twenty second Jun 2025
Studying Time: 11 minutes
If in case you have a great deal of muddle that you just’re dying to eliminate, then take into account promoting it on eBay.
eBay makes it simple to eliminate undesirable objects. However whereas it’s an awesome platform to make additional money, it may be intimidating for first-time customers.
Listed here are 20 important ideas that you just’ll have to confidently begin earning profits on eBay.
1. Begin your eBay public sale costs at 99p


For those who begin your public sale at 99p, you’ll entice extra potential consumers as a result of many individuals seek for objects by lowest value. What’s extra, this can even preserve your charges down – which implies more cash in your pocket.
After all, there may be some danger right here. It’s attainable that even a invaluable merchandise occurs to solely have one purchaser, who, by way of sheer luck, will get your merchandise for 99p when it’s value way more!
There’s a tradeoff: so by no means put one thing at 99p should you’d be gutted to promote it for that a lot. Use your individual judgement and do analysis to see what related objects are promoting for.
2. Perceive free listings
eBay now permits personal sellers 300 free listings a month on virtually all classes, and it’s 35p a list after that. If you wish to pay additional to advertise, it’ll nonetheless value one thing – however might web you a greater viewers to spice up your revenue. You possibly can set a reserve value which implies the merchandise received’t promote until it reaches that value, however you’ll pay 4% of that reserve whether or not the merchandise sells or not.
On some objects, like vehicles and automobiles, eBay will let you realize you’re itemizing your merchandise totally free once you put it reside, you’ll nonetheless pay a remaining worth payment. That is 10% of the ultimate value of the merchandise, together with postage. There can even be a PayPal payment should you use that to get your money.
It’s not lots, however one thing to concentrate on when taking a look at how a lot you’ll truly make on every sale. Once you arrange your promoting account, the simplest methodology to pay these charges is by direct debit every month. You’ll get an bill of how a lot you owe.
You received’t pay a remaining worth payment in case your merchandise doesn’t promote. So if it fails to draw any consumers, strive once more. You possibly can select to automate this course of by ticking the field to permit relisting if it doesn’t promote. It might be that the correct purchaser wasn’t round on the time, so don’t hand over!
Learn extra about remaining worth charges on eBay’s web site.
3. Obtain the eBay app
For those who promote typically it’s value downloading eBay’s free app. Utilizing it to put up listings is fast and simple – and it means which you can control your listings and reply to queries on the go. You possibly can take images, create your itemizing, and preserve observe of how auctions are going multi functional place.
4. Make your ebay itemizing stand out
With 1.7 billion reside objects on eBay, making your itemizing stand out is essential.
When consumers seek for an merchandise, eBay solely appears to be like for phrases within the itemizing’s title, so at all times use key phrases corresponding to model names, color, and sizes. Double test spellings so folks can discover your objects!
5. Be authentic
A bit of little bit of copying and pasting with a number of changes and tweaks will prevent a great deal of effort and time when writing up descriptions for merchandise. However by no means copy descriptions or footage wholesale, as this infringes different sellers’ copyright. You can additionally by accident embrace harm that isn’t in your merchandise however is on the opposite individual’s, which reduces its worth!
Have a look at different profitable sellers to see how they describe their merchandise and study from them.
For those who promote plenty of the identical factor, write up your individual template and put it aside on a file in your pc or telephone. Then you possibly can copy and paste it, fill within the particulars for the merchandise (dimension, color, and so on.), add images and also you’re just about executed!
6. Value it proper


