Start Selling on eBay the ABC’s of Success!

by Kathy Terrill | Aug 29, 2021 | eCommerce Tips

Want to start selling on eBay?

Good for you. Here are the ABC’s to start selling on eBay and succeed. As a wannabe eBay seller, of course you want to put your best foot forward. Here’s how to start off on the right foot, then build a money making business on eBay, one step at a time.

Begin by doing a bit of eBay homework.

Before you start selling on eBay, buy a few things on eBay. They don’t have to be expensive; just get acquainted with the process. Figure out your My eBay Summary page, put some items on your watch list, check out the returns process (you don’t actually have to return anything, just locate the link for doing so), make a Best Offer, etc.

Be sure to leave feedback for your sellers.

That will encourage them to leave feedback for you. You want feedback. It means you’ll have at least a single-digit feedback score as opposed to launching your first listings with 0 feedbacks. At this stage of the game, you need all the street cred you can get, even if it’s from the other side of the street!

Once you feel comfortable buying, you’re ready to start selling on eBay.

Start selling on eBay by selling items you already have on hand. According to eBay CEO Jamie Iannone, most people have about $4,000 worth of excess stuff that could be sold on eBay. Your first eBay listing should ideally be for an item that’s inexpensive and easy to ship. It’s also good if the item is of no sentimental value to you whatsoever. Think of it as your eBay guinea pig. In fact, you don’t want to be highly invested in any of your initial items, either financially or emotionally. And did I mention that these first few items should be easy to ship?

Use eBay’s Advanced Search to check Sold listings on eBay.

Check solds this way to see if your item has a reasonable chance of selling. eBay also gives sellers a terrific free tool called Terapeak. It’s located under the Research tab on your Seller Hub Overview page. You can use it to check Sold prices going back as far as 365 days! However, mining Terapeak’s data requires a certain amount of eBay experience. Additionally you have to have enough keyword savvy to accurately interpret the results. 

For now, just do an eBay search for keywords you would use to find your item.

Once you do an initial eBay search, click to filter your search for Sold Items (in the left-hand sidebar on your computer; under More Filters if you’re using the eBay Mobile app). Sold items’ listing titles will reveal other useful keywords for your item as well. My YouTube, “eBay Titles That Are Moneymakers For You!” shows some great tips for creating titles.

Don’t be too concerned with a minimum value at first, but as you gain experience, bear in mind that it’s just as much work to list a $9.99 item as it is to list one for $19.99 (including free shipping, of course). Items valued at less than, say, $20 may not be worth your time once you really hit your stride as a seller.

Speaking of free shipping, what “free shipping” really means is that the seller has rolled the cost of shipping the item into its selling price.

Now let’s talk shipping in general. It’s the #1 bugbear for most neophyte sellers, and even for some longtime sellers! For starters, you absolutely must invest in a decent postage scale. They’re not expensive; Accutek makes a good one that sells for under $20 on eBay. 

You can buy your scale HERE on eBay with my affiliate link. Get your scale before you try to list your first item. You’ll likely get a positive feedback from the seller you buy your scale from. This makes buying your scale a win-win for your eBay selling.

Use your new scale to weigh your item along with its packaging: bubble wrap, tissue paper, box, etc.

If you’re shipping clothing, buy yourself some polymailers. They’re super sturdy and very lightweight, which will save money on postage for both you and your buyer.

Once you know the package’s weight, choose how you’ll ship it. If it’s under 16 ounces, it can ship via USPS First Class Mail with tracking. One pound and up ships via USPS Priority or Parcel Select (although Priority is much preferred and often only a few cents more expensive) with tracking.

For heavier items, click the drop-down menu in the listing flow. UPS or FedEx may be more cost effective.

Once your item sells, purchase and print your shipping label through eBay. It’s MUCH cheaper — and a lot more convenient — than waiting in line at your local PO to pay full retail for postage. Don’t worry if you don’t have a way to print the labels. eBay now generates a QR code for every purchased label. Just show it to your local PO employees, and they’ll generate a label for you at eBay’s discounted postage rates.

Shipping is mission critical for success on eBay, so you’ll want to arrange for backup in case there’s a glitch with eBay Labels. Be prepared for this possibility; set up a free eBay seller account at Stamps.com. 

As for boxes, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, etc., there are many free sources for these materials.

Check FreeCycle or NextDoor in your area, and make the rounds of local retail businesses. Gift shops in particular tend to have surplus boxes, bubble wrap, and peanuts.

Now list list list! Take good clear photos of your items from every angle against a sold-color background, preferably white. You can use your smartphone for this, then upload the pics directly to eBay through eBay Mobile. You can edit images as you upload them, too: crop, rotate, brighten, and even remove the background.

Next, write a keyword-rich title — best practice is to use up at least 75 of the 80 allotted characters.

Front-load the most important information, because eBay’s mobile app truncates the last 25 characters in search results. For example, “Tiffany & Co Heart Bracelet Elsa Peretti Sterling Silver” is much better than “Tiffany & Co Elsa Peretti Sterling Silver Heart Bracelet”. Don’t use excessive punctuation or special characters.

Once you’ve crafted an effective title, fill in all of the applicable item specifics.

 Write a brief but complete description of your item — bullet points are fine — and you’re good to go. Just be sure to specify shipping carrier, class, and cost on your way to the Submit button.

If your item has a scannable barcode, scan it from the eBay app. Listing via your smartphone can really speed up the process!

There’s a lot to keep in mind when listing, but this is enough to get you started. If you want to get off to a flying start, my ebook Keyword Domination to Explode eBay Sales is chock-full of advice, tips, and strategies that will help you outsell even more seasoned competitors.

Explode your sales on eBay!

One last thing to remember: “List more, sell more.” Because if it’s not listed, it can’t sell!

These ABC’s to successful eBay selling will start your selling with a bang!