Today we welcome Victoria, a regular contributor, to the blog.
With the warm weather and spring finally upon us, along comes the desire for cleaning and purging items in your home. While some of your items may be perfect for donating, some might be in such great condition that you do not want to simply give it away.
If you are thinking of selling on eBay or are brand new to selling online, here are 5 basic tips for making the most out of your selling experience.
1) Decide which items you are most comfortable selling on eBay
eBay has its own type of niche that not everyone is comfortable using or exploring. Popular or rare products sell better then products that only a few individuals may look out for. The ease of selling online and shipping must be factored in when deciding what items you would want to sell on eBay.
Decide what venue is appropriate for your item. eBay may not be the right answer! Craigslist or Amazon may help you strike a better deal for your product. For example, when I won a giveaway for a kitchen faucet, my husband and I decided to sell it. I had already started selling things on eBay at this point and realized right away what a hassle selling a faucet would be on eBay because of shipping. We sold the product on Craigslist a few weeks after listing it. For large, heavy products, Craigslist may just be a better selling venue.
2) Figure out shipping costs before posting an item
Inflated shipping costs may turn buyers away from purchasing your item. However, you do not want to take a hit out of your profits because you didn’t set the shipping cost high enough for the item. The first few items that I sold on eBay, I did not set these costs high enough for how much it cost to send to the buyer. Unfortunately, I ended up in the red on these first few items due to my lack of knowledge and research beforehand.
As you continue to sell products, you will be able to gauge what works for you. I have recently put most of my items in priority mail because it is convenient, the costs are always a flat rate, and the United States Postal Service provides free packaging material, making expenses for sellers decrease significantly!
3) Create a detailed description and creative title
Words must be chosen carefully and wisely when selling items on eBay. The title of your item should be concise, yet descriptive, using as many keywords as possible. Think about what a buyer might search for when describing your item.
Add as much information as possible in the details section so buyers have no questions for you about the product and they know exactly what to expect. Include all types of measurements if applicable, color, condition, material contents, and care of the product. The most important part – BE HONEST. If there is wear or a defect on the item, make sure the buyer knows about it. Nothing is worse than receiving an item you purchased just to find out it wasn’t exactly as described.
4) Set items at a reasonable price
If your item is popular, set the price low, as the demand for the item will allow the price to rise. However, if you think your item is less desirable, set the price at the lowest that you will accept. Research – such as comparing what similar items are selling for – is key to setting your products at a reasonable price. Look around on eBay and on various websites to see how much the item is being sold for or has sold for in the past.
5) Consistently sell items
Seller feedback is crucial for success in the eBay market. While it takes a while to get quality feedback and it may seem daunting to continue with selling items, consistency is key. Buyers want to give you feedback and if you do everything possible to provide a good experience, you will get great ratings.
Make sure to continue listing items, even if it is just a few a month so that your feedback does not suffer just from a lack of selling. Even if you are not making a considerable amount of money, any amount can help you achieve your financial goals for the future.
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There are so many tips and blogs for selling on eBay that it can seem so overwhelming. If you are just beginning to use the site or are an experienced, these tips can help get you started or can just be helpful reminders for you to continue on your side hustle.
Have you or do you currently sell on eBay? What has been your biggest learning experience from selling?
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Photo by Kazuhisa OTSUBO
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You know, I have tried to sell on Ebay, but it just didn’t work out for me. Maybe I’ll give it a shot again in the future, but there’s way to much going on now for me to want to pick that back up!
We have tried eBay a few times, but did not have much luck. I agree though that the more effort you put into your item description, the better the results. It is definitely important, too, to figure out your shipping otherwise the shipping will eat away at any profit you might make.
I haven’t sold on eBay, but have sold a few things on Amazon. Mostly books, DVDs/CDs, and those types of items. It’s pretty easy since I don’t really even have to create a description since it already exists. I have a friend who sells clothes on eBay though, and for those types of items, Amazon won’t work. I may look into selling some things on eBay.
We have only sold a handful of things on Ebay as we tend to sell things on Craigslist. We actually sold a car on Ebay several years ago it went great. I think it sold within 24 hours.
Once I sold a new shirt with tags on ebay and the buyer wanted their money back because it had a hole in it. The thing was, they wouldn’t send me a picture. They also threatened to leave bad feedback if I didn’t refund their money promptly. Long story short- I was out the money and the shirt, plus the $ I paid for shipping.
I wish more people would add detailed descriptions! It only takes a few minutes to read a few descriptions for similar products to know what you need to include.
Including shipping in the price, or as a set rate, is also key, especially if you are in Canada and the cost can vary significantly depending on destination. I know that as a buyer, I hate to buy things where I have to wait for a shipping quote, so “buy it now” with included shipping is my favourite way to go.
I’ve had excellent luck selling on ebay. My biggest seller were two graphing calculators from college. If you have one that you aren’t currently using, sell it! Those things actually keep their value fairly well!
We’ve had success in using Ebay on and off through the years. It does help to know what items are more likely to sell at higher prices. So sometimes a bit of research is in order. I would say our biggest mistake in the beginning was not taking quality pictures. The visual experience on Ebay is key to selling and worth any extra listing fees for pictures.
I have always tried to add a little personality to my email listings whenever I create them, telling a little story or making a joke.. I tend to do pretty well, so I definitely think it helps.
Great post. I think the copy is so important when selling on ebay. I try to make it sound as awesome as possible!
I’ve been in the red due to having my shipping price too low. It’s not fun losing money that way.
I’m a regular eBay seller and eventually I will write a ton of posts on the lovely world of eBay. Your #1,3, and 5 are spot on and great advice. #2 Shipping and #4 Reasonable Price surprisingly I differ a little on pricing and strategy, but in the end if you can break even on shipping and have your item sell you are ahead of most people giving it a try.
I try to really point out any flaw, even if it seems like no big deal for a used item, but I’m still prepared for anything., Once, I sold a really nice Under Armor Jacket and pants that my daughter had outgrown. The jacket was the nice part and the pants had a really small hole that I photographed and made very clear in the description. They buyer still complained about the hole, but at least I was able to go back and direct them to the description.
I have sold a few things on eBay, but not much. I needed a few items, and saw I could buy a bulk pack for less on a per-piece basis. So I bought in bulk, and tried to sell the extras. Made about $5 and got a great deal on the items I wanted.
Plus gained a bit of knowledge.
Eyesonthedollar You really cannot go wrong with documenting EVERYTHING! Buyers will always try to complain/get money back if they aren’t 150% satisfied.
Jason @ The Butler Journal Losing money for the shipping price is the worst! It definitely took me awhile to figure out shipping costs!
BudgetforMore GREAT idea! We have way too many at our house!! Thank you for the tip!
seedebtrun Personality helps with anything I think! Especially on ebay, people will actually think you are a real person instead of just an online tool to use!
FrugalRules wow! I have never sold anything too big on eBay yet- especially not a car! I am not sure I would feel comfortable about it- even though people like you have had great experience. My fears get the best of me in this situation I think :)
Joshua Rodriguez It definitely takes awhile to get used to. For me, it is worth it! Not only does it help me get rid of things faster and on a continual basis, but it helps me to make a little extra spending money in the process. Takes time and work but for me it is great!
Great tips! I’m glad you mentioned knowing your shipping info. I think too many people post something to sell and don’t consider the shipping materials/costs until it sells. That can get you in trouble. It’s a good idea to have your own scale for weighing items if you plan to sell a lot. I love eBay!
Hey Victoria,
Awesome post here, really detailed and consistently selling items is vital in a lot of things..
What are your thoughts on Craigslist or Gumtree?