Starting out, this will be difficult. As a seller with no feedback, you will be hard to trust. For beginners to pros, win your potential buyers over with these tips:
Try to use a decent digital camera and take good pictures of your item. More pictures in your ad costs more money, so make the most of two or three pictures at the max. Put your item against a black or white background and shoot your picture.
In some instances, Ebay has stock pictures that you can use. Typically items like books, CDs, and DVDs have stock photos available. Use these, but only if the picture accurately describes the item.
If there are no stock pictures to use and you have a shoddy camera, sometimes Google Images can provide a picture. Search for your item, save the picture to your hard drive, and upload it to your ad.
Honestly, for most items that I sell for around a hundred dollars or more, I start with a bid of $0.99. Many buyers know how much items are really worth and will bid accordingly. There have only been a few instances where I have started an auction that low and been disappointed with the results. In many cases, buyers spend above and beyond what you expected.
d. Charge a fair price for shipping.
Unfortunately, many sellers use the cost of shipping to make a profit. Your feedback scores will suffer if it is discovered that you do this. Make it clear to your buyers exactly what they are getting with their shipping money. Here are some ideas of what to include:
- Free delivery confirmation
- The cost of packing material is included
- The cost of shipping includes shipping and handling
There are two ways you can charge for shipping and a couple of other questions you may need to ask yourself:
- Flat Cost to All Buyers
Inside the continental USA, the cost of shipping is a flat rate. Say for example, $5. This means that whether they live five or five hundred miles away from you, the cost of shipping will be $5. Good if they live close by, bad if they live across the country. - Calculated Cost Varies by Location
Weigh or guess the weight of your item, and then select the size of packaging you will be using. The computer, using USPS and UPS typical rates, will then charge the buyer depending on their location. When you invoice your buyer (more on that later) you will have the option of lowering the shipping if you choose.
Lastly, you will need to decide if you are willing to ship internationally. There are pros and cons associated with deciding to do this. Pros include a wider range of buyers. Cons include the possibility of the item being lost and the cost of shipping being astronomical. Check off which countries you would ship to and see if you have any bites.
e. Choose How You Want to Be Paid
PayPal verified is the easiest way to ensure that you will receive your money. If you choose to accept checks or money orders, you must wait for those to be sent to you in the mail, and wait for them to clear before you can ship out your item. I have found that using PayPal is the best and most widely used method of accepting payment for an item.
Do you want to deal with returns? If so, will you refund all of the payment plus pay for the buyer to return the item to you? You may state that all sales are final, or you may accept returns for defective items (hard drives, games, etc) only. No matter what your stand on returns is, make it clear to all potential buyers.
g. Put in Any Optional Items
Do you want a portion of the proceeds to go to charity? Do you want to provide free shipping to your buyers? Look over these options carefully. Many people will bid higher on items that support their favorite charity or organization.
