I finally quit reselling! I essentially fired myself from listing on multiple other platforms, and hired myself full-time on growing my eBay career. Why, you may ask? Read on to find out.
Starting Out
Here’s a quick refresher if you’re new to my blog! I’ve been a reseller since somewhere around October 2018. It wasn’t really anything significant though for several months after that. That is just the first time I’d sold something online; it was a bridesmaids dress I’d previously worn once.
I made my first sale on Poshmark, and I instantly fell in love with it. The platform was easy to use, quick to list, and a good little chunk of side income for me. I loved the idea of potentially doing this full time someday, but wasn’t sure how to grow it just yet. My username was still my dog’s name, (I know, so original, right?!), and I had no thoughts at this time yet about any branding or packaging, etc.
After a few more part time jobs, and a lot more sales under my belt, I thought it was time to make a change. I slowly added in other platforms one by one, discovering the different demographics and categories that I was able to sell in. At my highest point, I was up to 6 platforms. Six!
Getting Overwhelmed
It was working out for awhile, as you may have read in previous posts of mine. However, it was beginning to get slightly overwhelming.
Here’s a few key points why:
- Remembering which sale came from which platform
- Making sure to take down duplicates when an item sold
- Learning different shipping rules for each one
- Being sure to add all of my different usernames to my business & thank you cards
- Trying to know all of the demographics perfectly so to choose which item should go where
My main point of course is, it was a lot. This is why after some serious thinking, I’ve slowly started to phase out everything but eBay. It was definitely the most intimidating at first, but it’s come to be my main source of income these days.
Related: Best eBay Selling Tips
eBay has a few things going for it that I’d like to point out from other platforms:
- You are eligible to sell to an International audience
- Sales tracking is easy due to the reports they make available
- You are able to easily put your whole store, (or just part of it), on sale at one time
- You can provide coupons, discounts, and your choice of shipping to your customers
- They have always provided me with great customer service (thus far)
Pro Tip: If you’re having trouble trying to find their customer service line, try going to ebay.com/sellerhelp. You can then click on one of the prompts, or click on “Need more help.” From there, you can scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click on “Contact Us.” This will take you to another set of prompts, in which when clicked upon, will ask if you prefer them to call you, or if you want to chat with their automated assistant. (I prefer to click on “Have us call you,” because I find this is the most efficient and helpful form of communication).
Letting Go
It was hard to let go of my other platforms, but it is a choice I decided to finally make.
These are the ones that I’ve since left behind:
- Poshmark
- Depop
- Mercari
- Kidizen
- Etsy
Related: Why I’ve Decided to Quit Kidizen
Why? Well, it really came down to the fact that I’m only one person, and I wanted to make sure I wasn’t making silly mistakes, due to overwhelming myself. I really take pride in giving my customers a 5 star experience with every single transaction if possible, and I didn’t want to sacrifice that any longer because I was rushing, or forgot to remove a listing and then let down my buyer.
I understand that there is help out there, via VAs (virtual assistants), or IRL (in real life). And, at this time, I do have some VAs that I currently work with, but I was at the point where I was outsourcing more than I was making sales. This was no good, so some changes had to be made.
VAs are extremely helpful in running your growing business smoothly and successfully, especially since they are not there physically, so you don’t have to make room for them in your office space. I have tried cross-listing with services as well, but as stated previously, this was just resulting in items being double sold. At 2,000+ available items, this was getting to be a real headache and mess.
Related: Why Double Checking Listings With a VA is a MUST
Where I Am At Today
Today, I can comfortably say that I have only one platform to keep an eye on, (which is eBay), and I couldn’t be happier. It has been growing at a substantial rate this year, and I’m starting to really see the benefits of throwing myself fully into just that.
My sales have gone up and down, but they do that with every platform, (in my experience). However, the more consistently I list, (with the same amount of FRESH listings per day), the more my sales seem to stay consistent. I highly recommend keeping track of your daily sales, (using Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel), so that you can always refer back to it on days where you need or want to compare numbers.
By doing so, you can think back to what you’ve done differently, or learned since you last checked, and can make any improvements that may be necessary. I would even go as far as suggesting to start journaling your progress, so that you’re able to log your daily routine, and what works best for you. This way, if you find a day works perfectly, you can then duplicate it and keep getting better, faster, and more efficient as time goes on.
I truly love eBay these days, and wouldn’t trade this platform for the other 5 all together. It is definitely one of the more complicated ones to learn, (in my opinion), but once you get the hang of it, you’re good to go. There are always updates, and articles that you can read through their website, to learn how to better your store as well, and this is something I think is really helpful.
It does unfortunately require a monthly subscription, and fees can be a little complex at times, but all in all, I think it’s a true winner and here to stay. Reselling is a long game, and you just have to find what works best for you and your business.
Let me know your thoughts and opinions down below in the comment section!
Do you love eBay, hate it, or fall somewhere in between? Let us know why so we can discuss!
Thank You!
A giant thanks to everyone that has supported me this far into my journey! I greatly appreciate you returning to read my posts and hope that you will continue to stop by.
Please feel free to drop any comments below that you would like to add! I am always open to advice, suggestions, or even hearing related stories of your own! I stay as active as possible in the comment section, therefore I will reply to any questions asap.
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