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I’ve been selling on Ebay on and off now for over 10 years and whilst I haven’t reached the heady heights of being a ‘business seller’, I’ve learnt a lot of helpful stuff along the way.
Here are my 7 Top Tips for a new Ebay Seller
Anything and everything eventually sells
- You may be surprised at what people buy on Ebay. Something that has been sitting in your loft for 10 years, could be just what someone else is looking for now, so don’t disregard things that have no value to you. Random items like a spare bowl for a vintage food mixer, a hippy style well worn suede jacket, a 1950’s Audrey Hepburn style vanity case are just a few of the things I have sold that other people might just have thrown away. If you are a new Ebay seller, then think outside the loft!
Take clear pictures from all angles
- Your photo is really your ‘shop window’ and natural light is the key to taking a good picture of your item to sell on Ebay. Take one clear picture, and several more close up ones of the front, back sides and insides where appropriate for items such as a handbag, or linings. I always take a shot of the label and size if I’m selling clothing or shoes or the model number on other items. Ironically, it’s always best to include any flaws in your pictures, then you can be sure that buyers are aware of these before they bid or buy.
Tell it like it is
- If you are a new Ebay seller, then describing your item accurately is so important. Take those brand new red shoes in your wardrobe that were just a bit too tight for you. ‘Ladies new red leather flat slip on shoes size 4/37 ‘ is going to get more views than just describing them as ‘Ladies red shoes 4’. Be clear, be accurate and highlight any defects as well as any positive things. You could add into the main body of your listing the words, ‘comfortable’, ‘soft’, ‘wide fitting’. If you have shoes that you’ve worn a but can’t get on with, you might add ‘carefully worn’, or ‘worn once’, to indicate that the shoes HAVE actually been worn but are still in good condition.
Category is important too
- Whilst it does cost slightly more to list in two categories on Ebay, as a ‘girl on a pension’, I naturally have some items that are genuinely old that either belong to me, or that I have inherited from friends and family. I always list these things in the ‘vintage’ category as well as the usual relevant one. For example I was gifted a genuine Louis Vuitton bag, that was pre owned by a very mature affluent friend. I listed it in both categories because not only was it an iconic bag, but it also had a rich history and vintage which can attract different buyers to a modern standard LV bag. This particularly applies to clothing and footwear, there are some quirky buyers out there who prefer vintage above anything else. Always double check the standard drop down category menu offered up by Ebay as sometimes this just doesn’t suit what you are selling and needs to be adjusted. Likewise always check your spelling, for example Lewis Veeton is not going to get any views from a lady looking for Louis Vuitton!
Auction or Buy it Now
- This is where you need to think carefully. If you are a new Ebay seller you might want to sell a few things on the Auction option first just to get the hang it all, ensuring that you don’t mind how much you sell them for, as long as they sell. Start your auction at 99p, for 7 days, to finish on either a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, around 6-8pm to get maximum exposure and attention for what you want to sell. If you feel the Auction is too risky for your higher value item, then choose Buy it Now, name your price and add the ‘make an offer’ option to your listing, then you can be sure you are getting the price you want.
Remember you have to pay to sell 
- It costs 10% of the final sale fee to sell and an item on Ebay, and also around another 5% for your Paypal fees, so when pricing your item, take this into account. The Ebay fees are paid monthly, so always keep a little pot of money in your Paypal account as they are taken automatically, but you will get notification before hand of how much your total fee’s will be.
Feedback is fabulous
- Feedback for a new seller on Ebay is like a star rating for a hotel, it is how you will be judged as a seller and gives people confidence to buy from you. So always give feedback to your buyer and encourage them to do the same for you. You can slowly build up your feedback rating in the early days by purchasing things like your mailing bags, Sellotape, address labels, etc, everything counts, no matter if you are a seller or a buyer, so plan ahead and get that feedback score going in the right direction right from the start.
If you simply want to just declutter your home and wardrobe, or you actually need to make some extra money, then selling on Ebay couldn’t be easier. There is a free app to do it from your phone, or you can log on, and do it all from your laptop or computer. Either way is fine. Don’t be held back by your fear of being a new Ebay seller, and if you are in any doubt about the difference it can make to your overall finances, this should convince you! http://mydebtdiary.info/2018/07/09/can-survey-sites-and-ebay-sales-really-pay-off-my-debt/
Once you get started it can become quite addictive, and there is a host of free resources out there to help you. If you love Instagram, there is a whole Ebay community on there who will help you with any questions you may have.
Read more about my Ebay successes here:
http://www.girlonapension.com/an-easy-way-to-make-some-extra-money/
And once you get the Ebay bug, you may even want to open an Ebay Shop more info about that here:
https://suefoster.info/i-open-ebay-shop
