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Ebay, the world’s largest garage sale, holds both promise and pitfalls for the unsuspecting seller.  If you are just getting started, it can be rather overwhelming, just trying to decide which items will be worth your time and effort to auction online.  Hopefully, this very limited guide will help.

Since most of my Ebay experience has come from selling used and new clothing and shoes, these are the items that I will address.  Some brand names of shoes that consistently sell for sizable profits are Born, Ecco, Haflinger, Kate Spade, Birkenstock, Clarks, SAS, Zelli, Nike Shox, New Balance, Cole-Haan, Allen Edmonds, Church’s, Elefanten, G Series (a division of Cole-Haan), Merrell, Keen, Josef Seibel, Ariat, Diesel, Camper, Brighton, Burberry, Rockport, Ugg and Rieker Antistress, just to name a few.  You never know where you may find quality used shoes, but thrift stores, garage sales and even your own closet can be good places to look!

As for clothing, some of the most consistent sellers for me have been Under Armour, Champion basketball jerseys, Majestic baseball jerseys, Lilly Pulitzer, CCM hockey jerseys, Jack B. Quick sweaters, Baby Lulu infant/children’s clothing, GK, Alpha Factor and Satara leotards, pageant wear, The Bailey Boys children’s wear, House of Hatten, Orient Expressed, Rosalina, Janie & Jack, and a host of others.  Also, there is now a considerable market now for vintage clothing, so if you find pieces that are decidedly not from this era, but are in good condition, you may want to invest if the price is right.

Some things to avoid with both clothing and shoes:

1. items that are worn, damaged or smelly (if you wouldn’t wear it yourself, don’t try to pawn it off on others).
2. items that lack a size label or marking (if people do not know what size they are bidding on, they simply will not bid, even if you provide measurements within your descriptions).
3. items that may not be authentic (if you have any doubt whatsoever that your brand name item is authentic, it is wise to refrain from selling it).
4. items that are out of style, but not old enough to be considered “vintage.”
5. items without pictures (a picture truly is worth a thousand words, especially in the online marketplace).

There are a number of common sense ways that you can ensure that both you and your buyers have good success on Ebay.  Since everyone’s expectations are different, I find it best to describe my items mostly by providing multiple, clear photos from every angle, wording the  description, “this item will come to you smoke free and exactly as photographed, so please refer to all photos for your own assessment of wear/scuffing/soiling/creasing/overall condition.”  This eliminates the chance that your buyer will accuse you of misrepresenting anything.  Obviously, if you are selling an item with a noticable flaw, be quick to point it out and photograph it within the first few lines of your description.

Another way  you can avoid unecessary hassle on Ebay is by taking the time to provide accurate measurements for each item. Since there are no dressing rooms on Ebay, these measurements are the only way your buyers can “try on” your items before purchasing.  For shoes, I always provide total length and width outsole measurements and for clothing, I provide the measurement as taken from armpit to armpit and shoulder to front hemline.  There are always those who do not observe the measurements, but at least you can rest in knowing that you have done your part, in case of a poor fit.

All in all, Ebay can be a fun and profitable small business or hobby, and I hope these tips I have learned will help you to have an enjoyable experience with it.  Happy selling!