| Sometimes just a few small tasks make all the | | | | owners, while Trading Standards have |
| difference between making a few dollars profit on | | | | wide-ranging powers to confiscate or withdraw |
| eBay and generating a small fortune each month. | | | | 'iffy' items from sale. That's if eBay doesn't cut |
| These ideas will help you make more from your | | | | you off sooner.* Offer a free gift with your |
| listings.* I find a scanner sometimes produces far | | | | products. This helps cut competition where your |
| better pictures than a digital camera, albeit some | | | | listed product is available from numerous sources. |
| items are too big or heavy and might damage our | | | | The gift does not have to be expensive, but it |
| delicate equipment. Use it for smaller, lighter items | | | | should be unique. Useful examples include: a book |
| and place them gently onto the bed to avoid | | | | you've written or compiled yourself; a gift |
| scratching the surface. DO NOT SCAN POINTED | | | | certificate for a discount on other of your |
| ITEMS OR OTHERS WITH SHARP EDGES - that | | | | products; a key ring or other small novelty |
| is a definite shortcut to disaster.* Don't write or | | | | created especially by or for your business.* Sell |
| price directly and indelibly onto delicate items. For | | | | 'must have' items eBay sellers needed to run their |
| example, write in ink on a stamp or book, append | | | | business and attract regular, repeat business. |
| a price label onto a second hand toy, tie a tag | | | | Choose products in constant need of |
| onto a delicate necklace, and value drops | | | | replenishment such as packaging, craftwork |
| drastically.* Do keep items as close to original | | | | materials, jewellery findings. You'll also find people |
| state as possible. For example, leave toys in | | | | contacting you to buy outside of eBay which |
| boxes, book with dustcovers, sets of postcards | | | | helps keep your listing fees low.* From |
| in original envelopes, records in original sleeves.* | | | | second-hand buying sources like boot sales and |
| Do repair what you can without spoiling the item | | | | flea markets look for multiple same-product items |
| or reducing its value. Toys, jewellery and most | | | | in need of repair or renovation. Few people want |
| household goods can be cleaned, clothing can be | | | | to repair items themselves so prices will invariably |
| repaired or refashioned, marks can be removed | | | | be low for damaged goods. Take the best parts |
| from some pictures and prints. For rare items like | | | | from each item and create one or several |
| paintings, postcards, stamps, consult an expert or | | | | perfect or near-perfect items to resell. We did |
| leave it alone.* Do consider if something can be | | | | this recently with a pair of Black American Money |
| done to an item to increase perceived value and | | | | Boxes with movable parts. One box was dirty |
| price and interest a wider audience. Prints from | | | | and paint badly damaged, with mechanical parts |
| early magazines can be removed, cleaned, | | | | unaffected. The other was clean and unscratched |
| coloured and framed, for example, and modern | | | | but the moving bits were missing. With good bits |
| dolls and toys can be touched up and combined | | | | from each matched and remodelled the money |
| into multi-item offerings. Stamps are another good | | | | box made £40 pure profit.* Make a big thing |
| example of items often worth little on their own, | | | | of proving the authenticity ('provenance') of your |
| but sorted into themes, say space travel, Disney, | | | | products, by including historical details in your listing |
| Elvis Presley, bagged and priced low, can attract | | | | or as a separate document to go with the |
| multiple bids.* Do stay within the law or risk fines, | | | | product. Or do both and you'll find words used |
| imprisonment or a possible end to your business | | | | inside your listing will attract greater search engine |
| for passing off modern goods as antique, | | | | traffic, while the separate document buyers |
| intentionally mis-describing goods, trading in stolen | | | | receive will increase perceived value of your |
| items. 'Ignorance of the law' is no excuse. In most | | | | product. |
| cases stolen items can be reclaimed by their real | | | | |