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I’m not sure how long your inventory is retained on eBay, but you could always sign up for a listing/inventory management service to download and save the listings/pictures. I use Sixbit, but there are plenty of other options. Definitely would be worth it versus redoing all that work.
I’m using the Enterprise Duo level of Sixbit for $100/month.
1. Etsy only allows you to sell either handmade stuff or vintage items over 20 years old, so I’m selling the latter. I sell a bit of everything (hats, jackets, art, ephemera, electronics, toys, video games, etc). With rare exception, I don’t sell glassware, silverware, shoes, clothing, or knicknacks.
For the 80 completed sales (those without a return or cancellation) I’ve had since I started on Etsy in October, my average sale price is $89. For comparison, my average eBay sold price for the same time period (among 715 non-returned/canceled sales) has been $58.
2. I can’t speak to how well vintage clothing sells on Etsy. I think I had a mistaken impression that clothing was a hot seller on Etsy, when in reality the main market on that platform is handmade/customized items (which might include clothing and accessories).
3. It probably took me a couple weeks to get fully used to listing on Sixbit. It’s a little bit of learning curve on how to post items and then how to edit them, set it up so your crossposted items are removed from the other channel when they sell, etc. When I have encountered issues, customer service is quick to respond to emails. They even implemented a feature I suggested for listing on Etsy, which was cool.
4. I wouldn’t say old electronics are a super hot item on Etsy. I have sold some of them and they can fetch a good price, but I don’t think that is the main thing people search for on Etsy.
5. In general, my sales have been fairly random as far as category. Mostly nostalgia items. I’ve sold a surprising number of old empty beer and soda cans, and hats. Stuff from the 80s and 90s seems to do well. Personally, the first thing I did was take my highest price items that were eligible (over 20 years old) and cross-posted them to Etsy (usually at a higher price). Then I moved down the price list of my eBay items. Now, I cross-post most things that are eligible since it doesn’t really take much more time while I’m setting up the eBay listing.
6. Tips:
Etsy;
a. Keep in mind that Etsy does not have store fees like eBay, but they do charge 20 cents per listing (which lists it for 4 months, so it is 5 cents a month).
b. I’ve found you get fewer low-ball offers on Etsy.
c. People on Etsy also don’t seem to get upset when you charge for shipping, even for small/light items.
Sixbit;
a. Use the inventory management features of Sixbit. I had to set up a few custom fields, which was pretty easy to do, and then I formatted my existing inventory in Excel to get it into Sixbit. They have an inventory field built in called “Storage Location,” which is where I put my main rooms where I store things (garage, basement, etc). When it is time to ship, you can print a pick list. I customized my pick list to include my custom fields (one to show which shelf something is on and another to show the bin it is stored). It groups everything by those Storage Locations, so I can go to my garage and find everything there, then head to my basement and pick up all the items in that location, then go to my utility room. Anyway, it makes shipping much easier once you get it set up.
b. I had to change the way I list when I went to Sixbit. I used to photograph everything at once and then edit the photos and create the listings later in eBay. Now, I write up each listing and set the price in Sixbit as I have the item in front of me and am taking the pictures. This makes it easier to note any faults with an item in the item condition. When done, I move the item directly to its final inventory location and input that into Sixbit (using the Storage Location and custom fields I mentioned previously) and then save it in Sixbit. Later, I edit the photos. Then, I simply open up those draft listings in Sixbit, attach the photos, and press submit. It front-loads the work, but also eliminates procrastination.
Here’s my 6-month update. Sales numbers and fees do not include shipping and returns are already removed from the totals. I charge for shipping, so it’s generally a wash.
01-2021
Sales: $1,289
Fees: $202
Profit: $1,087
02-2021
Sales: $573
Fees: $174
Profit: $399
03-2021
Sales: $1,184
Fees: $185
Profit: $999
04-2021
Sales: $1,271
Fees: $267
Profit: $1,004
05-2021
Sales: $908
Fees: $171
Profit: $737
06-2021 (thru 6-9)
Sales: $709
Fees: $102
Profit: $607
2021 Total Profit: $4833
Well, that’s my 2021 stats so far. I currently have about 78o listings on Etsy, compared to 1650 on eBay. I don’t see Etsy ever surpassing eBay for me, but it is nice to have an additional income source. It generally only takes a minute or less of time to cross-post to Etsy using Sixbit, so I’d say the time investment is worth it.
I also up my prices to sell on Etsy versus eBay, sometimes significantly. If I lowered them, maybe I would have more total sales, but I’m not sure. It seems like Etsy has different buyer demographics than eBay, attracting people with more disposable income. Clearly, the holidays are a much stronger time for Etsy (I only had about 400 listings in December, yet my sales numbers met or exceeded the other months when I had far more listings available for sale).
