How to Start an eBay Business

Few years ago I was considered as a powerseller on Ebay (I stopped working on eBay. Reason I stopped work, due to bad events). My secret to being a Power Seller was “Building Trust in The First Place”. To help you start an ebay business and reach the same level as quick as possible, I've developed a step-by-step guide you can use to learn how to start an ebay business the right way and become part of… The "Best" Of eBay Power Sellers – The Ones Who Actually Make Big Money on eBay!

What’s the requirement for becoming an ebay PowerSeller? Go to eBay, take a look at how many PowerSellers there are. You'll find quite a few. Now consider that every single one of them must be making at least $1,000 per month, as that's eBay's requirement for becoming a PowerSeller.

All it takes to call yourself a "Power Seller" is to sell $1,000 a month for three months and have 98% positive feedback.

• Silver PowerSellers make at least $3,000 each month,
• Gold PowerSellers make more than $10,000,
• Platinum Powersellers make more than $25,000, and
• Titanium PowerSellers make at least a whopping $150,000 in sales every month!
  

The fact that these people exist. They can give you an idea of the profits possibilities on ebay. Most of them never set out to even set up a business on eBay. They simply started like many powerSellers including myself selling few things, and then kept going. There are plenty of people whose full-time job is selling things on eBay, and some of them have been doing it for years now.

Can you imagine that? Once you buy the stock, everything else is pretty much pure profit for you. You don't need to pay for any business premises, staff, or anything else. There are multi-million dollar business empires today that were made with eBay. You need just to learn how to sell stuff on ebay an do it perfectly.

You don't need to quit your job to start an eBay home business. You can use eBay to make a significant second income from the comfort of your home like I was doing few months ago. You can pack up orders during the week and take them down to the post office for delivery each Saturday.

There are few other things you could be doing with your spare time that have anywhere near that kind of earning potential.

No matter who you are, where you live, what your age or circumstances, if you know how to sell stuff on ebay you can make your dreams become reality. There's no job interview and no commuting involved. If you can create a listening and post things, you can do it.

Put it this way - if you know where to get something reasonably cheaply that you could sell, then you can sell it on eBay; and since you can always get discounts for bulk at wholesale, that's not difficult. Buy a job lot of something in-demand cheaply, sell it on eBay, and you're making money already, with no set-up costs.

This doesn’t mean you don’t need to work hard or you are going to start making a lot of money from the start like a lot of marketers proclaim. Selling on eBay involves numerous risks and hassles that may not be obvious at first glimpse. But, selling on ebay can be wonderful if you take your time to learn what it is all about before you start.

If you want to dip your toe in the water before you commit to actually buying anything, then you can just sell things that you've got lying around in the house. Search through that cupboard of stuff you never use, and you'll probably find you've got a few hundred dollars' worth of stuff lying around in there! This is the power of eBay! There is always someone who wants what you're selling, whatever it might be, and since they've come looking for you, you don't even need to do anything to get them to buy it.

You can also start by selling other people stuff. You don't need to buy any merchandise, a storefront or shop in town. You just need to get people to agree to let you sell their merchandise for a commission. You can make your dollar stretch by buying wholesale! or you can buy cheap items, and resell them for profit. There are many ways on How to Make Money Selling on Ebay! You just need to find what is suitable for you.

So you want to get started on eBay? Well, that's great! There are only a few little things you need to learn to know how to start an eBay Business. Read on…

What to Consider Before Getting Started

So you've decided that you want to get started as a seller on eBay. There are a few things that you really need to know before you go and throw yourself in at the deep end.

1 - Deciding What to Sell on eBay

First off, you need to know what you're going to sell. What's your area of expertise? Are you a wood carver or interested in wood carving? Are you a painter? You'll do far better on eBay if you become a great source for certain kind of products, as people who are interested in those products will come back to you again and again. You won't get any loyalty or real reputation if you just sell rubbish at random.

