Nowadays everyone is selling goods and unwanted items on Ebay. From used tennis shoes to new airplanes and houses, it's all being sold there. So many people sell items to clean out their cabinets and closets and make an extra buck for leisure or for bills. Others sale items frequently to generate a part time income as a second job. There are also business that sell the bulk of their inventory on Ebay and sales often outperform their brick and mortar store locations. But the key to being a successful seller on Ebay is to build trust with your buyers. If someone trusts you, not only will they show with you again but they will also recommend you and give you great positive feedback when the transaction is complete and they are satisfied. Feedback is Ebay's way of tracking customer satisfaction and the way future customers determine if they will buy a product from you or from someone else selling the same item.

Feedback can work for you or against you. If many customers are unsatisfied with service and/or products they receive from you then they will almost surely leave you negative feedback. If you are a frequent seller then you will see a noticeable drop in your normal sales rates due to even one negative feedback. That is why it is so very important to do all of the essential things needed to satisfy your customer base and grow your online business and make more money.

There are a few small things to remember when selling on Ebay that will greatly improve all aspect of your online business and you will make money faster than your competition.  You will also satisfy your customers and gain more future and repeat business.  In exchange for your high ranking with your customers Ebay has implemented a performance based reward program for sellers where you could earn discounts for reaching a certain level seller rating.  Here are the tips for success:

1. Make sure if you are selling an item you describe it to the best of your ability.  Be very accurate in telling bidders what they are purchasing expecially if the item is a used item.  If the item has blemishes or scratches or something does not function as it should then put all of that in your description.
   
2. Take good pictures.  It always a good thing to take good pictures from every angle and show any imperfection on the item and highlight the good aspect as well.  If it's an electronic item it is always good to include a picture of the tag on the bottom of the item that shows the model number.
3. Chose the appropriate auction type.  If you can only accept a certain amount for an item then you should list it as a buy-it-now item.  If you do not have a minimum amount you will accept for an item then a regular auction is the way to go.  However if you want to do and regular auction style listing but can only accept a minimum amount for the item then list it as an auction listing with a reserve amount of your minimum bid.
4. Offer multiple shipping options as well as calculated shipping.  You can offer to ship items standard shipping, expedited shipping, or international if you chose to sell items outside of the U.S.  Use calculated shipping based on the total shipping weight of the item so that customers know that they are paying a fair shipping price.  Often times seller charge much more to ship items than it often costs to ship the item.  Shipping can be done thru USPS, UPS, FedEX.  You can use Paypal to pay for and create shipping labels for both UPS and USPS.
5. Ship the item immediately.  If you have the item in your possession it is a good idea to ship the item out the same or the next business day after you receive the verified payment.  If you use drop shipping then you should order the item immediately after you receive payment to ensure the item is shipped from your supplier as rapidly as possible.
6. Once the item is shipped then immediately leave feedback and notify your customer that the item is shipped.  Leave positive feedback thanking them for their prompt payment and email them with tracking info if you have it so they know the item is on the way and can track it if tracking is provided.
7. Send a follow email.  You can send a follow up email thanking them for their purchase and and asking them to leave positive feedback if they were satisfied with the transaction.  It's also a good idea to included codes for discount on future purchases as well as offers on other items you have for sale.  This is a great way to increase you sales.  Also you can have them sign up to receive your newsletter and send weekly promotions to your past customers and make repeat sells.
8. Check back after the delivery date for confirmation.  After the delivery date check your feedback to see if feedback was left.  If a customer was satisfied they will leave positive feedback.  I would allow up to a week after the delivery date to receive feedback to allow the customer time to evaluate the item purchased.  If after a week feedback has not been left then email the buyer asking them to please leave feedback for the transactions.
9. Sit back and enjoy the satisfaction.  Once positive feedback is given to you then you can enjoy knowing that your customer is satisfied and your online business is on a good track.  The more you practice using these essentials the easier each time it will become to implement them and the more successful you be.  Not to mention the Ebay will reward you with discounted fees and that means more money in you bank account. 
   
10. Have fun.  This is what you enjoy doing and it's how you make a living.  It should always feel like a hobby and not a job and that is the true benefit of having a home based business.

I hope that these tips help you to become a successful seller on Ebay.   Please leave comments on whether or not you enjoyed reading this or if it was helpful in any way.  Thanks as always.