Source: Money Crashers
eBay Selling Tips You Need to Know
As one of the first major ecommerce sites to achieve fame, eBay is well known as a profitable side gig for sellers willing to put in a little bit of time and effort. Indeed, the premise is all too tempting. Sellers get to knock out two birds with one stone by getting rid of unnecessary clutter around the home while earning a few bucks in the process.
While it may seem like a win-win scenario, there are a few critical eBay selling tips that can define your success on eBay that many new sellers are not aware of. In this article, we will go over some of the most important eBay selling tips that anyone can implement to increase the profitability of their eBay store.
eBay Selling Tip 1: Engage with Online Seller Communities
Perhaps one of the most obvious but seldom recognized eBay selling tips out there for new sellers is to be aware of other sellers in your community. While selling on eBay is certainly competitive, there is a certain comradery among sellers. There is no degree or real job that can fully prepare you for the chaotic but rewarding experience of selling on eBay, and no one knows this better than your fellow sellers.
For this reason, sellers have started up online communities all around the web to share their eBay tips on how to navigate the uncharted territory of selling on the platform. Through mediums like reddit, Facebook, Instagram and more, eBay sellers have built formidable communities where you can seek eBay tips from sellers and get a general idea of current selling trends. These communities are not exclusive to sellers, and you can obtain insight into the needs of buyers by checking out common complaints and desires expressed in online communities.
Source: r/eBay
The figure shows the statistics for the eBay subreddit. Founded in 2008, the subreddit remains active today and is a haven of eBay selling tips and advice for buyers and sellers alike.
eBay Selling Tip 2: Maintain Your Feedback
Another critical eBay selling tip for new users is to get in the habit of maintaining a strong reputation on the site with consistently excellent feedback. While this eBay tip may seem intuitive, it is important to note that serious sellers should begin accruing positive feedback before they create their first listing. New sellers that begin as buyers have a number of significant advantages over their counterparts.
This eBay tip may sound strange, but it is important on a few levels. First, as buyers, you will have a heightened awareness of what makes a listing stand out and which items tempted you while browsing eBay. More importantly, establishing a solid reputation as a buyer before moving to selling builds trust with eBay the platform as well as your customers.
If you are a new user, creating a solid background on eBay is relatively straightforward. Simply shop for items that you already need at a modest price until you have collected around 20 or so feedback ratings for your portfolio. This is most easily accomplished by consistently rating sellers and asking that they return the favor.
Sellers will be happy to receive a boost for their own rating and likely will not have any trouble obliging your simple request. Once you get started selling yourself, maintaining that record of positive feedback will require some hard work on your part, but if you dedicate yourself to communication and customer satisfaction it should come easily. For more eBay tips specifically on the ins and outs of the eBay feedback system, consider checking out Mallory Peek’s article “How to Change Feedback on eBay” on Subivi Times.
eBay Selling Tip 3: Learn How to Price
Learning how to price on eBay can be somewhat different than selling on other mediums- even online ones. For this reason, one of the most important eBay selling tips that a new seller could take is how to accurately price your eBay listings.
Many sellers might think that researching retail value, listing prices, or even educated guesses to determine a fair price for their eBay listings. This is problematic insofar as the best indicator of a products price point is not actually found in any of these places, but rather in the final sales data. The graph below is a good example of the ideal data for eBay sellers.
Source: Make Money Reselling
This graph indicates trends for the final sales prices of women’s jeans. These final listings are especially important if you are looking to sell on eBay using the auction format as you will need to take into account not what other sellers are asking, but what your buyers are actually willing to pay. Notably, the graph account for seasonal trends and takes an average of several listings.
eBay Selling Tip 4: Packaging/ Shipping
Another key selling tip for new eBay sellers is simple: become familiar with good packaging and shipping practices. Packaging and shipping can be major points of contention between buyers and sellers, and if a seller does not master this art it will likely be reflected in their feedback.
Shipping prices on eBay are a hot topic among sellers, and you might hear a range of opinions on whether or not to offer free shipping. While this is certainly up to you, the safest route to take is generally to used calculated shipping for all your items as it is most fair to both buyer and seller. Additionally, if you choose to offer calculated shipping over free shipping you will avoid surprise expenses if you end up needing to ship large packages over great distances.
To get started, you will need a scale, shipping materials and a lot of patience. Some items are more difficult to ship than others, and fragile packages may require some creative thinking to keep their contents intact.
If you find yourself doubting your packaging materials, remember to reach out to the seller community for tips on packaging as previously mentioned. There are plenty of resources available for eBay sellers in your exact situation.
eBay Selling Tip 5: Use Returns to Build Trust
Finally, an essential eBay selling tip is to always keep a written policy on your page addressing returns. Sellers that offer returns on eBay items appear more trustworthy and trust is foundational for eBay sellers trying to stand out amidst a sea of online scammers.
Offering returns is a gesture of goodwill toward your buyers that is rarely utilized. Most buyers that begin a request for a refund do not bother to send the item back, and the majority of returns go uncompleted. By clearly stating that buyers must return the item in its original condition to be eligible for a refund, you will minimize your losses for fraudulent returns while still maintaining a trustworthy visage for your eBay store.
Source: The eBay Community
The image above shows an example of a well thought out and clearly stated eBay return policy.
eBay Selling Tips: In Conclusion
While learning to sell on eBay may seem intimidating to the uninitiated, by keeping these five eBay selling tips in mind will allow you to present yourself as an experienced and professional seller.
References
https://www.reddit.com/r/Ebay/
https://fitsmallbusiness.com/ebay-selling-tips/
https://www.thebalancesmb.com/important-tips-for-new-ebay-sellers-4116953
