Selling on eBay: tips and tricks

eBay is the world’s jumble sale. It gives us all a chance to get rid of those unwanted gifts we force a smile for over Christmas. It also helps us dilute the pain of the buyer’s remorse we feel after buying that exercise equipment which we’ve never even taken out of the box. Sometimes we can even turn a tidy profit.

Yes, eBay can be the perfect place to get rid of unwanted good – but there are some basic steps you should follow to be sure of a sale.

One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Treasure

While it may be true that eBay can put your junk into contact with people willing to actually pay for it, it doesn’t mean there are buyers clamouring for absolutely everything you want to get rid of. Before you begin taking pictures of absolutely everything you want to get rid of, you need to do a bit of filtering.

Ask yourself a few questions: Is the item in good condition? Does it have any extras such as original packaging? Is it still usable? Is it conceivable that anyone could possibly want the object you’re selling?

If you’re having trouble saying yes to most of these questions it may be worth considering the charity shop rather than eBay. Failing that there is always The Tip! The best way to work all this out is to put yourself in the mind of a buyer – handing over cash for item you’re unlikely to see in “real life” before you buy can be difficult!

Once you’ve decided what is good enough to sell on eBay, you need to start taking photos.

The Art of eBay Photography

While it may cost to have pictures in your eBay listing, it is entirely worth it. Large high-quality pictures sell an item much better than anything you will say about it. As they say: A picture is worth a thousand words.

Make sure your item is in a well lit, clutter free area of your home. Make sure you’ve cleaned the item thoroughly. Take a few pictures and choose the best ones. If you’re handy with Photoshop or other image manipulation programs it might be worthwhile cropping and tiding up the image. This is not to say you should attempt to remove blemishes and mark from your item, but improving your bad lighting skills isn’t going to do anyone any harm.

Where Your Words Count

Writing a piece of descriptive text is a necessity. This piece of text can seem infuriatingly hard to write sometimes, but the best advice is to be honest.

You need to explain what the item is, giving dates of when it was made and when you brought it.  Any technical specifications should be mention if it is a electronic item you’re selling on eBay and sizes if it is clothing. Giving a reason for sale is usually a good idea as buyers want to know it is being sold for genuine reasons.

If you get really stuck, see what others have written in their description of similar items.

This should cover the very basics of eBay selling and you should be making more room in your home in no time!