eBay connects millions of buyers and sellers around the world. If you’re looking for a way to make some extra money, it’s an option that you might want to consider. This guide: How do beginners sell on eBay will give you all the necessary information to help you start making money as quickly as possible.
Why Sell on eBay?
eBay has lower fees than Amazon and it is one of the biggest online marketplaces out there with over 150 million shoppers bidding, selling, and purchasing each day. It’s like a cave of wonders where you can set anything on sale: from clothes and books to vintage baseball gloves and film cameras. Want to know the best part? You don’t need to have upfront inventory or invest money before you start earning! Just your laptop and Internet connection! Ready to give a try for selling on eBay?
How do beginners sell on eBay
1. Choose your marketplace
Determine whether you’d like to go global and use international ebay.com with payments made in USD, or a localized version e.g. ebay.co.uk with payments made in UK pounds. Remember that you’ll have to cover shipping costs as well, so it might be easier to sell locally at first.
2. Figure out what to sell
A bit of research will ensure you’re providing customers what they need and keep you from wasting your time. The best selling product on eBay, as tallied by the blog CrazyLister, are:
- branded electronics
- mobile phones and accessories
- mid- to high-end fashion (new and gently used)
- unused health and beauty products
- craft items
- collectibles
- toys
- antiques
It’s crucial to remember some products sell better at different times. You can look at eBay’s Explore tool to find out the top-selling products of the week. Or you can use Google Trends to see what people are searching for that week. Adjust your inventory accordingly.
3. Set up your business account
Another step to start selling on eBay is to brainstorm a catchy, easy-to-remember business name. Go to eBay and sign up.
The page defaults to registration for a personal account, which is suitable to sell small amounts of items occasionally. However, if you want to sell huge quantities regularly, opt for a business account. Then include your address details, email, and contact phone number. Afterward, add your Paypal account to receive payments.
4. Set up PayPal
While you can receive e-transfers and other forms of payment through eBay’s “managed payments” system, it’s better to set up a PayPal account to send and receive money. Many eBay customers won’t use anything but PayPal, so rejecting to accept it may cost you sales. Setting up an account is so simple. Just go to the PayPal website or download the app, set up and verify an account, and link your banking information.
5. Select your store package
After setting up your eBay and PayPal accounts, it’s time to set up an eBay store. You can sell without a store, but you’ll only get to list 50 products per month without getting charged, may pay higher fees, and will miss some promotional tools. There are various packages for different kinds of eBay sellers. The packages are as follows:
- Starter: $7.95 a month. Only pick the Starter package if you’re dipping your toe in.
- Basic: $27.95 a month. This package is best suitable for sellers who are serious about starting a business.
- Premium: $74.95 a month. The package for serious sellers. You probably don’t need it if you’re just starting out, but you can always upgrade later.
Each package also offers the option to pay upfront for an annual membership at a discount.
6. Choose the right sale format
On eBay, you have two options when selling your product: fixed-price or auction.
- With fixed-price products, the customers know exactly what they’ll pay, and you know exactly what you’ll earn. You can list your fixed-price products for a maximum of 30 days. Selling at a fixed price is the best choice when you know the retail value of your product
- Auctions allow multiple shoppers to bid on a product within a set period, from three to 10 days. This option is best for niche collectibles and antiques that don’t have a specific retail value. In-demand goods that aren’t easy to find, like designer clothing, is another great way
7. Choose the right category listing
For an extra fee, you can select to list your product in more than one category.
8. Make a good eBay listing
The best items to sell on eBay are the ones with clear, attractive listings. Here are the must-haves:
- Upload high-quality pictures with good lighting, so that buyers can see exactly what they’re getting. The background should be clean and neutral, with nothing in-frame that could distract from the items
- Write detailed product descriptions, including the make, model number, size, color, unique qualities, brand names, styles, and product identifiers. Offer as many accurate sugestion item specifics as possible.
- If you sell used products, ensure to list any flaws or potential shortcomings upfront. Shoppers don’t like to be surprised, and a not-as-described product could result in a return, a bad feedback score, or even penalties to your account.
9. Set the shipping options
You are provided with some shipping options when setting up your listing on eBay such as domestic shipping (in the country you live in) and international shipping that goes anywhere in the world. The most popular option are the USPS (United States Postal Service), UPS (United Parcel Service), and FedEx. If your goods are very large you can deliver them with a variety of freight options. There are fees associated with shipping and if you provide “free shipping” to your customers, you will pay the shipping costs. You can also offer the “free pickup” option for customers who are willing to come where you are and pick their products up.
eBay Best Practices
Selling on eBay is one of the best ways you can generate a lot of income. However, you need to apply the best tips to ensure that you gain a competitive edge. Here are tips on How do beginners sell on eBay.
- Delivery within the expected timeframe.
- Process your orders in a timely manner.
- Respond to shoppers’ questions promptly.
- Make sure that you follow the return policy listed on eBay.
Fast, low-cost shipping.
Cost and speed are top of mind for eBay shoppers. Over the years, buyers’ expectations have increased, and they are more frequently looking for free shipping. In fact, 70% of items purchased through the eBay marketplace are delivered for free. Hence, using competitive delivery prices (low-cost or free shipping) to appeal to more customers and boost your sale.
Buy first, sell later
Buying before you sell will also bring you an opportunity to establish your feedback rating. Few shoppers trust a seller without an established feedback rating, so keeping a high rating will be one of your goals when selling on eBay.
Optimize product’s description for SEO
Search engine optimization is one of the most effective methods to attract users when crafting a winning product description. Front-load your descriptions with the most crucial keywords. Lead with the most essential details about your products, regarded what is at the top of a listing is what the shoppers pay more attention to.
Build a positive seller reputation
It’s very crucial to maintain a positive seller reputation. This increases your credibility as a seller, encourages customers to shop with you, and even boosts your search ranking. Here are some tips to develop a positive seller reputation:
- Fill out the information about your business with a photo; store location, policies
- Showcase customer’ feedback, testimonies, and reviews of the previous customers
- Keep track of inventory to avoid canceling sales
- Track shipped products and provide customers with delivery dates
- Promptly report any problems you have with a buyer
- Leave positive feedback for shoppers and ask them to leave you feedback as well
Building a positive seller reputation involves taking action at every step along the way, from creating your listing to shipping a purchased product.
Free returns.
eBay provides 5 different return policy options for you to select from:
- No returns accepted.
- 30-day buyer-paid returns.
- 30-day free returns.
- 60-day buyer-paid returns.
- 60-day free returns.
It goes without saying that the most attractive return policy for eBay shoppers is free returns.
Provide excellent customer service
The best way to avoid bad eBay reviews is to keep good standing with your customers by having excellent customer service. you can add contact information or provide a live chat service to respond to email inquiries or phone calls.
Selling on ebay is a great way to reach new customers and increase sales. If you are looking for more information on eCommerce or would like some help setting up your own ecommerce platform, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have and provide some of our services like ecommerce testing and enhancement services so that you can see firsthand how it could benefit your business.
