6 ways to improve your sales on eBay

Many people can tell you what to do to increase your sales on eBay, but you don't often see a list of what not to do. Here's a small list of tweaks to help you avoid selling mistakes. Tips are listed in no particular order and are only the beginning of the path to more sales.

eBay don'ts

#1. Do not compete with yourself. It's pretty simple really. If you have eight auction listings for the exact same item simple supply and demand rules will cause you to get fewer bids per item which will lower the average sell price per listing. A better option is to only list one at a time and let the bidding raise the price, or list the duplicate ones at a higher price in the buy-it-now or store inventory format so people who really want the item but don't want to bid can buy immediately.

#2. Don't overlook the second chance offer option. This goes along with #1. If you have duplicates of an item, why not offer bidders who didn't win a second chance to purchase the item at their highest actual bid? This is only a good option if their bids were acceptable to you. Remember though, the item must be exactly the same as the original listing. You will have the opportunity to pick and choose which bidders to send the second chance to. As an added bonus you will not pay listing fees for any second chance offers that are taken, but you will still pay final value fees.

#3. Don't overlook the best offer option for fixed price and store inventory listings. You'll be surprised at the amount of fair offers you will receive for your item if it is an item people want. Don't be afraid to set the price a little high and see what people will actually offer you. Of course you will get some silly offers, but those are easy to say no to.

#4. Don't open an eBay store unless you have sufficient sales and stock to justify it. Opening a store in itself will not guarantee you an increase in your sales. A store is a good option for a seller who has a lot of inventory and needs a way to keep the listings up for longer durations. There is no magic formula for this but I suspect if you are selling like hotcakes, making a good profit and always have loads of stuff to list a store may be for you.

#5. Don't be negative in your listings. Use your listings to make potential customers feel welcome not warned. As an avid eBay shopper I frequently hit the back button when I come across a seller that is hostile towards buyers. I don't need to be warned that the seller has no control over the post office, that I must be sure to know my size since there are no returns, that I must ask if I can bid if I have zero feedback or that I will be reported if I don't pay. I just want to find my item and buy it from someone who is happy to sell to me.

#6. Don't delay shipping an item, ever. Always get it out as soon as you can or as quickly as you advertise. Buyers are not patient and do want their merchandise as quickly as possible. They can and will leave you negative feedback if you are a slow shipper and you will deserve that negative on your record. A bad reputation will hurt your sales. Take it from me, I stay away from sellers who have bad feedback due to slow shipping.

As a former silver powerseller I learned quite a bit about what worked. Of course my list is in no way inclusive and may not work for all niches. I hope to take my own advice when I return to the USA and start selling again this summer. More tips to follow.