Learn to buy and sell antiques and collectibles

eBay Selling Mistakes

I search eBay frequently looking for toy trains for my collection. I am amazed at some of the things sellers do in their auctions. With a bit of thought, many sellers could easily get better results.

I think some of common eBay selling mistakes aren't actually mistakes, they are due to laziness. Sellers just don't care, or think it takes too much time to do it right.

I doubt you fall into the lazy or apathetic camp because you are reading this. If you make these mistakes it is probably because some aspects of eBay selling seem overly complicated.

In this article I will cover a few of the most common mistakes made by eBay sellers, and give you some advice to help you avoid them.

The most common eBay selling mistakes.

  • Using colored backgrounds that make it harder to read the text in your eBay auctions.
  • Using animated pictures "stupid bouncing smiley faces" to spruce up your eBay listings.
  • Charging extremely high shipping fees.
  • Writing meaningless or cute titles. I have seen titles like "choo choo woo woo train set, and "old train thing."
  • Little or no text describing the item. Text helps eBay searchers find your item, and lets bidders know what they are bidding on.
  • Overly wordy descriptions. I don't mean the actual item description, but rather the "rules" of the auction. At best this extra text is ignored, but it can also be confusing and drive bidders away.
  • Not including images, or telling bidders to email for a photo, or stating pictures will be added later.
  • Using poor quality pictures.
  • Including HUGE pictures that take minutes to download. This is a common mistake. No one will wait for your pictures to load.

For a quick lesson on selling on eBay see Learning How To Sell On eBay.

For detailed information about writing your title and descriptions, see eBay Selling Summary.

Improve Your eBay Auctions - 44 Common Mistakes Found In Many eBay Auctions Explained

For information about managing your eBay photos get the Free eBay Images Report.

Terry

PS. Take the free eBay Seller's Quiz, to learn how to avoid other common eBay mistakes.

"The IWantCollectibles Guide to Ebay Sales"
is now available for immediate download.


Many of the articles and free reports here on IWantCollectibles were originally sent to readers of my Antiques and eBay Newsletter. Not all articles make it onto the website, and readers also get notices of free reports and special offers.

Ted at his desk.

Most Popular Articles on IWantCollectibles
  • Finding Products To Sell On eBay
    How to find products to sell on eBay is the most common question I get from my readers. This page has links to all the articles and reports I've written about finding eBay products.
  • How To Be An Antique Dealer
    The best way to start an antiques or collectibles business. Part 1 of a five part series on being an antiques dealer.
  • Understanding eBay Changes 2011
    This page covers eBay changes and has links to all articles on IWantCollectibles about working within the changes. Sign up for my free newsletter for articles covering new changes as they are announced.
  • Tips for Starting an eBay Consignment Business
    Selling on consignment is the perfect way to start on eBay. This article is an introduction to consignment selling, and explains what you'll need to be successful. First in a series on eBay Consignment.
  • Shopping For eBay Products At Garage Sales
    Thirteen tips for garage sale shopping. Part one of a two part series on garage and yard sales.
  • Finding New Products for eBay
    If you want to sell new products you need to concentrate on items others are not selling. You need to find sources other sellers are unaware of. That is not hard to do. Here's a list of articles to get you started on the right path.
  • eBay Auction Category, Title And Keyword Advice
    A series of articles about getting your items found on eBay. Covers category selection, eBay keyword rules, and researching keywords. Finally you'll learn how to write an informative, keyword rich title.


The IWantCollectibles Guide to Ebay Sales
is now available for immediate download.

Free Antiques and eBay Newsletter
Get 9 Free eBay Ebooks
Free emailed newsletter includes free ebooks, interviews with eBay sellers, and helpful articles. You can unsubscribe at any time.

 
More Newsletter Information

eBay Questions and Answers

About .

Contact Terry

Free eBay Ebooks


eBay Advice

Antiques Advice

Antiques and eBay Reports

eBay Articles

Finding Products To Sell On eBay

What to Sell On eBay?

How eBay's Best Match Search Works

How To Sell On eBay For Beginners

The Drop Shipping Myth Explained

Dealing With eBay Changes 2018

Overcoming Common eBay Seller Frustrations

27 Ways To Find Antiques To Sell On eBay

Advice for Writing and Selling Ebooks On EBay

Selling Antiques On eBay

Using Facebook and Pinterest to Promote eBay Auctions

Tips for Starting an eBay Consignment Business

eBay Title Tips

Selling At Antique Shows Versus On eBay

Buying eBay Products at Yard Sales

Finding eBay Products At Garage Sales

23 Tips For Taking Better eBay Pictures

Finding Wholesale Products To Sell On eBay

How To Use eBay Listing Upgrades And Options Efficiently

Does An eBay Store Make Sense For You?

Minimizing eBay Fees

19 Ways To Quickly Improve Your eBay Auctions

eBay's Detailed Seller Ratings Reexamined

The Fixed Price Listing Trap

Finding eBay Keywords For Old Items

Adding Youtube Videos To Your eBay Auctions

Commonly Used eBay Abbreviations

How To Drive Traffic To eBay Auctions and Websites

Selecting The Best Category And Keywords For Your eBay Auction

Finding eBay Products By Finding People

Identifying eBay Products People Want

Signing Up People For Your eBay Consignment Services

Motivating eBay Auction Visitors To Bid

Getting Started Selling On eBay

eBay Keyword Rules Explained

How To Add Free Pictures To eBay

eBay Selling Tips

Free eBay Shipping Calculator

Shipping Advice for eBay Sellers

eBay Packing With Paper

eBay Arbitrage Profits

Figuring eBay Consignment Fees

How To Have Negative Feedback Removed For Under $500

Finding Antiques And Collectibles To Sell On Ebay


eBay Reports

Setting Your Ebay Business Up For Growth

Start Your Own eBay Consignment Business

Finding Profitable eBay Niches

Finding Profitable Hidden Bargains at Garage Sales

Finding Wholesale Products To Sell On eBay

Secret eBay Product Sources

Selling Public Domain Items on eBay


BMO Harris Mortgage Brokers Lie

The Resentful Consumer
© Copyright 2001-2020 Terry Gibbs
IWantCollectibles LLC
IWC LLC PO BOX 842, Mesa, AZ 85211