-
Step 1
No Research ~ High profit eBay sellers know that the details count. Before you list an item you should visit auctions for similar items and view the category it will be listed in. This information will be critical for creating an effective auction listing.
-
Step 2
Wrong Category ~ Be sure you know what category your item belongs in. If unsure, visit the discussion boards for help. A misplaced auction might as well be invisible to those browsing categories to find an item.
-
Step 3
Wrong Time ~ For optimal sales it is critical that eBay sellers list their articles at the right time. This is to ensure it is timed to end when your target audience is most likely online. Bidding wars occur most often in the last few hours of an auction. If your bidders are at work, asleep, busy making dinner, they won't be around to fight over you.
-
Step 4
Wrong Price ~ If you price an item higher than similar items, you are at a competitive disadvantage. If you price them too low, you rouse suspicion in the bidder. Take into consideration the average price of similar items and set your starting bid accordingly.
-
Step 5
Wrong Title ~ Failing to use popular search terms in the title of your auction will reduce traffic significantly. Find the most popular search terms. Browse by category to find auctions for similar items. Notice common terms in the auctions with the most bids. Include those terms in the title of your auction (if appropriate).
-
Step 6
No Shipping Listed ~ Failing to list shipping details puts a tremendous burden on potential bidders. They must either take a risk and hope the charges will be reasonable OR they have make the effort to contact you for details and wait for a response. Many bidders would prefer to leave the auction and continue shopping around.
-
Step 7
No Pics ~ Pictures are essential to most auctions. Bidders want visual proof of the appearance and condition of the item. Also, without an image, your text-only title will blend into the background when it appears in a list of auctions with pictures.
-
Step 8
Ignoring the In-Box ~ You must check your eBay messaged throughout the day if you are a serious eBay seller. Potential bidders may have sent you a question. You don't want them to forget about the auction before you respond.
-
Step 9
Bad Feedback ~ Honor your customers. Ebay's feedback system informs potential bidders of your reputation before they decide to bid at your auction. Live up to your commitment to the bidder and deliver a quality product in a timely manner. Make a statement in your auction telling bidders something like, "Customer satisfaction is very important to me. If you are dissatisfied with any part of this purchase, I welcome you to contact me before leaving feedback."
-
Step 10
Extreme Socializing ~ The bulleting boards, groups and chats on eBay are a fantastic source of information. However, they are also the social centers of the site. Use these tools, but avoid over-socializing. Socializing on eBay will not only lower your productivity, but it can lead to headaches and harassment. Unhappy eBay members who over-socialize sometimes carry even small grudges outside the bulletin board. Sellers who socialize can easily become the targets of gossip and auction sabotage.
Comments
neverscamme said
on 9/13/2009 I hate being lied to, and if an item was listed as New and was not disclosed in the auction description as smelling of smoke, I will leave negative feedback and an extremely low DSR. Any item that reeks of smoke is NOT new. I never bid on smokey items. Want to avoid negative feedback and terrible DSR's, Sellers? Then never, ever lie to a Buyer!
ebaysolutions said
on 7/8/2009 Selling on eBay is designed for eBay to extract and make as much money as possible...the fees are alone high enough..so cutting corners is definitely imperative to maximize your final profit margin. More articles found at http://thegreatebaysolution.com
npd65 said
on 7/4/2009 As a seller on eBay, these are definitely mistakes that I have made. Good job.
lacurcio said
on 7/9/2008 Great advice, thanks.
Elizabethknows said
on 6/25/2008 I wrote an article how to ebay I gave a secert that many people might not know about. Your article is far better than mine :)