How I did it: I opened eBay and PayPal accounts and began to buy little things, so I could get my feedback score up (the higher, the better). Then I went to the bank and opened a checking account, which I attached to the PayPal account I'd made.

I rounded up different items and set them into a plastic bin. I asked those around me if there was anything they'd like me to sell for them and ended up with too much to fit in the bin!

Slowly, I began to take pictures of different items and added them to eBay at my leisure, so I could get the hang of the way the website worked. Within twenty minutes, one of my very first items had sold! The next morning I was standing in line at the post office with the package in my arms and I felt great.

Lessons & tips:

• Buy items to increase your feedback (I would recommend looking for small items around $1.00 with free shipping). Feedback is incredibly important to buyers, as they want to ensure that they can trust you as a seller.
• Search eBay for the item you are selling. Observe what other sellers may be pricing them for (I find it especially helpful to look at the completed listings, and see which have sold). Rival the prices. Sure, you may not get as much as you paid for the item to begin with, but I find most people use eBay to find things for much less than they would at a store.
• Take as many clear photos of the item as possible. There is a fee to extra photos, but different angles of the item never go unappreciated.
• Be as descriptive of the item as possible. Be sure to note anything that may be wrong with it, even just a tiny scratch. You don't want negative feedback, especially if you're just starting out!
• Maintain good communication with your customer. Ensure to tell them when their item has been shipped, because many customers hold the seller liable when shipping is slow.
• Be well prepared ahead of time. Take a trip to your post office and have a look at the costs of things. Stock up on items like packaging tape, bubble wrap and foam peanuts (they are all quite inexpensive). You will be surprise to see that the rates aren't very bad at all, and you will be glad to be prepared!
• BE PATIENT! Your items will sell if you have put in the effort. Don't get frustrated if they aren't selling, that's what relisting is for! Soon enough, someone will come along looking for what you are selling.
• Be WARNED that shipping and handling fees can be much heavier than you may have expected. Personally, this ruined the eBay experience for me, but if you know what you're doing, go for it.

Resources: Observation, patience and optimism.

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Jul 01, 2010, 08:18PM PDT | 2 comments | 9 cheers