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Step 1
Making money on ebay is easy if you know how. If you have ever bought on ebay, you will use the same account to sell. Most transactions on ebay are accomplished via paypal so you will also use the same account. If you don't have an ebay or paypal account, simply go to ebay and sign up, it's very simple to do.
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Step 2
You will need something to sell. That can be tricky, but I try to follow the rule, "sell what you know". If you well widgets all day long, you know the market. If you find a good deal on widgets at a close out price or at a garage sale, you know their worth and you can really clean up. Many times, I find widgets on ebay that are selling far below their worth, so I buy them and relist them for a profit. Really the sky is the limit anything and everything will sell on ebay. You may have a gold mine in your attic.
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Step 3
Once you find what to sell, snap a simple picture and put it my pictures to retrieve during the listing process. Sign into ebay and click on the sell tab. You can put in a short description of your item and ebay will help you find the proper place to list it. Your title will be the first thing people see so make sure to get the gist of it there. Something like "Used widget, very good shape, free shipping". It's all about catching their eye. As for how to sell you have several options including a auction, an auction with a buy it now, selling with a reserve price or selling at a fixed price.
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Step 4
Selling at an auction is just that. Start at a lower price and let buyers bid it up. You can set a reserve price, but many feel that if it is a hot item, they will start at .99 and let the market set the price. You can add a buy it now if you like. This allows you to set a fixed price that someone can buy on the spot even if others have bid on the widget. A fixed price listing is just that, you set a price and hope to sell for just that. I usually do a standard seven day auction although some feel a shorter auction is more affective. That's something for you decide with your particular widget.
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Step 5
You will want to add your picture, maybe more than one if you think it is needed. Add your description and be as honest and clear as you can. If the widget is missing something, say so, maybe even in red. Your honest sales technique will be rewarded down the road with high feedback and repeat business. List how you will ship it and the shipping cost. Don't try to make your profit in the shipping, ebay is wise to that. You can charge a handling charge. I simply charge a buck or so more than actual costs. If your shipping is out of line, you will loose sales.
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Step 6
Once you make the sale and payment is complete, ship promptly and safely. I like to acknowledge the sale and let the customer know that the widget has shipped. Be sure to leave appropriate feedback for the buyer. That's it! This is a very simple look at making money on ebay, but many are making a nice profit on ebay following these simple steps.
