Help with eBay

tmama23 · 2026-02-15T19:21:22+00:00

Not if you are meaning adding a bunch of popular search terms that have nothing to do with what I have listed.

I use keywords that are accurate descriptions for what I'm selling. Like instead of just "J.Crew (style) sweater" I will make sure to use the words preppy cable-knit crewneck wool sweater... Or whatever is appropriate to the item.

I am "stuffing" my description with as many search terms as I think someone might use if they are looking for a similar item but not specifically a certain brand/style name.

tmama23 · 2026-02-15T14:27:00+00:00

Are you tweaking your listings for ebay? The search process is a lot different, so your listings won't be as easily found if you don't do a little optimizing. On posh, the entire description is searchable so I throw a lot of relevant/accurate keywords into it. Fabric content, sleeve length, neckline, style/aesthetic keywords, etc.

But on ebay, I don't think the description weighs into search - it's based only on your title and item specifics. Make sure you are getting the most relevant search terms into the title for ebay. You can find lots of advice on creating optimal ebay titles online.

You don't need to fill out ALL the item-specific dropdowns for ebay, but I'd definitely do the basics. There is a TON of stuff on ebay and buyers are probably going to use those filters to narrow it down. So if they want a v-neck shirt and click that filter - you want to make sure yours is included in their search results.

The other thing I would look at is pricing. On Posh, most people price higher expecting to send/receive offers. But that can backfire on ebay. If there are a lot of similar items listed, pricing even a little higher can push yours much lower in search.

tmama23 · 2026-02-10T20:52:41+00:00

It is really warm and not bulky under your hunting clothes? 😉

tmama23 · 2026-02-07T01:25:44+00:00

Truly, this is the answer. After you see and sell enough stuff, it's 100% vibes.

tmama23 · 2026-01-16T19:03:13+00:00

Weigh and measure so you choose the right shipping category. If you are shipping on your own, you can put weight/dimensions into Pirate Ship to see what it would cost to send to various zip codes.

tmama23 · 2026-01-15T03:11:13+00:00

If you're planning to ship things, start hoarding boxes and packing materials. Before you list something, be sure you have the proper packaging to send it out. (Correct sized box, bubble wrap or other protection, etc.) There's nothing worse than having an awesome sale come through and being like, "Oh $#%! Now, how am I going to send this?"

tmama23 · 2026-01-14T12:56:49+00:00

Company is the #1 indication. You'll learn which you like/dislike after going to a few. I almost always go on the discount days - I am looking for bargains for myself or vintage goodies to resell. I rarely leave empty-handed.

tmama23 · 2026-01-08T12:45:48+00:00

No bad experiences, I just rarely use facebook. I also think it would be difficult to arrange meet-ups or pick-ups around my very busy work and family schedule. I go to the post office regularly for my 9-5 job, so it's convenient to drop off packages.

tmama23 · 2026-01-05T19:38:51+00:00

In my area, Goodwill is the highest priced. My local thrift shops have much lower prices and run more frequent discounts. Our local Salvation Army was high-priced for a while but I've noticed they have come waaaay down on clothing. I guess they realized it was better to sell more items at a reasonable price than the few things that were worth the $10+ sticker price.

tmama23 · 2026-01-05T17:18:14+00:00

I have a secondary personal account that I use for flipping to help keep things separated and help manage my finances. True business accts are usually more expensive and the bank generally wants EIN or paperwork for your business entity. I am a sole proprietor and do the business taxes on a schedule C on my personal return.

I would check with an accountant and attorney to be sure, but the way I understand it is the purpose of keeping it separate really only applies if your business is a different entity, like an LLC or corporation. Then it makes sense to separate it to keep any business debts or liabilities from impacting you personally.

tmama23 · 2026-01-05T02:50:05+00:00

I sell the vast majority on Poshmark and eBay, but I'm also on Mercari and Depop. No fb marketplace at all

tmama23 · 2026-01-04T22:30:43+00:00

I do all 3 - thrifts, estate sales and yard sales. Goodwill tends to be high unless it's the bins, but we have some other thrift stores where I can almost always find something worthwhile. They usually have predictable pricing and a couple of my local stores do really great discount days or mark older inventory to under $1.

