess. 

I started using ebay more after they became sponsors. Just sold the pistons/rods off my challenge car and got $50 recoup.

Wife (jokingly, mostly) calls PayPal my slush fund...

In reply to CrustyRedXpress (Forum Supporter) :

My wife and I have this running joke that all the stuff in my garage is really just garbage. So whenever I sell something or buy something or trade something I've done business with some other fellow 'garbage connoisseur'.

The GRM new years game does not help my case. 

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

Easy there champ. We're just trying to have fun. I thought the lol would lighten the sarcasm, instead might have made it worse...

I would also like to thank  eBay and CRC for their continuing and long term sponsorship of the challenge. I tend to write them quick emails when it occurs to me but this might be good to do in public, also.

Honest question, how much time do you invest in this? I have a pile of stuff that I want to get out of my way and it is a popular platform, but I dread actually doing it. My time/hour ratio is probably much higher than the dollar/hour return and it discourages me, but I might be thinking about it all wrong...

Those of you new to Ebay, be aware that if you put an item up as "Buy it Now" without allowing offers, Ebay will change your listing after a short period so that it does allow offers. If you don't want offers you'll have to go back into the listing and revise it so offers aren't allowed. After that the listing will remain not allowing offers.

In reply to tb (minimally supportive) :

Hard to say exactly. But i think ive done about 20-40 hours for the $1500 mentioned. It's not 0 work, but I need to clean the garage and get rid of stuff anyway. I'd probably have 5 hours into just loading it all up and dropping it at the scrapyard. 

Spend a few hours cleaning off a nice large workspace. Collect boxes, tape, measuring tape, rags, marker, a piece of paper, and a camera. I keep a spray bottle of a generic cleaner nearby too. 

Then, its all about grab part, clean it off a bit if its really funky, take pictures, pack in box, weigh and measure, catalog, repeat. I generally box about 5 parts an hour, and I'm probably slow. 

I write down the item, the weight, the box dimensions, and then a code like 2021-01 on my piece of paper. I write the same code on the outside of the box. Then, when the item sells I can reference my paper and go find the box with the same code on it. Print the shipping label from ebay, tape it on, drop at post office, done. 

Also, i've learned not to offer free shipping. Yes, it is easier to list the item. But I think it is really important for the buyer to see just how much the shipping actually is. You have to box the item either way. Might as well do it on the front end. 

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

Thanks. I don't know why I would just assume that you had quantifiable data...

Sounds like you have done really well. I suspect your parts are more valuable than mine and I know that you work more quickly than I do. 

Good tips. I'll get to it at some point, probably not until I get my car actually running...