Learn me recent eBay selling experience

Are y'all still using eBay to sell stuff? Is it still generally OK, or are they primarily set up to favor the buyer and berkeley the seller? I have a few things I need to sell at better-than-CL money, not getting any action on model-specific forum that has been good to me in the past.

and because I know someone will ask:

A complete set of C5 50th Anniversary wheels that are damn close to perfect

and a bunch of C4 electronic modules from the 94 ragtop I parted

My two most recent experiences as a seller:

1. Exact details are fuzzy but a few years ago I sold some extra (used) truck camper tie-downs for something like $150. Buyer claimed he received an empty box then eBay forced me to refund $80 which the buyer happily accepted. I'd shipped them in the strongest, best-taped box on the planet. Actual market value was about what the buyer ended up paying--I'd listed them way high hoping to get lucky. So this was a negotiation tactic.

2. Sold a used video card that worked perfectly. Buyer claimed it was broken, eBay issued a full refund, and they never returned the "broken" card.

Never again. 

I only sell toys (Hot Wheels and the like) so there's no "broken" claims. I did sell some car parts, but they didn't function (trim pieces and what not). Wheels you should be fine, modules not so much.

I'd rather throw stuff in the garbage than sell on eBay anymore with their fee structures, horrible shipping costs estimations and the buyer always getting a refund if they want.  Honestly, with society the way it is now it's just best to view everything as disposable.  It's a sunk cost.  Any money you get via eBay won't be worth the cost or headaches or time you'll waste.  I put things on CL or a forum and just wait patiently.  It's easier.

AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) said:

I'd rather throw stuff in the garbage than sell on eBay anymore with their fee structures, horrible shipping costs estimations and the buyer always getting a refund if they want.  Honestly, with society the way it is now it's just best to view everything as disposable.  It's a sunk cost.  Any money you get via eBay won't be worth the cost or headaches or time you'll waste.  I put things on CL or a forum and just wait patiently.  It's easier.

I'm with Anthony, used to sell 10k a year on there between car parts and hot wheels but it's such a pain and Tom's experiences above seem like the norm now. Fee structures, the new IRS reporting, etc have taken the fun out of it and made it hard to actually make anything when you're done.

BTW; my brother rents a cabinet at an antique mall to sell his extra hot wheels and hasn't ended up upside down yet.

I've been quite fortunate to get good buyers.  Still, high shipping costs and aggressive seller fees have pretty much pushed my motivation and my actual sales to near zero.

Thanks all, I'll stick to FBMP and local pickup with cash payment only.

I had a recent experience with the Facebook "for sale" page of the local Miata group.  Set of almost new wheels and tires for a Miata I sold a while back.

Guy txt messages me and offers me half my asking price. I replied no.  So he comes up a little but no bueno.

So finally I told him the bottom dollar I would accept.  So he comes back with $50 less than that and tells me I am asking more than his budget. (like I care about his budget.) 

I said no.   

I don't hear from him for a few days  then he re-contacts me.  I decided to  accept $25 less than what I said was my bottom dollar just to get it done.  

He accepts the number and we start discussing a local meet up that's convenient to both of us.  So far so good.

Wrong.   He comes back with hey, I want you to get the wheels and tires balanced.   So call the local tire dealer to get a price.

I tell the "buyer" that I'll do it but its another $60.  He give me the "out of my budget" bs again.   I stop answering his text messages.

3 days later he texts me back all butt  hurt that I didn't realize we were still negotiating. (Remember he agreed to a number before the balancing request started.)

I texted him back my original bottom dollar and said no balancing.  That's my number.  

Then he really gets P.O'd and starts the ad horminium attacks about how I am a terrible person who "should have known" we were still discussing price after he agreed to a price.  Whatever... ( Should have told him in the beginning to shop for stuff he can afford and don't bother people if you can't come close to the price.)

(Happy ending.  I ended up buying another Miata, this a 2000 with the sport suspension package, Torsen, bracing, etc, and put the tires and wheel on it this morning - so now what to do with the original equipment 15" wheels w/205/50-15's?)  

I sold some in the day - now I listed some brochures nobody wants.  Then I lose a chunk of it.  I'm not up for it any more. 

I have a bunch of stuff I need to list. It is tough, the only real options after you don't get the local sale are Facebook, which I don't trust for anything involving shipping, and has too many flakes, ebay, which has the documented issues here, and niche forums that are a good option, but takes a lot of organization to keep it all straight. 

