8 Great Ways to Improve Your eBay Sales

Improve Your eBay Sales
eBay has established itself as a brilliant medium to buy and sell all manner of items. It has its own rules and method of operating although it can be a bit daunting if you lack the necessary experience in using eBay and selling items in their auctions. Below are 8 tips which can help improve your eBay sales and turn browsers into repeat Customers if you decide you want to sell items successfully on eBay:-
1. Include a picture/graphic/image in EVERY listing.
A picture speaks a thousand words, as the saying goes. Never has this been more true than on eBay - a picture or image (or a number of them) will certainly help your item sell. Take a moment to think about if YOU wanted to buy an item - would you buy something sight unseen? Of course you wouldn't and neither will the majority of buyers on eBay. Due to the potential vast distances between Buyer and Seller a picture/image is vital - especially if there is damage to the item for sale, or a certain area needs extra detail. Take care when actually photographing auction items as poor quality photos can be just as bad as no pictures at all. If you are selling expensive items, the more photos you should provide even though eBay sometimes charges extra for more pictures/images.
2.Provide your Customers with appropriate detail.
It is better to go a bit over the top and provide a lot rather than insufficient detail about your auction items, plus you can also pepper your listing description with keywords. However, ensure that your auction listing is totally informative and not filled with hype or personalised descriptions - if you describe an item as perfect, it MUST be perfect, not your definition of perfect. In your titles do not fill the title with L@@K or use lots of exclamation marks as they look unprofessional and will not influence a Customer in any way. Give your Customers appropriate details such as model/serial number, color, size, new/used, condition, age, etc...
3. Include keywords and phrases in your title.
It may appear that the title is not a vital ingredient in the equation, but it's importance cannot be understated and it really is of great importance, plus you only have a limited number of characters to use. It is the first thing Customers see when browsing through the auctions, so it not only has to grab a Customer's attention, but also entice them to buy. Do not enter a title in ALL CAPITAL letters - this looks amateurish. It is better to CAPITALISE the First letter of each title word. Also include in your title as applicable; keywords, model/serial number, brand names, item size, color, etc.
4. State all of your selling requirements upfront.
You must state on your auction listing how much you intend to charge potential Customers for shipping, which countries you are willing to ship, if you will accept returns, how Customers are to pay for items and anything else that you might wish to specify. You have to get all requirements out there at the beginning, You really can't make things up as you go along. N.B. Do NOT try to increase your profits by inflating shipping costs.
5. Respond to Customer questions promptly and courteously.
Respond promptly if a potential Customer contacts you with a question. If you don't respond quickly and wait, you can lose a much - needed sale. Be sure to be polite in your response as no question is too stupid to warrant anything other than but a courteous reply. Even if that person subsequently doesn't bid on your item, they will certainly remember your pleasant and professional attitude and that could mean a future sale.
6. Accept PayPal payments
The majority of buyers on eBay prefer to pay for their purchase via PayPal and you can set your auction up so that it only accepts PayPal payments. Although PayPal is an eBay company, I believe that if you start selling a lot of items it is vital for you to accept this method of payment. These days, online payments are more secure, and it is also beneficial to you as an eBay Seller as it eliminates the potential for bad checks or money orders, or delays in money clearing through banks, etc..
7. Follow-up with your customer
After the auction ends, the majority of winning bidders expect the seller to begin the completion of the transaction. So send an email thanking the Customer for their business, send an invoice, email the buyer when the item has been shipped or is to be shipped, and be sure to leave feedback once the transaction has completed.
8. Offer a Unique Selling Point (USP).
It is a competitive world out there, and trying to be a successful eBay seller is no exception. The competition can be fierce, so anything which makes you stand out from the crowd (in a good way !) will be helpful to your sales. A common technique which is used in sales is to offer a Unique Selling Point (USP), e.g. offer free shipping, adding a free gift or other item, 3 for 2 offers, etc.. You want your Customers to receive true value on anything you are selling and for them to buy from you regularly.
Conclusion.
Making any money in the current climate is truly a feat in the real world. An exception to the rule however in the online world is selling items on eBay. First, you must decide what you want from eBay, whether it is to supplement your earnings, make a living wage or trying to earn a full-time living and try to achieve Power-Seller status. Whatever you do, put the necessary effort in and make the best of it. It is must not be forgotten that eBay is an online community, your reputation is always important as eBay has its own system in rating people's integrity as both a buyer and/or a seller. Try to keep abreast of eBay's changing policies.