How to Sell on eBay: 4 Tips to Succeed In Online Sales

eBay is a leading online marketplace for retailers of all sizes. Its product listings, number of sellers and history of online selling dwarf most other marketplaces.

In fact, it’s very likely that you may already be selling on eBay, have purchased from the website, or at least know someone whose life mission is to stay up all night to sell on eBay.

I had the opportunity to gather some advice from online sellers on best practices for selling on eBay. Here’s what I gleaned:

Outsource as much as you can

As an online business, your focus needs to be on delivering exceptional service to your customers and, of course, getting the word out about your business. But doing everything by hand can be draining, and in the end, it can hinder your business’ growth. Luckily, online retailers have a variety of software solutions to help them with all their ecommerce needs, so there’s no need to go it alone.

For instance, when it comes to marketing your business, look for tools that can schedule social media posts so you don’t have to worry about updating Twitter/Facebook in real-time.

When it comes to shipping, be sure to look for shipping solutions that can save you a trip to the Post Office and automatically post-back tracking information into eBay. That way, you don’t have to enter details manually, and you have more time to spend on your customers.

Ship fast with the right shipping carrier solution

When a customer buys from you, there’s two things they want to know. One, what’s the estimated shipping time for the product they ordered to reach them? Two, will the product indeed reach them in that time frame? Retailers who ship products as fast as they can and within the estimated shipping time earn a “gold star” from their customers.

As an online seller, you need to work on narrowing the time between order and expected delivery. Start by comparing solutions from different shipping carriers to find the best shipping option and rate that works for you.

Make your product descriptions very clear

It’s VERY disappointing to receive a product and find that it’s not as described. Successful online retailers use clear product descriptions and pictures. Do your best to ensure that the product described online is what the customer receives.

Include product dimensions, color(s), and material. Also, remember who your target customer is and include benefits from the product that will entice them to make the purchase.

Impress with creative packaging

How your packages look upon arrival is important. They need not be wrapped like a Tiffany’s diamond, but the packaging should be sturdy enough to sustain the shipping journey, and also presentable enough to leave a good impression on the recipient.

Creative packaging doesn’t just consist of the outer layer either. Personalizing your product can also mean slipping a small surprise inside the package – like a small treat, toy, inspiring quote, coupon, etc. Check out this article on creative packaging for more tips.

Remember that there’s a gap between buyers and sellers. Having a mindset to constantly narrow that gap is what every good seller should aim for.

One last thing to keep in mind – focus on great customer service. This does not mean the customer is always right, but it does mean you should focus on providing your customers the best purchase experience possible.

If you want a good read, check out “Kick Ass Social Commerce” by John Lawson, a top-rated eBay seller.