TIPS FOR SELLING ONLINE

Selling online takes time and effort, but has the huge advantage of opening up the market – to the whole world, if you really want to. Selling on ebay isn’t great if you really want to get the full second-hand ‘book’ value for something, as the fees they now charge are very high. It’s best to see it as a way of getting rid of unwanted items for a reasonable price.

In the rare case of disputes, make sure you have all the documentation and communications with your buyer to hand – usually things can get solved.

1. TAKE GREAT PHOTOGRAPHS

– OF EVERYTHING

You don’t need anything more than a smartphone to take photos, but try and take them in good, natural light and make sure the pics are nice and sharp. Take photos of the limb pockets/sockets for recurve bows. Think what you would want to see if you were buying the item.

2. BE SCRUPULOUSLY HONEST

Be completely straightforward in your descriptions and point out and photograph any faults. This will actually increase your chances of making a sale. It’s good to add opinions too, but there’s no need for a sales pitch.

3. REPLY TO ANY QUERIES

Serious buyers will often ask questions, and serious buyers can also be newbies. Make sure to answer them promptly and straightforwardly. In our experience, archery buyers often have a lot of questions! Accept it as part of the process – it helps to build trust between buyer and seller.

4. PACKAGE CAREFULLY

Most archery kit is fairly tough, shipping wise, and you are unlikely to need much more packaging than the original box and maybe some bubble wrap. Still, it’s worth thinking about what you will ship it in before you list it. Most shipping services have an online estimator of costs.

5. SEND IT TRACKED AND KEEP A RECORD

The vagaries of shipping are complicated, but as long as you send it using a well-known tracked and insured service, and keep hold of the receipt, there’s really not much that can hurt you.