Mental Murmurs

admin December 20th, 2007

I’ve been selling on eBay for a while now because we’re moving and I’ve dug up a lot of old stuff I don’t find value to anymore… They are mainly CDs and DVDs, but there are tops and stuff also.

So, I’ve found many CDs and DVDs (my mum and) I want to get rid of for a small fraction of the price I paid (I seriously don’t expect that much), got on my boyfriend’s account feeling a little nervous because I have no idea how much postage would cost, if anyone would bid on it, if the CDs are too old and unpopular, the normal thoughts, etcetera.

Despite doubts, I went ahead and listed a DVD anyway. Since I was inexperienced, I listed it for $5, with $4 postage fee. First time round, didn’t sell, and I lost 50c for insertion fee and 10c for buyitnow fee. But it said I am entitled to relist for free. So I did.

Second time round, I sold it.

YAY! That’s GREAT!

Wait.

I checked paypal (electronic banking thing) and it charged me 61c for accepting the payment of $9. Ok…

Next thing, I went to post office, the lady at the post charged me $4 and $1 for the padded bag. Damn, I only charged the guy $4 *reluctantly digs $1 from own pocket*

Not good.

Then I logged onto eBay and checked invoices. Charged 26c for final fees (a percentage on what I sold it for excluding postage fees).

Skim skim skim…

Uh… what’s that? They charged me 50c for relisting and 10c for buyitnow…!!! O_O; Wasn’t I entitled to relist… for free? Apparently, yes… but we have to pay when we sell it. Ok!

So all up, I made $1.93 from that DVD.

Not good!
Not good at all!!! =(

So the next thing I asked myself is: Is it worth it to list other items and risk the insertion fee, or not?

I looked around my very messy room, stacks and stacks of packed boxes with my name on them, the remaining things I had to pack, the pile of stuff I don’t want to keep but don’t want to throw out… GOD, it’s like a flea market in here!

AND so! I logged onto eBay once again with my 2nd item, wording my listing very carefully with the EXACT description, starting the bid off with 99c (so the listing fee would be only 30c) for the DVD, $4 for postage and making the duration of the auction 7 days; not too long, not too short. Surely someone would buy this for more than $2…? Because if not, that means a lost, and I don’t just mean the DVD!

Day 1 to 5: No bids, No watchers, few views.

Don’t despair, I tell myself.

Day 6: Wow, one bid. $5. WHAT? Very happy by this stage, I l didn’t know how it got to this amount with only one bid… Nor did I care. I was just happy it’s selling!

Last day, ending price: $10.50.

I’m in heaven!!! =] =] =] This is so great! They paid via paypal and the it didn’t ask if I wanted to accept or decline, which meant one thing: I wasn’t charged for receiving payment! WOO! I’m on the moon…!

Until the button worded “Mark as sent” ruined my mood. Great, postage time.

Hoping it won’t cost an arm and a leg, I hopped into the post office and got served, this time by a different lady.

Lady: This will cost $1 to send.
Anita: Huh?
Lady: $1 to send and $1 for the padded bag, that’s $2 thanks.

And I handed her $2 with a smile on my face.

Then I worked out why… Apparently, the other lady charged the DVD as a PARCEL, not LETTER.

Damn.  I got ripped first time ’round!!!

And with this newfound ‘knowledge’ (I should say?), I’ve continued to list my items, checking obsessively for watchers/bidders, posting these LETTERS like crazy (the local post office is very busy, and making sure I was served by the same lady…).

One problem.

I’m now a newbie for combining postage rates.

• eBay , Money issues , Random thoughts