How to Sell Used Items on Amazon. Amazon Vs eBay For Selling Used Items

Before we dive into the details, let’s take a moment to compare Amazon to its biggest used item competitor eBay for online sales.

When it comes to selling used items, Amazon isn’t the only big name in the game to increase your bank account. Many people turn to eBay when trying to offload their extra goods for cash.

The amount you are willing to pay in fees, the level of convenience you wish for, and the items you are selling are all factors. However, which one will be best for you generally comes down to personal preference and if you want to save money or time.

The seller fees when your item sells will likely be lower for the same product for anyone using an Amazon seller account — unless you are selling computers and electronics. Amazon’s fees generally come out on top in those two categories for those with a professional seller account .

If you are strapped for time, an Amazon FBA account will likely be your number one choice. After the initial professional account setup, selling with Amazon is a breeze. The only category where eBay may be quicker is rare and unique items.

How to Sell on eBay. How to Sell

To sell on eBay, follow these easy steps.

PayPal allows you to accept buyers' credit card payments online. You can sign up for PayPal before you list your first item for sale, or you can sign up when you list your first item with the Sell Your Item form. Register for PayPal .

Important note: If you’re selling internationally, you’ll be required to offer PayPal or merchant credit card account as accepted safe payment method for your items. Please check the accepted payment policies on the site you’re listing your item for details.

Fill out the Sell Your Item form.

Important note: If you’re selling internationally, you’ll need to confirm your identity before you can finish listing your item.

The Sell Your Item form is where you create your eBay listing. Here are some of the sections you will be asked to complete.

Select a category.

Explore eBay categories ahead of time to help you choose the most appropriate category for your item. Try searching for similar items and see what categories have been used.

Select Item Specifics.

This option is only available for certain categories. If you see it, be sure to fill in the details to help buyers find your item. More about item specifics .

Write a title.

Be clear, complete, and descriptive. Your title should include words buyers would search for when looking for your item. View tips on titles .

Add pictures.

Show off your item with pictures. You can use eBay Picture Hosting, which lets you add pictures straight from the selling form, and offers some attention-grabbing options. Or you can click Self Hosting to use your own hosting service.

Write an item description.

Here's your chance to really describe and promote your item. Sometimes it's easier to write your description in a word authoring program first, and then cut and paste it into the item description area in the Sell Your Item Form. Be clear and complete. Be creative, telling the history of your item and why someone would want to buy it. Read how to write a good description .

Choose a selling format.

Are you selling through eBay's standard online auction format, setting a fixed price, using your own eBay Store, or listing a classified ad ? More about selling formats .

Choose pricing and listing duration.

How long do you want your listing to run? How many items are you selling? What will your starting price be? Would you like to use a reserve price or sell with Buy It Now ? Answer these questions here.

Enter payment and postage information.

How will you accept payment from your buyer when your listing ends? eBay recommends offering PayPal, the fast, easy and secure way to get paid. Learn how to sell with PayPal .

Where will you post your item and who will pay for that cost? The more details you include on the Sell Your Item form, the fewer questions you will receive from buyers, and this would make ending your listing easier.

Increase your item's visibility.

Explore the many listing upgrades that can help your item stand out from the other listings. Choose the options that are right for you.

Review and submit your listing.

Now you'll see a preview of your listing and a summary of its details. Look this over carefully. If you're satisfied and finished, submit your listing.

Now your listing begins!

And when your listing ends…

Communicate with your buyer.

If you use eBay's Checkout service, when your buyer completes Checkout, eBay will notify you by email. If you didn't specify postage and payment details, the buyer can use Checkout to request this information. You can also use Checkout to send the buyer an invoice.
If you selected not to use Checkout, you should contact the buyer directly using email or phone.

Important: You should contact the buyer directly if you have not heard from the buyer or the buyer has not completed Checkout within 3 days of your listing's end.

Receive payment.

If the buyer paid with PayPal, you will receive an email confirming payment. If you have not yet registered for the PayPal service, you will be prompted to register to accept the payment. If the buyer paid via wire transfer, check your bank account to see if you have received payment.

Send the item to the buyer.

Pack it well! Use bubble wrap or crumpled up newspaper to protect the item from damage during postage. Make sure any parts of the item that are fragile are well padded and are located toward the centre of the box if possible. You don't want damage from postage to create problems for you and your buyer. Read tips for packaging your item.

Leave the buyer Feedback.

eBay's Feedback system helps create a trustworthy community for everyone. Your feedback about your buyer is important information for other sellers.

How To Sell on Amazon: A 7-Step Beginner’s Guide (2022)

Your online store is your home base, where you showcase your brand, connect with your audience, and sell your products.

