Tips for selling unwanted items on eBay: Selling tips for eBay

It can be a little daunting selling something online for the first time, but once you’ve had a go you’ll feel confident in the knowledge that you’re saving an item from landfill and getting a bit of cash for it too!

For those that need a cheat sheet for making their first listing on eBay, we’ve put together some helpful tips to get you through your first sale.

1.Compare your items to others

On eBay you can see ‘Completed Listings’ which show items that have already sold. It’s worth searching for your item or a similar one to see how much someone else has sold it for. You should also look at existing listings to see how yours compares. If you choose a price higher than the others, it’ll be less likely to sell unless it’s in better condition.

Getting a general feel of how much it’s likely to sell for means you feel confident selecting an appropriate price. Remember to factor in the seller’s fees which will be taken from your final sale price.

2.Describe it well

You’ll notice a lot of adjectives in item titles and descriptions. These can really bring the item to life and let potential sellers know what your item’s really like to own and use. Try and give as many details as you can (measurements, colour, and other relevant info) so the buyers have everything they need to know.

3.Pictures

Good images can really make a big difference and if there are several listings of the same item- it’s important to make yours look as good if not better! Phone cameras are great, but make sure you give the camera as much help as you can to make your item look its best - good lighting will make sure the colours are true to life and will make for a clearer shot. Go for a variety of shots to show the item at different angles and own up about any damage with photos - this’ll save you having to give any refunds later if the item is not what the buyer was expecting.

4.Postage

You will already have a good idea of how to set the postage based on current and completed listings, but there may be some conditions unique to you. For larger items, you may want to list as ‘collection only’ if you think posting or delivering them may cause problems. You may want to refer the buyer to a cheap courier company like Shiply so they can arrange their own delivery. Just make sure you cooperate with the buyer about when would be a good time for collection.

For smaller items, it may be worth considering offering the listing with free delivery - to compensate you may want to factor the postage price into the price of the item instead.

5.PayPal

PayPal offers protection to sellers and is a very user-friendly website and app. If you don’t already have an account, it’s easy to sign up and you’ll be ready for receiving money in no time. Remember that PayPal charges fees to sellers so again make sure you factored everything into the price so you know what to expect.

So you make some extra cash selling your unwanted stuff on eBay? What are your top selling tips?

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