Becoming an eBay Seller - The First Steps - Darren Gibson

You've been lurking around eBay for a few months now. You might have even registered and perhaps bought the odd item. Good for you - you have at least taken steps in the right direction!

So what now? You want to start selling and taking your share of the $40+ million that changes hands on eBay every day, but just don't know where to begin. You will find a lot of conflicting advice out there. Some advocate going straight into drop shipping, others say find a niche, but my advice is to take just a few steps at a time.

Although you may be itching to go straight for the high paying options like selling ipods or laptops, just think for a minute and ask yourself "Would I buy from someone with zero seller feedback?" Chances are, unless it is a super niche with limited product availability, you would answer that question with a resounding "No". Also, what if your supplier proved unreliable and your early transactions were absolute disasters. Not the best situation to put yourself in, is it.

One of the best ways to get started as a seller on eBay is also one of the easiest. How often do you go round and fill a basket or bag with unwanted items for your local charity collection - two, maybe three or more times a year. What if you put those items up on eBay as a way of getting positive seller feedback? Look at it logically - you were prepared to give it away for nothing, so even if it only sells for pennies, you are not losing out, as each sale is improving your credibility on eBay (or whichever site you choose to trade on for that matter). If your conscience is getting the better of you, you could decide to donate these initial profits to the charity who you were going to donate the items to.

After the "charity bags" have been sold, why not do a spring clean and identify more items to list. The stack of vinyl LPs you have long since abandoned in favour of compact discs, the VHS tapes you no longer watch - even the pair of jeans you know you will never squeeze into again that you are hanging on to for posterity! These will all contribute to you getting a positive reputation as a seller prior to you starting selling items for the big bucks.

Taking this approach also eases you into the selling process with minimal risk. Look on it as a trial run for the long term - you can get practice and experience writing your listings and you get to see the whole selling process a few times before it "really matters"

For more free eBay seller resources, visit thousands-of-bargains.com or visit the Gibson family web pages.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com