Make Money Selling Thrifted Items on eBay Philippines

If you’re wondering how to make money on eBay Philippines then read on. eBay is one of the biggest online marketplaces in the world with millions of users that buy on its websites on a daily basis.

Luckily, eBay has a presence in multiple countries including the Philippines. 

When I started selling as a hobby, the first website that I used to list my merchandise is eBay. Now that I’m selling online full-time, I’m still using eBay and cross-posting my listings with the newer websites and apps available in the country.

A recent article from Statista posted in April 2020 said that there are 174 million active eBay buyers worldwide. As years go by, new websites and apps appear in the marketplace that competes with eBay’s business model.

But despite the growing competition, eBay still remains one of the best websites to sell your merchandise on.

Note to Readers: Before you signup, please be advised that the information written here is valid as of the time of writing but may have been updated by the time you see/read this post. Please check your eBay’s website to check the updated information.

Why You Should Sell on eBay Philippines?

There are tons of reasons why you should sell on eBay. And some of those reasons include:

eBay is one of the Biggest Players in Town

When it comes to online selling, eBay is one of the biggest players in town. As I have mentioned above, there are174 million active buyers around the world as of April 2020. 

eBay is a Pioneer in Online Selling

eBay was founded in 1995 and it just continues to grow as the years go by. Its net revenue just last 2019 is at $10.8 Billion. And with an ever-increasing revenue, as years go by, eBay is capable of keeping its website updated with the latest available technology that will benefit both buyers and sellers.

eBay is Convenient to Use

As a seller, listing items to eBay is easy. You can either use the website or the app to post your items on eBay. I usually use the website since I find it more convenient with the bulk of items that I post on a weekly basis.

eBay has a Feedback System

eBay has a feedback system wherein you could leave feedback to a buyer and seller. This gives the buyer and seller to transact to a total stranger because you can see how the feedback rating and you can use that to gauge the trustworthiness of the person/online store that you’re transacting with.

Posting on eBay Philippines is/can be Free

Selling on eBay Philippines can be free if you don’t choose the additional listing options such as the subtitle etc. I have posted all my merchandise on eBay Philippines without paying anything.

How to Signup on eBay Philippines?

Signing up is easy. Just click on the register link located at the upper left-hand corner of your screen and it will lead you to the registration page.

You can register using your Google, Facebook, or Apple account. Alternatively, you can also register by providing your details and email address on the available fields.

If you’re just planning to sell your unwanted stuff and other personal stuff then just register for an Individual account. However, if you’re going to sell large quantities, then register a Business account.

If you’re not sure yet if you want this to become your Business or if you just want to test the waters, then I suggest that you create an Individual account first.

eBay allows users to create more than one eBay account as long as you use different email addresses and usernames for each additional account.

This policy might change in the future so be sure to check eBay’s Terms and Conditions before you create your second account.

What to Sell on eBay Philippines?

You can sell almost anything on eBay as long as it follows the selling guidelines. If you want to see eBay’s policies on restricted and prohibited items, click here. Since this article is focused mainly on selling thrifted items, some of the items that you can sell include:

• Used clothing (Click here for the eBay’s Used Clothing Policy)
• Used bags, shoes, and accessories
• Home decors
• Kitchenwares
• Electronic and electrical appliances  and gadgets in good working condition (Click here for the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Policy)
• Arts & Collectibles  (Click here for eBay’s Selling Art Policy)
• And more!

If you’re wondering what I personally sell, I usually used clothing, bags, accessories, porcelains, collectibles, and kitchenware.

 

How to list an item to sell on eBay Philippines?

After you log in, you will see a ‘Sell’ link on the upper left-hand corner of your screen. Click on that link and it will lead you to a page where you could start listing your item.

if you’re a new seller on eBay then chances are, you don’t have any template created yet. In that case, you have to create a listing from scratch which, to be honest, is not really that difficult.

• Type in the brand name of the item that you’re selling
• It will auto-populate the categories and choose the most relevant category for the garment that your listing.

Let’s say we’re going to sell a Yohji Yamamoto Jacket for men. In this example, you will have to choose the second option on the dropdown choices since it’s the exact match and the most relevant.