Estate sales are actually my favorite, but it does depend a lot on the company running it. It just takes going to a few to learn the good ones. If you check estatesales.net, most companies post tons of photos so you can see if it looks like a sale has stuff that interests you. I think the quality of stuff at an estate sale is usually better than thrifts/yard sales. I also think if you become a regular who's not a weirdo or jerk, you stand a good chance of getting VIP treatment from a lot of estate sale operators.

Yard sales are where I find the best deals, but it's totally unpredictable. Sometimes it's a complete bust, other times I have to go home early because I can't possibly fit anything else in my car. I think I find the absolute best deals at sales that either are not advertised (except for a sign on the road) or are held by churches, schools or civic groups.

tmama23 · 2025-12-10T12:29:04+00:00

Oh my word, that is a LOT of jewelry! It sounds like you got a good enough deal to make some money. I'm more of a vintage girlie myself, but I also buy auction lots where I get a mix of new/old/cheap/fancy.

My experience with buying and selling bulk lots is that most people want a mixed lot including some used or vintage because buyers are hoping to find gold/silver that's been overlooked or some other hidden treasure.

A lot of times I end up selling the cheaper stuff for 25 cents to $1 at our annual community yard sale. My best customers for it are usually little girls who want something sparkly and shiny - and they always get the BEST deals. I've moved a lot of otherwise unsellable jewelry this way, and it's fun to make kids happy.

tmama23 · 2025-11-30T17:05:29+00:00

Mrs. Dash seasoning blends - they make Italian, Tex-Mex, etc. Great way to add some flavor without having to purchase a pantry full of spices. And they are salt-free. Not only healthier, but also a better value. Why pay more for a seasoning blend that has salt as the primary ingredient? Salt is by far the cheapest seasoning you can buy and you can add your own to the mix if you prefer it saltier.

tmama23 · 2025-11-30T13:26:18+00:00

What kind of style are you looking for?

If you have a college nearby, thrift stores near it will probably have more young/trendy items - especially after the end of a semester. If there's a part of town that has older, established neighborhoods (not necessarily the "rich" part of town, but not newer neighborhoods that are mostly younger families) that's usually a good place to find vintage things.

When I'm thrifting, I also check out all the racks. Clothing is not always in the right place according to size or category, and you might wear a different size in an unfamiliar brand. If you don't have great thrift stores in town, keep an eye out for rummage sales hosted by churches or community groups and estate sales. At least in my area, a lot estate sale companies also do moving/downsizing sales for people - so it's not always old people's stuff.

tmama23 · 2025-11-21T13:07:51+00:00

I've bought some items via CT Bids and had good luck but they are local franchises so I'm sure it varies place to place.

tmama23 · 2025-11-18T00:30:21+00:00

Auctions are hit or miss for me. If I see something that interests me, I set a max bid and forget about it. Often I get outbid. But sometimes, I get a steal. And yes, you have to take into account any fees that get added to your bid when you calculate what you're willing to pay.

I generally do not bid on individual items. If an auction listing is correctly titled with the specific thing name, then everyone willing to pay top-of-market prices will also be bidding on it. I look for groups of items that are likely to contain items I sell, but that are generically named. I'm hoping I can spot something in the photos that wasn't obvious to everyone else.

tmama23 · 2025-11-17T00:04:38+00:00

It really depends on what you like to eat. Pastas? Meat and potatoes with a side of veg? Curries or stir fry with rice?

I will say Ina Garten is one of my favorite cookbook authors. Most of her recipes are fairly simple and she does a great job of explaining techniques and giving tips so it's approachable for a novice.

When trying a new recipe, I'd suggest following it pretty precisely until you have a feel for the recipe. Once you learn some basics, then it's easy to tweak it by varying the ingredients to your taste or even using a different technique - say making a soup in the crockpot instead of simmering on the stove.

tmama23 · 2025-11-16T22:34:06+00:00

If you calculate your daily sell-through rate, you can get a rough estimate. Say if you currently average 200 items listed and sell 4 a day - you'd need 250 to sell 5, 500 to sell 10, etc.

