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Tips to sell more stuff on eBay

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eBay is a great way to get rid of the old stuff you never use and make some money while you do it.

Yes, someone actually will pay $14.99 plus shipping for your mother in law’s creepy coo-coo clock she left in her attic.

Now, there are two ways you can go about using eBay.

1. Simply get rid of your stuff as quickly as possible.

Or

2. With a little more time and effort, actually try and make some decent cash.

If you’re thinking about the latter, then you’ve come to the right place!

Here are a few tips to help you make more money on eBay

Find Stuff To Sell

First, you have to find things to sell.

It sounds obvious, but what isn’t always so obvious is what kind of stuff will sell.

And the answer to that is everything. Literally, EVERYTHING.

You would be shocked at what sells on eBay.

If you’re thinking about throwing something away, unless it’s completely useless or smells terrible, put it up on eBay. Even broken things, because some people will buy stuff for parts (just don’t advertise it as “working”).

And if you only make $5, that’s $5 more than you’d have if you put it out on the curb.

The Price Needs To Be Right

To maximize your profits, you need to price your item correctly.

A mistake most people make is to use retail values or the price they purchased an item at.

eBay is a place for used goods, and people know that. If what you are offering is anywhere near retail value, people won’t touch it. If they’re going to pay that much, then they might as well buy it new.

So check completed listings on eBay for historical data of what people paid for similar items (this isn’t the asking price) to get an idea of how to price yours.

And remember, eBay is an auction site, meaning that an item is worth what people are willing to pay for it. If you have an item that you believe may be popular, you can put the asking price a little lower to see if it starts a bidding war to drive up the price.

If you’re having trouble pricing your items, you can get an eBay pricing tool to help. A good option that is available is called Price Spectre.

It automatically monitors your competitor’s listings and prices your items based on the rules you set.

Take Quality Pictures

Make sure you take good pictures of what you’re selling.

It doesn’t have to be anything crazy. You won’t need a super expensive camera or photoshop.

Most phones actually have pretty good cameras these days.

When you’re taking pictures, though, just be sure to:

  • Have a plain background
  • Show multiple angles
  • Take clear pictures in focus
  • Add a reference for size
  • Show the whole item

Having quality pictures will help people trust you by ensuring them the item is in good condition. It will also show that you have nothing to hide.

Free vs. Paid Shipping

You have the choice to list your item as “free shipping” or add a shipping cost.

Technically, “free shipping” isn’t actually free. It’s just included in the asking price.

There is a lot of debate over which is better.

On the one hand, people naturally hate seeing added shipping costs.

But if you list a shipping cost, the item will look cheaper, and you won’t take a hit later if shipping is more due to sending an oversized item or sending it to someone far away geographically.

Using calculated shipping on eBay is probably the most accurate way to determine the shipping cost for both the buyer and seller.

Get Experience

Unfortunately, there isn’t a perfect guide or formula to use for selling things on eBay.

The best way to learn how to make the most money off eBay is to just do it.

Start putting items up for sale, adjust the price as you go, see what kinds of things do or don’t sell, and learn as you go.

Because sometimes the best way to learn is by doing.

Story by Ryan Hatfield

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