babebay
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posted on August 21, 2001 06:41:29 AM new
I was approached by my father to sell an item which I estimate to bring $2500-3500 on eBay. I have no inhibitions about the item itself, I can sell it with the same confidence as if it were my own.
I estimate a total of 10-12 hours of my time preparing it, taking/editing pics, researching/writing the ad, doing eMails, etc.
We agree to start at $.01 and no reserve and he'll pay all listing/final value fee's.
What is a fair/average % to ask for a commission rate?
We appreciate any input.
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RB
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posted on August 21, 2001 06:44:52 AM new
For your Dad? Zero, my dear 
For a friend? Maybe 10 to 15% ...
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packer
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posted on August 21, 2001 06:52:31 AM new
How about a Steak Dinner!
packer
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babebay
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posted on August 21, 2001 06:53:51 AM new
OH no, please don't get the wrong impression of me! I agree with you 100%
I offered to do this for nothing. He insists on paying. This is our way to find a fair solution!
He's watching this post and he'll be the one to decide. I'm not trying try to squeeze a few bucks out of my Dad!
I should have mentioned that fact in the first place!
Did I type that out loud???  
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packer
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posted on August 21, 2001 06:57:42 AM new
Well, a lot depends on his finacial statis.
Is he retired living on his retirement and barely making it.
OR..is he pretty well to do and self sufficent.
My dad lives on his meager pention checks from month to month. So for me to charge him to sell something would be totally selfish of me.
packer
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xellos
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posted on August 21, 2001 07:02:57 AM new
i would say......10% would be good.
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buyhigh
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posted on August 21, 2001 07:09:05 AM new
I would say that since he insists, have him take you to dinner. He is giving you his time and paying for both dinners. That should be sufficient considering all that you have no doubt received from him in your early years.
buyhigh
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RB
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posted on August 21, 2001 07:44:06 AM new
I agree with packer and buyhigh ... ask him to take you out for a nice dinner. That will be "time well spent"
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lowprofile
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posted on August 21, 2001 08:54:05 AM new
""10-12 hours of my time preparing it, taking/editing pics, researching/writing the ad, doing eMails, etc. """
You have to be kidding...I have sold many items on Ebay of all shapes and sizes...if you put that many hrs into 1 item...you need to have a look at what you are doing.
As for your Dad...teach him how to sell his own items...I did this with my Dad..who is retired..and he is loving it...it took me only a couple of hours to teach him...you would then have 8-10 hrs free time ...
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Libra63
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posted on August 21, 2001 09:00:26 AM new
I agree with everyone. Charge him 0. Go out to Dinner and have a good time. Dads are special. I wish mine was still around. If he insists on paying, charge him exactly what it would cost you to put it on ebay. i.e. listing fee, FVF, maybe Gallery. I wish you and he good luck and I hope you double that money....
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sadie999
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posted on August 21, 2001 09:01:13 AM new
Well if it were my dad, I'd probably charge him $50/hr plus 40% commission, but you probably have a better dad.
Dinner sounds good. Or just wait until all is said and done, throw the ball back in his court, and ask him what he wants to pay.
10-12 hours? Is this the real estate section? Just kidding, but I am curious as to what would take 10-12 hours to list.
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thekismeme
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posted on August 21, 2001 09:02:33 AM new
Do you have any kids? If so ~ might I suggest that Grandpa do for your children instead ~ take 10% of the money and make an investment or buy bonds for college........my parents have done this since my kids were born ~ and I really appreciate it.
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kolonel22
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posted on August 21, 2001 12:09:42 PM new
What is a fair/average % to ask for a commission rate?
To babebay – I wouldn’t charge dad a red cent.
To Dad – Take babebay out to dinner. That’s enough.
Health & happiness
"The Colonel"
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Linda_K
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posted on August 21, 2001 12:39:39 PM new
I agree. 0 % Tell him this is your way of saying thanks for the many things he's done for you all your life.
And to babebay's Dad - Please try to work at accepting your daughters offer to do something for you when she's able to.
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soldat2
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posted on August 21, 2001 01:00:00 PM new
Group me in with the others...........
....your auction costs and a nice dinner!
Our parents did countless things for us growing up and never expected to be paid back.
We have done the same thing for our kids.
This is a great opportunity to do a little well deserved payback!
Also, what sort of 'item' requires 10 hours or more of effort?
(I think the most that I have ever had in 1 item is maybe 2 hours total)
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smw
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posted on August 21, 2001 01:02:21 PM new
My Dad isn't here anymore so I am going to substitute Mom.
Quite some time ago I made a standing offer to my Mother that if she ever came across anything she wanted to sell I would be delighted to list whatever it might be for her. I made the offer because I didn't want to put her in the position of having to ask me to sell something for her. The thought of what commission to expect didn't and wouldn't occur to me. I take great pleasure in doing things for my Mother that make her happy.
But all families aren't the same, and it could be that what would make your Dad happy is making sure you receive a commission. If you believe this is what you should do, it doesn't make it wrong, it only makes it different.
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skeetypete
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posted on August 21, 2001 01:03:06 PM new
damn 10 hours is alot of time....10% of the gross sale price sounds fair especially if the final bid is actually that high
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MrsSantaClaus
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posted on August 21, 2001 01:24:49 PM new
Dinner out would be about right. Of course, if you have small kids his taking them out to McDonald's would be an even better idea
Whenever Mom tries to pay me after a few back and forths I usually just hand the money to the kids in front of her. That settles the arguement
If you have no kids, a dinner out together sounds like just about the right fee.
