How do I start on eBay?

One question I get from alot of people is, "How do I even start on eBay?"

First of all, start small. Set up an eBay account and buy a few things to learn the process and get a feel for how eBay works. eBay and working at home is not for everyone. And it is ok if it isn’t right for you. Sell some of your own things before you invest any money in other products to sell. Understand that eBay is more than taking pictures and working on the computer – you need to be familiar with how to edit photos, shipping, customer service, and Paypal. Take your time and learn about these things before you jump in and go for it full-time.

Once you are comfortable with the whole process, don’t be afraid to take a risk every now and then. I am often asked, “But what if you buy an item and it doesn’t sell?” Well, that’s ok. I can always relist it. I can mark it down and sell it for what I paid for it and move on. You don’t want to buy a truckload of 1,000 items without having tested them out first, but you do want to experiment with different products – you may find something profitable to sell on a regular basis.

Make small investments and try new products to test them out and see what kind of results you’ll get. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new products and try new things. eBay is constantly evolving and no trend will last forever. Experience is the best teacher.

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FREE Marketing Techniques

Here is a FREE creative way to drive bidders to your auction:

Always use your store name when leaving feedback for others. For example, one of our automated feedback responses is, “Fast payment, easy transaction. Thanks from Atlanta Golf Shop.” Why should you do this? It is another way to get your store name in front of a potential customer. Let’s say a shopper is scanning through another member’s feedback. She may see the store name on the feedback and think, “Wow, that sounds interesting. I wonder what this place is.” Out of curiosity she clicks over to your store, and maybe she buys something, or adds you to her FAVORITES and visits you later when she has more time. See how that works?

Also, when sending any email to any person for any reason, cutomers or non-customers, put a link to your eBay store or seller page under your name. You can usually add the link to your signature on your email program under OPTIONS. I can't tell you how many customers I have gotten because my child's teacher clicked the link, the PTA president clicked the link, people who I have bought from on eBay clicked the link, etc. Don't waste an opportunity to promote your store!

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What's your refund policy?

You will not even exist as an eBay seller without customers. Everything you do needs to revolve around outstanding customer service. Offering a fair, generous refund policy shows potential buyers that you are an honest seller and will stand by your products. Customers may never even use the refund policy, but you are giving your customers options just in case they don’t like the item for whatever reason. You are empowering them. If you look at large retailers, they will allow returns on any item for just about any reason.

I see a lot of eBay sellers that have return policies like, “store credit only,” or “returns only allowed if item is grossly misrepresented.” I’ll say as a customer, I don’t buy from these sellers (on or off eBay). As a customer, I want options. I want to know that if clothing doesn’t fit, I can return it. Or if an item doesn’t match my home décor, I can return it. I don’t want to feel stuck with a purchase that can’t be returned. I don’t want to waste my money on a product that may not work for me once I have it in my hands.

My refund policy allows returns within 30 days, for any product, for any reason. I even offer a refund for my eBooks if the customer isn’t happy. Having a fair, generous refund policy will attract more customers to your store and you will make more sales. Even if a customer returns an item and you issue a refund, that customer will know that you are a seller with integrity and they will return to your store. You can always relist the item and sell it again once it is returned.

I sell about 300 items a month, and less than 1% of the items are ever returned. You know how it is, you intend to return an item but never get around to it, or it sits in your car for 2 months waiting to be taken to the post office, and you forget about it. Having a generous refund policy is a powerful marketing tool that any seller can use, and it is totally free.

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