I did an interview with Leslie Truex of www.WorkAtHomeSuccess.com and she asked me some great questions about selling on eBay.  I wanted to share some of that information with all of you.

How I got started selling on eBay –

I started on eBay by buying everything on eBay.  When I got laid off from my job while pregnant, I realized I needed to find another way to make income.  So I started selling on eBay, and after my daughter was born I began selling her outgrown clothes and toys.  I got into reselling new items by researching toys and using coupon codes to get discounts and then made a profit reselling them on eBay.  Just remember that eBay buyers want a deal, so I only sell items for up to their regular retail value.  I make a profit by buying the items using coupons and by finding them on sale and at steep discounts.

Selling toys –

Toys tend to sell well on eBay.  I have even found that older used toys sometimes hold better value than some new toys.  Reselling old toys that kids outgrow is a great way to get money to buy new toys.  Legos tend to sell well on eBay, as well as collector cards like Pokemon.  Want to know if something you have will sell, do some research and see if similar items are selling.

Choosing what to sell –

I personally sell mostly clothing, but that’s mostly due to what I have on hand and have an interest in selling.  I recommend selling as many things as you can.  The more items and variety you sell the more you can potentially make.  Providing a large variety can provide you with a large customer base.

What about selling coupons –

The key to selling coupons is to sell in bulk and don’t charge shipping.  I used to sell formula checks that were left over from my own kids and my friends’ kids.  There is a profit to be made there.  However, with selling manufacturer coupons, you need to look at the time commitment of having to collect the circulars, cut them out, sort them, etc.  You need to decide if the amount of time all that takes is worth the possible profit.

What sells, why, and for how much –

Timing has a lot to do with sales on eBay.  For instance the week after Thanksgiving eBay sales are slow and a week later sales will begin to pick up.  You just have to know the trends, or I recommend opening an eBay store.  Also, research the items before listing them.  This helps give you an idea of whether it will sell and for how much.  I use a completed listing search and other eBay tools to do this.

How do I get started on eBay –

List anything and everything you can part with.  eBay listings are free to list, and you only pay the fees when an item sells.  Same goes for an eBay store.  The difference is that a regular listing has a time limit, and a store allows you to list until the items sell.  You do have to pay a fee for having an eBay store also.

Listing photos and details –

How to take a good photo?  Good lighting, the more natural light the better.  You don’t need the best camera, just a nice one.  And you always want to have blank walls or a blank area to photograph pictures in front of. I started out photographing clothes on top of a piece of poster board or a solid white sheet.  When you make your listing include lots of photos and lots of details.  Be sure to have a title that will catch potential customers’ attention.  You want to include as many details in your listing as possible.  You can’t have too much information.

Staying organized –

I start by doing my photographs all at one time.  I take my pictures when my daughters are sleeping, so I don’t have distractions. Then I try to list 10 items at a time, until they are all listed.  Then I move on to the next group of items I need to list.  Focus on getting something listed every day or every week.

Postage and shipping –

Beware that the size of the box can change the shipping cost; it is not just based on the weight.  I suggest using eBay’s calculated shipping tool to figure out what to charge for postage.  As for how to ship the items I use boxes.  I collect boxes from friends and even a local diner’s old boxes.  Hallmark stores have the perfect little boxes, and clothing stores sometimes will give you their extra packing peanuts.  I use envelopes to mail clothes and I get those from uline.com, and they can also be bought from other eBay sellers.  If you choose to ship priority mail, priority boxes are always free; you can even have them delivered to your home for free.

A final tip –

Some items just don’t sell.  Just because it is on sale, doesn’t mean that it will sell on eBay.

Check out the full interview on WorkAtHomeSuccess.com