My eBay Store - Madison Place Flea Market

This past weekend I decided to open an eBay Store. I have lots of books, inexpensive items and old inventory that has alternated between being in a flea market booth and being housed inside a cardboard box so I decided to put that type of stuff in my eBay store.

I use to own a flea market called Madison Place Flea Market and Antiques and have been selling on eBay since 1999 under the name madisonplace. I think I'll just stick with that name for my eBay store, it seems a lot eaiser than trying to change every thing. I sold the building about 5 years ago and the new owners put in a pawn shop and named it something totally different so I guess it's kosher to keep the old name.

I took the cheapest eBay store option which is $15.95 a month plus 3 cents per listing. You get 5 pages of items which amounts to 125 items. If a item sells I have to pay an additional 12% of the selling price. The store is very easy to set up, for dummies like me you just have to pick the quick set up and pick your colors then start listing.

I'm not sure I'm going to like this store inventory option. Unlike the eBay auctions where people bid or not, with the inventory option everything you list has a buy it now price. Your inventory stays in the store for 30 days unless it sells. If a item doesn't sell you have the option to pay 3 cents per listing for every thirty days that you keep an item listed. Of course you also have to pay the $15.95 monthly store fee every month.

It seems like I've spent hours at the computer (maybe 12 all together). I guess I really had thoughts of my email being filled with sales. So far I've only sold a few books and made about $10, of course it's only been 4 days.

My goal is to try this for 2 months and then decide if the store is profitable enough to keep open. During this first four days I really have my doubts but I'm trying to stay positive. One thing I already learned is I will have to list more expensive inventory in the store as the $1 and $2 items take to much time to list and not enough profit. I'll be working on that in the next few weeks.

If you have a minute check out my eBay store and tell me what you think, any advice or information from you fellow eBayers would be appreciated.

Check out my eBay Store: http://www.stores.ebay.com/Madison-Place-Flea-Market