Top 3 Strategies For Selling An Item On eBay

We’ve sold hundreds of items on eBay and made thousands of dollars over the last ten years on eBay. We’ve made some mistakes. But we’ve made a lot more successes. Here are our top three strategies for selling an item on eBay’s auction:

Number One: Know Your Item

The more you know about your item, the better. We had someone contact us wanting us to sell a used stereo system. They bought it years ago from Craigslist, seldom used the stereo, and didn’t know much about it. They didn’t know if it worked 100%, if there had ever been any repairs, how much it was originally purchased for, etc. Something like this won’t sell well on eBay.

On the other hand, another customer asked us to sell her stainless steel flatware. She had the original box, paperwork, kept the sliverware in great condition, and was the original owner. This last part is key. Since she owned the silverware – she knew everything about it. She told us about the manufacturer, where she bought it, how much she paid for it, identified any scratches or dings in the forks / spoons / knives. Buyers love knowing this stuff. It instills confidence that what they’re paying for is what they’re expecting to get. The more details you can provide in the listing, the better.

Number Two: Take Really Awesome Photos

A picture speaks a thousand words. It’s true in the real world and it’s true on eBay. You can only write so much and a buyer has a short attention span. You literally have mere seconds to capture their attention. Get their attention with images. Take close up shots to highlight special details, wide angle shots to emphasize shape and design, and if appropriate, place a ruler next to the item to illustrate the size. One last thing – don’t use a flash.

Number Three: Write Captivating Descriptions

You have two ways to make an impression with an eBay auction: pictures and words. Make sure you accurately describe your item, noting any defects or imperfections. This is particularly important, because if you omit a flaw, a buyer can request a refund (even if your mark the item as “Returns Not Accepted”). eBay allows buyers to issue a “Item Not As Described” complaint and eBay will act on the buyers behalf to remedy the issue. As stated in #1, include as much of the history of the item as possible. Buyers are buying an item as much as they are buying from an individual. They want to know how old it is, where you got it, how have you used it, what condition the item is in, and why you’re selling it.

In our experience, these three strategies are what separate the winners from the losers on eBay.