eBay HTML Changes Coming in 2017 - My Real Karma is eBay Approved!

In the 2016 eBay Seller Update, eBay announced that the rules for HTML in the listing description will change. The official word from eBay is as follows:

Remove active content for peak performance

The use of active content in listings, including JavaScript, Flash, plug-ins and form actions inhibits purchases on mobile devices and can lead to abuse in the marketplace. Beginning with the Spring 2017 Seller Update, eBay will limit the use of active content in all new listings across all devices and it will not be rendered by default. By the Fall Seller Update 2017, we plan to remove or block listings with active content. We encourage you to limit your use of active content now. We will provide more information later this year about which functionality will be limited and provide the specific timing in early 2017 We are also working closely with our third-party partners in cases where they use active content on your item descriptions or stores. (Read eBay's update here.)

I have personally spoken with Alex, the CEO of My Real Karma and he and is developers are on board with this upcoming change and are already addressing it. As a approved third-party partner, My Real Karma code on eBay listings WILL NOT have any adverse affects on your listings appearing i search. Your listings WILL NOT BE BLOCKED.

If you aren't using My Real Karma yet, check it out here. 

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact Alex for more info.


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eBay Seller's Vintage Item Appraised on Antiques Roadshow

Fellow eBay seller Rachel who lives in Fort Worth, Texas was lucky enough to attend the Antiques Roadshow last week. She brought one of her thrift flip finds, a vintage Missoni top. She has had some trouble researching it. She said that the textiles appraiser was so kind and excited. He gave Rachel a lot of information including that the top was classic 70's and showed her how to tell from the cut of the garment as well as how to store her Missoni collection.

He mentioned never to store knits on hangers, always roll them. He also said that the tag condition rarely affects the value of the piece. The appraiser told Rachel that she had "an exceptional piece of fashion history" and appraised it at $200.

When he asked Rachel how much she paid for it, she told him $2.50 and he said, "You did good, kid!"

Rachel said the show was such a great experience and validating. The Missoni top won't be on the show but other people brought some really cool things and she had a lot of fun.

Thanks so much for sharing, Rachel!

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Money Making Mondays Videos

Join my Facebook Group

Women's Brands to Sell on eBay

eBay Seller Facebook Group Reaches 22,000 Global Members - Largest on Facebook!

All I can say is, "wow!" If you had told me back in 2008 when I started the Facebook group "Stay at Home Moms Selling on eBay" that 8 years later membership would reach 22,000 members worldwide, I would not have believed it. But here we are, 22,000 strong and still growing every day.

As I look at this milestone with great pride, I first have to thank from the bottom of my hear our 9 moderators who give of their time to help keep the group professional, on track, and drama-free. This group could not have grown to this size without the daily dedication of these sellers. The moderators are in all time zones across the USA, and Andrea, the 'night watchman" is in Australia. A shout out and big thank you to the dedicated moderators!

Amy - Benton Ridge, OH
Andrea - Victoria, Australia
David - St. Louis, MO
Jenn - Turnersville, NJ
Linda - Tucson, AZ
Lisa - Portland, OR
Melanie - Atlanta, GA
Rochelle - Urbana, IL
Robert - Tacoma, WA

A heartfelt thank you to all the members who make the group great by sharing their finds, advice, and helping other members with questions, problems, and all kinds of eBay situations. It is your giving spirit, cooperation, and professional demeanor that keeps our eBay community running smoothly so that we can be the not only the biggest but the best free resource for eBay sellers worldwide. You all have helped keep the group stay focused, spam-free, educational, and professional. Bravo!

If you are not a member of the group, come join us here! A few things we have to offer:

A huge resource file with hundreds of sites for identification, education, and authenticating items you want to sell on eBay.

Weekly thread called Money Making Mondays where sellers post their sales - including where they found the item, how much they paid for it, and how much it sold for. This is the proof that eBay works. There are 195 of these weekly threads going back to 2012 with over 20,000 posts so sellers can learn from one another.

Member's Store Directory where sellers can post their store names so that we can support each other in our eBay efforts.

Consignment Resources - a standard consignment agreement and tip sheet for those who want to venture into consignment selling.

Connect with other sellers both virtually and in person. Running a home business can be isolating. You can find other sellers who understand what your day is like. You may even find other sellers in your community that you can connect with locally.

I take great pride in this Facebook group and how we have evolved over the years into a resource to help sellers learn and grow in their businesses. We have built an amazing community of diverse eBay sellers that reaches all around the globe. Thanks to all of you for your contributions! See you on Facebook!

Make sure to check out my other social media and free resources:

YouTube (14k subscribers, 121 videos, 100k+ minutes of watch time a month)

Pinterest (5k followers, 4k pins, learn those clothing labels!)

Twitter (12k followers, 24k tweets)

About.com articles 

Client testimonials

Trust Yourselves eBay Sellers!

Hey eBay Sellers!

I wanted to share a recent eBay experience with you to help you build your confidence when doing research and pricing items. My advice is to do your research, understand the value of your item, and don't let buyers make you second guess your pricing. Here is an example. I received this offer immediately after listing this Misook twinset. 

