Make Money on eBay

Make Money on eBay

EBay is the largest auction based e-commerce site on the internet, every year products worth millions of dollars are sold and bought on eBay. People from all walks of life are using eBay to buy and sell products online, and eBay’s unique auction based e-commerce model has allowed people to find competitive deals without having to spend hours on research. If you are looking to sell your products on eBay, here are a few tips to help you sell your products effectively:
Pay attention to product photos
There is no denying that a well written product description will allow your product to come up for a lot of Google and eBay searches. However, what is equally important is the way you present your product to other internet users; this is where product photos play a vital role. All your product photos should be clear, free from any digital blurring, and should present all relevant product features. For example, if you are selling a new cell phone on eBay, make sure the phone’s size can be compared to another item (like the palm of your hand). In addition, a photograph of all the accessories that ship with the phone is also a good idea.
You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on a professional photographer to get a detailed portfolio made, but your photographs should look professional.
Look at what your competition is doing
Before you start marketing any of your products on eBay, take a look at what your competition is doing. Look for product descriptions and photographs that might attract buyers and if possible, replicated them without infringing on any copyrights. It is important to remember that the same set of rules do not apply for all products. For example, what makes a good product photo for a cell phone, might not make a good product photo for a laptop. Similarly, a product description has to be specific to each product and there is no such thing as a ‘generic product description’.
Setting the right price
One of the most difficult aspects of eBay selling is setting bid prices. No matter how good your product is, if a competitor is offering the same product at a lower price you will loose out on business. Before setting a price for any product, research the prices that your competitors are setting. Make sure that your products are competitively priced and if required, sell a few products on a no profit no loss basis. It is important to start your business on a positive note, and the first few customers can make or break your business. In a nutshell, you should make sure you offer competitive pricing for the first few sales. Once you have your ‘foot in the door’ you will find it much easier to sell products on eBay. In addition, competitively pricing your products will allow you to establish a loyal customer base that will begin buying products from you without questioning the price.
Understand shipping
Shipping costs are considered one of the so called ‘hidden costs’ of any eBay product. Most sellers offer free shipping for smaller products within the US, but some products might require overseas shipping and it is important to research all the shipping options available before offering customers a shipping option. Sometimes all that stands between a sale and a dropped sale is the shipping charges. For example, if you are offering a product for $500 and charging additional shipping charges of $25 and your competition is offering the same product for $510 but the shipping charges are only $10, there is a high probability that a buyer will buy the product from your competitor. In a nutshell, make sure you have found the most cost effective shipping option available.