Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
Ever thought about transforming your cluttered garage or hobby into a profitable venture? Selling on eBay might just be the upgrade path and side hustle you’re looking for. I have mentioned it a few times, because it’s the online sales tool that I have the most experience with. Let’s start with a basic overview blog post and perhaps we can go into more detail if there is interest. You should have at least a simple set of goals in mind. For example you might want to clean out all the extra stuff in your garage and make a few bucks or you might want to turn a hobby into a revenue stream with an online store presence.
If you haven’t already, you need to sign up for an eBay account. Go to eBay’s website and look for the registration link. You’ll need to provide some basic information, like your name and email address. If you already have an account that you’ve used for buying, you can also use this for selling. Navigate to your account settings and select the option to set up your account for selling. This involves providing additional information such as your address, phone number, and choosing how you’ll pay your seller fees. You may also need to link a PayPal account or set up another payment method for receiving payments from buyers.
If you are just cleaning out your excess stuff, this is all you really need to do. The listing process is pretty straightforward and you can do everything from your phone. I recommend having a postal scale or something similar, packaging tape, scissors, and boxes that fit the size of the items you are selling. It is nice to have an accurate shipping weight already available while making the listing. In some cases you may want to wait and purchase packaging supplies after the item sells, because not everything will sell. Make sure you package well, if your stuff breaks due to defective packaging, good luck getting anything out of the post office. You will likely need to give the customer a refund and eat the cost.
While anyone can sell on eBay, opening an official eBay Store comes with a monthly fee but offers benefits such as lower final value fees, more free listings per month, and marketing tools. Evaluate the subscription levels to decide which one suits your needs based on the size of your business and the number of listings you plan to post. Pick a store name that is unique and reflects what you’re selling. It’s worth doing a quick search on eBay to ensure the name isn’t already in use or too similar to another. Remember, this name will be part of your store’s URL, so choose wisely. eBay also allows you to customize your store’s appearance. You can add a logo, create a billboard image, and customize the store’s color scheme to align with your brand. Take advantage of these options to make your store stand out and appear professional. Next you will set up your preferred payment methods. eBay now offers “Managed Payments,” where they directly manage transactions. This system supports various payment methods, including credit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, and Apple Pay.
With your store set up, you can start creating listings for the items you want to sell. Make sure to use high-quality photos, write clear and detailed descriptions, set the right price, and choose the shipping options. Good listings are crucial for attracting buyers. If the item is something you really don’t care about, go ahead and use the auction format with a low beginning price. If you are selling something you know is valuable, consider starting with a higher entry price or having a reserve price where the item cannot sell below a certain price. Keep in mind these options do cost extra money, but can result in a much higher final sale price. You can always re-list the item if it doesn’t sell the first time. If you are running a business with set-price items, make sure you do your research by looking at similar items that have sold on eBay or similar online markets.
Once your store is up and running, promote it to attract customers. Use social media, blogs, or a website to drive traffic to your listings. eBay also offers promotional tools like promoted listings, which can help increase visibility. Depending on your niche you can market at industry events in person as well. I started my first store before the social media craze took hold and I used to send business cards and promotional flyers with each packaged item to attract and retain customers. I still think physical media can be a valid option in addition to everything else, especially if you are marketing the older generation. Try to have something your competitors lack so that you stand out. I used to sell game miniatures and I did my best to always have at least one of everything constantly in stock. I was the one stop shop for this particular niche of collectible miniatures. I would even buy an item from a competitor, just so I had the complete set when no one else did.
Regularly update your inventory, fulfill orders promptly, and provide excellent customer service. Respond quickly and professionally to customer inquiries. Remember the customer is always right. It is usually easier and more worthwhile to eat the cost of a mistake rather than negotiate with a displeased customer. Protect your feedback, a poor rating will tank your sales. Many people, including myself, will look for other options if your feedback is not 100 percent.
eBay provides analytics tools to track your store’s performance. Use this data to understand what’s working, what isn’t, and how you can improve. Adjust your strategy accordingly to grow your business. You can quickly rack up costs by listing stuff that does not sell. Also look at the time you list your items. I found the best time to list to be between 5pm and 7pm on the west coast for some reason, even though I had a lot of sales on the east coast too. There also appears to be an algorithm on eBay that promotes your listings more right after you list more items. For example I might go 2 weeks without listing anything, selling less and less every day, then I would list ten items one day and suddenly have 24 hours of high sales volume. While navigating eBay’s fee system can be challenging, the vast audience ready to bid on your items makes it worthwhile. If packaging isn’t your thing, consider exploring drop shipping or print on demand. Starting an eBay store requires effort and dedication, but it can be rewarding. Focus on building a positive reputation through excellent customer service and detailed, accurate listings. Over time, you’ll learn what works best for your store and how to maximize your sales.
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