If you've got a bunch of old compact discs or old video games, you've got a few options. You can sell them to a pawn shop for a paltry amount. You can sell or trade them to your local GameStop for an equally paltry amount. You can try selling them on Craigslist, but customers there expect a really good deal. (Craigslist may not be a safe option depending where you live!) What's the best option, then? eBay, of course!
Why eBay Gets You The Most
With eBay, you've got a huge market to sell to. When you list your item, you have access to millions of potential buyers all over the world (or just your own country, if you so choose.) By selling your used video game or CD, you're making more money and saving the customer money by cutting out the middleman.
It's Easy To List Your Item
eBay has a catalog of almost every video game and music title released. Listing your item is as simple as typing in the UPC number under the bar code or searching for it using the title. Picking a price for your item is simple, too – do an eBay search for your item and sort it by price plus shipping, low to high. If your price is lower, yours will usually sell first when a potential buyer comes along!
Shipping Your Items
Shipping your games and music is surprisingly easy to do. Bubble mailers, CD mailers and packing tape can be purchased at your local dollar store or other major retail store of your choosing. You can either bring your packages to the post office or buy a small scale to weigh them with; using PayPal to print your postage labels. One big advantage of printing your shipping labels online is the free Delivery Confirmation service. This normally costs over 50 cents extra when purchased at the counter and is valuable to buyers for tracking their shipments.
Sometimes Stuff Goes Wrong
Sometimes an item will get lost in the mail or damaged. Insurance can be purchased for more expensive items, though it is impractical for smaller items. (Unless you were selling an incredibly rare vintage game or music album, or an entire lot of items, insurance is not needed.) As a seller you will be responsible for issuing the customer a refund. You can request that they mail you back an item if they claim it is damaged, but if it is lost you are pretty much out of luck. This should happen very rarely and is simply the cost of doing business. No matter what happens, always treat the customer with respect.
Don't Forget To Leave Feedback
After your transaction is complete, it's courteous to leave your buyer feedback. While leaving feedback immediately after payment may put a smile on some customers' faces, you may decide it's worth waiting until you know the item has been received and there were no problems with the transaction. While you can't leave negative feedback for buyers, you can still report them to eBay if there is a problem.
You Don't Have To Do It Yourself
Busy schedule? Want to leave it to the professionals? Hiring an eBay Trading Assistant might be the way to go. A trading assistant can list your items, ship them, and deal with the customer for you in exchange for a cut of the profit of your item. You can find a trading assistant in your area on eBay's website, or find out more about our trading assistant service here.