Do you dream of selling crafts on eBay? Here’s how to take the plunge and post your first auction.
It couldn’t be simpler! Lots of crafters tell me they’d like to sell their crafts on eBay but they are not computer whizzes and are a bit unsure of the process. So, here just for you, is a step by step introduction to selling your crafts on eBay for the first time.
Step 1: Create an eBay seller’s account.
If you’ve used eBay before to bid for or buy items, then you already have an account – you must simply log in and click ‘Sell’ in the toolbar (at the top of the page).
Next click ‘Create a seller’s account’ and you’re ready to start selling some crafts. Simple! If you don’t already have an eBay account then you’ll need to open one first using the ‘register’ link underneath the toolbar. Then click ‘Sell’ followed by ‘Create a seller’s account’. Next, follow the on-screen instructions. It’s a fairly quick process but remember that you will need to give, for security, card details and bank information.
Step 2: Choosing which crafts to sell?
For your first auction with eBay, it doesn’t really matter what you sell but we recommend selling smaller craft items (both in value and size, if possible). Some customers may be put off bidding for an expensive item if you have a low feedback. It’s much better to build your feedback rating up with lots for smaller auctions than trying to jump right into the bigger items.
Step 3: Creating your first eBay auction.
The next step is to submit your item. To do this click ‘Sell’.
First, you need to choose a category – the easiest way is to simply type out the item’s description and let eBay recommend the most popular one. Then you’ll need to write the title and description. The important t
hing to bear in mind when writing the title is including some key words. These are words that you think may be included in any searches by potential customers – but remember, they must be relevant to the item that you are selling! “No reserve” is a good example as some people only bid on items without a reserve price.
As much clear information about the item, as you can include, should be put in the description box.
Now enter the starting price. It’s always recommended that you use $0.01 as the best starting price; as it will attract more interest and items, more often than not, always sell for much more than the starting bid. Ideally, you need to attract at least two serious bidders. The duration of the auction is the next thing you need to include – the options are 3, 5, 7 or 10 days. Which option to go for depends on personal preference.
Longer sales will usually get more bids, as they are ‘in the shop window’ for longer. However, the turnaround from posting the auction to completing the sale is obviously longer, too. Short auction times are ideal for quick sales and it’s worth bearing in mind that some customers often filter searches to show only auctions that are near to closing.
The next step is to add any pictures to the auction. Items with pictures always sell for more, and good pictures of your items are essential for selling crafts, especially. The last step concerns the payment methods and postal arrangements. Simply tick the payment methods you will accept (Pay Pal is the most common, safest and popular method and we recommend that), and where you are willing to post to (for now just trade within your own country). Now review your item and once you’re happy with everything, click ‘Submit’!
Step 4: Wait for your craft item to sell.
This is the easy bit, and the fun part! Do nothing, buyers will find your item and some of them will bid on it. You may be emailed with questions about the item or the postage or delivery. You should always answer these questions as swiftly and clearly as possible and remember, if you come across as polite and efficient, it could make the difference between the customer bidding or not.
If there is no interest, don’t panic! If an item doesn’t sell then you can re-list it for free.
Step 5: Collect your payment and post the item.
Once the auction has ended, eBay will send your buyer an invoice for payment of the item. Do not send the item until the buyer has paid AND you have the money confirmed in your Pay Pal account.
EBay will then send you a confirmation email including the buyer’s address. All you do is post the item to this address! Please note, it’s always worth taking the time to package the item carefully.
I hope you enjoyed selling your first item. Easy as pie! Here’s to many more successful eBay craft sales!
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This is part of our traffic mini-tips series for selling crafts. Increasing traffic to your crafts website is the number one activity you should work on. Increase your website traffic and you will increase your online craft sales. Guaranteed!
I want to talk a little bit about trust and the psychology of selling crafts on eBay. One of the key pillars of eBay is trust. As much as there are rules and regulations and all sorts of checks and boundaries within the massive corporate machine that eBay now is, it is still based upon trust. A seller advertises an item a buyer agrees to buy it for a price, the buyer sends money and the seller promises to send out the item.
