eBay advice

Although I haven't been blogging recently I have still been online using eBay to buy and sell different things. I've seen a few blogger posts about how to use eBay but they often have the same advice. A few people have asked me how I make money on eBay so I've decided to give a few tips as it has been so useful for me. When I have been really unwell and not able to work its good to be able to sell things and get a little bit of money to keep me going. Here is my advice!

Sell in season. Buy out of season
When it comes to selling try and think what people will be searching for on eBay. In summer most people want bikini's and shorts but in winter they want jeans and jumpers. If you have things to sell but it isn't the right season consider storing them for a few months so that when you do sell they do better. When it comes to buying the opposite applies, if you know exactly what you are looking for it can be better to look out of season. Look for jumpers in summer and you will find they are at a lower price and have less bidding competition.

Think beyond clothes
Many people only sell clothes on eBay but often other items do much better. Men's shoes sell much better than men's clothes and other items such as furniture and board games can do well too. If you are having a clear out it only takes a minute to have a quick search on eBay and find out if what you wan to sell is going to make you a profit.

Look out for things to sell
My own wardrobe ran out of things for me to sell a long time ago so now I have to find things that will make me some money. When people know that you sell on eBay often they give you things they are getting rid of for you to sell. Ask your parents/friends if they don't want anything that they cant be bothered to get rid of and try and a sell it. Anything that doesn't sell you can give to charity and see if they have better luck! I also look in charity shops and car boot sales for items that I think will be worth something. Car boot sales are better for this as often you can get clothes for 50p which means if you sell them for 99p you have at least made some profit.

Stock up on postage
Its good to always have a stockpile of envelopes and brown paper ready for if you need to post something quickly. If you buy these from the post office you will end up paying over the odds for the convenience. I usually get envelopes from Wilkinson which are around 50p for 10 and come in the right size to post as a large letter. Brown paper is also much cheaper out of the post office and is usual for wrapping big items like shoes.

Check post office prices
When I first started on eBay I used to make the mistake of packing everything up really small and into a square shape but after a few weeks of posting like this the lady at the post office told me they should be flat not small. I went home and looked into the prices and dimensions and learnt how to save money on postage. If you go into the post office now you can pick up a leaflet which explains it all. It's useful to know and understand postage so you can offer the right prices.

Right picture, right time
Getting the picture right on eBay is important as most people are very visual, let them know of any marks or stains and make sure the picture is accurate. Selling at the right time is important and most people know that selling on a Sunday evening is the best time. However if it isn't possible to sell on a Sunday most evenings are a good time to sell especially in winter. You can also plan a time for it to end for a small fee.

Make eBay work for you
For a lot of people eBay is long and boring but if you start to enjoy it then it can really work for you. Use the iPhone app to make it easy and convenient to list items and write interesting descriptions to capture peoples attention. The more you like listing the more you'll want to carry on!

I hope these tips help! Let me know of any others you have!