Selling on eBay 101 - A quick guide for selling used clothing, shoes and accessories on eBay

A reader recently emailed me and another commented seeking tips for selling clothing on eBay. I hope I don't come across as teaching grandmother how to suck eggs (since so many of my readers already successfully sell on eBay)... but regardless, here is my version of Selling on eBay 101.

The beginning of my eBay selling adventures

I have been selling on eBay since 2006.  I started to sell bits and pieces when I realised one day that I had no more storage space to add to my rather large collection of shoes (approximately 120 pairs at one point), so I had to get rid of some to justify buying any more.

One of the first things I sold on eBay was a pair of boots that I had been storing under my bed for two years after purchasing them. I recall buying the boots for $8 at one of Myer's generous take-a-further-90%-off-the-reduced-price sales. The boots were quite trendy for their time - a slouchy camel suede stiletto boot, but a little too big for me.  Believe it or not, but the boots sold for $210 after I starting bidding at 99 cents! As you can imagine this really fueled my eBay selling passion and all of a sudden I started eyeing off what else I could sell to make (back) some money. The rest, as they say, is history.

Is selling on eBay worth the effort?

Although eBay is not as lucrative as it once was due to the poor economy and most bidders looking to get a good bargain, you may still find that it's worth your while.  Below is a snap shot of my selling totals from earlier this week:

Based on the numbers above, this equates to roughly $36 dollars per item.  Some may say, that this is not worth the hassle... well I wish I were in their shoes! For me, if it wasn't for eBay, there is no way I could justify continuously replenishing my wardrobe. With three mortgages, car loans and bills to pay, not to mention planning home improvements, an overseas holiday and a family in the not too distant future, eBay is my saviour and I am thankful that people buy my stuff!

Getting started

Before you get too excited culling and photographing your items, I will point out that you need to register as a seller on eBay and also have a PayPal account.  If you do not, it's easy to register for both. Each site provides clear and easy instructions.

Building a reputation before you start selling

If you have never sold or purchased anything from eBay, before you start selling, I recommend that you build a little reputation for yourself. Buy an item or two (not expensive) just to get some feedback.  Having some positive feedback helps potential buyers feel confident that you are a not a troll or a robot and that you are capable of following through with a transaction. If you already do have some feedback as a buyer, then you are good to start selling!

Terms and conditions

You may also like to consider drafting some terms and conditions.  You may include information on payment, postage cost and your policy as to combined shipping and international bidders, keeping in mind that eBay policies and terms and conditions will overwrite these, if they are inconsistent. It's all well and good to make sweeping statements about when you expect payment and threatening to open an 'unpaid item case' immediately if payment is not received; but keep in mind that eBay allows buyers 4 days from auction end to submit payment before a seller can successfully start an unpaid item dispute.

Photographing your item

Always have clear and multiple photographs of your item from all angles.  I usually photograph the garment from the front and the back. I photograph the label and any details including flaws. Details may include the lapels on a jacket, the texture of the fabric, any pockets or zips and buttons. Flaws may include any stains, pulls and holes etc.  I try to take my photographs in natural light.

You want your photos to be the best possible representation of your item. The photos will help protect you against disputes and from receiving negative feedback on the basis that the item is not as described. It's unfortunate, but there are a minority out there who are fraudsters. A person such as this will receive your item in perfect condition, but complain regarding a non existent flaw to try to get a refund. Cover your bases.

I've noticed that some people only ever post stock photographs of the item that they are selling. Although it's nice to see the item how it was originally marketed, I like to see the actual item being sold when shopping on eBay- especially if the item has been used (eBay has recently implemented new policies about this). On this basis I do the same for my bidders when listing my items - clear photos of the ACTUAL item that I am selling. Also be aware that some companies actively protect their intellectual property rights and if caught using their photographs eBay will be notified by the rights owner and your listing will be taken down.

Preparing an item description

There are two schools of thought when it comes to item descriptions... "less is more" and "more is more".  I'm of the "more is more" school of thought.

First. Clean your item! Receiving a smelly and dirty used garment in the post is not pleasant. Do not sell dirty garments.

