How to be an EBAY CHAMP
Selling through online auction sites is easier than you think. Get started with our guide…
BUILD A PROFILE
Just like social media, you’ll need to create a profile on ebay. It’s only mandatory to enter a username, but you can add a picture and a biography if you like. Many ebayers are reluctant to buy from someone who doesn’t have a rating on their profile, which comes from both buying and selling, so use your account to buy a few items and get feedback from the buyer.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
There are thousands of new listings each day, so make sure your description is spot on and in the right category to help it be seen. Need some help? Goofbid’s ebay Pulse tool (goofbid.com/ebay_pulse.html) offers insight on the most popular search terms on the site. For example, the term ‘women’s shoes’ is more popular than just ‘shoes’. When listing your item, enter the description – for example, ‘Debenhams jacket’ – and ebay will trawl the site and find similar items. Each has a ‘sell one like this’ button underneath – press this and the site will do the hard work for you, suggesting titles, pricing and postage fees, which you can edit as you see fit.
AVOID LISTING FEES
You can list 20 items for free on ebay each month, after which you will be charged 35p per listing. Log into ebay and from the top right-hand corner select ‘selling’ from the section marked My ebay. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see how many free listings you have left. Here, you can also see any promotions, such as free listing days.
PICK THE RIGHT TIME
Ten days is the longest an auction on ebay can run for, so always select this option to give your items the best possible chance of selling. According to ebay, the most popular time on the site is Sunday evening, so make sure your listing finishes then. Avoid times when most people will be busy, such as weekday mornings or during big events like football matches.
PICTURE PERFECT
You’ll receive more interest if you include pictures. You can post up to 12 on ebay for no extra charge, so get snapping!
SET YOUR PRICE
Look at similar items on ebay to get an idea of what yours will go for. Auctions are the most popular way of selling and you can also set a reserve price, so if the bids don’t reach that amount, then the item won’t sell – although you will pay 4% of the reserve price as an extra fee for this. The ‘buy it now’ option is less popular, but if you want a set amount for your item, then it’s the best way to achieve this – at an extra cost of 50p per listing. It’s also worth noting that ebay takes 10% of the final price the item sells for, which includes postage, so take this into account when setting a price.
THINK POSTAGE
Not sure what to charge for postage? Head to royalmail. com/price-finder – but don’t forget to factor in envelopes and bubble wrap. Always use a method of postage that’s trackable and obtain proof of postage so, if an item goes missing in the post, you won’t be out of pocket. Only accept payment via Paypal, which can protect you from any potential payment issues.
GHI TIP: You don’t have to pay tax if you’re selling old items.