Advice selling on Ebay: Do I really need Paypal?

[chris lindberg]

Hello CP, I just posted a painting on Ebay and was wondering about Paypal - do I really need it?

- Isn't there a Paypal fraud going around?
- Would it be more secure using our banks?
- Should I sell in Canadian funds?
- Should I have put my phone number?
- Is it too high an amount even though I said price is negotiable?

I have no credit history and have never owned a credit card...
I thought for sure there would be some up front costs to selling an item on Ebay, I was so surprised when I actually seen it up there, so what happens...it says I have $67 in expenses so Ebay will deduct that from the price after it is sold? (but what happens if the item doesn't sell though?)

check it out, it's pretty awesome!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Native-Canadian-...QQcmdZViewItem

I am finding my item is still hard to find even though I did go for all the extra options.

The same size painting by the same artist is currently being sold for $12 000 at another gallery, my reason for selling now are that I am writing a business plan for an online art gallery and need to come up with some start-up cash to buy equipment such as a Espon scanner & giclee printer to go into business selling more originals and producing limited edtion prints for myself and 15 Native artist friends from the fly-in reserves of Northwestern Ontario. - should I mention this in the ad?
This is my first attempt at selling on Ebay so any advice is certainly appreciated.

[Ro]

Well, without getting into any specific details, I know that as a buyer, I almost always look for listings that I can use PayPal to buy them with, because of the convenience.

I mean, a couple clicks, and it's all bought and paid for, right out of my bank account, seconds after I win the auction.

So you're probably limiting the potential buyers if you don't offer it as a payment option.

[Temporary_User]

$10,000!?!?

[Displaced Flames fan]

If you don't offer paypal as a payment option you will lose bidders.

Why are you selling something for $10000 when it is your first listing? Everyone will think you are trying to scam them and pass. You need to build a bit of history first.

Never say that the price is negotiable in the listing!

Also, you didn't specify anything about shipping costs or methods. That's very important.

One more thing to add...since you mention in the listing that you are friends with the artist if you happen to have any photos of you and he together post them in the listing. That will lend more credibility to your listing. Anyone who spends that much on a painting (and lots of people do as I am sure you know) will know what he looks like.

[chris lindberg]

Thanks for the advice, I edited the item and took out the negotiable part, and also added a comment about contacting me to discuss prefered packaging & shipping methods.

There is also a tare on the siding of the stretched canvas that is not visable on the front - should I take some pictures of it and add it to the listing?

My reason for saying price is negotiable is that I really only need $5000 to put towards the start-up of my proposed business, I think I would even take an offer of $4000?

I think I will open up one of those Paypal accounts today...

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by Temporary_User

$10,000!?!?

with 0 previous feedback?!?!?!

Hehe not to be a downer but good luck.

As for the security of Paypal, no it's not as secure as the banks. Someone managed to hijack my account somehow a few months ago after I hadnt used it in years. Paypal didn't do anything til my bank forced them to refuse the charges and even now they want me to pay some of the money for currency transaction fees or something ridiculous.

[redforever]

Have you tried to sell it using local art gallery?

[chris lindberg]

Regarding the feedback stuff, how can I build this up
Would I be able to ask friends (or CP) to give me some positive feedback?

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by chris lindberg

Regarding the feedback stuff, how can I build this up
Would I be able to ask friends (or CP) to give me some positive feedback?

You have to complete transactions on eBay, buying or selling.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by chris lindberg

There is also a tare on the siding of the stretched canvas that is not visable on the front - should I take some pictures of it and add it to the listing?

...

Yes, full disclosure is a must...especially if you haven't sold a thing on eBay before.

If you only need $5000 for it (and it's really got that kind of value, I have no idea) list it for $6000 and offer a buy it now price slightly higher than that.

[photon]

Originally Posted by chris lindberg

Regarding the feedback stuff, how can I build this up
Would I be able to ask friends (or CP) to give me some positive feedback?

That would be fraudulent..

You get positive feedback by buying and selling things on eBay and getting feedback from those people you bought and sold with for a good transaction.

The only person who would consider buying from you with zero positive feedback for this would be someone local to where you are.

Sometimes eBay is not the best place to sell things, and sometimes if your item is more rare it might not sell in a single auction and you have to relist it over and over.

Elementary marketing, you have to ask yourself; who are the people who would want your item and where would they be looking for it? Would they be searching eBay? Or would they be looking at a gallery? Is there enough people looking for your item that one would see it for the week that your auction is up? I doubt it in this case.

Mind you a search for the artist brings up your ebay auction on the first page, so if anyone is looking you should be getting traffic that way.

http://www.ahnisnabae-art.com/

They list him as one of their artists (with nothing listed for him), why not try and sell through them?

Also, why $10,000? Have other paintings by this artist sold for that much? The only other painting I could find by this artist was selling for $345...

[chris lindberg]

actually that site you just provided had the same size painting by the same artist listed for $12 000 but it is no longer there?

[burn_baby_burn]

The only time I bid on items without Paypal. Is when I make a mistake. If it doesn't have Paypal I won't bid.

[mykalberta]

Wow, I would be very surprised personally if you get any takers. If you do and they have very low feedback beware of the scams.

Just from my personal Ebay experience I would never purchase something that high through someone with such low feedback.

Also, you probably should have gone "balls to the walls" on features to sell this item. Alot better pictures that include the frame definately would have been a plus. Also maybe include some of the Artists previous work/pic of the artist or links to more "official" looking sites that showcase his work. Also a link to other work he has on sale that shows approx prices would also be a plus to sell this.

Also check other art sales on Ebay, and maybe copy their format.

From my very little art experience (I own 2 pieces, both by the same artist) I have found that type of price command normally only comes after some definate awards or whatever. I am not saying its not nice, just that you should have included a base line of work so people can see what they are getting.

I have 2 nice Peter Lik photo reprints both which I paid way to much for But then again every time I come home and see them I go wow, those are really damn nice.

[chris lindberg]

Thanks again CalgaryPuck, I will take that advice and improve the picture and I do plan on relisting the item at a lower price if need be when this auction ends.