Be honest about the condition of your item in your description. Don't try to pretend that a flaw isn't there.  If you can see it, so will your buyer. I would rather deal with a buyer who is pleasantly surprised by the condition of my item than one who is disappointed. Look out for deodorant stains, seam slippage, pulls and general stains.

I almost always provide measurements for the item that I am selling. Although providing measurements does not always prevent potential bidders from asking stupid questions about fit, it does prevent 5 questions asking for item measurements.  I take measurements of my items lying flat (e.g. across shoulders, armpit to armpit, across waist, rise, across hips and length).  I always try to provide an inner sole measurement when selling shoes and if the inner sole is inaccessible, then I provide my foot measurement and a description of the fit on me.


Your item has sold. Now what?

1. Send your buyer an invoice - generated from your eBay sold items dashboard.
2. Wait for payment.
3. Once payment has been received, pack (always use tissue paper) and send your item! 

I am guilty of recycling tissue paper from Net-a-Porter... that's some expensive tissue paper right there!

I hope that this post was helpful for someone out there.

Please let me know if you would like me to write about any other aspects of selling on eBay. For example, have you set your buyer requirements strictly to reduce your number of non-paying bidders? Or how about tips for chasing payment and opening unpaid item cases.  If you never have opened an unpaid item case, you should start, not only will you get back your final value fees (if the buyer does not pay), but it ensures that the buyer requirements tool functions for all.

Happy selling!

June: a month of extreme culling and shopping

I toyed with the idea of commencing this post with my name followed by the declaration that I am a shopaholic... but I will not. I will save this opening sentence for another month.

In June I culled over 30 items from my wardrobe.  My eBay tally from these sales exceeded well over $1,500.

I'm not sure how much I spent on new additions to my wardrobe, but I can guarantee that it was less than the above mentioned amount because I have some eBay proceeds left over.

Pictured below are just some of my purchases.  One is being worn to death, one was culled tonight, one has proven to be less comfortable than I imagined and one has not yet been worn. Can you guess which is which? What I am trying to illustrate here is that 2 years on from commencing my ideal wardrobe journey, I still make mistakes when shopping.

Witchery knit (culled) , Mimco scarf (worn to death), Witchery leather front leggings (still with tags) and A.P.C. booties (disappointingly uncomfortable).

Apart from these purchases, I also bought a chunky Country Road cardigan.  This cardigan was culled tonight, as well as the Witchery knit, after I decided that chunky knits should only be worn by those who are not so chunky.

Also hanging in my wardrobe next to the unworn Witchery leggings, are my unworn Everlane purchases - two silk shirts, four t-shirts and a cashmere cardigan. I'm looking forward to wearing these, but lately, due to the long mentally exhausting hours I've been putting in at work, I grab to wear what's easy and familiar. All the things I wore last Winter... why do I even bother shopping for new stuff?

Images sourced from: www.witchery.com.au, www.mimco.com.au and www.shopbop.com.

May Purchases... Thank you eBay saved searches!

Do any of my readers utilise eBay saved searches? I do and this is the second month in a row where something I have been looking for for months has finally turned up. Maybe due to the wardrobe culling trend taking the world by storm? And maybe this is was my sinister plan all along... to write about how good it feels to cull and eBay and then snipe all your culled bargains on eBay.

Anyways, back on topic, May was another lean month in the spending department (possibly I was subconsciously preparing myself for the blowout that June would prove to be - more on that another day). I have spent just under $200 and added the following items to my wardrobe:

Weekend by Jane Lamerton striped short sleeve top, Witchery long sleeve leopard sleeve sweat and Country Road 'Sian' biker boots

The Country Road boots are the same style that I took to the US with me last year and then unceremoniously culled (maybe a little before their time) to make room in my luggage for all the shopping that I did.  I have missed them a lot, but now I have them back!  The morning of the auction ending I set two alarm clocks to remind myself that I had something to bid on and and then I patiently sat in front of my laptop and sniped them in the last seconds. I was red faced and my heart was pounding and my boyfriend thought I was a lunatic... but I got them in the end... I got them! So happy.

The Witchery Philip Lim knock-off leopard sleeve sweat, found on the sale rack, was acquired using mostly Witchery reward vouchers and it is for wearing around the home. I'm now on the hunt for some funky tracky-dacks (tracksuit/sweat pants) to go with it.

