How to Sell on eBay for Beginners #3

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Step 3: Create an eBay Listing

* To sell your item on eBay, you need to create a listing. You're going to create a great listing that attracts potential buyers.
o Remember eBay charges fees for listings; look at eBay's page of fees to see what those are.
o If at any time you don't see an option described here, click on "Add or remove options."

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Choose Your eBay Category

1. On any eBay page, click on the sell tab in the top right corner.
2. Type in the name of your item. eBay will then suggest a category for the listing.
3. Think carefully about the category you place your listing in; buyers often shop by category, so if your listing is in the wrong category, fewer people will see it.
4. You can browse categories to find the right one for your item. To do this click on the "Browse for categories" tab on the left.
5. Check if there is a less-crowded category where your listing still fits but will stand out more.
6. When you find the proper category, click "Save and Continue."
* For an additional fee, you can place your item in a second category, which can bring more people to your listing.

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Write Your eBay Listing Title

1. Enter a listing title that accurately describes what you are selling.
2. Put yourself in the buyer's position: what search term would you use to find this item? That's your title!
3. Stuck for ideas? Search the completed listings again for similar items. The keywords that appear in high-selling items are good ones to include in your own listing.
4. When you write the title for your listing, make sure it's spelled correctly: you don't want buyers to miss it!
* Misspelled items receive lower sale prices because fewer people see the listing.
5. For an extra fee, you can add a subtitle to further describe your item.

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Photos of Your eBay Item

1. Now it's time to upload the photo(s) of your eBay item.
2. Photos are very important on eBay; buyers want to see what they might get!
3. Check the previous step for more tips on creating great photos.
4. Click "Add Pictures" to upload your photo(s).
5. You may choose to upgrade your picture display. But remember that the most important thing is to upload great photos; paying more for design upgrades will not improve your photo quality!
6. Adding a gallery photo may be the best upgrade you can make; it lets buyers see a thumbnail shot of your item as they search listings.
7. Keep in mind that eBay charges for hosting photos after the first photo, although it is not a large fee.
8. You can use a free hosting service like Photobucket or TinyPic to avoid paying eBay fees.
* Click on the "Self-hosting" tab to upload the URL for your hosting service.

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Write Your eBay Item Description

1. Take time to write a clear description of your item.
2. Be honest in your description. You do not want to be penalized with negative feedback for faulty information.
* "Excellent condition" can mean many things to different people.
3. If there are problems or flaws with your item, be forthright about them. This will help you avoid any disputes after the sale.
4. If you have a rare item, give sources and background to explain how it is genuine; certificates of authenticity are too easily duplicated by unscrupulous sellers and therefore do not suffice.
5. Remember, you want the winning bidder to feel they got the exact item they were expecting from your description!
6. Do not write an overlong description, however, as it is more likely to turn buyers off. Just write a clear and concise description, without typos.

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Design Upgrades for Your eBay Listing

1. eBay's Listing Designer offers extra design options for your listing, like bold or italicized fonts. These can help your item stand out, especially if there are many similar items.
* These upgrades incur extra fees.
2. Keep in mind the time it takes to add these extra touches to your page. It may be better to spend the time putting together a clear description and uploading good photos.

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Choose a Selling Format for Your eBay Listing

1. Most eBay listings are auctions in which you accept bids for your item during a set length of time. The highest bidder when the auction ends wins the item.
2. You can vary the auction format, or bypass auctions altogether, with one or a combination of the following options:

* Fixed Price and Best Offer on eBay

1. A Fixed Price listing is a non-auction selling format, wherein your item shows up in categories and searches, but the only purchase option is the price you decide to accept.
2. Best Offer lets you accept bids at your discretion; you choose the winning price.

* Multiple Item Listings on eBay

1. Dutch Auctions let you sell multiple items in one listing.
2. You can list your identical items:
* In an auction listing (people bid on price and the number of items they would like).
* In a fixed price listing (there is a set price for each individual item).
* In a lot listing (all the items are sold as one lot to one buyer).

* Private Listings on eBay
* Private Listings allow you to keep buyers' identities hidden.

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Enter Your eBay Selling Price

1. Set a low opening price for your auction. It will attract more bids and buyers flock to auctions with more bids.
* Set a low opening price that is reasonable. You do not want to discourage buyers by making them think your item is of low quality or that the price is too good to be true.
* Be prepared; either set a reserve price or be prepared to sell your item at the low initial price in case more bidders do not arrive.
2. The one exception for the low starting price rule is if you are selling an idiosyncratic item that will not generate much general interest.
3. If you have many of the same type of item to sell, spacing out auctions instead of selling the items right after each other will net you a higher price.

