Top Tips for Running a Successful eBay Business

Running an eBay business is a fantastic way to make a little money in your spare time, however managing it successfully isn’t as simple as uploading some item descriptions and waiting for the bids to come in: if you want to maximise your profits you need to think like a professional retailer.

Use Images: if you don’t, you’ll be deterring a great many buyers. If you can’t see why, put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. Would you buy something you couldn’t see? Considering the ease at which anyone can begin selling on eBay, if you can’t see the item in question, would you even be sure it existed?

However, you need to think about more than just an image: aim for the best quality picture you can and ideally, show the item from a number of different angles.

Don’t Just Use PayPal: Although it is the most used payment method on eBay, not everyone has a PayPal account or wishes to make transactions by this means.

Offering a wider variety of payment options not only makes you look more professional, it also means you’re able to attract bids from a larger spectrum of shoppers.

Think Positive: positive feedback is key. The more of it you can boast, the more confidence buyers will have in you and the more (and higher) bids you will attract.

It’s advisable to begin selling only small items in order to build your feedback rating, before starting to sell large and expensive goods.

Package Properly: if you want to give off the impression of a professional outlet, you need to ensure you pack all your goods properly – nobody’s going to be impressed if their antique figurine arrives in two pieces.

Invest in cardboard boxes of varying sizes and plenty of bubble wrap rolls. If you ever run out of bubble wrap, scrunched up newspaper provides a reasonable alternative but it by no means offers the same professional image.

Be Reliable: choose a method of shipping that not only offers clear and fair pricing but that is also trustworthy and reliable. Remember that if your carrier slips up, it will be you that suffers the repercussions.

It’s also worth overestimating your shipping time. If you overestimate and your goods arrive ahead of schedule, your customers will be impressed. If you underestimate and the items arrive late, they won’t be.

Do Your Research: before putting goods up for sale, ensure to check how much they’re selling for elsewhere. If you put your goods up for sale at too high a price, you won’t receive any bids. Price them too low and you may be selling yourself short. 

Written by Amy Fowler on behalf of UK Packaging, suppliers of cardboard boxes and bubble wrap rolls.