Eight EBay Selling Tips for New EBay Users

Sellers new to eBay are often daunted by the notion of trying to auction their items on eBay for the first time. By following the eBay selling tips outlined in this article you too can hold successful eBay auctions.

EBay Selling tip 1: Establish a Positive eBay Rating

To be a successful eBay seller, the first thing you need to do is establish a positive eBay rating. I would suggest putting up several low cost items to prove yourself first before trying to auction big ticket ones. People will be more willing to take a risk on you and the things you are auctioning if they are inexpensive.

After you have sold a few things and have some positive ratings as an eBay seller, you can then start auctioning the more expensive items. Good items to start with are books, CD's, DVD's, video games, and other low cost things of this nature.

EBay Selling tip 2: Set a Low Auction Starting Price

In most cases I would recommend a starting price of 99 cents for your auctions. You will get far more bids and people watching your auctions. The eBay fees also cost less, saving you money. Very few things sell for 99 cents; the market usually drives itself to a fair price.

EBay Selling tip 3: Accept Paypal

Paypal is the most respected and common form of online payments. Make sure that you accept Paypal since many eBay users will only look at auctions that do accept Paypal. Obtaining a Paypal account is free and easy, just go to: http://www.paypal.com/ to set up your free account.

EBay Selling tip 4: Include Detailed Pictures

People want to see what they are buying. Make sure to include at least one detailed picture, more if possible. If something is damaged take a picture that shows the damage so buyers can see exactly what they are getting. This shows that you are honest.

EBay Selling tip 5: Include a Detailed Description

Write as detailed an item description as possible for your auctions. I can't stress this enough. EBay buyers want to know exactly what they are getting. If the item is damaged in any way make sure that you describe it. When writing the auction item description, remember that more is always better.

EBay Selling tip 6: Use Realistic Shipping and Handling Charges.

I usually charge a flat rate for shipping many things, including books, CD's, DVD's and video games. To get a fair shipping price check the U.S. Postal Service's website for prices as well as UPS who is often cheaper for larger items.

For most items, charge the cost of shipping and a couple extra bucks for packing supplies and the time it takes you to ship the items. Many say that you should not do this, but this is the "handling" part of "shipping and handling." It is a common business practice.

When in doubt, check similar auctions to see how much others are charging to ship the same items and set your price accordingly.

EBay Selling tip 7: Add the "As is" and "All Sales Are Final" clauses to your Auctions

Dealing with returns is not fun. Save yourself the trouble and let eBay buyers know that you don't accept returns upfront.

Include in your eBay item description that what you are selling is "as is," and that "all sales are final."

EBay Selling tip 8: Add Insurance to Expensive Items

For big ticket items, or anything that is likely to get damaged during shipping, add the cost of insurance into the shipping charges. Having Insurance is a selling point for many eBay buyers.

If the item does get damaged during shipping you can collect the insurance. At this point you have both the money the buyer gave you and the insurance money. Refund the eBay buyer his money, and everyone is happy.