If you ever feel saturated with beauty products, eBay is your best friend. Here, I attempt to give you some advice on selling on eBay. It may seem overwhelming at first, but it'll get a lot easier as you go along. I hope this post serves as a good starting point to what may turn out to be a worthwhile hobby for you.
Picking items for sale
The reason I'm selling on eBay is because I have too much stuff. At some point, I felt overwhelmed. I only sell makeup and skincare items, and occasionally perfume, so these tips are more appropriate for the said items. I've sold items like eyeliner pencils, eyeshadows, moisturizers, body lotions, etc. Most of the items I've sold are New. But what about Used products? eBay has a policy on Used cosmetics, which can be read here: http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/used-cosmetics.html, but I particularly like this summary table:
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Allowed
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New cosmetic brushes and applicators
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Restricted
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Used cosmetic brushes, as long as they have been thoroughly cleaned
Homemade cosmetics, as long as they comply with FDA regulations
Lotions, perfumes, and body washes, as long as they don't have an applicator that comes into contact with the body
Opened but unused cosmetics, as long as the seller clearly states that the container has been opened
Sample cosmetics, as long as they come in the original container that includes the ingredient list
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Not allowed
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Used makeup sponges or applicators
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I have sold Used products before. Examples of Used items I sold before are those which are in a tube packaging, and/or have been opened, but not used. Dig in your drawers and see if you have unloved items that needs a new home. There will always be someone willing to take those products off your hand and pay for it!
Listing your items on eBay
Usually, eBay gives you 50 free listings a month. They also occasionally send selected users more free listings in addition to the 50/month. I just got an offer for free 60,000 fixed price listings (of course, I can't list up to 60,000 because the maximum listings per month still applies)! Listing items on eBay seems very time-consuming at first, but once you get the hang of it, it should get easier. I just started using the eBay mobile app, and it makes everything even easier, since I can take the photo with my phone and I don't need to upload it in my computer, like I will have to do if I'm using the normal website.
Let's now break down the Listing steps:
Listing Title
I try to be very specific in the title of my listing. Obvious things to include are the Brand Name and Product Name. It's also a good idea to include the size of the item in oz or mL. If it's full size, say so in the title. If it's deluxe or travel, say so as well. Make sure you check and double check the spelling, or it may not come up in an eBay search.
Listing Category
I find that the selection of the listing category does not impact my eBay sales much. eBay will usually suggest a category based on the title you inputed. If you are selling a Used item, you can select "Health & Beauty --> Other" category. eBay won't let you list a Used item in the Cosmetics category.
Add photos
Make sure you take good photos. I usually take at least 2 photos showing the front and back of the item. If it comes in a box (and you have it), make sure you photograph that as well. I like using a white background for my photos. I use a copy paper for this. It's best to take photos in the morning, when then is daylight and ample lighting for your photos. Good photos increase your credibility and gains your buyer's trust. If the item has an expiration date printed on the packaging, take a photo of that as well. If there are important elements in the packaging that tell that the item you're selling is genuine, make sure you capture that as well.
If it comes in a sealed box, don't open it just to take a photo. Personally, I think a sealed box adds to the value of the item. If it's mascara, don't open it just to show the wand. This might seem obvious, but I always see photos of opened mascaras, and I'm pretty sure I'm not buying those.
(edit: If the box isn't sealed, I always take the item out when taking a photo)
Item specifics
I used to fill most of these out, but realized later on that it's not worth it.
Details/Description
As a buyer, I appreciate additional information on the item I'm interested in buying. I never leave this blank. If it's a New item, I further say in the description "New, never opened or tested", or something along those lines. If it's listed as Used, then I'd say "Used once", "Opened, but not used", etc. I also tell my buyer about my shipping terms. Finally, I thank my buyer for visiting my listing. I usually have 3 sentences in my description, unless it's a set. If it's a set/lot, I itemize all the included items in bullet form and in the clearest way possible.
Format/Price
Personally, I like listing everything as a Fixed Price item. For pricing, I always look at my competitors' prices. When doing an eBay search, there is an option to search 'Sold Listings'. This is found on the search criteria in the left panel. Usually, I price my item lower than everyone else in my search. If you feel that the current selling price of your item is too low, then it might be worth it to wait and list it later (or list it now at the price you want, but not expect it to sell anytime soon).
Shipping
Usually, I provide Free Shipping. To make your listing potentially more catchy, you can also list it at a lower price, then charge for shipping. Don't charge too much for shipping though, as this will deter your buyers.
....and we're done listing the item... now, you wait for your item to sell..
Your item sold, now it's time to ship!
