Steps for a successful sale on ebay

eBay provides you the opportunity to sell your items to a world-wide audience. Before listing your first item, it is helpful to know some basic information about selling on eBay.

Selling basic steps

1 Become an eBay seller
2 Prepare to sell your item
3 List your item for sale
4 Manage your listing
5 Complete the sale


Step 1: Become an eBay seller.

Begin by registering and creating a seller's account. To register as a seller, click the “Sell” link at the top of any eBay page, and then click the "Sell Your Item" button or learn about registration and creating a seller's account.

Consider signing up for Paypal, as this the preferred method for transaction for most buyers and sellers. When buyers use PayPal to pay for your items, you receive payments immediately and don’t need to handle checks or money orders.

Note: You will not be able to sell items on eBay if you have a private Feedback Profile. If you’ve chosen to make your Feedback Profile private, you’ll need to make it public before you can list an item.

Step 2: Prepare to sell your item.

Before you list an item, consider doing some research first about setting a starting price, listing time, keywords, shippings, et cetera. There are certain items that may not be sold on eBay. To avoid breaking eBay rules and the law, check eBay’s prohibited items policies to be sure your item is permitted.

Step 3: List your item for sale.

To list your item on eBay, you need to provide as much detailed information about your item. Information in a typical listing includes a title, description, price, payment method, shipping cost, and a photo. eBay’s Sell Your Item form guides you through the steps to a successful item listing.

Step 4: Manage your listing

You can track your eBay activities from My eBay. This page is especially useful if you have more than one item for sale or if you are selling and bidding on several items. My eBay's All Selling page lets you see the status of items you're selling from start to finish and manage your sales from a central location.

Step 5: Complete the sale

At the end of a successful listing, you'll receive an email from eBay that includes your buyer's shipping address and payment method. Once you receive online payment confirmation from PayPal or a check or money order from your buyer, you can ship your item. Always leave feedback for your buyer after you complete the sale, and remind your buyer to do the same. This will help you establish your reputation as a seller.


Key points about selling effectively on eBay
Understanding the following concepts will help you prepare for eBay’s unique selling experience.

 Your item will be among thousands of other items. For buyers to consider your item, they need to find it, so think like a buyer. Make sure you have good photos and a complete item description. An informative title, well-written description, and clear photos can make the difference between selling and not selling your item.
 An important part of selling on eBay includes communicating with bidders and buyers. Good communication helps to promote you as a responsive seller and will help avoid potential transaction problems. The majority of communication between sellers and buyers is through email, so it is important that you keep your contact information up-to-date.
 Your item listing will be viewed by a global audience. You probably won’t know your buyers personally, but you can know about your buyers by reviewing their member profiles. Setting your listing preferences in My eBay lets you to have more control over who may bid on your listings. This feature helps to reduce the possible transaction problems and potential unpaid items.
 Your Feedback Score is important. The eBay Community takes Feedback very seriously. It not only represents your reputation to buyers, but your Feedback Score is also used to qualify you for some seller privileges. For example, you need a Feedback Score of at least 20 to open an eBay Store.
 eBay has rules and guidelines called “policies” that create a safe, fair and enjoyable trading environment. They affect how you sell on eBay. By accepting the terms outlined in the User Agreement, you have agreed to conform to these policies. If eBay determines that a listing violates a policy, eBay may remove the listing from the site and may take disciplinary action. Be sure to review selling policies before you list an item (see Knowing eBay’s Rules for Sellers).
 Both eBay and the eBay Community provide resources to support your success as a seller. You can participate in eBay's community discussion boards and chats where you can connect with other members to get tips, ask for help, or just have fun. eBay Customer Support representatives also offer assistance on many boards and chats.
 eBay provides a wide range of resources for sellers. Listing items does take time, especially when you are new to selling on eBay. However, eBay offers selling tools and resources that help you to manage and automate your selling activities (see Resources for Sellers).
Where to learn more about selling
 Visit Seller Central to learn about resources for sellers including merchant solutions for businesses.
 Take the Audio Tour: How to Sell on eBay.
 Connect with other sellers from the eBay Community.


Seller’s checklist
Use this checklist as your guide as you prepare to list your item.
 Task
 Carefully inspect the item
Note any flaws, wear, or damage. Unless the item’s value would decrease with cleaning, remove any dust, stains, or dirt.
 Take pictures of the item
A good picture enables potential buyers to see exactly what they are bidding on in a single glance. Be sure to take photos of any flaws or markings. Learn more about taking pictures for eBay.
 Write a title and description for your listing
In the title, include the name of the item and any keywords buyers might use to search for the item.
In the description, describe the item clearly, accurately, and completely. Include information about the condition, color, brand, product type, model, size, and style of the item. Be sure to proofread and spell-check both the title and the description. Learn more about writing a good title and description.
 Research the item on eBay
Use the completed listings search to find similar items that have recently sold on eBay. Notice the starting and ending price of items that have sold successfully and whether they are auctions or Buy It Now listings. This information can help you decide how to sell your item.
 Package and weigh your item
Consider packaging and weighing your item. When you list your item, you can enter the package size and weight to have eBay automatically calculate shipping costs for you and your buyers.
Now you are ready to sell your item!