BECKY
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rowane
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posted on August 21, 2001 01:29:16 PM new
If you have kids, have Dad take them overnight, that can be priceless! If you don't have kids, dinner sounds great.
Or, sell this one for him gratis, then show him how to sell on ebay as someone else mentioned. My father has found a new love in going through his closets and selling on ebay; he calls me to talk about presentation and wording, and I can hear the excitement in his voice when he calls in the last few minutes of an auction, seeing the prices jump as he hits the refresh key.
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nicepolice
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posted on August 21, 2001 02:34:30 PM new
Dinner is a good idea. But even better would be for the two of you to spend some time together doing something fun. How about a ball game? Or get tickets to an upcoming football game! What a fun way for a son and father to spend time!! Or, does your dad have a special hobby? Try to make the "day out" something that would be particularly interesting for him. HAVE FUN WHATEVER YOU DO!!!!!
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outoftheblue
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posted on August 21, 2001 03:16:12 PM new
It sounds like your dad wants to make it a business transaction. In that case 25% is not unreasonable.
Most shops that sell things for you on commission charge 35% - 40%.
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kyms
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posted on August 21, 2001 05:30:20 PM new
If it is just this item I agree that a nice dinner is good, but I'd let him pay all the fees...
I made the mistake of offering to sell some things for my Grandmother in January (only charging the fees, and half the time I ate most of those too)...To make a long story short, I now sell all her stuff on Ebay. My shed is full to the ceiling and front to back with books and records. Being a recent widow and short on cash, she is always asking about business and it is really hard to make her sweet forgetful mind to understand about NPB's, Summer Slump , and PC problems...if things slow a bit she thinks "the bottom fell out" and all her stuff is worthless....
I love her with all my heart and will continue to list for her as long as she wants, but it does take time away from my full-time Ebay business and it can be a strain on your business and nerves..
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capotasto
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posted on August 21, 2001 06:37:21 PM new
"I should have mentioned that fact in the first place!"
Not to worry, most posts on AW are incomprehensible and lacking necessary facts.
But 10 hours? You gotta be kidding -- or trying to impress Dad.
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naru
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posted on August 21, 2001 07:22:41 PM new
Relative percentage plan:
Mother: 90%
Father: 55%
Brother/Sister 50%
Aunt/Uncle: 40%
Distant cousin from Australia who never ever calls: 2%
Base it on how annoying your relative has been and tack on an additional 10% for any member of your family who has borrowed the lawnmower and never returned it.
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BabeBay
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posted on August 24, 2001 05:07:46 PM new
Thank you everyone for your feedback on this subject.
Just to update you, I hung up the phone with him only minutes ago after reading every message to him and the first thing he said was "you need to let them know it's a camper and the 10-12 hours you'll put into this is because you need to detail it."
My Dad insists that this be strictly a business deal. Trust me, I'm not being greedy, he considers it insulting if I don't accept a commission. You'd have to know him to understand, but you guys are giving me some great ideas about what to do for him with the money since he's so stubborn!
We'll tally up the %'s suggested and do an average - I hope you'll all agree this is fair.
Did I type that out loud???
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labrat4gmos
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posted on August 24, 2001 05:55:48 PM new
Hi,
I am jumping into this a little late...as usual.
I sell for my parents, have been since I first started selling on the web. This had to be a business arrangement for them, or they wouldn't do it. It gives my Mom, who is now retired, something fun to do. They do not have a computer at their house, and don't want one. She loves going to country auctions and is good at sniffing out great stuff.
I charged 10% at first, but they found out how much research goes into some of their antique items though my siblings. I then raised it to 20% and will leave it there.
Many of the items we have been selling so far on Ebay are small collectibles, so I make about 2.00 to 4.00 an auction. I pay for wholesale supplies mostly. Mom gets alot of free peanuts from friends, and my Dad went to a business auction and bought some great boxes, so it all evens out.
I usually list half mine, half theirs. But, all the money I am making has been left in my bank account and won't be taken out. So if they ever need help, it will be there for them. LabRat4gmos
[ edited by labrat4gmos on Aug 24, 2001 06:00 PM ]
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BabeBay
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posted on August 24, 2001 06:50:41 PM new
labrat: That sound's like a fair deal.
My Dad has the same attitude afa respecting the time it takes to do all the work as well. If I never shared what is involved setting up an ad before this was brought up, he'd most likely think the way most people who never sold on eBay do & then offer 10 bucks since it seems so easy!
I have to admit it feels good to be respected by the man I owe almost everything to. I'm happy to do this, and since I know he'd never spend a dime on himself, I'm looking forward to coming up with a creative way to spend every dime I "earn" from this sale to show him I respect him too.
Did I type that out loud???
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pbussa
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posted on August 25, 2001 06:03:37 AM new
I sell for my Mother and charge her nothing and I pay all the fees. Lest I can do to repay her raising me all those years. I wish my Dad was here yet so I could do the same for him. Parents are priceless.
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vogeldanl
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posted on August 25, 2001 06:11:11 AM new
No charge for pops. He has already paid plenty!
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BabeBay
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posted on August 25, 2001 07:49:50 AM new
Some of you guys are getting the wrong idea about me - but can see why if you haven't read my posts...
My Dad is the BEST! He has no PC, so I'll edit my posts when I read what's been said since I last updated him on this thread...
I WILL NOT keep any money he pays for my services... It will go toward something nice like a trip to Adventure World with the family or something - I'm still working on a plan.
But I still want to come up with an average % to let him pay me - gimme numbers you guys! (please)
Did I type that out loud???
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