I've had good luck buying an item here or there on Ebay the last few years with no issues. Mainly multi tools, shoes and a belt. I will not sell anything on Ebay anymore due to all their new seller requirements and rules.

In reply to jharry3 :

I always tell people on this guys path that it's now my price plus $200.  That's my fee for having to deal with them.  That usually stops them from bothering me.  

Very timely posting....

I came across a really good deal on a broken Prius Battery that I thought I could get for $100.  It has a couple bad cells removed but that leaves 20+ cells remaining.  Individual cells retail for $20-$25.  I thought that might both bring a little profit as well as a shelf of "free" spares.  

But...the mostly likely way to sell them is Ebay.  I too haven't sold there is years.  

I guess I could still sell and ship them via FB.

I've sold some stuff, sold a hospital grade/pathologist's microscope recently. I had it listed for too long to remember, kind of self selecting for someone who's not an idiot. I haven't been very active, never been a big seller.

1988RedT2 said:

I've been quite fortunate to get good buyers.  Still, high shipping costs and aggressive seller fees have pretty much pushed my motivation and my actual sales to near zero.

I used to sell a fair amount of stuff - mostly motorcycle related - but stopped due to a pretty similar experience. Just wasn't worth my time anymore.

I still buy on eBay as it turns out that eBay tends to a be a cheaper source for some of the rarer IT books I like to buy (go figure, Bezos) and a decent and cheaper source for home server hardware. 

so now what to do with the original equipment 15" wheels w/205/50-15's?

 

Tell me more...

I haven't had any issues but I really only use it to sell stuff that has too narrow of an audience to sell anywhere else, and usually for a reasonable to cheap price. I think the more mainstream the item and/or the higher the price, the more likely you are to run into issues. I did sell my old graphics card back when demand and prices were super crazy, that was probably the one that concerned me the most but it worked out.

I think if you really want decent money for those things safely you have to just wait it out on the forums and maybe fb marketplace.

I was a casual seller on eBay. They take too big of a cut for me. I tried Facebook marketplace and it's disorganized mess designed suck you down a rabbit hole.

So I still use Craigslist the most. Weed out the scammers and I get most things sold. Plus  it's free and local so cash only, no checks.

I use eBay, mostly to sell old computers and car parts.  98 percent of the time it has been easy with no issues and the couple of times there have been issues its been with cheap stuff so I was not too pissed.  I never offer free shipping so that doesn't bother me, the fees can be a bit much but for the reach that eBay has I out up with it.

I've had good luck on ebay for selling car parts, though I'm not a heavy user. Much of my Challenge car recoup is from ebay sales (minus shipping and fees of course). I agree the effort level is pretty high, so probably 90% of my sales are for Challenge recoup. I use the "sold and completed listings" filter to research what's worth trying to sell. I also tend to only sell smaller things that are easy to ship, especially if they fit in a flat rate box. 

I haven't sold anything on eBay since they changed the payment policy to direct-deposit to your bank account instead of PayPal. There was no way I was giving eBay my bank info, although I suppose I can set up a dedicated account number for it, I just wasn't that interested in selling on the platform anymore. I honestly rarely go on the site to buy anything either. 

However, I do have so much crap I need to unload and it's a shame eBay made it so hard for small sellers.  

Last time I sold something, it was a piece of tech (a VoIP phone) and I expressly said that it's as-is, no warranty. I also said in the ad that it's up to the buyer to set the thing up, since everyone's systems are different. Guy that bought it couldn't figure out how to configure the thing for his system, and he wanted tech support from me, which I refused, so he threw a fit and told Ebay it was "broken" and I was forced to refund him. When I got it back, it actually was broken, because the buyer trashed the thing and I ended up having to throw it out. Ebay sided with the buyer, of course. So yeah, I'd be very weary of selling on there. I'd use it as a last resort. 

In reply to Ian F (Forum Supporter) :

I forgot they did that. I haven't listed anything either since they started requiring a bank account. I agree with the concern, probably not going to do that. 

I sell a lot on eBay.  You have to take into account the fees and shipping lately is killer on heavy items.  I still like it over Facebook as I sell things as buy it now.  No back and forth, just buy it now.  I always say its used condition and not perfect and list any major defects.  99.9% of my listings get bought, shipped, and I never hear from that person again, which is great.  

I've got a bunch of brand new toner cartridges for a printer that I'd like to sell.  No bites on FB, was thinking of listing them on eBay.  Don't know now...