I often see sellers using stock pictures cut and pasted from retail websites for their auction, I think this is a mistake. Buyers want to see the actual item they will receive in an auction. Although stock pictures might seem more professional, using your own images will feel more genuine and inspires more trust amongst bidders.

Once I have some eBay items rounded up to bulk-list, I take all of the pictures together – like a mini photoshoot. You don’t need to have a fancy camera, your phone will usually do just fine. The most important things to remember are:

• Take photos indoors, in natural daylight on a non-overcast day for the most flattering images. Ideally, stand with your back to a window so the light is coming in behind you and onto the item. Try not to take photos outdoors in direct sunlight (too bright) or under electric lights (too harsh).
• Don’t use a flash, if it is an overcast day, try to wait until you get some brighter daylight to take the pictures instead
• Try to place your item on a plain or neutral light-colored background – something like a wooden or white table is great. For clothing, I hang items on a wardrobe door.
• Arrange the item so all of it is visible in the shot, and no part is ‘cut off’. You will probably need to take multiple photos to get them back and sides etc but the first shot you use should show the whole item. So if you are photographing a dress, for instance, stand back far enough so you can see all of it in the image. I also use a ‘fancy’ clothing hangar when photographing clothing so buyers can see that it’s been well looked after.

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• Hold the camera straight and steady when taking the photos, depending on your camera, you may need to wait a second for the camera to focus so you don’t get a fuzzy image.
• Take pictures of the back and all sides, and get close-ups of labels. Remember to photograph any damage closely, as you will direct people to the photos in the description so they’re aware of any damage before buying.
• Download the eBay app and you can take pictures directly inside the app to add images to your listings.
• eBay lets you add a certain number of images for free, but beware certain options like ‘galleries’ or that incur an extra cost. eBay should show you a summary of what your listing will cost before you start it and you can change options there.

1. Crafting killer descriptions
   Descriptions are another area where you can make sure your listings stand out over the competition. The vast majority of people put a brief line repeating the item’s title and finish with a generic ‘message me with any questions’. However, more detailed descriptions make your listings seem more authentic as well as giving prospective buyers all the information they need.

   You still need to do the obvious visual describing of course, but if you want your item to sell, go deeper and include anything that makes it special or unique. If the item is a special edition, rare, designer, an antique, has an interesting story, this is where to include the full details.

   Maybe you feel there isn’t much to say about your particular item, if that’s the case then here’s where my number one tip for writing descriptions comes in: use Amazon reviews. Amazon is known for its detailed customer reviews. If you can find your item on there, you’ll see what people like or don’t like and that will give you an idea of why your item stands out. Even if you can’t find your item on there, it will get the juices flowing on all the features of your item that make it worth bidding on.

   For clothing, I will write what kind of outfit or occasion they would go with to paint a picture, for instance: ‘super-cute lightweight summer dress looks perfect paired with tennis shoes and a denim jacket’.

   Remember to note any damage in the description, and note what image shows the damage so your buyers are aware. As with titles, to make sure the listing looks professional, always spell check and use good English, avoiding abbreviations (like using ‘u‘ for you).

2. End your auction at a popular time for more bids
   eBay lets you schedule listings in advance so you can control when your auction ends. – People get excited when they see an auction that’s ending soon, so the last thing you want is for your auction to end at 4 am when no one is online.

   The most popular time for eBay browsing and bidding is almost always Sunday evenings so that’s when you want to go for. Try to also pick a time when people are likely to have put their children to bed too. If you want a double hit of the Sunday shopping boost in your auction, schedule a 10-day auction that starts on a Thursday evening between 8-10 pm, so that it takes in two Sundays and ends on the final Sunday.



3. Practice good feedback and return etiquette
   Always leave good feedback for a buyer once they have paid and they will often leave good feedback for you in return.

   Feedback isn’t as important as it used to be on eBay, however, buyers still feel more secure buying items from a seller with a large amount of positive feedback. Low or no feedback can make people think twice before bidding.

   I send a nice line to the buyer when I dispatch, saying that I hope the buyer enjoys the item, but to let me know if there are any problems as I want to help straight away if so. – Always be polite if there are problems to avoid negative feedback.

   I know it can be how frustrating if a buyer is unhappy with an item they have received. Even more so if you have taken a lot of trouble to create a detailed listing that makes them aware of any damage, however, always be polite if a buyer wants to return an item or is unhappy for any reason. A buyer should have to return the item to you in the same condition in which it was received before they are entitled to a refund and eBay will also refund your seller fees so you will be able to re-list the item at no additional cost.

What are your top tips for eBay? Let us know in the comments!

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