Fees for private sales have been eliminated, the new motto on eBay is “Let it go. Free”. We show you how to sell superfluous household goods on eBay.
In almost every household there is something for sale, classified ads have been increasingly placed on eBay classifieds in recent years. Because there is an easy-to-use app with a high reach and there are no fees for selling on the platform.
After the separation of eBay and eBay classifieds, they apparently want to win back this “neglected” target group and surprised the market in March 2023 with the campaign “Let it go. Free.”: Since then, there have been no fees for sales from private individuals.
Reason enough to take a closer look at eBay’s service. Since “3,2,1…mine”, the older ones among you will remember the eBay claim, so the author has been registered with eBay since February 3rd, 2001, 22 years after all.
Update April 12: eBay is automatically relisting
Real business only started in the last few seconds at the auctions of the time, that’s how I remembered it – and so it was hoped to the last that the seating group would still be sold.
But before disappointment could spread, eBay accepted the offer for free automatically re-listed – if desired, this can even be done with a 5% increase on the starting bid, this option is now also activated. One principle is very important:
Better to offer too expensive than too cheap.
wisdom of the ages
Because while in the first case you can still correct and offer cheaper, in the last case the damage has already occurred with the “successful” sale.
And another option is now activated from the start: the ad for 2.99 dollars. In the “My eBay” area you will find evaluations of the initially placed advertisement:
eBay ad traffic history
On April 5, for example, the offer was only found 14 times organically, and 13 ad-financed views were added. The ad was able to compensate for the declining organic interest in the auction.
Now the auction is waiting for bidders and buyers again, updates will follow!
Price adjustment eBay auction
Selling on eBay: Let it go. For free.
The author of this article only used eBay for sales as long as there was no free competition with eBay classifieds. Since then, it feels like hundreds of ads have not appeared on eBay, but on the ad portal of the same name. Since there have been children in the household, after all a decade, there have been more – actually always between 10 and 30 ads at the same time.
let go for free.*
Advertisement
Everywhere there is something to “silver”
There is probably something to “silverize” in every household. In most cases it is convenience that prevents sales. A spur-of-the-moment purchase quickly turns into a stumbling block, heirlooms gather dust in the basement and in the attics. Possible costs when selling are certainly a hurdle in many cases.
It can pay off if you push yourself – and listing an item is a breeze even if you’ve never been on eBay before and are starting from scratch.
A few years ago, a seating group made of teak wood was purchased with the house, which has always been “leftover” and is now to make room in the garden.
Silver rims*
Advertisement
Ebay seating group teak before
Why sell on eBay?
But why exactly should you change your habit and start selling (again) on eBay in the future?
Selling on eBay has been completely free since March 1st, 2023. No ifs and buts. There is no longer a sales commission for private sellers.
More information about being free of charge on eBay*
Until the end of February, eBay charged a sales commission on a successful sale. This has been completely eliminated since March 1st for private sales. Fees may only apply for additional options. This allows offers to be highlighted and made even more attractive for buyers. An additional option is B. a subtitle in the search results below the offer title or the start time planning.
create free ads*
Advertisement
Selling on eBay is safe
eBay sellers (and buyers) are fully protected from:
- events beyond your control
- Non-Payment of Auction Proceeds
- Abusive Buyer Conduct
Ebay consistently protects you from receiving a neutral or negative rating if the reason for this does not fall within your area of responsibility. eBay consistently pursues abuses, negative and neutral ratings are removed again if necessary, or the business partner is prevented from being able to submit a rating at all.
sell safely*
Advertisement
eBay has the reach you need
If you have something to sell, there are various platforms and channels available. From the advertisement in the local edition of the daily newspaper or the advertising paper to regular flea markets in your region.
There are a number of factors to consider when choosing the right platform. The example of the teak seating group with a total weight of almost half a ton shows that not all options are always possible anyway: the seating group cannot be offered at a flea market unless you limit yourself to posting a photo.
