How to Make Money Selling Musical Instruments on eBay
Whether you want to enjoy steady part-time income or just clean out your closet, selling items on eBay can be an excellent choice. This popular auction website has been used to sell everything from knickknacks to cars, and many entrepreneurs have used the site to make an excellent living. If you want to use eBay to sell musical instruments, it is important to first research your market and establish a source for your inventory.
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Instructions
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Open an eBay seller's account by going to eBay and clicking the "Register" link at the top. Enter the information required to establish your seller's account.
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Create a PayPal account by going to PayPal and clicking the "Sign up" link. EBay does not require its sellers to accept PayPal, but many buyers prefer the convenience and security of making payments by credit card instead of using a money order.
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Log on to your eBay account and search for the types of musical instruments you plan to sell. The more descriptive you can be in your search, the better your results will be. Entering the model number of a flute, trumpet or guitar will give you better results than simply entering the name of the instrument. It's important to do research before you go into business.
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Click on the "Completed listings" option in the search results to see the final selling prices of musical instruments. This will give you a good idea of what to expect when you start selling your own instruments.
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Create an ad. Use the sales ads you find as a guide, but never copy an ad word for word. It is, however, a good idea to look at the types of fonts, colors and graphics the most successful sellers are using. Creating an eye-catching ad is one of the best ways to succeed on eBay.
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Solicit used musical instruments you can sell on eBay by asking those you know if they have any instruments they no longer play. You can also look for musical instruments at yard sales and flea markets. Putting up a flyer at a local school is another good way to find unwanted musical instruments.
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Log on to your eBay account and check recent selling prices of the musical instruments you've located and plan to purchase. When setting your offer price, be sure to leave plenty of room for eBay listing fees, PayPal fees and other expenses. You can also approach owners of musical instruments about selling their items on commission---this will reduce your risk and guarantee a profit since you will simply take a percentage of the final sale price as your commission.
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Respond promptly to all user questions while the auction is active. Sellers who answer questions promptly and courteously are more likely to sell their items for a good price.
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Respond to winning bidders within 24 hours of the auction's close, sooner if possible. Buyers will be anxious to get the musical instruments they have purchased.
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Email the buyer as soon as the payment has been received and let him know when you will be shipping the item. It is best to ship the item as soon as the payment has cleared---shipping promptly is part of good customer service.
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Use an insured and trackable shipping method---FedEx and UPS are both good choices. Be sure to email the tracking numbers to the buyers so they know when to expect the package. Use plenty of bubble wrap to protect the musical instruments in transit.
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References
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- Photo Credit saxophone image by Nathalie Olivier from Fotolia.com
