| The best way to learn about the best way to list | | | | items, you should require insurance, and include that |
| your auctions is by analyzing auction listings for items | | | | cost in your shipping price. Marking your shipping up |
| that are the same or similar to what you are selling. | | | | by a dollar or a dollar fifty will help defray the cost of |
| Try searching eBay for completed auctions of | | | | your shipping supplies and auction fees. |
| exactly the same item you are selling, sort the list by | | | | Pricing your items can be tricky. You don't want an |
| price (descending), and study the listings for the | | | | item to sell for less than you paid for it, but by |
| items that sold for the highest price. Observe the | | | | starting the bid too high the item may end up actually |
| similarities between the words in the auction title, | | | | selling for less than if you had started the bidding |
| similarities in the auction descriptions, what categories | | | | lower. If you are selling an item that has resulted in a |
| the auctions were listed in, how pictures were used, | | | | sale in nearly all of the completed auctions for that |
| whether or not there were gallery pictures, the | | | | item, then you are safe in starting the bidding low. |
| shipping costs, and what day of the week and times | | | | Demand is high, so you item is very likely to sell. |
| the auctions were listed and closed. Analyzing this | | | | Starting the bidding low will draw more bidders. More |
| information will give you the best information on how | | | | people bidding against each other on your auction will |
| to get the highest price for your item. | | | | ultimately drive the price higher. If you want to make |
| When listing an item, you should try to put yourself in | | | | a quick sale, you can often use the Buy It Now |
| the mind of your customer. Think about what search | | | | feature, and price Buy It Now at a couple of dollars |
| terms your customer would use when looking for | | | | less than the average completed auction price of like |
| your product. Those terms should be used in your | | | | items. |
| auction title and description. | | | | Don't buy features such as bold, highlight, or border. |
| Auctions for items such as collectibles, clothing, and | | | | The extra cost of these items is generally more than |
| jewelry should always include pictures. Again, observe | | | | the feature will increase the selling price of your item. |
| completed actions for similar items to see how | | | | After you are more experience, you may want to |
| pictures were used in the most successful auctions. | | | | try featured auctions, but it is expensive so use it |
| Items such as office supplies or paperback novels do | | | | with caution. |
| not necessarily need an accompanying picture, though | | | | After you gain some experience you will also want to |
| it certainly wouldn't hurt. | | | | try using html in your auctions, the free listing |
| Ensure you are charging an appropriate amount for | | | | software Turbo Lister, or a third party auction |
| shipping. You will lose money by undercharging, and | | | | manager. |
| you will lose bidders by overcharging. For expensive | | | | |