People who shop on Ebay are wanquas

[The People's Hero]

I was painfully honest in my descriptions, but positive - if that makes sense.

i.e. "Something looks used" = "It is highly usable and is easy to operate"

I gave full and frank answers to every question, responded very promptly and set up an 'About Me' page - all of this lends TRUST and FAITH IN THE PRODUCT. If people are buying something they haven't seen off a person they don't know then the one thing they need is some kind of proof that they will receive it and it will be OK. The 'about me' section lets them get to know me, the feedback gets them to trust me, the honest and prompt detailed answers get them to trust the product.

This places a premium on what they would otherwise have been prepared to offer, they will extend their upper bid level as a result.

Now, I am not dumb - I am not going to say "This lens cost US$75 new and I am expecting £10 for it". That would be rank stupidity...because I expect them to do a bit of research BEFORE bidding.

But people are people...and people are dumb. People competing against other people to "win" and product are even dumber.

In my opinion, if you want something off Ebay then you fix an upper limit to what you are prepared to pay, enter it into Hammersnipe and sit back without making a single bid.

Always place your item up for auction for 10 days and schedule it so that it ends around tea-time on a Sunday...this gives the late Saturday night pisshead and the more subdued chap in his cardy a chance to ramp the bidding.

Always make your replies to questions appear on the site - it ups the ante for people. They get taken over by a sense that they 'must win' and lose sight that they are just making a purchase.

I hit a Bank Holiday weekend and had three self-confessed camera noobs all trying to outbid each other on stuff they didn't know the true value of. That's not the end though - because I wanted to give them added value, so all items were boxed in a "Really Useful Box"; these things aren't cheap, but it beats the crap out of receiving a cardboard box. I use paper from the shredder (inside ziplock food bags) as wadding...and everything gets sent Special Delivery, unless I forget .

In the end I banked £1,730.34 and paid £64.70 in postage: Not bad for an auction I expected £500-odd from.

The final thing to add is that you can sell almost anything to people (see Rule 1 about them being dumb). Sometimes you have to bite the bullet (I sold two items for 1 penny) simply because the bulk of the stuff returns silly profit.

I'm seriously considering doing this as a business sideline.

And yet no one wants my high quality jade!

[Trumpet]

I sold a game account on ebay, people who play the game would pay around £200 for it. Anyway, sold it for £100 buy it now, they paid instantly. Went work, came home and theyd took the money back on paypal. I told paypal they had the account, which they didnt, although they did have the opportunity to get on and change the password but strangely enough - they didnt. So im hoping paypal give me the money, it'll serve the scamming bar steward right!

[Dr The Singh]

And yet no one wants my high quality jade!

That's the issue, if you sold low quality jade, or jade remnants, you would have sold out!!!

[Thracian]

I think quality items are difficult to sell on Ebay - especially those that are easily broken or lost.

There is a market out there for reliable parcel handlers who care for things, who know their staff and who don't take on thieving casuals.

[The People's Hero]

Yeah... this stuff needs to be on a market stall and be touched and seen to really be appreciated I suppose.

[Thracian]

Yeah... this stuff needs to be on a market stall and be touched and seen to really be appreciated I suppose.

But on a market stall they don't usually get the research and background they get on the net all written down for their reassurance.

I had a piece on recently that belonged to the Pre-1st War British Ambassador to Ceylon - together with provenance - and it didn't even get a bid!.

Yet something you can find almost anywhere ends up fetching close to a oner. There's no predicting anything.

Pal of mine had a nice surprise though. He put a little beauty on and chanced to look at it just before breakfast a couple of Saturday's back.

Turns out the item he'd rated at £400 fetched over £8.000. I won't say what it was - but I've sure got my eyes peeled!