Tips for selling your items online

If you don’t have the time or money to have your own garage sale, selling your items online is a great option to consider. From eBay to Craigslist and LetGo, there are plenty of online platforms to sell your junk with a mere click of a button.

Choose What You Want to Sell

The first step in listing your items online is to gather up your junk and decide what you want and don’t want to sell. However, you should aim to sell everything you can, even listing it for free can reduce the amount of space it will take up in your home and reduce costs.

Sort Through the Items You Want to Sell

Unfortunately, you can’t just list everything in one category to sell online. In fact, you can even earn more money by splitting everything up into different selling categories or selling platforms. For example, DVDs and video games sell better on Amazon, but clothing and collectibles sell better on eBay. At the same time, items that are heavier, sell quicker on Craigslist since there are no shipping costs.

Know What Your Items are Worth

Don’t always assume that just because you value an item, another person will do the same. If you are selling an item that has tremendous personal value to you but is chipped and broken, it won’t sell for much. It’s important that you know the actual value of all your items before selling them, to make sure it’s worth it. There are even online resources you can use online to determine what asking price you should list your items at.

Discover any Listing Fees

Before you list anything, you should do research to see if there are any listing fees. For example, you can list up to 50 items for free a month on eBay, but Amazon charges 99 cents per transaction if you sell less than 40 items a month. Not to forget, shipping costs as well.

Beware of Scams

When you list your items to sell online, you are actively opening yourself up to fraud and scams. Make sure you know all the signs of a scam before you continue any transaction. In most cases, you should trust your gut. If something seems sketchy, it probably is.

Write Specific Descriptions

The more detail-orientated your item descriptions are, the more likely it will sell to a reputable buyer. This includes writing how old your item is, including any flaws. If you don’t mention the few dings your item has, your customers could return your item due to not matching its description or try to haggle you on the price.

Plus, being honest on your product description improves your reputation of being a reputable seller.

Design a Catchy Title for Your Item Listings

One of the first things a person sees when looking up your item online is the title. This is why it’s so important to make it as eye-opening as possible. Include factors such as the color, brand, and condition it’s in. However, make sure you don’t put it in all caps or include gimmicks since that could cause you to lose potential customers. Not to mention, it might make you look like a suspicious buyer and your listing can be flagged for removal.

Upload High-Quality Images of Your Item

When listing your item online, aside from the title and description, you should also include high-quality images of your item so people can see what it actually looks like. You should include close-up photos, as well as ones from different angles to show any damage or feature your item is a positive light. This way, people can see what they are getting without feeling tricked when they show up to pick it up or when it is delivered to their residence.

Explicitly State Information About Shipping and Handling

Be sure you are specific about who will pay for shipping and how much they will pay. Some sellers choose to pay for shipping themselves to make their item more appealing to potential buyers. If you are selling on Craigslist, be clear about when and where the buyer will come to pick up the item.

Answer Questions and Emails Quickly

If you get a message from an interested buyer, be sure to respond promptly. This will show that you are serious about making the sale. It will also get the sale moving much quicker.

What Should You Do if Your Item Doesn’t Sell?

Unfortunately, not all of your products will sell. Consider relisting them for a lower price. You could also donate any of your unwanted items. If you do go the donation route, be sure to keep your receipt so you can receive a deduction on your taxes.

Adam Richards

About Adam Richards

Adam Richards is a semi-retired business professional originally from Bangor, Maine. He spent the majority of his career in sales and marketing where he rose to the marketing lead of a Fortune 1000 company. He then moved on to helping people as a career counselor that specifically helped bring families to self-sufficiency through finding them rewarding careers. He has now returned to Bangor for his retirement and spends his free time writing. This blog will be about everything he learned throughout his career. He'll write on career, workplace, education and technology issues as well as on trends, changes, and advice for the Maine job market and its employers.