Although there are many different ways to make money online in today's world, selling on eBay is a highly advantageous option. It is quite natural for beginners to have questions such as what is eBay and how does it work. Don't let the eBay selling process, which might seem difficult especially at the beginning, intimidate you. With the eBay selling guide we have prepared for you, you can clear all the question marks in your mind, make a solid entry into online trade, and proceed with firm steps.
What is eBay?
As one of the global online marketplaces, eBay is an e-commerce site that provides advantages to its users for selling. Besides being an e-commerce site specialized in selling, operating in many countries around the world, eBay also creates a global trade network by bringing together millions of sellers and buyers.
Making it easy for you to become a customer without paying any fees, eBay only charges listing fees for you to sell. Selling on eBay, where listing fees are very low-cost compared to other e-commerce sites, is a highly advantageous option. Additionally, besides the low costs you pay to sell on eBay, you can build your own customer base in a global marketplace and reach eBay's extensive customer network.
Why Should You Sell on eBay?
We can say that eBay ranks between Amazon and Etsy in terms of popularity among sellers worldwide. While you can reach a wide and diverse market audience on eBay just like selling on Amazon, the platform's processes such as registration, setup, and product listing management are simpler compared to Amazon.
When compared to Etsy, which requires you to pay a fee the moment you list a product, on eBay you can list for free for a certain period of time.
It can be said that eBay is the best option for online sellers who want to make faster sales with less effort. It is highly popular due to its wide market audience, easy registration & setup capability, and the opportunities it offers.
How to Sell on eBay?
First Step: Create a Seller Account
After determining the type of sale and store you want to establish on eBay, the first thing to do is to open a seller account. eBay has a very easy interface for account opening. First, you need to go to eBay's website and click on the register button located in the upper left corner of the homepage. When you click the register button, eBay will request your personal information. After filling in your personal information, you can easily create your account by clicking the submit button.
Second Step: Create a Listing for Your Products
After opening an account on eBay, the next step is to create a listing so that customers can find your products. The products in the listings must have high-quality photos, and what they are and what they do should be clearly explained. Using a simple language that everyone can understand will make you stand out. In addition, consistent pricing will increase users' trust.
Most of the products in your store are probably also available with most of the sellers on eBay. The important thing here is to format the first few listings you create effectively. It is recommended that you check similar product listings and format your listings properly during the eBay product listing process.
Third Step: Start Selling
After listing and registering your products, the only thing left to do is to wait. Although selling products on eBay is a task that requires effort, it is also a process that requires patience. Do not forget to check the "Selling" tab while waiting for the products in your listing to sell.
This is because you need to see if any offers have been made on your products. Fast response time means high-quality customer service. Quality customer service always brings a good reputation, and this reputation wins loyal clients.
What are the Store Types and Listing Features on eBay?
eBay, being a global marketplace, has 4 different store types. These store types are: starter, basic, premium, and anchor. To become a seller on eBay, you need to choose one of these store subscriptions. These store subscriptions and their pricing are as follows;
While the monthly Starter package fee is $7.95, when purchased annually, the monthly fee drops to $4.95. For other packages, prices vary on a monthly and annual basis, and the eBay commission rate also differs.
The monthly price of the Basic store package, which is an upgraded version of the Starter package, is $27.95, whereas with annual pricing, the monthly fee drops to $21.95. For the Premium package, the monthly price is set at $74.95, and the annual price is $59.95. Offering a privileged selling service on eBay, the monthly fee of the Anchor package is $349.95, and when an annual plan is preferred, it is $299.95.
eBay determines pricing depending on the store subscription type for product listings. In the Basic subscription of eBay, which is a platform providing different opportunities, the first 250 items are subject to a fixed rate, and in the Auction sales method, the first 250 auction items are also included in the package price.
Free listings increase depending on the subscription types. For example, while the first 1000 listings are offered for free in the Premium subscription, this number goes up to 10,000 in the Anchor subscription.
How to Upload Products to eBay?
Uploading products to eBay is carried out through simple steps such as adding the product name and photos. There are factors to be considered during the product uploading process. These factors will boost your sales and increase your profits. You can upload your products to your store correctly by following the steps below.
Add a Product Title
Click on the "My eBay" button on the home page of your eBay seller account. After being redirected to the My eBay page, click on the "Selling" button on that page and type the title of the product you want to add to your store in this section.
Add High-Quality Product Photos
After finishing the first step of adding a product title, a screen where you can add product photos will appear. Although eBay offers stock photos related to the product to its users, photos of the product taken in a real-world setting build trust with customers. The quality and angle of the photos taken in a real-world setting are also highly important for customer trust.
Take Care to Write a Clear Product Description
For those who use eBay, the product description is a very important detail. A clear product description is an important element that will increase your sales rates. In addition, the technical specifications of the products build trust by providing more information to the target audience of the product.
Set Consistent Product Prices
Product pricing, which is the final stage of uploading products to eBay, is a phase that needs to be approached strategically. eBay shows the prices of similar products so that sellers can get an idea. Therefore, you can get support from eBay in determining the prices, which is your strategic move. A consistent pricing policy that you will determine by considering the product prices offered by eBay is a harbinger of the path to success.
However, it is worth noting that eBay offers you two different sales methods. The pricing strategies and policies of both sales methods must be different. The first of the selling methods and undoubtedly the reason for eBay's development is the auction method.
In this sales method, the product is sold to the buyer who places the highest bid. In addition, you can implement a low-to-high price policy in this sales method. However, for direct online shopping, which is the second sales method, your products must have a fixed price.