That said, there are many ways to reach and sell to existing and new audiences through online marketplaces like Amazon.

If you’re a new ecommerce startup, you may have some questions, including:

Why should I sell on Amazon?
How do I manage pricing between my Shopify store and Amazon?
What does it take to grow a business on Amazon, and how can I keep it growing over the long term?
What options and programs are available on Amazon that I should use?

The goal of this guide is to tackle these questions and help you understand how to create and grow a profitable and sustainable business on Amazon. You’ll learn how to start selling on Amazon, how to optimize your time, and what things you can control to build a business on Amazon.

Free Webinar:

How to Find and Source a Winning Product to Sell

In less than 40 minutes, let us walk you through how to find product ideas, how to validate them, and how to sell the product once you have an idea you want to pursue.

How to sell on Amazon for beginners

1. Figure out what you’ll sell

The strategy for your Amazon business should cover what types of products you’ll sell and how you’ll obtain them. There are a few common ways to sell on Amazon:

Retail arbitrage. If you buy something below market value and sell it at a higher price while profiting off the difference, that’s retail arbitrage. Amazon sellers can search through different markets for things on sale or on clearance, such as Target, Best Buy, or Big Lots, then sell it on Amazon for a higher price.

Retailer arbitrage is a good way to make quick cash, but it can be time consuming. Resellers are always in competition with other people selling the same products. If you can’t sell a product fast enough, you’re stuck with it unless you sell at a loss.

White labeling. Generic products with your own brand name or logo added are known as. You can bulk order white label products, dropship them, or have them printed on demand. Amazon sellers find it easier to white label products because they can skip product research and get right to selling. You don’t need to have any manufacturing or product design experience to sell white label products.

Private labeling. Private labeling is the process of creating branded products using a third-party manufacturer. Amazon already has an established audience, which makesan attractive option for Amazon sellers. Popular categories include apparel, skin care, cosmetics, food, hair care, and supplements. You can find private label products through marketplaces likeor Thomasnet.

Affiliate marketing. If you don’t want to deal with finding products to sell, you can start anbusiness. You just need to choose the products you want to sell and promote them to your audience—be it on your website, Instagram, or TikTok accounts. Amazon will give you a unique link to include in your content. When someone buys a product using your link, you earn a percentage of the sale.

Dropshipping. When, you never keep products in inventory. When someone purchases a product, the order goes to a third party. The third party then fulfills and ships products to the customer.

The profit margin is slim for Amazon dropshippers. The average dropshipping margin is between 10% and 30%, and Amazon takes around 15% off your top line revenue. So you’ll have a margin of around 15% for each product sold.

While Amazon dropshipping is common, there are many rules to follow to stay compliant..

Selling your own products. Another way to sell on Amazon is by selling your own products. Many Shopify store owners will use ato sync inventory and sell products from their own stores to Amazon. That way you don’t have to create separate selling plans and can control inventory management in one place.

Tips for researching Amazon products to sell

It takes time and research to find which products to sell on Amazon. Findand have a good profit margin in a space with little competition.

Amazon Best Sellers lists

Amazon’s Best Sellers page is a great place to find product ideas based on what’s selling well right now on the site. Take note of any ideas you find that look worthwhile. Books, clothing and apparel, electronics, and toys and games are among Amazon’s top-selling categories.

Selling Used Items on Amazon Vs eBay. Selling on Amazon Vs. eBay Pricing and Fees

Selling on eBay is cheaper than selling on Amazon. This is because Amazon charges more fees that can eat into your profit margin. The standard Amazon fee is 15% with a $0.99 fee per item, while eBay fees for a standard account are often less than 9.15%.

However, there are some categories where Amazon charges lesser fees, such as personal computers (6%), cameras, cell phones, consumer electronics, and gaming consoles at 8%, and base equipment power tools at 12%, in addition to the $0.99 per transaction.

For an example of the difference in the Amazon and eBay fees, this table from CrazyLister is a good example:

Payment methods

eBay prefers payment through PayPal, but all major credit and debit cards are accepted. Other than cash payments, wire transfers are also accepted. Cash on delivery in certain regions is also done. Personal cheques, cashier’s cheques, and money orders are also listed as other payment methods but most sellers will wait for them to get cleared before dispatching items.

Amazon's answer to PayPal is their own branded Amazon Pay. But it also accepts all major credit and debit cards. You can also use an Amazon store card, but only with some merchants.

Shipping and global appeal

Globally, eBay is preferred and used, especially for imported goods and vintage items. Amazon has more of a regional appeal, specifically in the US, although it is slowly expanding to places such as Singapore. Still, there are many regions and emerging markets where Amazon hasn’t paid attention to.