When you think about what to sell, there are a few things to consider. The most important of these is to always sell what you know. If you try to sell something that you just don't know anything about then you'll never write a good description and sell it for a good price.

You might think you're not especially interested in anything, but if you think about what kind of things you usually buy and which websites you go to most often, I'm sure you'll discover some kind of interest. If all else fails, mention it to your friends and family; they'll almost certainly say "Oh, well why don't you sell…" and you'll slap your forehead.

Out of the things you know enough about, you should then consider which things you could actually get for a good enough price to resell, and how suitable they would be for posting. If you can think of something of that you're knowledgeable about and it's small and light enough for postage to be relatively cheap, then that's great!

Don't worry if you think the thing you're selling is too obscure, it isn't. There's a market for almost everything on eBay, even things that wouldn't sell once in a year if you stocked them in a shop. You'll probably do even better if you fill a niche than if you sell something common.

Get Ready For Your eBay Home Business

• Don’t give up - There are going to be ups and downs when you sell on eBay. Don't pack it in if something goes a little wrong in your first few sales. The sellers who are successful on eBay are those who established a name and reputation. So stick at it whatever happens.
  

• Believe on yourself - Anyone can sell on eBay, if they believe in themselves. If you do decide it's not for you, then the start-up costs are so low that you won't really have lost anything.
  

• Tax and Legal Matters - If you earn enough money, you should be aware that you're going to have to start paying tax - this won't be done for you. If you decide to sell on eBay on a full-time basis, you should probably register as a business.
  

If you're ready to start an ebay business, then the next thing you need to know is how to open an account and post your item to start selling on ebay.

5 Easy Steps to Posting Your First eBay Auction

It's amazingly simple to get started posting your very first auction on eBay. Here's what you need to do.

1 - Open an eBay seller's account.

If you are an ebay user, then you already have an account. Just log in to your account and click 'Sell' in the toolbar at the top of the page, then click "Create a seller's account". If you've never used eBay before, you'll need to open an account.

First go to eBay's Main Page and then click on register at the very top of the page to create an eBay account, and then click "Sell" and "Create a seller's account". The eBay site will then guide you through the process. For security, this may involve giving card details and bank information.

2 - Decide what to sell.

For your first little experiment with eBay, it doesn't really matter what you sell. Take a look around the room you're in - I'm sure there's something in there that you're not all that attached to and could put in the post. Small books and CDs and even old magazines are ideal first items to start with.

On eBay you can sell practically anything, but there are a number of items that are forbidden from sale on eBay. Check the prohibited items policies if you are unsure whether your item is permitted.

3 - Submit your item.

Assuming you haven't yet signed up, go to eBay's Main Page and then click on "register" at the very top of the page to create an eBay account.
Once you've signed up, you'll want to log in and go to "Sell" either in My eBay or on the Main Page at the top. From the drop down menu click "sell an item".

Note: If you are new to ebay please go through the tutorials provided by ebay from the drop down menu when point your cursor over the "Sell" link.

• List your item for sale - Once you are there you will be asked to enter 3-5 words about your item. Be specific here to help ebay find you the right category.
  

Under the box where you have put your item name (see the screen shot below) there’s two selling forms: "Quick Sell" and "Advanced Sell". I suggest you go with “Advanced sell” form as you are able to get access to all the options (reserve price, subtitle, scheduled listing and more). Tick the option you want to use and click “Start selling button”




Before you do all the above and specially if you are new to the eBay I suggest going throw the “ selling Checklist” at you right hand. There you will find all the information you need to list your item and let the auction begin.

• Choosing the right category – You can select one of the categories that the ebay have chosen for you or type your item category and click “search” button. Select the one that best describes your item. You can also Click on “Browse categories” link and select one; then click “continue”.

Notes: - You can select more than one category (Fees Apply) if you want more buyers to find your item.

