19 Free eBay Secrets to Success!
Learn eBay Secrets from experienced sellers to help increase your chances of selling with little to no effort. Selling on eBay is not difficult--in fact, it can be quite profitable if done correctly. The problem newcomers face is the large amount of information that is available on eBay--it's hard to know where to start!
This post will give you all the secrets you need to for success when selling your products on eBay. You'll learn how best to take photos, what you should include in your shipping protection plan and how much responsibility you have as a seller for providing customer service. Plus, you'll even learn how to get your listing to stand out from other eBay sellers.
We organized this article into three part series so that it is as easy for you to read as possible. We'll start with the basic information (going over shipping, shipping health and customs information) and then we'll move on to filling out your eBay account. Finally, we'll show you how to effectively manage your inventory and set up a decent return policy. This post will cover most of the basics of selling on eBay!
Part 1: You Need Shipping & Handling
Shipping is one of the most important aspects of successful selling that can literally make or break your auction. If you want to get top dollar for your products, you need to ensure that customers are satisfied with your shipping methods. You can do this by including the following information in your shipping protection plan:
1. Free Shipping
The first thing that you need to do is decide if you're going to offer free shipping. For many new sellers, the answer is yes! Free Shipping is a great way to attract more customers because they don't have to pay for the cost of shipping. Even if it's $0.50, it helps! If you decide not to offer free shipping, more than likely your listing will get overlooked by potential buyers who want free shipping--and that's not what you want!
2. Tracking & Delivery Confirmation
This is another policy that you should include in your shipping protection plan. This allows buyers to track their orders and let them know when the package has been delivered, if it gets lost in customs, etc. You need to include this information with the tracking number so potential buyers can't claim their packages are lost. If this happens, you'll be liable for the money they paid and could lose out on a lot of money!
3. Cancellation or Return Policy
You want to include a good return policy like eBay requires sellers to have--even if you don't have to offer a refund! This will help reduce the amount of time you have your item up for sale. If you offer a return, eBay will flag your listing and the current buyer will not be able to auction it again--which could hurt your chances of selling.
Shipping Information
a. Domestic (US) Shipping Address: Add the shipping address that is on your sales invoice or shipping label. Make sure that this matches the address that you are using for shipping via USPS Express Mail.
b. International (non-US) Shipping Address: If you're planning to ship internationally, it's important to include all the international shipping information. You'll need to include the following information:
1 – Destination Country (country from where you ship) including its postal code if applicable. If you're unsure, open the eBay listing and go to the View Page link. Copy the country information from there.
2 – Destination City/Town
3 – Destination Postal Code/Zip Code or Local Address ID (if applicable to your destination country) http://www.parcel2go.com/parcel_tracking/local_id_codes_listing?country=United+States&state=04000
3 – Delivery Service: USPS Express Mail is recommended because it is one of the fastest international shipping services available and it can be tracked online. If you do not use Express, you will need to specify a shipping method from your local postal office.
4 – International Shipping Cost: It's important for you to get the international shipping cost before you begin packing and shipping your item. This will help you avoid overcharging your customers!
4 – Insurance: The seller is required by eBay to insure all shipments through their payment service (PayPal). To begin putting together your shipping protection plan, go to the "Shipping" tab of your listing and click on "Insure this Item." You will see the current insurance amount and be able to add or remove insurance at anytime.
5. Tracking: You can either ship with tracking or not. If you're shipping with the option to track, you MUST pick up a USPS tracking number that is available by going to the "Shipping" tab and clicking on "Track and Confirm" under "Additional Shipping Services." You should always include this because buyers want to know when their package is being delivered to them. If you don't include any type of tracking number, the buyer can't file a claim with the carrier if the package is lost or damaged. If this happens, you will be liable for the money they paid and could lose out on a lot of money!
Part 2: Completing Your eBay Account
1. eBay Account Info: Go to "Manage My Account." Enter your username and password information. Enter your email address so that you can receive notifications regarding new eBay account activity. Keep in mind that you MUST have a current email address to get any notifications from eBay! You may also choose to create a password if you have not yet done so. Once everything has been entered correctly, click "Save.”
2. The Profile: Go to "Manage My Account." Click on "Profile," and enter your information! This will show up in the search results and make you look more professional. It will also help when customers talk to you through eBay's messaging system. You'll need to make sure that your shipping protection plan is outlined in your profile so buyers can see the information on file.
3. Set Your Store Preferences: Go to "Manage My Account." Click on "My Selling Preferences," then go to the section that says "Store preferences" at the top of the page.
Conclusion
eBay is a great place to sell your items. eBay is also known as an auction site, which means that you list items for people to buy and get a commission for every sale. You can list any type of item including clothing, accessories, electronics, books, and more. eBay is also a great place to sell your products if you're looking for a platform that doesn't charge listing fees! After you've decided on your method of selling, worry no more about having the perfect listing--you've got it covered!
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