As far as shipping and logistics are concerned, both platforms offer good and responsive services for fulfillment and delivery. For far-off international destinations, they partner with popular and efficient 3PL companies for order fulfillment.

For sellers who are not working with a 3PL and doing the self-fulfillment route, they can consider using Easyship to help provide competitive shipping rates for their overseas customers. Check out our Amazon and eBay integrations for more information!

Can i Sell Used books on Amazon. Method 1 Method 1 of 4: Creating a Seller Account Download Article

Create an Amazon shopper account if you do not already have one. Navigate to the main Amazon page, then click on the "Your Account" tab in the upper right corner. You will be asked to provide an e-mail address, password, and basic contact information. After submitting these details, you should receive a confirmation e-mail to notify you that your regular shopper Amazon account has been created.^{X Research source}

Write down the username and password somewhere secure so you don’t forget your login information.

Make a Professional Seller account if you represent a business. Use a Professional account if you plan to sell books as a business endeavor and anticipate selling more than 40 books per month. Go to the seller account start page to begin setting up your account. Click on the "Your Account" tab in the upper right corner of the page to visit your account page. On the right side of your account page, there should be a heading called "Your Other Accounts." Click on "Your Seller Account" at the top of the list to begin the process to establish a seller account. You must sign in again before your seller account can be activated.^{X Research source}

A Professional Seller account has a $39.99 monthly subscription fee but no per sale closing fee. A Professional Seller account also allows you to use feeds and spreadsheets to manage your inventory, as well as provides access to order reports.

Create an Individual Seller account if you’re moving limited inventory. If you’re a casual book seller trying to get rid of a little personal overstock (i.e. fewer than 40 books per month), you’re better off with an Individual account. Set up your Individual Seller account by following the same steps as you would for a Professional account. Navigate to the "Your Accounts" tab and click on "Your Seller Account." Sign in, and select that you’d like to open a Professional Seller account.^{X Research source}

An Individual Seller account has no monthly fee but charges $0.99 as a per sale closing fee.

Enter your payment information to legitimize your seller page. You will need to provide valid checking account information to be able to receive payments when you sell your books. Under the "Settings" tab on your seller account page, see a link called "Account Info." On this page, notice a "Deposit Method" section. Click the "Edit" button to enter your information. Select the country in which your bank account is located under "Bank Location Country." Enter the routing number and checking account number. Click "Submit."^{X Research source}

Wait to start selling books until you receive a confirmation e-mail. This can take several days since Amazon must first confirm the account with your bank.

Amazon Renewed

Amazon Renewed is your trusted destination for refurbished, pre-owned, and open-box products.

Products sold on Amazon Renewed have been inspected and tested to be fully functional by an Amazon qualified and performance managed supplier who is either the seller of record, when that is not Amazon EU S.à.r.l., or a third party vendor, when Amazon EU S.à.r.l. sells products that it sources from third party vendors.

The suppliers, who may be qualified manufacturers or specialized third-party refurbishers, must meet strict criteria to be able to sell on Amazon Renewed and meet ongoing performance targets. For details, please check the supplier or product details as well as the product packaging.

The inspection and testing process typically includes a full diagnostic test, replacement of any defective parts, and a thorough cleaning process carried out by the qualified supplier, or by Amazon. The products will be fully functional and be one of the three conditions - Excellent, Good and Acceptable.

Excellent condition

Cosmetic condition: Excellent

Screen: no scratches
Body: no signs of cosmetic damage (scratches, dents, etc.) will be visible when the product is held 30 centimeters away.

Functional condition: Excellent

Functionality: fully functional
Battery: >80% of their original battery life
Accessories: generic or OEM accessories and packaging provided

Good condition

Cosmetic condition: Good

Screen: no scratches
Body: light scratches, barely visible when holding the device 30 centimetres away and imperceptible to touch.

Functional condition: Excellent

Functionality: fully functional
Battery: >80% of their original battery life
Accessories: generic or OEM accessories and packaging provided

Acceptable condition

Cosmetic condition: Acceptable

Screen: may have a small number of shallow scratches, invisible when the screen is turned on.
Body: light scratches, clearly visible when holding the device 30 centimetres away and perceptible to touch.

Functional condition: Excellent

Functionality: fully functional
Battery: >80% of their original battery life
Accessories: generic or OEM accessories and packaging provided

The products may be packaged in a generic box and come with the accessories that may be generic, with exceptions, if any, mentioned on the product detail page.

Note: Wireless devices do not come with headphones and have batteries tested to have at least 80% capacity relative to new at the time of sale. Refurbished phones are not guaranteed to maintain their waterproof seal.

