How to Become a Successful eBay Seller

Becoming an eBay seller means that you can make money selling your own things that you no longer want or need. You could also create a small shop and start selling your own product. There are many people who have benefited by becoming an eBay seller and here are ways to start up your business.

Offer Products that People Want

Before you start selling, think about the type of products people are buying at the moment. Some of this will come down to seasonal times. For example, ball gowns sell well during the Spring and Autumn for summer proms, Christmas dinners and New Year parties. Search the website to find out about the type of products that sell on a regular basis and constantly look at different times of the year.

Buy Cheap and Sell High

Buy cheaper products that you know will sell well and put a minimum bid on them – the amount that you bought them for. This will mean that you stand the chance of making your money back. If they don’t sell the first time, you can always put them on a second time but without the minimum bid to see how well they do. If you want them to go for a specific price, you can always use the Buy It Now function.

Should You Opt for Buy It Now?

The Buy It Now means that you set the exact price and people will pay that exact amount. You can set the number of products that you have so the listing stays up until all items have been sold. This is the way that some shops operate if they know that they will be able to get items back in stock quickly. The Buy It Now function is great if you want a specific amount but some items may sell for much higher, which is where the bidding is more beneficial.

Avoid putting Buy It Now and the bid option on the same items at the same time. Coming from an eBay buyer, if I see a product that is higher on the bid than on the Buy It Now and I want it, I will always opt for Buy It Now. This has only happened on rare occasions but it is still possible and you end up out of pocket.

Think About Postage and Packaging

Will you sell to overseas buyers? Will you offer a collection service? Should you set your Postage and Packaging for free? These are all questions that you will need to ask yourself. A collection service is great if you have larger items, such as coffee tables, furniture etc that is easier for someone to collect. However, smaller items are usually best sent via the post. Free P&P charges may entice some buyers but it all depends on the price of the item. This is a case of trial and error to find out what works for your store. Remember, if you offer free P&P then you will incur the charges and may work at a loss.

Sending overseas does increase the potential for sales but there is also the risk of incurring high P&P charges. If I am going to sell something on eBay, I usually opt for the UK only unless someone specifically asks if I am willing to send overseas, which has happened on rare occasions. Remaining in the mainland has always worked out easier and cheaper so there is less chance that I will incur a loss.

Look for Free Insertion Days

It costs money to sell products on eBay. You will need to pay a 10% commission for the website allowing you to sell products and then pay to list your items. However, eBay runs free insertion days on regular occasions – I think I’ve seen at least one weekend a month with free insertion since March 2012. This is the best time to sell your items as it means you spend less.

Market Your Products

You will need to do a lot of marketing to let people know about your items. This will mean promoting through social media and even though other forms of internet marketing, including article and email marketing. It will take time but, if you are a serious eBayer, it will pay off in the long term.

Think About Your Product Descriptions

It is easy to fall into the trap of writing the same product description as the merchant. The problem is that your description will not be unique. Write your own and experiment with colours and styles. This is a great way to add personality to your eBay store and attract more potential buyers. It will take time but, like marketing, you will benefit in the long run.

Create a Website

As your eBay store becomes more popular, think about creating a website for your products. You may find that you can also sell your products on your own, without the need of eBay. The benefit of this is that you can link to your website through your eBay listings so people can find something that matches their exact needs instead of making do with anything they find on the auction website.

It is possible to run your own eBay business and become a successfully seller. There are many people who do this as a full-time business and make thousands in a month. Take the time to follow the above tips and be prepared to put the work in. This will give you more chance of becoming successful.