posted on July 11, 2001 06:50:00 AM
Every time we have a FLD and I spend basically a whole day getting auctions up, I am happy with the results because a high percentage sell. I think even with paying normal listing fees [I spend the 30 cents], listing in volume would be profitable.
BUT
On a regular basis, I can't seem to list enough! I guess it's because my time is pretty limited even though I am a SAH mom with a part-time job. There is so much else I need to do in my day, such as take care of kids! So it seems like my computer time gets used up on sending and answering email, loading photos into goto.com, and packaging orders. By the end of the day I realize I haven't listed much, even though my goal is to list several every day.
So I'm thinking maybe I should try to designate certain days as listing days, and do nothing else except things that might be crucial [in my ebay business I mean!]. Sunday might work, since I don't run to the P.O. By using goto.com I can schedule the auctions to actually load on any day.
I think at least one person mentioned that they do this. Does that seem to help your efficiency? Any other tactics?
keziak
P.S. I'm talking dozens of listings at a time, not hundreds like some of you super-human sellers!
When I had lots more inventory than I do now, I found it easier to do all my scanning/picture taking/pic uploading at once. Then, I would create all my ads (say, 10 or so...or however many you want) at once. Sometimes this would take more than one day....especially with little kids, etc. but, I would spend several hours one day doing the pics, then several hours either that same day or the next doing ads....by the third day, I would have 10-20 auctions I could list all at once, and on the fourth, fifth and sixth days, do the same thing. Then, on the seventh day, when my first set of auctions auctions are ending, take care of all the emails, WBN, yada yada yada. Pretty soon, you have a regular routine set up. Also, when I get a bid on an item, sometimes I pack it up right then, mark on the bottom of box something that identifies whats in it, and when I get the money and address, it is ready to go! (Of course, you can only do this if you know ahead how you will be shipping, priority, or whatever) I am a one person, part time seller, so I don't know HOW the big timers do it unless they have LOTS of help!
posted on July 11, 2001 07:51:17 AM
Good question keziak! I'm a part-time seller with a full-time job - with commuting time, I'm away from home 10-11 hours a day, which really cuts into ebay time.
What I do is this: Over the weekend, I go through my inventory and select 50 items (or item lots) to sell on ebay that week. I try to select similar/related items as these make the photographing and description-writing a bit easier, not to mention it increases the chances of people bidding on multiple lots to combine postage. I research them (checking closed ebay auctions and looking up any other useful information in my reference books & websites) over the weekend, as well as clean them and do whatever prep work is needed (test functionality, etc).
Monday night I take the pics, assembly-line style, and migrate them from my digicam to the computer.
Tuesday night I sort through the pics and delete the ones that I don't want to use. Then I rename the pics, crop them, and rotate them when necessary. Then I clear off the old pics from my server storage space and upload the new ones.
Wednesday I write up about half of the descriptions. Thursday night I do the other half, and upload them (I'm on the East Coast, so a late upload works well for me).
I generally try to run ten-day auctions starting on Thursday and ending on Sunday, but if I get a little behind I'll launch the 10-day auctions on Friday night. Sometimes when I have a mixture of low-end and high-end items, I might launch the low-end stuff on Sunday or Monday as seven day auctions to end on the same days as the 10-day auctions. And some weeks I have to skip altogether - sometimes due to other commitments, sometimes due to a really high sell-through rate that has me spending more time on post-auction activities.
That's my basic system. At least it keeps me off the streets at night...
posted on July 11, 2001 08:05:53 AM
I am so bad at time mgmt! I am constantly amazed at the people who can work full time and do a zillion other things...I only work outside the house about 2-3 hrs a day and am only running a few (20-25) listings at a time these days and STILL can't get stuff done! Unless I absolutely have to, I let so much slide.
Am only disciplined with that which I HAVE TO BE, like after auction stuff...sending eoa emails, thanking customers for their pmt & advising shipment, and getting their stuff shipped in a timely fashion. I keep track of ended auctions with great efficiency with my 3x5 card system...
Beyond that, with stuff I need to do for myself, I have become quite disorganized.
I agree with the photograph thing - I do this with my husband and we spend the day taking pics assembly line style - that means setting up lights and stuff, and getting it all ready - take several hundred pics (we usually have 5-6 per item).
