When I listed my first vintage jacket on eBay in February 2021, I had no idea what I was doing. A week later, it sold for $68. Two months after that, I decided to experiment with Etsy for similar vintage pieces. What surprised me was that my second Etsy sale came faster — but the fees were higher.
Three years later, I’ve sold on both platforms and run multiple accounts on eBay. I’ve tracked hundreds of listings, given away items for free (yep — it works sometimes), and learned how to scale efficiently without losing my mind.
This isn’t a list of generic tips. This is exactly what’s worked (and failed) for me over hundreds of real transactions.
Is It Better to Sell on eBay or Etsy?
Here’s where it gets interesting. I used to think Etsy was just for handmade crafts. But once I started listing my vintage crewnecks there in August 2022, I realized how different the two audiences are.
Why I Lean Toward eBay for Volume
-
Bigger buyer base: I move more product, faster.
-
Broader category coverage: Electronics, collectibles, clothing, sneakers.
-
Easier bulk listing: With eBay bulk listing tools, I can list 50 items in one session.
In Q3 2023, I sold 312 items on eBay versus 98 on Etsy, but Etsy’s average order value was $22 higher.
Why Etsy Wins on Aesthetics
Etsy buyers care more about presentation and branding. My Etsy listings with better photos consistently got 2× the engagement. But the buyer pool is smaller, and niche-specific.
| Platform | Avg. monthly sales | Avg. margin | Top category | Key challenge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eBay | 312 | 41% | Sneakers / Electronics | Competition, undercutting |
| Etsy | 98 | 54% | Vintage apparel | Lower volume |
My honest take? eBay is better for scale, while Etsy shines if your products rely on story, design, or unique vintage appeal.
How to List Multiple Items on eBay Without Burning Out
The first time I tried to list multiple items on eBay was a disaster. It was April 2022, I had 57 items prepped to list, and after three hours of manual entry, I was still halfway through.
Then I discovered eBay bulk listing.
My Workflow Now
-
Prep inventory with SKUs and photos.
-
Use eBay’s bulk listing tool with pre-saved shipping & return policies.
-
Duplicate and tweak titles, categories, and pricing in one go.
-
Hit publish.
Result: I can list 50 items in under 90 minutes.
I’ve tested this across multiple niches—sneakers, electronics, vintage apparel—and this system beats one-by-one listing every time.
Honest Failure #1: The Shipping Policy Debacle
In March 2023, I uploaded 80 sneaker listings and forgot to attach my sneaker-specific shipping policy. Every listing defaulted to Priority Express. Buyers bailed, and I refunded $230 in overcharges. Since then, I’ve made shipping templates non-optional in my bulk uploads.
Tools I rely on for this step:
-
eBay Bulk Listing Tool (native)
-
Closo for AI-assisted pricing
-
Terapeak for comp research
-
Google Sheets for SKU control
-
Pixelcut for photo cleanup
Managing Multiple eBay Accounts (Without Losing Your Sanity)
People always ask me how I manage multiple eBay accounts. I didn’t plan to — it happened accidentally. In January 2023, I started a second account just to test niche apparel sourcing. Two years later, I run three:
-
One for sneakers & electronics
-
One for vintage apparel
-
One for liquidation & bulk resales
This helps keep my metrics clean. When I tried mixing everything into one account, my shipping defect rate spiked because different categories required different handling times.
Tips That Saved Me:
-
Separate shipping policies for each account.
-
Use different SKU naming structures.
-
Link accounts to one analytics dashboard.
-
Don’t list the same item twice (eBay frowns on it).
And here’s the tricky part—switching between accounts is easy. Managing returns and defects across three isn’t. I use Closo to centralize some inventory decisions, which saves about 3 hours weekly.
Things for Free on eBay: When It Works (and When It Doesn’t)
This one surprised me. I first listed something for free on eBay in September 2023 — a vintage camera that wasn’t working. I only charged shipping. It was gone in 2 hours.
Why give things away?
-
To clear storage fast.
-
To boost account activity.
-
To move broken or low-value stock.
But here’s the limitation: free listings can attract non-serious buyers. In one test, I gave away 10 items. Three buyers never paid shipping, and I had to relist.