I found the Weekend by Jane Lamerton navy and white striped short sleeve top during one of my de-stressing lunchtime "walks". There was only an 8 and a 14 left on the rack (reduced to $25 from $59.95) and I opted for the 14 for a loose look. Given how happy I've been with my three quarter sleeve Jane Lamerton tops I bought last year, I think this was a good buy and it is unlike all my other striped tops.

Edited to add:

Don't know how eBay saved searches work?

You can save your searches on eBay.  You will be emailed daily (if you so elect) when items matching your search terms are listed.

After entering your search terms in the search box, simply click "Save Search" (circled in red below):

A pop-up window will come up where you can elect to be emailed daily when items meeting your search terms are listed:

Never miss an item you have been searching for!

Images sourced from: www.eBay.com.au, www.witchery.com.au, www.countryroad.com.au (archives) and www.myer.com.au

March... Bumper eBay sales but only one wardrobe addition!

In the month of March I sold in excess of $2000 worth of old stuff... 67 items to be exact.  When I say old, I mean clothing sporting the old Country Road label and pieces by brands long forgotten.  I also sold some coveted pieces from years gone by, such as the Chrissie coat by Lover the Label and the "Twiggy" dress by Sretsis.  Gone are also a number of items I had been hoarding in my so called 'twilight zone' - I decided it was time to let go. It feels so good to be free of this stuff!

After paying off our enormous credit card bill for March which included things for the home and a number of indulgent nights on the town in February, I only had enough spending money left to buy one item... the following dress from Country Road:

If you are like me (a little fat from eating too much cheese) and enjoy filling your wardrobe with lots of boring pieces, I implore you to go and try this dress on. It is so amazingly flattering on!  In it, I look two sizes smaller than I really am... the size label on the dress is two sizes larger than all the stuff I sold.  It really is a great dress.

February... Wardrobe additions and finally putting a dent in my cull pile

I'm still here... still culling... still eBaying... still shopping!

For the last couple of weeks I have really focused my energy into finally photographing and listing all my culled items.  It's a massive task, but seeing racks and tubs of stuff which could crystalise into cash was really starting to grate on me.  So just the other day I spent 5 hours washing, ironing, and photographing, before finally sitting down to list the items on eBay.  I presently have 41 items on there - the most ever!  This after already having sold a fair few items over the past couple of weeks.  I'm actually getting rid of more stuff than I'm bringing into the house lately, which feels awesome!

Some items are surprisingly popular, while others are just sitting there looking like they might not sell.  6 years ago, had I listed a bulk lot of Country Road and Witchery tops, bidders would be falling over themselves to try to secure a bargain. Today, my listing has 1 watcher. That's right, 1 watcher!  I smell a recession...

Anyway, part of the reason for my furious eBaying is that in February I completely exhausted my eBay kitty which I had diligently saved since last October.  I also spent all the Myer One vouchers which were burning a hole in my wallet (so much for saving them for a new laptop).  Although I've done my bit to keep the economy spinning, it makes me officially poor. Well, poor in the sense that I can't buy what I want anymore (a first world problem, I know. It's not like I actually need anything).

So what did I buy, I hear you ask:

1. T.L. Wood dresses x 3 - the sleeveless ones are so comfy like you would not believe and machine washable too. I also think the black spotty one will look good layered in Winter.
2. SABA white t-shirt - I actually don't really need this, but I bought it to make up the amount to be able to use a $50 voucher SABA sent me. It's loose and comfy.
3. Country Road embellished shoulder 3/4 sleeve top - I was tossing up between the navy and the khaki stripe and ended up going for the khaki to wear with my taupe IM Dickers as the matchy-matchy element of my outfit.
4. SABA breton tops x 3 - I love these.
5. Country Road black ballet flats - the jury is still out on these.
6. Rag & Bone "Newbury" knee high boots - I stalked these online all season. 

I will sign off on this blog post as I always do and say that my pant and skirt wardrobe is severely lacking.  Although I am moving forward in that I did have a bit of an Oprah light bulb moment today whilst trying on all the skirts in Country Road. I realised that I shouldn't even go there until I lose some weight. It's pants for me for now...

