Tips for Selling Stuff on eBay

This isn’t a sponsored post… I’ve just been selling a lot of items for friends, family and myself to earn vacation cash!

So you want some extra cash, huh? Your items are too new for Etsy.com (or you didn’t make them) and the words “garage sale”  make you feel dizzy and anxious.  Well, pour a cup of whatever you like and hitch up your P.J. pants.  These are my best tips for selling stuff on eBay:

Explore the Seller’s Portal

The first time you want to sell something, make a rough draft listing. Do everything but confirm it.  You will be able to explore the seller’s portal and everything in it, like photo areas (drag and swap to change the order) title areas and details, shipping options (always have buyer pay the shipping), buy it now vs. auction and even the categories you can choose to have your listing featured under.  There are a lot of options, but the listing process on desktop and the eBay app (which I LOVE for quick contact and updates) are pretty straightforward. You’ll get faster with every item you list. 

Never send an invoice outside of the eBay system, because it will not be covered under seller protection and such.  You don’t want to get caught in a storm with no umbrella over your head.  In fact, Buy it now is the only option that forces the buyer to pay for the item immediately.  I personally will NOT ship unless funds have been received.  I list that as a personal policy in my Etsy shop and in other places. 

Be Descriptive… and Repeat  Yourself.

Feel ridiculous when you write the title.  Use extra words and descriptors to list your item.  Foe example, when I listed my extra nail wraps, I called them: Sleeping Beauty Aurora Disney Jamberry Nail Wraps NEW 1 sheet. I know that’s not very concise, or pretty, but that’s how you would SEARCH for something like that, right? Yup.  When you get to your details section, go ahead and use full sentences with lots of adjectives, noting the condition of the item, age and possibly where you got.  The more you can say the better, so your potential buyer feels like they know what they are getting. 

Another thing to think about is the shorthand often found in titles.  NWT actually means, “New with Tags” while NIB means, “New, in Box.”  Collector’s items, pop culture or other vintage items should be noted as such, so any other descriptors you throw in throw in there are good. 

If you are selling an electronic or high-value item, list it as buy it now only. This weeds out spammers and  protects you as a seller. 

Know Your Limits.

This is about knowing your boundaries, and there are lots of them.  What are you willing to sell the item for? Will you only take a firm price, or are you willing to let bidders duke it out?  What about shipping? Can you deliver the item to the mail within 1 business day, or do you need more? Take your time filling out the listing with accurate and honest information so the buyer knows exactly what to expect.  Isn’t that what you would want from a seller?  This being said, if you list 100 items and they are all selling like hotcakes, that’s GREAT.  But that also means a lot of packaging, printing labels (eBay seller discount available and you can send it USPS at your mailbox) or USPS trips. Know what you can handle and stick to it.

Take Clear, Well-Lit Photos, up to 5 of Them.

Photos!! No one would buy your item if you didn’t have photos. Not gonna happen.  The main photo should be a full shot of the item, in a well-lit area, making sure the colors are as accurate as possible.  You can leave up to five photos with every listing.  The other four should show details such as maker’s marks, tags with sizing, or unique details.  

Make sure your items are shown in the best conditions possible, with minimal distractions and NO OTHER items that aren’t for sale.  For example, don’t show a unicorn pair of LuLaRoe leggings that would look lovely with your t-shirt but ARE NOT for sale.  That’s a bait and switch and terrible practice.  Be prepared to answer questions from potential buyers if your photos are less than optimal.  

Research for Best Pricing.

Well priced items sell fast, and over-priced items will rot on a shelf.  Do a little research in order to find the best price for sale and purchase. I recently sold a Like-New tool bench that my son never played with. I think it saw some action from two boys on a playdate, but was otherwise used to store cars and vehicles in the bottom.  It was time to go! I had every piece that went with it, along with a $10-15 set of extra tools for enhanced play.  The bench itself went for $35.00 online and in stores, so I sold the set for $30; this included the extra set of Black and Decker tool toys.  One person passed on it, thinking it was too close to retail (she forgot the extras) but I had three sellers behind her clamoring for it.  Maybe I should have charged more? Either way, I did my research and was happy with my transaction.  

If you can’t find a like-item and it’s selling price, give it your best shot. You don’t pay any listing fees until the item sells, and you can re-list a few times with no penalties. You can even have the item auto-re-list to save you some time.    

Communicate and Give Feedback.

Both sellers and buyers can rate transactions.  This is why you want to be clear, honest and open about selling your items.  It also helps push your PayPal money through faster… sending you on your Disney vacation armed with lots of cash for Mickey Ice Cream Bar and Dole Whips!  Feedback is limited to a few characters, so comments, constructive criticism and praise go a long way. Leave 1-5 stars as well for feedback at-a-glance.