Sell Used Magazines on eBay

Magazines can be very profitable items to sell on Ebay and are often readily available at garage sales, rummage sales, and estate sales.They are usually very low in cost and sometimes free! Knowing what to look for will help you avoid spending money unnecessarily and accumulating boxes of magazines that you can't sell.

Magazines about unusual topics are sometimes profitable to pick up. The more narrow the field of interest is, the more sought after it can be. Look for vintage surfing magazines, old woodworking magazines, old craft magazines, and magazines about railroads and electronic gaming.

If magazines aren't worth selling singly, you can always sell them by the lot. Group them together by the year or even make one big lot of 20 or more magazines. Be sure to list in your auction the month/year of the issues, as well as any specific articles of interest or celebrities featured.

Generally, the big collection of Playboy magazines found at every garage sale isn't really worth purchasing since everyone seemed to save them. I wouldn't bother purchasing them unless they are from the 1950's to 1960's. Keep your eyes open for the sought-after first issue of Playboy with the famous Marilyn Monroe cover!

Be on the lookout for magazines that have ceased publication. Domino was a magazine published by Conde Nast from 2005 to 2009. It had many subscribers who are now paying decent money for back issues. Another discontinued magazine is Martha Stewart Kids. These can be picked up at sales for dimes or sometimes free. (Always check the FREE boxes for magazines.)

Some recent completed magazine auctions on Ebay:

ASTOUNDING STORIES OF SUPER-SCIENCE 1930 10 ISSUES 1st $710.00

Famous Monsters Lot of 63 Magazines 1, 50, 100+ more! $500.00

Chocolatier Magazines, 1984 to 2001 - lot of 80 issues $400.00

10 VINTAGE MOTOR BOATING MAGAZINES 1933 $251.38

So you can see that magazines can be very profitable sellers and often with very little investment. Sometimes the folks holding the garage sales can't wait to unload their many boxes of magazines on you. If a magazine strikes you as unusual or vintage or if it's a large lot of issues of one magazine and the price is right, take a gamble! Click here for more information on selling used magazines and advertisements on eBay.

Article contributed by Amy Kagey. Visit Amy's blog, Collectibles Online Sales.

Read More

Selling Autographed Items on eBay

Selling autographed items and items depicting the image of another person must comply with the guidelines set forth by eBay. If it doesn’t your listing is subject to removal. Stronger actions may be taken such as limiting your selling and buying privileges or suspension of your account. Such stringent guidelines are imposed in this area because these are items that are easily forged or copied.

Autographs, trading cards and other memorabilia that are unique can be quite valuable as long as they are authentic. These items are normally sold with COAs (Certificates of Authenticity), LOAs (Letters of Authenticity), and trading cards use a grading system. Make sure you investigate the background of the authenticator or grader since their documentation is only as valuable as their reputation.

Ebay works with many reputable third parties to allay the concerns of members regarding COAs, LOA’s and trading cards. These third parties work to verify that the selling guidelines are being met and to authenticate whether the items are genuine or not. Your listing may be removed it if is determined to be “likely not authentic”.

Another area that receives scrutiny by eBay is the selling of images such as a photo, drawing, or signature of another person. These items or products must be authorized by that person. Here are some examples of items subject to removal. A scanned copy of an original, signed picture of a sports player, a mouse pad with an unauthorized picture of a celebrity on it, a CD with copyright free downloaded pictures of a singer (in this case the seller has permission to download the pictures but not to sell them), or a t-shirt with the name of a celebrity on it. However, an allowable listing would be a t-shirt authorized by a celebrity that has their picture or name on it.

Have more questions about how to sell items on eBay? Contact me for a free coaching consultation.

Read More

Top 5 Snoopy Collectibles to Sell on eBay

Anything featuring the beloved dog Snoopy from Charles Schultz’s Peanuts comic strip is still a popular seller on eBay. The magic is in knowing which items are truly vintage and collectible. Remember, collectibles are about supply and demand. The less there is of something, the more it is worth. Although you will find eBay completed listings for more than the items listed below, this list identifies items you may actually be able to find at thrift stores, garage sales, or estate sales.

Any vintage lunchbox is a good seller, and Snoopy is no exception. Look for the metal lunchboxes. If a thermos is included, even better. Here is one that recently sold for $150.



Another item to look for is Snoopy coin banks. The true vintage coin banks are made out of ceramic and have a removable plug in the bottom. Here is one that recently sold for $167.50.



There are specific Snoopy Fire King mugs that are collector's items and have historically sold for over $250 each on eBay. This information is probably old news for most eBayers. The most popular one is the Snoopy Red Baron coffee mug made by Fire King. The latest one sold here for $95.



