7 Steps to Selling on eBay

In recent years, eBay has become a major player in the retail world. The site is a global marketplace—and for many moms, making money through eBay is a fun practice that offers flexibility and the freedom to work from home.

With a computer and little knowledge, getting started is easy!

• First, set up a free account by registering at eBay.com.
• Then, set up a PayPal account. This eBay-owned website allows customers to pay for purchases via a secure Internet site using their bank accounts or credit cards. You also receive instant notification of payment received on your email account. According to eBay, 75 percent of buyers prefer to pay for their eBay purchases using PayPal. Getting verified through PayPal takes a few days and requires a registered bank account.
• Finally, scout the house for items to sell. Often times you’ll get a better sale on eBay than if you had put the item in a garage sale.

Just about anything goes—including new merchandise. Try these tips to get started:

• Look for unwanted clothing, household items, electronics, videos, CDs—anything. Name-brand items are a good marketing point but not necessary for success in selling.
• Group clothes into lots of three or four like items. Customers are more likely to pay shipping on clothing when they are purchasing multiple items.
• List the condition of the item you are selling: new, NWT (new with tags), NWOT (new without tags), used, etc. Use the eBay acronyms information for more suggestions.
• Consider the time of year—don’t put winter coats up for sale in July. List clothing and holiday items approximately one month to six weeks before they will be needed.