Scale
You definitely need to have a scale. I like the one with an extended display cord; you can see the weight even when you have a large box sitting on top of the scale. Scale price range is from $10 to $20. A bathroom scale will not give you the precise measurement that you will need weighing mail. ACCUTECK ShipPro 110lbs x 0.1 oz. Digital Shipping Postal Scale is what I use.
You may wonder what happens if your shipping weight is wrong. If your weight is over by dimensional weight or by pounds on some sites you’ll be charge for the difference. So for example let’s say you shipped out something first-class USPS 4 oz at $3.87 and if you were over by weight and the package was 8 ounces it costs $4.38 then on eBay you would be charged after the fact for the $.51. This will come directly out of your pocket. Investing in a $10-$20 scale will pay for itself in a matter of a couple of weeks. The scale will also prevent mistakes from happening. When I first started shipping I had the weight wrong, sometimes by 1 or 2 pounds. That doesn’t sound like a lot but if I was shipping the item to California that could be a difference of $5-$10.
Shipping Supplies
You may want to have some boxes and envelopes available, depending on what you are selling..
If you are shipping items that weigh a pound or more you will want to get a couple of USPS Priority Mail Boxes. Good news for us the boxes are free. You can order them on USPS.com website. I recommend setting up an USPS account. I find it is easy to sign in to request a package pickup and or order Priority Mail boxes.
When starting out it is ok to start by reusing boxes so long that their clean and do not have any addresses or scan bars on them. You can mark out barcodes and addresses with a black marker. I would avoid any boxes that were used for refrigerated or frozen items. Those boxes are not as sturdy after being in the cold and moisture.
I received what I thought was a return from a customer. I have never seen so many barcodes on one box; there were 3 or 4 labels on the box; including mine to the customer. When I opened the package I realized the box was a gift because it included a card and some toys. Looking at all the labels I was able to figured out where the box was supposed to go. I repacked everything out and cleared off all of the extra labels and sent it on its way. I hope it made it to its destination as it was a gift.
Printer or QR Code
You will need a printer or QR Code (on some platforms). The printer works out well for printing out labels and packing slips. Printer saves me time and money. The printer I use works really well. The toner is inexpensive when you look at each individual sheet. The printer I use is Brother laser printer HLL2300D
On eBay you have an alternate to needing a printer. You can ship using a QR code.When you sell something on eBay they can email you a QR code. You can take the package to the Post Office where they scan the QR code on your phone and create a label for you. Some Post Offices have machines that will create a label from scanning your phone.
Both Mercari and Poshmark offer QR codes for shipping.
Computer or mobile phone.
You will need some type of computer or phone. Some people are able to run a business from their phone. I can do certain tasks that way but I still need the capabilities of desktop computer to do many tasks; especially for eBay.
Mercari and Poshmark are set up for using your phone to sell from. You will find that there much more mobile friendly than eBay.
Stuff to sell
What to sell? Start with things you have that you no longer want or need. Choose items that are valued around $10-$30. You can figure out what items are worth by looking at eBay completed sales.
Some ideas for what you can sell include: clothing, shoes, jewelry, kitchen items, home decor, pet products, car parts, garden items, arts and crafts, books, art, collectibles and more!