What are the eBay Commission Rates?
There are different packages for you to sell on eBay, and these packages have different commission rates. In eBay, which has 2 different types of commissions, the insertion fee charged when preparing the listing and the final value fee of the sold product are included in the commission.
The eBay commission rate varies depending on the price of the product, its category, and the seller's performance. Offering the first 250 listings for free, eBay charges a separate commission for each listing and category when you exceed this limit.
The amount of commission deducted from the final value fee after selling the product may vary by category. Generally, this fee is $0.30 per order.
What are the Best-Selling Products on eBay?
The popular products among the best sellers on eBay are as follows:
• Books and magazines
• Antiques
• Clothing products and shoes
• Electronic devices
• Event tickets
• Watches and jewelry
• Toys and adult games
• Home decoration products
• Music albums and instruments
• Sporting goods
• Fitness and pilates equipment
However, it is worth noting that alcohol, tobacco, weapons, dangerous substances, and similar products cannot be sold or bought.
Is It Possible to Make Money with eBay?
According export data from Statista, the number of users on eBay reached 185 million, and an average of 1.3 billion products were listed every day between the first quarter of 2010 and the last quarter of 2020. These figures make selling products on eBay attractive for many online traders.
Let's mention that eBay stands out as the second most visited marketplace with 1.7 billion monthly visits since April 2021, bringing together buyers and sellers in 190 different markets worldwide. The title of the most visited marketplace worldwide belongs to Amazon, the most popular e-commerce channel of all time.
On eBay, which has over 19 million seller accounts, 31% of the sellers are from the US, 29% are from the UK, followed by Germany and China with seller rates of 15% and 12%, respectively.
eBay, which generated $10.2 billion in revenue in 2020, has a gross merchandise value, expressing the total sales value of all its goods and services, of over $100 billion.
When we look at all these statistics, it can be said that eBay is an important and effective channel for online sellers who want to make quick money by selling in different markets through e-export. The opportunity to sell in many categories, the ability to list products for free for a certain period of time, and the simple store setup make eBay even more attractive for online traders.
How to Get Paid on eBay?
The most preferred method among eBay payment methods is payment through the "managed payment" application. This application aims to optimize all payments in a single system, and the payments that sellers receive are directly transferred to their bank accounts. Receiving the money transferred to your bank account requires a few steps, and these steps are listed as follows:
• First, you need to link your eBay account to a checking bank account.
• Then, click on the payments button located in the "Seller Hub" tab.
• After being redirected to the "Payment" tab, click on the "edit" button next to the "payout method" button on the same page.
• Fill in the requested information on the page.
• Right after this process, save your bank account by clicking "update bank account".
Additionally, managed payment does not only offer payment services; it also helps you perform many operations such as reporting, refunds, tax statements, and shipping labels through a single application. Prior to the managed payment system, eBay allowed the use of the Paypal online payment system.
PayPal is a secure payment system. However, it is not a payment system active within the borders of Turkey. While eBay sends payments to international sellers via PayPal, another system is needed since it is not used in Turkey. But there is no need to worry. eBay offers a different payment method for Turkey sales.
How to Receive Payment on eBay Without Using PayPal?
In addition to being a platform that offers the opportunity to sell and get paid without PayPal, eBay offers "managed payment," which allows its sellers to receive their payments directly into their accounts. All you need to do to benefit from this application is to link your personal bank account if you have an individual account. If you have a Business account, simply linking your company account is enough.
What are the Advantages of Selling on eBay?
Providing a global e-commerce marketplace, eBay not only allows millions of entrepreneurs to showcase themselves but also shares its vast target audience with these entrepreneurs as an advantage. The general advantages offered by eBay, a giant among popular e-commerce platforms, can be listed as follows:
• You can sell your products at a higher price with the auction option.
• Well-established and secure, eBay has loyal customers, and this wide customer base might choose you as long as you are reliable.
• eBay commission rates and fees are lower compared to other e-commerce platforms.
• If you are going to sell on eBay, you do not need an additional website. This is because eBay has a search engine that works nearly perfectly.
• Being a giant marketplace, eBay makes you feel that your sales potential is limitless.
• Standing out with its logistics opportunities, eBay values its sellers with low shipping rates.
What are the Disadvantages of Selling on eBay?
Selling on eBay, which has disadvantages as well as advantages, is a process where you have to take various risks and responsibilities. The disadvantages that might weary you in this process can be listed as follows;
• As a global brand, the level of competition on eBay is high. Therefore, you must take careful steps to make your brand and products stand out.
• Not being a suitable platform for creating a new brand and increasing brand value, eBay's users usually search for specific products. If you do not have a well-known brand, it is quite difficult to stand out.
Taking the right steps, considering all these advantages and disadvantages, leads you to success. However, online trade is a dynamic sector, and it is very important to follow innovations. Navlungo helps you proceed with firm steps towards success by tracking the requirements, innovations, and the sector of e-commerce for you.
eBay Logistics Processes
While planning the shipping of your orders coming from eBay, try to be as meticulous as possible, package them in a way that won't cause damage, and take care to inform your customers accurately regarding delivery times. You can manage the logistics processes of your incoming orders yourself, or you can focus more of your time on growing your business by working with a solution-oriented company.
Thanks to Navlungo's integration with eBay, as with dozens of marketplaces, you can carry out your eBay shipments hassle-free and in a planned manner.
