How to build up your eBay reputation

Over the past two weeks, we’ve talked about eBay scams and how to avoid them. We thought we’d lighten things up a bit and give you a few tips on building up your selling reputation on eBay.

Encourage Feedback

If you’re a beginner, you’ll be starting from the bottom rung of the ladder. You’ll have no feedback and no positive or negative reviews. This means that potential buyers won’t ‘trust’ you yet – they don’t know who you are, what you sell or how credible you are. Start selling small, cheap items and encourage buyers to leave their feedback on your service. The more credible you become, the better your reputation. People will feel comfortable buying products from you, regardless of the price. You should also leave your own feedback on other sellers’ pages.

Be Honest

Don’t lie about your products. Be as honest as possible to avoid buyers returning items that didn’t fit the description. The more detailed you are about the condition of the product, the more trust you’ll earn.

Take Photos. Good Photos.

How can you expect people to trust you as a seller if they can’t see the products you’re offering? eBay allows you to include a free photograph of the product, and you have the opportunity to pay for more photographs. Don’t use a bad-quality picture taken on a camera phone, though – make it as clear as possible and include any dents, scuffs or breakages. Remember, it’s important to be honest.

Do Your Research

Check out what kind of price range your fellow sellers are working with, just to get an idea of what the final selling price of your items should be. Use Advanced Search…

… and check ‘Completed listings’ to view which items have sold successfully (the prices are listed in green) or unsuccessfully (in red).

Become a PowerSeller

You can apply to become a PowerSeller if you meet these requirements. The PowerSeller programme is for business sellers consistently offering an outstanding service. PowerSellers who continue to deliver an excellent, professional service are recognised as eBay Top-rated sellers.  Not only are they among the most reputable sellers on eBay, they also rank higher in search results and receive discounts.

 

Can you thy other tips for building up your eBay reputation? Let us know in the comments!