by Marijane Suttor

Created on: September 13, 2008

Having unused items around the house that still have some value always presents itself with the dilemma of donate, garage sale or eBay. Having made a little money on eBay as well as garage sales, I can vouch that each one has its positives as well as negatives.

These are a few criteria to consider on whether the items should be listed online, offered up at a garage sale or donated.

1. LARGE OR HEAVY ITEMS. Large or heavy items are best sold at garage sales in general. If the shipping is going to cost more than what the item is worth then odds are that the item is better sold at a garage sale.

2. NEW ITEMS. New items generally sell really well and especially anything that is new with tags will sell well on eBay. This is the place to go with the sweater from Grandma that you never wore, the pants that turned out to be the wrong length or the DVD that you received two copies of at Christmas. If it is new, expect a good sale and that you will get a good price.

3. THE .99 RULE. Seller fees are less if the item is listed on eBay at .99, but the problem is that at .99 all of the money will go to listing fees, selling fees, and Pay Pal fees. Don't list anything at .99 that you are not willing to sell at that price because you will only break even. If it is only going to generate .99, it is probably better sold at a garage sale unless you are trying to build your positive rating number. Then it is worth having some small sales to develop a reputation for being a good and reliable seller.

4. SHIPPING. Without a doubt shipping is one of the biggest hassles with eBay. Make sure that you charge the buyer adequately for your expenses including postage and shipping materials. If you do not want to deal with the hassle of shipping, a garage sale is the way to go.

5. ACCUMULATION EFFECT. If selling on eBay is your choice, be prepared for a few low sales and a few great sales. If I list 10 items for a week, my goal may be to earn $50 total. I might have one item that goes low for .99 and then another item will sell for $20. Don't look at it as individual items. Instead think of the total profit of the group.

6. CHECK COMPLETED LISTINGS AND CURRENT LISTINGS. Take the time to see if the item is selling right now or if there is any demand for the product. There is a glut of Beanie Babies for sale and they are not moving for a great price. Don't bother listing on eBay because you are just going to lose the listing fees. Sometimes it is better to just hang onto a product for awhile and

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