eBay has partnered with FedEx Office to make its eBay Valet consignment program even easier for consumers who want money for their unwanted goods, but don’t want to have to go through the bother of selling it on eBay themselves.
Rather than packing and shipping their unwanted items to send to eBay “valets,” people can drop off their items at FedEx Office locations.
But before you load up the car with a bunch of junk, be aware that eBay Valet only accepts items that are in good condition that are sure to fetch a good price.
eBay Valet offers consignors between 60 – 80 percent of the selling price (excluding taxes and shipping). We’ve yet to hear back from eBay about who pays FedEx Office for its services.
The eBay Valet Drop-Off Program accepts items from a limited number of product categories. eBay advises that items that sell best include electronics, antiques and collectibles, high-end clothing and shoes, and small appliances. “Through the eBay Valet Drop-Off Program, consumers can even sell bulky items – like golf clubs – alleviating the hassle of packing them up.”
eBay spokesperson Ryan Moore told EcommerceBytes there are two Valet processing centers – one in Southern California and one in Tennessee – each owned and operated by independent eBay sellers. As we’ve previously reported, ModusLink PTS operates the LibertyStore Valet store based in Tennessee. Ingram Micro operates the EastvaleValet store based in LA.
FedEx Office has been offering the eBay Drop-Off Centers at locations in Atlanta and LA for some time as part of a pilot program; on Tuesday, the companies announced the eBay Valet Drop-Off Program is expanding to over 1,600 FedEx Office stores over the coming months. More information is available on the eBay website.
Did you know?
- eBay launched the Trading Assistant Program in 2002 to help regular sellers with their consignment business;
- In 2008, eBay imposed tight restrictions on participants;
- In 2013, eBay closed the program altogether, no longer providing TAs with leads.
Curious about what it takes to become an eBay Valet? Here’s a description from the eBay Valet FAQs page:
How do I become a valet?
To become a valet, they are carefully screened for inclusion in the program. Requirements include, but are not limited to: (1) ability to list 100,000 listings each month, (2) storage capacity sufficient to hold and manage items received for at least 21 calendar days, (3) ability to list items across all eBay categories, and (4) physical presence in all major metropolitan hubs in the U.S. and (5) demonstrated ability to consistently deliver the highest standards of buyer experience to eBay shoppers.
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