sell on ebay, online auction sites, how to sell on ebay

How to Write Your Listing Description For Selling on ebay or on Online Auction Sites

Are you ready to start cleaning out your attic and sell your items on an auction site?   Do you know how to write your description?  Do you want to learn how to sell on eBay?

Once you have decided what you are going to sell online you need to get it posted on an auction site.  The biggest way to sell your item is to give a fantastic description of your item.  There are hundreds of items in the same category in which you are trying to sell on eBay.  What is going to make your item stand out for the others? 

Your first step is to get over the fear of selling, go to online auction sites such as eBay and investigate what is selling in your category.  See how other individuals are listing their items that have sold.  Do you think they are giving an accurate description of their auction item?   Does their item tell a story?  Are they giving what is expected of the buyer; payment expectation, what is the return policy, and is there a return policy.  These are all areas that need to be covered.

When you begin to write your description there are several areas that you need to address.

Write three to four paragraphs describing your online auction item.  You want to have the prospective buyer looking at your auction item as if they are using it and enjoying using it.  A good example is when you are describing to someone of being at the beach.  You want the individual to actually feel like they are personally at the beach.  They feel the sun shinning, they feel the wind on their face, and they hear the waves hitting the shoreline.  You will want to accomplish the same effect with your description of the item up for auction. 

Have fun selling your items on online auctions sites.  For more information and what goes into the paragraphs for you listing description on sites like eBay, check out the continuation titled What Goes Into Your Description for eBay & other Online Auction Sites.  Enjoy making your unwanted items into someone else's treasures by utilizing online auctions.

What Goes Into Your Description for eBay & Other Online Auction Sites

When selling your items on online auction sites, you need to write a descriptive listing of your items.   When selling on Ebay auction site you need to have a great listing.  The listing should have 3 to 4 paragraphs.  Read on for great ideas of what you should include in your listing and how to sell on eBay and other online auctions.

First Paragraph

In the first paragraph of a listing for an online auction such as eBay, you will want to give the full description of the item; brand, make, model, year, new or used and the condition of the item.  Make sure you give as much product information as possible.

Second Paragraph

In the second paragraph give a description of what makes your item unique to sell on eBay .  If it is unique to you and/or your family, write the description making the prospective buyer feel emotional attached to the item.  Explain in detail what the special features are for the item.  If there are any distinguishing marks, scratches or blemishes you need to make the prospective buyer aware of these.  The reason you need to explain any marking or blemishes is so when the buyer receives the item they are not surprised.  They will be happier with the item even if there are marks if they know about them up front.  People will buy used items with distinguishing marks as long as they know about them.  If the blemish has history, explain the history, making the buyer part of the history and story.

You can effectively utilize eBay make money selling but that won’t happen if the winning bidder gets their item and they find something that was not disclosed when you sell on eBay.

In this second paragraph you need to really tell a story about you item.  You need to have the prospective buyer visualize they are already using the item and there is a really need to own the online auction item.

If you were telling someone of your trip to the beach, you want to give him or her the description of your trip.  You want them to be able to feel the wind in their hair and the sun on their face.  With an online auction listing you are trying to accomplish the same feeling, the mental and emotional image of needing the item you have listed on auction site.

For the continuation of the article on What Goes Into Your Description for eBay & Other Online Auction Sites for the third and fourth paragraphs, check out the archived articles.

Continuation of What Goes Into Your Description for eBay and Online Auction Sites

Third Paragraph

In the third paragraph you can state the value of the item that is for sale on the eBay auction site.  There are several ways to look up the value of the item.  If it is an older item, you could call the manufacturer.  From my experience manufacturers are very happy to assist you with the value or a comparable product and current cost.  Google and the Internet is another source of finding the value of collectibles and/or products.  If you have the Manufacturer SKU # you can Google the number to find the current pricing of the item.  For collectibles you can find books that give up to date value, if they item is rare or if it is a item that is not in demand.

If you are listing a reserve price, which eBay will charge a fee for, you will want to state that there is a reserve price and what the reserve is.

Sometimes buyers will buy more than one item, if you are going to offer a discount for shipping multiple items.  Online auctions sites will allow you to offer multiples items, eBay will after you have achieved Power Seller status.

Boxing and packing materials are very costly, you can add an additional fee for handling for your auction item, explain what the handling charge will cover.

If your listed item is fragile and you need to offer insurance for shipping, add a statement that you suggest that the buyer takes the offer of insurance.  Offering the additional insurance covers you if the item is broken while it is being shipped.  If the buyer refuses taking the insurance and your item is broken during shipping the buyer could make out a compliant.  Your selling status is partly based on buyer remarks.  You want to make sure that you have all the fuel to fight the negative remark and a complaint.  Having the offering of insurance listed in several places will help when you go to eBay for a resolution of a complaint that may have been filed by the winning bidder.

Fourth Paragraph

The fourth paragraph includes the type of payments that you will accept, a merchant account, check, money order and/or PayPal.  You will want to let the prospective buyer know when you expect payments.  If you have a return policy, put that in writing in this paragraph also.  The fourth paragraph is where you can let them know how they can reach you for questions.  Leave your email address and Skype contact info.  eBay owns Skype and offers this option in their listings.  Make sure you respond to any questions the prospective buy may have.  Not answering promptly will allow the prospective buyer to move on to another seller. You can also leave your web address to promote you website.  But, be cautious, do not have the same item you have up for auction on your website for sale.   This is one of the restrictions that eBay has.

Have fun with your listings on auction sites!