How to Sell Things on eBay for Beginners: Complete Guide (2024)

Starting a journey to connect with people worldwide and grow your business is amazing. Your online shop on Shopify is like a cool place on the internet, and it’s a great way to meet lots of potential customers. However, marketplaces like eBay can also help you reach even more people and make exciting things happen.

Navigating the eBay marketplace, however, can prove somewhat intricate, especially for newcomers. Knowing how selling on eBay works becomes super important as a beginner. So, let’s dive into understanding how you can start selling things on eBay as an aspiring beginner through this guide.

eBay Selling Guide

eBay is one of your best options alongside your Shopify online store to take your business global. However, understanding how does selling on eBay works can be a scary aspect for beginners. In this guide, we’ll explore the basics of creating a listing. Above all, you’ll learn everything from setting up your account to how you can sell things on eBay as a beginner.

How does eBay work for beginners?

The first question that often comes to everyone’s mind is – “is it easy to sell on eBay?” Well, it is. eBay is the leading diversified online marketplace. It generated a staggering $9.94 billion in revenue last year alone. Also, it caters to two main types of vendors:

• New sellers: These merchants are just starting and offer a limited selection at a fixed price.
• Experienced Sellers: These are the pros on eBay. They put in a lot of work to find, package, and send items, and they’re experts in how eBay works.

No matter if you’re just starting or you’ve been at it for a while, eBay is a big platform where people from all over the world can see what you’re selling.

How Does Selling Items on eBay Work?

Selling items on eBay starts with creating a seller account. Then, you decide whether you want to list your products under fixed-price listing or auction listing. The third step begins with taking clear photographs and writing compelling copies of the titles and product descriptions. And finally, get prepared for the shipment by gathering the packaging requirements to ship the items securely.

Also, one of the most important parts of understanding – How does selling items on eBay works is creating good shipping, return, and payment policies. Not to forget, with time, effort, and learning you’ll soon turn into a pro-eBay seller.

Selling Fees on eBay Marketplace

Creating an eBay account doesn’t cost anything, but once you start selling stuff on eBay, you have to pay some fees.

Insertion Fees are levied each time an item is listed for sale. When selling things on eBay you usually have a limit of up to 250 free listings every month, but there are some exceptions for categories like real estate and cars.

Final Value Fees kick in when a transaction is successfully concluded. When selling on eBay, it claims a humble proportion of the overall transactions. This includes the basic cost, the money it takes to run things, the delivery costs paid by the buyer, taxes, and any other extra charges.

Payment processing fees pop up when buyers use credit cards, debit cards, or other ways to pay. Even when eBay refrains from charging these fees, payment processors might claim a slice. Opting for eBay managed payment system incurs an additional fee.

Selling Things on eBay

It is a straightforward affair to start selling on eBay. The eBay website portal gives you to ‘Register’ or ‘Sign In’ options atop its interface. Signing up is really easy. You only need to give some basic information, and there are no tricky questions.

Creating Your eBay Store

Creating an eBay Store mirrors the start of an upscaled eBay selling experience. Here, your merchandise can flourish while strengthening your brand. Your online store should look nice and go well with the stuff you’re selling, so it’s easy for people to shop.

Having a store when selling on eBay comes with some great benefits. You pay fewer fees, get more free listings each month, and can use extra tools to make your business stronger.

eBay Store offers specialized tools, giving your products a competitive edge. Also, personalized eBay profiles display professionalism and individuality. Here’s a list of perks enjoyed when you sell through an eBay Store,

• Reduced transaction fees, translating into a healthier bottom line.
• Enhanced visibility within search results, increasing the odds of customer engagement.
• Access to discounted shipping supplies, enabling efficient order fulfillment.
• Full control over the aesthetics of store pages, permitting customizing it according to your brand’s identity.

Adhering to eBay’s Rules

Navigating eBay necessitates adherence to its code of conduct. If you don’t follow these rules, your listings might not get noticed. And in serious situations, your eBay account could get suspended. Several rules are self-evident. However, you must keep a keen eye on all the rules to make sure you are updated.

• Prohibition of illicit items, including controlled substances, counterfeit merchandise, and recalled products.
• Exclusive use of original imagery for product listings, avoiding external sources.
• Conduction of all transactions exclusively within the eBay ecosystem.
• Prudent reservation of order cancellations as a last resort.
• Punctual dispatch of orders in alignment with stipulated timelines.
• Diligent response to buyer concerns, ensuring satisfactory issue resolution.
• Being honest and clear in your product listings is important. Don’t include extra contact info, outside links, or wrong details.

