An eBay Trading Assistant is an experienced eBay seller who sells items that belong to other people for a fee or commission. Trading Assistants often have expertise in a particular area such as collectables or antiques. If you are an eBay seller, you may have thought about selling items for other people to make extra money or to build up your feedback. Perhaps you've considered helping out a friend who knows nothing about selling on eBay and has some items they want to sell....this is why I started!

Before stepping into this role you may want to consider some of the pros and cons of being a Trading Assistant....these are things I've learned along the way. 

On The Plus Side:

1. Inventory:

Your inventory will come to you! This is a big plus...no initial investment. You'll have items that will be given to you to sell...not a bad deal. Many times you won't even have to store the items in your home.  Especially for large, rather expensive, or very delicate items, I take pictures in the clients home and pick them up to ship when they have sold.

2. Feedback:

You'll watch your feedback grow by leaps and bounds....build your feedback quickly by selling other people's items.

3. You're The Boss:

As a Trading Assistant, you'll be working as an independant contractor. You can do as you wish...accept or decline a client or any item you are offered. You can work on your own terms, set your commission rate, and do your own thing. For instance, I only accept items that are worth at least $250.00, otherwise it isn't worth my time or the cost in eBay fees.

4. Education:

You will gain knowledge. It's amazing what you will learn about objects you knew nothing about before! I sold a beautiful Oriental Rug for a client a few years ago. Until that time I knew absolutely nothing about Oriental Rugs...now I can say I am fairly knowledgeable in that particular area!

On The Minus Side:

1. Money...The Bottom Line:

Most Trading Assistants charge any where from 25% to 50% of the selling price as their commission. You may have to charge a hefty price to make it worth your time to sell another person's items. Are you comfortable discussing money? You will have to explain eBay Listing fees, Final Value fees, Pay Pal fees, shipping costs, etc. You will also have to pay the eBay listing fee if the item sells or if it doesn't sell....You'll have to discuss and decide if you will pay those fees out of pocket or charge the client. Before the item is listed these things will have to be discussed.

2. Problems With Buyers:

If there is a defect or problem with the item, or the buyer is unhappy, you (as the seller) will have to resolve the problem with the buyer. Remember, it is your feedback and seller account that is on the line. Simply put...the buck stops at your door. Be very careful when selling mechanical of electronic items such as computers cell phones, cameras, etc. (I personally stay away from these items) If you sell electronics,  you have to make 100% sure that they are in perfect working order before selling them. You may have to decline selling some items rather than taking a risk selling something you are completely clueless about. (Some things are easy to learn...some things are beyond me...I admit it!)

3. Returns:

You can't consider the transaction complete until you receive positive feedback from your buyer. Until that time there is always a possibility that the item may be on it's way back to you. Your client may want to be paid for the item immediately when it is sold...but they will have to wait until the buyer is 100% satisfied with the transaction and you know that a return is not in your future. I learned this the hard way....trust me.

4. Research Takes Time:

You will need to do your research in order to estimate the possible selling price for a client's item and all the pertinent information you can find out about it. This takes time...so be certain to factor in the time you will spend researching items before listing them. Research is terribly important and very time consuming....the client may not have all the information you need to describe the item properly. We all know the more information we offer...the better the listing...the higher the selling price.

5. Emotional Attachment:

This is a big one! Most clients believe that their treasures are worth more than you will be able to sell them for ...and it's very difficult to explain this to them. They may not understand the market value of the item, especially if it has sentimental value. You will find yourself in the position to explain an item's value is determined by what a buyer will pay for it...not by what the owner thinks it is worth. This can be a sticky situation if the client has an emotional attachment to an item that they want you to sell. You may hear something like this..."I paid $900.00 for that vase 30 years ago...it was supposed to be an investment. Now you're telling me it's only worth $300.00 on eBay?"

I do hope you found this guide helpful in some way...if so, please take a moment of vote "yes"....and do check out my other guides as well!

Thank you...and happy selling!   Perf