Tips for selling high values items on Ebay

[Val-E]

So I am all excited because I have just received a MISB SSD for less than retail Price (2013 seals).

 

Now comes the complicated bit which is trying to sell it.

 

I realize that patience is a virtue for this type of set so I plan to advertise it late next year around the launch of the new film.

 

What I am a little concerned about is selling single items worth more than 700 euros on EBay as up until now I have been in the sub 200 market. I have read some great  selling advice on this forum such as making sure to get signed delivery, insuring the shipment, not accepting home collection and blocking buyers with poor account history or from certain countries.

 

Are there any other things to look out for or do? Is it safer for a seller to demand payment by bank transfer or will this just scare away buyers (as a buyer I would definitely want paypal protection for this amount).

 

My main fears are stolen credit cards and people who claim the goods did not arrive or that the genuine article wasn

[rastascoob]

First take every precaution in shipping i.e. insurance, delivery conformation, and require a signature for delivery. I've sold motorcycle parts all over the world on Ebay and only had 1 problem. The guy said what he got was not what was described. He could not prove it was what he said and not what I said so Ebay sided with me. I would take video or pics of you boxing it up so you can show what went into the box and it's condition.

[Guest TabbyBoy]

For what it's worth, I've only been selling expensive items (

[Grynn]

Communicate well and go the extra mile for your buyers. There are some, like me, perhaps, that will annoy you with questions and "demands" but try not to forget that, in the end, you are the one receiving the money and they are the customer. When I sell to someone like that I don't enjoy it but I understand because I've been in the same position.

 

Use well-focused, well-lit photos. Point out any significant flaws in condition (without making it sound like you dug it out of a dumpster). Some of us do care about that...

 

Then package properly. Do your level best to make sure the set arrives for your buyer in the same condition that you sent it. You can't stop USPS from running it over but you can guard against five other heavy boxes stacked on top of it and/or simply being dropped and crunching a corner. $5 or so in shipping materials can save you 5x that in return postage and/or feedback problems, among other things.

 

Absolutely go for signature confirmation but make sure your buyer knows before you ship. My very first sale had a case opened because I didn't warn the buyer of signature confirmation and the package came back to me after two failed delivery attempts.

 

Many have said photos / video of packaging don't matter and I would tend to agree. eBay is so buyer-oriented in disputes it may not help. But it might help you feel better until you get a few big sales under your belt.

 

It's really not so hard, honestly.

[stephen_rockefeller]

All good advice to follow. Just remember that no matter how many precautions you take, you always run the risk of being scammed, that is just the risks involved in selling. I know it seems like scammers run rampant on places like ebay but generally most are legitimate buyers just trying to buy your product.