5
Preparing Your Products Before Listing
Let’s continue our eBay journey with an in-depth discussion about selling items on eBay. Indeed, this entire book is about starting your very own business on eBay; however, I’d like to really get granular in the discussion of how to list items. I will accomplish this in two chapters: this chapter, which is the 360-degree look at what you need to know before you sell an item, and the next chapter, which is about the actual item listing process on the eBay site.
As we learned in the previous chapter, selling on eBay requires a certain degree of planning and research. If you want to make boatloads of money while having a good time, it would be best to be fully prepared before jumping in. Once you create a beautiful frame for your eBay business, you can create a gorgeous masterpiece of online commerce.
What kinds of items are you allowed (or not allowed) to sell on eBay? Where are you going to obtain your merchandise? These are just a couple of the very big questions that we will be tackling in this chapter.
Knowing Your Limits: Restrictions on eBay Product Listings
You can sell virtually anything on eBay. However, there are prohibited and restricted items. Common sense and your instincts may tell you, for example, that marijuana is not allowed on eBay. Pot leaf motif lighters are just fine. Bong pipes are OK, too. I don’t touch the potent green stuff myself, but please read the fine print on what is and is not allowed.
Some merchandise is banned entirely, while other products may be sold with a license. With an appropriate state permit and eBay approval, wine sellers can ship their finest vintage to eBay buyers. The U.S. Postal Service doesn’t allow the shipment of intoxicating liquors containing 0.5 percent or more alcohol by content, so a private carrier such as FedEx or UPS will be required. Selling perfume on eBay is perfectly kosher; however, you cannot ship flammable goods through the USPS. You may not sell used cosmetics, makeup sponges, or fragrances and lotions that aren’t in their original containers. The person who stole the tusks from that poor walrus or pachyderm cannot profit from goods made from them on eBay. In fact, before you list any animal products from endangered species, you’ll need to brush up on the eBay animal and wildlife products policy. You can find a full list of prohibited and restricted items in the “policies” section of the eBay website.
While most Playboy issues and racy romance novels are OK to list on the public eBay site, almost everything that is of an adult nature or is sexually explicit must be listed in eBay’s Adult-Only section where age verification is required to view those listings. Scan the QR code in Figure 5–1 on page 71 to review eBay’s complete list of prohibited and restricted items.
I’ll explain lots of product sourcing ideas in Chapter 10; however, start thinking about where you’ll find the items you’ll be selling. Before your first item goes up, have you determined what that item will be? Please do not list the Rolex watch you picked up from the eager street vendor in Tijuana for $20. It wasn’t real then, and it’s not real now. Not only will you get into hot water with eBay, even if your listing isn’t ended by VeRO (a system that eBay uses to protect the rights of product manufacturers; more on this later), but the buyer is certain to return it and make you pay roundtrip shipping. If you happened to pick up some fabulous Huichol hand-beaded collectibles on that same visit to Mexico, you’re likely to fetch a fine price for them on eBay—and they are permitted on the site. I’ve sold quite a bit of the beautiful art made by the indigenous people of that country.
FIGURE 5–1: Prohibited and Restricted Items
There are oodles of things you can sell on eBay for a profit. The goods that have done well for me fall into these categories:
▶ antiques and collectibles
▶ cameras
▶ designer apparel and accessories
▶ electronics
▶ event tickets
▶ excess inventory
▶ housewares
▶ laptops
▶ musical instruments
▶ phones
▶ sports equipment
▶ vehicles and vehicle parts
▶ video recorders
Earlier I chided the “systems” available that purport to unlock the secrets to eBay riches. I’m not saying it is impossible to buy a boatload of stuff from Asia and resell it on eBay for millions of dollars. What I am saying is that since I started on eBay in 1999, I have never been able to figure it out. I have also never met a person who made big money that way either.
Since you are following my advice to pursue an eBay business that you’re passionate about, you can follow some fairly obvious leads to source items to buy or consign for resale on eBay. I recommend you start with used goods. eBayers are looking for deals, and the best deals you can give them will be on secondhand merchandise.
Try all of these sourcing opportunities:
▶ antique shops
▶ around your home
▶ auction houses
▶ auto mechanics
▶ colleagues and co-workers
▶ discarded items
▶ dollar stores
▶ estate sales
▶ fairs and tradeshows
▶ family
▶ flea markets
▶ friends
▶ government agencies
▶ housekeepers
▶ online community sites (NextDoor, Craigslist, etc.)
