Time and Profit Guidelines for Selling on eBay

Time is the master ingredient. You can't list an auction on eBay without spending some. It takes time to write the listing. It takes time to photograph the item and edit the photos. It takes time to pack and ship the item. How much is your time worth?

Here are the rules I've evolved over the last nine years to help me choose which items are worth my time to list:

The Wizard's Rules of Time Justification

RULE ONE: Don't spend your time on an item unless you can reasonably expect to make a $30 profit.

RULE TWO: If an item requires a very detailed and lengthy description, or will be time consuming to pack for shipment, only list it if you can reasonably expect to make a $100 profit.

Exception to rule number one: If an item can be listed with only a photo (or two) and a one sentence description (or two) PLUS be packed for shipping in less time than it takes to make a bowl of cereal, then a smaller profit margin is acceptable. Many postcards and small photographs would fall into this category, as well as some clothing items.

Some may say that you would be passing up many items on which you could make a $20 profit by following these rules...and they would be correct.

The idea is to become more selective. When it comes to your eBay business, your time is worth what your listings are bringing in. By following the Wizard's rules you will be giving yourself a pay raise.

Of course if you like beating your head against a wall for popcorn money, just list a bunch of low margin crap until your fingers bleed and the eBay logo is branded on your retinas. As always, the choice is yours.