Objects could be listed as an public sale or a hard and fast value. Along with following eBay pricing suggestions, you too can search accomplished eBay listings and take a look at different related objects that will help you select a beginning value for fixed-price or auction-style itemizing.
public sale listings
Public sale listings are nice should you’re not sure of the worth of your merchandise or you’ve gotten distinctive and hard-to-find objects that would entice demand and spur a bidding struggle.
Though the ultimate value could also be unpredictable, should you get a number of individuals who actually need your merchandise, they could attempt to outbid one another, elevating the ultimate value.
Bear in mind by no means to place a beginning value that’s decrease than you’re prepared to promote for! But when it’s one thing not too invaluable that’s simply mendacity round anyway, an public sale would be the method to go.
Be sure to’ll be round when listings finish to put up the objects throughout the timeframe you’ve agreed to.
Mounted-price listings
If you wish to make a sure value on one thing, although, go for a hard and fast value sale.
This can be a secure choice should you completely don’t need to promote your merchandise for lower than a sure value. You possibly can tick the ‘permit presents’ button should you is likely to be prepared to barter, or go away it off in case your value is agency.
Some sellers choose shopping for by way of fixed-price listings as a result of they don’t have to attend for an public sale to finish. Simply be sure you’re accessible to put up the merchandise throughout the time restrict you’ve agreed to in your itemizing. With a fixed-price itemizing, it might promote at any time whereas it’s reside on eBay.
7. eBay is all about timing


When beginning an public sale, you possibly can select whether or not it lasts one, three, 5, seven or ten days.
Alternatively, get into the behavior of itemizing your seven-day auctions every Sunday evening to maximise your bids on an ongoing foundation.
You possibly can even schedule your listings to begin at a sure time. So should you’re writing up your itemizing at 3am, you possibly can have it begin at a greater time so it ends when extra individuals are shopping.
8. Organise your promoting round your life


