Ever since it’s beginnings back in ‘97 or ‘98, eBay has been a favorite of mine as a source of income. Most of the time I sell because I enjoy it, not really to make money but just to get rid of stuff, but there have been a few times when I made a full-time living from my eBay endeavors.
The best thing about eBay is it's reach: there are millions of users, from all over the world. What is not popular here and now maybe is somewhere else, who knows? With eBay, you get to find out.
The less fun thing is how eBay seems to take it's sellers for granted even though we pay ALL the fees. Somehow buyers are more important in their view, I understand why but it’s still annoying.
Speaking of fees, I just got my invoice for this month, and it seems that everything included, I gave about 13.6% of my money to eBay. Rough, but not the end of the world. If my volumes were higher, the percentage would be less, and I could fiddle with the shipping to lower it still. Not worth the time.
NOW, HERE’S THE MEAT.
The easiest way to make money on eBay is to sell stuff you already own. You would be surprised at how much stuff you have lying around that you don’t use. Take a hard look at everything and decide if you’re better off with the item, or with the money of the item. I’m betting that in most cases, it’s the money. In my own case there are few items of sentimental value that I’ll be keeping - for now - but otherwise pretty much everything must go.
“Stuff that you don’t need, probably never even look at or use, and that is already paid for is the best kind of inventory. The free kind."
Do I really need this old Rod Stewart T-shirt from 1988? I bet I don’t!
Look at my office and don’t tell me there’s at LEAST $5,000 waiting right there to be plucked.
I DON'T USE ANY OF THAT STUFF!
The thing is, it doesn’t happen by itself: it’s a matter of taking pictures, listing items and dealing with the nitty-gritty of packing and shipping. You may also have to do a bit of customer service.
THE BOTTOM LINE.
Never throw anything away before seeing on eBay if there is somebody that is buying something that looks like your old stuff. Use the eBay app on your smartphone to facilitate the process.
As part of my Simplicity Project, I’ll be writing many more articles about the decluttering process that I am currently involved in. It’s about more than the clutter in my office, it’s more about my soul and emotional well being.
How much do you usually get a month by selling old unused stuff?
Well it really depends on the month. Anywhere from $100 to $500, easy, sometimes you luck out with an item that's unexpectedly profitable.
Decluttering is good for the soul. I am in process right now. It feels so good to get rid of bunches of stuff that I haven't used or won't use in the future. For example: I have boxes of stuff I haven't unpacked from when I moved from Canada to central America 17 years ago! Why I'm hanging to them, I have no idea. What's in those boxes is even a better question...
The realization eventually comes to all of us THAT. WE. ARE. NOT. OUR. THINGS. Things are objects that take our time and energy and attention and eat our souls. Read my introduceyourself post and it'll give you an idea of what I'm dealing with. This little office is nothing, I could see everything in it and it would barely make a dent in the problem.
I will go and read the post. Thanks.
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