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Choose Your Selling Format
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There are three types of selling formats available on eBay:
1. Online Auctions:
This is the most popular format among buyers and sellers. Collect bids on your item and sell to the highest bidder in a fixed length of time (1, 3, 5, 7 or 10 days). You may also include a Buy It Now! price in your listing, which disappears after the first bid. Your listing appears in the eBay category (or categories) you choose and in search results. Learn More.
2. Fixed Price:
You set the price for your item, and buyers can purchase them immediately. Your listing appears alongside auction listings in the category (or categories) you choose and in search results. Learn More.
3. eBay Stores:
eBay Stores gives you a low-cost way to deal with multiple quantity items and allows you to display your fixed price and auction items in one place. Think of your eBay store as a virtual Health & Beauty counter where you can direct buyers to see all your Health & Beauty products for sale. This format works well for large lots or if you want to offer a variety of sizes or versions of a particular item.
To see a comparison chart of these formats, click here.
Selecting The Right Category
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eBay Health & Beauty buyers are selective, and miscataloging pieces can mean the difference between a big sale and no sale. Take note of these important category-selection tips:
- Use "Other" categories sparingly. eBay research indicates that items listed in other categories realize lower conversion rates than those placed in targeted categories.
- Leverage eBay's List in 2 Categories feature to simplify category selection. eBay research indicates that listing in 2 categories can increase bidding and final price by 15% and 18%*, respectively.
- Use eBay's Suggested Categories (Screen Shot)) function on the category page of the Sell Your Item form. It's as easy as using a simple search string to find the right category.
Regularly visit eBay's Category Changes page. You'll learn about new categories for Health & Beauty as well as other areas of the site.
* This represents an average based on data from January 2003 transactions. No representation is made that a seller's final price and bids on a specific item will increase by the average percentages noted above.
Listing Title
Carefully selecting your listing title is important; - it's how our search engine helps buyers find your items! Overall, it's important to be specific, descriptive, and concise. Here are some things to keep in mind when writing the title for your item:
- State exactly what your item is, even if your title repeats the category name (e.g., "Lipstick", "Skincare", "Foundation", etc.)
- Use descriptive keywords that clearly convey what you are selling
- Brand name (e.g., "Lancome")
- Product Name (e.g., "Definicils Waterproof Mascara")
- Size (e.g., "1 oz.", "Trial Size", etc.)
- Shade, if applicable (e.g. "Black," etc.)
- Gender, if applicable (usually applies to Fragrances - "Men", "Women")
- Also indicate whether the product is 'New" or NIB (New In Box) as these are frequently searched words.
- Think of words bidders might use to search for your item and include relevant search terms ("NR" or "No Reserve")
- Make intelligent use of your space --bidders don't search for words like "wow" or "look."
- Use eBay's subtitle feature to get access to more characters on the listings page.
T here are several acronyms and abbreviations you can include to provide as much information in your title as possible:
- Auth: Authentic
- NR: No Reserve
- NIB: New In Box
- NIP: New In Package
Item Description
You'll avoid questions later if you anticipate a buyer's concerns here and present the information in an easy-to-follow fashion. Consider using simple HTML tags to change font size, create paragraphs or bulleted lists, add images, and more. Need some basic tips on using HTML to spice up your listings? Click here!
Here's a list of essential facts to provide:
- Basics
- Brand and product description
- Weight
- Shade
- Condition
- Expiration Dates, if applicable
- End Benefit - what is the end benefit the buyer can/will achieve with the product
- Shipping and Payment Terms/Return Policy: Although these are outlined in your listing, we recommend re-stating these in the description. Things to think about:
- Payment in X days
- Shipping options / fee
- Return in X days
C onsider using a listing template. Creating a template helps prevent you from having to reinvent the wheel. You can also use eBay's Listing Designer to help you with the look and feel of your listings.
Pricing
Proper pricing of your item is critical. Here are three things to keep in mind when determining your item's value.
