Ebay: Home-based business review 

Pros and Cons-   We successfully sold unique items on Ebay: a batting cage and a pitching machine.

The Good
My first venture into this site happened upon recommendation from a dear friend. She knew that I adore coordinating my children and that I have no qualms about second hand. Terri had experienced many positive purchasing experiences and was delighted to recommend her… um… addiction! What a mixed blessing this proved to be!

Positive attributes of this online site include such benefits as clothing your children (in nice clothing, high quality, and good pricing), acquiring discontinued toys, locating hard to find items, and reselling those items you no longer desire to own.

The Bad
The most profound negative can be the dishonest seller and/or buyer. Fortunately this has only occurred approximately three times with me. While there have been a handful of other instances, those all worked out well.

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Another downfall is that the bidder may become addicted to the bidding process, thus purchasing items they don’t really need. Or the buyer may engage in bidding wars and end paying much more than what a sensible purchase price would be. I highly recommend that you firmly decide the top dollar you are willing to pay and stick to it.

I sold a Gymboree hat last Easter for $45. My initial purchase price, two years ago, was $10. While the profit margin was nice, I must confess that I nearly felt guilty. But, demand spoke, I supplied, and buyer & seller were pleased. Is this bad???? Perhaps, but not really. After all, the buyer was ecstatic that they acquired a very hard to find hat in excellent condition.

Buying
You will need to follow a clear path for registration. The steps are explained and easy to achieve. Once registered, you will be able to bid and make purchases. It is highly recommended that you check the seller’s feedback prior to bidding. Don’t be discouraged by one or two negatives on a member with 50 or more positives. Trust me when I tell you, that these are sometimes a retaliating negative from a buyer who didn’t follow through with the bid. Do be certain to look for signs of fraud, misrepresentation, and mean-spiritedness. I avoid these sellers.

When placing a bid, decide if you need to insert the highest price you are willing to pay – or if you will return later to check the status, and then insert your highest willing purchase price. There is often an advantage to bookmaking a preferred purchase and returning closer to auction end for bidding purpose. Utilizing this ‘wait’ process will sometimes allow you to close the purchase at a lower price. Sometimes I put in a really low bid, and return 15 minutes prior to auction closing. This sways the interest of some, or relaxes them into believing there will not be a returned bidder.

Use care when entering a purchase amount! There have been many times I have won an auction at the last moment by a few pennies (see those measly IS pennies are good for something * wink *). Say, I want to pay no more than 10.00…… I will bid 10.07, and win by 7 cents. This is just an example. Most members will only be bidding in 25 cent, 50 cent, or 1-dollar increments.

Recommended?  Yes, this site is easy to navigate, user-friendly, and truly an attribute if you use caution. I have saved hundreds of dollars by purchasing gently used items at eBay. Further, I have made hundreds by selling at the site. I speak to you mostly from experience with regard to clothing and toys. So apply the information as applicable.