If
you are considering selling on eBay don't hesitate to sign up. First
of all it is free to sign up for eBay, can be done in a matter of
minutes and by creating an account you have no obligation if you
change your mind. So sign up today and return to this page to view
our tips to get you started.
Getting
Started
*
Establish a History of Feedback
Once you have an account
you will see that you need feedback. No one wants to buy from someone
who has zero feedback. Sell some things for super cheap and buy
some thing for super cheap as well. That way the people who received
money from you will give you good feedback and the people you sent
an item to will give you good feedback. When you send an item put
a slip of paper in it with the information pertaining to the order
(unless you plan to ship the item media mail) and mention that you
would gladly appreciate if the buyer left feedback and that if they
had any concerns to contact you before leaving bad feedback. This
will help ensure that every feedback that you get is positive. Generally
if a seller gives you good feedback it is because that you have
given them a good feedback, for this reason it is important to contact
a seller before leaving them negative feedback (because they could
give you negative feedback even if you don't deserve it). With positive
feedback under your belt you will begin to attract more and more
buyers. By making sure
you have packing supplies and the items ready you'll be able
to ship things quickly which can help you receive good reviews.
That will help people decide if they want to buy from you.
Keep in mind feedback from Half.com, read
more about this eBay company, counts towards your eBay feedback
history.
Cut
Cost
* Save Money on Packing Supplies Other than the
cost of the item that you sold, the only other expense is going
to be packing supplies and shipping, but there are some clever ways
to save on these expenses. Visit stores on freight day and ask for
empty boxes and packing supplies that they are just going to throw
away. If
you purchase something on ebay,
or anywhere online for that matter, keep the box and packing supplies
that the items comes in and then reuse it when you sell something.
This is great for saving money and for saving resources. Also keep
in mind padded envelopes are a great alternative to boxes when the
items are small enough to fit into them. If you do plan to purchase
packing supplies for your ebay selling try and buy in bulk so that
you will save money in the long run.
*
Save Money on Shipping Cost
Take advantage of using media mail as it
is considerably cheaper than parcel mail (UPSP.com states that both
shipping methods arrive in 6 days) when the item(s) that you are
shipping qualify and the order weighs a lot, more than 20 lbs. Keep
in mind that media mail is subject inspection so your package may
be opened and resealed during the shipping, and they can not contain
a written correspondent, such as a invoice. Offer discounted shipping
to buyers that buy more than one item of yours, as they will cost
you less to ship together than if you shipped them apart. When choosing
packages and packing supplies choose light weight but sturdy items.
Although you will charge the buyer whatever you think that shipping
expense will be, it is still nice to save money on shipping. You
may attract more bidders and buyers if you don't have outrageously
high shipping charges.
Choosing
What What to Sell
*
Check the Market and Check How Things are Selling
If you have something
in mind to sell and you see that same item is listed several different
times you may wait to list it. Checking
how an item or like items are selling is a great way to decide what
you want to list. Simply click "Buy"
type in the name of the item that you are
considering listing and click "Advance Search"
and then check "Completed Listings Only" and click "Search."This
will determine if the item that you have in mind is either selling,
and how much for, or if there aren't many completed sales.
Listing
* Use Pictures, Write True, Detailed Descriptions with Keywords
and Adjectives It is no problem
if you don't have a digital camera, for less than $10 you can buy
a disposable camera and get the pictures put on a CD. You'll be
able to sell 24 items per each camera. Investing
in a digital camera can be a good idea if you have a lot of items
to sell. Not to mention they are great because you can take lots
and lots of pictures of your children. As far as the writing
goes, it is best to be honest and detailed. That way people will
know what they are paying for and won't likely want a return. It
is a good idea to have good keywords in your item title. Choose
adjectives to give your item the best description. Instead of saying
that you have something that is old, use the term vintage. On that
same note don't put a title as T-Shirt, use Like New Woman's Apparel
Large T-Shirt.
*
Return Policy, Suggest Insurance and Offer a Variety of Shipping
Option Offer
a return policy that comforts people. Some people say that "sales
are final" but people would much rather see something like
"refund if you cover the cost of shipping." It is a good
idea to include something about not being responsible for loss of
package for the mailing service.
If your package is lost in the mail it won't be your fault but your
buyer might not see that way so it is a good idea
suggest the purchase of insurance. This will help your buyer and
decrease the chances of someone giving you negative feedback for
something that isn't your fault. Usually
standard shipping is what most people want, however it helps to
offer priority shipping especially during the holidays.
Sell
What You Have, What Other People Have and Investing to Sell
*
Newspaper Ad Once you establish
a good history, you can place an ad in the paper letting people
know that you will sell their stuff for them in exchange for taking
a percentage of the money from the sale. Although it may not be
very much money that you are making from these kinds of sales you
will be expanding your history with more positive feedback and be
making money, even if it is only a little. You will want to stick
to local people so that you can contact them and pick up the item
easier (and not have to worry if they will try and scam you, thus
scamming the individual that bought their item resulting in negative
feedback for you). If you don't feel comfortable selling items of
people you don't know skip the ad and simply ask your friends, family
and co-workers (assuming your not selling on eBay full time) if
they have things they would like to sell.
*
General Selling and Trends
Since it is inexpensive to list an item, sell anything that you
want to part with! People often like multiple item sales. Also it
doesn't hurt to look around at clearance sales and garage sales.
Just keep in mind that it is an item that you are certain you'll
be able to sell. Keep in mind the season and the trends. Don't try
and sell a Christmas ornament in the Summer time. If you own a book
of a movie that is coming out people may take more of an interest
in it, then if they hadn't made a movie of it.
*
Set a Budget and Invest with Care Investing
can be tricky, because you don't want to end up with a bunch of
stuff you don't need, can't use or don't want that you can not sell
on eBay for more than the price that you paid for it. For this reason
it is important to know that items that you are investing in. Set
a budget of what you can invest in your eBay business and stick
to it. That
way you won't spend more money than you really have. Start slow,
taking baby steps so you can find out what works and what doesn't.
Try and get items that you can sell for a high profit
margin, if you spend $10 on something and can sell it for $15 it
may not be worth your time to get but if you spend $15 on something
and can sell it for $50 it may be.
"Media
Mail is used for books, film, manuscripts, printed music,
printed test materials, sound recordings, play scripts, printed
educational charts, loose-leaf pages and binders consisting of medical
information, videotapes, and computer-recorded media like CDs and
diskettes. Media Mail cannot contain advertising. The maximum size
is 108 inches in combined length and distance around the thickest
part." USPS.com
