We all love shiny new gadgets. And sometimes there is that one that you just can’t quite bring yourself to buy. Usually this is because of the price. But guess what? You can have what you want. Use eBay! Now I don’t necessarily mean scour eBay for the gadget, although that is certainly a viable option. There are plenty of great things listed to buy. But in this case I mean find things in your home that you can sell on eBay to raise the money. Set a goal for yourself. Have your eye on a new netbook? How much does it cost? Look for items in your home and decide that you are going to raise $500 for that netbook.
I guarantee you there is something in your home that is of value to someone. Think about it. As a matter of fact, here is what you do:
1. Grab a pencil and a notepad. Then, walk from room to room and write down at least one thing in good shape that you do not use. This could be jewelry. This could be a gadget that was upgraded, yet you held on to the old one. This is could something brand spanking new in a box that you never opened. The possibilities are endless. Think about designer clothes, shoes, and purses.
2. Take your list to your computer. Jump on eBay.com and search for those items to see how they sell. When you search, make a note of how many of a certain item are listed right now. Then be sure to check “Completed Listings”. This lets you see how much items sold for. You will know immediately if you have someone worthwhile.
3. If you found some goodies, decide how you will list. Your main options are to post is as an auction, or to post it as a Buy It Now. Or, you can do both. If you have something brand new in the package, you can very well post it as a Buy It Now close to retail value and it will probably sell. This works well with hard to find items.
4. Work out your shipping. For most items that are not oversized or awkwardly shaped, shipping USPS Priority Mail will work fine. You can log on to USPS.com and get an estimated price on shipping. How do you weigh it? I have a mailroom type scale that my mom gave me a while ago. It weighs up to 50 lbs. There are also digital scales available. You can find one of those… on eBay!
5. List those items and collect that money! eBay now allows you to post 50 items per month for free. You only pay if the items sells. It is a win, win situation. You have nothing to lose.
And don’t forget… take great pictures of your items, and write accurate descriptions.
Happy selling!
Disclosure: This post is part of my involved in the compensated eBay Parent Panel Ambassador program. All opinions are my own.
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