Make Money On eBay!!

I have been a college student now for almost two years now and I have tried just about everything besides selling my body to try to make a little extra money. I have made websites for people, I’ve tried Google Adsense, and I’ve even made my own Cafe Press Shop. But the best way I’ve found to make a little extra quick cash is selling stuff on eBay.

I’ve been buying and selling on eBay for a while now and have gotten a fair amount of feedback. At this exact moment I am up to 118 (100% positive I might add). I’m not a huge store selling anything, but I’ve used eBay enough to be able to pull a little bit of extra money and make sure I get the best prices for some of the things I want to buy.

Here are some techniques that I’ve found on the internet(some I’ve tried, others I haven’t) for making money on eBay:

• Buying and Selling – This is the process of buying something off of eBay for the best possible price you can find and trying to sell it again for more. I have tried this and it is possible! Look below at buying and selling tips.
• Drop Shipping – This is finding a whole saler and selling their products on eBay. A person buys the item from you, then you buy it off the whole saler’s website and ship it directly to the buyer. I found this really good guide over at Taming The Beast about drop shipping.
• Starting a Store – This is for people that may have their own product that they make a lot of and want to easily sell it to the masses. You can get better rates for selling as a store. You can get more info on eBay stores here.

Once you know which technique you want to use to make money, there are certain tips that can help you gain the extra edge.

Selling Tips:

• Sell at the right time – When listing your items, make sure you list them at times that people will see them. A lot of people will wait to bid on an item until the last couple of minutes of the auction. If your auction end when most people are sleeping or at work, many people may be missing out on your auctions. I like to end my auctions on Monday and Tuesday nights between 7-9pm. That tends to be a time when most people would be able to be around a computer with not much else going on.
• Write a good description – If I see an auction that has a one line description that says “gud condition, just dont need anymore.” I am a lot less likely to bid on that auction, and I think a lot of other people would agree with me. Write something that really describes the item well. Make it so possible buyers will not have to ask any questions.
• Don’t lie – If the item is broken, say that. If the item has scratches on it, say that. Telling a buyer exactly what they are getting may not make you more money at the auction but it will definitely get you less disputes and bad feedback which can save you money and make you more in the long run.
• Take good pictures – This one could go right along with writing a good description. Make sure you use a decent camera, they are not hard to find these days. Make sure that you have proper lighting and a decent background for the item you are selling. Also make sure that there is not anything distracting/embarrassing in the picture with your item. And please, for the love of God, do not use a stock picture, take your own.

Buying Tips:

• Buy on the off times – Don’t get on eBay at the same time as everyone else and bid on the same item everyone else is bidding on. If this means getting up extra early or staying up a little bit later, do it. This can save you some money in the long run.
• Don’t be afraid to wait – When trying to get the best price for something, you don’t need to buy the first auction you see. Wait for one to come around that is at a better price. It will happen. Just wait for it.
• Buy from trusted eBayers – Make sure that the person you are buying from has a decent amount of positive feedback. If they have one or two negative feedback, that could have been just a fluke, but if they have a little bit longer list of reds, I wouldn’t take any chances. This will save you time and money for not having to start disputes and send items back.
• Watch shipping prices – These can catch you by surprise. Watch out for auctions that are going cheap that have overly priced shipping fees. Also, keep your eyes out for free shipping on items. This can save money on some items.

Hopefully these tips can help you out, they sure have helped me. Goodluck on your eBay and money making adventures!

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