# How long does it take you to list stuff on eBay?



## jcatblum

I spent 2 days working to list 15 items! I did iron a few items, also had issues with my camera remote & lighting. Things were not in my favor this time! No, it normally doesn't take me that long. However, I feel like anytime I start listing on eBay it takes me way to long! 
I try to write all my descriptions at once & weigh the items needed, then I move onto taking pictures. Sometimes one of the kids take the pics, but I get to redo half of them. 
Afterwards I began listing. I hate when I go to load my pics & the circle just spins, pics wont load & I am stuck waiting! I am sure part of it is y highspeed satellite internet. 

I have thought about just trying to do 2 or 3 items at a time, but it isn't worth dragging out the camera. I always have a to list on eBay box going. When it is full I list things. Perhaps I am taking the wrong approach?

I love taking items to my local consignment shop, it is fast & easy. Large & expensive to ship goes to the local consignment shop. I select the higher priced things to go on eBay.


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## clovis

It depends on what we are listing.

Of course, if we have multiples of like items, we make use of the "sell similar" button. We can fly through stuff this way.

We used to average one item per hour...but again, that was an average, a few years ago. I wasted a ton of time writing lengthy descriptions. These days, my listings are much shorter.

One thing that I've done that has sped up the listing process is to search the completed listings to find out the selling price. I often look for a listing title that I like, click on the listing, and then click on "sell similar item". I then modify that title to one that fits my listing.

Sure, this is only saving a minute here and there, but that does add up when you are listing a ton of stuff.

When I buy something on ebay, with the intent of reselling on ebay, there is a button in your 'my ebay' that says "sell this item". Sometimes I use that too, but generally their title and or category was wrong.

We are also creating the listing on our laptop, putting in a stock image, and then loading all the correct pictures with an iPhone thru the ebay app. This alone has saved us a TON of time.

Since we get 12 free pictures, we use all 12, on almost every listing. I let the pictures do more of the talking these days, instead of writing the lengthy descriptions I used to write. 

We are probably averaging 15 minutes per listing, but again, that is the average. Some listings we fly through, like the 10 inch stack of cross stitch patterns we listed yesterday. I bet we were averaging 3 or 4 minutes per listing. 

I have a $300+ agriculture testing gizmo that I'll probably spend 20-25 minutes on the listing, but I've already got about 2 hours in testing it and cleaning it. I also have a train engine coming this week that I'll list, which will take 15 minutes to list, but if I can clear $100 on it, I don't mind.

We also have used Siri on our iPhones to write descriptions. We've had some success using it. 

In a nutshell, the iPhone has sped up our listing time considerably. All of our pictures are taken with a 4S iPhone, and they upload like a breeze.


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## jcatblum

I regretted not posting more pics on my listings yesterday, I only did about 3 per item. May try adding more with my phone, never considered that one! Many were similar, but clothes all need measurements & that too takes time.
I think 15 minutes is prob what I also average. Just goes to show you that you need to make sure you are not pricing your items to low.
Sold 1 item last night while I was sleeping. I priced it similar to everything I had seen sold & that was listed. Guess it sold so fast since it was the right color & size.
I hesitate on washing vintage clothing & leave it to smell like grandmas house for the most part. IMO that is how vintage smells, but I always hope the buyer agrees. If I washed every piece that would add a bunch more time on my part.


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## clovis

I know what you mean about the time involved with cleaning something up. Clean up time eats a ton of our time.

On almost every item we buy for resale, we have to decide if it is worth cleaning and fixing for ebay.

I am very reluctant to list anything that has a mildew smell, is broken, or has some sort of defect. The risk of taking a negative is just too great. 

All in all, we do struggle sometimes with the amount there is to list, and clean up time is a real challenge. I spend a bunch of time figuring out what is worth cleaning/fixing, how to list it best, and how to be the most profitable/productive with my time.


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## clovis

Also, jcat, I can't say enough about the iPhone.

The ebay app is smooth and seamless, for the most part. The picture quality is beautiful.

Until recently, 99.9% of all of our listings were started with an iPhone, and then modified using our laptop. The iPhone really sped up our listing time, and pictures are so very easy, and better quality than our home camera.


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## jcatblum

I agree on only listing clean items. I would never list or even buy to resell a piece of clothing or anything else that smelled of smoke or animals. The vintage smell is something that often becomes engrained into the fabric. I can wash the item & in a few wks the smell comes back. My sanitize cycle on the washing machine can help at times but never a guarantee. None of the clothing I purchase has an over powering odor IMO, just not a gain fresh if that makes sense. If a purchaser has never own a piece of vintage clothing is when I would become very nervous about their reaction.
Thankfully I have maintained 100% feedback in my 10+ yrs on eBay. (Please don't let me saying that change anything).