Whether or not you’re promoting a few objects or dozens of bins of stuff, you’ll want to remain on prime of every little thing. Use a calendar to mark when auctions are ending, and be sure you’ll be round to put up objects promptly.
For those who’re away from residence lots or possibly too busy to at all times go to the Submit Workplace, schedule listings to finish when it fits you. For instance, in case your solely free time is Saturday morning, have listings finish on Friday night so you possibly can put up them the subsequent day.
Mounted-price listings have sure benefits, however as they will promote at any time, you’ll have to be sure you’re at all times accessible the subsequent day to put up issues.
For those who want extra flexibility, you possibly can modify the postage settings in your itemizing to say will probably be dispatched inside a few days as a substitute of sooner or later. However this would possibly flip some consumers away, particularly as most individuals are used to quick deliveries.
9. Submit objects ‘Recorded Supply’
That is crucial recommendation on this web page. For those who ship an merchandise recorded supply, you possibly can observe its whereabouts.
This prevents any sellers claiming they haven’t acquired an merchandise. And whether it is misplaced, you’re coated by insurance coverage.
Some sellers additionally select to file packing movies to indicate the state the merchandise was in and the packing included. This can assist combat false claims of poor packing inflicting harm, or the flawed merchandise being despatched.
It’s essential to decide on the right postage choices so {that a} purchaser is aware of how and when they’ll obtain the merchandise.
When posting a list, eBay has a helpful device which offers postage suggestions based mostly on how different sellers have posted objects like yours.
If there’s no really helpful postage choice to your merchandise – otherwise you’d fairly set your individual value – you possibly can select your individual postage methodology. To get an thought of what you need to be charging, use eBay’s Postage Estimator. Royal Mail additionally has a Value Finder device for determining the prices, each for the UK and overseas.
CollectPlus
You can even ship parcels to any UK deal with from a CollectPlus retailer (CollectPlus.co.uk), which implies you keep away from the prolonged queues on the Submit Workplace – and reduce prices. What’s extra, the 6,000 retailers that provide this service are all open late, seven days per week.
Examine
Additionally value a glance are parcel and postage comparability web sites corresponding to Interparcel.com, Parcelmonkey.co.uk or MyParcelDelivery.com. These websites purchase postage slots in bulk from massive courier companies corresponding to UPS or DHL and promote them to the general public – saving you a bundle within the course of.
However keep in mind that you just’ll be coping with a intermediary firm, not the courier itself. So if issues go flawed and want sorting, you’ll have to go through the comparability web site which is able to cope with any inquiries, however could be extra time consuming than you would possibly assume.
Underestimating Postage Prices
Whereas low-cost postage could entice extra consumers, at all times do not forget that underestimating postage prices can shortly eat into your eBay income.
For those who’re flogging bigger objects that aren’t possible to put up, choose ‘native assortment solely’ and the client might want to accumulate the merchandise in individual.
11. Pack issues effectively
Be sure that you ship bought objects fastidiously, as if it arrives damaged you have to give the client a refund.
What’s extra, should you go away shopping for your packaging till the final minute, you’ll find yourself forking out greater than crucial. Lower prices and recycle used jiffy luggage and bubble wrap.
For those who should shell out for model new packaging, look on-line for the most effective offers. Retailers corresponding to Amazon promote job plenty of mailing luggage, which are available a wide range of sizes, for as little as £3.
Pound retailers and different low cost shops are additionally nice for reasonable packaging, whether or not it’s parcel paper or bubble envelopes.
12. Use plenty of footage
With every itemizing, you possibly can listing as much as 12 photos totally free. Make the most of this in order that potential consumers can see what you’re promoting.
Including a number of good-quality images to your itemizing that will help you enhance gross sales and provides your consumers a extra correct thought of what to anticipate – and reassure them that you just’re a reliable vendor.
Goal for a well-lit, clutter-free, plain white background and at all times take images from a number of angles highlighting the situation of the merchandise. Be sincere about any imperfections (nicks and scratches, and so on.)
A clear kitchen desk or counter may very well be good choices. Use a plain white sheet if want be.
It’s additionally essential to be sure you listing your merchandise in the correct class; should you don’t, the possibility of a very good sale goes down.
For an additional 35p payment, you possibly can listing your merchandise in two classes to maximise your merchandise’s visibility.
14. Construct your eBay fame
Constructing your eBay fame as a trusted vendor is essential in making money on the web market.
To construct your eBay fame, it’s worthwhile to get constructive suggestions from clients as a way to get a minimum of 95% fee as a trusted vendor. The easiest way to do that is to be the form of vendor you’ll need to purchase from your self. So, supply good customer support, describe the merchandise precisely, reply to queries inside 24 hours, and be sure you mail packages throughout the marketed interval.
Establishing and sustaining purchaser satisfaction helps you construct a strong fame as a reliable vendor on eBay, and finally helps drive your gross sales exercise.
15. Make a number of small eBay purchases
For those who’re a brand new vendor with little or no suggestions, consumers is likely to be reluctant to make purchases from you.
So, earlier than you begin itemizing objects, you would possibly need to make a number of small purchases to build up constructive suggestions, and to get used to the eBay course of.
Pay attention to issues like how they describe their objects, postage instances, and packaging. See if you will get any inspiration, or be aware something you’d do higher!
16. Reply to folks ASAP
Once you get questions on belongings you’re promoting, reply as quickly as you possibly can. For those who take days to answer, you would possibly miss out on a sale. Ideally reply inside 24 hours.
Having the app with notifications switched on can assist you see messages a lot quicker.
17. Let folks know what you’re promoting on eBay
As soon as your itemizing goes reside, don’t simply sit again and hope for the most effective.
Promote your objects in your social networks corresponding to Fb, Twitter, or Instagram.
Use related hashtags and get the phrase on the market. Additionally, let your family and friends know to allow them to unfold the phrase too.
18. Don’t neglect larger objects on eBay
Simply because one thing appears too massive, impractical, or costly to ship, it doesn’t imply you possibly can’t promote it. Merely supply the “assortment in individual” choice – which means that the client and vendor can discover a handy time for the merchandise to be picked up.
19. By no means underestimate what folks pays for
One man’s junk is one other man’s treasure. So even should you assume a few of the belongings you’ve acquired mendacity round are ineffective, assume once more!
Even damaged or not-working objects can promote for elements or to lovers. Typically should you promote a bundle of damaged electronics you can also make good cash on them. Simply at all times be sincere in regards to the situation of the merchandise.
20. Don’t hand over


If at first you don’t succeed, strive once more.
Relist unsold objects and tweak your posting to seize the eye of consumers. As an example, altering the title, including a greater description, and altering the format of your itemizing (purchase it now or auction-style) can all assist.
Take new images or add additional images to your itemizing. Photographs are completely key, so be aware how different profitable eBayers are doing it and put within the effort!
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