How to Make Money on eBay by Avoiding Classic Mistakes

When considering how to make money on eBay there are a few common mistakes that you should be aware of. These mistakes are repeated time and time again on the internet auction website, continually reducing the profits of those that make them. And what’s more, they are mistakes that are particularly easy to avoid, once you are aware of them.

1. Never forget to take a photo of what you are selling

You would be startled to know how many auctions sit in the background of eBay, never making a lot of money, purely because the person that posted the auction never bothered to take a photo of the item. Pictures can speak louder than all of your fancy and persuasive words, so don’t fall into the trap of forgetting this all important step.

2. Carefully consider the length of your auctions

The initial instinct when creating a new eBay auction is to make it last for as long as possible, thereby increasing the chances of more people finding and bidding on your item. However, in learning how to make money on eBay, you will soon discover that success can also be linked to convincing your viewers that the item will not be around forever. Short three or five day auctions may prompt a potential buyer into action, when otherwise they may have waited until later and forgotten all about you and your product.

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3. Set your starting bid low

One of the reasons that some products sell for so much money on eBay is the thrill of the auction. People will get caught up into a bidding war and spend more money than they would elsewhere in their desperation to win your item. If you set your starting price too high then many may be put off bidding altogether, instantly dismissing you as overpricing your goods. If you don’t want your item to sell too cheaply it is better to set a reserve price than a high starting bid.

4. Proof read your listing

You should be aware that once your auction is posted you can’t change its title. That means if you spell something incorrectly you are stuck with it, only attracting those people that might accidentally make the same typo within their search bars. Spend just a few minutes looking over your listing to ensure that everything is spelt correctly, paying particular attention to your title.

5. Only use the features that you need

As you learn how to sell on eBay you will quickly discover that eBay will happily take a little of your money, offering you a service for it such as a gallery picture, or an extra line of text to go underneath your title in search engine results. Although these optional extras don’t cost a lot, the price could soon mount up if you are using them frequently. Sometimes the extras will really help your success, but if you are selling cheap items then adding these additional fees will reduce your overall profits; pay only for what you need.