Do you have loads of stuff sitting around your home that you’re just dying to get rid of, but the thought of spending your entire weekend running a garage sale is enough to make ya wanna scream?  Ever thought about selling on Ebay instead?  Here is a guest post that talks about just that!

Making a profit on eBay is notoriously hard with it seeming like everyone takes a slice of the action. From PayPal to Postage, profit margins may be low, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make some cash from the largest online auction website.

Clearing out your children’s old things is an easy way to make a substantial amount of money, follow these simple tips that will help you sell and maximize your profits in the process.

University
As your kids get older and start moving to university, why not use this as an excuse to give their old bedroom a good spring clean? From ornaments to old magazines, often there is demand for things that you wouldn’t expect. You may have to agree financial compensation with your children (as I write this I get flashbacks of my Mum selling my car for £30 when I moved to University; not impressed). This is a great way to make a tidy bit of profit and clear out some space.

Out-sized clothes
Babies grow out of their clothes extremely quickly and often you have mounds of baby grows and t-shirts that you are never likely to use again. This is a gold mine; expectant mothers are constantly on the lookout for discounted clothes for their new infant. Make sure you take high quality pictures that show exactly what the garment looks like. Add a great description that explains how it fits and why you are selling it, making sure that it is freshly washed and in good condition.

Toys and activities
Although some old toys may be bulky, maybe list some of the bigger items as pick up only. This allows you to charge more for the product itself and you could ask for cash on collection to help you avoid the PayPal charges. Again, make sure the toy is in good working order and that someone else would actually want to buy it (it is more awkward to sell rubbish when you are standing face to face with the person buying it…)

Buy packaging in bulk
To save on postage costs, make sure you buy all of your packaging materials in bulk. This allows you to easily send all of your auctioned items quickly and avoid paying higher costs buying boxes from the post office or your local shop. Many websites offer a variety of sizes and types of packaging materials, so evaluate what it is you are selling and plan accordingly.

Organization
Organization is key to efficiently selling on eBay so set up a time allocation every day, where you list three items and post your sold items. You only have to do this a few times a week depending on how many items you are selling to ensure that your buyers get their items in a timely fashion, and that you don’t spend your whole day sorting out invoices and packaging.

Another important tip is to examine how many bidders you are getting on each item. You may find a link between having your listing ending on a Sunday evening leads to more bids (due to many people working 9 – 5). Also, look at your descriptions; do certain colors work better than others? Look into calls to action such as “Grab a bargain today” and offer postage discounts for multiple purchases.

Hopefully these five tips will encourage you to start using eBay for your everyday items that would otherwise end up in the bin. It is a great way to make some money on the side and if it goes well, why not ask your family and friends if they would like you to sell their old junk too. Maybe this is the start of your internet business?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jonathan is business and economics graduate who also writes about small and medium sized businesses waste and personal finances. He is currently writing on behalf of Rajapack who offer environmentally friendly cardboard boxes and packaging to businesses across Europe.