I am excited to play around with using my iPhone for listings. I tried it once before, but it was when the app was kinda new. Awesome to hear it helps speed the process. Using my phone I could even snap pics as I brought the items in the house. Imagine how much better I would do than letting items collect in a box!


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## clovis

You can also snap all of your pictures at one time, and upload/list when you have down time.

My wife sometimes lists when we are in the car.


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## clovis

*Important note:*

Always double check the listing after it is listed. We've had a few glitches, like the item running as an auction instead of a BIN, or saying no returns instead of 14 day returns.

We haven't had those problem in a while, but nonetheless, double check the listings after they are up.


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## jcatblum

I have worked hard the past 2 days, think I am still averaging about 15min per listing. But i don't feel as crazy. I pulled out another table to help me work from & got a bit more organized. Makes me feel better about getting things done. I have decided to take a new approach. If I don't think I will make $10 or more profit then it goes in the consign pile. 

Did everyone get the free BIN listing notice??? Up to 60000 items can be listed between not & March 2nd with no fee for listing. Honestly would be surprised if I got 200 things listed, but a girl can dream!


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## clovis

I have not received the free listings email, but I hope that I do.

I have about 100 listings that ended over the weekend, and wish that I could list them for free. That would save me $20+/-.

I didn't get much listed today. I may have gotten 20 new listings up. The research of items sometimes eats up a day, not to mention the clean up and testing of those items.

We also spend a good amount of our days trying to figure everything out:

How should I list it?
What category?
Who is buying this item?
Why are they buying it?
What is the value?
Is it worth listing?
Should I sell them as 14 multiples in a single listing or one lot of 14 items?
Should we take it to the flea market. or list it?
Should it be listed as a BIN?
Should it be listed as an auction?
What should the auction price be set at?
How will we ship it?
Medium flat rate?
Parcel post?
Padded flat rate?
Free shipping, or charge for it?
What key words should I put in the title? 
Which is more important in the title, '200WOG' or 'Made in USA'?

I know that I could save myself a ton of time if I took the easy way out, and quit stressing over it all. It would be too easy to list each toy train as "Old Toy Train" and start a 99 cent auction with virtually no description written. But as a business, and as the primary bread winner in my family, it is my job to maximize our profits on every listing, and still get them sold. The attention to detail has paid off handsomely for us. 

In a flooded market and a weakened economy, I think the work is even harder. 

I still miss the old days when it was so much fun to go treasure hunting at auctions and garage sales, find some junk, list on ebay for fun and profit...man, those were the days.


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## jcatblum

I didn't know that eBay offers were not for everyone, weird if you don't get the free listing offer Clovis. 
I looked & I completed 50 listings & have 18 that just need pics added to make active. Much better for my 2 days of effort. Almost all of my listings have been clothing so it is more work IMO. I did have a few belts, necktie & small household things. Those are twice as fast to list. Clothes have a BUNCH of work involved. 
With this eBay money I want to buy a large backdrop & a new battery for my camera. I haven't even looked at the battery cost for my Nikon D5100, but I hate when 1 goes dead & I have to wait on a charge.


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## clovis

I agree...clothes can be a ton of work.

We do list some clothes from time to time, but I am always a little reluctant to list them. Most of the time, when we do list them, we literally use a magnifying glass and go over them to make sure there aren't any stains or defects. 

I'm struggling today on how to list the last of the new brass plumbing valves I have. As groups, or individually? The easy way out is to scrap them.


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## jcatblum

If you have a bunch of valves I would do a lot of 5 & then list them individually showing you have multiple available. It's a good way for you to see what gets the most lookers & buyers. 
I bought a lot of 5 shower heads on eBay once. As a landlord it was a bargain.


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## clovis

I did some checking, and ebay did not offer me the free billion listings they have in the past. I have received those when others haven't, but I'd love to get another right now.


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## clovis

The valves are now listed. If I have to look at another valve, I might puke, LOL.

I had more valves than would fit into a 5 gallon bucket.

The big valves were listed individually, but the home owner sizes and grades were lotted up.


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## jcatblum

Clovis hate you didn't get the free listing offer. Had to take DD to town today. So was able to hit a few thrift stores. Best score of the day was $1 for a vintage BINGO set up from the American Legion. It doesn't have the caller card, but has 32 slider bingo cards. Has a small cage with wooden bingo numbers in it. But it has been WAY used. They even used ink pens to touch up some of the call numbers. Think I will part out the slider cards. I know when I was teaching school I would have loved to have them in my classroom. The large lots do well on eBay.


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## clovis

I hate it too. I'd love to have that offer right now. I have scads of unsold listings rolling off, and would love to save the money.

