Business on the net

Uncle Tom's Cabin, sold on E Bay

I did it! I sold something on E Bay! Well, I guess before I get too excited I should clarify that I sold an item for $3.13 that was probably worth ten times that. I paid $1.09 more for shipping than I collected from the buyer. I had to package it, which cost me something. Bottom line, I probably made zilch on the transaction, but I learned a lot of lessons. Here are a few if you're thinking about selling on line with E Bay.

1. Put a minimum on your item instead of starting at the .99 opening bid price.
2. Do as much research as you can to find out what similar items sell.
3. Be sure you get correct weight when you set the cost of shipping.
4. Don't be disappointed when you don't sell your item for the price you wanted. It's a bit of crap shoot when you come right down to it.
5. Take good photos of the item.
6. Be 100 percent honest about the condition of the item.
7. Promote the sale by using Twitter and Facebook and other social networking sites to let people know you've posted a new item.
8. Be prepared for the shipping side of the transaction.
9. Do use the printable shipping label. It makes sending your item so much easier and you don't have to stand in line at the Post Office. (You can also ship FedEx or UPS).
10. Make sure your first posting is of an item that you don't care how much you get for it. Treat it as learning experience.

There are options for how to get paid but the Paypal options seems the easiest. The company is well set up to handle transactions in a secure manner.

So, I didn't make anything on my first sale, but the experience encourages me to try again. We have a ton of old books that—if I can figure out the selling strategy—may bring in a buck or two, and in this economy who can't use an extra dollar in the till?

We also have a bunch of old record albums and 78s from the '20s and '30s (and a slug more that are more recent—twenty years old instead of fifty or sixty. They may be more trouble than their worth, but right now they're taking up space and probably worth a shot on E Bay.

I also have my novels, The Ballad of Bawdy McClure and Future Imperfect, and the daily readings book, Not Just Another Day. It's worth a try. Who knows, I may actually find a following among the 18 million-plus buyers registered with E Bay.

Hey, I'm nothing if not an optimist!

So, E Bay as a selling option. I think it's works if you're willing to work it.