How to Succeed on eBay: 10 Key Tips for New eBay Sellers

Starting your journey as an eBay seller can be both exciting and challenging. With around 18 million-plus eBay sellers and 132 million buyers, it is a massive pool where B2C and B2B transactions occur every second. However, the more the numbers, more is the competition to face. The various obstacle comes in the way while selling a product on eBay and these hurdles, further result in a less ROI But! We have got the solution to it!

Whether you’re a first-time seller or looking to refine your approach, following best practices can help you build a strong foundation. In this guide, we’ll share 10 pro-tips that will give you the edge you need to thrive on eBay. From optimizing your listings to providing exceptional customer service, these expert tips will help you avoid common pitfalls and set you on the path to long-term success​

Tips for new eBay sellers

You need to improve the usage of keywords in your product listings to stand out in the eBay marketplace. Key points to follow, and few things to remember while selling.

Well, The wait is over! Here are ten pro-tips for new eBay sellers, which will prove the next stair-step towards eBay’s success.

Do not rush for sales

When you register on eBay, you start as a new seller with initial selling limits. These limits restrict the number of items you can list, but they are renewed and increased monthly by eBay as you continue to sell. For example, a new seller might initially be allowed to list 50 items. After a month, this limit may increase to 75, then 200, and so on.

If you’re starting with an inventory of 200 items, it may take at least three months to reach full listing capacity as eBay gradually increases your monthly listing limits. Initially, eBay may allow a new seller to list only a limited number of items, such as 50 in the first month, then increasing it to 100 or more over time as you establish a positive sales record. Each additional listing raises your visibility and potential for orders, but this growth requires patience. To see meaningful results, focus on listing consistently over at least a year. Many successful eBay sellers spent years building their current status, so concentrate on creating trust and gradually expanding your inventory.

To support your growth, invest in integrations and plugins that enhance your store’s performance. Several third-party integration services offer tools that are worth the investment for a better ROI down the road.

Understand and Adhere to eBay’s Seller Policies

What are a new eBay seller’s limits?

EBay has formulated some rules and norms for customers’ ease with the period, which binds almost every seller. But, eBay is more strict towards the new sellers. To incur lesser chances of complaints and maintain healthy feedback relations from its customers, selling on eBay requires agreement with its seller Policies. Not abiding by the marketplace rules can have unfavorable outcomes for eBay sellers, and if any severe breach of the policy happens, eBay can unlist the seller from its platform So, how should you sell on eBay without breaking the seller policies? Well, go through the eBay selling guidelines very carefully and keep them in mind! They’re not that tough, however!

Grab the right pieces of equipment to sell more on eBay

eBay sellers have been selling many items on the marketplace right from 1996. For you, determining the right types of equipment for your business is a must before you start. While surfing the internet, you’ll come across several things and a long list of ‘to-haves.’ Things like- a good camera, a computer system, or more.

Don’t worry! To start with this, all you need to have is- A place to click some good pictures (A table with a well-ironed white sheet also works!) A proper internet connection (And if there’s no PC, a mobile phone also works well!) Shipping solutions (You can choose from a vast number of options available on the marketplace)

Set-up your selling price to get the best ROI to successfully sell on eBay

Pricing is one of the most crucial elements while selling on any e-commerce market. Most new eBay sellers set out their prices by just skimming their profit out of the cost. You cannot set a price without doing research and analysis.

Certain things should be checked before setting the price- On eBay, there are two types of listings to choose from. – Auction- “Buy this now.” If you produce your item for auction, the buyers will bid for the work, and the one with the highest bid can buy the item. In this case, you set your minimum bid, below which you will not sell the product.

Fixing a bid enables the customer to buy the product at a price of your choice.

How to set the right price on eBay? Keeping an eye at the other eBay sellers selling similar products might help you. So, if you have a microwave to sell, look at the other eBay sellers’ listings for how much price they ask from their customers and how much they are ready to pay for that. Figure out your share of profit by calculating the total charges you’d have to pay while selling. These charges also include the eBay posting fee for listing your product. You can check your shipping charges on eBay’s shipping calculator for a more comfortable reach to it, and you can narrow your profit part through the eBay calculator. We charge two main types of selling fees: an insertion fee when you create a listing, and a final value fee when your item sells. – eBay Well, it’s all based on research!

“It is all in the eyes.” – Add more pictures!

Imagine yourself walking on a street with trees aligned on the pavement and the sun rays passing through the leaves of that tree, making a sleek ray of light that can be seen. I know that’s not related to eBay selling, but!

It felt good! Right? Because your mind related it to the picture placed above and presented a much clear view. What if it was a picture-less book, where you’d have read that? Would that have been more appealing! Well, thanks for the no! Similarly, when a customer reaches an eBay seller’s product, he expects some pictures and can relate to and make up a portrait of the work in his mind!

Your product needs to have a minimum of 3 pictures on eBay. Doing this helps an eBay seller in two ways. One- the customer gets reliant about the product. Two- adding more pictures help you in listing higher on eBay. There are many organic ways to improve your listing on eBay and optimize it for mobile too. You don’t need to be a pro-DSLR-camera-techy for doing this. You’re here to earn money, not for losing it. Follow the eBay guidelines for uploading images and offer a great experience to your shoppers.

Craft Effective Product Descriptions to Boost Sales

As a new eBay seller, one of the most crucial aspects to get right is your product description.

