← Course homeModule 1
Your listing station

Get Set Up

What you actually need to start — in honest tiers, so you start lean and add the rest later.
⏱ ~10 min🔧 One-time setup💻 Software is free

⚡ The 30-second version

$250–$450
Essential tools · one-time, reusable
$0
Essential software · every must-have is free

1Tools

Physical gear. The essentials are the minimum to photograph, pack, and ship a real item.

Essential The minimum to ship at all

🖨️
Thermal label printer

No ink, ever — the single biggest time-saver. No handwriting, no inkjet sheets. (Rollo is the common pick.)

$80–130
⚖️
Digital postal scale

Weigh every package before buying postage. 50 lb covers nearly everything. Wrong weight = lost margin.

$25–45
💡
Photography lighting

A two-softbox kit or lightbox for small items. Pairs with the window-light setup in Module 2.

$40–120
📦
Packing supplies

Mailers, boxes in 2–3 sizes, bubble/paper, tape. Starter assortment, reorder what you use.

$75–150
📱
A smartphone

You almost certainly have one. Modern phone cameras are more than good enough.

Own it
💡
Lower the cost with donationsPacking supplies come through your donation stream constantly, and a clean reused box ships exactly as well as new. Stock the station from donations and your cost can drop well below $250.

Optional Add once you're doing volume

🪑
Photo table / backdrop stand

Speeds the routine at 20+ items a week.

$60–150
🎯
Phone tripod / overhead mount

Consistent angles, hands-free batch shooting.

$15–40
🔊
Barcode scanner

Speeds scanning books & media at volume. Phone app works fine until then.

$25–70
📐
Tape measure & calipers

Accurate measurements prevent sizing returns.

$10–30

2Software

Everything you truly need is free or already included. Optional tools are subscriptions you add only when scale makes them pay.

Essential All free or included — $0 to operate

📊
eBay Seller Hub

Free dashboard in your account — listings, orders, messages, performance in one place.

Included
🔎
Terapeak research

The sold-comp research behind the Module 3 pricing formula. Free with any eBay Store.

Included
🚢
Pirate Ship

Free postage with USPS Commercial Pricing — up to 89% below counter, no markup. pirateship.com

Free
✂️
remove.bg

Clean white background behind any product photo in seconds. remove.bg

Free
📈
Pilot Tracker

Track items listed, sold, revenue weekly. The tracker or any spreadsheet works.

Free

Optional Add when scale makes them pay

🤖
AI writing assistant

Speeds titles/descriptions from a photo or notes. A time-saver at volume.

~$20/mo
🔄
Cross-listing tool

Lists one item across eBay, Facebook, Etsy & more with inventory sync. Vendoo, List Perfectly.

$13–50/mo
🧾
Accounting software

Clean books once online is a real revenue line. Wave (free tier), QuickBooks.

Free–$30/mo
▶ Free · eBay Seller Center

eBay's free seller guides & courses

Official how-tos on listings, shipping, pricing & growth — free.

Open →
🧾
Prices are good-faith estimates (2026)Buy wherever you prefer — it's a recommendation list, not a required cart. Start lean, prove the channel, then add optional pieces once volume justifies it.