Let's face it, not everyone who sells items on eBay was a spelling champion in school--and you don't have to be! However, certain spelling faux pas, especially in the title, can have an effect on the success of a listing. Although it has been proven that in order for most people to understand a word, it only has to begin and end correctly--the middle of the word can be all jumbled--eBay's search results are based on spelling matches. As an eBay "browser" who looks through listings nearly every day (mostly hanging out in the woman's clothing section), I have noted several commonly misspelled words used in titles and have compiled a list, along with the correct spellings. Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Sequence: The correct use of this word is "a continuous or connected series" or "order of succession"--"The awards were given in sequence from tallest child to shortest." However, I have seen this used often on eBay to mean "a small plate of metal or plastic used for ornamentation, esp. on clothing." The word wanted here is sequin. Plural form is sequins: "The dress was embellished with a sequence of sequins." (definitions from Merriam-Webster)

2. Excellant: Ok, so this one is just a simple spelling error--a search for it in women's clothing just turned up 963 entries. However, if you wanted to search for items in excellent condition, you might miss those entries!

3. Shear: Again, over 900 entries. Most of them meant sheer.

4. Elegent: At least 145 people made this one-letter mistake. I don't know how often it's used as a search word, but what you're looking for is elegant.

5. Corderoy: Another simple error--this time only 117 entries. But those looking for corduroy items might buy out of the other 8626 entries and miss yours!

6. Stripped: You might give the wrong idea with your listing on this one! Not as common, but still pops up here and there--you'll want to go with striped if you aren't trying to make your listing look as though it belongs in the adult XXX section.

7. Humerous: If you want to play up the funny side of your listing, know that most people will be searching for something humorous.