After two weeks of talks ( back and forth) with eBay support team, I finally got my store back. Selling continues!

Hey resellers 👋 I wanted to share one of my favorite sourcing hacks—using Microsoft Copilot to analyze auction lots and uncover hidden gems with serious flip potential. Before I used my own custom script in Perplexity, but using Copilot is actually faster and more convenient. 🧠 What Copilot Does for Me: I feed it a link to an auction by opening a tab in the browser (like this university surplus auction), and it helps me: - 🔍 Identify each item (brand, model, specs) - 💰 Estimate resale value on eBay or niche platforms - 📉 Recommend a safe max bid to hit 3× ROI after fees - 📦 Break down shipping costs (parcel vs. pallet) - 📊 Calculate net profit after eBay fees, managed payments, and logistics - ⚠️ Flag risky or slow-moving lots so I avoid dead inventory 🧪 Example: Lot 102 – VWR Autoclave - Resale: DKK 6,000–8,000 - Max bid: DKK 1,200 - Net profit after shipping & fees: ~DKK 4,000 - Flip potential: ⭐ High - Why? Strong demand in lab resale, compact enough for pallet shipping, fast turnover 📋 I Also Get: - A summary table of all lots with resale value, bid cap, and flip rating - Risk grades (returns, faults, shipping complexity) - Days-to-sell estimates based on eBay history - Suggestions for bundling or local pickup strategies 💡 Why It Works: Copilot doesn’t just scrape data—it understands resale logic. It knows how to factor in fees, shipping, and market demand. I use it to build my bidding strategy before the auction closes, and it’s saved me from overpaying more than once.

When I started out, my average sales price (ASP) was sitting around $40. A year later, it’s up to $73. That one change has completely reshaped my business - moving from part time to full time. Here’s the truth most new sellers miss:👉 Listing a $15 item takes almost the same effort as listing a $150 item. Photos, description, shipping, questions — identical.👉 On a $15 sale, fees + shipping can eat 30–40% of the revenue. On a $150 sale, those costs barely scratch the surface.👉 Low ASP locks you into endless “busy work.” High ASP opens the door to real scaling. Moving from $40 → $73 ASP means every sale now pulls its weight. Same workload, but the return per listing is almost double. That’s the difference between running a hobby and building a business at scale. If you want to grow, train your sourcing eye to skip the $10–20 flips and go after items that actually pay you for your time. 💬 Where’s your ASP right now? And what’s your target for the next 12 months? I hope to be around the 100 usd mark a year from now.

My return rate is low—about 2–3%. And I am very grateful for that. For smaller items, I usually just refund and let the buyer keep it. Shipping back to Denmark often costs more than the item is worth. I treat it as a business expense, deduct it in taxes, and move on. That approach removes most of the negative energy around returns, and often it prevents negative feedback from the buyer. Still, it’s inevitable from time to time. For expensive items, I ask for the return and process it properly. The key is to accept it, learn from it, and not repeat the same mistake twice. 👉 How do you handle returns—refund and move on, or do you always ask for the item back?

One of the best ways I’ve found to stay productive with eBay listing is to work in short, focused sprints. For me, that means 1-hour bursts. Here’s the formula: - I put on some heavy music (the kind that shuts out everything else). - I go all-in on listing for an hour. - Then I step away and do something completely different. I’ll do this 3–4 times per day, and it keeps me both productive and sane. Listing can be draining if you grind at it nonstop. In sprints, it feels lighter, I keep my energy up, and I actually look forward to the next round. Curious how others here approach it: do you work best in deep sessions or short bursts?