Thread: Ebay ~ my item

Chris I would never ever ever list an item at .99c
Even though Ebay tells all the newbie sellers how .99c listings will encourage more bidders
Hey, I'm just a normal Ebayer: I want to buy as cheap as possible & sell for a profit not a loss.
.......momma

Momma.. remember postage is paid by the buyer... though you have to factor in postage cost from the buyers point of view.

When I sell an item i start at a middle ground... not too low not too high..
I find most razors start at about US9.00... not suggesting you list it at that price... just an observation.

Another observation:
Low starting price attracts early bid... buyers "think" no one else will out bid there max, but near the end snipers will snip high to win because they don't know the earlier bidder max.

High starting price gets few or no bids until near the end, the snipers will snipe low because they "think" no one else will bid.

Hi smythe, if I am not listing world wide I will list at a cheaper start price but as Chris said with his 99c razor ~ if you list low you have to abide by the final price.

When I mentioned postage, it was in regard to Paypal fees.
If I sell an item for $10.00 & it's going to the USA ~ I lose big time.

Recently I sold a $10 tea towel to a lady in the USA, I offered to post as a "Large letter" as it was much cheaper than a parcel but she insisted on a parcel & insured as well. I still can't work out why you would want to pay $8.10 to insure a $10.00 item. Then add $8.80 postage AND the tea towel had holes in it .....
So for paypal I had to pay 3.4% + .30c on $26.90 Then take out Ebay fees .... I should have used the tea towel for a duster!!!
.......momma

Hoping a photographer reads this:
An Ebayer wants a macro shot of the bevel near the toe, fairly sure he is referring to the top right hand pic. Looking for discolouration on the bevel......
I CAN'T do it
Any advice ~ please
........momma

Hi Momma,

Here’s your options. The first one will work if you have a point and shoot or removable lenses.

Removable “macro” lens kit. Sold singly or in sets of +1, +2, and +4 diopters. You want the set of three for flexibility. The more diopters add up, the more magnification you get. Stack up all three for maximum magnification. Don’t use so many if the picture gets you too close. Match up the filter thread size (diameter) of your lens. Buy that size macro lenses, they screw on or off just like a filter. There when you need them, gone when you don’t. Here is an eBay example, you can also get them at any photo store and any electronics stores that sell cameras. (read TODAY) I was thinking about $20 a set, I’m probably still in another decade. Advantage – cheap, very flexible, out of the way till you need them, use gear you already own. Disadvantages – picture quality is very up in the air. Could be great, could be crappy, best thing to do is move the camera in or out just a smidgen till you get one image that comes out acceptable. Also, you can’t really shoot that small with them. I would go this route, it’s very simple, cheap, and easy but will still will get you 99% of what you want.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Brand-New-Close-...QQcmdZViewItem

Other options which can only happen with an “SLR” (removable lens) camera.

Extension tube(s). An empty tube that fits between the lens and the camera and can give phenomenal results. $100 gets you the capability to get razor sharp images at magnifications that will knock your socks off. Not for the camera shy until you see how simply it works, then you’d go nuts. Probably not an option unless you really want to get into serious photography. You’d need help at a camera store to get the right set and show you how to use them. You just use the lenses you already own, even telephoto.

You can get telephoto (zoom) lenses that have a “macro” setting on them. They are kind of OK, but it’s tough to get a really good image and the magnification will leave you wanting a real macro lens. Of course, you then have a nice long distance lens for the 99.0% of the time you don’t need macro. Plan on spending a hundred minimum (if on sale), $200 - $300 realistically.
Of course, used could be an option for a lot less.

Honest to God macro lenses. Best bet for quality pictures and versatile use. It’s only made to take extreme close ups. Expose and focus just like any other lens, only you can get MUCH more magnification. Best picture quality! Disadvantages - you have another lens to keep track of (or carry) that that really only does one thing. And that lens is EXPENSIVE!!!! $500 minimum and it just goes up from there. I am assuming this is not what you are looking for.

Hope this helps. I think you probably want what’s behind door number 1 (close up kit).

Hi kahunamoose, did I mention that I am a techno dinosaur
I have a Samsung Digimax V4 that is possibly classed as vintage, just like its owner....... I really don't know if I'm capable.....

I managed to list some more tonight and tried using photobucket instead of Ebay photo service. It was slow & I stumbled through it ~ when I listed them I had the same Gallery pic on all

So with a cheaper listing price, these have a lower start price (for smythe )

....and cut throat in the title (don't like it) (for Brian )
.....No "will post to UK" showing as I would have had to put Paypal on all listings.
I do accept Paypal & I will post to the UK.

Keep advising......momma

Thought I'd share my callipers that I have been using to measure the blades........Told you I was a dinosaur
........momma

Momma –
Googling Samsung Digimax V4, I see removable lens options are out. Unfortunately I don’t see filter threads on your camera, so the close up kit is out too. One of V4’s selling points is it’s “Super Macro” mode, and the best I could come up with is verifying you know it’s there and are using it. However, I went to your eBay and looked at the pics you have up now. They are fabulous! I was amassed to see so much well defined small detail coming from a point and shoot. The close up kit I described would not do nearly as well as what you already got. Specs say you can focus down to 6cm – fabulous! Look what happens when you physically get the camera that close. You HAVE TO have to cast a shadow on the subject. No camera can get the shot without light. I see very well managed flash reflection in your shots, so you obviously know how to turn the flash on and know that it can “burn”. Problem is, if the end of the lens is real close to the subject and the flash is attached to the camera, the light will not be able to fill around the lens to illuminate the subject. If it does (unlikely) it would be so intense it would burn out the image from being so close. If either of these problems sound like the culprit, try setting up lamps or even flash lights on two or three sides of the razor so the light is constant and illuminates with a very shallow angle. The trick then is to get the camera to fire without the flash going off. If the flash is not even reaching the subject, you are good because it will still not reach the subject and the lights you just set up will expose the shot. If flash burn out is the problem you will need to turn the flash off and let the extra lights make the exposure. This may not be possible on a point and shoot. If it is not possible, you could tape cardboard over the flash so that even when it goes off, the light does not affect the picture. Only warning here is that heat might build up and physically fry the flash itself. Just be careful!

Don’t know if this addresses the issues you have, your pics look so much better than the rot most USA sellers post of their wares. One other suggestion is the software Samsung says came with the camera. If you have it you could try “cropping” a picture to cut out all but the detail area you want, then allowing the smaller image to fill the picture space you used to have showing the whole razor. Don’t worry about how to “do” the resize, it will just happen. Make sure the camera is set to take it’s full 4 mega pixel images (camera will call it resolution) so when you cut out most of the picture the remaining part will still have enough data to be clear. This should be absolutely no problem with a 4mp image to be displayed on a computer screen. This will effectively magnify the remaining image many times. Give that a try, this was all sort of techno-babble but you will see it when you play with it. If you want, email me the most extreme close up of the spot you need, tell me what it is, and I will do some cropping and send it back to you. kahunamoose@hotmail.com

When I sell items that move quickly on eBay, I always start at $0.01 and offer free shipping. But of course I research first to make sure similar items are consistently selling on eBay for the average prices I want. Free shipping saves me $$ when I sell multiple items - people will bid higher on my item knowing that the shipping is included, but there's no multi-item shipping discount for buyers who buy more than one item from me. I am cheap!

With razor demand the way it is, I'd start at $0.01 and offer free shipping. I'll bet just about any razor can be mailed first class for less than $1.50 in a bubble mailer that costs $0.15 at Sam's

And did I mention that starting very low encourages bidding wars?