How to Write a Successful Ebay Auction

Write A Good Title

The trick to writing a good auction is grabbing buyers attention.  The first place to start is obviously the title. It’s important to make sure it’s an accurate description of what you’re selling, but at the same time you should try to make it stand out from other similar items.  You should try to entice buyers to click on your auction by including anything special about your item in the title e.g Brand new unused, or if you are selling branded goods state make/model. Try to think of what you would search for if you were looking to buy your item. Search completed listings of items similar to yours for title inspiration- what titles did the best performing auctions use? 

Description

The first line of your description should be the name of your item i.e Apple Ipod nano 4GB.  Follow this with a description of it’s main features, in this example you would put the functions and number of music tracks the device can hold along with things like screen size, colour etc.  

Go on to describe the condition and what’s included in the auction (original packaging, accessories etc). 

Anything special about your item? say so! It’s sometimes helpful to mention how you got the item or why you’re selling it, but this really depends on whether the item is rare or hard to come by.  You should try to describe your item as honestly as possible in order to avoid poor feedback later. What you feel is “mint condition” may be the next person’s “average condition” so if in doubt, err on the side of caution with your description.

If it’s relevant state the size/weight of the item

You should state any terms of sale you may have, such as payment wihtin 7 days etc.  Remember to set your shipping locations and prices correctly and consider selling internationally to achieve a higher price. Set a realistic handling time for your item so the buyer knows when they will receive their item.

Auction photos

Before taking any photos of the item, give it a clean and inspect it for any flaws.  It’s important to mention these in your description and also to take close ups of any imperfections so that the buyer can get a better idea of the condition.  Buyers appreciate honesty, if they can see any defects for themselves they often decide it’s not that bad and bid to a higher price.

Try to find something to use as a backdrop for your item. The focus of your pictures should be the item itself, not how untidy your kitchen/dining room is! I use a portable, fold-up mini photo studio for my auctions, but a sheet of fabric or coloured card work well.  Try to use a contrasting background, Light for dark coloured objects and vice versa.

Try to use natural light or a good overhead light source so as not to cast shadows in your pictures.

Take multiple shots from different angles so you have a few to choose from.  Don’t forget close up’s of any important details or damage.

Use a few different views in your auction. Buyers like to see exactly what they’re bidding on.  The more they can see of an item, the more likely they are to bid on it!