I noticed there are several new sellers making comments on the Ebay blogs about their selling concerns, so I put together some tips that may help you to succeed.  These tips were things that I learned through my own experience with Ebay which have been successful for me. 

1) On auction-style listings, always start with a lower bidding price that you can live with.  Higher starting bidding prices seem to scare people off and ultimately reduce business;

2) Maintain reasonable shipping costs.  People don't like to pay high shipping costs.  Personally, I will not bid on an item with a high shipping cost, no matter how much I want the item.  When feasible to do so, ship items via USPS first class mail as opposed to Priority Mail.  Many people don't seem to realize these are the exact same things, except first class mail is for items weighing less than 13 ounces.  The shipping time is the same but there is a significant cost difference in the amount to ship the item;

3) Offer combined shipping, which encourages more sales.  In addition, be reasonable with the amount of combined shipping offered to the buyer.  I once purchased several small jewelry items from a seller because I thought I would get several items for gifts at a reasonable price.  Unfortunately, the seller charged me an additional $2.50 PER ITEM for shipping and I ended up paying $14.50 for first class shipping on a package that weighed just 2 ounces.  I vowed never to shop with that seller again.  No one likes to get taken.  Be considerate of your buyer and you will get their repeat business;

4) Offer sales to international buyers.  Some of my best sales have come from Canada, Japan, Sweden, Italy and France, to name just a few.  Selling to international bidders is not as intimidating as some sellers seem to think.  To make this easier to handle, keep an extra supply of customs forms from the Post Office on hand, so you can fill them out as your sales come in.  This will save you time from having to complete the forms when you go to the Post Office to deliver the packages;

5) If you know the item you are selling has a higher value price than what your initial starting bid is, mention this in your auction listing.  If you know a published source who can verify this information, also note this in your listing.   Much of my handmade jewelry has been sold in galleries and boutiques in several states.  An item that I may initially list for $9.99 would sell at a gallery for $25.00.  I let them know this in my listing.   People cannot resist great deals.



6) Open an Ebay store where you can list tons of items for pennies a month.  Many of my items are in a store format style listing.  I normally post just a few items in the regular auction format, and cross-promote them with similiar items from my store.  I have received many of my sales in this manner.  To post an item in a store on an ongoing basis with a gallery photo costs only 6 cents per month per item.  This is definitely an affordable mechanism for promoting and selling items.  Ebay has made several noted improvements in promoting the stores, such as having the store link at the bottom of each page under regular store listings;

7) In your store, enter a higher initial sale price for your item with a Best Offer option for the buyer.  This allows buyers a little flexibility when shopping in your store.  They will be more apt to shop with you if you can demonstrate flexibility, as well;

8) Use several key words in your auction title that will help generate business from all areas.  For example, I offer handmade religious art jewelry as part of my regular inventory.  For the religious necklace pictured below, I would use an item description that includes the words Virgin Mary, vintage photo, handmade, altered art, etc. in my title.  The traffic for this item would come in from buyers interested in: religious items, jewelry, collectible art, crafts, handmade items, ephemera and collectibles;



9) Be descriptive about the item you are selling.  I find it is helpful for customers to know the size/dimensions of the item, how it was made (if applicable), how much the retail price is (if I am selling it for lower than the value) and who might enjoy receiving the item as a gift, such as collectors, the parish priest, co-workers, etc;

10) Respond to all questions from potential customers in a timely manner.  I try to view my messages at least twice a day to address questions from fellow Ebayers.  This can also help to accentuate sales, especially in a case where the customer is buying based on your clarification.  Don't miss this opportunity for getting an extra sale;

11) When shipping an item, always thank the customer for their business.  I usually write a big thank you note on the package and I also frequently include a little free gift item with their purchase.  People appreciate the courtesy and kindess.  I have several repeat buyers who have expressed that they enjoy my pleasant emails and the little extras that are hard to find in today's hectic society.

I hope these little tidbits of information will be of help to you.  I am always willing to help out a fellow Ebayers.  I had several help me in the beginning and I am glad to return the favor.

Good luck in your posting and selling endeavors!!!