5 Tips for the New eBay Seller
Do you want to sell a few items on eBay? Are you looking to make eBay selling a hobby? Are you ready to become an eBay seller? What about a part-time job or a full-time career? No matter what your plan is, hobbies or work, a few tips can improve sales.
eBay is an amazing platform and one that is quite popular. Some may call it “The Worlds largest online marketplace!”
It is easy to get your listing lost among the millions if you don’t take the steps necessary to get your items seen. It’s vital that every eBay seller do a bit of homework before using the platform. The secrets to eBay success are learned by doing. Still, a few tips can make the difference between successful sales and time wasted. Allow me to share a few tips to help you get started.
First you must try to discover if there is a market for the item you are selling.
One thing many sellers forget to consider is whether the item they are selling is in high demand or not. Are people looking for the kind of item you are selling? Is there a market for it?
If you’ve got a popular item that everyone wants, you can count on an easier time selling it. If you’ve got an item that has a low market demand, you might have to list it for a very long time before it sells at all. Do some research and examine how many items like yours have sold. You can use eBay as a tool for the research. Use the search tools to key in your item and view recent sales.
When you do, you’ll also get a clever idea about how to price your item too. You can also watch active auctions to examine the final bids on related items. NOTE: I do have another post about researching on eBay you can refer to later at: https://powersellingmom.com/ebay-research/researching-items-sell-ebay/
1. Value the item before you list it.
If you search eBay and do not find the item you are trying to sell, it might be because it is not a big seller. Still, it can also mean you have a rare item worth a lot of money. You won’t know unless you research the value of the item. You can buy special books related to the item you are selling. Conduct web-based research. Compare your items to other items if you happen to find listings. You can also use a resource like Worthpoint or Terapeak which will help you price the item. The platform allows you to conduct searches for items and to view images of products sold. The tool can also help you find the most popular items for sale. Tereapeak is perfect for clothing and Worthpoint is perfect for collectibles.
2. Know how to list the item by starting out in the correct category.
If you list your item in the wrong eBay category, buyers won’t be able to find your listing. You might as well bury the listing under millions of others and forget all about it. If you have an ordinary Barbie doll that anyone can buy off the shelf today list it under Toys. But if you have an anniversary edition that’s a collectible, be sure to list it under Collectibles. To make sure your listing comes up with comparable listings, do a quick eBay search. It will let you know what other sellers are doing when choosing a category.
3. Use quality content in your product descriptions.
After you have researched your product, you can list it with a good description. You should have plenty of information to share with the seller. Describe the year of the product, it’s design, the colors, and the manufacturer. If the product has something wrong with it or minor defects, be truthful with the description.
In the description, use keywords you think the buyer will use when conducting a search. But, do not over stuff the content with keywords as this can lead to a problem. Use the main keywords a person might use. You can discover such terms by using a keyword generator tool online like Terapeak. Pay attention to the sold, successful items and use the same type of words they used to describe your item. This is actually another reason why I love Worthpoint. Worthpoints research goes back as far as 15 years. It’s very easy to copy and paste. Taking an old listing and creating a new listing.
4. Take amazing photos of your item.
The photos you share are what sell the item first. They will grab the attention of the buyer through visual means. If the photos are poor, blurry, or do not allow for a good look at the item, you can lose a sale. Don’t be afraid to share more than one photo. The buyer will appreciate a view of different angles and close-ups. Do not use a stock photo as the buyer may assume you are not sharing a photo of the actual item for a reason. eBay allows 12 free photos. Take advantage of this great opportunity to showcase your item.
5. When is the best time to list?
Bottom line, every day is a good day to list an item on eBay! Thanks to the wonderful system eBay has in place called “Watch Lists.” When buyers are interested in your item they will click “Watch this item.” This will place the item on their radar and they will receive updates about the item. NOTE: they must be subscribed to receive watch item notices from their preferences. The majority of the people do. This is perfect for when you are running an auction because they will receive an alert when the item is ending. (Learn more on eBay)
If you’ve ever attended one of my workshops then you may recall my words “Every day is a great day to list items on eBay!” The main thing is to GET THOSE ITEMS LISTED.
Some sellers suggest ending an auction in the middle of the week instead of the weekend. Other sellers argue weekend auction endings are better so you will have to experiment a bit to find out. Personally, when I have a “Hot Item” I like to roll the dice with an auction. I will list my item on a Thursday about 2 or 3:00 PM EST. Next I will choose a 10 day duration. This will allow my listing to be seen for two consecutive weekend. The auction will then end on a Sunday about 2 or 3 in the afternoon.
When listing items as a fixed price listing. I suggest using “Good Til Cancelled” rather than 30 days. This will allow your items to be on autopilot and it will make your life easier. More about that later.
Bonus Tip: Photo or Logo
Complete your public profile on your eBay account. I suggest a friendly smile as your profile photo. Share information about yourself with the buyers.
Add a bit about yourself either on eBay or a private web page. Everyone likes to know the story behind who is selling the items on eBay. It humanizes you and makes you real to the buyer. Being open about who you are makes the buyer more comfortable. If you can share how you got into selling items on eBay that proves helpful as well. It’s also an opportunity to talk about the items you plan to sell.
If you have a business logo I suggest adding it to your branding and include all colors that match your brand. It’s not necessary to jump into managing an eBay store. If you are unsure, feel free to contact me with your questions.
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Thank you!
Always amazing info to be found on this blog. Thanks for sharing.