New Ebay seller - need advice

mandarkk said:

No help, rip D:

Share your secrets and advice please, but not all at once now!~

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1. When you reach the $600 threshold in sales, you need to provide your tax identification number or SSN to eBay. The rest will be handled automatically by eBay in terms of tax reporting. You don't need to worry about this part!
2. You can definitely use your existing eBay account without any issues. However, as my advice, try to use 2-3 accounts. eBay can easily suspend your account, so it's good to have backup options for risk mitigation.
3. Usually, with a new account, competitive pricing is almost necessary to attract buyers. But try to source inexpensive items from places like Goodwill for better results.

RRunner said:

When you say "unbranded" do you mean generic toys like stuffed animals and crayons or do you mean counterfeit like knock-off spiderman action figures and Disney costumes?

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mandarkk said:

Hello!
I am based in the USA. I am planning on ordering items from China and getting them shipped to the USA and selling them on ebay. I have identified a niche, found who I think is a decent supplier and ordered samples.

My questions for experts are as follows:
Q1 ~ If I order items worth 1-2kusd, can someone explain to me what the customs/duties/taxes/reporting measures I need to take in the USA or point me in a direction.
Q2 ~ My Ebay account that I plan on using is my own personal account that Ive sold some things on or use to buy items. Is that okay? Do I need a new special account and reason not to use my own personal one that is very old.
Q3 ~ I have identified a niche where I think I can make a profit but my Ebay profile is still very inexperienced. Is it advisable to:
~3.a - Sell items at break even or loss below competition to try and get some ratings?
~3.b - Sell items as auctions at a loss to try and get some quick sales?

Will those two tactics get me some sales or is the algorithm just too skewed and even if I undercut myself I wont get a sale? I.e I am not expecting to be making money for the first few months, I am mostly just focused on leveling up my profile. Even if it means taking a 15-30% loss on investment if it means I can get many sales and understand the end to end process.

Please let me know and any other tips you might have for me.

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