I didn’t post yesterday. You may not have noticed, but if you did, I apologise.
This was mainly due to hypnosis and poor time management; I spent so much time looking at Ebay that my brain started to shut things out in self-defence. By the time I’d finished I was late, functioning on half a brain and feeling depressed. So I switched off and watched TV.
It was a learning exercise rather than a pleasure, as I have been examining the possibility of returning to the antiques trade. I have been given two opinions – one, from a person I trust, is that Ebay is the best place to sell and that quality pieces do best. The other, from someone I also trust, is that Ebay is the best place to sell and that average to low quality items sell best.
From that I deduce that Ebay is the best place to sell.
As to what sells best, I have always felt that the best selling items are always the ones sold by other people.
I’m also feeling slightly shell-shocked by the number of “rare”, “scarce” and “original” items being offered for sale. For one thing, I know much of the stuff isn’t rare, and some of it clearly isn’t original either when you look at the photos. The truth is that although I may have lost touch with prices I can still (mostly) remember everything else.
If you can push a button and see 20 more “rare” items I have news for the sellers – they aren’t rare.
There’s a suspicion at the back of my mind that if an estate agent, an Ebay seller and a mass murderer wanted to marry into my family I’d probably be happiest with the murderer.
However, beggars can’t be choosers, and if Ebay does the business I will have to sign up. Shops are expensive, markets are sensitive to weather and antique fairs require early starts. So greed and idleness are conspiring to make me into an Ebay seller again – how can I resist such powerful forces?.
I’ve been selling on eBay off and on for two years. I’ve found it’s usually the oddball stuff that really does well. For a while I made a full time living just selling used ties and baseball hats I found at garage sales. The number one thing I’ve found out however is just to sell stuff that I genuinely would want to buy and completely ignore the “expert” advice that tells you to sell at what the market demands you sell at.
Good practical advice – would never have thought of used ties and baseball hats. 🙂
Good luck.
Thanks.
Best of luck!
🙂
Good luck!
Thanks, I may need it!
Good luck!
Past experience shows I may need it! 🙂
This seems a very good idea.
Time will tell… 🙂
I don’t get how anyone makes a profit on Ebay, although I’ve not tried to sell antiques. If you’ve already been in that trade and have nothing to lose, might as well give it a go!
I’m not sure either, but at one time I managed to scrape a living from ebay. Over the last few days I’ve come round to your way of thinking – have stock so may as well give it a go. 🙂
Good luck!
Thank you. 🙂
Ebay seems to be the way forward. I know a number of people who trade there successfully both as amateurs and professionals. I have always been too nervous to use it as an actual auction house as a buyer or seller..
It was quite successful for me at one time, but I decided that life as a gardener was more attractive.
Hmmm…I’ve only been on E-bay a couple times and it seems strange. I think if you could go hybrid and have some physical place, but a good internet presence, that it would be better. But I can’t say I’m an expert…
It’s difficult – rents and business rates are so expensive these days.
Yes, I thought about that. Too bad you don’t have an old barn somewhere. People could make a trip into the country, stop by for some antiquing…