Want Christmas Money? Get it Online!

By Bill Russo

As Billrrrrr on Ebay,  I have a Red Star and 1507 transactions with a very high feedback score. But I do not regularly sell or buy on Ebay. There are times however, when I get the bug and will work at it for three or four months straight before returning to in-active status.  

A few years ago during the Christmas season I teamed up with a friend and we listed books, hundreds of books.  This was pre kindle when book sales were probably a lot stronger than they are now.  At our peak, working an hour or two a day,  we were generating over $500 in sales every week.  We made a nice little pile of cash and then stopped.  

Recently I have started to get the itch to do a little more book selling....with no fear of Kindle.  Books are not going away - at least not for the next 30 years or so.  

I have done a little research and have found that the category that I wish to sell in, is still vibrant for physical products.  So I'm in.  I desire to make a little extra pile of money for the holidays.  

In that spirit, I researched some elementary tips for successful Ebay sales.   It's basic, but sometimes it is good to go back and look at the tried and true tactics.  Here they are................................

10 Steps On How To Work From Home On eBay

 Follow the information outlined here in order to successfully sell your items and start making a profit. It is easier than you think to have a profitable eBay business.

Step One:
Get started the right way. Accurately describe your item. If it is new say so, if it is not also state that. An accurate description will ensure that the buyer knows what they are getting.

Step Two:
Have great keywords in your title. Look for an item just like yours in an eBay search. See what comes up. Using great keywords will get your item further up on the search listings. People can only purchase your item if they can find it.

Step Three:
Use pictures. Now that the gallery is free, there is no reason not to use pictures. A digital camera is all you need in order to take a really great photograph. This is what will tell your buyers about your product. Get this right and your item has a much better chance of selling.

Step Four:
Accurately list your shipping and handling charges. Buyers are turned off when listings are obviously padding their shipping. You are entitled to have the buyer pay for the actual shipping plus reasonable handling charges. Another option may be to have a buy it now option with free shipping. This marketing tool really works well.

Step Five:
Use an online payment service like PayPal. Many buyers do not want to bother with a check or money order. They want to make an online payment. PayPal is safe and you can start with a personal account and move up to a premier or business account at a later date. It is difficult to work from home on eBay without an online payment solution.

Step Six:
Promptly ship your items after you receive payment. A delay in shipping will result in unhappy buyers. This is very important. Make sure you list all shipping options. It is always a good idea to offer an expedited service as well as standard. Always ship your item with a form of delivery confirmation. Require insurance on fragile items.

Step Seven:
Keep good communication with your buyer. Email them to let them know payment was received. Contact them to let them know their item has shipped. Send them a follow-up email to be sure they were happy with their purchase and ask them if you can put them on your email list.

Step Eight:
Create an email listing of your customers, with their permission. Let them know when a similar item is for sale. For example if you sold a customer a Limoges box, let them know when you have similar items for sale. Developing a list of happy customers is a great way to get repeat business.

Step Nine:
Stay informed. Use the eBay Forums and community links to stay on top of what is going on in the eBay community. You will know when specials are offered to buyers and when there are events. Workshops are a great way to learn more about eBay. The more you know the better you can run your business.

Step 10:
Know what is hot on eBay. Visit the What's Hot page daily. Make sure you know what is selling well in your category of items. Developing a niche market is important. You cannot cover every category. Choose an area of expertise. Write an FAQ or an informative article and post it to eBay. All of these tips will help keep you profitable.


Best of luck building a little holiday business. P.S.  If you need any books look for Billrrrrr on Ebay...I will have some great classic Westerns.

And I also am on Amazon Kindle.  Get my "The Creature from the Bridgewater Triangle" ebook for $2.99