|
|
|
|
|
Regardless of the value of your item, it always make sense to start the bidding low. A low starting value will usually get users caught up in bidding wars, which will drive up the price of your auction. Also, most users are inclined to bid on an item with more bids, as opposed to an item that has not yet been bid on. Setting a high initial price will limit the number of bids you get, and will usually stop the selling price of your item from going too high. To prevent your item from selling at a ridiculously low price, simply add a reserve. Keep in mind however, that using a $1 start for a $500 item will just be a waste of starting bids. Instead, set something reasonably low, around the area of $50.
eBay allows sellers to add a reserve price to their auctions. Put simply, a reserve price is the minimum value that a buyer must bid for the seller to sell the item. This value remains hidden from all users. Combined with a low initial starting price, a reserve will make sure that your item gets more bids, and still sells for the amount you want. In fact, adding a reserve will often cause users to bid higher than they normally would, just to make sure that they pass the reserved amount.
Even though no one ever wants to be the first to buy from a seller, there always has to be a first. The trick to making your first sale is the same trick that is used by the most experienced of sellers; you need to appear reliable. Always give out more information as opposed to less. A buyer who feels that a seller is hiding something is not likely to get involved in the auction.
Of course, the easiest way to check out a seller is to check their feedback score. Luckily, buying an item from a user will add to your score. Before selling , it's a good idea to make at the very least 10 purchases to get a decent score. If you're looking to sell more expensive items, then you might need up to 50 positive score before you gain the trust of others. The easiest way to get these scores quickly is to buy cheap ebooks. Because sellers have unlimited quantities, they'll sell them for cheap. They have no shipping cost, and the transaction is near instant. Even though feedback from buying says nothing about a seller, most users will just see the score, and fail to inquire further.
The best way to show that you're a serious seller is by using good pictures. Using a real picture as opposed to a stolen one will make sure you don't get into post-auction trouble on eBay. The trick to putting yourself above other sellers is to personalize your pictures. Many sellers think that using generic photos looks more professional when power selling on eBay. Consider this: would you rather buy from a photo that looks like it's been ripped from a commercial, or one where it is obvious that the seller is showing you the condition of the item you're actually bidding on. Listed below are several ways to make your photos look personal while still appearing professional.
When taking a photo, it's a good idea to put the item on hardwood flooring, tiles, or carpet. This is better than simply putting it against a white wall because it makes it clear to the buyer that the item in the photo is the one they are bidding on. Using the same background for all your photos is a great idea, since buyers who go through your auctions will see that you're not ripping photos from other sellers.
eBay may charge a bit more to use multiple images, but it's important to show users more than one angle of your item, especially if you're selling high end items. Try to include up to 4 pictures, to give a full 360 degree view. One way to get out of the extra fee is to take several pictures and merge them into one single image file, seperating each photo with an obvious line. When done correctly, users can't even tell that it's all one image. Make sure that your photos are clear, and everything is visible. Any blurry or unclear images are always seen as suspicious. Finally, always state under the image that you will give more images on request. For the relatively small effort, you gain enormous amounts of trusts (and the extra bids that come with it).
The problem with selling products on the internet is that anyone can steal a generic gallery photo off of google or even another seller's auction. Watermarking your images is a simple process of "stamping" all your photos with a semi transpartent message -- usually your username or the name of your company. Watermarking will make sure no one steals your images and casts doubt on the both of you. Put the water marking diagonally across the image or through the middle, so that the image cannot be edited to remove it. Make sure that the auction item underneath is still easily viewable.
Most eBay sellers have run into "deadbeat" buyers. For some reason or another, these users bid but never pay. On most occasions, these are going to be new users. You might see other sellers trying to protect themselves from this kind of thing by having messages such as: "Not paying will result in negative feedback!", or "Only bid if you are serious!". This sends the wrong message, especially to new buyers.
The easy way to make sure you don't get accidental bids is to give the buyers a friendly hint: "Item comes as seen, make sure you read my shipping prices before you bid!", or "Make sure to email me before bidding if you have any questions!". This encourages bidding while making you seem friendly and caring. New users are always more likely to buy from someone who will help them learn. Answering emails is extremly important for enticing buyers. Becoming an experienced seller means that you will get the dumbest questions that people can think up. Although it can be infuriating at times, learn from it. If you keep getting questions about whether or not the iPod you're selling comes with the headphones, put a caption under the image saying "Comes with everything above". This will cut down on the number of needless emails you get. The ones you do get however, are usually a good sign. An email often means that a user is moderately serious about bidding, so make sure to be curtious and professional. If the question seems obvious, or even it can be answered by looking at the auction, answer it anyways. Reffering your potential clients back to the auction makes them feel foolish, and could lose you a sale. Always end the email with something like "Never hesitate to email me with a question!".
Making background checks on bidders can save you a lot of grief. Simply search the feedback pages using the bidder's userid and you'll be able to do a quick and effective background check. If the bidder has multiple negative feedback on high priced items, then it's probably a good idea to cancel their bid, and add them to your list of blocked bidders.