All you need to know about listing on eBay

The eBay platform is an ideal source of potential customers. This article compiles all the information related to listing and promoting your sale. We will present all the most important information about listing on eBay.

Listing on eBay – table of contents:

1. What can’t you sell on eBay?
2. How do I make an offer?
3. How to write a good offer name and description?
4. Issuing a sales offer with versions
5. Optimization of offers for mobile devices
6. Sales abroad
7. Promoted listings or advertising on eBay
8. Promotional and marketing tools

What can’t you sell on eBay?

The eBay platform has certain restrictions on the items that are listed for sale. Some items are prohibited and others require additional conditions to be met. The list constructed by eBay is a complete one, it is merely an outline of the rules that the platform follows. The rules are based on national law and it is the seller’s responsibility to ensure that their offer does not break any laws.

How do I make an offer?

Listing on eBay is done in five simple steps:

1. Click the “Sell” button at the top of the site and select the sell form,
2. Select a category – enter keywords in the search box and press the “Sell” button,
3. Complete the form with specific information:
• Name and description – these are the two pieces of information that advertise the listing on eBay,
• Item condition – in individual categories, the nomenclature will differ slightly, e.g. technological categories (new, new other, refurbished with certificate, refurbished by seller, used, for parts or not working), clothing, shoes and accessories category (new with label, new without label, new with defect, used). Detailed information on how to determine the condition of a product is available at this link,
• Photo – a seller can add a maximum of 12 free photos to each bid, the first of which is displayed as a thumbnail. Auctions without a single photo cannot be published. In the case of auctions of used products, it is not allowed to use the photo bank – you must place a graphic that reflects the real appearance of the item. For better readability, remove all frames, logos, inscriptions, etc. from the photo and ensure a minimum width of 500 pixels,
• Auction Format – when selling on eBay, sellers have a choice of different auction formats,

• Price – a seller who is having trouble pricing the item they are offering can review completed auctions of similar products. The price should be satisfactory to both the customer and the seller,
• Auction duration – auctioned items may last for 1, 3, 5, 7, 10 or 14 days, while items with a “buy it now” sales format are valid until further notice,
• Payment Methods – the buyer has a choice of three payment methods: PayPal, Cash and Wire Transfer,
• Forms of delivery – include information about the locations to which shipment is possible, forms of shipment and delivery time,
• Terms of Returns – every retailer is required to set clear terms for returns, even if they do not accept returns,
• Additional options – are related to the promotion of the offer,
4. It is worth previewing the offer to detect any errors,
5. When everything is entered correctly, confirm the offer with the “List item” button.

How to write a good offer name and description?

The name and description of the offer are very important to attract the attention and interest of the potential customer. When writing the name, pay attention to:

• selection of relevant keywords (max. 80 characters),
• adding information about the brand/author/designer,
• adding information about the item’s characteristics, e.g. size,
• adding a description of what the object is,
• not using the words “see”, “cool”, etc,
• not using synonyms and plurals,
• not using asterisks and punctuation marks,
• not writing all words in capital letters,
• not abusing abbreviations,
• contain truthful and not misleading information,
• avoiding vulgarity,
• not entering email addresses or phone numbers.

Writing a proper description also requires following a few rules:

• sentences should be whole and correctly written,
• similar information should be grouped by paragraph,
• the beginning of the description should contain the most important information,
• if international return terms apply, describe them,
• the description must not contain false information or information unrelated to the offered item,
• photos should be added using the appropriate functions, not in the description,
• external content must be downloaded via HTTPS,
• descriptions should be unique (do not copy descriptions from other sites),
• trademarks and logos may not be used if the seller does not have the rights to use them,
• descriptions should be clear for the user, i.e. they cannot be too long and written in too small a font.

To avoid misunderstandings, the seller should include in the description information about the brand/company/designer/author, condition of the item, model number, number of items, sizes (dimensions, weight), and time taken to make the product.

Issuing a sales offer with versions

Some items are available in many versions, e.g. the items differ in colour or size. In such cases the seller can save time (and money – he/she pays only once for placing a bid) and instead of placing many separate bids, add just one. Each version can be priced separately, and such a listing on eBay can gain more visibility.

Creating a sales listing on eBay with versions is done in six steps:

1. Open an advanced sales form,
2. Give details, i.e. how the items differ (e.g. size),
3. Specify information about the item – that is, information that is common to all versions of the item,
4. Check versions – each version can be given a separate name, stock number or label,
5. Add a picture of the version,
6. Specify the quantity and price of each version.

You can manage your versions at any time by going to “My eBay” → “Selling” → “Active“.

Optimization of offers for mobile devices

With more than half of all transactions on eBay already taking place on mobile devices, it makes sense to make sure your listings are optimised for them. There are a number of things you should do to ensure that your listings are optimised for them:

• creation of descriptions in accordance with Responsive Web Design RWD: font size min. 12 pixels, black text on white background, no active content, etc,
• adding to the offer max. 12 photos,
• adding all parameters and product identifiers – identifiers are unique codes that are placed in barcodes or product labels.

Optimization of sales offers affects their faster loading and easier access to the most important information about a product.

Sales abroad

A seller who wants to start selling their items overseas has two ways to do so:

1. International sales – the seller must have an eBay account at the appropriate level that offers shipping to Europe, the UK or worldwide,
2. Global Shipping Program – This program is available to sellers who have above-standard status and their item is physically located in the U.S. and listed on ebay.com. Detailed information about the program can be found at this link.

Promoted listings or advertising on eBay

Promoted offers help to increase their visibility and thus influence better sales. In addition, the merchant pays for such advertising only when the customer clicks on it and makes a purchase within 30 days. The determination of the rate for campaigns is individual and flexible. The platform also provides a preview of suggested rates to help sellers choose the most optimal one. In the “Ads Panel”, it is possible to keep track of campaign reports.

Promotional and marketing tools

• Order size discounts – encouraging shoppers to make larger purchases from the re
• Markdown sale events – sellers can create sales in specific categories, such as 20% off all laptops,
• Shipping discounts – offering customers a lower price for shipping, on larger purchases,
• Coded coupons – a merchant can create their own discount code, for example, use the code “Shop5” and receive 5% off your next purchase,
• Volume pricing – the seller can encourage customers to buy more items with appropriate discounts, such as 5% off when buying 2 items.

That’s all we wanted to convey about listing on eBay. This platform offers great opportunities for sellers. The right way to present their listings and using the tools to promote them can bring satisfactory results and growth.

If you like e-commerce, also read: How to Sell on eBay – 8 tips for beginners !

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