Many make a living selling on eBay

Anyone with a computer is bombarded daily with messages like these: Work from home. Be your own boss. Quit your day job. Make a fortune on eBay.

But can you really make eBay pay?

There are billions of dollars to be made. Nearly 95 million eBayers sold about $7.5 billion worth of goods last year and racked up $2.17 billion in revenues for the auction site.

And a growing number of people are making a living exclusively, or nearly exclusively, by selling on eBay.

Bill Haefer is one. Haefer had a shop called Decades on Capitol Hill when he started selling on eBay about four years ago. He's since shed the shop, finding that it's more profitable to sell his antiques and collectibles full time on eBay.

"No antique dealer makes a great living. It's a hobby industry. But I'm making a living, like $35,000 a year. I work seven days a week, probably six to seven hours a day."

He first tried eBay to market certain kinds of pottery he knew were more popular on the East Coast than here, after hearing about the strategy from other antique dealers. "I had a few pieces worth a couple hundred dollars that sat for months here. I put them up on eBay, hundreds saw them in a couple days and I started getting bids."

Nowadays he sells to people all over the world.

He still rents a space in the Pacific Gallery Antique Mall in Sodo, where he sells mostly "affordable '50s furniture," because "you can't sell a $250 dresser on eBay; the shipping is too much." But his overhead still is much less than when he had the shop.

One of the keys to successful selling, he said, is "having key words in the title so people can find the darn thing; 'pretty blue vase'" is not going to do it.

Kathleen McClanaghan-Gruhl is a former stockbroker who has found in eBay an outlet for her passion for bargain shopping — and a steady income.

"I love it. I can shop as much as I want and my husband doesn't mind," she said. "I think I am making a lot of money. ... It goes straight into my PayPal account and then into my checking account."

McClanaghan-Gruhl had retired young but wasn't ready to stop working entirely. She began dabbling on eBay after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks put commerce on hold for a time and left her in her office wondering how to pass the time. She turned to her computer and logged on to the global auction site.

She was hooked.

McClanaghan-Gruhl also has bought wholesale lots on eBay, reselling them with some success. Less than a year ago, she purchased 750 pairs of flamboyant flip-flops. They've sold steadily and she now has only about 20 pairs left.

Other than an eye for a bargain, a sense of style and a way with words, her only other requirements are a computer with Internet access — preferably high speed — and a digital camera to photograph her wares.

So what should you sell on eBay?

Fred and Becky Hussong have settled on mostly software products; some they write themselves and others they buy from eBay wholesalers and liquidators.

"We haven't found the miracle that would make us millionaires overnight," Fred Hussong said, but they are eBay "power sellers" with sales hovering around $10,000 a month. Last month, they did $12,000.

They're going to an eBay gathering of wholesalers and liquidators in Las Vegas in June in hopes of making more contacts.

As with any business, there are pitfalls. Not everyone is enamored with eBay.

"Not only did I have to spend time creating the auction, I had to worry about figuring out shipping for the winner and that wasn't so simple," said Laurie Christy, 33. "It turned out to be more time than I wanted to invest."

But the beauty of eBay, said Hussong, is the sheer volume of potential buyers.

"If you have a garage sale, you might get 20 people," he said. "On eBay you have the potential for 20 million."

Information from The Seattle Times staff is included in this report.

Making eBay pay off


Who's selling: More than 430,000 people reported that eBay is their main source of income in a recent company survey.

What sells: These days "useful and practical" items account for 85 percent of all listings: cars, consumer electronics, clothing, jewelry, toys, home and garden items.

Step-by-step: How to sell on eBay


The following is a simple step-by-step guide to listing your goods for sale on eBay. To start, go to www.ebay.com and click on "sell."

Step 1: Register

Registration on eBay is free. In fact, you can't do anything else on eBay until you register.

Step 2: Select a category

Now's the time to start your listing. First, select a category. This is what buyers look for when they search, so you want to make it as concise as you can.

The selling form makes it easy by breaking down the categories as far as possible. Just make sure to file through all category listings for the perfect description of your item. If there isn't one, you can describe your item further in the description.

Step 3: Title and description

First, at the top of the page, write a catchy title. That's what people will see when a number of listings come up. Be sure to keep it short.

Second, describe in detail as best you can where you got the item, new or used, how much you paid for it, why you are selling it, and the item's history. Never be afraid to make a long description. It's free.

The more details the better. Your potential buyers can't hold the item in their hands, so providing a good mental image may be the key to a sale. And make your description more eye-catching with HTML. Click on HTML tips next to your listing for details.

Step 4: Pictures and details

One of the keys to selling an item on eBay is good pictures. If you have a good digital camera, snap several pictures you can choose from later. Make certain they are clear and provide an adequate representation of what you're selling.

Take advantage of the 25-cent gallery pictures. They appear with your listing when someone does a search and can mean the difference between someone checking out your item over the competition that doesn't have a visible photo.

The details section offers highlights of your transaction: how long you want it to run, what area of the country you're from, item price (and reserves).

Step 5: Payment and shipping

Choose what payment options you'd like to accept if your item is sold. You can do everything from checks to credit cards to PayPal (to register, first go to www.paypal.com). You also will have the chance to detail payment and shipping procedures.

Step 6: Review and submit

Go back over all your categories and check for spelling and other errors. If you have time, have a friend look at it for a second opinion.

Also, review the fees so there are no surprises when the auction ends. Keep in mind you will be charged to sell. Once you're satisfied, click "submit."

Jody Crossman, The Indianapolis Star