Selling Dos and Don'ts:
What to Keep in Mind as You Sell on eBay
Knowing basic selling techniques on eBay is enough to get you started, but to really make the most of your eBay seller account, it's important to have a handle on the tools that make successful sellers successful and on the pitfalls that can lead to poor selling results. Here are a number of dos and don'ts to keep in mind as you sell on eBay.
Get the Title Right
Sellers often spent time optimizing their eBay action listings, but sometimes the focus of their attention should also be on their listing titles, since it is titles that generate search results and titles that influence users to click on them.
Sellers often spent time optimizing their eBay action listings, but sometimes the focus of their attention should also be on their listing titles, since it is titles that generate search results and titles that influence users to click on them.
What Not to Sell on eBay
Though eBay is the ideal marketplace for selling a wide variety of goods, both secondhand and new, there are some types of items that you probably don't want to sell on eBay. Read on to find out what they are.
Though eBay is the ideal marketplace for selling a wide variety of goods, both secondhand and new, there are some types of items that you probably don't want to sell on eBay. Read on to find out what they are.
Use Disclaimers for Smooth Transactions
While disclaimers often get a bad rap for being a way to avoid responsibility, they actually help buyers and sellers to know exactly what to expect in a transaction.
While disclaimers often get a bad rap for being a way to avoid responsibility, they actually help buyers and sellers to know exactly what to expect in a transaction.
Control Your eBay Fees
Even in the best of times it makes no sense to pay more than you have to for a service, and this truism applies to selling on eBay as well. If you're a seller of any volume at all, you owe it to yourself to take a moment and see whether you could bring your eBay fees under better control.
Even in the best of times it makes no sense to pay more than you have to for a service, and this truism applies to selling on eBay as well. If you're a seller of any volume at all, you owe it to yourself to take a moment and see whether you could bring your eBay fees under better control.
Maximize Bids by Timing Your Listings
How to improve the number of bids your auctions receive and the total sale value that you achieve, simply by adjusting your timing.
How to improve the number of bids your auctions receive and the total sale value that you achieve, simply by adjusting your timing.
Don't Create Drab, Boring Listings
No buyer is going to remember, much less try to return to a bid on, an uninformative, unenlightened listing.
No buyer is going to remember, much less try to return to a bid on, an uninformative, unenlightened listing.
Don't Add More Features Than Your Item's Worth
Promotional features are powerful tools, but there is a definite limit to the kind of return that they can provide.
Promotional features are powerful tools, but there is a definite limit to the kind of return that they can provide.
Don't Compete Against Your Own Auctions
eBay may reach a global audience of buyers, but it's also an auction format sales site with a lot of sellers. List too many items at once and you could drive down the price of your own goods.
eBay may reach a global audience of buyers, but it's also an auction format sales site with a lot of sellers. List too many items at once and you could drive down the price of your own goods.
Don't Price Yourself Out of the Market
By selling too high, you might earn no sale at all, while by selling too low you chould cheat yourself.
By selling too high, you might earn no sale at all, while by selling too low you chould cheat yourself.
Don't Use Risky "No Overhead" Techniques
Drop shipping and other types of "no overhead" selling can be tempting for sellers, but for sellers who don't take them seriously enough, such techniques are like playing with fire. Be sure that as a seller, you don't burn your buyers or yourself in the process.
Drop shipping and other types of "no overhead" selling can be tempting for sellers, but for sellers who don't take them seriously enough, such techniques are like playing with fire. Be sure that as a seller, you don't burn your buyers or yourself in the process.
Don't Steal Photos From Other eBayers
Photos used to sell goods on ebay, like photos in any other industry, are copyrighted works belonging to the photographer that took them.
Photos used to sell goods on ebay, like photos in any other industry, are copyrighted works belonging to the photographer that took them.
Don't Start a Business Without a License
eBay makes it so easy to sell that it can also be easy to accidentally transition from casual seller of used personal items to professional seller for profit. Don't do this without first registering yourself as a business.
eBay makes it so easy to sell that it can also be easy to accidentally transition from casual seller of used personal items to professional seller for profit. Don't do this without first registering yourself as a business.
Don't Quietly Sell Defective Items
Sellers who knowingly sell defective items but mention only that they are "AS-IS" or "condition unknown" are risking negative feedback and worse.
Sellers who knowingly sell defective items but mention only that they are "AS-IS" or "condition unknown" are risking negative feedback and worse.
Don't Keyword SPAM or Miscategorize
eBay buyers rely on categories and keywords when they search for items to buy. When you miscategorize or use unrelated keywords, you don't make friends with buyers and you make eBay harder to use.
eBay buyers rely on categories and keywords when they search for items to buy. When you miscategorize or use unrelated keywords, you don't make friends with buyers and you make eBay harder to use.
Item Didn't Sell? Relist It!
Did you know that when you list an item for sale on eBay and it doesn't sell the first time around, you can relist it for free?
Did you know that when you list an item for sale on eBay and it doesn't sell the first time around, you can relist it for free?