* Reserve Prices on eBay

1. A reserve price lets you set a minimum amount that you are willing to sell your item for.
* For example, you want to sell a painting on eBay. You set the opening price at $1, and the reserve at $25. If the highest bid is $20, no one wins the auction.
2. Setting a reserve price requires a small additional fee.
3. eBay does not refund listing fees if your item does not sell, so set a reasonable reserve price.
4. Keep in mind that buyers avoid auctions with secret reserve prices, although auctions for higher-priced items (over the $25 - $50 range) may benefit from a reserve price.

* Buy It Now on eBay

1. Buy It Now sets a price at which the listing ends and the item is sold. You can use Buy It Now in an auction format, as well as in a fixed price format.
* Buy It Now can be a great option if you want to sell your item right away.
* If you need the money straightaway, asking for immediate payment via PayPal is a prudent option to make sure you get paid quickly.
2. Some sellers feel that the Buy It Now price is often lower than what a bidding war can generate.
3. In fact, should someone bid over the Buy It Now price, the option is voided and the sale proceeds as a normal eBay auction.

* Combination eBay Selling Options

1. You can also combine formats and pricing options.
2. For example, in the Fixed Price category, you could combine a high Buy It Now price with the Best Offer option.
3. The higher Buy It Now price may encourage sellers to make a Best Offer bid which is good enough that you accept it and end the auction.

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Enter Duration of Your eBay Listing

1. You can choose the number of days your listing will be available.
2. Research has shown that longer auctions generate higher prices. If you have the time to wait, 10-day auctions receive 42% higher prices on average.
* 10-day listings incur an additional fee.
3. You can start your listing immediately, or schedule the start time for an additional fee.

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Contact Options

* eBay now lets sellers place listings with their Skype contact information. Please note that you'll need to download Skype and create an account (both the download and account creation are free).

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Enter Payment Methods for Your eBay Listing

1. As noted above, you need to accept credit cards or PayPal for your listing.
2. You can also accept checks or money orders.
3. You may require immediate payment if someone uses the "Buy It Now" option.
* This is especially prudent if you are selling an expensive item; this assures you will be paid quickly!

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Enter Your eBay Shipping Information

1. You can use Shipping Wizard to outline your shipping options and costs.
2. It is not necessary to offer multiple means of transport or insurance, but it can be an easy way to attract more bidders.
3. For example, you can offer:
* Express Mail, Priority Mail, and Ground shipping through the U.S. Post Office.
* Delivery via FedEx or UPS.
4. If you want to offer different shipping methods, clearly describe how long each method will take.
5. It can also help buyers if you explain how often you mail packages.
* For example, if you can realistically only get to the post office on Saturday, state that you ship packages once a week.
6. Offer your item for sale internationally and you increase the number of potential buyers.
* Keep in mind the shipping costs to overseas customers. If you live in the U.S. and are selling a large item that will be expensive to ship, it may be smarter to limit shipping to the U.S. and Canada, or even just the U.S.

* Your eBay Shipping Price

1. Buyers are more attracted to low-cost, higher-shipping auctions than to higher-price, free shipping ones.
2. eBay does prohibit excessive shipping fees, and may remove your listing or downgrade your status if members complain that your shipping charges are too high.
3. eBay allows you to charge:
* Actual shipping cost
* Handling charge
* Insurance
* Tax (if applicable)
4. Don't have shipping fees that are much higher than your competitors or you risk losing bids.
5. And with eBay's detailed seller ratings, you can be rated negatively on shipping & handling costs, so price accordingly!
6. Do not hide your shipping costs. This is called shrouding, and it turns off potential buyers.

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Who Will You Sell to on eBay?

1. You can block selective levels of buyers, if you want to maintain an extra level of security around your listing.
2. For example, you may not want to sell to:
* Buyers who do not have PayPal accounts.
* People registered in countries you don't ship to.
* Bidders who have negative feedback scores.
3. Exercise caution with this option: you are more certain about the quality of bidders, but you will limit your pool of potential buyers.

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Your eBay Return Policy

1. A return policy is optional, but buyers often prefer to deal with sellers who have one.
2. A clearly stated return policy also protects you should anything go wrong; you will have already detailed what you take responsibility for and what you will not cover.

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Step 4: How to Behave on eBay

* Now that your listing is on eBay, make sure to follow the rules and etiquette of the site, so you have a successful auction.

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eBay Rules

1. In addition to only listing items which are allowed by eBay, you want to follow eBay's policies and regulations.
2. An overview is available here.
3. Key rules include:
* Do not bid on your own items, or have friends or family bid for you.
* Do not advertise items for sale outside of eBay.
* Honor all sales contracts.
* Pay relevant fees and taxes.

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Interaction With the eBay Community

1. Be available to answer questions. You do not want a buyer to lose interest because you do not answer an email for two days.
2. Use eBay's internal email system. This way a record will be maintained of all exchanges.
3. Always treat buyers courteously and professionally.
4. If the buyer has an issue, try to resolve it amicably.