Once you start typing the listing title, it will try to populate other relevant fields that you included in the title. In this example, it pulled up the type of garment (Jacket) and the color (Black).

• 

If you can notice from the screenshot, the ‘Subtitle’ field has an indicated cost amounting to P4.00, it means that if you use that field or if you type any information on the field. That information will be included on your listing and you will be charged P4.00 for it (for this particular listing only).

If you use that option for 10 listings then you’ll be charged P4.00 x 10 listings = P40.

Some sellers use it as it helps them sell their items faster. Subtitles appear in eBay search results in the list view. And having Subtitles help encourage the prospective buyers to check your listing out which could potentially lead to a sale.

However, if you’re just starting out, and if you have very little business capital to work on, I suggest that you don’t use this feature yet to minimize your business expenditure. Once you start earning then that’s the time to consider paying for optional items such as this one.

Moving on to the other areas, since I’m selling thrifted clothes and other items, I always select ‘Used’ on the ‘Condition’ dropdown items. Tag your items accordingly.

If you sell New Items with Tags then choose that option instead. You can post as many as 12 photos per listing and I highly suggest that you do so.

Providing as many photos as possible could help your prospective buyers decided faster whether or not to buy your item.

Sometimes, I use a mobile photo app to create Photogrids (one pic containing four pics in a grid format) so I could show more pictures of the item.

Some sellers are posting more than 12 pictures on the description box using HTML but it might be too complicated for beginners so we’ll skip that process for now.

You also have an option to tick these boxes to give buyers an option to zoom on your pictures.

Even though it says fees may apply, it won’t cost you anything to tick those options (as of the time of writing). The cost of listing gets updated right away at the bottom of the page.

If you’re new to listing items on eBay check that once in a while to see if the options that you’re using are costing you some money.

Moving on to the other areas, I highly suggest that you provide as much information as you could using the dropdown boxes provided by eBay as it will help your customer decide better if they are going to buy your item or not.

This will also help you increase your chances of selling your item because buyers have the option to filter out items when their searching for items to buy.

The item description is where you put information that is not covered by the dropdown options. I use this to give a full description of the item that I’m selling. You can also type here the terms and conditions of your store and your store policies.

This is another option that I love about eBay that is not available on other online selling platforms. You have the option to sell your item for a Fixed-price or Auction-style.

Fixed price literally means fixed-price. Let’s say you put P1,000 on the price, then if someone buys it for P1,000 then it means, it’s sold to them for P1,000.

With Auction-style, you have the option to set a Starting Price with or without a Buy it Now Price. The Reserve Price means, if the highest bid amount didn’t reach the Reserve Price then it will still not be awarded to the highest bidder.

Scenario 1: With Starting Price but with No Buy it Now Price and No Reserve Price

If you put P1000 as the starting price for your Yohji Yamamoto Jacket then the bidding will start at P1000. Whoever is the highest bidder after the duration of the bid process will win the bid.

Scenario 2: With Starting Price but with Buy it Now Price and No Reserve Price

If you put P1000 as the starting price for your Yohji Yamamoto Jacket and the Buy it Now Price to P1500 then the bidding will start at P1000. And whoever clicks on Buy It Now will win the bid.

Scenario 2: With Starting Price but with Reserve Price

If you put P1000 as the starting price for your Yohji Yamamoto Jacket and the Reserve Price to P3000 then the bidding will start at P1000. As long as the bid does not reach P3000 then no one will win the bidding.

However, if the bidding exceeds P3000, then whoever is the highest bidder above P3000 will win the bid.

Please note though that using the Reserve Price is not free and you’ll be charged for using this feature.

This feature is best if you’re selling one-of-a-kind and highly collectible rare items.

By the way, please also note that when you use the Auction-style option, you will have to relist your item every time it expires, unlike the Fixed-price option.

After you have set your choice on how you want your customer to buy your item, the next items that you need to fill up are the payment options.

It’s up to you to decide which option is more convenient for you. If you’re wondering which option I’m using, I’m using the Bank Deposit option since I find it more convenient for myself and for most of my customers.

