How To Smartly Sell Your Stuff Online
Whether you’re looking to simply sell a few unwanted belongings, or you’re selling something that you’ve made, it’s always important to use some knowledge before taking to the world of the internet. There are ways in which you can sell your products safely, but also smartly so that you get the right amount for what you’re selling. It can be a pain listing your items for sale online and watching it get no attention from potential buyers, and in this article we are going to tell you how to smartly sell your stuff online. Whether you want to raise some money for unexpected bills, or you’re looking to make your sales into a side business, we’ve got everything you need to know.
Think about delivery before listing any items
One problem that many people face when they are selling goods online is how to go about delivery to the buyer. Depending on where you live, you might not be close to a place that you can mail items from, especially if the item you’ve sold is particularly large.
A difficulty that many face is how to transport vehicles that they have sold online, especially if they are selling them for spares and repairs. Shiply offers a fantastic vehicle delivery service that can give you an immediate quote on how much your delivery is going to cost. They can even offer other delivery services for large or difficult goods to transport. Anything from furniture to pet transport, you will find what you’re looking for!
A good idea is to check out the price of all deliveries before listing your items so that you can include a postage charge onto your asking price. Doing this will save you from finding yourself at a loss from your sale.
Choose the best site for each particular item for sale
Certain selling websites will be more appropriate for the items that you are selling, and here’s a little outline on which site you should go with to sell your stuff:
eBay
Ebay is probably one of the oldest and most favourable ways of selling your stuff online because it’s a quick and simple process for its users. You will usually find second hand items for sale on eBay, but companies over the last few decades have taken to selling their products on there too! You simply need to create an account and list the items you want to sell with some pictures and information on the product and you’re away!
There are even weeks or periods of time where eBay don’t charge you for listing your items online to sell, so selling your stuff is now easier and cheaper than ever! However, do be wary and read up on eBay’s terms of service before selling as you are charged for using their service once your sale has been made. While the charge isn’t usually a lot of money, it soon adds up and you might find that it’s not the route that you want to go down.
Amazon
Amazon is great for those of us that want to sell items in bulk. While you can find secondhand items on Amazon, you’re more likely to find businesses selling their products here. Like with eBay, you simply need to create an account and list the items as above and you will soon be making sales!
The great thing about Amazon is that if you’re selling your secondhand belongings they will be listed alongside a new version of it that’s for sale on the website. So, for example, if someone was looking to buy a new sofa and you had a similar one listed, it would show yours in a side panel for those people who might be looking to save a few quid on their purchases. This can work out brilliantly for those that are selling secondhand, or even with their business.
Etsy
Etsy is the site you would choose to use for items that you have made yourself. So, if you’re crafty minded and have made some sellable items in bulk, it would be a good idea to head over to Etsy to sell your products. Anyone that is buying from Etsy knows that everything that’s for sale is ‘homemade’, so you can expect great returns from selling your personally made things here.
Research prices before listing
One thing to make sure that you’re doing before listing any products online for sale is to research how much similar items to yours are selling for so that you can get an idea on how much to list your stuff for. You might find yourself pleasantly surprised at how much more you could be selling your items for!
Don’t feel like you have to settle for a particular price either. If you feel like what you’re selling is worth more money than it’s listed for, then make sure that in the description of the item you’re giving potential buyers a reason to spend more money on your item. This might be condition, age, and many other contributing factors.
If you’re a business, make sure that you obtain a license to sell
Finally, if you’re planning on running your business using an online selling store (or at least part of it anyway,) then you will need to make sure that you have a license to sell as a business. You can read here about Ebay’s rules on selling as a business, and you will find that you need to obtain a license to make sure that all sales are accounted for and taxes can be worked out.
In fact, please be aware that even if you’re not selling as a business, but are selling regularly that you may need to obtain a license too. For the odd item every month or so it’s not really an issue, but you can get yourself into trouble if you’re found selling many products with no license.
Take these tips and tricks on board so that you can sell your stuff online safely and smartly!
