Drug Free eBay Top 10 Tips (read on - it'll all make sense...)

With the sun beginning to finally break through the clouds this month it is the perfect time to clear out your wardrobe and generate some cash from things you don’t wear. Back in 2011 I wrote my first blog post about eBay and I have learnt a lot since then about successful selling, so much so that PayPal put a hold on my account in February: they thought I was a drug dealing money launderer because of all the money going in and out of my account. True Fact! Last year I made nearly £2000 for clients selling their unsuitable clothes.

Here are my updated, drug free eBay Top 10 Tips:

1.      What’s New Pussycat? eBay Pulse used to be a great barometer to check what was and wasn’t selling and sadly, as of September 2012 it no longer exists. In its place there is the most awesome Watch Count (click here for their website). Simply select your country and then search for your key words. They even have an option to see items with zero/fewest bids - great if you need a specific item for minimal cash. I use this function to see why things haven’t sold: it may the description, the starting bid price, a badly pose photo.

2.      Knowledge is power. You wouldn’t go and buy a car without checking out the market and seeing what is on offer elsewhere. Say I am listing a Boden Top size 18, I run a search on the item to see if there are any similar items selling with that description. I check out the listing price, the photos, the description and the delivery time of similar items.

3.      Standing out from the crowd. There are 1000’s of items for sale on eBay: you have to make your listing stand out. List the garment attributes in the title - BNWT (Brand New With Tags), 100% Silk, Cashmere mix, BN (Brand New). I use a mix of capital and lower case letters as well.

4.       Descriptions which actually describe. I did an English degree so I secretly love this part but 1 sentence about your item alongside 1 photo? Would you buy that? If you were on a market stall shouting your wares what would you say? This is your chance to really sell your item: fit, cut, quality, washing instructions. Why are you selling it? When did you wear it? It is races season soon so a dress you wore to Ascot, York or Aintree will sell better with that information included in the description – buyers will know what the end use is.

5.      Givers gain - I always include the measurements of the garment. This also saves you time – the more info you give, the less questions buyers ask.

6.       Phototastic – these babies come before your now wordy and bursting at the seams descriptions. Some buyers, if they really want the item, will buy from the photos alone. Think of your photos as a sequence of events: front, back, sleeve detail, front detail, lining, damage (if any), tags (if still attached), close up of the original price on tag, retailer label showing brand and size. Make sure the photos are turned to right way round before uploading.

7.      Be honest – if you say you’ll deliver in 3 days but you know work is going to be pretty hectic and you’d rather spend your lunch hour on Twitter than queuing at the Post Office then don’t make promises you can’t keep. Bad service = bad feedback which affects your seller ratings.  

8.      Packaged to perfection – Buy your packaging from Wilkinson’s – super cheap and great quality.

9.      It’s all about the timing – As with so many things in life, eBay really is all about the timing. Sunday night between 6.30pm and 9pm is the optimum time to list on eBay: more traffic, more bids, more money. Use the scheduling option on the selling form if you are batch listing. It will cost you £0.06 per item and saves a lot of stress.

10.  Money, money, money – Ah yes, eBay has to pay themselves somehow. They take 15% of your final sale price and PayPal charges a 3.4% transaction fee plus 20p per transaction.

Let me know how you get on! Til next time..x

Cate Wood Collections

This year I am going to buy a house (big dreams!) and in January I went to look at a few. In one of the houses I discovered the fantastic Cate Wood and the house search was temporarily forgotten. This talented jewellery designer and creator handcrafts pieces which are ornate with a modern vintage inspired feel. Leather, horsehair and vintage items are reclaimed and repurposed from car boot sales, markets, charity shops and eBay to create bespoke pieces. As Cate so rightly puts it “The design is dictated by what materials are available.” Talk about upcycling!

Necklaces, bracelets, earrings and trinkets abound on her website and there is also an option to personalise some of the products. My personal favourites are the bracelets: stackable, they are a ready-made wrist full of festival accessories, a calling card for summer times. Durable and long-wearing, Cate has just started a range of alternative christening bracelets made to stand the test of time.

After school Cate went to Batley Art College and studied Surface Pattern Design and then went on to study Fashion and Textile Design at Manchester University, graduating in 1992. During a career break which was supposed to encompass a worldwide yearlong travelling spree, the best intentions were scuppered when Cate happened upon Brazil: the rest of the world could wait. After falling head over heels in love with the city, she returned to the UK full of passion and started Saving Face jewellery. Three years later and Cate Wood Collections was born.

Just under a year old, the brand has already picked up a motley crew of devoted fans (just check her Facebook Page for positively bubbling comments on her work) and Cate’s work is now stocked in selected galleries and shops. The icing on the creative cake is that Cate also does commissions so please contact her directly if you have something specific in mind.

Before I left I ordered a Tally, a Button it Up and a two elliptical friendships bracelets. Can’t wait to get them worn in before the summer! 



Cate Wood Collections: for more information click here

BOOB SCHOOL Part deux

A properly fitted bra can literally help you drop a dress size, not to mention improving your posture and making you feel supported at the same time. So how did I get on with my bra fitting? Well, I was pretty confident I was wearing the correct bra size but once I was in the fitting room with my top whipped off I felt …well…vulnerable. Was I wearing the wrong size? The wrong cup? My mind was a heady mix of bra confusion as I tried to remember the date of my last fitting. Surely in the past year? This was the Boob School examination – was I going to pass the test?

I was running through the 7 classic bra faux pas pretty sure I wasn’t guilty of the Side Boob, the High Rider, the Big Stand Off and the Ledge but since I stopped training as much after my marathon I have put on a tiny bit of weight on my boobs. Oh dear lord! Was I guilty of the dreaded Quadraboob? Or worst still the Super-drooper?

Now this is what’s great about Bravissimo – everybody I met at Boob School was immeasurably passionate about their products. Due to the location of the store – heart of Oxford Circus – naturally the demand from customers is high. So when it came to my turn to be fitted Bravissimo’s Head of Stores did mine. You wouldn't get many senior figures in companies taking such an active role! She took one look at my bra and immediately clocked the too small a cup size. Measuring just by sight and without the use of a tape measure the Freya bra which was brought in fitted fabulously. With straps adjusted and my girls now fully encased in their cups I popped my top back on and left a very happy lady indeed.

I came to Boob School a 30E and left a 30F. Graduating with flying colours and no sign of a Quadraboob in sight! Thanks Bravissimo!

For more info head over to the Bravissimo Facebook page (here), check out their website here or head into stores and have yourself a fitting!