Should i start selling on ebay

This type of account allows you to buy or sell new, used or refurbished items; communicate with other eBay users and evaluate them after any transaction. A business account is appropriate for sellers who plan to sell in large quantities or people who already have their business established.

This account is the best option for formal businesses that have regular operations and that sell new items that they manufacture or buy to resell. Also, with a business account, you can open an eBay Store and operate under your business name.

For both options, the platform will charge you the subscription fee on a monthly basis. In addition to the subscription fees, you should know that there are other 3 main costs to consider when selling on eBay: insertion listing fees, final value fees and PayPal transaction fees if using it. Some other optional extra fees such as fees for advanced listing upgrades, auction listing fees and classified advertising. To start selling on eBay, you need to establish a pre-authorized payment method so that the platform can charge you commissions and refunds.

You can choose PayPal, credit card, debit card or bank transfer. Well, with PayPal you will have to give up a percentage of the sale, but for the customer, this is a very convenient tool and a very high percentage of eBay sales go through PayPal. You can choose between a personal PayPal account or set up a PayPal account for your business.

The current fee is 2. Selling on eBay involves more than just posting your product on eBay and selling it. Sellers are responsible for both inbound and outbound shipping. You have to choose who handles the shipping, how much it will cost, and which carrier to use.

Having the PowerSeller badge means being one of the highest-rated sellers on eBay. The marketplace will only give this badge to merchants who offer excellent service and receive almost exclusively positive feedback. In summary, a PowerSeller is characterized by maintaining two things:.

The answer is yes, eBay and Shopify have partnered to allow all sellers to connect their eBay accounts to their Shopify accounts. You can connect eBay with your online store by choosing an eCommerce platform with a strong integration that includes the ability to import your eBay items into your online store. Here are some general tips, with more information to follow:. Take high-resolution photos against a plain white background to make the products stand out.

Make sure the lighting is sufficient to feature the item and its relevant details. Try taking shots of the product from different angles, and get some close-up shots as well to highlight details.

Cost and speed are top of mind for eBay buyers. Offer competitive shipping prices low-cost or free shipping is best to appeal to more buyers and increase your chances of a sale. It goes without saying that the most attractive return policy for the eBay buyer is free returns. The reviews are in — literally and figuratively!

The best way to avoid bad eBay reviews is to maintain good standing with your customers by having customer service. Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter to get the latest thought leadership content delivered right to your inbox — from blogs and resource articles, to podcast episodes, webinars and more.

Brian Roizen is the co-founder and chief architect of Feedonomics , a full-service feed optimization platform that optimizes product data for hundreds of channels. He has been featured on numerous podcasts and webinars, and regularly contributes to Search Engine Land and other industry-leading blogs.

Get The Print Version Tired of scrolling? Table of Contents. Why Sell on eBay? Who is Selling on eBay? Three categories that sell particularly well on eBay are: Auto parts, Used goods, and Closeouts. Price your products. Auction-style selling. Fixed-price listings. Additional information to mention: What are the item dimensions?

Does it require batteries and are they included? What accessories are included? Product identifiers. Product identifiers are made up of three elements: Brand. Product attribute guidelines and best practices. Product dimensions. Multi-packs and bundled products. Here are some important details to remember when creating the attribute list for a multi-pack or manufacturer-created bundle: The attributes for a bundled product should include the product identifier s assigned by the manufacturer to the bundle.

The attributes for a multi-pack must include the product identifier s assigned to the multi-pack by the manufacturer. The attributes of a multi-pack must specify the GTIN of the specific multi-pack being described. Product variants. Here are some general tips, with more information to follow: Ship within the expected timeframe. Process your orders in a timely manner. With this free seller tool, you can access a dashboard to see how your listings are performing, quickly list new items, and see the status of orders and returns.

Viewing this data regularly helps you improve your listings for better results. Consider your Seller profile as your eBay reputation. Positive reviews make your business more appealing to customers and can also help your products rank in eBay. Furthermore, having a good Seller profile will give you more leverage with eBay. For instance, you may be able to get an increase in listing limits if you're known as a highly reputable merchant. Because positive reviews are so important for the success of your business, you need to be proactive about seeking them out.

If you delivered excellent service to a customer and they were pleased with their experience, ask them to leave a review.

If you receive a negative review, you can reply to the feedback, request a revision from the seller or contact eBay and ask for it to be removed. Downloading the eBay mobile app allows you to manage your business on-the-go.

The app is free and available for Android, iPhone and iPad devices. Using the eBay mobile app, you can create, edit and monitor your listings, relist items, provide tracking information and respond to questions from customers.

If you already operated your own e-commerce store before launching a store within the eBay marketplace, be sure to connect your store to your eBay account. This is a great way to filter traffic from eBay onto your own website and allow customers to learn more about your brand.

Note that many e-commerce platforms come with a free eBay integration — including Shopify and BigCommerce. Hundreds of thousands of merchants sell on eBay — why not get to know them? The eBay Community was designed to teach merchants how to start an eBay business. On the eBay Community webpage, merchants share information on growing their business, marketing strategies, buying inventory and more.

For those new to e-commerce, this is a great place to learn more about selling on eBay. Yes, you can sell on eBay without opening an eBay store. You can also ramp up to a more robust eBay store by paying for a subscription known as eBay stores.

No, a tax ID number is not a requirement to sell on eBay, although income earned from eBay sales may still count as taxable revenue. Those looking to turn their eBay shop into a business should obtain a tax ID. You can list 50 items per month for free on eBay.

How to start an eBay business: The basics. Choose your account type. Register your account. Set account preferences. Add inventory. How to start an eBay business: 15 tips. Start small. It helps to have a niche. The more detail, the better. Be ready for some returns. Face issues head on. Use the eBay seller hub. Improve your seller profile.

Solicit feedback. Download the eBay app. Connect eBay to your own store. Network with other sellers.