i am suspending myself from ebay!

[spbags]

I went from a top-rated seller & power seller to NOT as a result of 2 rip-off buyers. Then paypal 'resolved' a dispute with an international buyer in her favor, despite my supporting evidence to the contrary. AND I live in California and shudder to think of Meg Whitman as Governor!
The fees (ebay, auctiva, paypal) have eroded my profit margins, which used to be healthy, to barely existent.
So I am suspending myself. Now I am looking for a site to list free (ecrater / bonanzle / ebid?) as well as a free image hosting site (Auction zealot, inkfrog?), and am looking for a paypal alternative as well.
I think there are others who have more experience than me, and have some experience with the alternatives. A small, part- time seller, I list primarily new and gently used premium and designer label womens clothing, vintage womens clothing, and some handbags and shoes (again, all high-end items with retail prices $150+). These are primarily from Hollywood estates and sales. Listing these on ebay for .99 and having them sell for $6.50 isn't working for me.
So I would like to hear from people with advice, suggestions, and the voice of experience. Thanks! ~sp

[slapped]

Originally Posted by spbags

........Then paypal 'resolved' a dispute with an international buyer in her favor, despite my supporting evidence to the contrary. AND I live in California and shudder to think of Meg Whitman as Governor...............

Welcome to the Forum, Meg Whitman has not been The CEO Of Ebay for quit a while Now things were MUCH Better when she was, John Donahue is the current CEO.

As for your Problem, well the catagory that you sell in I think is the Problem, the sites you mentioned (and there are more) some are decent, some are No good at all (ebid) but in order to have ANY success on them I think you need to sell New Items.

There is a site called ETSY which I know a Lot of people have had GREAT success selling Vintage and handmade there (They Specialize in that) I do not know their fee structure or anything like that, but I think for you it might worth a try. Here is a link:

Etsy - Your place to buy and sell all things handmade, vintage, and supplies

Keep us Posted on what you learn, you may be able to help someone else Here

Good luck.

[TGMT²]

Originally Posted by slapped

I do not know their fee structure or anything like that

THANKS Slapped!

I'm so busy in my own little eBay world, I never even heard of Etsy? I have literally 100's of Vintage items. I will put a few (known selling items) on Etsy and see how they do.

It seems their fee's are about 60% less than eBays fee's...

Etsy :: Fees

What are the fees for selling on Etsy?

Etsy's fees.


Etsy charges fees for sellers to list and sell items in the marketplace. All fees are in United States Dollars (USD).

When you list an item there is a $0.20 (USD) listing fee per quantity of one. This covers an item listing period of four months. For example: If I list a scarf and there's only 1 in stock, it'll cost $0.20 for four months. If you gave the listing a quantity of three, it would cost $0.60.

When an item sells, there's a 3.5% transaction fee on the final sale price (not including shipping).

All fees are applied to a seller's Etsy bill. Each month, Etsy will issue a billing statement by email and on the site for your bill. You can view current and previous billing statements by visiting Your Etsy > Your Etsy Bill. Please pay your bill promptly by submitting payment via PayPal or your credit card on file in your Account Info.

Failure to pay your Etsy bill on time can result in overdue status and suspension of account privileges and/or termination. Suspended or terminated members remain obligated to pay Etsy for all unpaid fees per our Terms of Use.

[slapped]

Your welcome, I have heard NOTHING but GOOD things about the site and I know a few ladies that do Quite Well there, I may try it Myself someday

Can't say much about selling on Etsy, but I love shopping there. Nothing but good to say regarding my buying experience.

So, TGMT, if you're gonna give it a go, good luck and have fun.

[GreenBean]

ah, Etsy! ah, great site! What is interesting about that site is the variety of items being sold. I can guarantee it's both seller and buyer friendly. Fun place to use. Shipping costs for many items are super low as well.
I got over 50lbs of fabric sent to Australia for a low cost. You can ask a seller to make a special listing for an item & on & on & on. ah, etsy!