Mapquest route planner let’s you enter destinations and optimize your route.
Yeah, the best eBay sellers are unlikely to participate in this program anyway, since they are making better money doing things like … selling on eBay.
Mile IQ is also a good option if you only need mileage tracking. I’ve been using it for years and it’s very easy to use.
I use Sixbit to cross post my items from eBay to Etsy. You have to get the $100 monthly subscription to sell on both platforms. It usually takes me about 1 minute per existing eBay listing to cross post to Etsy. You could probably do it quicker if you are selling very similar items where you could bulk set some of the Etsy fields ahead of time.
I know List Perfectly and Vendoo are other tools that exist for cross posting. However, unlike those tools, Sixbit manages your inventory. When an item sells on one platform, it automatically adjusts the quantity on the other platform (or ends the item, for single-quantity listings).
I turn on automatic feedback so that as soon as someone buys an item from me, they get feedback. Totally eliminates this annoying problem. You can’t leave a negative feedback for a buyer, so it’s meaningless anyway.
As for this strange person bothering you, I would A) block her from ever buying anything from you again and B) call eBay and see if they can block her from sending you messages.
Interesting conversation. Thanks everyone for sharing your insights. I used to collect basketball cards as a kid, but my collection was recently stolen out of a storage unit. Luckily (I guess), pretty much all of those cards were from that late 80s to early 90s era, so the thieves probably didn’t get much for them even with the recent spike in prices.
Personally, for online reselling, I stay clear of almost anything made with the sole purpose as a “collectors item,” unless I just get it dirt cheap. All of these people jumping into the sports card market are creating a get-rich-quick bubble, and that bubble will eventually burst.
They are definitely not innovating. I signed up in 2014 and I honestly don’t remember them adding a single feature (at least any that I have used) or meaningfully changing/updating the interface at all. I think they do the bare minimum to keep it running. The change to Managed Payments seems to have thrown their systems into a bit of a loop, and they don’t seem in a particular hurry to fix things.
I’d classify GDBK as a Cash Cow for GoDaddy. It’s a steady source of income that doesn’t require a lot of investment from GD to keep it going.
I was going to switch to Wave, but unfortunately, it won’t import from Etsy. Does anyone know an alternative accounting software that will import eBay and Etsy transactions?
I had a similar situation with something outside the return window, and eBay would not remove the negative feedback. I hope that is not the case here. The rep told me that in the future, call eBay and have them close out the case rather than just declining the return. That will block the buyer from leaving feedback.
I guess I’m in the minority, but to me, these MLM-made products are no different than anything sold in stores. Likely made in the same factories. And some people really like these products.
I don’t think I’ve ever used an Amway product, but I have a relative who sells Mary Kay just because she likes the makeup. She sells it at cost for herself and her friends and does not recruit anyone.
I rarely run into an ex-dealer selling their stock for cheap, but when I do, I jump at the opportunity. Don’t buy stuff that is expired, obviously, but a lot of Mary Kay/Avon has no exportation date. I’ve sold stuff that goes back to the 90s and people will want it and use it. Occasionally, I get a return because something has gone bad, but that’s rare. Never been VEROd (knock on wood). I would guess these MLM companies don’t care about discontinued items.
The last time I found an ex-dealer, I filled my entire car full for $100. Discontinued items take a while to sell, but over the next year, I probably made at least $2K.
Anyway, my point is this: MLM product or not, look up the comps on eBay. If the numbers make sense, buy it.
Yeah, I recently started using Sixbit. It has worked pretty well for me so far. Has made crossposting to Etsy much easier.
While I’m not a software guy, I have developed some fairly complex Excel automation using VBA for my accounting job. For a while, was thinking of developing my own solution to managing eBay using MS Access and the eBay Developer program, but unfortunately discovered it was well beyond my expertise. Luckily, Sixbit does most everything I was wanting, plus lots of other features. Just wish it wasn’t so expensive.
I might be kind of slow, but I’m confused by your store name. Are you an accountant who makes movies? It probably makes no difference, but just curious.
My only other thought on your store design is that your banner and side picture are a bit busy. Maybe hire a designer to make a logo for you? Also, I bought a domain name for my store and forward it directly to my eBay store. It makes it easier to put my store link on my business cards or otherwise advertise it.
Anyway, your store looks pretty good to me overall. Good clear pictures, good titles, etc. Unfortunately, I don’t think most people shop on eBay by browsing a specific store.
