eBay, which launched in 1995, is now among the most visited online marketplaces in the world. It is estimated that at any given time, more than 100 million people are using eBay as purchasers! Almost any type of retail goods can be purchased, and generally at a discount not available from other outlets. With no barriers to entry, eBay has attracted over 1.7 billion listings. But you need time, effort, and attention to succeed at selling on eBay. Inexperienced sellers often make the mistake of trying to get maximum income with minimum effort, BUT if you want to make money on eBay, you need to be willing to put in the effort.

Find out exactly how in our guide to selling products through eBay…

Create Your eBay Account

Select the “Create a business account” tab if you’d like to sign up for a company profile. It will lead you to a page where you can enter your company’s information. When you’re done making an account, eBay will automatically sign you in. You can alter the username the site generates for you in your profile settings. You can change your username once every 30 days, but keep in mind that doing so may make it more difficult for your existing clients to track you down. Pick carefully. Once you’ve signed up for an eBay account, you’ll be directed to the Seller Hub, where you can start creating listings and customizing their payment, shipping, and tax settings.

Set Up Your Chosen Payment Method

A means of collecting money from sales must be included before you can begin selling. Payments can be made on whichever schedule is most convenient for you. The Payments section can be accessed through My eBay. When you go to the menu, look for “Payment Options.” When you’ve made a sale on eBay, the money from that transaction will be deposited into the bank account you designate. Either a bank account or a PayPal account can be used, or both. Managed payments must be turned on for your eBay account to proceed. The amount you earn from eBay sales will be reduced by the insertion charge and the final value fee before being deposited into your bank account.

Take Photographs of Each Item You Are Listing

Take lots of crisp, high-quality photos of your items to sell online. It should be a photo of the real thing, not a sketch or a computer-generated image. If your phone’s camera is adequate, you can use it to snap images of your products. Capture the item from a number of viewpoints. Take care with the lighting and pick a nice backdrop. Photos of the product in use, in addition to those taken against a white background, tend to do better.

You are ready to List Your Product

You can offer an item for sale on eBay in one of two ways. Your product listing options include a “Buy It Now” pricing, an auction, or both. Auction-skipping is possible thanks to Buy It Now. In an auction-style listing, interested buyers can place bids on the item until a winner is determined. If you don’t want something to sell for less than a certain amount, you can set a “reserve price.” You can maintain a competitive price using a reserve price auction, which will not select a winning seller until the minimum bid is met. If you don’t have a solid buyer lined up right away, an auction may be a great way to ensure a sale. You may either post it as an auction and hope it sells for a high price, or you can put it as a buy it now and hope someone buys it. The results for a given product may vary depending on the listing format chosen. Keeping tabs on what methods other vendors employ can be helpful here. 

Set Your Store’s Return Policy

The return policy of your store has a significant impact on sales, overhead, returns, and customer happiness. If a delivery doesn’t arrive, an item is damaged, or the product doesn’t match the ad, the buyer is entitled to a return under eBay’s Money Back Guarantee guarantee. That means you should expect to implement a returns policy in conjunction with your eBay store. The hassle-free 30-day return policy is just one more way eBay aids vendors. There is an enhanced presence in search results and a 60-day buyer-paid returns policy. In addition, you can stipulate in your return policy that merchandise must be sent in unused condition.

Shipping your Products to Buyers

Payment verification is required before you can print a shipping label from “My eBay”. On eBay, there are numerous choices for shipping. Depending on the scope of your eBay store, this may encompass both domestic and international delivery options. Faster shipping choices are almost always preferred over slower methods, and customers are typically willing to pay a premium for the convenience. If your pricing structure permits it, you can also provide customers with free shipping. If you want to attract more customers, offer cheap delivery, but if you want to maximize your earnings, be careful to include the true cost of shipping. Choosing your shipping methods with care can keep your customers pleased and bring them back for additional purchases on eBay.

Getting Feedback for Your Store

All eBay sellers begin with a feedback score of 0. Sales and expansion, however, are impossible without customer input. The more details a seller can provide, the more likely an eBay customer is to purchase the item. Better listings on eBay mean fewer returns and fewer complaints. In order to earn five-star ratings from buyers, you must provide excellent product descriptions, clear photographs, speedy shipping, and a heartfelt thank-you email to your consumers. To increase your store’s feedback, consider making purchases from larger eBay sellers and politely requesting that they post favorable feedback for your store. It may not appear in the feedback section, but it still contributes to your overall score. A good number of reviews to have while selling on eBay is twenty.

Using eBay to sell your wares is a great way to bring in some extra cash without leaving the house. To join eBay, you need to do very little up front to get started, compared to some online enterprises. The only thing you need to do is research your product, your niche, and eBay’s rules well before you start selling.