Sunday's Tip: Listing Activity

I haven't been doing this long, but I have learned a few things along the way.  Finding the right prices on items is important.  Learning how to ship items efficiently is important.  Researching your competition is important.  Reading and studying your hobby/craft is important.  I could go on.

This Sunday, though, I'm choosing to talk a little about your listing activity.  If you look into reselling thrifted items on eBay, you will realize you need to carry an inventory.  How much?  Well, that depends entirely on your individual goals.  I've seen some carry only 50 items.  I've seen others carry over 1,000 items.  I am currently around 250.

Building this inventory up cannot happen in one day.  Listing items on eBay takes time.  First, you need to find items and purchase them.  Second, you need to photograph them.  Third, you need to write titles and descriptions.  Maybe then you are ready to put them on eBay.  Technology has made these steps easier, but they still take time.

In my opinion, it would serve you well to establish an activity goal.  Mine is 5 new items per day, or 25 items per week.  After all, we can't possibly work 7 days a week with families and whatnot.  To efficiently list my 5, though, I need to have the items ready to list:  Already photographed and jotted down on a sheet of paper.  I try and keep this list ahead of me, too.  I just looked at my list, and I have 9 items ready to go.  I need to photograph some more tomorrow, and I'll have as many as 30 more to go tomorrow evening.  Someday, I may get to 10 items per day.  But, not before I try 6, then 7, then 8, and so on.  I want to stay excited about the fun I'm having.  And, I want to have free time to spend with my family, too.  I don't want to be a slave to listing items for 8 hours per day.  Sheesh!

I suppose the moral of this "tip" is to set a goal.  Make it reasonable.  Don't sit down one day and decide you need 250 items, buy it all, photograph it all, and try to list it all in one day.  That won't happen, and you will wind up discouraged.  Slow down, and break it up a bit.  Make your goal believable, and work it steadily.

Remember, the Hare didn't win the race......the Tortoise did.