Five quick tips for selling successfully on eBay


Posted: Wed 24th Oct 2012
eBay has grown to become the largest shopping mall on the web. In 2012 there were 180,000 small businesses trading on the site in the UK, generating sales of £1.6 billion a year. The good thing is, having a store on eBay means you are opened up to an international audience and many potential customers!
In this extract from our recently-published Make Money from Makes, Dan Wilson of Tamebay (left), eBay expert and author of Make Serious Money on eBay UK, offers five tips on how to make the most of the mega marketplace known as eBay:
1. Start small
Go slow until you've found your way. Start with a few, easy-to-post items and learn about eBay before boosting your range and prices. Don't stake too much on your first eBay bet.
2. Sell like you mean it
The eBay marketplace is competitive and you'll lose out unless you have top-notch listings. Craft fabulous item titles, upload impeccable pictures and write descriptionsthat tempt buyers. Be truthful and honest and look professional from the start.
3. Be quick off the mark
Buyers have come to expect great service. Dispatch orders quickly "" preferably within 24 hours of payment "" and well packed, and make sure you reply to emails and other communications swiftly, too. The quality and speed of your replies and dispatches has an impact on customer feedback.
4. Put a lid on postal costs
Understand postage and packaging costs and make sure you factor it in to your costs where necessary.
5. Loyalty means profit
When you're building your eBay business, encouraging repeat buyers is important. Once a buyer trusts you as an online seller, they're likely to keep coming back. Offer discounts and incentives with every dispatch and cross-marketcomplementary products.
What tips can you share?
Do you sell on eBay? What works for you? Please leave your own tips in the comments below or tell us on Twitter by sending a message to @e_nation.
Get Make Money from Makes from £3.50
Published in association with Prima, Make Money from Makes by Emma Jones tells you everything you need to know to turn your hobby, passion or interest into a flourishing small enterprise. It's available as both an ebook and a print book from the Enterprise Nation shop. [product id="56600"] Photo credit: Cheon Fong Liew