But the photo is then not only much smaller than the seating area – and for that reason alone it is less conspicuous: the range at a flea market is logically limited to the visitors of the market – and even not all of them will take notice of the offer.
In addition to the advantages mentioned, selling on eBay offers above all the range of millions that you want for your offer and a suitable shop window: if the best price is to be achieved, the offer must be presented to the widest possible audience – on eBay!
use the range of millions*
Advertisement
Advertise on eBay
The best argument for eBay, however, is the provider’s decades of experience and the associated convenience when creating offers. Many years ago the author of this article stopped selling on eBay because of the toll-free alternatives. The comfort that one enjoys when creating offers on eBay has been forgotten over the years.
Because eBay thinks along when creating the offer, from the right category to the right offer price – and gives appropriate and valuable information in many places. That a “Buy It Now” price should be 40% above the starting price of an auction, for example. But there are many other hints and tips that eBay has in store for sellers.
- Fixed price or auction? On eBay you have the choice!
- Use up to 24 high-quality photos
- Find the right price
- Help in choosing the shipping service
- Choose a meaningful title
The practice: selling on eBay
After eBay has provided so many tips for designing offers, no questions remain unanswered and the implementation of theory into practice follows:
- Cleaning and preparing the item for sale
- Create high-quality recordings
- Choose the offer format and additional options if necessary.
After using a root brush and a few hours of time, the visually unattractive seating area became a real eye-catcher again:
Teak seating group eBay cleaned and prepared
And with eBay’s virtual sales assistant at your side, the finished offer on eBay can be created from the images and suggestions in no time at all:
Finished auction on eBay
The teak auction is now running for ten days, ending in the evening, following eBay’s recommended bidding time. We will keep you up to date here on whether the offer can turn the discarded household item into a few thousand dollars. In the meantime, you can place an offer on eBay yourself – it’s still the weekend, a good time to sell – if the offer ends in a week, it’s Easter – a good time to shop.
even sell the household*
Advertisement
Update April 4, 2023: 65 views, 10 observers. Recommendations from eBay
With a selling price of almost 6,000 dollars and a starting bid of 4,250 dollars, a quick sale was not to be expected. The auction is now running for a week and eBay has recommendations ready.
On the one hand, there is an offer to place an advertisement for the auction for a one-time fee of EUR 2.99:
eBay: Ad for 2.99 dollars
The offer promises a higher visibility of the ad and thus an average of 48% more views than with an ad that is not advertised – higher sales opportunities. Given the prospective sale price, we gladly accept the offer and are curious about the effects.
eBay also recommends adding “additional item specifics”. About the length of the table and whether it can be extended. The reason: not a few use these characteristics in the search mask on eBay to search for properties that are only found if they were entered by the seller when creating the offer.
How much does it cost to sell on eBay?
Selling on eBay is free for private sellers. Small fees apply for additional options and sales to customers outside of Germany.
How do I create an eBay account?
We have described this in this tip.
What seller protection do I have?
When buyers treat you unfairly or rate you, and also about things beyond your control (shipping delays, tracking issues, weather-related delays), Seller protection applies.
How do I set my selling price?
The virtual sales assistant gives you a recommendation based on similar items sold. You can also find out the current selling prices of similar items yourself by selecting “Items sold” in the eBay search. How you set the price of the item depends on whether you’re offering a fixed price, a buy it now offer, or an auction. With the new payment processing, all payment methods are automatically offered. Your earnings, minus the adjusted fees, will go straight to your bank account no matter how the item is paid for. Bank details do not have to be shared with third parties.
This is how the new payment processing works on eBay
Getting paid on eBay is easy. Buyers can choose between different payment methods, eBay manages the entire payment process and the seller gets the money directly into their bank account.
let go for free!*
Advertisement
Don’t miss anything with the NETWORK-Newsletter
Every Friday: The most informative and entertaining summary from the world of technology!
Table of Contents
