Webupon

Getting going on Ebay might seem like a rather complex task but it really couldn’t be easier. Ebay have made their online auction format very user friendly and all you have to do is follow the instructions as they appear on your screen.

I assume as you’re aware of Ebay you already have a personal account, if not I would advise you to set one up and buy a few things before you start selling. This is the easiest way to familiarize yourself with the Ebay process as it is pretty different to anything else you will experience and does take a while to get your head around.

That’s not to say that Ebay is difficult, just different. You need to navigate around the site to get a feel for the way everything works. A sort of ‘Ebay etiquette’ really, you need to establish what is the ‘done thing’ and go with the flow. Ultimately the best way to do this is to step into the shoes of the consumer. This way you get to know what is acceptable from a seller, what annoyances are already present on Ebay and figure out a way to eliminate those annoyances and ultimately become a better seller for it.

If you can offer a better service than the majority of sellers on Ebay then your feedback rating will be impeccable and half the battle is won!

If you don’t already know about feedback, it is your lifeline! Feedback is the reviews that customers leave when they have any experience with a seller. Initially, before Ebay got huge it was a rather taboo thing to do, buying from unknown people on the Internet. It was a brave thing to part with your cash and if someone did it before you they would leave feedback to show that the seller they had dealt with was legitimate.

Nowadays it is just an acceptable custom of Ebay and is used to gauge how quickly they are at posting items and how good their packaging is. Predominantly because Ebay have taken action against rogue sellers and nearly always compensate the victims involved.

There are things you can and can’t do as a seller on Ebay and there is a big online booklet explaining them all. I would advise you get yourself a nice cup of coffee and study them if you plan to sell on there permanently. You don’t want to annoy anyone by bending the rules, particularly if you’re new. Newbies are always frowned upon everywhere because the know-it-alls can always do better so it’s a good idea to fit in as best as possible from the get-go.

You can also set up your own shop on Ebay which is a fantastic resource for sellers because it allows you to point customers to one area where all of your items are listed using a simple link. Fantastic eh? I think so.

If you’re considering selling on Ebay you also need to be aware of the fees that they charge for listing items. They can sometimes be quite steep as you have a listing fee and the final valuation fee on top. Work the fees out before you price your item as you may end up losing money if you’re not careful. Do take postage and packaging costs very seriously and don’t over charge people because you can have your account removed for circumvention of Ebay fees.

That is, in layman’s terms, bumping up the price of postage to get more than the final price, limiting the amount of fees you have to pay. The reason for this is that Ebay don’t take postage and packaging into consideration when charging fees.

Make your item description as relevant and accurate as possible because if you don’t you will find yourself in a situation where you get negative feedback. Negative feedback costs sellers dearly because you will significantly reduce your target market when they realize you have negative feedback. Rightly so if you ask me, why should they trust a seller with negative feedback? I know I wouldn’t!

Lastly, try to enjoy your Ebay experience because if you treat everyone as human beings instead of numbers on a screen you can make great, lasting friendships which provide repeat custom.