If there’s one thing we take pride in, it’s trying to find EASY ways to make money online! And so, learning how to sell stuff on eBay is right up our alley!
So, conventionally we do prefer other routes for making money that require a lot less work. Here’s a list of our favorite ways to make money online in order of preference:
Basically, we like money-making methods that require the least amount of effort on our part. However, if you know how to sell stuff on eBay, there’s still TONS of money in it. So, if you feel like joining the retail industry and that being an eBay seller is your calling; we gotchu! This is the beginner’s guide to selling stuff online on eBay!
HOW TO SELL STUFF ON EBAY
First things first, before you learn how to sell stuff on eBay, we suggest you read this. It is an article on “What is eBay” with everything you need to know about the online auction retail platform! It only makes sense that you learn about the platform before joining as a seller, right? So, get to know all the basic information you need before you start your own listing!
Also, you should know that once you learn how to sell stuff on eBay, you can technically live off it. This is because eBay is a very friendly marketplace for sellers – even beginners. So, you can expect to make an income very quickly! The formula for selling on eBay looks kinda like this:
Seller List Item ⏩ Customer Makes Purchase ⏩ Order Is Done
#1 How to set up an eBay account
Naturally, the first thing to do towards learning how to sell stuff on eBay is to set up an account. Luckily, doing so is VERY easy. Anyone can set up an account on eBay. All you have to do to set up an eBay account is follow these steps:
- Register for a personal or business account on ebay.com by clicking “Register”
- If you want to sell small amounts, pick “Personal Account”; for larger amounts, pick “Business Account”
- Create a user ID – people will see this when viewing your listing or interacting with you
- Set up an automatic payment method like PayPal, checking account, or some kind of credit/debit card
NOTE: if you do not use a business account, eBay will charge you an insertion fee when you create a listing. And also charge you a final value fee when the item sells. The insertion fee varies depending on the category, while the final value fee ranges between 2% and 12%.
#2 How to create a listing
This next part is the actual part of learning how to sell stuff on eBay which is creating a listing. But, before you actually create a listing, you have to have a product! The cool thing about eBay is that it allows you to sell pretty much everything and anything you want!
- Used items like old electronics, furniture, toys, books, and basically anything
- Collectibles such as rare Pokemon cards, vintage items, or watches
- Cars – used or new
- Vintage items like memorabilia, record players, cassette tapes, and more
- New items including selling your own brand, selling wholesale, reselling items, and more
- Super random items like mugs, egg cartons, board games, and anything else that comes to mind (Craigslist vibes)
If you want to learn how to sell stuff on eBay but still don’t know WHAT to sell, click here! It contains a list of the 4 top, best money-making items to sell on eBay. These items have high profitability, high demand, and low competition!
Creating a Listing
So, now that you’ve picked your items, it’s time you actually learn how to sell stuff on eBay. Creating a listing is where you do most of the work. Here’s how to do it:
- Log into your account and click “Sell”
- Identify your product – we suggest you use the “Quick Listing Tool” for a beginner
- In “Tell us what you’re listing” describe your product, then select a listing that matches
- Edit any fields to customize your particular product & add the missing information
- Choose between Auction-style and fixed-price style
- Set your listing duration (start date and duration)
- Price your item (do some research for competitive rates on similar items) – click here
- Set up shipping options – unlike Amazon, eBay does not handle shipping if you don’t want them to. Click here for shipping options!
#3 How to manage and optimize your listings
Finally, the last part of learning how to sell stuff on eBay is managing and taking care of your listing. Making money on eBay doesn’t end with the listing. As a seller, you have to engage with the buyers, answer their questions, promote your listing, and complete transactions.
And, you also have to focus on building a positive seller reputation so that eBay increases your credibility score.
This makes buyers more eager to buy from you, trust you more, and boost your search rankings. Here are things you can do to better manage your listing and become a better seller:
- Promote your listing
- Offer competitive prices and good shipping options
- Keep track of your items to avoid canceling sales and orders
- Keep track of shipped items to provide customers with delivery dates
- Answer buyer questions as soon as you can with excellent customer service
- Complete a transaction as soon as eBay notifies you of a positive seller reputation
On a final note, learning how to sell on eBay might seem intimidating at first. However, once you get the hang of it, it’s all pretty easy! eBay is one of the best places to sell stuff online, you just need to get started!