Though there have been millions of items listed on Ebay, there is one characteristic shared by most winners: they have a good photograph. Ebay is a virtual marketplace, but buyers still like to see what they’re paying for. Auction listings that include quality photos reassure the buyer that they are making a good purchase. That means more money is your pocket, just because you snapped a picture!
But all Ebay photos are not created equal. Here are a few tips for making the most of your item photos.
First, make sure your item is in top shape before photographing it. If your item is dusty or stained, buyers won’t want to make the purchase. Before you take the picture, wipe down any merchandise with a hard surface. Wash clothing or other soft items. You want the merchandise to look its best.
If a product is worn or has a few scrapes on the surface, carefully document these through your item description and photographs. It might seem counter-intuitive to point out flaws in the item, but it pays off in the long run. You don’t want to get a reputation for dishonesty. Plus, minimal damage rarely puts off Ebay buyers. They’re looking for a good deal. As long as the product is in working condition, a little wear and tear is often deemed acceptable.
When setting up your photography session, aim for natural light and good contrast. Take pictures near a window when the sun is shining. Avoid using a flash if you can; flash photos often turn out too bright and detract from the item’s detail. For best results, light products should be photographed on dark backgrounds, and vice versa. Take pictures from two or three different angles if possible. Do ensure that the item is displayed by itself, unless it’s a part of an entire lot for sale. And when you take the picture, get as close as you can without distorting the image. You want the item to fill the camera screen.
Take care when selecting a surface and background on which to display your item. Too-reflective surfaces can reveal the photographer’s image, and messy or busy backgrounds can distract from the item. For a professional look, use a very simple surface and background that show off the item well.
Many Ebay sellers use Photoshop or similar programs to clean up their photos before listing. This is fine, as long as the resulting picture is still representative of the item. Try to keep colors and hues as close to the original as possible. Photoshop can be used to lighten up too-dark pictures or to sharpen images. Save the photos as 400 by 300 pixel JPEGs of the highest quality. That way Ebay won’t reduce their resolution too much when it resizes the uploaded images.
Ebay sellers should consider using Ebay’s built-in image hosting service. It’s cheap and reliable, and it’s subject to Ebay’s technical support. They let you list your first image for free. Every successive image costs just a few cents. This convenient service is worth investigating.
It’s long been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. On Ebay, a picture can be more valuable yet: it can bring you buyers.
How to get Your Listings Seen on Ebay
It’s true that Ebay is an enormous virtual marketplace with millions of vendors all over the world. With that kind of competition, it’s vitally important to go above and beyond the competition to get buyers to notice your listings. Luckily, the steps you should take, though critical, are few in number. Anyone can implement these tips to draw more eyes to their Ebay auctions.
First, think like a buyer. Would you want to buy merchandise sight unseen, or would you prefer auctions with pictures? Do rushed or incomplete descriptions put you off? What if you saw a listing from a seller with several negative feedback comments stating that the merchandise was shipped late, or wasn’t as described? Chances are you wouldn’t want to buy from such a seller. Neither will buyers feel comfortable buying from you if these things are true of your listings and reputation.
So, to get Ebay shoppers to click on your auctions, always include clear photos of the item. Be sure to photograph any damaged spots as well. Use Ebay’s inexpensive photo hosting service, and always upload your pictures as 400 by 300 pixel jpegs of high quality. Ebay will resize the photographs to those dimensions anyway; if you create the pictures at that size, you will lose minimal detail after uploading.
Listings should be easy to read. Very disorganized listings can be distracting, and some buyers won’t want to spend time trying to decipher them when there are so many other, more user-friendly listings available. To keep buyers reading, use a template or HTML to make the item description easier on the eyes. You don’t need a lot of fancy code to make your item description clean and readable. Ebay offers an inexpensive listing designer that you can use if you’re not comfortable writing your own HTML tags.
While you’re evaluating the layout of your item description, also make sure that your listing isn’t filled with typos. If it’s hard to read, buyers will go elsewhere. Another thing to watch out for is the length of your item description. Buyers like to know details. If your listing has one short paragraph passing for an item description, you probably haven’t given them all the details they want. Go back and share more information about the item. If the product is damaged in some way, in addition to documenting the damage with a picture, you should also describe it in the text of your listing.
Offer a variety of payment options, including PayPal. Buyers will frequently skip auctions that require a check or money order as payment. PayPal allows buyers to use their PayPal account, bank account, or credit card to make a purchase. Most Ebay auctions offer Paypal, so yours should, too.
On Ebay, sellers have to compete against many other sellers hawking the same wares. If one seller has well-organized information and a good photograph of their item, they will draw the most views and bids. Don’t run buyers off with a hard-to-read listing. Employ these simple tips instead to make sure your auction gets seen on Ebay.