The Basic Elements of Online Selling: Guest Post, Part 4

Selling on Ebay

There are two main modes of selling on ebay, one is auctioning and the second is fixed priced listing. To Auction or used a fix priced listing, you can either list an item by its UPC code from ebay’s database or list an item of your own. Just log into your account and click the sell now link on the top. For auction listings, you may also include a buy it now price in addition to a beginning auction price.

Use the research tool to pick and price your items accordingly. Look at what other people are pricing their items for. This will give you a generally idea of what to price your item.

Do a search for similar items—both currently for sale and in completed listings—to get an idea of your competitors pricing and shipping costs. Pay attention to their titles, photos, and how they described items.

Prepare your photos and description. Write an enticing title and description. Be honest, detailed, and mention any flaws. Be as honest as possible.  List the exact condition of the item whether it be new, used, new other, etc. While using words like mint condition or brand new are great, avoid using extreme words such as immaculate or impeccable. Especially if the item is used, this decreases your credibility especially if you have zero feedback.

Here you'll add your title, pictures, description,  and shipping and payment options. Ensure you have decent photos. A buyer wants to see every aspect of the product. You have up to 12 photos you can post and the 1^st one is free. You can further add bold listings, a designer package, or photo previews so that your ad stands out when a buyer searches for your product.

Enter your Paypal account to accept online payments. You may also use credit card, but Paypal is most efficient.

Select how you want to ship. Generally most people will ship by USPS. If the item you are sending is fragile or more expensive, generally choose a more premium service such as UPS or Fedex. Make sure to offer the buyer different shipping options.

Stay on top of questions and payments in My eBay. Communication is key. A buyer might have question about your item. Respond in a timely manner. This demonstrates good customer service and most likely a sell.

When you receive payment notification, ship promptly.

Print and pay for shipping labels right from your own computer. Simply log in to My eBay and with a few clicks, you can print and pay for a label pre-addressed with your buyer's information. By printing labels online, you save time and money, and your buyer is automatically notified of the shipment. You’ll get paid faster, too. Get all the details in a 2-minute shipping label video.

Give your buyer positive feedback in My eBay to build trust in you as a seller. Do not wait for the buyer to give you positive feedback. The buyer has completed their end of the deal by paying promptly. Some sellers will wait to give feedback as precautionary measure to avoid getting negative feedback. DON’T, if you provide quality service there should be no issue with giving good feedback to a buyer.