SolveYourProblem
Article Series:
How To Start
A Craft Business
How
To Sell Your Crafts On eBay
by SolveYourProblem.com
Selling on eBay has become a popular phenomenon.
Many a time I’ve heard people mention that they bought their
latest gadget from no other then eBay. For the craft
lover who doesn’t know where to begin marketing their crafts,
eBay
would be a good start. It is the best way to get the broadest
audience’s attention. eBay goes beyond your backyard and reaches
people all over the world. With their advanced search engine,
it allows someone who may be looking for a particular item
to go straight to what their looking for.
For
those who have heard of eBay but not actually gone searching,
this is how it works. For a first time seller, you must create
an eBay account which includes your name, address and credit
card number (secure site). Once you’ve filled in the online
forms, you will have your own seller account which will list
your auctions. Each time you want to check your sales, you
must log in with a screen name and password. When selling an
item, you will go through a series of pages describing your
item for sale. To top it off, you will upload a picture onto
the auction site for others to view your craft. When listing
a craft, you will be charged an initial fee which is a set
amount for the listed price. For example: If you list a craft
for .99 cent, your initial fee will be .25 cent. If you list
an item from $1.00-9.99, your initial fee will be .35 cent
and so on. Once your item has sold, you will also be charged
a “final value fee.” This is calculated by a percentage of
what your craft actually sold for. If someone likes your craft
they will put a bid on it. If someone else comes along and
wants the same craft, they will put a higher bid on it. At
the end of the auction which is generally seven days, the highest
bidder wins.
eBay
also offers eBay stores, which allow you to sell many items
in an online store. When listing an item, you usually
list a BIN (Buy it Now) price. There is no auction involve.
In your online store, you can list prices as well as pictures
of the item. This is a good route to go if you plan on selling
multiple items of different colors, shapes or use.
Be
sure to list pictures. People love to see pictures of the
items their bidding on. You even have the option of placing
multiple pictures on your auction site. Try to get different
angles when taking pictures. Get close-ups of any detailed
work. When taking the picture, be sure to get it in the right
lighting and best background. Appearance sells!
When
listing a price at auction, it’s best to start low. This
will attract more buyers to your item. If someone is interested
in your craft and they want to watch it to see the bids being
placed on it, they can put it in their “watch.” You will know
how many people are taking interest in your item because the
number of watches shows up beside the item in your account.
When
listing your craft, be sure to give plenty of detail. If there is a default in the craft, make sure you explain that
in the description. Also describe the color and the size of
the item. If you sell it in various colors, explain this to
the potential buyer. Some people are looking for a certain
color and you want to be open to them. If they like your item,
they might come back for more in the future.
eBay
isn’t for everyone. Sales are made by pay pal, cashiers
check or even person checks, whatever you’re willing to accept.
And the only communication that generally transpires between
the seller and buyers is through email.
The most important thing to remember when getting started
is to be honest about the item, and explain the craft
in detail. People want to know all there is about an item that they may
purchase. Explain the texture if you’re selling something that
is wearable. Let them know about the special detail you’ve
put into a painting. And if you’re expertise is pottery, elaborate
on the special colors used for the craft.
# # # # # SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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