Tips for Selling on eBay and Mistakes to Avoid

Selling on eBay can be a great way to make some extra money or even to start your own business. It can be a bit hard to get started, but once you get the hang of it, it’s really not that difficult.

In this article, I will share with you some tips to help you make money selling on eBay and some mistakes that you need to avoid to save time and become a successful eBay seller.

The Benefits of Selling on eBay

There are many benefits to selling on eBay:

• It’s a great way to reach a large audience of potential buyers. EBay has over 160 million active users, so if you’re looking to sell an item, chances are there’s a potential buyer on eBay who’s interested in buying it.

• It’s relatively easy to get started. All you need is an account and some items to sell. You can list your items for sale in just a few minutes. I started my eBay business 4 years ago selling items from around my house.

• It is a great way to make some extra money and even start a business. If you have items around your house that you no longer need, why not list them on eBay and make some money? You can also find great deals on eBay that you can resell for a profit.

How to Get Started Selling on eBay?

If you’re looking to start selling on eBay, there are a few things you need to know. First, you need to create an account. Once you have an account, you can start listing items for sale. When you list an item, you’ll need to provide a title, description and photos. You’ll also need to set a price and choose a shipping method. Once your listing is live, buyers can purchase your item and you’ll need to ship it to them.

Ebay is a great platform for selling a variety of items, from clothes to electronics to home goods. If you’re just getting started, it’s important to take some time to learn the ropes. Once you’ve got a handle on how things work, you can start listing items and making sales. With a little effort, you can turn eBay into a great source of income.

Tips for Selling on eBay

If you’re looking to start selling on eBay, there are some things that you should keep in mind in order to be successful.

1- Deciding what to sell in your eBay store:

This is one of the most important elements of reselling online that new resellers ignore. Don’t get discouraged when you see some eBay stores with thousands of items selling only few items a day. Many times the issue with these stores is the quality of the items listed for sale.

It is important to find out what sells fast to keep your inventory moving and make enough profits to buy more merchandise and grow your business. Electronics, shoes, vintage clothes are in demand at the moment, but if you are reading this article a year from now, please do some more research.

2- Outsourcing:

Once you decide what to sell in your eBay store, you will need to decide how to get your inventory. Some places you can check in your local area:

• Thrift Stores
• Goodwill stores
• Goodwill outlet stores
• Consignment stores
• Salvation army stores
• Garage sales
• School auctions
• Church auctions
• Estate sale
• Storage auctions
• Local auctions
• Craiglist
• Facebook marketplace
• Local wholesalers
• Online auctions
• Online wholesalers
• Retail stores when big discounts are available

Because of the state of the economy worldwide, make sure that you purchase your inventory at a very discounted price. eBay buyers will negociate your prices and many times send you low ball offers, so the only way to give them a deal and make some profit is to keep the cost of your items very low. I purchase some of my inventory from the Goodwill outlet stores instead of the regular Goodwill stores because I can pay per the pound to keep the cost of each item close to a 1 dollar and no more than 3 dollars.

3- Listing:

There are 4 things you need to keep in mind when it comes to listing on eBay:

• Quality of the listing: Take clear and well-lit photos of your items from multiple angles. This will give potential buyers a good idea of what they’re looking at and it will help your items stand out from the competition. Be sure to write keyword focused titles and add detailed and accurate descriptions of your items, including any flaws or damage. Honesty is the best policy when it comes to selling on eBay and buyers will appreciate your transparency.
• Listing Frequency: It is not known how frequently an eBay seller has to list to see maximum sales. As I mentioned above, selling more desirable brands and items will translate to more sales, but it is proven that listing consistently keeps eBay stores active and helps sellers make more sales. For example instead of listing 21 items on one day and none the rest of the week, list 3 items per day for 7 days to keep your store active everyday of the week. If you are a part time seller, you can make drafts during your time off that way you can list daily, or automate this process by scheduling your listing to be published at the date and time of your choice for a fee of 10 cents per item.
• eBay Updates: You need to stay informed and learn what changes need to be done to your listings when eBay updates its algorithm. If after an eBay update you need to add more items specifics to your listings for example, make sure you correct your listings and add all the information recommended by eBay as soon as you can to allow your items to rank higher in the search results.
• Sell Similar: When an item doesn’t sell after months of listing it in your eBay store, it is important to end it and relist again. To relist an item the right way, you need to end it, select sell similar and make the changes necessary to rank it higher in the search results. Some of the changes to your listing may be adding some keywords to your title and description, taking better photos, adding more item specifics, lowering the price, etc.

4- Customer service:

If you’re thinking about having a successful business selling on eBay, you’ll want to make sure you have great customer service. This means being responsive to questions and concerns from buyers, and offering a hassle-free returns policy. You should also take care to package and ship items carefully, so that they arrive in good condition. By providing excellent customer service, you’ll increase the chances of making a sale and getting positive feedback from buyers.

Common eBay Selling Mistakes

If you’re new to selling on eBay, it’s important to avoid making common mistakes that can cost you time, money and damage your reputation. Here are some of the most common mistakes new eBay sellers make:

• Selling items that buyers aren’t looking for: This is a common mistake that many eBay sellers make. I spent my first year as an eBay seller growing my store, just to find out that all my efforts were a big waste of time because I focused on quantity instead of quality.
• Not doing your research: Before listing an item, it’s important to research what similar items are selling for and what the demand is like. This will help you price your item competitively and avoid over or under pricing it.
• Not taking good photos: Listings with good photos are more likely to sell than those with poor photos. Make sure to take clear, well-lit photos of your item from different angles.
• Ignoring Keywords: Using keywords in your titles and descriptions will help your listings rank higher in eBay search results and Google search results. Higher ranking means more sales.
• Not writing a good description: A good description should be clear and concise, and it should include all the important keywords and details about the item. Be sure to mention any flaws or damage, as this will help manage buyer expectations.
• Not responding to messages promptly: If a buyer has a question about an item, they’re more likely to purchase it if you answer their questions in a timely manner.
• Getting frustrated: Selling on eBay can become stressful at times, especially when you have to outsource, list, ship, take care of customer service, etc. all by yourself. It is important to take some time off from the business to get some rest and avoid frustration.

Selling on eBay is a great way to make some extra money, or even turn it into a full-time business. By finding the right items to resell, being consistent in your listing habits, keeping your prices low and providing a good customer service, you can be a successful eBay seller in no time!