I hope the valves sell. I'm sick of looking at and studying valves, but thankful to have them at the same time. 

We are going deal shopping tomorrow. I hope that we do well!


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## jcatblum

Clovis, thank you so much for recommending the eBay app for listing!!! I had only ever shipped on the app. I think it cuts 5 min off my listing time. 
I type the description on my PC, but photos were all w my phone today. 
I was scared to tell DH, since I have a pretty price camera. But as soon as I mentioned it he completely understood & was talking about buying an attachment to improve my camera on my phone. 
I got about 50 items listed & hope to finish up the rest of my pile tomorrow. However, weather is suppose to be nice, guessing that means some good yardsales Saturday. 
The cycle repeats........


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## clovis

I am glad that it is working for you!!!!

Technically, we start listings on both the iPhone and on our home computer. If we list with the home computer, I put a 'place holder' photo in the listing, which is generally a picture of my daughter. Once the listing is up, my wife edits and uploads the correct pics from her iPhone. 

It works for us, and has really sped up our listing time.


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## jcatblum

I put a peacock feather up as a stock image & got like 6 messages saying they could only see the feather. The first line of my description was 
PHOTOS will be added SOON

Then I used a cute font, typed up PHOTOS COMING SOON, snapped a pic & loaded that as the stock image. No messages about no pics then.......


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## clovis

I've found that the stock photos will help tell you if the item is in a hot category or not.

When I list a Lionel train, and use a pic of my DD, I get several messages within a few minutes. 

When I list an antique wood coat hanger, no one ever responds.


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## jcatblum

Managed to get a little over 100 items listed this weekend. Managed to get 95% of the items packed away in an organized manor. Hopefully by tomorrow my house doesn't look like an eBay listing tornado hit. 
I went to list a victory garden book up, opened it & heard a cracking sound. The entire binding came off in pieces like broken glass. That was a sad moment. Never had a book fall apart like that in my hands. I am assuming it had been stored in someons shed for a long time.

On the up side I had 16 sales this wk, so pretty happy with that, imagine I could sell a few more before the night is over.


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## sisterpine

I think it takes me about 5-10 minutes to list something I am familiar with on EBay. I do not list clothes since they are a ton of work. It takes me about 3 minutes each to edit or change something on a listing. My listings have variables - like what type of mount do you want on your knob. I have purchased a few new clothes via EBay with no problem and even a few used/or vintage type things with no problem- Though I am a bit timid in doing so. I just realized I have been listing on Ebay for several years now, had stores, closed stores etc.


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## jcatblum

Sisterpine I was loving today when I listed items I could just scan & load the price of! I wish all items were that easy! Hate when I buy something that I can't find another one like to comp, I waste a bunch of time on those occasions. 

I have bought MANY clothes on eBay. When my girls were younger they were into Limited too-- which is now Justice. I could go on eBay & get a 20pc lot for the price of 2 outfits. Also shoes are a good eBay find. I have even tried them on at the store then bought them from eBay afterwards for half of the price.
The clothing market is a tough one. My girls are both teenagers now, so clothes is their language. The oldest one is a GREAT clothing scout. The other one doesn't have much fashion sense, but she is learning.


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## clovis

Good job, jcat! 

Wow...a 100 listings? You've been busy!

Nice job on the 16 sales. 

I ship the same day or next day. Buyers want that stuff yesterday, so I don't dally when it comes to shipping. In fact, ebay shipping is the most important thing we do each day.


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## jcatblum

I agree on the shipping. We have an oversized mailbox so I can put many items in their. Worst thing is our post office is open 830-930 on Saturdays! The past 2 days sales are going to require a trip to the post office, and the rds are covered in ICE! 

Clovis I don't think I would have gotten that much listed if you didn't talk me into trying my phone. I just knew I had to get everything listed before I gathered new goodies at all those fabulous spring yardsales. 

Now my next goal is to list items within 48 hours of bringing them in the house. 


Ended up with 19 sales, think I averaged about $14 profit on each.


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## clovis

That is fantastic!

I like the phone app because you can also start a listing, and it will save it as a draft. I also love the fact that we can list anywhere we want, whether at home or sitting at lunch somewhere.

Are you asking your carrier to pick up for you? We used to go to the PO once a day, but now we are averaging once a week, if that.


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## clovis

I take it that you are an experienced ebay seller, jcat?


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## jcatblum

I have been selling on eBay since before PayPal began, used to wait in the money orders to come in the mail then ship. 
But I seriously only would sell things every couple of months. I have never kept on going listings. And only sell 20-30 items at a time. 
Now we built a new house & I have a semi finished attic to hang lots of clothing & store stuff plus a shed. Space is a big deal when collecting things for eBay! Esp when you try to wait for the correct seasons!!!! Already have 2 boxes of stuff I plan to list in September. 

