Program Will Offer Tips

On Cashing In On eBay

By Nancy K. Crevier

There is an art to buying and selling on eBay, and teaching others to perfect that art is the mission of Newtown resident Kerri Cartelli. Ms Cartelli, an eBay education specialist, will present two workshops at the CH Booth Library, Wednesday, September 24, at 1 pm and again at 7 pm, on “How To Sell On eBay.”

The free workshops will cover the ins and outs of eBay, including tips on selling, setting up a seller account, using Paypal, and the best way to list an item. For those who can bring along a laptop, Ms Cartelli will assist in setting up an eBay account on the spot.

Ms Cartelli has been buying and selling on eBay for six years. At that time the former teacher found herself at home with two young children and one on the way, but wanting to contribute to the family finances. “I got a digital camera and I periodically would sell the kids’ things as they outgrew an item, and I liked it. So I started selling more regularly,” said Ms Cartelli. By selling, she gained experience to share with friends and family and others who were not sure how to get started.

“Then I went online one day and saw that eBay had a program to become an eBay specialist,” Ms Cartelli said. After completing the course, she received her certification in January of 2008.

“Teaching others how to utilize eBay allows me to pass on practical experience that people probably won’t pick up for awhile by just going to eBay to sell,” she said.

Selling on eBay has a lot of positives, according to this specialist. “There is so much stuff out there that is just thrown away, so eBay is a great way to recycle items. Stay-at-home moms are always weeding out, and retired people have a lifetime’s worth of items stashed in the attic. It’s the perfect part-time job. You can sell on eBay at any time of the day or night, you can go away on vacation and not worry about it, and if your kids are sick or if you are sick, you don’t have to go in to work. You determine how much you will make,” she pointed out.

Nor is most income from items sold on eBay taxed, although sellers who purchase warehouse lots for resale may be subject to taxes. “It’s always best to check with your attorney if you aren’t sure if you should be charging tax or paying taxes,” she suggested, “but most people are just reselling items they have already paid taxes on, like a tag sale.”

Charitable and other groups hoping to fundraise can set up a virtual tag sale on eBay, she said, something that she herself will be doing in the near future to support the local Donate To Skate organization. “It’s easy once you know how, and a great way to make some money for your favorite organization,” said Ms Cartelli.

At the September 24 workshop, Ms Cartelli will share the different techniques needed to be a successful seller on eBay. “Everybody has something different to sell online, and there are different things that work for different products,” she said.

For those who lament that they have nothing to sell, Ms Cartelli has news for them: “Everyone has stuff to sell. The buyers are out there worldwide and with the weak American dollar, the international market is huge right now.”

In order to sell successfully, though, a seller must be willing to sell. “Remember, people who go on eBay are looking for a deal. If you expect to earn top dollar for the items you list, you will probably be disappointed. Research the items you list; know what it is, and what it is worth online. If you work at selling on eBay and treat it like a job, you could potentially make a fair amount of money. It all depends on how much you want to put into it,” she said.

Selling an item is great fun, said Ms Cartelli, but then the item needs to be shipped, and that is where beginning eBay sellers are frequently confused. “Determining how much to charge for shipping is an issue for new sellers,” she said, “but it’s all practice, like anything else. You have to expect to make a couple of mistakes.”

Ms Cartelli hopes that the library seminar will help people leap over any obstacles to selling on eBay, but for those who are unable to make it to the workshop she also does small group workshops and will go to homes to get people started. For $50 an hour, she will walk a person through every step necessary to get going on selling. Generally, it takes no more than two hours to set up an account and become fairly comfortable with the process, she said, but her charge also includes a month of service during which clients can call her or email her with any concerns, she will answer all questions, interpret the Paypal payment system, and otherwise support the new seller.

“I will also sell items for people. If I do the handling and shipping, I charge 40 percent of the selling price; if the seller stores the item and ships it, I will list it and handle the computer end of selling for a 25 percent charge, ” Ms Cartelli said.

Doing It Yourself

Newtown resident Jane Brymer and her partner Roy Meadows have found eBay to be a helpful venue, learning what works best for them on their own. Ms Brymer and Mr Meadows are both collectors, and Ms Brymer also conducts estate sales. “I started doing it for myself,” said Ms Brymer. “EBay is a good way to sell duplicates of collectibles or to upgrade our collections,” she said. Along with antique coffee grinders, Ms Brymer collects measuring tapes from the 1920s and 1930s, and Mr Meadows is a collector of ironware.

As part of the estate sales services she offers, Ms Brymer will also use eBay in conjunction with an onsite sale. “Sometimes there is an item or a group of items that I think have universal appeal, and I will sell it on eBay,” said Ms Brymer. But selling one-of-a-kind items on eBay can be a lot of work, she warned.

Selling a piece successfully means photographing the item, doing a write up, and figuring the costs of packaging. “Packaging is very important. The item you ship must be packed very carefully and very tightly. Remember, that box is going to get tossed around a lot on its way. And if it breaks on the way, you are going to be stuck taking it back. So really, unless you have an item that you believe is worth over $100, I don’t feel it is worth the effort,” Ms Brymer said.

“To use eBay as a second income is tough. You need some sort of an inventory of an item that can be repeated, like old camera equipment or a line of discontinued shoes, that sort of thing. Then you’re not spending so much time photographing and writing. Honestly, though, I don’t know how a person could make a living doing this,” she said.

 If a person believes he or she does have a unique sort of item that will sell, she recommends researching the piece thoroughly before offering it online. “If you know it will bring a good amount of money, then it is worth your time,” she advised. “There’s an excitement in selling on eBay,” Ms Brymer admitted, “but I don’t think I’d quit my day job.”

Ms Cartelli agrees that to make a living by selling on eBay is a challenge. “To make a full-time living you would need to access wholesalers and have an inventory,” she said. “And sell what you know,” she advised. “If you like music or sewing or whatever, that’s what you should be selling. If you’re not selling what you like, you will burn out pretty quickly.”

But with the right knowledge on how to sell, the eBay experience can be a great outlet to earn extra income, she said. “I like to teach people how to sell on eBay because it is so great to run into someone who has taken a workshop and they are all excited about something they have sold on eBay,” Ms Cartelli said. “There are plenty of people who don’t think they can sell on eBay, but they can do this. It’s fun.”