I’ve noticed an interesting trend on the morning news shows and women’s magazines:
They all recommend selling things on eBay to raise extra funds in these tough economic times.
I have dabbled in eBay. I’ve bought and sold about two dozen items in the last year – mostly Minnesota Twins gear and baby stuff. And while I’ve made slightly more money from the sales than what I would earn from selling the stuff in a garage sale, I’ve found it to be more work than I need right now.
I’m finding that the eBay market is a bit flooded… and the fees are a little spendy. Now this isn’t true with every category, but it has been my experience. I’ve had a few items that despite being listed at rock-bottom prices, did not sell despite numerous listings. And when I do a search of similar items, it seems other folks are selling them for literally pennies.
It’s an interesting situation. Hundreds of thousands of people are listing things on eBay in an attempt to raise some extra cash… and none of it is selling because no one has any money.
I’m not going to write-off eBay forever, but I am going to hold off listing things there for awhile. I’ve been having better success with my local children’s clothing consignment shop and other online classifieds, so I’ll stick with those for now. I’ve also been donating things I don’t need. If I can’t sell it, at least I can feel good about helping others.
On the other hand, if you do have a little spending money, now is a great time to find bargains on eBay and elsewhere. It’s definitely a buyer’s market. 
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