Feedback

What is feedback?
Feedback represents a person's permanent reputation as a buyer or seller on eBay. It is made up of comments and ratings left by other eBay members you bought and sold to. There are three types of feedback ratings: positive, neutral and negative. The sum of these feedback ratings are shown as a number in parentheses next to your User ID.
How feedback works
 Each member may affect your score by only one point (positive or negative). However, they may leave you one feedback rating and comment for each transaction they have with you.
 You receive a feedback star once your feedback score reaches 10 points.
 We encourage you to leave feedback after each transaction is complete so that other members may benefit from your experience.
 A high feedback score and percentage is usually a good sign, but you should always check your trading partner's member profile by clicking on the member's User ID or score to read comments they have received from others and comments they have left for others.

Feedback Tips
 Contact your trading partner and try to resolve any issues before leaving neutral or negative feedback.
 You may not remove feedback comments you have left, so be sure to leave only fair and factual comments and ratings that relate to a specific transaction you had with your trading partner.
 Leave feedback after a transaction is complete so that other members may benefit from your experience.
 Usually a high feedback score and high percentage is a good sign, but you should always check your trading partner's member profile to read comments and look for negative remarks.
When to check feedback
Before you bid on an item, you can check the seller's member profile by clicking on the feedback score next to their User ID. Sellers may also want to view the member profiles of bidders to see how reliable they have been in past transactions.
There's one thing we should tell you: the information in this tutorial shouldn't be thought of as legal advice. If you have a specific question about whether your feedback comment may violate eBay policy or could be considered libelous, please contact a lawyer

Whenever leaving feedback, use caution and good judgment. You are responsible for the comments that you make, and you can't change, edit or remove comments you've left about others. The rating and comment you leave become a permanent part of the other member's reputation on eBay.

Though the eBay feedback system is a member to member system and the comments are solely the opinion of the person leaving the feedback, there are instances, where no judgment is required on our behalf, when we will remove a rating and comment.
 eBay is provided with a valid court order requesting removal
 The feedback comment contains profane, vulgar, obscene, or racist language
 The feedback comment contains personal identifying information about a member.
 The feedback references an eBay, PayPal or law enforcement investigation.
 The feedback comment contains links or scripts.
 Negative feedback was intended for another member. This may only happen after the member responsible has already placed the same feedback for the correct member.
 Feedback was left by a person ineligible to participate in eBay transactions at the time of the transaction or the time the feedback was left.
 Feedback was left by a member who provided eBay with false contact information
 Feedback was left by a member who bid on or purchased an item solely to have the opportunity to leave negative feedback for the seller, with no intention of completing the transaction.
Also, members that have left feedback may agree to use Mutual Feedback Withdrawal to withdraw the feedback (comment remains with a notation from eBay and the feedback rating is removed) and members indefinitely suspended within 90 days of registration will have all feedback they left removed (both rating and comment)
Review:
 Feedback is a member to member system and members are responsible for the words they use
 Feedback is made up of ratings and comments, and shows a member's reputation on eBay
 Communicate with your trading partner before leaving negative or neutral feedback
 Feedback comments cannot be edited or changed after being left

