The Basics of Selling Your Unwanted Stuff on eBay
By Carolyn McFann
Selling on eBay isn't very hard, it just takes a little time to learn, and patience. It
is a good way to get rid of things you no longer want, because chances are, someone out in
cyberspace would love to buy it from you. It's a learning process, the more you sell, the
easier it is. After awhile, it is so easy, you can practically submit ads with your eyes
closed (well, almost.) Here's the basics in a nutshell.
Set up an account
It is free to set up an account on eBay. Just follow the prompts where it says "seller"
or "sign up for a seller's account" and eBay will walk you though it. You will have to put
a debit card or credit card on file, to pay for your ads. You aren't charged until you
have incurred ad charges. Most ads aren't that expensive, even with a photo attached. You
are charged a nominal fee for the ad, so start with a basic one until you are used to how
it works, with one photo.
Fancier ads will cost more money. eBay will charge you for the ad, then after the sale,
they take a percentage of the sale (generally a very reasonable amount unless you sell
the item for a lot of money.) Check eBay for the percentage rate, as I don't know what it
currently is. It will come off of the credit or debit card that you registered in a
monthly bill, that is how I set my account up for quick and easy billing.
Scan your photo into your computer
Take digital photos of your item and scan or load them into your computer. Or, have a
friend do it for you. Try to take a photo that is in decent lighting and that is in focus.
You want a photo that best represents this item to someone who has never seen it. If
there' are flaws, be up front about them, so it doesn't surprise the buyer later. Most
customers will pass up an ad with a blurry or dark photo. If the photo is on the dark
side, put it on Photoshop or other image-correcting software and edit it to be a bit
lighter, for example. Save it to file, so you know where it is, and insert it in your ad
when the time comes. When you set up the ad, eBay will prompt you to search your computer
for that photograph.
Write the copy for your ad
Give an accurate, concise description of your product. Don't get overly wordy because
those that do may lose sales. Customers get bored easy and want to read things fast. So,
it pays to get to the point as quickly as possible, while being descriptive. State if the
item is new or used; its size (if applicable), and state whether or not you accept
returns. Cover yourself legally by sticking to facts on everything you write, otherwise
the customer can say it was misrepresented. Don't give them anything to complain about.
State your price, and start off on the low side to get the ball rolling. Type in the
"search" area to see what your competitors are selling their similar items for and price
accordingly. Shipping needs to be competitive, too.
Sign up for Paypal to increase the amount of buyers
Anyone can accept credit cards via Paypal by opening a free, basic account. You don't
have to have it in order to sell, but you'll get more buyers if you do. If you end up
doing a lot of sales, you may have to upgrade your Paypal account to a paying one, but
start off with a basic one. Paypal will let you know if you are approaching the selling
limit with an email. They will ask for an account number and credit card or debit card
information, to verify the account.
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