First time ever seller and I want to get it right from the get go

[thezfields441212]

Hi all, so I only just got into the online shopping world and it took me a month or so of buying to learn how it all works but now i'm looking to start selling some stuff but i have no clue how to do this.

So could someone give me a walkthrough on how you sell something on ebay properly (listing items, payment methods and postage). I literally have no idea so I can be moulded into the perfect ebay seller if everyone helps me and who knows maybe you'll end up seeing something you like on my page someday. Thanking anyone for any input you have on this matter 

[licoricebabyandfabmama]

Zoe there is so much to know about selling and listing,  so much of it comes down to just knowing how to use your own computer.    It would not be possible for all the sellers here to 'mold' you into the perfect seller lol,  you have to have the drive to learn it on your own and enjoy working on a computer otherwise you wont want to stick with it.          I am new to selling as well,  and have chosen not to open a store as of yet,  however this means that listing items right now for me can take sometimes an hour!  yes thats right and this is because I am still learning how to edit pictures use html code etc. all the small things.      There are heaps of tutorials though that can help you.   As far as postage goes,  you can get on the Auspost site and calculate all your postage rates- then decide if you want to calculate them into your final cost with free postage or have postage listed separate.  Here are a few tips from a new seller:   

Find out the exact cost of your item

• cost for you to buy item


• how much will ebay take?


• how much will paypal take?


• how much will you have to charge for shipping


• how much extra can you add to item to make up your profit (here you will have to research what other sellers are selling for,  some items are not worth trying to sell-  make sure when you do this search you restrict it to just sellers in Australia.)

This brings us to the next point  research your item.  To do this use the options on the left hand side of the screen after you have done a search for your item.      Look for the check box [completed sales]   the check box [Australia only]     Make sure the item you want to sell is actually selling for a price you can profit off of.

Now for listing your item using the template ebay provides (non store owner)     

• Research Html code-  this allows you to add pictures to your description and this can make your basic ebay listing at least look a bit more professional.


• Research photo storage options such as photobucket ( this allows you to store your pictures and  make them into html form)


• Research photo editing programs (ive edited photos on photobucket- but im sure some posters can recommend a better program)    Anyway this allows you to do things such as combine photos into a collage for your gallery photo or add your store logo to a picture.

 Sorry for the long post and sorry if you dont understand some of the things i talked about or if you already knew lol.  These were just the BASIC things i did not know that i had to research to get my ebay listing up to scratch.

[extra-keen]

Hello Zoe,

Good luck, yes as said above there is a lot to learn but well worth the effort in my opinion.

Please do start with low value items, don't make the mistake of trying to list expensive items before you have a little experience. And especially avoid electronic items to start with.

Listing will take you a while when you first start, but it gets easier as you become more familiar with ebay and the procedures.

Take time with your photos, it makes all the difference. Good photos are most important. Get in close, be aware of the background - make sure it isn't busy with clutter. Use natural light wherever possible (avoid flash if you can).

Communication: keep it simple, polite and helpful.

Good luck!

[talcat48]

Hello Zoe,

Let me endorse colleenk"s advice (last post)...if you follow that excellent straight forward advice, you will pick it as you go and have some fun as well.

Good luck.

[thesoulyearns]

Honestly, it seems the "big boys" of eBay (e.g. the people who sell tons of items every week) do it relatively easily. You really needn't overthink it. In some ways, either you have what it takes to sell things or you don't. Just make a listing and see how it goes.

Just type a few lines about the item - nothing fancy, just enough to help it along. Take one or two clear pics of the item - no more than 3 are generally needed and don't spend much time doing this. Start at a price where you're happy with what's left after eBay and PayPal take their share. Lastly, set the correct postage price... that's basically it and then you're off!

If you overthink it, chances are it won't be worth the effort of taking time to list things that won't sell. The best sellers seem to be the ones who let the item do the talking and just say a few words to help it along the way. If it sells, great. If it doesn't, you hardly wasted any valuable time in the listing. Trust me, the simpler the better. You'll understand if and when you list alot of things that never sell...

[ruth13024]

just interested how to upgrade to a premier?any cost?

Thanks

[chuk_77]

no cost to upgrade just the usual fees when you sell someting

[davewil1964]

There's a link down the bottom of this page -

https://www.paypal-australia.com.au/business/accept-payments/sell-on-ebay

It's free.

[daylie*performance]

Hi Zoe & welcome to the exciting world of online sales!

This could be the start of a growing addiction for you, so enjoy!

For starters, familiarise yourself with the basic method of listing an item for sale by reading ebays tutorials. (hover on  the word 'sell' a the top of this page untill you see "how to sell" in he drop-down menu).

The basics I can recommend (and re-interate from others advice here):

1. Give a clear discription of the item in the TITLE. A good title that identifies the item clearly is "findable' to buyers.


2. Take nice clear photos, a plain or white background is best. If there are any flaws or defects, photograph them & make sure to mention these in the listing description.


3. Be transperent in your item description. Clear and simple descriptions get the message across. Write a brief description, them maybe follow with a few features in point form, then finish with clear shipping and return policy info.

Try out a couple of listings to get the hang of it. Decide if you are setting a fixed 'buy it now" price or an auction. On many occassions I have found auctions can get more interest as everyone loves a bargain, but exercise caution when deciding your starting price, as not all auctions will turn into big dollars.

Think about your postage/shipping method, and research the costs involved. If your item is small, Australia post wil be the go, or for large bulky items, some research into freight/courier companys will be needed. For items under 20kgs, ebay has an online postage calculator you can use in your listing, but take into consideration any additional costs you may incur for packaging, printing of invoices/labels, petrol to drive into your post office if not using couriered pick-up, so you may want to add 1 or 2 bucks to the postage and handling fee.

Best of luck with it all, if you get stuck, don't dismay theres heaps of help at hand here on ebay.

[bluelillypilly]

There are also a couple of books on the subject . One written by Janeyx - she sells it on Ebay and has been a very successful seller ,knows how customers should be treated - even the rude and nasty ones - and you will come across some. There is also one I think called Buying and Selling on Ebay for Dummies. This gets updated as Ebay does change the rules a fair bit. Worth buying - I personally have never been able to make the Answer Centre understand what I want an answer to. 

[butterfly4563]

hi ive been buying on ebay for years and  only eva had one item go missing where the seller refused to refund my money, but i got ova that and moved on, now im new to selling too, but i found that i listed an item and was never happy with my listing so i joined auctiva.com.au and they provided me with an awesome way to list a great page customised so  easily and as for ebay well you just get them to call you they call within a minuete and talk and walk you through any problem as long as it takes with no cost to me, the other thing i found was becoming a store owner, basically ebay does it all for you automatically, not the listing of course but so laymens terms for us non techis to understand. and lastly, im always nice, apologetic, helpful, and always sign off with "thanks heaps. donna."and youll always find the good sellers or buyers come back signing off with there name too. HOPE  this bit of a rave has helped in any way, and hey ill check out your items, feel free to check out mine. goodluck. email me anytime as well we can learn from each other as we go along. donna.