How to Get Bids on eBay Auction Listings

Selling on eBay is competitive, but there are steps you can take to get bids on your items and increase your sales.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• eBay Account
• Internet Connection

1. A clear photo is essential. If buyers can't clearly see the item, chances are that they will not buy your item. Show as many relevant details as possible, take photos of different views of the item, and edit the photo to remove clutter or distractions from the background. You may need to take multiple shots of the item before getting an acceptable photo, or even consider upgrading your camera to one with more pixels.

2. Make sure your item is listed in the correct category. Proofread your listings carefully. Take your time and be careful. If you don't know which category to list your item under, look up similar items already for sale on eBay and see where those items are listed. Potential buyers browse categoriesin addition to searching for key words - similiar to the way customers browse a store just to see what is available. Make sure your item is in the correct category so that browsing customers will see it.

3. Use precise,descriptive, correctly spelled key words in your title. eBay allows 55 characters for your title, and you must use them wisely! Avoid using exclamation points, silly characters, and other non-descriptive words that waste space. Shoppers won't be searching for those words so concentrate on using words that potential buyers might include in searches.

4. Have a fair return policy. Give buyers the option to return the item if they aren't satisfied. You will gain more in sales than you will lose in issuing refunds. You can always resell an item if it is returned.

5. Always answer questions professionally, promptly, and seriously, no matter how unusual or crazy the qustion may sound. Some sellers don't answer questions at all. eBay buyers have learned to move on to the next seller if their question isn't answered in a reasonable amount of time. Don't let potential buyers get away simply becuase you didn't feel like answering a question.

6. Treat customers the way you would like to be treated as a customer. This will pay huge dividends in the big picture of eBay selling.

Tips & Warnings

• Building an eBay business takes time. Be patient and work at it every day.
• If an item doesn't sell quickly, don't panic. This just means that the right buyer hasn't seen your item yet. You may consider changing your key words, changing the photo, or relisting it again in a few weeks.
• When selling on eBay, be sure to always follow eBay's rules and regulations.

Resources

• Learn more about eBay selling

[NatalieEngland]

on 7/22/2008 Number 2 is such an important step. If the item is spelled wrong it may not be found. They have a website for the people who spell things wrong. The website is: FatFingers.com and you can type in the correct spelling. The website will find if it's on ebay but not spelled right. You'll get major deals in these cases.