Knowing the rules for sellers
eBay's policies are rules and guidelines that help to create a safe, fair and enjoyable trading environment for all eBay members. As a seller, you are responsible for reviewing and understanding eBay’s selling policies, as well as all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in the User Agreement and in Rules for Sellers - Overview.
Policies and guidelines specifically related to selling an item involve:
 Prohibited and restricted items –- What items can and cannot be listed.
 Listing practices –- Actions that are not allowed in listings.
 Completing the sale –- Practices that are not allowed involving transactions.
When policy violations occur, eBay emails the seller, as well as bidders, that a listing has been ended. Learning about eBay's selling policies before you list an item will help you to avoid unintentionally breaking rules (including the law). eBay’s selling policies are updated to respond to marketplace, community and security issues, so it is important to check them regularly for changes.
eBay’s policies are intended to:
 Support government laws and regulations
 Minimize risks to sellers
 Provide equal opportunity to all sellers
 Protect intellectual property rights
 Provide an enjoyable buying experience
 Support the values of the eBay Community
Violation of eBay policies can result in a range of actions, including:
 Listing cancellation
 Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings
 Limits on account privileges
 Loss of PowerSeller status
 Account suspension
Prohibited and restricted items
Policies about listing items are often based on country and state laws. However, many restrictions involve the sale of controversial or sensitive items and are not necessarily prohibited by law. The limitations are a result of input by the eBay Community.
There are three aspects of item restrictions – prohibited, questionable, and potentially infringing items.
Prohibited –- These items may not be listed on eBay.
Examples of listings that are not allowed include:
 Items that are illegal or that encourage illegal activity.
 Items that are racially or ethnically inappropriate. For policy and examples, see Offensive Material Policy.
 Listings that do not offer an item or service for sale. For policy and examples, see Listing No Item.
 Services that are illegal, sexual in nature or that violate eBay’s User Agreement. For policy and examples, see Prohibited Services.
 Listings that promote giveaways, random drawings, raffles, or prizes. For policy and examples, see Bonus, Prize, Giveaway and Raffle Policy.
Questionable –-These items may be listed under certain conditions .
Examples of listings that are not allowed include:
 Listings of perishable items and do not identify in the item description the measures the seller will take to ensure that the goods are delivered to the buyer safely. For policy and examples, see Food.
 Listing a reproduction of a Native American item and not listing it in the "Reproductions" section under the Native Americana category. For policy and examples, see Artifacts.
Other polices involving questionable items include Pre-Sale Listings, Vehicle, Vehicle Equipment and Device Listings, and Cell Phone (Wireless) Service Contracts.
Potentially infringing –- These items may be in violation of certain copyrights, trademarks, or other rights. Some items are not allowed, even though they may be legal, because they almost always violate copyright or trademark laws.
Examples of listings that are not allowed include:
 Listings with counterfeit or bootleg items (counterfeits, replicas and unauthorized copies).
 Listings that include disclaimers of knowledge of, or responsibility for, the authenticity or legality of the items offered in their listings. For policy and examples, see Authenticity Disclaimers.
To avoid creating listings that would infringe upon intellectual property rights, see Protecting Intellectual Property Rights. You can also take eBay's tutorial on Intellectual Property Policies and VeRO.
Important: Protection of intellectual property also extends to each member’s listings. eBay members are not allowed to use another eBay user's pictures or descriptions in their listings or About Me page without the owner's permission (see Item Description and Picture Theft).
Note: Even if you offer to give away for "free" (rather than sell) a prohibited, questionable, or infringing item, this will not relieve you of potential liability. This applies to both seller and buyer.
See Prohibited and Restricted Items-Overview.
Listing practices
To promote a safe, fair and enjoyable trading experience, eBay has established a set of community standards and guidelines for listings and other community content. These include policies restricting the use of profanity, HTML and JavaScript, and links. In addition, eBay’s listing policies provide guidelines on how certain items may be listed and described.
Actions that misrepresent items – Misrepresented items result in a poor shopping and finding experience for buyers because their search results show listings in which the buyer may have no interest. These practices also result in an uneven playing field for sellers who do not use these techniques and attract fewer potential buyers.
Examples of listing practices that are not allowed on eBay include:
 Using brand names or other words inappropriately for the purpose of attracting buyers to a listing (called keyword spamming). For policy and examples, see Keyword Spam.
 Creating titles for listings that do not accurately describe the item for sale. For policy and examples, see Misleading Titles.
 Listing in an inappropriate category. Item listings that belong in the Mature Audiences category that are found outside of that category will be ended. For policy and examples, see Categorization of Listings.
 Listing items that include compilations and informational items that, for example, contain cross category information, are listed outside of the Everything Else, Information Products category, or are combined as bonus items with any other listing. For policy and more examples, see Compilation and Information.
Actions that avoid paying eBay fees – Selling fees help eBay support both buyers and sellers. Listing practices that circumvent (avoid) fees are unfair to sellers who pay the appropriate eBay fees and may provide a poor buying experience.
Examples of listing practices that are not allowed on eBay include:
 Offering the opportunity to buy the listed item or other items outside of eBay.
 Offering low item prices but unreasonably high shipping or handling charges.
 Listing an item that requires an additional purchase.
 Including contact information (e.g., email addresses, domain names, phone numbers) in the listing title or description.
 Listing an item where a seller allows buyers to choose from a selection of items.
To view the policy and more examples, see Circumventing Fees.
See also: Multiple Listing Limit, Reserve Price Violations, Unpaid Item/Final Value Fee Credit Abuse; Listing About Me; Tax Policy.
Completing the sale
If your item sells successfully, the sale needs to be completed. This includes contacting your buyer, accepting payment and shipping the item.
Examples of actions that are not allowed on eBay:
 Bidding on your own item, or having family members, roommates or employees bid on your item (called shill bidding). For policy and examples, see Shill Bidding.
 Interfering with another member’s transaction. For policy and examples, see Transaction Interference.
 Accepting payment and sending an item that is significantly different from the item described in the item listing. For policy and examples, see Seller Non-performance.
 Refusing to accept a buyer’s PayPal payment using a credit card when the seller included the PayPal logo in the listing. For policy and examples, see PayPal Payments Policy.
 Charging buyers an additional fee for their use of ordinary forms of payment including acceptance of checks, money orders, electronic transfers or credit cards. For policy and examples, see Payment Surcharges.
If something goes wrong, including having problems with your buyer, there are options to help with your transaction problems. For more information, see the Transaction Problems and Protection section of Help.
Other polices involving listing practices include: eBay Pilot Programs, Home Page Featured Policy, and Want Ads and Trades.
Other Policies:
 eBay allows discrete identification or ’credit‘ for third parties that provide services or products directly connected with the particular listing as long as they meet specific requirements. For policy and requirements, see Third-Party Acknowledgements, Credits and Links.