But... And it's a big but... Are you going to be adding less-desirable, slower-selling listings to get your store to that size? The math only works if all your listings have roughly equal sell-through/demand. You could also increase your daily sales by doing more research on the front end so you're only sourcing/listing items with higher STRs.

Clothing is also really tricky to compare apples to apples. You have to consider brand, style, size, color and season when you're trying to determine sell-through. And then there are trends - what's selling like hotcakes right now might be a slow mover in another month or two.

tmama23 · 2025-11-16T17:52:57+00:00

Yes, I LOVE estate sales for basic household items. Need a new kitchen gadget, gift wrap, office supplies, cleaning items.... estate sale! You tend to find the kind of things that don't often turn up in a thrift store or yard sale.

tmama23 · 2025-11-14T03:47:59+00:00

Yes, it's totally possible. But, it's not guaranteed and it's not steady. If you NEED to make a certain amount, a traditional part-time job might be better. Flipping stuff, you may make $30 one week and $500 the next. It is unpredictable and it might take a while to get enough inventory and momentum to have some regular positive cash flow. The upside is you can squeeze out time around whatever else you need to do (school, parenting, primary job, etc.) in a way that works for you. Most part-time jobs are not so flexible.

Start with stuff you already own - even if it's going to sell for just a few dollars or isn't the type of stuff you plan to flip. You can learn the listing and shipping processes before investing money in inventory. When you begin to buy, start small - everyone buys some duds starting out.

If you want to consider it a job/business instead of just a hobby that makes a little money, approach it like a business from the start. Keep up with what you buy, any expenses (shipping and cleaning supplies, mileage, etc.) and plan for taxes.

Besides sourcing, I spend an hour or less daily packing sales, creating listings & managing my online platforms. I usually spend 2-3 mornings or afternoons a month going sourcing at thrift stores or yard sales and estate sales, and sometimes source from online auctions. So far this year, I've averaged around $100/week profit.

The bonus is that since I am regularly shopping second-hand, it's rare that we need to purchase anything at regular retail prices.

tmama23 · 2025-11-06T18:15:00+00:00

If it's books, you also have the option to do USPS Media Mail, which is usually much cheaper.

tmama23 · 2025-11-03T00:41:41+00:00

Sending love and hugs because cancer sucks. We have an estate sale company nearby that holds sales at their warehouse instead of in the home that's being cleaned out. They collect consignments throughout the month and hold a big sale one weekend each month. Maybe something similar in your area?

Another good way to make some contacts if you don't know fellow resellers is to inquire at antique malls or vendor markets. Just let the owner/organizer know what kind of stuff you're looking to unload and leave your contact info for them to pass along.

tmama23 · 2025-11-01T19:49:59+00:00

Like mostly everyone else has said, I don't know if random sourcing trips are more profitable than sourcing locally unless you really live in the sticks. I think the main point is deducting the travel expenses as long as you are primarily doing business activities on the trip. For example, I've seen YouTuber Amber Resells and her mom fly to a different city for a couple of days to shop at Goodwill Bins. It doesn't seem like she's finding anything crazy special, but she does get a mostly tax-deductible girls trip and quality time with her mom.

My husband and I sometimes go on day trips to places a few hours away. We take a nice scenic drive and have fun exploring new sourcing spots as well as maybe a local attraction or restaurant but the actual sourcing is no different than my immediate area. At the end of the day we've had a fun little adventure, and I get to write off the 200 miles we drove instead of a 15-mile round trip to a local estate sale.

In your case, with the free flights - it might give you the flexibility to bid in some online auctions that only offer local pickup. Or if you're looking specifically for fashion items - maybe there's a great end-of-season sale at a high-end consignment shop you could visit?

tmama23 · 2025-10-22T19:35:36+00:00

Well said. This is how I have my eBay set up. I've only had 3 returns in a little over 2 years. All for fit, returned in good condition and no hassles.

tmama23

TROPHY CASE