For Sale By Owner: Tips & Tricks

So you have a closet full of junk you wish to get rid of? Or a shed full of treasures you stopped wanting ages ago? The best place to sell your items is definitely the Internet, the biggest store with the most customers that tops by far the six or seven customers you would receive at a yard sale in your home. The thing that stops many people, though, is the fear of getting cheated. The fear of sending your valuable item to a total stranger who may never pay you back. But don't let that fear take your chance of successfully selling your items for great prices online. These tips & tricks will help you make your selling experience fun and safe.

What to Sell?
The most important thing you must figure out is what you want to sell online. This means calculating whether the shipment of that huge, four foot teddy bear you received for your tenth birthday is reasonable. Some things not recommended to sell online, especially if its your first experience, are things that are really valuable, such as the $800 antique you bought long ago. The perfect items to sell, though, are small items whose shipment won't leave you broke, such as clothing, accessories, sunglasses, beauty and body products, books, home decorations, etc. The possibilities are endless!

Where to Sell?
You know you'll be selling your items online, but the question is where?!? Auction sites such as e-bay.com are excellent ideas since they are reliable. But if you don't want to go through the hassle of setting up an auction and then waiting for the bid to end, I recommend searching for forums dedicated to the selling/buying/trading of its users where you can post a topic informing the users of your sell, and then allow them to get in contact with you to purchase, kind of like a personal ad. Some great sites for this kind of selling are Swapstyle.com and Laundromatic.net. Although they can also function as auction sites, they have forums where users can gather to announce their sales and buys.

Price?
The price is the next thing you must set. Make sure they are reasonable prices, and make sure that each time you put something for sell you let the audience know that you'll be accepting offers. This tip allows your audience to get in contact with you by offering, and if you don't think the offer is reasonable you can always work something out. The goal is to get the customer interested and involved. Also, mention whether you're paying the shipment, or they are. I recommend that the customer pays the shipment, especially if it will be costly. Also, shipping outside your country isn't always secure, so keep the shipping within your borders for better safety.

How to Sell?
Once you've decided what you want to sell and where, taking pictures and setting up your descriptions is the next step. Try to take the best pictures of your items, pictures that will even make YOU want to buy them. Also, make sure your items look nice and clean. If you're selling jeans, make sure you get a front and back view. If it's a purse, make sure you place a standard sized object beside it as a size reference. Once you begin with your descriptions, make them as accurate as possible, but keep them sweet and simple. Mention the size and the condition of the item. Don't leave out the item's flaws! Make sure the audience knows the major flaws of your item, but you can inform them of any minor thing, such as a missing button, later in private. Also, mention your price and the item's real value. Customers love knowing their item was worth $50 and that they got it for $15!

Secure Payment?
So after posting your sale or auction, there is a buyer. Now what? Websites like e-bay make the payment process easy and secure, but the less fallible method of payment is by using Paypal, one of the most trusted payment methods on the Internet in which you can send anyone with a Paypal account a payment and vice versa. So when you place your auction on e-bay or your sell in laundromatic, make sure you let everyone know you will only be accepting Paypal payments. If you don't have a Paypal account, its really easy to make one. All you have to do is visit their homepage https://www.paypal.com/us and sign up.

Shipment?
Make sure that when you're doing business with a customer you offer shipment options. For example, if they're willing to pay rush delivery, let them know you're willing to help. When it comes time to box or wrap the item, make sure you do a great job! You want your customer to feel that you really put time into your item, and into the business. Therefore avoid being sloppy and careless. Also, if you're late on the shipping, let the customer know. That way they won't panic after the item hasn't arrived on its due date. Purchase confirmation of shipments also, and if the customer wants, insurance. These options and they're prices vary by post office.

Freebies.
Customers love receiving freebies. They will most likely come back and buy more things from you. By freebies, I mean sending them extras. For example, if a customer bought a purse from you, why not surprise them by sending them a cute mirror inside the purse that matches? Or what about a pair of socks that match the shoes they bought from you?

The best way to sell your items online is by staying in touch with your customer. Allow them to feel safe with you. Let them know you're there in case they have any questions regarding the item, the shipment, etc. In case something goes wrong, make sure you contact the right people at the right time. Forum administrators are always there to help you, and auction sites such as e-bay have support centers also. The last thing you want is a bad experience to put your hopes of successful online selling down! Also, remember to remove any item you have already sold from your selling list. Keep everything organized and up-to-date.