3 Keys to Getting Your Stuff SOLD on eBay {and FAST}

Here are 3 tips to getting your stuff sold on eBay – and fast. (If you’re new to e-commerce, check out this article on how to make money with eBay).

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1. Post Quality Pictures (a lot of them)

Pictures are worth 1,000 words (and in e-commerce pictures can be worth much, much more). Having the right pictures can be the difference between having someone click on your listing or not, or between between making the sale or not. Here’s what you need:

  • Use clear pictures – not blurry or old-looking. If you can see the background in the image, make sure the background is nice to look at as well.
  • The more pictures, the better. If you’re buying something from an unknown eBay seller, your confidence goes up with the number of photos of the item in question. (eBay allows 12 free pictures per listings. This is enough. You do not need to spend money on the extra images, but if you do, try an an outside app (like Garage Sale) to upload photos to your own server so you don’t have to pay eBay for the extra photos.

2. Use Keywords in your Description and Title

Keywords are hot button words that people may enter in their search bar when searching for an item on eBay. Here’s an example. Let’s say you’re selling this piece of fitness equipment.

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Would it be better to list this product as:

A) Fitness Equipment?

or

B) Home gym weight loss pull up bar fitness equipment?

The better option is Option B. Option A is not rich in keywords. Option B – although a mouthful – is more likely to get your listing found!

The best way to think of keywords is to think of what a potential buyer for your item would actually type in the search box. This buyer might be searching for a “home gym”, or they be looking for “weight loss”, or simply trying to find a “pull up bar.” These are all appropriate keywords. There is no such thing as keyword overdose. The more, the better.

As far as the title, you are limited by space. Just fit in as many keywords as you can. If there’s room, throw another keyword on the end. Never leave empty space in your description. What’s the point of doing all this? It’s for search optimization.

  • Search optimization: The idea behind search optimization is simple – The more closely your description matches that search query, the more likely for your product to show up in the results. Note: If you think a potential buyer would search for a particular brand name, that brand would definitely qualify as a keyword. Put it in your title –eg. [Eddie Bauer fleece jacket] versus [fleece jacket].

3. Time Your Listing Appropriately

There is nothing wrong with a 30 day listing, but a 10 day listing can create a sense of urgency. Here’s a tip we picked up from iwillteachyoutoberich.com –   “List your item for 10 days starting on a Thursday, that gives you two full weekends of eyeballs. Weekends typically have the highest traffic.”

These 3 strategies (posting a lot of quality pictures, using lots of keywords in your title and description, and paying attention to your listing times) are all essential to getting your items sold on eBay.

Do you have experience selling on eBay? Please share your tips below!

4 Biggest Myths to Making Money on eBay

Read this before you start a business selling products on eBay. This will help you avoid common pitfalls and clear up misconceptions about making money the e-commerce site. The following are the 4 biggest myths to making money on eBay, according to the eBay site itself, as well as my own feedback from personal experience and observation.

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4 Biggest Myths to Making Money on eBay


The myths:

1. Anybody can make money on eBay

2. Anything sells on eBay

3. It’s easy to make money on eBay

4. I can quit my job and make money on eBay


1.  This is not completely a myth…Anybody technically can make money off eBay – if they have a plan.  You can’t just put up items on eBay and expect to make a lot of money. You should treat it like a serious business. Know your numbers, like your target margins,  for example. You should study the market to understand what sells. And you should always take care of your customer base. Nothing can ruin an eBay business like bad reviews from disgruntled customers. (And there’s nothing more valuable than positive reviews).

2.  Not everything sells on eBay. Items that you can ship cheaply tend to sell much easier. But these products also tend to have smaller margins. It’s a give & take.

3. While the concept of selling on eBay, is in fact easy, the execution is not so much. It can take time to learn the art of searching for the right products, and time to build a strong seller reputation on the site.

(For a step-by-step on how to make money on eBay check out this article or for more information & formal training on running a profitable eBay business, email me at a.dymally@gmail.com.)

4. Don’t quit your job yet. While some people do make selling on eBay their full-time gig, for most, it is a cool way to make extra income, without leaving the house.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid in your eBay Business

1. Bad customer service – Because the sales transactions are completed online, and not face-to-face, it’s easy to forget you’re dealing with real people! When someone places an order with you, they are not worried about any challenges you may face with fulfilling the order. They just want the product shipped, and shipped quickly. Bad reviews can be very damaging to an eBay business. Just like rave reviews can be a big boost. Always focus on having clear communication with your customers & ship products timely.

2. Spending too much money on listings. A good description and good pictures (which are free in your listing) often go much further than a fancy border or other extras that eBay offers sellers in their listings. Don’t spend too much on your listings.

3. Not marketing your items correctly. Keywords are everything. You have to think like a consumer. Consider keywords that a customer would type in the eBay search bar, when looking for your item. It is important to put these keywords in the item heading, as well as the description. This will increase the changes of your product showing up when they do their search.

4. Stocking up on too much inventory. Stocking up on too much inventory can bankrupt your business. Hedge your losses by following this smart approach to selling on eBay (Sell first. Buy second.)

 

In conclusion:

Start small. Don’t overwhelm yourself trying to strike it rich overnight. When you get more experience you will learn how to gain a competitive advantage with smart listings.

~ To Life Without Limits ~

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