- Click “see simple listening” link under the category box to get and ideas about the products listed in your category.

After picking a category you'll then be asked to enter: The title, item specifics, picture to ad and description of the item you want to sell then choose how you'd like to sell your item such as its price, shipping fees, duration and the payment methods you want to accept.

• Write a title - The title or headline is the first thing people see. So if your headline is weak, then no one will bother reading the rest of your announcement. Remember to include your main keyword phrase you think people will search for in the title.

• Write your item description - Be VERY detailed about your product. Make sure you do your research in order to provide all the relevant details of your item. Include as many information as you can about the item you want to sell in the description box.

• Include a picture - Unless it is impossible, not including one will discourage some buyers from purchasing your item. Buyers want to see what they are spending their money for before selling. Items with pictures always sell for more.

• The Starting Price - What price you want to start with? The price you want to start with can have an affect on the bidding activity and final sales price. Most eBay sellers find that if they start their items at low price with no reserve, they get higher bids and higher sales prices.

• Payment & Postage Details - Buyers want a safe and secure way to pay for your items. Many sellers offer PayPal, a free service for buyers. Many sellers also accept personal cheques. Always remember to include postage costs as buyers like to know what they are paying for up front.

• Set the duration of the auction: You can select 3, 5, 7 or 10 days. This is up to you; longer sales will usually get more bids, but will also seem to drag on forever.

• Continue to go through the options, and be sure to look everything over very carefully. There's a lot to look through and you'll want to make sure everything is correct. Be sure that when you're done with everything at the end (you're at the overview page) to double check and press submit. If you don't press submit it won't be entered.

• Submit your item - Press submit and you are done. You'll then get an e-mail confirming that your product was placed on eBay.

Note: At any step you can use ebay's "help" section at your right hand. There you can find lots of answers to all the common problems and questions.

4 - Wait for it to sell.

This is just a matter of sitting back and letting eBay do its thing - buyers will find your item and leave bids on it. Some bidders might email you with questions about the item, and you should do your best to answer these questions as quickly as you can.

Remember that if your item doesn't sell then you can list it again for free!

5 - Collect payment and post it.


eBay will sent your buyer emails guiding them through the process of sending you payment for the item. Make sure you have the money before you send anything.

Once you've got the payment, all you need to do is pack the item for posting. Make sure to use some bubble wrap. Take the buyer's address from the confirmation email eBay sent you, and write it on the parcel. Put some stamps on, post it, and you're done.

Once the item has been shipped, and they have left feedback for you, you should leave feedback for that person.

How to Sell Anything on eBay And Make a Fortune!

Being a seller is great, but Being a successful seller is another story. eBay is a highly active and competitive marketplace that requires you to stay on full alert when it comes to success. People that don't do the ”right” things will fail. It's harsh, but true. This cheklist will help you to create listings that produce sales.

• Before creating your listing, gather information about your item. Type your item name into your favorite search engine and find out if the same product is being sold. If someone else is selling the same item as you, then always try to find ways to improve your offer. You can provide more information, sell it at a lower price, give free shipping to your customer, etc.... You will always find a way to make your listing more attractive than your competitors do.

• Always keep an eye on how much other similer products are selling, and what prices they're being offered. There's usually little point in starting a fixed price auction for $50 when someone else is selling the item for $40.

• Contact your customers - Consider sending an email to thank the seller when the order is placed. Send a simple email such as "Thank you for buying my item, please let me know when you have sent the payment". When you receive the payment send a second email to thank him or her. You can send an email saying "Thanks for your payment, I have posted your (item name) today".
  By communicating this way you will avoid so many problems such as bad feedback, items return, etc…

• Answer your customers and potential customers emails promptly - Remember that customers and potential customers can send you email about anything at any time, and not answering these emails will just make them go somewhere else instead of buying from you.

