Boosting Ebay sales / beating fees

Emma285

I've been selling a few bits and bobs on ebay recently, but quite a few things end up unsold or go for starting bid etc.. Occasionally i've been really lucky and got loads of money for something i didn't think was worth the starting bid, but haven't worked out why somethings sell better than other.

Does anyone have any tips for attracting watchers and bidders to your items?

I've also noticed that ebay have set the maximum postage as FREE for quite a few items like books / cd's / dvd's, which has meant the postage needs to be included in the selling price. I quite often stick stuff on for 99p to avoid listing fees but this isn't always possible if the postage is going to be more, so again does anyone have tips for getting round this?

(I mainly sell odd bits that we no longer need or use, and want to list a load of baby stuff that's used but in good condition etc..)

danielle1977

Good pictures and a decent decription, I find if I put a bit of time into it I always seem to make a bit more than when I rush it.

I have made £200 recently selling used toys and clothes that are no longer worn from around the house-all helps in time for christmas:)

carolbe

I've also been selling a lot of out-grown toys etc. on Ebay lately - good to have a clear-out as well as making some extra money!

Although it's great to get free listings when they're listed at 99p and under, it's still only 15p to list an item between £1 and £4.99 starting price. It's not really a huge risk, when you consider how much more you could get for it. That's what I do, if I couldn't bear for a particular item to sell for only 99p!!

Good luck with your listings!

funkyfish586

I hope this allowed.. i a not self promoting just want to show the op what i do with my ebay listings

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170397914768&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

ok i havent got any bids on this item loads of pople watching. I use photobucket and write it in to the html code so you can have big pictures & ebay do not charge you. I start everything at 99p but sick of stuff selling for that so will be upping it to 2.99

x

danielle1977

How do you write the HTML, do you use something like frontpage where you can write it in 'normal' and convert to html-or do you have to know how to write in html?

Do the photos have to be hosted somewhere online for it to work?
Thanks
Danielle

pbryd

Think about what day and time your listing will end and who might be looking at that time of the day.

Try to avoid end times when people will be busy, eg:

3.30pm during the school run
Fri/Sat night, people may be out socialising

Emma285

funkyfish586 wrote: »

I hope this allowed.. i a not self promoting just want to show the op what i do with my ebay listings

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170397914768&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

ok i havent got any bids on this item loads of pople watching. I use photobucket and write it in to the html code so you can have big pictures & ebay do not charge you. I start everything at 99p but sick of stuff selling for that so will be upping it to 2.99

x

Thanks for this - the photo's look great. I'm going to look into using photobucket for my next lot of auction stuff.

I noticed you're in the Cov area - me too! Strange coincidence!

funkyfish586

Emma how odd lol... Lovely Grey Coventry!!


Danielle.. Open a photobucket account and upload all your pics on to there, you may have to spend a few hours playing around with the sizes and things just for the 1st time as you dont want them to big etc. Ok im going off memory but once you have uploaded them to Photobucket, if you hover over the pic it will give you the option to copy HTML code copy it and go to sell on Ebay. You need to use the advanced sell not the quick. Write your ebay description & there is a tab next to the white text box that says HTML click that and under your description paste the HTML code. click back to general view & you will see the pics. You have to keep the pics uploaded to photobucket until the listing has eneded other wise it wont appear. It sounds complicated but it really isnt. Its definiely helped my sales ( although not this one )

x

Emma285

Is sat afternoon a good time to end the auctions? I've got several things due to end after lunch this time, but suddenly wondered whether it would've been better to time them to finish on a weekday eve instead? I'm just about to go and list a load more bits using photobucket!

On the plus side - most things have a bid, albeit a minimum one - even the ones where the starting bid was higher than 99p! :j

soolin

funkyfish586 wrote: »

I hope this allowed.. i a not self promoting just want to show the op what i do with my ebay listings

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170397914768&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

ok i havent got any bids on this item loads of pople watching. I use photobucket and write it in to the html code so you can have big pictures & ebay do not charge you. I start everything at 99p but sick of stuff selling for that so will be upping it to 2.99

x

The photos look good and as long as you keep them small enough for people on slower ISPs to open I think using photobucket is an excellent idea.

Since you have put your id up might i make a comment please? You need to rethink your despatch times, you are currently at 4.4 stars which means your visibility is poor and you are running the risk of a seller warning.

Ebay now rank sellers by way of stars (and I assume you check your expanded dashboard as well for 1 or 2 * warnings?) and dropping below 4.7 will start to endanger you. 4.4 is usually considered the absolute lowest you should ever get to and maybe it might be an idea to get some very quick sales now that the despatch times stars have been disabled due to the sales.

Emma285

Some of my items sold quite well today - the best one being something i paid £4.99 for, kept certain bits back i wanted to keep and sold the rest today for £6.20!!! Don't you just love ebay!

A few other things went for just over the initial price, two things went for the lowest bid and one didn't sell at all. Overall not bad though - i've made £25 ish.