eBay: A Beginners Guide. How to Unlock it's Potential | Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of our eBay help blog. In Part 1 we covered the basics in setting up an item listing. Now we will go into detail about how to improve the return on your listings and how to improve positive feedback from improved postage techniques.

Timing

Peak shopping times on eBay are in the evening, on weekends, or both. You need to carefully calculate when an item you have listed for auction ends. Each item listing is for a certain amount of time, be it 48 hours or 2 weeks, they all have an end date and time. To maximise the number of people watching or bidding on your items, you should place a listing so it ends after 6pm but before 11pm on weeknights, or during the weekend (but not in the twilight hours). This will give you a better chance of selling your item or receive a higher purchase price.

Pictures

Every item you ever place on eBay should have at least one picture. It may take up time and seem quite laborious, but it is worth it. Also, do not simply Google Image a product and use that. Find a camera, a well lit area and take pictures of the actual item. The more detailed and representative the picture, the better. Failing that, most phones will take a picture that is up to scratch. Also remember to avoid the use of the flash at all costs to avoid reflections, so somewhere with plenty natural light during the day is best.

It is free on eBay to list one image. More pictures costs more money. Only expensive items are worth spending extra money on the listing. It is seen as more open and honest if you take a picture yourself as opposed to one from the internet. Honesty is key to positive feedback.

Packaging

Make sure you have suitable packaging to post the items. Be this brown paper, bubble wrap and or/boxes. It is extremely important that items are not damaged in transit to avoid disagreements with customers and couriers. Of course, it is very easy to forget that the packing should be factored into any earnings forecasts, so make sure you calculate the cost of packing into the postage costings. Another essential task it to have the packaging worked out and purchased in advance of the items being listed so that you can a) work out the exact costs and b) have the item ready to be shipped as soon as possible after it has sold. A delay in postage due to packing the items is not very professional and again, leads to potential negative feedback.

Postage Costs

One of the biggest pitfalls eBay sellers can fall into is lost items, damaged items or incorrect postage costs/prices. First of all, as we have mentioned in the Packaging section of this article, a damaged or poorly protected item reflects badly on you. But equally as bad is an incorrectly posted item. The last thing you want is to send an item, only for the buyer at the other end to incur extra charges because you didn’t post it correctly. All couriers (especially the Royal Mail at your local Post Office) charge for postage not just based on weight, but also by package size. You can calculate the correct postage price and method at home, however best ask the advice of the Post Office for the first (if not all) shipments.

eBay lets you set the postage cost that is charged to the customer upon purchase. Make sure that this is accurate. There is the opportunity to increase the postage cost too far or mask a cheap Buy it Now price with a high postage charge. However, this is frowned upon and can seem dishonest. If you need help with what to charge for posting, simply visit a Post Office with the item and/or packaging and ask for an estimate. You can also see prices on their website here.

The Actual Postage

Another important consideration is the service you use for posting. 2nd Class, for instance, may be cheap, but it can take a while to arrive at the customer and there are zero guarantees if it gets lost in the post. Ultimately, you have to make a judgement based on cost, timing and coverage for any issues. For larger and more expensive items, recorded delivery is a must and it is worth considering the next steps up like a Guaranteed/Insured Next Day service. Even for lesser items, Recorded Delivery is not that much more and does offer at least some sort of proof should you come into question.

Lastly, in the item listing description, explain how long it will take you to dispatch. This is also worth considering when you set the listing to end (see the Timing section of this article). Lets say, for example, your listing ends on a Monday evening, but you aren’t able to post the item until Saturday morning, then that is a significant delay. In each item listing, state not just how long the postage will take, but also how long it will take you to dispatch e.g. “This item will be shipped within 3 working days of purchase”.

Hopefully this has been a help, whether you are a first time eBay user, or someone that has tried it before but not to such an extent.

For all your Pound Lines, Toys, Gardening, Christmas, Halloween and general discount store wholesale items, please visit the full range at www.discount-wholesale.co.uk. Discount Wholesale is part of the Poundworld Retail Group Ltd. This article can also be found on our Advice Centre.