Can You Make Money Selling on Ebay?

1) CHECK FOR DEMAND – Sure you can list and hope that someone buys – after all Ebay does give you 1,000 free listings per month. But take advantage of this free option from them as it wasn’t always like this.
So how do you check the demand? Go to the left side of the Ebay page and refine your search – specifically to SHOW ONLY SOLD ITEMS – this is my preferred option. This will give you an idea of how popular your product really is. You can also use the advanced search tool to see what the same items are selling for and what they’ve sold for.

2) PHOTO’S – Whether you use a digital camera or your smart phone, make sure you take clear pictures. No one can see what you’re offering if you post blurry photo’s. Make them pop by setting them around an all white area (white table top, white back ground, white siding) as this will make your buyers on stay on your product. Lighting is a factor – make sure the light is above your item so every detail can be seen. You really want to stay away from shadows.
Quantity – post as many pics, different angles as you can. Ebay allows up to 10-12 free pics with your listing

3) PRODUCT TITLE – You are allowed up to 80 characters for your product title. Make sure it’s clear and use keywords so your product can be found when someone does a search.

4) DESCRIPTIONS – use selling benefits as well as the products features. Make sure to tell your prospective buyers how they will benefit from the item you’re selling, and then highlight the key features and selling points of your product. Ebay gives you a lot of space for product descriptions so take advantage of it. Simple black text of info, along with paragraph spaces, will work. But if you really want to make some eye catching text, use the html feature to change some of the fonts to red, add some lines, and use other elements they offer for free.

5) PRICING – so here’s the hard part. If you’ve checked the demand as I mentioned in #1 and have seen what your product has sold for, this gives you an idea of what to expect.
   – List Low with a Reserve – You can always start the auction low to attract views and buyers and then set a reserve on your item. A reserve is your bottom line selling price that only you can see, not potential buyers. If the reserve is not met your item does not get sold to the lowest bid.
   – List Low period – you can start your auction low (I would suggest the price you paid for the item if you purchased it with the intent of reselling it) and then let the chips fall where they may. So many buyers like the low starting bids and will stay and bid until they get the item.
   – Sell it Now Option – here’s where you price your item at the lowest amount you’re willing to let it go for, and then offer a buyer the option to skip the auction and buy it asap. This comes with a price to them – and it’s usually 10% higher than your starting price. Ebay let’s you know what the buy it now minimum price will be.
   – Make an Offer – this one I like. Here you list your item at the lowest price you’re willing to sell for, but then also give a potential customer the option to make you an offer. You can pre-set the offer amount at the time of listing, and only you can see this amount. If the sellers offer meets your amount – sale is done. If it doesn’t, Ebay lets them know and your item stays listed. You can also use the make an offer feature and not pre-set an amount – the sale is then totally in your control.

6) SHIPPING – free or calculated. This is one that you really have to pay attention to as the shipping cost will kill your profits if not calculated or taken into consideration. FREE SHIPPING is always a plus and the best eye catcher, when it comes to buyers – but just be aware how much it really cost costs. I’ve listed the prices below for USPS flat rate priority mail. You can always use the new shipping method SENDLE as their prices are more affordable especially if you’re offering free shipping. Click this link for more Sendle Information. Selling with PLUS SHIPPING – USPS Priority Mail has flat rates, but they’ve gone up in price. Padded envelopes are $8.40, legal envelopes are $8.05, small boxes are $8.30, medium boxes are $15.05, and large boxes are now $21.00 W.O.W. You can check to see what regular priority mail shipping is but make sure to really calculate the weight as that’s where they’ll nail you.  Eye opener for sure – happened to me.

7) WHEN TO POST – So I like to post my items for anywhere between 5-7 day auctions and like them to END ON A SUNDAY. Think about it, this is when people are most likely not doing anything but chilling, shopping online, planning for the week – it is the majority of  peoples day of rest.  And I don’t know about you, but what I like to do when I’m just chillin is –  SHOP ONLINE !!

8) PAYMENT METHOD – your best bet is stick with paypal. It’s been around for years, is reliable, and has both your and the sellers back. Paypal is a sellers friend – but for a fee. I will say tho, it’s totally worth it. So sign up for paypal as this is your buyers preferred method of payment as well.

9) GRATITUDE – I’ve been selling here and there on Ebay since 1999, and with everything I’ve shipped out I’ve always included  – a copy of the listing and a written THANK YOU from me.  That along with a 🙂    Showing appreciation goes a long way – always