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Tips for selling on Ebay

Share and discussion your tips for selling on Ebay
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Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert.
Please note, answers don't constitute financial advice, it is based on generalised journalistic research. Always ensure any decision is made with regards to your own individual circumstance.
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Comments

  • vanoonoo
    vanoonoo Posts: 1,897 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I don't know a lot about ebay but I've heard mention of free listing days - so they are good to watch out for - I believe it means you can list in certain categories without paying for the privilege
    Blah
  • lauraw78
    lauraw78 Posts: 248 Forumite
    *Download turbo lister.
    *Have a good rummage round your home for items you never use.
    *Be careful to list any faults with the item, try to turn the negatives to positives!
    *Take a look at similar items to what you want to sell and price your goods competitively.
    *Buy your brown wrapping paper from the cheapest shops, ie wilkinsons, I usually get my bubble wrap from the fruit and veg boxes in tescos and asda....saving a small fortune.
    *Look out for people bidding on the same item as you are selling and email those bidders to let them know you are selling the same item also.
    *Dont over price, people look on ebay for a bargain, I always find that with most items if you start the bidding at 99p more people will be interested and will start the bidding straight away.

    :) go for it, everyone has items in their homes which you never use, dont want etc...sell them on ebay and start making money
  • scheming_gypsy
    scheming_gypsy Posts: 18,410 Forumite
    get a few friends to bid up to your reserve price making it look like there's more interest than there is


    i didn't say that....... honest
  • From talking to my Ebay avid brother he said do not use free listing days - as lots of the same items go on and actually reduce the price for the seller - i think he only pays about 15p to list so he gets better prices not on those days
    Always on the lookout
  • divadee
    divadee Posts: 10,608 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    on the free listing days, so many products get put on that it is a buyers market!! most people put them on for 7 days so 7 days later there are bargains to be had!!

    also a warning about the free listing days you have to pay up front and then you get it refunded, i warned my friend but she put all her crap great merchandise on and it ended up costing her about £90 she will get it refunded at the end of july but has had to pay for it before then, also it comes as a credit on your account so you have to use it for e-bay!!!
  • twins_2_Be
    twins_2_Be Posts: 745 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    A couple of comments....

    1. I can see some of the logic for avoiding the free listing days as 7 days later the site is flooded with stuff and prices may be lower than the 15p you save. BUT, how about listing for 1,3,5,10 days instead....that might avoid the flood and still benefit from saving 15p.

    2. Is the free lsiting days available for all terms 1,3,5,7,10 days or just for 7 day listing???
    It is not MY fault that I never learned to accept responsibility!
  • MisterT2
    MisterT2 Posts: 166 Forumite
    Just a point that I have recently used a free listing day for 4 items. Two completed at quite a reasonable price (compared to other sales) and two were sold privately as a result of people seeing them on ebay and wanting to try them out first. So, I have no complaints - apart from my bill was £5 too much until they sorted out why.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,206 Community Admin
    10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Free listings days are great but indeed you have to pay upfront which is a pain, but if items listed don't sell on free listings day then you can normally relist for free if the item sells the second time.

    Things to make sure of when listing items is make sure the descirption is Detailed & Readable, the amount of auctions i've seen with one line of text or 400 words all in one paragraph making it a chore to read.

    Also with the Auction Title Try and Think of what words you would want to look for when trying to find something.

    Regards

    Megazoid
    This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com
  • Zed_3
    Zed_3 Posts: 1 Newbie
    Tomorrow, (thursday 8th) is a free listing day, here is what Ebay say about the charges ....
    ****** Free Listing Day Credits Clarification ******
    Date: 06/07/04 Time: 05:57:39 PM BST


    Many members have asked us to clarify the refund/credit details on our forthcoming 1p-99p Free Listing Day promotion this Thursday, 8th July 2004. If the criteria are met no charges will be applied to your account at all. The "sell your item" form will show that no listing fee has been charged.
    For further information see this page:http://www.ebay.co.uk/sell/080704_Q3ftfld.html


    So unlike the last time,w here you ahd to have charges refunded, there will be no charge made to your account tomorrow at all, as long as your sale meets their criteria. HTH.
  • kaznelson
    kaznelson Posts: 463 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    Sunday is a good day to end your auction on as this is the day when the site gets more hits.

    I find that you have to take into account simple things, like if the weather is good or bad? People dont want to be sat a PC on a nice sunny weekend.

    Bargins can be found in the early hours as there are fewer users on
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