Profiles of a Successful eBay Seller

Over the years, as I have become online acquaintances with many Power Sellers on my eBay discussion group, I have noticed several common qualities of successful sellers. I have noted a few of these. They can be learned and easily adapted to, so you can turn your part time selling hobby into a serious money making business.

Serious and successful eBay sellers do the following:

• They treat their eBay listings like a business. This means instead of just a part time fun mad money endevour there is some thought and planning put into it. It means understanding how your investment and fees take a chunk out of your overall gain and how to avoid pitfalls. They also take their customer service seriously, shipping quickly, answering all correspondence politely, and following up with customers.
  
  
• They find a niche and build on their expertise. A niche is a selling topic in which you are familiar or want to learn about then specialize in. There are thousands of categories on eBay. There is no way one person can be an expert in all of them, and it is futile to be a little educated in several selling topics since the competition can be fierce. The successful eBay sellers establish themselves as experts, and their knowledge is reflected in how their listings are written, the information on their About Me page, and how they respond to requests for additional information. They will willingly share their vast knowledge to interested collectors, or buyers. They also will be open with folks whom may never make a purchase. They are building a reputation in their niche
  
  
• They are great communicators. They have learned how to write thorough auction listings, describing their products completely. They know how to capitalize on the assets but not neglecting the faults of each item. They take time to be excited about the product and convey that excitement through great write-ups. They are thoughtful and have decided ahead of item what their selling and shipping policies will be. They respond to questions from bidders promptly, with complete and courteous answers no matter how ludicrous the question. They email winning bidders at the close of the auction and maintain that communication until the transaction is complete. The buyer has confidence in the seller’s availability.
  
  
• They are entrepreneurs and learn by doing. Successful eBay sellers don’t give up easily. They look at each “failure” as a learning and growth opportunity. When an auction doesn’t go as expected, they will take time to research and gain the knowledge to do things differently the next time for better results. They learn from their mistakes. And even when things are going well, they are always trying to figure out how to make them better through asking questions, studying other seller’s successes and researching their selling niche.
  

Turning your selling hobby into a successful eBay business can be done. Think about it, you already have some passion for the things you buy online or sell. You probably know something about a hobby that others are also interested in. Why not turn that passion into money? Do some research and find that potential money making niche on eBay.

Power Sellers on eBay
Michael & Julie Anna Schultz
Collectors and consultants of fine out of print children's literature
Owners of Book Jewels for Children
http://www.BookJewelsForChildren.com

Email us at: Clan4God@rochester.rr.com