Discover why selling on eBay is so important for driving funds to keep our PDSA Pet Hospitals open, and what it’s like to be part of the team involved, including Kyle – one of our Online Listers.
Why is selling on eBay so important for PDSA?
Since 28 May 2009, we’ve sold over 80,000 items, with 99.6% positive feedback, and generated a whopping total of £1.6 million in sales!
And, just like our charity shops, the funds we generate from eBay sales are important for supporting our charity and helping the sick or injured pets our vet teams see every day in our Pet Hospitals.
Selling online on eBay lets us reach a huge number of people from all over the world. In fact, we sent a very fragile Beswick-branded horse ornament all the way to Australia recently, which arrived safely to one very happy customer!
What kinds of items are available through our eBay shop?
Most of the items available through eBay are donations we receive from supporters in our PDSA charity shops.
In the early days of eBay, our team mainly listed pre-loved clothing and accessories. Today it’s very different, and many other products are available for customers to shop online.
As well as second-hand items, rare items, and collectables, other products you can find on our eBay store include:
- Themed collections.
- Seasonal ranges, such as our charity Christmas cards, diaries, and calendars.
- Year-round items such as our handy PDSA trolley tokens and adorable pet pins (a great gift for any animal lover!)
What are our biggest sellers (to date)?
The items below hold the PDSA record for being the items sold for the highest amount of money at auction.
- World War II Kangol paratrooper beret (sold for £1,580 – our largest sale to date!).
- Vintage 1990’s Mighty Max miniature toys (sold for £1,028).
- Set of three Pyrex mixing bowls (sold for £940).
- Canon Zoom 100-400mm stabiliser ultrasonic lens (sold for £830).
- Authentic Louis Vuitton handbag (sold for £715).
The sales of these four products raised more than £5,000 for our charity, which helps to keep people and pets together across the UK.
The PDSA eBay team
Based in our fulfilment centre in Tipton, our small but mighty eBay team works hard to keep track of deliveries and prepare items to sell online. They work closely with the rest of our colleagues at the Fulfilment Centre, including the warehouse team who are responsible for the packaging and correct sending of eBay sales.
Meet Kyle and discover his role as an Online Lister
The eBay room is home to all kinds of valuable, weird, and wonderful items ready to be listed online. As you can imagine, members of our eBay team have seen all sorts of different items over the years, including Kyle, our Online Lister who checks all items and uploads them for sale.
“There are a few steps to follow when listing items on eBay” he explains.
“First, I’ll check the waiting list and write my name next to a box of items, before looking at what’s inside. If anything’s damaged, I’ll carefully remove the loose or broken pieces and dispose of them correctly. Next, I’ll check all items to make sure they match what’s written on the paperwork.
“Once that’s complete, I’ll start the listing process, which normally takes around 30 minutes and includes:
- Checking the item: When studying an item, I’ll check that all its parts work or appear as they should. Having a good eye for detail is helpful for this, as it allows me to quickly spot a product's flaws or defects, so I can note this in the description. Any items that are on the prohibited list and therefore can’t be listed, I’ll safely dispose of.
- Doing research: After checking the items, it’s time to head over to the computer to sit down and do some research. This includes looking at the history of an item, such as where it was made, how old it could be, and its materials.
- Taking photos: Displaying the items neatly for photos is important to help attract as many potential buyers as possible. Fortunately, we have a small area that’s dedicated to taking product photos. I’ll use many props and helpful tools to take great photos, including a lightbox, acrylic stands, and hand mannequins for modelling jewellery.
- Writing descriptions: After I’ve studied the item, I’ll write a clear description (including measurements, materials, and any flaws). Using my research helps me to write descriptions that describe items better and give buyers more information. This in turn leads to greater sales. After I’ve successfully listed an item, I’ll wrap and label it for storage until it sells.”
Take a look at our eBay store today
From pre-loved collectables, antique jewellery, vintage watches, and rare dolls and bears to new product ranges and seasonal ranges, our eBay store has it all! Even better, every sale helps keep people and pets together.