Vintage music boxes are another no-brainer, so keep Snoopy and friends in mind. You will get more if the music box actually works, but some sell in non-working condition. Don’t pass one up if you can get it cheaply. Here is one that recently sold for $120.



Character bedding and sheet sets also do well. What is interesting here is that crafters and collectors make other items out of the sheets, using the sheets as fabric or material. If the sheets have holes or are not perfect, that is ok. Be sure to put the words fabric and material in your title. Here is a listing for a set of twin sheets that sold for $113.



Not sure what your vintage items are worth? Use Terapeak to find out. You will be pleasantly surprised to learn what items in your home have value to collectors!

Read More

Discontinued Item to Sell on eBay - Banana Boat Suntanicals

Banana Boat has discontinued this product - Suntanicals sunscreen lotion with SPF 15. The regular price is around $8 but sellers have reported finding it on clearance at Big Lots, grocery stores, Walmart, Target, etc for much less. Here is a completed listing for 3 tubes that sold for $35.99:



Even at the regular $8 price, this seller still made a little profit. Keep your eyes out for this one since summer is winding down and sunscreen products will be leaving the shelves soon.

Read More

Back to School Means Selling Box Tops for Education on eBay

BTFE’s, as they are known on eBay, do well all year around but especially when the kids go back to school. Since 1997, when General Mills launched the Box Tops for Education program schools in our country have earned over 300 million dollars in cash and merchandise. You are probably wondering why anyone would buy the BTFE’s when they are free on product packages. This is one of those times when eBay can earn you cash for your household trash!

Who are your BTFE buyers? Mostly it is parents, grandparents and alumni but can be just about anyone who wants to help a particular school. Schools and PTA’s who are trying to win an item will hold contests among classes, grades, and sometimes other schools. The box tops are worth 10 cents each and can be redeemed for everything from computers to gym equipment. The parents want to get involved so their child’s class or school can win. I’m sure you recognize the parent who wants their child to win at all costs. This is your eBay BTFE buyer.

The box tops are an easy item to store. They fit nicely in a baggie in your kitchen drawer right next to the scissors. This way the whole family can be involved in process. Sellers can expect a return of approximately $15 for each 100 BTFE’s sold. Here is a listing for 100 that sold for $15.50 on Sept 3:



You will see listings for lots of 500 to 2000. These should be neatly clipped and not expired. Not a bad return on what would have gone in your trash! For more ideas on what to sell on eBay, visit my eBay Seller's Facebook Group. We have 2,000 members networking and sharing their ideas.



Download my FREE guide with all kinds of eBay how-tos

Read More

Vintage Aluminum Cake Carriers

Here is an item that you can find relatively easily at thrift stores and garage sales. Vintage aluminum cake carriers. These sell for around $25 on eBay and Etsy. These will come in brand names including Regal, Kromex, West Bend, and Mirro. The West Bend made a variation in pink, that actually looks like copper. Most come with a heavy glass plate. Of course, the better the condition, the higher the price you will receive. Here are a few completed listings:

1930 Vintage Cake Carrier

Vintage Regal Cake Carrier

Vintage West Bend "Pink" Cake Carrier

For more ideas on vintage items to sell, click here for a free list of items that have sold on eBay. To find out what your items are worth, check out Terapeak for research. You can learn the value of your item and the best way to get top dollar for it on eBay.

Read More

eBay Marketing Strategy - Multiple Listings for the Same Item

If you are drop shipping, purchasing products wholesale, or other wise have multiples of the same exact item to sell on eBay, try this strategy.

Create multiple listings for the same items using different listing durations, keyword combinations, and even price points. Example: – if you sell an item for $12.95 with $3.95 shipping, try listing it $16.90 with free shipping. The total cost is the same, but FREE SHIPPING appeals to some buyers even if they don’t do the math! You will see other sellers doing this. Some sellers have over 20 listing for the same exact item. They create different title variations, listing types, and price points to appeal to a variety of customers.

This seller has over 5,600 listings. But that doesn't mean he has 5,600 products. I did a search for "yoga mat ball" and 71 listings in his store were returned. Click here to see them. Most of the 71 listings are for the same product. (The yoga balls differ in size, but you get the point.) This is different than creating 1 listing with multiple variations. You want to create different listings that will come up in different searches.

Now, if he is paying .20 per listing, this strategy costs him $14.70 for that one item. Consider the cost advertising fees. When looking through his feedback, I see that he sells quite a few of these yoga mat and ball sets each month. So apparently, the strategy is working.

But is it cost effective? Only you can decide that based on the fees and your profit on each item.

Related articles:

eBay Strategy - Breaking a Sales Plateau

List of 395 eBay Friendly Wholesale Suppliers

Strategy to Get Free Shipping Supplies

Upsell Strategy - Make $10 More on Each eBay Sale

Read More