Many sellers are hesitant to get started selling on eBay, but did you know that eBay has a larger audience than all other peer-to-peer reselling marketplaces combined?
eBay is so complex with so many features. Many sellers are a bit overwhelmed with navigating eBay.
You might also like the article: 10 Great Marketplaces Every Reseller Should Consider
As a Poshmark Seller, I was initially a bit overwhelmed when I started selling on eBay. The interface, complicated listing form, and confusing shipping process intimidated me. I wondered why it had to be so complicated. Now I get it. It is not that complicated; it just offers that many selections to maximize visibility and profit!
eBay is the largest and most lucrative online reselling marketplace, with 182 million users worldwide. 🌏
Fun Fact: The most expensive item ever sold on eBay was a megayacht purchased for $168 million!
eBay has the most buyers, the most seller tools, and the most selling categories. It is the resale powerhouse, and if you’re not already, it is time for you to start selling on eBay.
Here is a basic overview and a step-by-step on the first steps to get started!
Is eBay Worth It?
Absolutely yes! Undoubtedly, listing on eBay’s listing form looks complicated. But with the challenges come great opportunities, including:
- A Huge Audience (182 Million Users)
- Simple International Shipping
- A Broad Range of Categories
- Lower Selling Fees
- Decent Customer Service
- Seller Resources and Analytics
- A Mobile Application
- Different Tiers of Membership (Subscriptions)
- Various Shipping Options
- The Ability to Promote Listings
- Different Listing Types (Auctions or Fixed Price)
💡 Tip: The eBay app is awesome, but to use all the features available, check out the website on a desktop or laptop. The desktop website provides extra tools such as making batch offers to watchers or batch editing your listings all at once.
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1. Don’t Be Intimidated
eBay is notorious for being the most complex and difficult platform to use. Many newbies are anxious to start listing, and even seasoned resellers hesitate to cross-list on the marketplace. Remember that eBay is the largest global e-commerce reselling marketplace with the most opportunity. Millions of buyers are successful on eBay, and you will be, too. Today is the right time to start selling on eBay. You’ve got this!
Change your perspective: eBay's intricate processes are just opportunities disguised as obstacles! While the requirements are more demanding, they are infinitely more rewarding, with ample opportunities for subscriptions, services, exposure, and an array of business tools to support sales and growth!
Did you know that with Vendoo, you can crosslist your items to eBay in just seconds? 🚀
2. Do Your Research
eBay is not all that difficult to use once you become familiar with the platform, which takes both research and experience. Learning the ins-and-outs of eBay will help you to navigate the marketplace.
As with all marketplaces, learning the rules before you start selling is important. Be sure to carefully review eBay’s terms of service and seller protection information. eBay is strict.
Here are the basics to know before you get started selling on eBay:
What Can You Sell on eBay?
You can sell (almost) anything on eBay, from clothing to cars and even parcels of land. The permitted items list is so expansive that it is easier to list what you can’t sell on eBay. eBay is a global platform, and you can easily sell items to buyers all over the world through the Global Shipping Program.
What Are eBay Fees in 2023?
The short answer is approximately 15%, but it varies.
In comparison to many of the other resale platforms, eBay offers competitive selling fees. Here is an overview of fees, credits, and invoices on eBay. eBay’s selling fees depend on your membership, store status, item, and the buyer’s payment method, but they might include an insertion fee, a final value fee, and any elective promotional fees.
- Insertion fees are synonymous with “listing fees”. When you sign up for eBay, you will receive an allocation of “zero insertion fee listings” per month; for basic users (without a store subscription), you can list up to 250 free items each month.
- Final value fees are standard commission fees at time of sale. For most categories, they’re ten percent of the sale price (including any amounts that buyers pay for shipping).
- Promotional fees are optional, but not that optional if you actually want to make many sales.
💡 Tip: Promote your listings! You can promote all of your listings and will only have to pay the extra promoted listing fee if the item sells directly from the promotion.
How Does Shipping Work on eBay?
eBay offers many different listing and shipping options for sellers. While the extensive selections may seem overwhelming, they provide the seller so much control.
There are many shipping choices for eBay sellers. eBay allows sellers to create custom business policies for their listings that encompass all of their preferences as far as carriers and services. eBay provides more control and flexibility for shipping than any other marketplace. With the new eBay International shipping program, worldwide sales have never been easier!
We could write an entire article on eBay shipping; in fact, we did! To learn everything you need to know about shipping on eBay, check out the article Shipping on eBay for Beginners.
What is the Difference Between eBay Auctions and Buy It Now Listings?