Staggered Springtime culling

So it's Springtime here in Australia, and my wardrobe is in desperate need of a Spring clean.  I would love to stage another all out assault on my clothing, shoe and accessory collection like I did earlier in the year, but for the time being while my weekends are mostly spent out on the road searching for the perfect house, I will be staggering my culling.

This week I am waving goodbye to a Country Road dress - Lord only knows why I opted for the khaki colourway instead of the grey, two pairs of gorgeous flat boots which although I love the look of, I just don't wear, a Country Road shirt and drapey skirt that taunt me "you are fat" and an ACNE blouse which would look better on me if I was 10 years younger.

All of these pieces are for sale on my eBay page along with a few other goodies culled by my Mum and Aunt.

Additions - Hello Robert Clergerie Platform Sandals, Goodbye Mimco Wedge Booties...

I bought these Robert Clergerie platform sandals the other day:

I couldn't go past them given the bargain basement price and especially since the black version of the same shoe was still ticketed at $755! They are quite comfy and stable to walk in... and now all of a sudden I can't wait for Summer again.

As per my culling strategy this year, to make room on my IKEA Billy shoe shelves for this new acquisition, I culled some Mimco wedge booties... they are listed on eBay already... along with a few other things.

The cull diary - bags and belts

Today's efforts saw me tackling my handbag and belt collection,  managing to cull 2 shoulder bags, 3 clutch bags and 10 belts.

For the record, this brings my cull tally to 208... including the Bettina Liano skirt I culled last month (donated to my Mother by the way).

Sadly I have decided to let go of my Mulberry Emmy bag - beautiful as it is, it sits on it's shelf hardly used.

If only it was black not brown...

I'm also moving along one of my Chloe bags.  It is well loved but in need of a new home as I have started to look at it and resent it that it's not a different bag (I can be a real cow sometimes).

It's not you, it's me...

I spent the rest of the day washing, steaming, ironing and photographing clothes for eBay.

To tell you the truth I will be happy to see the back of my wardrobe culling and eBay listing efforts. I feel like it has taken over my life (or at least my spare time).  The next few days will see the remainder of my Summer items listed, and prior to leaving for overseas I hope to find the time to schedule some Winter listings to finish upon my return.  I foresee that the cash injection will be welcomed as I expect to be broke upon my return from my holiday :)


ETA: Make that a total 213 things culled since starting this blog.  I forgot to include a further three pairs of shoes I culled (there are actually a couple more pairs on the chopping block) and a couple of dresses that were sitting in my "to mend box" for the past year. Clearly the task of mending them was too arduous for me, so out they went!

Where the culled things go...

I don't know what took me so long, but I have finally decided to link my eBay seller's page to this blog..

Now you can actually see for yourself exactly what it is that I'm culling and selling and the true extent of my past shopping addiction.  I say this jokingly of course.  I was never an addict - just footloose and fancy free when it came to shopping.

I'm not encouraging you to buy my stuff (but please do if you see something that will fill a gap in your life)... instead I'm encouraging you to looking inside all of the nooks and crannies of your house (starting with your wardrobe) and to purge everything that does not add value to your life.  Sell all of this accumulated "stuff" and instead add value to your savings account.

The rewards of culling and selling...

I think the rewards of wardrobe culling and selling on eBay are not apparent until one sits down to calculate the total dollar amount of what has been sold.  A dollar here and $20 there may not seem like much, but before you know it that new purchase which made you feel a little bit guilty has basically paid for itself with eBay proceeds!

Towards the end of last year the sale proceeds of 13 dresses, a pair of pants, a pair of boots and a belt *almost* covered my purchase of two gorgeous jackets... an IRO cropped boucle jacket and an Etoile Isabel Marant tweed blazer:

Isabel Marant on the left and IRO on the right - both gorgeous, but neither lined!

What would you rather... 16 items that you no longer wear for various reasons, hanging around in your wardrobe taking up space and causing you frustration each morning you go to get dressed, or a couple of items that you have been lusting after?

Also just out of interest I calculated that my most recent eBay sales (up until this last week) *almost* covered my entire Net-a-Porter order made earlier this month.  I say *almost* because eBay and PayPal fees are a killer.

It's high Summer here in Oz, but I'm already hanging out for Winter to wear my new Winter woolies!