Understanding eBay’s Restrictions on New Sellers

eBay has certain limits for new sellers to make sure everything goes smoothly. When you first start selling things on eBay, you can only list up to ten items each month. Also, you can’t use all the listing tools until you’ve been selling things on eBay for 90 days and have received ten positive feedbacks from buyers.

While these rules might seem strict, they’re in place to make sure everyone has a good experience on eBay. Once you’ve proven yourself as a reliable seller, you’ll be able to list more items.

Knowing What to Sell on eBay

Knowing what to sell on eBay is an important aspect of expanign to the marketplace. First, find the top selling items on eBay. Next, use other ways that are available to you:

• Staying on Top of Trends: Make sure you match the popular items in eCommerce by keeping an eye on their trend indicators. It helps in selling profitable products, above all, the things that people want.
• Using Terapeak: eBay offers Terapeak’s analytical tools to figure out when certain products are most popular during the year. Use it to get a clear idea as to what to sell on eBay and you can time your sales just right.
• Selling Secondhand Items: eBay started as a place for buying and selling used stuff. Take advantage of this tradition by selling used things. You can sell multiple things ranging from electronics, vintage clothes, video games, and rare books.
• Appealing to Collectors: Build a following of enthusiasts by offering rare collectibles, whether it’s coins, watches, or stamps.
• Vintage Goods: Embrace eBay’s history by selling vintage items, from old records to timeless memorabilia.

Setting Your Product Prices for eBay

Once you know what to sell on eBay, you may enjoy the liberty of establishing your pricing strategies. You have two of the below mentioned options moving forward

Option 1: The Online Auction

Auction-style listings on eBay are like exciting contests where buyers compete by placing bids. You start by setting a minimum price buyers want, and then buyers try to outbid each other. The person with the highest bid wins the item. This format works well for rare and highly wanted items, creating excitement and competition among buyers.

Option 2: Buy It Now

Another way to list items on eBay is called a fixed price listing. It is similar to a regular retail store. Buyers can buy the item right away without going through a bidding process. The “Buy It Now” feature is great for items that people usually buy regularly or widely available items.

Payment on eBay caters to buyer preferences and accommodating:

• Apple Pay
• Credit and Debit Cards
• eBay Gift Cards, Vouchers, and Bucks
• Google Pay
• PayPal Account and PayPal Credit
• Spendable Funds

Sometimes, different payment methods might be used in certain cases. These can include checks, escrow services, money orders, or various online payment options.

Crafting eBay Business Policies

Constructing your eBay listings necessitates careful deliberation on various business policies. These policies resonate through your storefront, influencing profitability, customer satisfaction, and online reputation.

• Shipping Policies: Buyers prefer faster shipping these days, fitting with the modern desire for quick satisfaction. To make your listings more appealing, consider offering accelerated shipping options. And if possible, provide free shipping. If you sell larger items, think about offering combined orders to help reduce shipping costs.
• Payment Policies: eBay’s payment process has become more efficient with managed payments. Now, you can use various payment methods like credit cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and PayPal. These established payment methods cater to the majority of buyers, simplifying transactions.
• Return Policy: It’s crucial to have clear return policies. Make sure you specify how long returns are accepted. Being transparent about who covers the cost of return shipping builds trust with buyers and encourages purchase.

Even though they might seem small, these policies can have a big impact on your success on eBay. So, it’s important to choose them carefully.

Managing Your Product Listings

Keeping track of your active listings and inventory can become a challenging task, especially as your sales grow. Some people who love spreadsheets might find them helpful for smaller product counts. However, high-volume sellers face more complex challenges.

That’s where feed management applications come in. They make it easy to organize your product information and send it to eBay. The integration take the manual work out of listing management, reducing your work hours – acting like a skilled assistant.

Navigating eBay Orders

When selling things on eBay, efficient order management is important. Replicating orders in your online platform becomes a task to maintain proper handling time.

Feed management applications really excel in creating a smooth connection between your orders and your online store. This guarantees that every order is promptly synced immediately. CedCommerce’s achievement of Silver Solution Provider status for eBay emphasizes its expertise in creating seamless connections for sellers, making it a top-notch integration solution.

Getting Paid On eBay

The grand finale of any eBay transaction centers on payment collection. This three-act drama unfolds as follows:

• Sale Completed: When a buyer pays it marks the start of the handling and shipping process.
• Funds Available: eBay rapidly makes funds accessible, generally within two days, post-validation of buyer satisfaction.
• Payout Initiated: Finally, decide when and how you prefer to receive your funds. This flexibility lets you create your unique schedule and financial objectives.