• Make sure your item description pages have everything that buyers need to know - If you're planning to offer international delivery, then it's a good idea to make a list of the charges to different countries and display it on each auction. If you have any special terms and conditions (for example, if you will give a refund on any item as long as it hasn't been opened), then you should make sure these are displayed too.

• Wrap your items correctly - Do your best to wrap your items securely and professionally for the best impression. Use suitably sized envelopes or packages, wrap the item in bubble wrap to stop it from getting damaged, and print labels instead of hand-writing addresses. Always use first class post.

• Follow up with your customers – After you post your item don’t stop contacting your clients. Send an email saying "Is everything alright with your purchase? I hope you received it and it was as you expected". After few days send an email asking them how they use the product and where they see room for improvements, how they deal with it, ect…
  
  This way you will build relationship And, earn your customers’ loyalty to increase their lifetime value to your business.
  

Being a really good eBay seller, more than anything else, is about providing genuinely good and honest customer service. That's the only foolproof way to protect your reputation.

What Your Reputation Can Do For You!

Do you want to be a "Powerseller" on eBay and make big $$$? Then, develop and maintain your ebay reputation! Period. One of the great myths of business is that your reputation is your most precious asset and that you can only lose it once. Your reputation is worth as much as every sale you will ever make.

If you've ever bought anything on eBay (and the chances are you have), then think about your own behaviour. Buying from a seller with a low feedback rating makes you feel a little nervous and insecure, while buying from a PowerSeller with their reputation in the thousands doesn't require any thought or fear - it feels just like buying from a shop.

1 - A Bad Reputation Will Harm Sales.


A bad reputation will follow you for life! A bad reputation will NOT only lose you sales, but also defeats the purpose of being an eBay seller in the first place. If someone leaves you a negative feedback, you will feel the pain instantly, as that rating will go right at the top of your user page for everyone to see. No one is going to do business with you when they read that you "took a month to deliver the item", or that you had "bad communication" or you have sent a "damaged item".

If your reputation was damaged in any way. You will need to sell very cheap items, just to push that negative feedback down the page. You might have to spend days or even weeks selling cheap stuff to get enough positive feedback to make anyone deal with you again.

Why do sellers leave negative feedback if the sellers are doing everything they said they would? So do your best to fulfill your business obligation. Be honest with them, and expect the same in return. if you let buyers leave negative feedback every time; once you get below 90% positive ratings, you might as well be invisible.

You Can't Just Open a New Account.


Besides eBay's rules about only having one account, there are far more downsides than that to getting a new account. You literally have to start all over again from scratch.

You won't be able to use all the different eBay features. Your existing customers won't be able to find you any more. Your auctions will finish at a lower price because of your low feedback rating. Opening a new account is like moving to a new town to get away from a few people who are spreading rumours about you - it's throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

2 - A Good Reputation Will Get You Sales.


When a PowerSeller tells me something, I tend to believe them. They can be selling a pretty unlikely item, but if they guarantee it is what they say it is, then I trust them - they're not going to risk their reputation, after all. This is the power of a reputation! People know you want to keep it, and they know you'll go to almost any lengths to do so.

This is true even to the point that I would sooner buy something for $20 from a seller I know I can trust than for $15 from someone with average feedback. It's worth the extra money to feel like the seller knows what they're doing, has all their systems in place and will get me the item quickly and efficiently.

Tips on how to get positive feedback for a beginner.

• One way to get positive feedback is to offer people something to try for free. Say you have an information ebook you could offer your potential customers a free short report, a free chapter, etc…
• Start by buying cheap items, leave feed back for the ebay sellers and ask them to exchange positive feed backs.
• Sell very cheap items. This way you are sure that ebay buyers will bid on your items. The purpose here is to collect as many positive feedback as possible.

Good feedback will build buyer confidence and more people will bid on your items.

If you are interested in learning how to start an ebay business and you have thought about making or earning money with your own home business, this is your chance to learn the sales secrets that will save you thousands and thousands of dollars.