Five Tips Every Ebay Seller Should Live By

There’s a stack of money to be made selling your used clothes, tech and household items. According to Gumtree’s report into the second hand goods economy, peer-to-peer trading is worth $34b in the Aussie economy. So, how do you get in on some of that action?

Gumtree’s research found that Aussies with unwanted items stand to make close to $4200 per household, with the average household holding onto approximately 25 unwanted or unused items. But up to half of us just throw items away. As well as costing us money, there’s the bigger issue of the damage to the environment that stems from tossing useable or repairable items out.

The most commonly tossed gear includes clothing, shoes and accessories, books, music, DVDs and CDs, games and toys and electronics.

So, what are the keys to making a buck on the second hand economy using Gumtree, eBay, Facebook or other online peer-to-peer selling sites. Here are five tried-and-tested tips that you definitely need to follow.

#1 Photos Matter – A Lot

Whether you’re selling a house, car, CD or old PC take pictures that make it clear to the buyer what you’re selling. If there’s a scratch or dent, make that clear so the buyer doesn’t get a surprise when they buy.

Take flattering pictures. Make sure the lighting is good, avoid leaving shadows or reflections that obscure detail and crop out any junk around the object you’re selling.

#2 Clear Description

I’ve lost count of the number of items that have grabbed my interest only to find the description lacks important information. Model numbers, software version numbers, the year of manufacture, and specifications are super important.

For example, if you’re selling a computer, list the processor type, storage capacity and memory as a minimum. These can be easily found in the “About this Mac” in macOS/OS X or in the Windows Device Manager.

For other items, sizes, measurements, colours and other details are worth noting in the description.

#3 Postage, Delivery And Payment

Make any postage and delivery charges clear. If you prefer not to ship overseas or interstate – tell the potential buyers. If you’re not prepared to allow people to meet you for item pick-up then say that.

#4 Communicate

Potential buyers will have questions even if you think you’ve ticked all the boxes in your description. Be prepared to answer questions promptly and update the description accordingly so you don’t get asked the same questions over and over.

#5 Watch Out For Fees

There may be fees associated with listing and selling items. Make sure you’re aware of those before you list your item. You may find there’s a listing fee that’s followed by a commission on the sale.