One of the most important things a seller or affiliate can do on eBay is to build and maintain the trust of current and future buyers. Here are some helpful tips on how you, as a seller, can get a buyer interested in your eBay auction item and then how you can “close the sale” and get a satisfied and hopefully repeat customer.
The first thing many eBay buyers look for, after seeing all the images you included, are details about the item to be auctioned and then they will see the shipping terms. Many sellers inflate the cost of shipping to increase their income. I once saw a DVD player that sold for $ 20. Sounds great … right? Incorrect. The shipping cost, in a misleading and incorrect place at the bottom of the page, was $ 120! Today’s eBay buyers have become aware of this practice and will not bid on an item that is priced low but has high shipping costs.
The auction details should also include the type of payment that will be accepted. About 75 percent of eBay buyers prefer to pay via PayPal, which, by the way, is owned and operated by eBay Inc. An added benefit of using PayPal, statistically speaking, is that it reduces the chance that The buyer will skip out of town and fail to pay for the winning bid. Buyers can also take full advantage of PayPal’s buyer protection program, where the buyer is protected up to $ 1000.00. Don’t have a PayPal account yet? It should! If you don’t, be sure to clearly state that this is not the case and specify alternative payment methods.
Let’s look at shipping again. Terms should be detailed in the auction details. This includes shipping time, costs, and all other applicable policies. An easy way to attract buyers is to offer free shipping. Include it in the price of your item and watch your sales increase. Another option is to offer a flat delivery rate for specific areas. It is not uncommon for sellers to have a flat shipping rate and then list a secondary international shipping rate.
Auction details should clearly state return policies along with cancellation charges where applicable. The terms of the return policy should always be clear and precise. It is estimated that approximately 20 percent of current auctions lack a return policy. These sellers may be losing sales at auctions that do have a listed policy. Would you buy an electronic item on eBay if you couldn’t return it to the seller if it showed up on your home DOA?
If a seller describes the item correctly, follows up on questions, and ships the items quickly, there is no reason why the buyer shouldn’t give a 5-star rating (5 is the highest and 1 is the lowest). Strive to keep positive feedback and you will increase buyer confidence and have a beneficial impact on your bottom line.
