Getting started to post your first auction on eBay is a breeze. Here’s what you need to do:

Step 1: Open an eBay seller’s account.

If you’ve bought things on eBay, then you will already have an account - just log in with it and click ‘Sell’ in the toolbar at the top of the page, then click ‘Create a seller’s account’. If you’ve never used eBay before, then you’ll need to open an account first using the ‘register’ link underneath the toolbar, and then click ‘Sell’ and ‘Create a seller’s account’. The eBay site will then guide you through the process. For security, this may involve giving card details and bank information.

Step 2: Decide what to sell.

For your first experience selling on eBay, it doesn’t really matter what you sell. The whole idea is just to get a feel for the process, so look around your room for something that you no longer want that you could put in your first post. Small books and CDs make ideal first items.

Step 3: Submit your item.

Click ‘Sell’, and you will come to a page with a box that you can key in a short description (three to five words long) of the item that you want to sell.  They give you the example “Levis 501 women’s jeans”.  Next click on ‘Start Selling’.

You will be taken to a page with a list of categories that eBay recommends you list your item under.  You can only pick one category, although eBay allows you to pick two if you pay some additional fees.  Once you have picked your category, click ‘Continue’.

Next, you will need to insert a title and description for the item that you are selling.  Include key words you think people will search for in the title box, and all the information you have about the item in the description box.

You can choose to sell your product on auction or to set a fixed price for it.  If you decide to sell it via auction, $0.01 is the best starting price, as it draws people in to bid who otherwise wouldn’t, and items will almost never finish at such a low price. The next thing to set is the duration of the auction: 3, 5, 7 or 10 days. This is up to you: longer sales will usually get more bids, but will also seem to drag on forever. If you’ve taken a picture of your item, add it now - items with pictures always sell for more. Finally, tick the payment methods you will accept (just PayPal is best for now), and where you will post to (limit yourself to your own country to begin with).

Insert the cost of postage and any other details you would like your buyer to know, such as returns policies, etc.  Click ‘Continue’ and you’ll be taken to a page where you can review your listing as it will appear to anyone who looks at it.  If you choose to, you can make it stand out by adding a few features that eBay offers for a small fee.  When you’re happy with your listing, click ‘list your item’ and you’re done!

Step 4: Wait for it to sell.

This is just a matter of sitting back and letting eBay do its job - buyers will find your item and leave bids on it. Some bidders might email you with questions about the item, and you should do your best to answer these questions as quickly as you can.

Remember that if your item doesn’t sell then you can list it again. 

Step 5: Collect payment and post it.

eBay will send your buyer emails guiding them through the process of sending you payment for the item. Make sure you have the money before you send anything.

Once you’ve got the payment, all you need to do is pack the item for posting (make sure to use some bubble wrap), take the buyer’s address from the confirmation email eBay sent you and take your package down to the postal office.

I hope you enjoyed selling your first item. Now that you’re starting to get into it, my next post will give you a checklist of things you need to do to be a successful seller.