Ask Me Anything about selling on eBay

[ebay3r]

I'm making a 300$ a month via dropshipping. I'm just getting started. So my question is, what should i do the money on my paypal account? I have over thousand dollars there. I think, when i withdraw them to my bank account, the tax man will get interested of my incomes. So should i laundry these small amounts of profit? It sounds pretty ridiculous if i'm making profit 200$ a month, that i should donate almost half of it to taxes. I have heard that there shouldn't be much money on paypal account, since they will limit them sometimes for no reason, and then you cannot get your money out in 6 months

 

[phpmates.com]

Paying eBay 12% of your sales exposes your listing to millions of buyers. You can spend $4K setting up a super nice custom website and you will get like 10 visitors a day. I know, because I have done it. The biggest reason why your own website would fail is because it fails to attract traffic, and being on eBay solves that problem. I would recommend custom website before eBay only if you have a super niche product where buyers find you.

Hi,
My question is about the traffic?! I think, I wouldn?t get even these 10 visitors if just started on ebay like a newbie!
For example, selling an item on art niche with key words "original painting" on the title, will face 281,235 listings search results for that niche.

So, my listing will be on 281,236th place on the search results, eventually!

How do you get traffic to your listings on ebay?
Do you use some researching kw tools for ebay search results, for your titles?

Thanks

 

[toml3030]

If it keeps up, its going to turn in one of those threads where a user must read through hundreds of unrelated posts just to find their golden nugget or they end up asking questions that has already been answered because they don't want to read every unrelated post. No good.

I don't mind if people who look at dirt and go away because they're too lazy to dig.

 

[toml3030]

hey OP tom whats the biggest size package you order and wont order any larger because of customs when shipping by dhl or ems?

please give me the dimensions and weight thankyou

The biggest shipment I have ever received was about 600kg in about 20 boxes about 40cm x 40 cm x 30cm.

also do you order multiple packages all at once from the same supplier in China? or do you waut a couple of days between each package?

I get same shipment about twice a week from the same supplier. I have not had any problems.

 

[toml3030]

Hi, I'm willing to start selling digital products on eBay.

I don't recommend selling anything that doesn't have a delivery record by a delivery service.

 

[toml3030]

I think, when i withdraw them to my bank account, the tax man will get interested of my incomes.

If you have a stealth account, there isn't much risk of getting the tax man after you until you get the 1099 form from paypal.

It sounds pretty ridiculous if i'm making profit 200$ a month, that i should donate almost half of it to taxes.

If you're paying 50% taxes you are doing something wrong.

I have heard that there shouldn't be much money on paypal account, since they will limit them sometimes for no reason, and then you cannot get your money out in 6 months

Generally you don't get limited for no reason. Most of the people who get banned gets limited for selling fakes or having some other problem with what they sell, doing something wrong with a stealth account, or ramping up too quick.

 

[toml3030]

I think, I wouldn't get even these 10 visitors if just started on ebay like a newbie!

Yes, like every other newbie.

For example, selling an item on art niche with key words "original painting" on the title, will face 281,235 listings search results for that niche.

Remember, eBay rewards titles that gets into specific search results.

How do you get traffic to your listings on ebay?
Do you use some researching kw tools for ebay search results, for your titles?

eBay shuffles listings according to your sellthrough rate and defect rate you you are limited in what you can do with tools

 

[password01]

Hey tom,

I just noticed that I have one late delivery on my seller dashboard. Because I am dropshipping from Amazon I can see that no orders have been delayed. I am low volume right now so can track.

I did read before that this is a problem with DSR. Buyers can anonymously, attack your account.

It sucks, is that the case and is there anything that I can do about it?

Thanks in advance

 

[Kawgy]

Hey tom,

I just noticed that I have one late delivery on my seller dashboard. Because I am dropshipping from Amazon I can see that no orders have been delayed. I am low volume right now so can track.

I did read before that this is a problem with DSR. Buyers can anonymously, attack your account.

It sucks, is that the case and is there anything that I can do about it?

