Seling on eBay - A guide to get Started Even if you have no experience selling on ebay, you CAN get started today! Its simle and easy and only takes a few simple steps.  First, if you don't already have one, sign up for an ebay Account Take your time choosing your username, this will become your ebay Identity.  It is also a marketing tool, choose something catchy that will get buyers attention. It is important to also sign up for Paypal.  Paypal is a widely used form of payment processing for buyers and sellers.  A paypal account is free, and you do pay a small percentage to accept payments through paypal.   These fees are minimal in comparison to the online market and the opportunity to make money through ebay.  Click below to sign up for a Paypal account.  When singing up, use the email address associated with your ebay account. Next, start learning on eBay by searching through existing listings.  Take your favorite product, for instane if you love handbags, search "handbag" in the search field in ebay.  Look at the way the seller presents the item, whether they use an auction template or not, how many bids are on the item, and their feedback score.  Pay attention to the quality of photos, and how they present the item in the TITLE.  The more you view items on ebay, the more you can see how other successful sellers are using ebay to earn income.  Take the time to check out all the ebay categories, ebay HELP pages (top right corner), and you can even chat with an ebay rep by clicking on "Live Help". Helpful tips and tools are available directly through ebay,  CLICK HERE Whats next? I want to start selling! Get a pen and paper and write down all the items around your home that you would want to sell.  These can be anything that your not using anymore, that you would put in a garage sale because they are just sitting collecting dust.  Your trash may just be someone's treasure!   Need Ideas for creating your list? Dig through your closets, search through your drawers, there is something waiting for you to find a new home for it on ebay.  Brand name clothing, accessories, jewelry, vintage jewels, old electronics, cell phones, antiques, holiday items, toys, car parts, handbags, shoes, home decor, and so much more!! Get to it! Now, complete the steps after clicking "sell and item" top right corner.   Once you have completed those steps, continue on... Develop a plan for your item listing.  First, search the item you are selling.  If it is a cell phone, type for example, "Motorola RAZR" (or type in your model cell phone) to browse successful listings in this category.  Some great title keywords are:  EUC (Excellent Used condition), MINT, and NR (No reserve).   A reserve means that you have placed a cap price on the item so that the item does not sell if does not meet a specific selling price that you set.  Learn more about  reserves  HERE Title your item.  Pick a title that you would want to click on.  If you are selling a Motorola Razr, a great title would be:  "Motorola Razr Mint in Box NR"  If you really want more exposure you can add more details in the subtitle such as complete with home charger, bluetooth, full loaded. Describe your item.  Avoid writing a book, but describe your item with short facts or sentences that will be inticing to your buyer, such as:  You are bidding on, condition, measurements, sizes.   Once you have described your item, briefly tell your buyer your terms.  Something like the following: "I accept Paypal, money orders and cashiers checks.  Payment is due within 7 dyas of auction close.  Do not bid if you do not intend to pay.  I report non paying bidders.  I ship within 2 business days of payment.  You are responsible for insurance.  I am not responsible for items that are not insured.  Thank you for looking and be sure to check out my other items!" Honesty is essential when you are selling on ebay.  If you are dishonest and not acurately describe your item, it could result in an unhappy buyer who might leave you negative feedback, or even open a paypal dispute.  Click here to learn more about feedback. More on paypal disputes. Shipping Always, as often as possible, be accurate on shipping prices.  Avoid inflating the shipping price to get more profit from the sale.  This turns buyers off and they will never return or shop with you again, and it also may result in negative or neautral feedback.  If it is a larger item that is heavy, take it to the post office boxed up to see how much the shipping will cost.  This way, you are getting a close estimate on the shipping charge instead of guessing.  If you guess the shipping, you could overchagre or end up footing the bill for the shipping and that is never fun. Heavier items always cost more in shipping, and shipping is also based on distance.  So these are things to consider when pricing your item for shipping.    Click here to calculate postage from the USPS.   Click here to research prices for different delivery options from the post office. Flat rate Priority mail is always a great way to ship. Delivery confirmation is important when shipping large or expensive items.  This not track the item, but will give you status on its delivery.  This way, you have proof that you shipped the item and that it was delivered.   Feedback One great way to build your feedback on ebay become a quick paying buyer.  Buy things on ebay you would normally buy at the store locally, this way you are increasing your feedback number as well as building your ebay reputation.  Seasons One big mistake new ebayer make is selling items out of season.   For example, you would not  want to list your old swimsuit in the middle of winter.  Even if its the hottest suit you have ever worn, others will not see its potential if  its cold outside.   Ebay Code of Ethics Some general advice to follow are some simple common sense concepts.  Customer service is HUGE.  Always answer emails quickly.  If you have items listed, check your email at least once a day.  This is where many sellers loose customers because they do not answer emails in a timely manner, which is a form of communication to the buyer.  If you don't care enough to check your email, then they don't care either and are off to another seller shopping with them.  Be respectful, even if you think the person has a stupid question.  There are no stupid questions on ebay.  Just think about it, you wouldnt buy a dress a special event if you didn't know the waist measurement or color, right?  Keep this in mind when answering questions.  If you are professional in presenting yourself in email, that creates trust and can lead to more sales, and more return buyers. If a buyer has not received and item yet, try to assist them by letting them know the time frame of when to expect the item and encourage them to let you know when they have received it.   If insurance is not purchased, kindly remind them that you are not responsible for packages that are uninsured.  Being rude via email is the same as being inconsiderate in person.  This will scare off any normal person and nobody likes a rich jerk! State your policies within your auction or on your ebay ME page.  This is a great way to be upfront with your viewers and create trust between you and your buyer.  Lastly, invest in great web design.  If you don't have the money for a website, that  is OK!  A simple ME page or Storefront is a great way to get the ball rolling with a professional presence.  Auction templates are so much fun!  Here at dream dezign we offer a wide variety of templates and also offer custom templates to fit your ebay Style.  Feel free to contact us to get started on your Storefront or Auction template project! Learn how to use an auction template!