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Step 1
Choose a few niches for your sales. If you sell anything and everything it will be hard to build up repeat clients. It will also take much, much longer to sell anything, as you will have to list every single item individually. If you have many similar, or even identical, items, you can adapt your current listings for your other listings. Many eBay sellers stop doing it because it can be so time consuming. If you stick to one or two niches, your time will be better spent and you can list more items during the time you have.
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Step 2
List your items by answering the kinds of questions that a buyer needs to know. Think about the item and imagine what you would ask if you were going to buy it. Does your listing answer all of those questions? If not- revise your description. Making money on eBay comes down to how well you present your items and yourself. The best eBay selling advice you will ever get is to describe your items thoroughly and honestly.
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Step 3
Take a clear picture of each item you're selling on eBay. If the item is expensive or elaborate, take two or three pictures from different angles. You may not be able to sell an item if you have a blurry photo or none at all. If you do sell it, you will not get as much for it and will therefore make less profit. If you don't have a digital camera- borrow or buy one. If you can't do either one, sell things on eBay that eBay already has pictures of. If you list a DVD, CD or book, the site has photos of those items and you can choose to use their stock photos in your listings.
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Step 4
Set your minimum prices carefully. You have to be able to cover the cost of the item and to pay for the eBay fees it costs to list the item. You also pay a commission fee to the site. If you get few bids, make sure that you will not be losing money. Many eBay sellers have lost money on transactions and ended up owing the site more than they made on their eBay sales. Assume the worst- that you will only get one bid. That way, even that one bid will get you the price you need to make it worth your while.
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Step 5
Set your shipping fees. You don't have to set a handling fee, but you should in order to pay for your shipping costs. When someone pays you through PayPal, you have to pay a commission on the entire amount- including the shipping amount. If you charge the actual shipping price, you will have to pay part of the shipping costs from the price of the item. Adding a small handling charge into the price you charge for shipping will take care of that cost. If you have to pay for shipping supplies, you need to charge for those too.
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Step 6
Give the buyers a range of options. Offer to ship your eBay items two or three different ways and let customers decide which way they want it sent. Media items that you sell on eBay can be sent Media Main, first class or Priority Mail. Clothing can often be sent first class, parcel post or Priority Mail.
