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Q: Selling on Ebay
I've thought about this a lot since arriving in China, but I'm put off because of shipping. I have a competitive edge where I can give the best price as I buy from the manufacturer and don't need to make a huge margin as I live in China but any advantage is quickly torn away when I look at shipping.
An ebay customer previously wanted the best price and would be happy to way 3-4 weeks for delivery, now they want fast delivery and the best price. If I ship a small item such as an MP3 player for example I'm looking at $30 just for shipping.
Anybody else selling on ebay have any tips for still making a profit when selling directly to conumers?
10 years 37 weeks ago in Web & Technology - China
the only way to beat the shipping bill is to buy in bulk and have a accomplice at the other end . I buy on a couple of web sites and get them to deliver to me then I sell pick up only but I have to store the stuff till they buy it , these days it is to hard to do one off items of low value try a low outlay item that you can make good money on and work out the shipping and if it is worth the effort good luck to you
hiddenjelly:
That was my idea, was hoping my sister could help as she is out of work with an RSI neck injury but she's so unwell even picking up a cup of tea puts too much strain on her. Sadly, I've been out of the UK for too long and have lost contact with any friends there I could trust.
On top of the shipping Ebay charges far to much to sell an item. They charge an insertion fee as well as 10% of the selling price. By the time I sell an item and pay their fees it is hardly worth selling on ebay.
hiddenjelly:
They charge 10% now?! That's crazy, I haven't looked at the selling charges for a long time but I didn't think it would be that high and they have an insertion fee as well!
I think I'm gonna give this idea up, too much hassle for too little return!
What are some low outlay items that people can find in China for buying in bulk. I have been thinking about selling on Ebay from China as well. Are there any shipping methods that can make it worth it?
I've seen businesses and offices that regularly ship parcels enter into agreements with China Post where they get 20% off the standard rate (including EMS).
