The weekend is upon us and since its not the season for spring cleaning, I’m doing a strategic fall purge and sorting items into 3 piles— 1 for donation, another for trash, and the final one for things to list on eBay. Time at eBay On Location as a Parent Panel member taught me that while items in our home may have lost their value to me, they are still of value to others and a great way to reduce, reuse, and recycle to reclaim money!
I’ll be looking for things in my closets, around the house, and in the garage for items that were gifts and were never used, gently worn designer items with lots of wear left in them, and articles of clothing that our kids have outgrown like Halloween costumes and winter apparel that won’t fit this year. eBay has also assembled a 2011 Holiday Hotlist with predictions about the hottest selling products for the upcoming season which is constantly being updated!
If getting started on eBay is a daunting task, it doesn’t have to be! Here are 5 tips to help you declutter and put money back in your pocket as we approach the holidays:
- Begin as a buyer. Think about something you need and purchase it on eBay. Think about your experience. What drew you to the item? Was it the price, offer of free shipping, photos, description, Buy it Now option, or feedback about the person you were buying from? Completing a transaction is helpful in knowing what your buyers will be looking for in your listings. If you’ve never bought on eBay before, ebay provides Buying Basics to guide you through the process.
- Start slowly. Review the eBay seller policy pages and choose 1 item from your stash that you won’t be upset about if it doesn’t fetch the optimum price when listed.
- Create your listing. Provide a picture since buyers like to see what they are purchasing and write your listing to include just the facts. eBay recommends ensuring that the item’s brand or manufacturer is spelled correctly in the title so it can be found easily. Include nouns and modifiers (rather than adjectives) in your 80 character description. For photo tips, read Caroline’s (aka Smarty Pants Mama) eBay Photo Taking Guidelines to Help You be a Successful Seller, a primer on photos for your eBay listing.
- Hone your skills and emphasize quality over quantity as you become more experienced. Optimize a few listings for maximum results and focus on providing good customer service and simple terms of service.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help. eBay has lots of resources and an entire communityof sellers who are happy to share tips and brainstorm solutions. eBay’s Getting Started guide is a wonderful resource until you are ready to open your eBay store! while more experienced sellers with lots of items to list
If you’re interested in learning more about the eBay Parent Panel, visit my post about it and eBay On Location on Mom Blog Magazine.
I am part of the eBay Parent Panel and am compensated for my participation in the program. All opinions about my eBay experience are my own.
Thanks for reading Tech Savvy Mama through your feed!
Original post by Tech Savvy Mama
©2012
I’m saving this post to look at more carefully later because I have put some thought into Ebaying some stuff, but I am terrified and have no idea how to start. Thanks for this!
Great tips, Leticia!!! I love the one about honing your skills and emphasizing quality over quantity.