While there is at least one SA I know of who offers his services entirely for free simply because he thinks selling on eBay is fun, the rest of us would like to see some profit for our hard work. But exactly how your Selling Assistance service makes money is completely up to you, and there is a wide variety of ways to make a profit. From fees to commission, hourly rates to flat charges, or a completely new way that you’ve dreamed up, these money matters are really the first decision you need to make before you proceed.

Photo by 401(K) 2013

Deciding how you’ll profit and what you’ll charge is only part of the picture. Equally important is having a plan for how you’ll handle expenses, such as selling fees or shipping costs, and determining what charges you’ll take on as a part of your service and which ones the customer will cover. Lastly, you’ll need to come up with a system for keeping track of your sales and earnings and develop a method for paying your clients.

Before you start feeling overwhelmed, let me assure you that it isn’t as complicated as it sounds. Let’s break it down bit by bit. We’ll start with some of the ways you can earn income from your Selling Assistance service.