Selling On eBay – How To Get Started and What You Need
Many people just like you are starting to see why eBay is a great opportunity to make extra money. Some people might be selling on eBay to make a few extra dollars each month. Other sellers might have a specific goal to cover utilities or other household expenses. Others might want to buy a car. Others still are learning how to sell on eBay to cover all of their bills and living expenses. Does that sound impossible? Well thousands of people are doing it right now.
Before you start selling on eBay, you need to have some sort of goal. By having a goal, you will have the direction you need in order to make the best use of your time on eBay. Often people set a “goal” of “making extra money.” This isn’t really a goal however, because it isn’t specific enough. How much money are you thinking about making? When you know how much money you want to have you can begin to create a plan to get you there. A good business person always has a plan of action. Without a plan of action you are you are not going to reach your goal.
Aside from your plan, you will also need some important tools. Obviously, you’ll need a computer, but you’ll also need a printer, a digital camera, items to sell, a PayPal account, an eBay sellers account, a postal scale, and packaging materials. Most of these you could probably think of, but many new eBay sellers forget the importance of a postal scale
When learning how to sell on eBay you will quickly learn that buyers do not like paying more for shipping then it actually costs to ship an item to them. Also, it is against eBay policy to inflate the shipping costs and pocket the extra money. It is also unfair to you as the seller to undercharge for the shipping expenses and have to pay for a portion of the shipping costs out of your own pocket.
By placing the wrapped and securely packaged item on the scale, you will be able to see what the exact weight is. By getting this information you will be able to determine the exact cost to mail the item according to the pricing at the post office. Also make sure that you are taking additional shipping fees into consideration. These fees may include delivery confirmation and insurance for those items that are worth a good bit of money.
You’ll see some eBay sellers who cover the shipping costs out of their pocket for high ticket items as a bonus for their buyer. This is considered to be good customer service. However, whether you or your customer pays for shipping and insurance, make sure that you have insurance on higher priced items. You can never be too safe.
Jesse Holmes is an eBay PowerSeller who has been making money on eBay for over 3 years. Before you start to sell on eBay, make sure you check out his excellent free eBay Business Start Up Kit, showing you step by step how to learn to sell on eBay.
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Great advice. So many people just see eBay as some kind of get rich quick scheme, and don’t realize that you can build a business on the site, if you’re prepared to out in the effort.
Matt