Amazon Renewed Guarantee . All products on Amazon Renewed (except traditional wrist watches and Amazon Devices) are backed by the Amazon Renewed Guarantee. With this guarantee, you are eligible for a replacement or refund within 1 year of receiving the product if it does not work as expected. This guarantee is in conjunction with Amazon's standard return policy that applies to most products. Learn more about the Amazon Renewed Guarantee .

Shop all refurbished, pre-owned and open-box products on the Amazon Renewed store.

How to Sell books on Amazon. Sell Used books

The most risk-free option to become a seller on Amazon is to sell used books — your own used books at that. Raid your closet/bookcase and try to find books to resell. This method is a great way to practice selling online if you have never done it before.

X-Cart ecommerce shopping cart has got all the necessary tools to create a perfect online book store — from mobile-friendly templates to a secure environment that will allow you to accept payments the safe way.

Rare finds
Old editions
Any type of old book (but check its BSR — more about that below)

Even if you can’t sell your stuff right away, don’t give up. Remember, your stash is likely only a reflection of your taste and not on what would sell best someday.

(Plus, there’s also Amazon’s trade-in program where they buy back your used textbooks and other stuff if you really want to get rid of them.)

Also, if you are curious to identify what books people are looking for, check out our X-cart’s parent company Seller Labs. They have a tool that helps you identify what keywords people are searching for within Amazon. Check out their keyword tool here . They give away free 30 day trials as well!

Other places to find used books to sell:

Thrift stores
Bulk buying (on sites like Craigslist, eBay or Facebook)
Retail arbitrage (look out for other eCommerce platforms selling books at a lower price than Amazon)
Free books (join Facebook groups or keep an eye on the Marketplace)

There is a way to know which type of books sell best on Amazon, and that is to check their Best Sellers Rank (BSR). You can find each book’s ranking on its respective page listing.

The lower the rank, the more copies that book is selling in a month. A book ranked at #1 could sell about 1,500 copies a month. A book listed at more than 1,000,000 might not make even one sale.

How much can you make selling used books on Amazon?

Most seasoned Amazon sellers will tell you that you need to set the price of your books AT LEAST at $7 just to break even. To make a profit, think $10 at a minimum or $12 for extra cushion.

Generally, the cheaper you set the price, the higher the Amazon fees will be.

How to Sell Used Items on eBay. eBay Marketplace: How To Sell On eBay For Beginners

Are you planning to start selling on eBay? Or perhaps you simply want to make some extra cash on the side and you wonder if eBay marketplace is the best option for online sellers — right?

There are many great sites where you can open your online store, for example, Amazon,, Walmart, Etsy, and so on. However, eBay is the best marketplace for beginners. And soon you will understand why.

When I was opening an account on eBay and was starting selling there, naturally, I had so many questions about how to start selling on eBay, what does it require, how to open an eBay seller account, what to sell , what is that eBay dashboard, etcetera etcetera. Same as you now.

That’s why, in this guide on how to sell on eBay for beginners, I will ease the first steps for you. I will show you why you should become an eBay seller and give you the exact steps to begin selling, explain you the eBay seller fees, profit margins, eBay tools, and many more.

Let’s get started!

Why eBay Marketplace?

So, to kick off this article, let me tell you that eBay has over 183 million active users, and the numbers have drastically increased over the past few years. It is the most sought-after marketplace — you already know that this is a big market!

For example, let’s take a look at th e eBay USA site . To paint you a bigger picture, the US population is around 333,368,397 inhabitants. This means that eBay holds a little over half of the US’s entire population.

Even though most of the top eBay sellers are located in the US (28,2%), the rest of the sellers are from the United Kingdom (28%), Germany (16.5%), China (13.2%), Australia (4.2%), and other countries. But the most wonderful thing is that everyone has a chance to become a seller on eBay marketplace!

Although eBay can’t compete directly against Amazon as a marketplace, eBay holds the second-largest active buyers and sellers activity in the eCommerce market.

In other words — it is still a huge marketplace to sell in! And, moreover, it’s super easy to start selling on eBay or. Let’s see it together!

It’s time…

Don’t wait for success to come. Hire yourself and start your own dropshipping business

GET STARTED

How to create an eBay account

First, you will need to open an account on eBay (If you don’t have it yet).

Once you create an eBay account, you can change your eBay account to a Business account or eBay seller account. The steps are pretty straightforward. Let’s go through the step:

Head over to www.eBay.com .
Hit the “Sign Up” button found on the top left side of the page.

Simply type in your general information such as first and last name along with your email and password. You also have the quicker option to register using your Google or your Facebook account.