#2. Automate Listing and Shipping
Upgrade to eBay's suite of auction management tools as soon as possible, including Selling Manager, Turbo Lister, and Seller's Assistant. These tools release your potential, enabling you to list, track, and complete your eBay sales more quickly and professionally. List items with ready-made templates, schedule your listings, bulk-upload inventory, automate buyer emails, and more.

Invest in a postage scale and print your postage online or pay for a pickup/delivery service, such as Fed Ex Ground. In short, there's no point wasting time at the post office. Acquire free shipping supplies from USPS (Priority Mail) or via arrangements with local businesses. Fast, professional shipping generates repeat business.

#3 Develop Discount Supply Relationships
Competition can be fierce in every category. Secure a resale license from your state and make volume purchases from wholesale dealers, suppliers, and manufactures. You'll garner crucial discounts you can pass along to your customers, making you more competitive. For wholesale deals, visit eBay's Wholesale category. Also, increase supply by becoming a Trading Assistant.

#4 Look Like a Pro: Photos, Listing Template
Don't underestimate the importance of high-quality photos in your listings. For many items, the better the photo, the more likely the sale. Consider building a photo stage and hiring a college student or local amateur, part-time or by the hour, to shoot your items.

Spend time developing a graphical (HTML) listing template, specific to your merchandise. Experiment with different layouts, colors, and text treatments. Look like an expert and a professional, not a lazy amateur. In a competitive marketplace, that makes all the difference. Looking good is easy with eBay's Seller's Assistant and Listing Designer.

#5 Include Keywords in Your Listing Titles & Descriptions
Most eBay buyers use eBay Search-80%, in fact. To capture these bidders and buyers, include the words they search with in your listing titles and descriptions. Bookmark your category's eBay Seller Newsflash and Hot Item list to keep abreast of popular search terms.

#6 Properly Positioning & Merchandising Your Listings
Consider your starting prices carefully. This will dramatically affect your item positioning. If possible, start auctions low in relation to their fair-market value. You'll increase bids and there's no better billing than that. Use reserves sparingly. Improperly applied, they can damage your credibility.

Also, discover the optimum times to start and end your auctions to increase bidding. Then, schedule and automate their launch with Seller's Assistant. Consider ten-day listings that cover two weekends. Time auctions to capture bidders in multiple time zones.

Each item you sell deserves the right listing format. Develop a strategy that leverage's eBay entire family of formats: Auction, Buy It Now, Fixed Price, Second Chance Offer, and more. Also, open an eBay Store to brand your eBay business, economically expand your inventory, and cross-merchandise your items.

Take advantage of eBay listing upgrades: Gallery, Bold, Featured Plus, List in 2 Categories, and more. Also, consider advertising on targeted eBay search result pages. If you qualify for eBay's PowerSeller program, take advantage!

#7 Make PayPal a Payment Option
Enable your customers to pay immediately online with PayPal. Buyers prefer it. Don't risk sales by not offering it. Faster payment also means greater cash flow and operating capital to handle the unforeseen.

#8 Track the Market with your my eBay Page
Your "my eBay" page is a powerful tool for tracking the market. With the Favorites tab, create Completed Item searches for the items you sell. This will give you a daily read on current prices for your inventory. Also, be sure to follow your category's Hot Items list.

#9 Make Positive Feedback a Priority
Live up to your promises and ensure positive feedback. This is your ticket to attracting new customers, which handled correctly, become regular customers. To encourage positive feedback, describe your items accurately (including damage), manage expectations, offer online payment (PayPal, preferably), package professionally, and ship ASAP.

To read eBay's official rule on keyword spamming, click here.

Try these title techniques to drive qualified buyers to your products:

#1 Generic Terms: Buyers often use general search terms to access a wide variety of listings. To capture these searches, include specific and general words in your titles.

• Design a professional listing template, which compartmentalizes pertinent information, such as your photo, product description, and sales terms.
  
  
• Try eBay's Listing Designer.
  
  

• Include one large catalog-quality photo. Lead with it at the top of your template.
  
  
• Take advantage of manufacturer photos if your supplier provides them. Please make sure that you have the manufacturers agreement to include their photo in your listing, otherwise it could be a copyright infringement.
  
  
• Personal photos should include proper lighting and backgrounds. Stage and shoot your items in their proper environment.
  
  

• Provide a concise, yet compelling description highlighting the key features.
  
  
• Focus on the product, not your sales terms. And be sure to include the product's dimensions, if applicable. The more questions you answer in your listing, the less work for yourself later.
  
  
• Consider a short introduction and bulleted feature list.
  
  

• Include complete sales terms, grouped under separate headings below your product description.
  
  
• Heading examples: Payment Methods, Shipping Charges, Sales Tax, Order Processing, Shipment Tracking, and Return Policy.
  
  

• Offer some form of electronic payment, preferably PayPal.
  
  
• Detail any payment forms you do not accept, such as money order or check.
  
  

• First, state if you ship internationally. Describe any notable exceptions.
  
  
• Offer both a discount and premium service, such as ground and express.
  
  
• Note if you combine shipping on multiple purchases.
  
  

• Outline the major steps in your fulfillment process to avoid confusion. Give an arrival estimate for your customers' shipments.
  
  
• Detail how and when customers will receive their shipment tracking number.
  
  

• Emphasize your return policy and warranty program. For increased buyer confidence, you might want to think of offering a five-to-seven day return policy.
  
  
• If you offer attractive terms, give them priority in your terms area.