My mail carrier wouldn't be very helpful, I know it is there job but they are scared of my dogs & avoid my place! Both of our mail people drive pickups so there isn't a way to protect my packages either. It isn't so bad, our tiny post office is only 3 miles away. They don't even have a printer for postage, they have to use individual stamps on everything! 

When I started this post I was so FRUSTRATED since I felt it was taking me way to long to do something so simple! After my 2 day struggle I began working on items more at night when my girls were in bed. 2 teenagers shouldn't distract me & cause me such extra issues, but they do!!! Probably as much headache as 2 toddlers would. They are big helpers at times. They iron, pack stuff away, clean things & help with the pictures sometimes.


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## jcatblum

I sent an email to all my buyers. Thanked them for their purchase. Told them I left positive feed back. Then apologized that their packages would be delayed until tomorrow due to weather. 
I got at least 6 emails back saying no problem, be safe & such. Shocked! I feel like most of my communication on ebay is with people that can't read, like a BIN auction & asking how much for the item..... Not a best offer, just how much do you want for this??? My 2 girls are starting to enjoy the daily laughs of the random emails that get weirder by the moment. 

I have noticed a trend, people seem to really like using the best offer feature. This was my first time using the best offer option. About 1/5 of my sales were best offers. Of the offers I had only 1 offer was someone wanting to haggle & 1 was just insulting. If you are using your phone or the advanced listing page you can choose to automatically accept offers over X price & decline offers under X, or you can leave that feature turned off & review each listing individually. I only did best offer on the items where I had lots of wiggle room & were priced at least $25. Many people just ask for a couple dollars off. Anyone not using that feature should try it out.

I also downloaded 9 different photo apps, all free. Going to play around with how they edit & ease of use & I will report back on my favorites.


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## jcatblum

As of now I am loving picsplay app. There are a few others that are good but picsplay is the most complete & easiest to use. I am only using the free version as of now.


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## jcatblum

I have began using the photo frame app. It makes quick collages of your photos. My girls both are using a different frame type app & they all seem equal. 

One thing that has helped my listing is I offered my girls $50 for their own seed money. Told them it was for helping me scout for items, photos & such. However the money could only be used to purchase items for resell. Been interesting to see what they select. The younger has done better, but she always has been a bit of a shark. 
eBay has been good to us these past few wks. I will continue listing through spring & see where it goes.


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## clovis

jcat,

Are you still listing?

Just a word of caution: in the past few weeks, I've had two ebay listings that reverted to free shipping, even though I had specified a shipping cost when creating the ad.

One of the items was an old oil can. Thankfully, it sold for a tad more than I expected, which helped cover the free shipping. That ordeal cost me an extra $7, and thankfully, it wasn't more.

Yesterday, I awoke to a pleasant email saying that a Lionel item had sold for the full BIN price of $150. I listed it high, not expecting it to sell, which would have been fine with me. I had thought about keeping this item because it would be difficult to replace. When I looked more closely at the sale, somehow the listing noted free shipping. That is going to cost me $17. I would have not been interested in selling at this price. Thankfully, it is going to DE, and not AK or HI.

Be careful. *Double check your listings*. 

I don't know if this is an eBay glitch, an ebay glitch (on purpose), a cookie issue, or some type of issue when we jump from iPhones to the computer with our listings.


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## katlupe

I sell on Amazon and eBay and think eBay is much easier and quicker. My listings don't take very long if I am not including the picture taking time in that time frame. I take all my pictures in a little studio I made for doing that upstairs. Then I measure and weight everything. Find a box or envelope or whatever it will be shipping in. I offer free shipping on all my eBay items so I have to be sure of what it will cost before I list. I have found a method that makes listing faster and that is by using a template and just changing categories and details as I do the listing. But be sure to double check when you do that. 

I don't think it is fair that everyone doesn't get the free listing invitations from eBay. I can list thousands of items this month for free, but don't have that many or that much time. They send me that every month.


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## JLMissouri

A very handy tool for an Ebayer is an SD card called an Eye Fi. The Eye Fi has built in WiFi and will start uploading pictures to your computer as you take them. It has sped me up and made selling on Ebay much better. In the old days I would organize a hundred or so items into similar categories take picture until my card was full. Put the pics on my computer and then list items while taking more pictures. I would save pictures in case someone wanted a different view etc. (back when 12 pictures were not free). 

Now I just delete pictures as the items are posted and I am only taking pictures of three items or so ahead of what I am listing. If I need another pic it is easy. I use to hate a pic request, now it is easy. After using it I would have gladly paid $400 for it, luckily it only cost $25. Figured I would tell others as I love the device.


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