When it works well:
-
Accessories and parts (e.g., cables, remotes)
-
Vintage items with cult followings
-
Entry-level apparel (starter jackets, low-tier tees)
When it doesn’t:
-
Heavy or fragile items with high shipping costs
-
Random clutter with no audience
My personal rule now: free listings only if shipping is under $12 and the category has proven resale demand.
How I Track eBay Items Across 500+ Listings
Now the tricky part. Once your store grows past 100 listings, it’s easy to lose track of what’s where.
In May 2023, I lost a $200 vintage jacket in my own inventory. It took me 4 days and 11 angry DMs to fix it. That’s when I built my own eBay item tracking system.
My Tracking Setup:
-
SKU in every title (not visible to buyers)
-
Google Sheets with:
-
Listing date
-
SKU
-
Storage bin
-
Sold date
-
-
Color-coded by category.
-
Linked to Closo for auto updates on pricing and listing activity.
Since then, my “lost inventory” issues have gone from once a month to zero.
Tools that make this work:
-
Closo
-
Google Sheets
-
eBay Seller Hub
-
Terapeak
-
Airtable (for some advanced tracking experiments)
Common Question I See: “Should I Sell on Both eBay and Etsy?”
Yes — but strategically. When I first tried dual-platform selling in 2022, I made the mistake of double-listing the same SKUs manually. It got messy fast.
Now I list vintage apparel on Etsy and sneakers/electronics on eBay. This way:
-
I don’t risk overselling.
-
I can tailor pricing and shipping rules for each platform.
-
I use platform strengths to my advantage.
Common Question I See: “Can I Have Multiple eBay Accounts?”
Yes — eBay allows multiple accounts as long as:
-
They have unique emails and login credentials.
-
You comply with listing policies.
-
You don’t manipulate pricing or visibility.
I run three accounts, but I treat them as separate businesses. If one gets flagged, the others stay clean. But juggling support tickets across three is… not fun.
Common Question I See: “How Do I Track My eBay Items Without Paying for Expensive Tools?”
I’ve tested both paid and DIY options. Honestly? A well-built Google Sheet + Closo automation gets me 90% of the way there.
I’ve also tried Airtable for larger setups. But the real key is discipline: updating inventory data as soon as something lists, sells, or gets delisted.
Honest Failure #2: The “Everything on One Account” Experiment
In early 2022, I dumped sneakers, vintage jackets, bulk liquidation, and random garage sale finds into a single account. It was chaos:
-
Buyers confused by mixed shipping times.
-
Return rates up 23%.
-
Feedback got messy.
By splitting into three accounts, my shipping defect rate dropped by half. Sometimes, less is more when it comes to account structure.
Comparison Table: eBay vs Etsy (Based on My Experience)
| Feature | eBay | Etsy |
|---|---|---|
| Audience size | Larger, broader | Smaller, niche |
| Listing speed | Faster with bulk tools | Manual or integrations needed |
| Fees | Slightly lower overall | Higher for some categories |
| Best for | Sneakers, electronics, collectibles | Vintage apparel, handmade goods |
| Cross-listing potential | High | Medium |
Why I Still Prefer eBay for Scaling
After four years of testing, my conclusion is pretty clear:
-
Etsy is great for niche storytelling (like vintage apparel).
-
eBay is better for scale (volume, variety, bulk listing).
I love Etsy’s branding potential, but I make 3× more sales on eBay. And with Closo automating pricing and bulk listing, I can manage more inventory without hiring help.
For a full breakdown of my listing workflow, check out the Closo Seller Hub — it’s the backbone of how I keep my eBay stores running smoothly.
And if you’re scaling up, my deep dives on best selling eBay items and how to list items efficiently will save you months of trial and error.
Final Thoughts: Why Platform Choice Isn’t Everything
If I’ve learned anything since 2021, it’s this: the platform matters less than the process. Whether you’re deciding if it’s better to sell on eBay or Etsy, or figuring out how to list multiple items efficiently, your systems make or break your growth.
Start small. Track everything. Automate smartly. Don’t try to scale chaos.
I use Closo to automate repetitive pricing and listing tasks — it saves me about 3 hours weekly and keeps me focused on sourcing and strategy.
