Not only could people find what you have for sale, they come to your online store prepared, confident and eager to buy.

If there was already an easily accessible online platform set up for people to sell products, for minimal startup costs, and it is one of the most visited websites in the world attracting millions of unique visitors every day, it would only be logical to utilise it, right?

Well there is such a place…it’s called eBay – yes eBay!

Here are just a few reasons why:

• eBay delivers the perfect platform to make getting started in the complex, confusing world of online sales simple and accessible; regardless of your expertise online. It’s tried and tested!

• eBay provides a wonderful marketplace to deliver your products to customers all over Australia, all the while making you profit even whilst you’re learning the finer points of selling online. It is a shopping destination!

• eBay is the ideal platform ‘with training wheels’ for the brand new online seller. It’s easy!

So what are the insider secrets to making money on eBay?  Well whether you want to make a couple of hundred dollars or set the foundations for an amazingly profitable business, these Savvy Shopaholic tips (and the ones we will be covering in the coming weeks) will get you up and profitable fast.

Most people I work with start with these questions:

What am I going to sell?

In the beginning, I recommend selling some unwanted items around the house.  You know, the purple vase your in-laws bought you for Christmas or the bonus lipsticks accompanying that recent cosmetic purchase. I started this way and very soon added to my store by savvy shopping for discounted, trending name brand products.

How do I price what I am selling?

I always do research when pricing. I research eBay to see what the ‘market’ price is.  I ‘Google’ the item to check on recommended retail pricing, with this information I set my price.

How do I attract Customers on eBay?

Selling online is based on language!  That sounds strange right?  Most people will find your listing by typing words into a search engine. Only the specific words used in your title will be searchable.  This is very important.

Think like your customer.  What do you like to see when you are shopping online?  What makes it easy for you to make a buying decision?

A picture is worth a thousand words

Do:

Have lots of fabulous pictures.  If you, like me, shop for name brand items to bundle and sell for profit you can often get great pictures from the manufacturer’s website.  If you are taking photos have a clear white background. If you are selling clothes have someone model them to do the clothes justice.  You will get a better price.

Don’t:

Take pictures laying the clothing on a bed or hanging from a door.  They will not look their best. How much would you pay for a pair of jeans lying on a concrete driveway? No joke, I have seen this done.

Write great descriptions

Do:

Ensure you describe the item in detail and include measurements.  I also like to write how I use it or why I like it.  Remember you are appealing to a broad audience.  Some people will just want the facts and others will want to know all about it.  Most buying decisions are made on how the item will make you feel so describe the item in a way the buyer can relate.

Don’t:

Write one sentence on what the item is.  How will the customer be able to decide if they should spend their money?

My whole eBay business was built on the foundation of what I like to experience as a shopaholic.  If you consider your customer and follow a few simple principles (many we will be covering over the coming weeks) making money on eBay is a fun and incredibly profitable adventure.

For more information about Savvy Shopaholic, click here!