In my last blog post, I introduced you to the famous website eBay, a place to buy and sell just about anything you could think of. My main focus was the 'making money' aspect of this website, and now I want to get deeper in this subject. Chances are, if what you are selling is in good working condition, someone out there is going to want it. The only problem is getting eBayers to view and hopefully bid on your items. Because of this, I've listed several helpful tips and things to consider when posting items for sale or auction on eBay:
1. A good picture: Most likely, this is going to be the first thing someone looks at. When I look to buy items on eBay, that's certainly the case for me. There are several paths you can take with the picture. Some people like to use stock photos provided by eBay or found online. These stock photos are professionally photographed and look great. These are good for showing the 'ideal' state of your product, but may turn some buyers away because it isn't a picture of the REAL product. Which is the other option: take a picture of the real thing. This is good because it allows potential buyers to see the actual item, but may turn out to hurt you if the photo is bad quality. To avoid this, don't take crappy photos! Judge the quality of your photos on whether or not you would show interest in a product just from seeing the photo. I tend to prefer a balance of stock photos and my own, personally edited photos.
2. An attention grabbing title: What's that right next to your picture? It's the title! This may truly be what a buyer uses to decide if they want to click on your item or not. Be sure to make your title sensible and descriptive. Viewers should be able to get a basic sense of your product through the title. Although there is a character limit, it is manageable. Don't be bland, and don't write things like 'VERY CHEAP!!!!'. From a buyers standpoint if the price is, maybe the item itself is also. It's best to try and include the name/brand of the product, its condition, its color, and any other keywords that may bring it up on a search.
3. Consider timing: This is something not many people think of, but it can be a huge difference maker. When you post your item and when the auction closes makes for variation in the people who will view your products. Let's face it, if you're up posting items on eBay at 4 am, when closing time comes no one will even know. Most people agree that it is best to post an item for sale at about 10 pm eBay time. This way, everyone gets a good chance to view it. Another thing to take into consideration is when you ship. Sometimes it may be best to post an item in the afternoon so if the buyer pays instantly, you can ship ASAP and get some positive feedback.
4. A descriptive description: Probably something that doesn't need to be said. Your description has no limit on how much you can write and how you can make it look. Don't get lazy!!! Write the truth about your product, but try to sell it at the same time. If you have to lie about an item you probably shouldn't be selling it in the first place. Moreover, buyers will always have questions to ask but it is your job to make sure you give a clear, concise description of what you are selling so there is no confusion. Don't be vapid while writing your item description, but then again, don't make it neon green with animations and graphics either. As a frequent eBay user, I like seeing a right to the point description, not flashing lights and music.
5. State your conditions: This is where buyers tend to get iffy on whether or not they want to work with you. When someone sees an item they like, a lot of questions tend to come up because they want to be sure the entire transaction will be smooth and problem free. Clearly state things such as preferred payment methods, refunds, return guidelines, and anything else you might take into consideration if you were buying the product. When a customer sees all of these stated right there, it erases a lot of the doubt from their mind.
Head over to www.eBay.com and put these tips into action! You'll be amazed at how much better your products look and who knows, it might just up the price a bit!!!
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