- Starting Price: Getting that first bid is critical, as other buyers are generally more likely to jump in if they see there are already bids on an item. To do this, many sellers prefer to set a starting price below what the item is actually worth. This tends to jumpstart bidding, create buyer competition, and may ultimately produce a higher final price.
- Reserve Price: If not used properly, a reserve price on your item can often result in the same problems as an excessively high starting price. Buyers will often lose interest in an item if they place a bid and find it doesn't meet the reserve. Because they do not know the reserve price, they may assume the seller is simply asking too much for the item.
- Search Completed Listings: Most savvy sellers search completed listings for similar items to gauge historical pricing and potential returns before setting their opening bid.
Photographs
A picture is worth a thousand words. Clear, professional photographs will boost sales of your item.
- Include photos of your item from multiple angles and at different magnitudes. (Consider using "Supersize"!)
- Highlight any important details, such as limited edition, brand, shade, color, texture and any other special features.
- We highly encourage Health & Beauty sellers to use the Gallery feature to display a picture of your item in listings and search results. Listings with Gallery see a 19% increase in final price, on average*.
- Check out "Picture Services" for how-to-tips.
*This represents an average based on data from February 2002 transactions. No representation is made that your final price will increase by the average percentage points.
Optional Features
Consider using optional features to increase bids on your item.
- Bold: Attract the attention of buyers and set your listing apart by using Boldface type. Listings with Bold see a 16% increase on average in final price.*
- Featured Plus!: Your item will be shown prominently in the Featured Items section of its category list. It will also appear in the regular, non-featured item list. (Featured Plus! is available to sellers with a Feedback Rating of 10 or more.) Listings with Featured Plus see a 62% increase on average in final price.*
V isit the Listings Upgrades pages for more information.
* This represents an average based on data from February 2002 transactions. No representation is made that your final price will increase by the average percentage points.
Shipping & Sales Tax
State shipping information and policies clearly, including who will pay for shipping. Check out eBay's Shipping Center for more tips and useful shipping resources. Don't forget, you can now print UPS & USPS postage via eBay/PayPal.
Here are some things to consider when stating your shipping policy:
- We recommend that you set a fixed price for Shipping and Handling. This will help you close the sale, deliver your item and be paid much faster
- Shipping carrier and method (e.g. USPS, UPS, etc.)
- Do you offer insurance? If so, how much does it cost?
- Consider offering a shipping discount if more than one item is purchased
- Mention if you ship internationally, to P.O. Boxes or to unconfirmed addresses
- State if the shipping will cost more to Hawaii or Alaska
- Offering a shipping confirmation and tracking number will help prevent follow-up e-mails from the buyer
D on't forget to mention sales tax, if applicable.
- How much is the sales tax?
- Mention in which states sales tax applies
- For more information, check out eBay's Tax Policy
Payment & Returns
Here are some things to consider when stating your payment terms:
- List all payment methods you will accept, including PayPal, which credit cards, personal checks, and COD. Electronic payments through PayPal are the most common payment method on eBay. As an added bonus to your listing, boost buyer confidence when you qualify for PayPal Buyer Protection.
- Does payment have to occur with X days of the purchase date?
- Is there a specific process for making payments?
C learly state your return policy on your listing. Letting buyers know they can return or exchange the item for a working replacement boosts sales and final selling prices.
Managing Your Listings
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- Respond to E-mails: Bidders might e-mail you during the course of the listing. Respond to all inquiries promptly.
- Contact the Buyer After a Successful Sale: After the auction has closed eBay will automatically send out an email to the buyer with your contact information and the amount that they buyer will need to pay. It is helpful to send an additional "congratulatory" email to the buyer letting them know your payment information and re-confirming the terms of sale. In this email you should make sure to include the auction number, the total amount owed, and your payment information.
- Provide Feedback: Every eBay user has a Feedback Profile made up of comments from other eBay users--an official "reputation" as a seller. New buyers look at this feedback rating to help them shop with confidence. Therefore, it is important to provide your customers with excellent customer service--answer emails quickly, ship promptly, and deliver what you promised. Click here for more information on how feedback works.
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Must use Buy It Now and PayPal.