Optimizing Your Listings for eBay

Creating listings that captivate prospective buyers and stimulate their purchase impulse is an art. Think of it as narrating a compelling story about your product. The process is as follows:

• Choose the Right Category: Ensure your product finds its place within eBay’s categorical framework and item specifics. Consider it like placing your book on the correct shelf within a library.
• Showcase with Imagery: Buyers yearn to visualize their prospective purchases. Therefore, investing in high-quality, well-lit images is the best bet for interest and averting disputes.
• Craft a Magnetic Title: Your listing title functions as the headline of your product. Thus, using catchy titles and actual description is important.
• Narrate in the Description: A comprehensive, articlulate, and informative product description, infused with relevant keywords, elucidates your offering, stimulating buyer confidence. Employ short sentences to enhance readability.
• Detailed Information: The devil lies in the details. Furnish comprehensive information about your product, sparing no vital particulars.
• Employ All Available Tools: Leverage eBay’s formatting options to highlight essential aspects, reinforcing your product’s value proposition.

Boosting Listings with Promotions

Sellers possess two invaluable tools: Promoted Listings and Seller Hub Promotions. These serve as potent instruments to augment sales and augment visibility.

Promoted Listings helps you propel your products to top positions within eBay’s search results. Enhanced visibility translates into more clicks and, ideally, more sales.

Several sellers have reported a 36% surge in visibility by embracing this feature. Remarkably, you pay a fee only in the event of a sale. It’s akin to saying, “I’ll pay you a token when success graces my endeavor.” A number of supplementary tools facilitate the monitoring and optimization of your promoted listings.

Seller Hub Promotions act as a specialized toolkit. It permits the implementation of several offers and promotions for buyers. This toolkit empowers sellers to:

• Extend graduated discounts for increasing order quantities.
• Institute Buy One, Get One Free promotions.
• Stage expansive sales events to beckon shoppers.
• Offer discounted shipping to enhance affordability.
• Harness coupons without the necessity of secret codes.

Using a Connector App to Simplify Management

Connector apps, sometimes called integration apps, act as the link between your online store and external marketplaces such as eBay. These are specialized software solutions making it easy for data to flow back and forth between your eCommerce platform and eBay. Or in simple terms, connector apps allow you to handle your eBay listings, inventory, and orders right from your online store’s.

Benefits of Using Connector Apps

The benefits of utilizing the connector app for Shopify and eBay are manifold. Firstly, they save you time. They automate tasks that would otherwise be done manually. This time can be redirected towards strategizing and growing your business. Secondly, connector apps enhance accuracy by minimizing data
entry errors.

Furthermore, they enable you to maintain consistent inventory levels across multiple platforms. It becomes a great asset that ensures that you don’t oversell or undersell your products. Lastly, they provide valuable insights through integrated analytics, helping you make data-driven decisions.

FAQs

How do keywords impact eBay search visibility, and how can I use them for my listings?

Keywords significantly influence eBay search visibility by aligning your listing with common buyer searches. For better optimization, choose 3-5 words closely related to your item and weave them into your listing’s title and description. This method substantially boosts your listing’s discoverability to prospective buyers. Ensure the keywords you select are those that buyers are prone to use when searching for your items on eBay.

How does eBay’s Global Shipping Program work, and what are its benefits for sellers?

The eBay Global Shipping Program (GSP) operates by allowing sellers to ship their items domestically to an eBay center, which then takes over the responsibilities of international shipping and customs clearance. This service provides several advantages, including streamlined logistics, protection for sellers from shipping-related feedback, and a reduction in the costs associated with international sales and returns management.

How can I stay informed about the latest eBay seller policies and updates?

To stay updated on policies, regularly visit the eBay Seller Center, check eBay Announcements, and engage in Community Forums. Moreover, listen to the eBay for Business Podcast, attend Webinars, and ensure you’re subscribed to eBay emails. Also, you can follow eBay on social media, and utilize the Seller Hub for management and alerts.

Is opting to Integrate my online store with eBay is a good idea?

Yes, it is advised to integrate your store with eBay. eBay integration with your online store streamlines operations and expands market reach by enabling real-time inventory sync, centralized order management, and automated product listings. This ensures efficient management, reduces the risk of overselling, and provides access to eBay’s vast customer base, potentially increasing sales and enhancing customer experience across platforms.

Conclusion

In conclusion, learning how to sell things on eBay is important for budding entrepreneurs. Understanding the general basis of how to set up an account, optimize the listings, and use some pricing strategies means that a seller is fit to reach a global audience and do so effectively.

This also means researching connector apps in order to ensure that you can manage follow eBay rules. The success and possibility to grow your business in one of the world’s largest marketplaces for eCommerce are certain if you apply dedication and the right strategies.

Also, to simplify how selling on eBay works for you, including a connector app to automate the order, inventory, and product feed management can help you reduce the workload manyfold. It’ll give you much needed time to plan and strategies multiple important growth aspects of your business.