As part of my ongoing, and seemingly everlasting, decluttering, I've been having quite a bit of success on eBay. It's a great way to add a few sheckles to the pot each month and is also a bit of a boost to feel that I can still contribute in some way to the upkeep of our family. Obviously being an auction site a lot of it is a game of chance, but there are ways to maximise your earnings and be a frugal eBay seller... so I thought I'd share a few of the things I've learned along the way...
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Photos
Good photos are important in selling anything on eBay as this is the main thing the buyer has to go on. Make your photos as clear and detailed as possible.
Also bear in mind that in a lot of categories there is a fee for any additional pictures uploaded after the initial image. When it comes to clothing, which I've been getting rid of a lot of, I think it is good to see close ups of any detailing as well as an overall product shot... in these cases I get around the multiple uploads issue by using photoshop (but you could use any of the free to use programmes such as Picnik, Gimp or Pixlr etc.) to create a composite image.
For items like DVDs and CDs I would normally just use a stock image from Amazon instead of faffing around trying to take a decent picture... unless there were any details, such as the condition of the casing/item, that I thought needed highlighting.
Postage and Packaging
Would it be too obvious to state that you should post out be the cheapest possible delivery method you are happy with? I always state which service I will be using and use Royal Mail Price Finder to calculate the approxiate cost by weight, which I then use as the postage cost. I don't mess around offering free post and packaging or a set price (and then sit there worrying about whether my costs will be recouped)... my thoughts are that if I state my postage cost and people are happy to bid, then so be it.
Packaging-wise, I stash any old envelopes, jiffy bags, bubble wrap, tissue paper and boxes that can be re-used in anyway, and most of these come in handy for sending out my eBay sales... but remember to remove any previous traces of your address. For sending out clothes I ordered (from an eBay seller) some of those plastic postage bags that are similar to those used to mail-order companies as they are lightweight and provide adequate protection for soft garments.
Another key thing to remember is size and weight limits on each of the different postage options... again, Royal Mail comes in very handy here.
Titles and Descriptions
The key here is to be detailed, precise and honest. For the title it is a good idea to be as detailed as possible so that when potential buyers are searching for what you are selling they can find it quickly and easily without having to sift through hundreds of other sloppily titled descriptions. Try to include condition/colour/brand/size and as much other information you can fit in the 80 character limit.
The same can be said for your item description. Expand on the details in your title and be as precise as you can. If it is a relatively recent product I usually do a quick google to see if I can find product specifications. I also try to add a personal touch or a bit of humour to make the listing memorable so that potential buyers are more likely to remember it.
Timings
When selling items on eBay there are two types of timing you need to take into consideration
the time at which the listing goes live
the time of year you are listing your item
It is widely suggested that the best time to list items is when people will be sat at home searching for what they are looking for i.e. weekends and evenings. This is probably a good consideration, but with the many tools out there that buyers can use to place those last minute bids I tend to ignore this and tend to list items when I have the time to actually put the effort in... usually late at night when the kiddies are in bed. Besides, you have to pay extra to schedule listings, so they go on as when I can!
I have found though that it does make a huge difference if you are canny with the time of year that you list certain items. People will not be looking for winter coats in the height of summer so why list one then?
I have made some great sales just buy picking the right time to list them. When we had a particularly cold and snowy spell last winter I dusted off my snowboard gear, a down jacket and various other wintery items and they were snapped up. I also took advantage back at the begininning of October to sell off all of my uni text books (some even went for more than you buy them brand new on Amazon!) by catching those eager students that were just starting or returning to studies.
So just get out there and try it! Yes you may make losses on some items... if you can consider them losses - you've either had your use out of them or no longer want them after all, but hopefully you will make some useful sales too. It's amazing what people will buy... I listed a mini camping espresso maker that had been used once, all original packaging (with £14.99 price label still on and thus stated in item description) and it sold for £19 plus £3 postage... madness!
Do you have any other tricks on how to be a frugal eBay seller? If so, please feel free to add any suggestions in the comments below :)
