Getting started selling on eBay

Categories

Motors

eBay glossary

eBay acronyms

A-Z index

Getting started selling on eBay

In this article
	Create a seller's account Set up your Q&A Research your item and the rules of selling Create your listing Manage your listing Wrap up with your buyer

Whether you're starting a business or just want to make some extra cash, selling on eBay is a fun way to do it. Here's how.

1.	Create a seller's account When creating a seller account you'll need to: Provide us with a valid credit card, debit card, or bank account information or become ID Verified. Let us know how you would like to pay your seller fees. Select the payment methods you'll accept. Make sure your Feedback Profile is public.
2.	Set up your Q&A Buyers often have questions before, during, and after a sale. When they do, they click the Ask a question link in your listing. As a seller, it's important for you to respond quickly and thoroughly. This keeps the buyer interested in your listing, saves you time, and you'll be more likely to get positive Feedback when the transaction is complete. Your Q&A can be made up of answers generated automatically from your listing, answers you create yourself, and stock answers about eBay policies. Up until the end of the listing, you also have the option of whether buyers can contact you directly. Learn more about answering buyers' questions .
3.	Research your item and the rules of selling Do some research, especially about setting a starting price, listing format, and category. This research will help you create a good listing and get the best price for your item. Compare your item with active and completed listings on eBay based on category, format, and selling price. Selecting a category explains how to search for and select a category. Selecting a selling format tells you more about format choices. Buyers feel more compelled to bid and buy when they know the shipping costs beforehand. Package, weigh, and measure your item so you can use calculated shipping. If this is your first time selling an item, you may be required to specify shipping. Calculating shipping costs tells you how to specify shipping costs. Visit the eBay Shipping Essentials Center to learn more about how to ship your items. Know the rules for sellers about eBay policies on prohibited and restricted items, and what's okay or not okay when listing and completing the sale.
4.	Create your listing Depending on your item category and which listing form you use, you'll have a variety of listing options. If you're selling an item associated with a product that's in our catalog, you can add product details from our catalogs to your listing. You can sell using an auction-style or a fixed price format. Listing upgrades such as font or picture enhancements make your item stand out. You can even sell to benefit a non-profit organization that you choose using eBay Giving Works. Use multi-quantity listings for items with variations.If you sell multiple versions of a product – like a T-shirt in various colors and sizes – you can list all the variations in one multi-quantity, fixed price listing by listing items with variations. Learn more about the listing process and options. Otherwise, you can just start selling using our Sell Your Item form. To get there, click the Sell button at the top of most eBay pages. Fees for selling on eBay apply to most listings.
5.	Manage your listing When you have your listing up and running, you can check it to see how bidding is going by going to the Sell section of My eBay. In My eBay you can also: Set communication preferences to let us know how and when you want to receive alerts or notifications. Set seller preferences about picture hosting, receiving payments, shipping, and more. Set member-to-member communication preferences to say how buyers can connect with you. Set general preferences for searches and My eBay preferences. Learn how to make changes to your listing. Be sure to answer any questions you receive about your listing. Communicating with potential buyers will help you sell your item by establishing good rapport and trust. Learn how Feedback works to become a stronger seller on eBay.
6.	Wrap up with your buyer The way you handle these last steps will go a long way toward your personal satisfaction and getting great Feedback from your buyer. Communicate with your buyer: If you use eBay checkout, you’ll be notified by email when the buyer has completed checkout. If you have disabled checkout, you can contact the buyer directly by email or phone. If you don't specify shipping and payment details in your listing, the buyer can request this information during checkout. Important: Contact your buyer directly if you haven't heard from your buyer within three days of your listing's end. Receive payment: Be sure you receive payment before you ship your item. Make sure that the credit card or electronic payment has been accepted and credited to your account before sending the item. If you listed in one of the categories that allows you to accept checks, make sure the check has cleared the bank before delivering the item. Ship the item to the buyer safely and on time Package your item as securely as possible. Read our packaging tips. Make sure your shipment information is correct and be sure to include your return address. Save time by creating your shipping label and packing slip right from eBay when you print one label at a time and ship through the United States Postal Service (USPS). When you include shipping information in your listing, the information is prefilled into the shipping label. You can even insure your package as you create your shipping label. You can go through PayPal for UPS or to print multiple labels in bulk for USPS shipping. If you use free carrier pickup (available with orders that include Priority Mail or for a small on-demand fee), you can save a trip to the post office. Otherwise, because your shipping label is already printed, you can just drop off your package at the post office counter rather than stand in line. Leave the buyer Feedback: Our Feedback system helps create a trustworthy community for everyone. Your Feedback about your buyer is important information for other sellers.

Contact Customer Support

If you're looking for more help or have a question to ask, please contact us.

Have a question? We can help.

Ask eBay members

Get help from other eBay members. Visit the Answer Center to post a question.

Related help topics

Copyright © 1995-2009 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the eBay User Agreement and Privacy Policy.

eBay official time