Thanks in advance

Nope there isn't much you can do about it as of now, but starting 2/20/2016 you don't have to worry about DSR and feedback affecting your defect rating. Ebay is removing it completely.

 

[ProfessorDD]

1. Do all listings by "Top seller" account have a significant advantage in search listings?
2. Is there a way to get to eBay recommended products for a white label product if you are not a top seller?

 

[toml3030]

1. Do all listings by "Top seller" account have a significant advantage in search listings?
2. Is there a way to get to eBay recommended products for a white label product if you are not a top seller?

1. I see marginal improvement in visibility personally as a "top seller", but not enough to worth promising people same day shipping. I would guess that this is also related to what yous ell.

2. what do you mean "ebay recommended products"?

 

[JoeleTech]

Hi Tom,


Do you worry about ebay using referral URLs to link accounts?


For example, inkfrog assigns each user a unique url that includes our seller id. Even though we aren't logged into the ebay account, do you think ebay use the url to link the accounts?


Also, what do you think about the links in our emails? Is it safe to click on them directly inside the email?

 

[ProfessorDD]

1. I see marginal improvement in visibility personally as a "top seller", but not enough to worth promising people same day shipping. I would guess that this is also related to what yous ell.

2. what do you mean "ebay recommended products"?

1. If you send in 2 business days, you cannot be a top seller?
2. I mean eBay sends e-mails to me when it tells "Recommended products" and shows products similar to what I searched. I am wondering how products get to these lists.

 

[toml3030]

For example, inkfrog assigns each user a unique url that includes our seller id. Even though we aren't logged into the ebay account, do you think ebay use the url to link the accounts?

They could, but they don't. AFAIK 3rd party API based apps are safe, unless you want to get someone manually digging. The problem with inkfrog is that it's buggy and I'm not sure I trust the software.

Also, what do you think about the links in our emails? Is it safe to click on them directly inside the email?

you should never open an email from eBay outside eBay for security reasons

 

[toml3030]

1. If you send in 2 business days, you cannot be a top seller?

You have to offer 1 days shipping with 90% of your listings to become top rated, unless that's changing in February.

2. I mean eBay sends e-mails to me when it tells "Recommended products" and shows products similar to what I searched. I am wondering how products get to these lists.

I believe that's paid product placement.

 

[habibg]

i want to ask you

will you work for me

 

[ebay3r]

If you have a stealth account, there isn't much risk of getting the tax man after you until you get the 1099 form from paypal.

You mean getting a stealth BANK account or...? Well that is not pretty easy, because i don't live in the US.

If you're paying 50% taxes you are doing something wrong.

You know the tax rates depends from the country you are living in, so it varies a lot since i'm not from the United states..

 

[big black snake]

The biggest shipment I have ever received was about 600kg in about 20 boxes about 40cm x 40 cm x 30cm.



I get same shipment about twice a week from the same supplier. I have not had any problems.

ok thankyou on the largest 600kg package you received do you mean 1 huge box with 20 smaller boxes inside? was it dhl or ems? did it come from China?

and on the shipment about twice a week from the same supplier in China do you get the 2 packages on the exact same day of the week or do you get for example 1 package on monday and then the second package on a thursday ?

 

[toml3030]

ok thankyou on the largest 600kg package you received do you mean 1 huge box with 20 smaller boxes inside?

it was 20 smaller boxes of 30kg each

was it dhl or ems? did it come from China?

This was a rush job so it was air freight. If you go above about 10-20kg, it's much more cost efficient to use ocean freight.

and on the shipment about twice a week from the same supplier in China do you get the 2 packages on the exact same day of the week or do you get for example 1 package on monday and then the second package on a thursday ?

They ship whenever there is enough orders to fit in a box.

 

[toml3030]

You mean getting a stealth BANK account or...? Well that is not pretty easy, because i don't live in the US.

I mean stealth eBay/paypal.

You know the tax rates depends from the country you are living in, so it varies a lot since i'm not from the United states..

I know it's different depending on different countries, but how US business tax works is that you can do a lot with creative accounting. I can show $25K profit or $250K profit on $500K of sales depending on what I need to show.