Selling on behalf of someone else

[swim1600]

Hi everyone,  is there such a person as someone who you can appoint to sell all your things for you please?  I just don't have the time to list everything that I want to sell, and so it occurred to me that maybe there are people who you can ask to do the selling for you.  Obviously at a fee.  Does such a person exist?

Thanks for reading.

[four_mid_able]

Do an internet search for "Ebay we sell your items" there are quite a few.

Bear in mind the time it will take you to send them all the relevant info will be the same as doing it yourself.

[vinylscot]

You also need to factor in the cost. I seem to remember when eBay facilitated a system like this (can't remember what they called it), the fees came in at around 20%, (that's on top of eBay's fees, so you're paying out  a third straight away) and you've also got the added cost of getting the items to your selling partner (unless they are so generic they can be sold completely unseen). As @four_mid_able  says above, unless your selling partner is an expert in what you're trying to sell, you'll end up with just as much work as doing it yourself, and you'll be giving up a lot of control, if not of prices, certainly of descriptions, style of ads, etc.

I know someone who considered it about ten years ago. There was a shop in Glasgow where you dropped your stuff off, and they listed it, but the safeguards/guarantees were more or less non-existent, so they didn't go ahead. (The shop is long gone.)

[magpiecorner1]

There are people out there but it would only be viable to use them for high value or multiple quantity new items.  There is no way at all to have someone else photograph, list and post low value unique, especially used, items that wouldn't cost you a fortune.

[papso22]

Unless the person wasn't bothered about having an ebay account long term, or was  already a bit dodgy, they would be foolish to do this for you using their own account.  Any probems, refunds etc would be seen as theirs to deal with and they would have to rely on you to re-imburse them if the money had already been handed over.

Your risk is that they sell your item, take the money, and run.

There would need to be a legal agreement between you that would need a solicitor to write up and cost you. 

Ebay used to advertise 'trading partners' there are reasons they don't do that anymore.

[1956glyn]

As mentioned there are, in my opinion, way too many risks involved so personally i would never consider it.

Also a lot of those places will not get involved for any item selling for less than say £100.

[1956glyn]

I also remember the scam where people got others to list items for them which never existed saying they would pay them a commission and then forward the item to the buyer.    They left the foolish seller with a load of refunds etc    😞

[kempseykate]

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@1956glyn wrote:

I also remember the scam where people got others to list items for them which never existed saying they would pay them a commission and then forward the item to the buyer.    They left the foolish seller with a load of refunds etc    😞

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To this day I often think of one particular seller who had 'sold' loads of designer bags for someone as way to make some much needed money 😞 I do hope she got it sorted and didn't end up owing thousands of pounds 😞

[1956glyn]

Indeed.  I remember that one too and it was awful

[eastern-lights]

Better to let a bricks and mortar auction house sell them on your behalf. If you items are specialist, find an auction house that specialises in them.

[janrom2]

The only way that this can be done is if...

* You have someone you trust 100% to do it for you and be honest

AND

* You just want rid and genuinely - and I mean GENUINELY - don't care what you get for your stuff (in which case you may well be better off doing a car boot / selling to a dealer / selling to Cash Generators anyway).

AND

* You've got money you can hand over to your designated seller in case thins go belly up with a sale (for refunds)

AND

* You have someone that, as well as being trustworthy, is willling to risk their Ebay account (for example, if things go very wrong / they make a hash of it).

AND

* If it's stuff of any value, they could absorb any cost incurred re-taxes etc, as legally the sales would be in their name.

-

As far as paid services for this, if they still exist, my advice is - DON'T.

Even in straight cash terms...say you have a CD worth £10.

* Sell straight to a dealer, you get around £3.50 - your work is done.

OR

* Use a 3rd party Ebay service with 20% commission.

CD sells fr £8, their commission is £1.60, postage second class £1.20, Ebay fees £96p + 30p/

You get around £3.90.

You would get around 40p more than if you sold straight to a dealer...and that's if their commission is only 20% - and that's before any issues re-refunds.

[larat_97]

Hey,I'm new here but i want yo work with ebay..

[rizain575]

exactly that happening with me twice where can we contact the original seller to send the item to the buyer

[1956glyn]

From one of my earlier replies

"I also remember the scam where people got others to list items for them which never existed saying they would pay them a commission and then forward the item to the buyer. They left the foolish seller with a load of refunds etc"

Is this what has happened to you?  

You currently have some live listings and to be honest the only advice i can offer you is to end them immediately if the above also applies to them. 

[*help_no_brakes*]

Hi glyn,

I believe you are right on the money & they are not off to a good start feedback wise.

[*vyolla*]

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@rizain575 wrote:

exactly that happening with me twice where can we contact the original seller to send the item to the buyer

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Have you listed items that you don't have in your possession?

If so, cancel any existing orders and end your current listings before they end up sold too.

To cancel an order (select the 'out of stock' reason):

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/getting-paid/sellers-can-cancel-order?id=4136&st=3&pos=2&query=H...

To end a listing:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/listings/creating-managing-listings/cancelling-listing?id=4146&s...