The last leg of this listing is the shipping options. I put a set amount for the cost of shipping but we know that it varies because sometimes, customers buy a lot of items and we combine shipping to help them save some money.

This is why I indicate in all of my posts that they should contact me for the cost of shipping.

Sometimes, customers living in Metro Manila prefer using Lalamove or Grab because sometimes (depending on the bulk of the item), it’s cheaper than the regular couriers and of course, it’s faster since both services offer same-day delivery.

 

How much does it cost to list on eBay Philippines?

Pay attention to the Fees. This is where you’ll see if the options/features that you click on cost you some money. If you don’t use paid options then it’ll be practically free to list your items on eBay Philippines (please note that the fees policy might vary in other countries).

Here’s a link to the eBay Fees page if you want to see the list of fees. The fees are in Singapore Dollar but if you’re logged in to the eBay Philippines site you will see your charges in Philippine Peso when you’re creating a listing.

That’s it, the next button to click on is List Item and you’re done.

Now, you might be thinking that it’s so tedious to do this to each and every one of your items. eBay has an option to ‘Sell Similar Item’ on your succeeding post.

If you click on ‘Sell Similar Item’, it will copy all details on your next listing and all you have to do is to edit and update the details to whatever is applicable to your next listing.

Tips for Successful Selling on eBay Philippines

List More Items

If you list more items then you practically have more chances of selling. Building a huge inventory of second-hand clothing is easy to do because the startup capital is relatively low in comparison to other available products in the market.

I highly suggest that building your inventory should be the main priority in your first year of selling on eBay.

Try to Complete All Information Needed

Try to provide as much information as needed using the dropdown options of eBay (the free options) because this will make your items highly searchable on eBay.

Meet the Expectations of your Customers

The more satisfied your customers are, the higher the chances of getting positive feedback from them. And once you’ve accumulated a lot of positive feedback, then prospective customers/buyers will have more confidence in buying from your eBay store.

Here are some tips on how to meet your customers’ expectations on eBay:

 

Provide a Complete and Accurate Description

Being honest with your customers will ensure your longevity in this business. You should describe your items as accurately as possible. Take the actual measurement of your items and don’t rely on the size of the tag.

Let them know if your item has minor damages such as tears, stains, etc.

Do not over-edit your pictures. Let your pictures show the actual color of your item. It’s possible to take beautiful pictures of your items without misleading your customers to the actual condition of the garment.

Communicate Promptly and Politely

Even if you’re selling the most beautiful item and the cheapest on eBay, if you’re a pain to talk to then you will lose customers. Remember that people are buying from people/stores that they like.

Always put yourself in your customers’ shoes and treat them the way you want to be treated.

Be Flexible

Most questions that I get asked on eBay are about discounts. If I could provide a discount on my items then I will be glad to provide them the discount.

However, there are some items that I would not be able to do so because I practically won’t profit anymore. In those cases, I let them know that I won’t be able to provide discounts on those items however, if they buy another item, then I’ll give discounts on those items instead.

Aside from giving discounts, I also offer a lot of choices when it comes to payment and shipping. Some people might not have an account with BDO and it might be inconvenient for them to pay via this option if this is the only payment option that you have. (Note: eBay.ph has now introduced ‘Managed Payments’, you can read more about it here.)

Cross-Post to Other Websites

Even though I use eBay to sell my items, I cross-post most of my merchandise on other websites such as Carousell, Instagram, and Grailed. By doing so, I’m increasing my chances of selling my items faster.

 

List Frequently

I try to list new items at least once a week. By doing so, those who are following me knows that there’re new items to look forward to on a weekly basis.

By listing frequently, I also increase my chances of getting found by other customers because technically, when you list a new item, you generate a new searchable keyword for your new store.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a way to augment the ever-increasing living costs and if you’re looking for a side-hustle that can help you generate an additional income then consider selling online via eBay and other platforms. Selling online is really not difficult especially once you get a hang of it.

Update as of June 20, 2021: eBay has recently introduced ‘Managed Payments’ for eBay.ph and other regions as well. You can read more about it here.

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I hope this post helps you start your first online store on eBay. If you’re also an eBay seller feel free to add your tips and recommendations in the comment section below.