No matter what type the market is, a big incentive for a customer to buy an item comes from the trustworthiness and knowledge ability that a seller displays. Although you will most likely never come face-to-face with your clientele on eBay, how you market your merchandise in your listings can either make or break a sale. Here are the basics to listing an item on eBay effectively.
Before you sit down to write a listing, there are a few things you need to decide concerning the item you’re about to sell. First, weigh and measure the item before listing to help determine shipping charges.
Unlike newspaper ads, a photograph of your product is free to add, so take advantage of this. Buyers have only sellers’ listings to use in accessing which items to purchase, so make your listing stand out; pictures are a great way to enhance your item’s chance of being sold. Place the item in a well-lit and uncluttered area. If people have problems discerning the product from evidence of your daily life, they probably won’t take you seriously.
Once a registered member on eBay, you can click on the “Sell” tab at the top of the screen to begin the listing process. The first thing for you to create is a title: the first phrase introducing a potential buyer to your listing. The more specific your title is, the more chances you have to attract buyers. For example, “Antique Quilt” tells a buyer nothing, whereas “1920’s Double Wedding Ring King Size Quilt” narrows the search and attracts a buyers attention. Avoid words like ‘cool’ ‘excellent ‘amazing’ and the like because you’re only wasting the small amount of space provided to you.
The next part of a listing’s text is the item’s description. Don’t be afraid on this section to include as much information on your product as you can; what you think is too much detail could be the difference between a sell and no sell. However, be professional and honest with in this section highlight the features of your product but also pointing out any of its defects. And, be friendly! People like feeling welcomed and will avoid intimidation. In both the title and the description, it is important to use correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. This will optimize people’s ability to read the text, especially those whose English is a second language.
Once you have written the text and uploaded your item’s photos, you should choose one of two selling options: auction or “Buy it Now.” Again, auctioning works best for items that are less common the fixed rate option is for popular products or items that people might need immediately.
Be sure to set your price, buyer payment methods as well as shipping and handling fees. Make sure to look everything over – a mistake could cost you a sale or could even result a bad feedback score from a buyer. Save your listing and hit the ‘submit’ button. You will receive an email confirmation stating that your listing was published on eBay.