The customer making $60 the offer said,

"This is a pretty color but the tag reflects these items have been washed quite a bit. I wear Misook a lot and mine look the same after frequently washed. I recently purchased a jacket from NM (Neiman Marcus) for $120. The price for preowned is high."

I have done my research and know that this item is priced correctly. Twinsets sell for over $300 retail. this is a vibrant ant popular color. The item is in great condition. I countered with $125 and the customer declined. No problem, I thought. The right buyer will come along.

And sure enough, 2 weeks later, the right buyer did come along. I sold the item for full price on July 1:

I bought this item for $2 at a thrift store, so my profit after fees and inventory cost was $128.19. Not bad! The teachable moment here is to have faith in your initial research, don't let buyers intimidate you into taking a much lower price, and trust that the right buyer will come along in time. Part of being a successful eBay seller is learning to wait for the right buyer.

Here are some resources to help you with learning women's clothing labels, so you can spot the high dollar items hiding in the sea of junk at thrift stores:

Pinterest Board - Women's Clothing Labels

YouTube - Women's Clothing Brand Videos

Course - The Profitable World of Women's Clothing Level 1

Course - The Profitable World of Women's Clothing Level 2

Why People Buy Used Plush on eBay

Some people think it is just....gross. Selling a used teddy bear or Disney plush. Why on earth would someone buy a used snuggly plush for their child? 

An eBay seller sent me an email sharing this message from an eBay buyer:

Here is a screen shot of the sold listing:

This seller paid 90 cents for the Pottery Barn plush at a thrift store. It only took a few months to sell.

Total profit of $33.59.  In fact, here are the numbers:

If you aren't selling plush on eBay, here are some FREE resources to get you started:

Selling Plush on eBay YouTube Playlist

Plush Memories Lost Toy Search Service (Facebook group - learn what people are looking for)

Happy hunting and happy selling!

Selling on eBay Isn't Always About the Money

Sandy B. in Ohio sent in this story:

"Just want to offer a tip. I like vintage and it tends to sell cheap because people think it is just old junk. Any time I find something packed in newspaper, I look for the date on the newspaper and that gives a clue as to the age of the item. I've always done this.

I had an extraordinary find this week. I found a very small box of military buttons, a belt buckle, 2 badges, and a spent lead bullet. There were a few newspaper clippings in the 2 inch by 6 inch box. I asked her what she wanted for the old buttons and she said just take them.

I got home and the newspaper clippings were the obituary and family information that confirm these were from the Civil War. I am awaiting the evaluation from a contact of mine. Because of the documentation (the newspaper clippings), I'm expecting a minimum of $800, hopefully higher.

I drove 40 miles back to the place I bought from to hand them $200. I couldn't in good faith not do something. They cried and hugged me. It's not always about the money, sometimes it's about doing what's right. It's about sleeping at night because you know you did what's right.

I haven't sold on eBay in a few years because I have been a caregiver to all and lost mom, 2 brothers, sister in law, and husband in the last 3 years. June is a good month in Ohio, it gets hot in July and sales slow down so I'm on my buying spree now. I retired at the end of January so my selling will resume in the fall. Another tip - living close to a body of water (I'm on Lake Erie), I've done well with vintage marine items. Anything boating or fishing is plentiful and profitable."

Wow. Thank you so much Sandy for sharing this. You are right, sometimes it isn't about the money.

Bless you for being a caregiver for so many my condolences for the losses you have suffered. So much loss in such a short period of time. That is a lot to deal with. Thank you for sending in this story and I wish you great success with your sales when you re-start eBay in the fall.

Have an interesting eBay story? I'd love to post it! Send me an email at suzanne @ suzanneawells.com and let's talk about it.


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Find Great eBay Inventory in a College Town Near You!

Thanks to reader and Facebook Group member Kate in San Francisco for posting this:

"Hey y'all, I haven't posted here before, but I wanted to pass along a tip/reminder to others who primarily resell clothes.

Over the next few weeks, thrift stores in EVERY town with a college or university will have some amazing loot. Students heading home for the summer donate piles of barely used, brand name clothes, just to avoid the hassle of shipping it all home. Some universities even arrange for a local thrift store to come collect the giant piles from each dorm.

This could be useful for some of you who live in areas where quality inventory is scarce - if there's a college an hour or so away, it's worth the trip. A lot of liberal arts schools are in smaller towns and rural areas, and the budgets of those students are wildly disproportionate to the local economy.

Just remember to brush up on your Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters sub-brands ahead of time!"

Also, if you have access to a college campus, like my friend Nancy whose husband was a math professor, just wander around the campus during and immediately following exam time. Nancy found discarded text books lying around campus, on top of trash cans, and on building steps where students left them. Some text books can sell for insane prices on both eBay and Amazon.

Also check around the dumpsters. Students may throw away sellable items as they avoid the hassle of moving back home.

Happy hunting!

Related Resources:

Anthropologie Brand to Sell - Leifsdottir

Anthropologie Brand to Sell - Tabitha

Don't Leave Money on the Table When Selling on eBay