Then upload. I then stick them on my template and write the title, price etc... very quickly, usually during lunch hour at work.
posted on July 11, 2001 08:31:48 AM
The other night when I finally came to bed at around midnight, and my husband nicely asked "Honey, did you get everything done?" I just wanted to scream! "Done??? There is never a 'done' with this job!!!" I left my part-time outside job this spring to replace it with my part-time e-bay. The plan was to e-bay in the mornings, and then have my afternoons and evenings free. However, it's turning into an all-day job that never has an end--because I am at home and find myself doing a million other things in-between e-baying. I find I'm getting up earlier and staying up later in the futile hopes that I can get caught up while everyone else is asleep. I've finally come to the conclusion that as of the first of August I'm taking time off until school starts. Sales are slow anyway this time of year, and summer will be over soon and I want to enjoy at least what's left of it. My solutions for when I come back? (1) My daughter's moving to college this fall so a portion of her room will be used for my e-bay stuff which will help the overwhelming feeling of "everything is a mess." (2) I switched from my free service back to AW because it's quicker, more organized and lets me schedule my auctions for later. Yes, the costs will be higher, but my frustration level will be much less. and (3) I'm having a giant garage sale in August and cleaning out everything that hasn't sold, or I don't want to bother with. That should also help organize things around here. Staying at home to work sounds great on paper, but organizing your work time is definitley harder!
posted on July 11, 2001 08:46:51 AM
I'm a feast or famine type. I make myself do nothing on Tuesday. And Sat & Sun between yardsales early in the day and setting up Sunday's auctions, I work like a dog with little sleep.
The rest of the time, I find that I either get very little done, or I find the "groove" and am incredibly productive.
Some things that have helped: Only listing on 2-3 days a week. Only shipping once a week (I don't hold small checks, so no complaints so far and I mention it in my auctions). When I'm tired, doing the sort of no-brainer things like pics and pic-editing. Answering email once a day, though this can get derailed if I have an item that's got lots of interest. In that case, I do check my email towards the end of my auction. Templates for things I sell a lot of and one general one fot the other stuff. Banking once a week.
Major derail for me: having to pack up an international item and trek down to the PO to get shipping cost for it. Though I do ask them to give me 24 hours to do this, it hangs over my head until it's done.
Major life saver: Meticulous files, both hard copy for A/R and on my computer for my auctions (Pics taken; Pics Uploaded; Ready to Post; Ending 07 XX 01, etc.)
I have no children, and believe me, I admire you folks who can keep track of kids and still do this! I sometimes lock myself in my office just to keep the cats away. I think if I had children, I'd probably missplace them and end up finding them in a box labelled, "Pics need to be taken."
posted on July 11, 2001 08:50:48 AM
Joyce - I also find it hard due to factors beyond my control, esp. the way ebay or the web in general bogs down in the evenings. We are getting DSL...wonder if that will help. As it is, I get up early to do a lot of web work just to make sure I can load my pics into goto while it actually WORKS.
I'm thinking of seriously cutting out evening ebaying [though my auctions will close then] and working out instead. I am gaining weight at this home-based job, which I hear is not unusual because you are ALWAYS at work, in a sense.
posted on July 11, 2001 09:00:34 AM
joyce,
You took the words right out of my mouth.
Same EXACT thing here.
I have nothing listed right now as I'm reorganizing(garage thread gave me incentive).
I'm having a HUGE garage sale at the end of the month when my daughter comes home from collage(I have to make room for her to sleep), she can help me with the sale.
I think for me it was the caous(sp)of being disorganized that was making my time very unefficient.
I'm determinded to have my act together so I can put everything I got into xmas sales.
posted on July 11, 2001 09:01:17 AM
A small scale and the USPS website will let you get the international postage rates - at least save you a trip until you have to MAIL the package.
I make my PO runs on my lunch hour because the PO between work and home is open from 8-5.. and I work 8-5... If I can't make it, I send my husband - who is slowly being trained to help out with my auction stuff.
I check my email frequently during the day, in case of questions or half.com sales, so I can confirm promptly.
All my inventory, packing supplies, etc are in the closet by my computer, and I usually have items set aside and ready to go once payment arrives, so that speeds things up a bit.
Most of my time the past week has been MAKING items to sell - I'm diversifying into handmade items, and am frantically trying to keep up with sales.. 8) Opened my storefront on Saturday and right away made 5 sales - so I'm sewing away to get them done before payment arrives. Hopefully I can find a niche with these kinds of items to help when the Pokemon area is slow - like it is now.
posted on July 11, 2001 09:11:38 AM
Triggerfish, LOL.
