Promote Your eBay Items With Videos

When Text and Still Images Just Aren't Enough

Using videos makes your eBay auction items stand out.
Westend61 / Getty Images
By
Aron Hsiao
Aron Hsiao

Aron Hsiao began selling on eBay in 1998 and joined the site's Trust and Safety Department in 2003, helping to resolve buyer and seller conflicts and marketplace rules violations. From 2013 through 2017, he served as senior communications manager for Terapeak, which offers marketplace research and listing analytics to online sellers.

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Updated on 08/09/19

Most eBay sellers use photos to sell goods, and many use video as a way to virally promote their stores and items. However, savvy sellers also combine these two, embedding both videos and images of their items in their auction listings.

It’s not difficult to embed video in auction listings, and it’s totally free. Here's when it may be a good idea to use video, along with images, to showcase your goods, along with some tips on using video to promote your items.

Using Video Makes You Stand Out

To include video in your listing, all you need is a digital video camera of some kind (many smartphones can do this nicely) and an account at YouTube or any one of the other sites listed in the "Using Videos" section of eBay's links policy page.

In addition to convenience, you can show off and explain many items — from clothes to furniture to electronics — more clearly in a video. Plus, your voice in the video gives your listings a personal touch (but you don't have to do a voiceover if it makes you feel uncomfortable). You can also set the video to music.

Using video makes your listing — and you as a seller — stand out. If another seller happens to be hawking the same item as you, you'll likely have the edge with buyers because of your video.

Embedding a Video in an eBay Listing

To embed a video in your eBay listing(s), simply follow these steps:

  1. Record a video of your item in a clean, well-lit area. Record where your device looks its best and where you can represent yourself as a professional. Describe the item as you show it to the camera. Give multiple views and show it in operation, if possible. Be sure to speak calmly and clearly.
  2. Post your video to a video-sharing site. YouTube is the obvious suspect since it’s free, eBay supports it, and so many use it, but any number of video sites will work fine as well.
  3. Copy the embed code for your video. On YouTube, this is done by selecting the "Embed" button on the page for your video, click your mouse in the box that appears, and then typing "CTRL-A" followed by "CTRL-C."
  4. Post an eBay listing. Use the item listing form to begin your eBay listing and fill it out as you normally would, until you reach the item description area.
  5. Paste the embed code Into your item description using HTML. Enter your item description as you normally would, but before moving on, select the "HTM" tab over the description editor to switch to the HTML view. Move your mouse cursor to the very end of the code already there and type CTRL-V to embed the code for your video.
  6. Finish your item listing and post it: When your listing is complete, you’ll find that the video you recorded is embedded in your item description so that bidders and buyers can easily click and play.