Ebay Basics for the Newcomer

Hundreds of thousands of people make full and part-time income with eBay, the world's largest online auction community. Perhaps you have wanted to join in on the fun and profits but were intimidated about getting started.

The eBay auction process is really very simple. eBay, itself, has many help sections to assist you in your selling endeavors. From the eBay home page, click on "Sitemap" at the top right of the page and you will find links to everything on eBay.You will see links to Selling Activities, Selling Resources and Selling Tools. Click on the link to Seller Central and you will see a tutorial on how to sell and links to information on every selling topic. There are also discussion boards where you can ask questions of other sellers and get advice. Spend some time going through these topics to become familiar with them before you list any items.

Before you can do any selling, or buying for that matter, you must become a registered user on eBay. This is a simple process of filling out an online form with your name, address, and credit card information. You will pick your own user ID and password. Your user ID is how you will be known to all of eBay so take a little time to compose a recognizable one.

When you are ready to list an item for auction, you will click on the Sell button on the main page and fill out the form that appears.

You will select from the many categories on eBay by a drop down menu.Some categories have many sub-categories beneath them. Keep choosing until you have narrowed the selections down as far as possible.

Next, you create a Headline for your item. You have 55 characters to grab the attention of potential bidders. Use words that people would put in a search for your particular item. Putting words like L@@K or many symbols in your headline is self-defeating as no one searches for these terms.

Now, you will add a description of your item. Make your item sound appealing. Always be honest in your description and be sure to mention size, color, materials and any flaws the item may have. Add a Digital Image to the listing. Make sure your picture is clear and well lit. Taking your pictures against a light blue background will help them stand out.

Next decide on the duration of the auction. You have a choice of 3,5,7 or 10 days. Most top sellers choose 7 or 10 days for the most exposure of their auctions.

You will set your Minimum Bid, enter your Shipping instructions and methods to accept Payment. Most ebay buyers expect to pay by Paypal, an online payment company. A wise eBay seller always accepts Paypal.You can sign up for a Paypal account from the home page of eBay.

You will be charged an Insertion Fee for listing your auction. When your auction is successful, you will be charged a Final Value Fee based on the highest bid for your auction. These are generally charged once a month to your credit card on file with eBay.

At the end of the auction, both you and your high bidder will receive a notification from eBay. You'll contact your high bidder within 3 days to make payment and shipping arrangements.

When the transaction is complete, you both can leave Feedback for each other. Feedback is a way to report how the transaction went between you and your buyer. You always want to have positive feedback.

Remember that your customers are gold. Always list your items accurately, ship promptly and immediately handle any customer problems which may arise.

Your auction success and maximizing your profits depends on how well you create your listing and handle your customers.

With the proper knowledge and tools,patience and perseverance, you too could be among the sellers making a living on eBay.