Katiyana, I do have a scale, etc. I don't at all trust the International Calculator (though the domestic one works fine). I've seen other posters also have probs with this. One has to print the info out and take it when s/he goes to the PO because they invariably want to charge something different. My derail has the benefit that the Postal worker writes the weight on the pkg, and the price/prices available to mail it. Since this is a small town, I know that I'm locked in - she knows her handwriting.
posted on July 11, 2001 09:14:28 AM
I'm about the same way. I used to try to list some each nite, but that was too much of a hassle. I garage sale on saturday mornings when I have time, and spend the week taking pics, writing descriptions, etc. I list them all on one day. The most I've listed at once was like 70, I've only been selling on ebay for a couple of months.
These folks definitely know what works best!
posted on July 11, 2001 09:45:05 AM
excellent topic keziak,
I'm a bookseller like you, and substitute a couple great danes for kids and we're in the same boat!
I've finally gotten myself orgainized, but my auctions took a two week hit in order to do it...short term loss for long term gain.
I spent several days scanning my books, I found I can fit 3 paperbacks or 2 8oct. size books on the scanner to reduce scan time, when I get to the photo editor, I duplicate the pics and edit each one (this is a real time saver for me)
Once I've scanned all the books, I create a master file named that days date, and then create subfolders for each of the auction sites I sell on, then save the photos in the appropriate folder. Once saved, the book titles are alphabetical, and I stack the books the same way. And begin with the descriptions...I have 2 standard templates, one for paperbacks another for hardbacks.
I make another folder for templates to match the photos, and I'm ready to list.
I try to keep my daily listing to around 6 items, that allows me to manage my post auctions easier, and when an item sells, I take a few minutes to open the photo & desc. folders and delete...I then save the rest to a disc for relisting later down the line. Because I stopped and took the time to do all this...I have close to 500 books ready to list, and now I scan one day, prepare descriptions the next, alternating days cuts down on the boredom factor.
Organizing my inventory was another must! Since I had folders for each auction site, I realized it also made sense to have a separate bookshelf for each site (as well as a separate bookshelf for sold items). I keep the auctions segragated which eliminates a lot of confusion, and when a book sells, I know right where to look to find it. If it doesn't sell, it gets restocked to the wall to wall library shelves.
The bookshelf for post auction items has been a real timesaver...auction ends - I send eoa to buyer and the book goes to bottom shelf, buyer responds, book moves to middle shelf, payment received, book goes to top shelf and is ready to ship.
It may seem like a lot of extra work, but once I got it all in place, I found I could manage all my auctions in almost half the time.
posted on July 11, 2001 09:56:07 AM
As others have pointed out, you have to manage your time shipping as well. If you send USPS (like I do), it frequently helps to shop around for a Post Office. I'm very fortunate in that the I work in a building with its own postal substation, so I can ship most packages on my lunchbreak. Sometimes I have to go to the regular PO since the substation can't take international packages. There's a suburban PO about a mile away from where I work, but they get so many customers (especially over lunchtime) that going there automatically means kissing 20 minutes goodbye just standing in line. OTOH, there's a PO about four miles up the pike located in an industrial park just off the highway. I've never had more than two people in line in front of me there, and when the line gets that deep they call out another desk person! It's great! Putting a few extra miles on the car is nothing compared to saving all that time and frustration. So if you ship USPS, do yourself a favor and find the hidden Post Office gem that nobody else seems to know about - you'll be doing yourself a favor!
posted on July 11, 2001 10:19:00 AM
There are several things I've learned over the years:
Digital camera vs. scanner - When I started, it was all done by scanner. That is way more time consuming. I purchased a Sony Mavica, straight from taking the picture, to diskette, to computer!
Auction management program - Definitely a must have. I use the Ebay Seller Assistant program. I try to launch auctions for 7 days starting Sunday, but during the week I can work on a few at a time, and then launch them all almost with the click of one button. This also reduces so much time in notification, feedback, etc. What took hours now takes minutes
Assembly line mentality. Like someone else said, I do things together, so I will take 30-60 pictures, then ftp them to the server, then write the descriptions all together. Not a good idea to take one picture, send the picture to the server, and write the description. Seems to take longer.
Having DSL or a Cable modem really speeds things up too. If you haven't switched and you can, then switch!
