Ebay Store/Selling Question...

Jampy00

Jampy00

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Before I waste anyone's time with a lengthy post. Is selling products on Ebay still a thing?
The reason I'm asking is for my legitimate business, similar products to the ones I carry are listed there.
But, most ads seem to be either form Asia or USA, was wondering if it would be worth the time to sell from Canada to Canadians?
I have not used Ebay in maybe 10+ years so I am unsure of how "respectable" it still is..

Thanks
 
Jampy00 said:
Before I waste anyone's time with a lengthy post. Is selling products on Ebay still a thing?
The reason I'm asking is for my legitimate business, similar products to the ones I carry are listed there.
But, most ads seem to be either form Asia or USA, was wondering if it would be worth the time to sell from Canada to Canadians?
I have not used Ebay in maybe 10+ years so I am unsure of how "respectable" it still is..

Thanks
Click to expand...
When I had my online business I posted a lot of my goods on Ebay, but it was secondary to my primary e-commerce site. My sales thru Ebay werea small compared to our own site, but that doesn't count thousands of thousands of Ebay shoppers found my website through my Ebay listings. Amazon wasn't as big of a thing back then but I suspect it is today. So, I'd say it's a better marketing tool than sales channel.

You can't post direct links back to your site however a unique company name will make it easy for customers to find you -- and they will try!

My first choice is a web store. Most modern webstore software can feed Ebay and Amazon as well as Facebook and Instagram.
 
Thanks
I should point out a few things before this post goes off track, this is my fault and I apologize for not being clearer.
My business is B2B and B2C I have an online store (New one coming next year) and use google AdSense, about $1000.00 a month I think.
My thinking was that someone else could run an Ebay store (so no conflict of interest on my part) selling products as a possible side job.
I'm busy enough with the day to day.
Extra sales are always welcome and thought it could turn into something lucrative for the right person..
Amazon is good but they take a huge cut and the taxes are a pain for a few sales. But VERY good exposure.

In reality just thinking out loud and looking for some input etc.
 
Jampy00 said:
Thanks
I should point out a few things before this post goes off track, this is my fault and I apologize for not being clearer.
My business is B2B and B2C I have an online store (New one coming next year) and use google AdSense, about $1000.00 a month I think.
My thinking was that someone else could run an Ebay store (so no conflict of interest on my part) selling products as a possible side job.
I'm busy enough with the day to day.
Extra sales are always welcome and thought it could turn into something lucrative for the right person..
Amazon is good but they take a huge cut and the taxes are a pain for a few sales. But VERY good exposure.

In reality just thinking out loud and looking for some input etc.
Click to expand...
Do a shameless plug of your store here - I doubt anyone would mind.

URL?
 
Ha! No that is not my intention. But if someone is interested in a serious discussion they can PM me and I'll be sure to reply.
 
As a consumer, I vary rarely even look at ebay anymore. Ebay.ca is mostly populated with listings from other countries with huge shipping fees. I logged in for the first time in years to see when my last purchase was. I bought parts to repair a camera lens about two years ago and the next most recent item, a few years before that. I still have some bidnapper credits from when you could snipe auctions and my last bid was in 2010. Ebay is dead to me.

Now, as mike said, it may be a cheap vector for exposure if properly configured. I think your theoretical partner store would be far more successful hawking product on places like facebook marketplace.
 
GreyGhost said:
As a consumer, I vary rarely even look at ebay anymore. Ebay.ca is mostly populated with listings from other countries with huge shipping fees. I logged in for the first time in years to see when my last purchase was. I bought parts to repair a camera lens about two years ago and the next most recent item, a few years before that. I still have some bidnapper credits from when you could snipe auctions and my last bid was in 2010. Ebay is dead to me.

Now, as mike said, it may be a cheap vector for exposure if properly configured. I think your theoretical partner store would be far more successful hawking product on places like facebook marketplace.
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That could be true, I am so out of touch with FB. So that would be up to them. I am in the same boat with Ebay, but I am sure millions still use it or it would not be around..
 
Jampy00 said:
That could be true, I am so out of touch with FB. So that would be up to them. I am in the same boat with Ebay, but I am sure millions still use it or it would not be around..
Click to expand...
It seems to be a place to park overpriced but uncommon things. It costs you nothing so why not. Now that I bring that up, I have a code reader for vespa/piaggio/gilera that I should probably throw up there for a ridiculous price. If someone sends me money, they can have it.
 
GreyGhost said:
It seems to be a place to park overpriced but uncommon things. It costs you nothing so why not. Now that I bring that up, I have a code reader for vespa/piaggio/gilera that I should probably throw up there for a ridiculous price. If someone sends me money, they can have it.
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Pretty sure eBay is much better for what he is proposing then Facebook Amazon would be best but it is very populated with much cheaper product you are selling

Sent from the future
 
Scuba Steve said:
Pretty sure eBay is much better for what he is proposing then Facebook Amazon would be best but it is very populated with much cheaper product you are selling

Sent from the future
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I use Ebay occasionally to sell unique things. that I want others to get use of -- not for profit. I always make shipping free, and build the cost into the selling price. The last few things I've sold:

Fur machine $200
Virago 1100 seat $50
GL1000 side covers $50

I was only bummed out once using Ebay -- I sold a factory TR25 polished alloy tank for $100 thinking only an enthusiast would want one. The bastard buyer relisted and sold it near instantly for $500 using my pictures and description!
 
Jampy00 said:
Before I waste anyone's time with a lengthy post. Is selling products on Ebay still a thing?
Click to expand...

A lot of people have gravitated away from it due to the fee workaround using inflated shipping costs. I'd look into an Amazon store before Ebay.


GreyGhost said:
I logged in for the first time in years to see when my last purchase was. I bought parts to repair a camera lens about two years ago and the next most recent item, a few years before that. I still have some bidnapper credits from when you could snipe auctions and my last bid was in 2010. Ebay is dead to me.
Click to expand...

I bought a NOS Domino clutch lever on Ebay on Sunday. Sometimes it's the only game, especially for vintage Euro moto parts.
 
eBay is really my last resort when looking for something. The stuff that is on there is easily found everywhere else without the huge shipping costs. Once you add the inflated shipping costs its doenst make it worth it.

Recently, I was after a SW-Motech tank bag ring for my bike. Found one on eBay shipping out of Calgary. The item buy it now price was $20CAD, (good price) but the shipping was $30CAD. Killed the deal. I email and asked to pay for actually shipping costs as I knew that Canada Post would have been cheaper than $30. They refused and said they only often flat rate shipping. I went looking elsewhere.

As others have mentioned, its is a good marketing tool.
When I look for something on Amazon (or the rare time on eBay) and I notice that the item is being sold by a smaller/individual seller, I will always try to look for the company name and contact info to see if I can buy from them directly.

I got a great deal on a Yuasa battery like that for my previous bike. Small shop out of Windows area was selling it on Amazon, with a good discount. Figured out who they were, called them up and they gave me the same Amazon price over the phone , even though their website had it for more. I was happy and they were happy that they didn't need to pay Amazon their share. Had it at my door over night.


Having said that what are you selling? Maybe we need what you have....
 
I haven’t used eBay in about 10yrs to sell anything either but I do still check it for some items even recently (and not just obscure items). This summer for example, I bought a 3-pack of Killex (the real stuff, concentrate, not the dumbed down HD available stuff) through eBay from Lawn Canada’s eBay store because it was $50 shipped cheaper than going through their actual online webpage store.
 
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