Shipping out your item
When I first started selling on eBay, I buy postage at the post office. When you're selling regularly, this is not very efficient. Invest in a small kitchen scale, and print your postage in eBay/PayPal. Tracking is free if you do it this way. Otherwise, it's ~$1 at the post office. You also get ~15%-20% discount on postage. For shipping supplies, I used to reuse shipping materials I get from my own online orders. When I run out, I had to buy my own mailers. A cost-effective option is to buy these online. I bought mine from Amazon. I paid $6.33 for 25 pieces 6x10 bubble mailers. I find that this size is perfect for the items I sell. It fits small jars and tubes of cosmetics/makeup in boxes, and of course smaller items like eyeliner pencils. If you use the eBay/PayPal postage system, you can also add a message to your buyer. I utilize this and reassure them that their item is on their way, or tell them when I'm actually going to ship their item out (and take it to the post office). You can now just drop the package off at the nearest post office.
Make sure you wrap the item in bubble wrap. Tissue will work too, but adds more weight than bubble wrap. I usually put some magic tape (I think that's what that's called) across the lids or caps of bottles, as applicable. If you're shipping out perfume, make sure you only ship Standard Post or Parcel Select. Technically, these can't be shipped using USPS expedited services (although I've bought a few bottles of perfume on eBay before, and they are shipped Priority Mail). Ship Priority Mail at your own risk. Make sure you select the right shipping method applicable for your item so that the expected delivery times that the buyer sees are as accurate as possible. Put the perfume in a ziplock bag, so in case of leaks/breaks, USPS won't have to deal with some unknown liquid spill.
Leave feedback
eBay buyers and sellers take feedback seriously. Leaving feedback to your buyer may encourage them to do so too. Don't ask/beg for feedback. As a buyer, I get annoyed and don't want to leave feedback.
Important!
* Keep your items for sale organized. Nothing's worse than selling an item, and then realizing that you can't find it anywhere. You spend most of your free time of the day looking for it, but to no avail. This happened to me once, and I have to apologize to my buyer, refund the buyer, and file a case on eBay to cancel the transaction. This is such a hassle for you and the buyer. The buyer would have to agree to cancel the transaction (through eBay), and will be very disappointed.
On selling makeup samples:
Deluxe/travel size samples sell almost just as well as full sized items. Benefit deluxe samples sell really well, for example. If you feel that the selling price is too low, you might want to sell a lot instead. What I usually do is I group them by brand, or by product. These are some examples of sample lots that I have successfully sold, to give you some idea:
* Thierry Mugler Angel Alien Sample Lot 0.04 oz x 3, $7.95
* Benefit Samples Travel They're Real That Gal Fake Up Porefessional Stay Flawless, $18.00
* bareMinerals Multi-Wrinkle Repair 0.17 oz x 3, $14.00
* Benefit POREfessional Primer Balm 0.25 x 3 0.75 oz Full Size Equivalent, $23.95
* FIND A NEW SCENT! LOT of Men's Fragrance Cologne Samples x 9, $9.50
*Too Faced Better Than Sex Clinique High Impact Mascara Travel Set, $9.95
These are just some examples, and I hope you get some ideas! These are samples I've accumulated over time. Also, since they're samples, you have to price accordingly. But really, it depends on the current selling prices on eBay (and as long as your prices are lower than retail, and if you're selling a lot, lower than the total price of the individual items listed on eBay. It might take some time researching the prices..). Make sure you indicate the sizes of each item. For example, for the Benefit sample lot, my description said:
New, never opened assortment of different Benefit makeup products. Set includes:
0.1 oz Benefit They're Real mascara (travel size)
0.14 oz Benefit Bad Gal Lash mascara (travel size)
0.2 oz Benefit Porefessional (0.05 x 4 packets)
Benefit Porefessional sample card
Benefit Fake Up in Medium sample card
Benefit Stay Don't Stray sample card
Benefit Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer carded blister pack
Sample vial of Laugh With Me Lee Lee
Sample card Hoola bronzer
Receive a bunch of Benefit products for one low price! I will ship the next day after I receive your payment. Thanks and have fun shopping!
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Since samples are usually low price items, also keep in mind the fees (eBay, PayPal, shipping) when setting a price. eBay takes 10% off your total selling price (price of item + any shipping fees you charged, if any), and PayPal takes 2.9% + $0.30 per sale. If you're shipping using the eBay/PayPal postage system, you'll usually pay $1.93 (including tracking) for light items like samples (up to 3 oz). I usually don't list anything less than $7, but you have to decide your 'threshold' where it will not be worth it anymore.
Final thoughts
These are my tips based on my experience. I hope this helps some who are trying to destash and get some precious pennies back (and hopefully not spend it on more stuff!). Let me know what you think, or if you have tips for me! I do enjoy selling on eBay. If you try it for a while, and find it annoying or just not right for your lifestyle, then it's probably not worth it.
Happy selling!
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