On eBay, listings can be sold for a fixed price or auction style, with additional options such as “Buy it Now”, “Best Offer”, and “Good Til Canceled” (for store subscriptions). Here is an excellent resource to explore the different options and strategize about which might be best for your items!
💡 Tip: Selling items via auction is a great way to maximize profit for your items, as prospective buyers may bid up the price! Don’t worry; you can set a minimum threshold to ensure that you yield at least your bottom line!
3. Make More Sales on eBay by Consistent Daily Listing
eBay is a daily commitment. For best results, you want to list items daily. Remember, iit takes only seconds to cross-list with Vendoo! So, get your items up, but do so steadily over the course of several days, instead of all at once. This consistent daily activity will help you to get started and maximize your reach.
Like all platforms, consistency is key when selling on eBay. It is crucial to list regularly and of course, to feature amazing photographs and descriptions. eBay listings are like no other, as they truly encompass every last detail! eBay’s description requirements epitomize the level of detail we should all strive to include in our listings on every reselling platform.
Reseller Tip: For faster listing, establish eBay Business Policies, where you can save your shipping, return, and payment preferences. These custom preferences are saved as “business policies” and become your default settings when drafting listings, so you do not have to make all of these selections each time.
While all e-commerce platforms may require a seller to enter an item’s category, type, brand, style, color and size, eBay requires quite a bit more. eBay’s item specifics include everything from material content to product identifiers. While listing on eBay is certainly time consuming, all of the required and optional fields are little dropdowns of opportunity! As these fields are searchable, providing all of the information will generate the most exposure, interest, and purchases! The more detail, the better.
💡 Tip: Unlike some of the other reselling platforms, eBay sellers recommend putting an item’s size right in the title.
You may also like: How to Create Product Listings That Sell on eBay and Poshmark
4. Provide Amazing Customer Service
This is a given, right? You do not need to read a blog to know that you should always provide excellent service to your buyers. I am sure you are already delivering accurate descriptions, timely responses to questions and offers, offering lightning-fast shipping, always being polite and professional (and never petty). Good, keep it up.
eBay is much more business-like than some of the other reselling platforms which more closely resemble social media accounts. eBay provides the largest global e-commerce platform, the most exposure and visibility, the largest array of business tools and resources, and an advanced customer service and seller protection team. With eBay's power, comes seller responsibility. To be frank, eBay does not tolerate some of the “bad behaviors” that one might get away with elsewhere.
💡 Tip:: You can dispute buyer feedback on eBay, which is one of the many ways you are protected as a seller.
Failing to follow the rules, listing prohibited items, canceling sales, excessive return requests for items not as described (“INADS”), and bad reviews will all jeopardize your eBay business. While mistakes happen, take extra care to ensure that they don’t. “Defects” can affect your seller score, your membership fees, your listing limits, and your account standing. eBay is arguably the strictest platform when it comes to monitoring seller conduct. Don’t be nervous about this- be thankful and proud to maintain a good standing and successful business with the largest e-commerce platform in the world!
💡 Tip: If you are cross-listing your inventory, remove your item from eBay immediately after it sells somewhere else, as canceling an eBay sale is harmful to your eBay account. I use Vendoo, which has sale detection and automatic delisting so I never have to worry about this!
5. Select Your Account Type & Subscription
Once you are a bit more comfortable with eBay, consider upgrading your subscription! There are many types of accounts and subscription tiers on eBay that offer various benefits to you as a reseller, including avoiding insertion fees, promoting items, shipping supplies and discounts, and other business tools and benefits. eBay store subscriptions range from “Starter” which is an entry-level option for “occasional sellers’ to “Enterprise” for professionals with large catalogs and a high volume. There are additional options for everywhere in between, which are illustrated in detail here.
While eBay offers a basic account, it is limited. Most eBay sellers concede that you need a store to be very successful on the platform. According to eBay, “If you currently sell less than 50 items each month, you probably don’t need a store subscription.” However, as your eBay business grows, consider which store subscription is right for you.
The benefits of having an eBay store include:
- Lower (or no) insertion fees
- Discounts on final value fees
- Promotional offers and the ability to offer a sale
- Free shipping supplies
- Discounts of business services
- Seller insights and business tools
- Enhanced customer service
Reseller Tip: Click here to help determine which store subscription would be best for your reselling business.
eBay is definitely… a lot. Selling on eBay is a lot of work, with a lot of selections and options. With this, comes a lot of exposure and a lot of room to grow your reselling business!
What are your best eBay tips? Share with us below! 👇🏽
Ready to sell on multiple marketplaces? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Online Marketplaces for Resellers!
