- One tip to enhance your selling experience on eBay is to create a personalized online store. Sign into your eBay account and visit "What's an eBay store?" page (link is in the Resources section below) to read how to set up an eBay online store and then go on and set up your store. You can customize the store in a variety of ways, from giving it a unique name to creating a sales flier listing your items. A online store is perfect if you have multiple items for sale and you plan on selling a lot in the future. The fee for a "Basic Store" on eBay is $15.95 a month. There are several store levels you can sign up for.
- Photographs are the key to selling on eBay. Your photographs should be clear, in focus and perfectly framed. Before taking a picture of your item, create a white or blue backdrop, then place the item in the center of the backdrop. Take several shots with the flash and some without the flash. If you are using a SLR/film camera, you may want to use the manual focus instead of the auto focus. Try to avoid shadows and don't get too close to the item. Use proper lighting that is white and not yellow. When uploading photos, place several photos in your listing and use the "Gallery Picture" option. This option will give your buyers a better view of your item for sale. Avoid using stock photographs and photos off the Internet.
- The next key to a successful eBay listing is an error-free clear description of your item. Write out on paper or type what you are selling, the condition of the item, any known issues, the starting bid, your return policy and what shipping methods you are offering. Then run the spell/grammar checker before pasting the description into your eBay listing. Be honest and avoid one-liner descriptions. Set your starting price or bid at a fair level. Research what similar items are selling or bidding for on eBay if you are not sure how to set your price.
- Another selling tip is to post a video of your item in action. Videos are great for showing a 360-degree view of an item such as a car, boat or other big-ticket item. If you have a digital camcorder, you can shoot the video and edit it within a few minutes. You can even shoot the video with a webcam. Make sure you use proper lighting and avoid dark backgrounds.
- As you are selling your items and making money, you need a system to keep track of your profits, items sold and what didn't sell. One way to keep track is to use a separate PayPal account and use it just for selling. PayPal offers comprehensive selling reports and listings of who purchased your items. Take advantage of these free reports. EBay also offers a summary of your sales if you sign up for a online store.
