Have you discovered something valuable in your attic? Getting rid of the kid's old toys? Looking to flog your car? Whatever you want to sell, eBay is a great marketplace. It's got a wealth of handy features, an international customer base, and it's easy to use.
However, selling on eBay isn't quite as straightforward as you might think. There are many important aspects you need to account for before blindly listing your product to ensure you make the most money.
To help you out, we've put together this list of mistakes you need to avoid when selling on eBay.
1. Not Taking Original Photos
If you're listing a common item on eBay, like a video game or a DVD, it's all too easy to stick with the product's stock photo. Don't do this. It's important to take your own photos of the product so that a buyer can see you genuinely own it (unfortunately, there are plenty of eBay scams) and so they can assess its quality.
On that note, you can add up to 12 pictures to your eBay listing. Take plenty to show every angle of the product and snap close-ups to highlight detail. Ensure your photos are clear—a plain backdrop, no shadows, and in high resolution.
2. Not Listing the Product's Flaws
If your product has any flaws, explain them clearly in the description and include photos. This is especially critical if your product is second-hand and/or rare.
While you might think it's off-putting for a buyer to explain everything that's wrong with your product, to do anything else would be deceitful. Think how disappointed you'd be if you ordered a book, believing it was mint condition, only for it to come with torn pages.
If you don't detail your product's flaws, it's going to lead to an unsatisfied customer and eBay will side with them.
3. Not Responding to Messages and Offers
Unlike other selling platforms like Amazon, eBay offers a more personal experience. Every listing has a link that lets the buyer contact the seller.
You should try to reply to any messages as quickly as possible. It'll help your product sell quicker, plus the buyer will rate you positively when it comes to reviewing your communication—and that feedback will then influence future browsers.
Equally, if someone makes an offer on your product, don't let it sit. If you do, they could buy it elsewhere and you've lost a sale. Of course, don't feel you always need to accept offers; you can always counteroffer.
4. Miscalculating Shipping
It's not always easy to calculate shipping. Couriers can have confusing pricing, based on various factors like weight and shape. It's an upfront investment, but if you're going to sell a lot then you should buy a set of weighing scales. This will ensure you accurately calculate shipping.
Be aware that eBay takes a fee from your postage, so you don't want to get this wrong. Price too low and you're losing out, but price too high and you'll put customers off. eBay has a postage calculator which can help you. You can also look at similar listings to see how other sellers price their postage.
5. Not Selling Internationally
eBay is available in 180 countries. That gives you an incredible global reach for selling your product. While international shipping can be complicated, with considerations like customs and risk of your package getting lost, it can be financially rewarding.
You should especially consider enabling international shipping if you're selling a valuable product. Something mass-produced will likely sell easily in your home country, but a rare good will have buyers flocking from across the globe. Get this right and you can make a lot of money selling on eBay.
6. Setting the Wrong Auction Start Price
When you list a product for auction, eBay will scan similar products and see what the best starting price was. Definitely take this into account, but it's not gospel.
Setting a low auction starting bid can be helpful to entice buyers in. But if your item is uncommon and not often sought after, it means a reduced auction pool. You may potentially sell for a disappointing price.
Equally, you don't want to price too high. It's human nature to get caught up in the thrill of an auction—but that won't happen if people think your product is too expensive off the bat.
7. Forgoing Product Categories and Description
Millions of products sell on eBay every week. If you don't properly label your listing, it's going to get lost in the sea. It all starts with the title: make it clear and concise, containing all the major keywords. Check your spelling.
Next, fill out all the product details you can. eBay provides the fields for these, which it then displays on the front-end when someone is searching. The more you fill out, the more likely your product is to surface to someone hunting for an eBay deal.
Finally, detail your product in the description. Explain what it does, where it came from, its condition, and any other pertinent information. Less isn't more.
8. Forgetting to Leave Feedback
When eBay boomed, feedback was of paramount importance. Buyers and sellers would do everything they could to secure positive feedback. However, eBay has changed the system over the years (like only letting sellers leave positive feedback), which means it isn't as vital as it once was.
That said, you shouldn't forget to leave feedback for your buyers. It'll encourage them to return the courtesy (though be prepared that many won't), which in turn will boost your reputation and make others more willing to buy from you.
Perfect Your eBay Listings and You'll Sell More
eBay is more than an online garage sale. You can't just rock up, pop the trunk, and expect all your wares to sell. You need to put the time in to craft the perfect listing with clear photos, detailed description, and international shipping.
If you remember to do all the things we've discussed, you're going to sell more on eBay. Good luck!