If you’re on a budget, you want to sell on eBay for free. This means you would be listing without fees, and eBay is the perfect place to start. However, the listing freebie is not permanent, so you have to pay after more than 250 listings per month.
eBay is the perfect platform to sell items online – used or new. You just have to win the top of the search result to attract more buyers. And to get the buyers, you want to do your listings and optimizations the proper way.
How to sell on eBay for free
Not only does this publication show you how to list for free on eBay but also the techniques and guidelines that make you a better seller, especially as a beginner.
Do the following to sell for free on eBay:
1. Research and source for items to sell
Before you make the sales, you want to have the products. On eBay, you can sell a wide variety of products, as long as they are not fakes, replicas, or illegal items that cause harm in any way.
You want to narrow down the niche for items to sell, as well as estimate the profitability. You could perform product research on items to sell using eBay Explore for popular and trending products.
Another way to research and narrow down on items to sell on eBay is to use Terapeak Product Research, an eBay tool. This tool helps you to get new product ideas and details, including the average total number of sellers, selling price, and total sales, to mention a few.
After researching the item you need, you want to have a source for them. Consider manufacturers/wholesale suppliers and thrift stores and garage sales.
a. Manufacturers and wholesale suppliers
If you use manufacturers and wholesale suppliers to source for products, you’d be getting them in bulk. You can find suppliers on websites such as AliExpress and Alibaba at affordable rates.
b. Thrift stores and garage sales
Scout thrift shops and garage sales in your local community for items you can sell at higher prices on eBay. Consider using websites such as Garage Sale Finder and YardSales to find live events around you.
c. Dropshipping
You can dropship, which involves buying or maintaining inventory by just listing products from online stores and then shipping from the seller to the buyer. You’re merely acting as a middleman selling cheaper items at a higher price for profit.
2. Create an eBay account
First, you need to select between a business or a personal account. These accounts can be created for free to sell on eBay. If you only have a few new or used items to sell, consider creating a personal account. However, if you have enormous products or intend to sell on eBay for the long term as a merchant, create a business account.
An eBay business account allows you to use your legal business name. You can customize the account to align with your brand.
If you prefer to create a business account, go to https://signup.ebay.com/pa/crte?acntType=business, and create and verify the account. You’d need your legal business name, email, and phone number to create one.
3. Personalize eBay account and policy
After opening your eBay account, you can customize it the way that suits your business. If you created a business account, make sure it aligns with your brand preferences.
eBay allows you to modify your addresses, including shipping address, business address, and payment address.
You can also customize your communication preferences to determine how you receive eBay notifications.
A business account will usually let you modify your site preferences. Here, you can customize payments, buyer communication, shipping, buyer requirements, and your return policy settings, just to mention a few.
Nonetheless, some of the settings can be set to default, except for the automatic payment method used to pay your eBay selling fee. Adjust it to your preferred payment method, including PayPal, direct debit, or credit card.
To add your payment method on eBay, go to Account Settings » Business Information » Financial Information and hit Change Automatic Payment Method.
4. Set up an eBay shop
Don’t consider this option if you have no money left to spend—you pay the subscription fee monthly. You can always do it at any time. With an eBay store, you can create a personalized and branded experience for your customers and potential buyers.
You’re eligible to create one as long as you have a seller account on eBay. The subscription plan may change with time, so refer to https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/payments-and-fees/subscriptions-and-fees for the current eBay store subscription plans when you have the money.
5. List and describe your items for free
To list your item for sale on eBay, click “Sell” after logging into your account.
The next part is to make your product presentable. You want to write a relevant description, including as much detail as possible without fluffs.
a. Item description
When describing the products, you want to provide essential information about the item that tells potential buyers what to expect.
Include every product feature and benefit and any additional accessories it comes with.
Keep your writing crisp and to the point—avoid grammatical or spelling errors.
b. Specify the item condition
Be honest and accurate about the current condition – wear and tear of the item. You should specify if it is new, refurbished/renewed, used, or for parts.
New: the item is in good condition and still in the box.
Refurbished: the item has been returned due to a fault, or the original buyer changed their mind about it. The item has been repaired (if there was anything wrong) and tested to ensure that it is fully functional and fresh as new.
Used: the item has been used, either fairly or roughly (specify it to the buyer), and is in good condition.
For parts: if the item you’re selling is for parts, lost it as “for parts “. This means the condition is generally bad and only it can only be used for parts.
c. Product specifics
Mention the name of the brand, size, type, color, type, and style of the product. The point is to mention the general specifications of the product. You can look it up online to avoid making mistakes—just search the product and model online.
d. Item identifiers
Item or product identifiers are unique codes manufacturers use to identify certain products. Product identifiers can include MPN (Manufacturer Part Number) such as ISBN (International Standard Book Number) or UPC (Universal Purchase Code).
e. Shipping information
You’d have to select flat (same shipping fee applies to all buyers), freight (items weighing more than 150 pounds), calculated (shipping cost according to buyer’s location), or pick-up only (eBay gets to evaluate the shipping cost). For pick-up only, you will submit the address you’re sending the items.
f. Add photos
eBay allows up to 12 photographs, so make sure each photo covers the various angles of the product for sale.
Do not use photos downloaded from the internet. Keep the photos natural so that the buyer knows what to expect. Otherwise, they may request a refund or even leave negative feedback.
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Get a good digital camera or use your phone’s camera (if it’s a midrange or high-end device). If you do not a pretty background to use for the photos, use a white or neutral background.
You can use a photo editor to refine the photos. However, do not add effects that change the natural color. Do not also use flashlights when taking photos. You need natural light to retain the color and detail, so use a bright area with sunlight. Buyers want to see what the natural eyes see in the items they order.
Finally, select either the auction or fixed-price formats, and fix a price for your product. If you choose auction, your product will be open to bids for up to 10 days. You can end the auction whenever you receive your best bid.
6. Sell and receive payment
Usually, when your item sells, eBay charges 10-15% of the final value. However, your first 250 listings each month are free. After that, you’ll pay a $0.35 insertion fee per listing. As a beginner or existing seller, this means you list for free and only pay a commission when you sell.
The checking account you linked is what eBay uses to pay you. After your order has been confirmed, eBay will charge a commission in the form of selling fees. The remaining proceeds go to your eBay account as “Processing Funds”.
It usually takes 1 day after confirming your buyer’s payment for the sales proceeds to appear as “Available for Payout”. This won’t be the case if the transaction was placed on hold, so it can take even longer for it to show up.
However, if the buyer confirms the payment, it takes about 2 days to initiate your payout if your payouts are scheduled daily. Funds to your account will take 1-4 business days to become available to you.
Read also: Used items you can sell on Amazon