Think about when you search for a mobile phone online—what do you look for? It’s not just about the sleek design, but key details like specifications, features, and whether it fits your needs. The same principle applies to your products on eBay. A clear, concise, and informative description can make all the difference in converting browsers into buyers.

Remember, online shoppers often feel a bit of friction when it comes to spending money, especially when they can’t physically inspect the product. So, your product description needs to reassure them. Address their potential concerns and answer the questions they might have. Is your canopy waterproof, or does it only block the sun? Does your lawnmower require electricity, or is it manual?

It’s not about reading minds; it’s about being thorough. Write detailed product descriptions that highlight key features and benefits in both paragraphs and bullet points. The more you can answer a customer’s intent upfront, the less hesitation they’ll feel. Don’t skip essential information, as missing out on key details can cost you a sale.

Additionally, CedCommerce offers tools to help with listing optimization and can assist you in running ads to increase your product’s reach, ensuring it gets the visibility it deserves!

Having good eBay reviews and ratings really matter!

Having good reviews and ratings really matter to sell more on eBay!

Let it be on eBay selling or any other e-commerce platform, ratings and reviews are just like the backbone and blood of a product. The better they are, the more reliable the product becomes, and with this, the chances of it’s selling increases. Ever wondered why most of the Android apps that you download from your PlayStore or Apple store send prompt push alerts to rate them? The key is getting good reviews and ratings for their products for earning customer’s trust, sustaining smoothly in the market and thus earn money! For eBay sellers too, the better ratings help them in attaining better search listings which in turn result in more views, which in turn results in more sales! And, more sales = more profit!

Read about eBay star colors and their importance HERE.

Bon Voyage! – Shipping your product

How the product purchased by your customer is going to reach him?

How much will the shipping charges on eBay? When will the product reach?

Answering these questions is of great importance for eBay sellers

The figures and stats show that the most common reason for customers abandoning a cart online is the unexpected shipping costs that he has to pay while buying. It is also seen that the customer will tend to buy a product that costs exactly the same as the other product’s price after adding shipping charges. The best way to deal with this can be informing your buyers about the shipping charges before they dig anymore further into the shopping funnel of eBay. Chances are that the 28% might abandon at that point. But, doing this will make sure that the other 72% are well informed about all the charges that they have to pay prior to checking out the cart. If possible, provide your customers with an order tracking option on eBay

Gain trust with a reliable product return policy!

If you are sure about the product that you’re selling as an eBay seller and you know that you have a quality product to sell, there must be lesser encounters of returns. But, it is nearly impossible to be into the selling business and not facing any returns.

Returns have always been a paining nerve for all the eBay sellers out there! Setting up a nice return policy will let your customers be comfortable with doing business with you. Set up a return policy that offers a minimum of 30-day returns. However, it is advised to try getting ‘almost no-returns’ from customers. But, even if it happens, make sure to have good customer support, working telephone numbers, assistance, and ease of return to the customer. A customer who had a bad experience while shopping with you on eBay is more likely to never choose to shop with you again.

Make your customers remember you to sell more on ebay!

There is a ‘Rule of Seven’ in marketing. According to this, if a customer gets to see you for 7 times minimum, chances are that your brand will be stored in his brain. Pretty good? huh?

So, if we look at some stats, 1 out of every 3 people out there has an email account that sums up to more than 2.6 billion email users. An average person spends the most amount of time over internet surfing social media sites other than anything else. More than 70% of the population checks out their push notifications. Well, there seems a lot of space to fit in for the eBay sellers, right? Of course! On eBay, once the purchasing has been done and the product has successfully delivered. You can take measures like email marketing or social media ad campaigns or setting up a ‘push notifications’ feature to reach out to your potential eBay customers. For using push notifications, Subscribers can be used. With this, one can easily set up push notifications for eBay sellers’ accounts.

How CedCommerce can help you

At CedCommerce, we guide you every step of the way—from onboarding to becoming a trusted seller on eBay. We provide everything you need to start and grow your business on eBay, as well as on other major marketplaces. Whether you’re a new seller or looking to scale, we make sure you’re set up for success.

Our 24/7 support ensures that you always have support when you need it, and our dedicated account managers provide personalized help, making sure you’re never alone in your selling journey.

Here’s how CedCommerce can streamline your selling process:

• Seamless Integration: Easily connect your online store with eBay and manage your listings, orders, and inventory from one central hub. You’ll have full control over product and order settings, with the ability to enhance your listings using custom templates.
• Real-Time Synchronization: Keep your eBay listings up-to-date with near real-time synchronization of product details, so you never miss a beat.
• Simplified Order Management: Automate order, shipment, and cancellation syncing to save time and reduce errors.
• Bulk Listing Creation: Quickly create multiple eBay listings using custom settings that suit your business needs.
• Flexible Customization: Enhance your eBay listings with flexible price, inventory, and title templates to ensure they stand out.
• Multi-Account Management: Manage multiple eBay accounts from a single platform, keeping things organized and efficient.
• Simple Product Management: The app provides straightforward product management with easy variations handling, saving you time and hassle.
• Real-Time Insights: Get real-time updates on ongoing and finished activities to track your performance and make informed decisions.
• Cross-Platform Selling: Begin selling on eBay through platforms like BigCommerce, WooCommerce, PrestaShop, OpenCart, Magento, and Magento 2. We are also available on the Shopify App Store.

With CedCommerce, managing your eBay business becomes easier, faster, and more efficient. Let us help you grow your business while simplifying your workflow!