You have plenty of items lying in your backyard or adorned with cobwebs in your garage and you don’t know what to do with them. Well, here’s what you can do. Auction them on ebay (unless your beloved spouse is a pack rat)! It’s better than selling your stuff in the flea market or donating it for tax deductions. All you have to do is log in to the ebay website and follow these simple steps.
1. The website homepage identifies you as a non-member so sign up for the account and register as a seller.
2. After signing in, click “sell” to begin the setup page that starts the auction process.
3. You can next select a category suggested by ebay that suits your item.
4. Enter a title for your item's auction. For example ‘Apple laptop’, but make sure you mention its model and features.
5. Add clear pictures of your item from all necessary angles. Make sure the logo of the item is visible if it has one.
6. Describe the item in detail. Remember to focus on the item's condition, function, damaged or missing parts, good and bad characteristics and smell, such as from a damp or musky basement. If you have pets at home kindly mention that to warn the potential buyers with allergies.
7. Now think upon the most crucial thing: setting up a price! You could start with the “lowest price” that you’re willing to accept or you could set a “reserve price”, the amount the bidders must reach before you sell your item.
8. Choose the duration.
9. Offer a payment mode to the buyers. You may accept PayPal payments, for which you must have an account; money orders; and personal checks.
10. Decide the shipping rates. You can offer free shipping or a flat rate or even base shipping depending on weight and destination.
11. Establish a return policy. If you choose, guarantee reimbursement for any reason, for only damaged items, for the selling price but not the shipping fee, or only if the item is returned within a certain span of time after the auction.
12. When you are done, preview your auction listing. If satisfied click “List Your Item” (or revise your listing).
13. Contact the buyer when the auction ends. Send the buyer an invoice with the total price. Once you're paid, ship the item.
Tips and Warnings
1. Photograph your items with even lighting. Take close-ups of the areas where the product is damaged.
2. Buyers are free to comment and offer feedback after the transaction on your “My ebay” page.
3. You should only edit or revise your auction list before there’s a bid.
4. Wait till the last moment, some bidders wait until the last second to bid (it’s called “sniping”).
5. Keep boxes of various sizes, tape, bubble wrap, labels, etc. handy for shipping.
6. Ship items as soon as possible.
7. Be accurate in your details about the item, or else be ready to have negative feedback and to have it returned back to you.
8. Send the item only when you have received the payment in your account. Ebay is vulnerable to fraudulent users.
9. Make the earliest contact with the buyers and answer all the queries that potential customers have.
10. Pack the items carefully to avoid damage to the shipment.
To learn more about Adam Ginsberg, selling products on ebay, speedlings scam ripoff, or starting your own ebay business, log on to www.adamginsberg.com.
To Read more: How to Buy, Sell & Profit on eBay: Kick-Start Your Business in Thirty Days; Adam Ginsberg; 2005. Go to: http://www.amazon.com/How-Buy-Sell-Profit-eBay/dp/B001U33HSI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322712940&sr=8-1
