What I've learned from selling on eBay

I started my journey as a seller on eBay a few months ago when I was looking for a way to make some extra cash during quarantine. Like most, I had an excess of things that I didn't need anymore along with a lot of time on my hands for a new hobby. Starting in the corner of my room with just a pile of old textbooks, I managed to sell over 20 items and make $500 in my first month all while cleaning my room in the process. Anyone can list almost anything on eBay, but the hard part lies in getting your items to sell. I'm going to share a few tips that I've learned during my time as a seller on eBay to help you sell your listed products as fast as possible.

1. Listing

Listing your product is the first step to getting it sold. When listing your products, you have the option to create a new listing or use an existing one. I've found that it's best to use an existing one if possible (sometimes you must create a new one) since it'll save you time by filling in most of the information about the product.

It's important to include accurate and concise information in the title, as this will give buyers insight into what they're purchasing without being too wordy. When taking pictures, be sure to include multiple angles and that each picture is clear and that the item is easily visible. This is what will draw attention to your listing.

2. Item Specifics

The item specifics is one of the most important things for your listing as the information you put helps buyers navigate to items that they're interested in. Information can vary from item to item, but one thing remains the same. The more information you fill in, the more that interested buyers will see your product.

Here, I'm selling an AP Biology textbook that's published by Pearson and was made for college and high school students. The publication year is unknown so it's left blank. According to eBay, 167,500 people recently searched for a textbook with these details. Adding specifics to your item broadens your reach, and is vital to getting it sold.

3. Pricing

Pricing an item is the single most important thing on eBay from my experience. Luckily eBay suggests a competitive price for your item based on the listings of other sellers, but this isn't always accurate and it isn't always enough to sell your item. In this case you need to do some research on how other sellers are pricing similar items, and remember to factor in the condition of the product too. You can also start a 7 day auction for your items (although I don't recommend this), and you can even set the starting bid. I don't recommend this because auctions can be hits or misses, and most likely it'll be the latter. If you do decide to go this route then make sure you set an appropriate starting bid.

After naming and uploading pictures of your item, it's time to get to work on finding a price. I'm going to be honest with you. Most of the time you'll have price the item lower than you originally wanted to get it to sell, but that's perfectly normal. If you're busy or don't want to readjust your prices every few days, then eBay gives you the option to lower it a small amount every few days until it sales or reaches a certain price, and you can do this upon listing. Remember, when doing your research and comparing prices, be sure to factor in the item condition so you don't overprice or underprice your product. Keeping updated on the prices of your items is vital to getting them sold.

4. Shipping

Shipping your items can be done one of three ways. You can pay for it yourself, set a fixed price that the buyer pays, or you can get eBay to calculate the shipping based on the buyers distance and have the buyer pay. I recommend having eBay calculate the shipping while the buyer pays for it. This can be a turn off for some buyers, but it'll save you from having to up the item price to cover for the shipping or from paying for it and losing money.

If you know your package details (weight, dimensions, etc.), then you can use the calculated shipping method. If you don't know your package details then you can choose either of the other two options (fixed price or you pay). Check the product you're sending and the package that you're sending it in before you select a mailing service. For example, you can't select media mail if you're shipping something that's not media (clothing) or if you're shipping it in a non-media package (a priority box). Take your time when it comes to shipping and it'll save you a lot of trouble when your item sells.

5. Accept that some items may not sell

The final tip is to accept that some items may not sell. Whenever I sold all of my items, most of it was random things around my house that I had no use for and would otherwise throw away. This may have worked for me, but there's no guarantee that it'll work for everyone. When it come to selling and selling fast, there has to be a demand for the product. If it's an obscure or busted item then the chances of it selling are lower. In this case you'll have to drop the price to rock bottom or leave it higher in hopes that an interested buyer stumbles across it. Either way, don't expect every item that you list to sell fast, or even sell at all. It's a chance that you take ever time you list an item, but at least your first 200 listings every month are free. To anyone that's made it to the end and is skeptical about selling on eBay, just give it a shot. What do you have to lose?

I hope you've enjoyed these tips. Feel free to check out my eBay with the link below, and good luck sellers!

https://www.ebay.com/usr/hunrut56