▶ pawn shops
▶ recycling centers
▶ remodeling contractors
▶ small local shops
▶ street vendors (but not Rolex watches from street vendors)
▶ thrift stores
In no way is this a complete list. If you find a fabulous sourcing opportunity in your hometown, keep it on the “down low” as long as possible so you can milk that cow for a long time. That said, your best method for sourcing goods may very well be a big mouth—shameless self-promotion is alive and well. Talking things up works. For example, I told my housekeeper about my eBay enterprise, and she brought dozens of unopened top-brand vintage perfumes that were gifted to her by an elderly client for me to sell on eBay. She offered to re-gift them to me and I said, “No.” I split the proceeds with her 50/50, and her cut ended up being thousands of dollars. She later called me to come pick up a 40-year-old Peugeot that was also given to her—a gift from a surviving relative of a neighbor who recently passed away. We partnered on the sale of that eBay item as well.
Opportunities are everywhere. Just start paying attention, and you’ll see dollar signs where you once only saw stuff.
Choosing the Perfect Listing Type
Seasoned shop owners understand the tremendous profit to be made when you select the right location for what you’re selling.
An eBay listing is just like having a physical store. Single listings won’t have monthly “rent” other than the insertion fees you pay. eBay Stores, on the other hand, have monthly fees in addition to insertion fees that are assessed once your free allocation is depleted.
Here are some generalizations and assumptions about choosing your listing type:
▶ Auction-style listings allow competition and must be used when an item could be worth a mint and you’re not willing to risk leaving money on the table.
▶ Fixed-price format permits you to instantly sell goods at a set price, and you should use this format when there is a very high probability you know the value of your items.
▶ Duplicate listings are two or more listings for items that aren’t substantially different—eBay restricts some duplicate items and allows others.
▶ Classified ads are OK; however, there are loads of places that you can list items for sale without cost, such as Nextdoor and Craigslist.
▶ Selling collectible cars on eBay Motors should be done auction-style, and late-model vehicles should be listed with the fixed–price format.
▶ The sooner you need money, the shorter your listing duration should be since some buyers sort by listings that are ending soonest. As a tip, most of my auction-style listings run for seven days—providing ample exposure to potential buyers.
▶ Bidders generally dislike reserve prices on auctions, so I advise you to stay away from using them.
▶ Adding international site visibility makes sense if you are OK with shipping cross-border and are willing to pay the extra fee. There’s a little more paperwork for overseas shipments.
▶ Listing in two categories costs more. However, there is an audience out there who browses categories for deals, and this will attract two times more browsing buyers—a great idea for collectibles and scarce items but less beneficial for commodities that everyone is selling.
▶ Scheduling your listing start times is free to do if you don’t have an eBay store and only $.10 per listing if you do. Many seasoned eBayers swear that the perfect time-frame to end an eBay listing is between 3:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M. PST, when virtually all Americans are likely to be awake (this timing would be less important if your best bids come from overseas buyers).
Tailor your listing like a beautiful dress, and it will certainly bring you profits. Virtually everything you could conceivably sell will be listed differently; once you master this process, you have mastered the art of eBay salesmanship. Making these minor tweaks will be equivalent to a brick-and-mortar store owner selecting an ideal store location, because it deals with how buyer will find your goods.
Giving proper love to each listing is important, as we can see. Now let’s talk about some of the challenges and concerns that you will inevitably run into on your journey.
My eBay business is truly massive; it’s epic in scale and yet smaller than so many other eBay sellers. If I had a brick-and-mortar retail shop, it would be about 5,000 square feet of display space. It’s truly that large. This poses many unique challenges.
I’ll dispense with the obvious such as missing or damaged goods. It rarely happens, but it is an eventuality. For missing or damaged products, the buyer is offered both a refund plus a token cash payment of $5 to $25 depending on the price of that item. This calms the screaming and suspicious buyers down. I also offer a discount on their next item, depending on the product category. I communicate that a “special price” will be extended when they return to make another purchase. They do come back sometimes, but rarely.
The law of diminishing returns kicks in as your business enlarges. In this challenge, simply adding more employees will not guarantee more productivity. Adding untrained workers to your company usually results in problems such as people getting in each other’s way or staff waiting for management advice or approval. Only well-trained workers generate excellent results and becoming great at training other people requires skill and experience. I’m still learning myself! If the work is handled by you, or a partner and you, then you can expect stellar productivity assuming you love what you’re doing. Adding employees means more social time, breaks you would never take as an owner, etc. When employees decide to vacation at the busiest time of the year, you’ll find yourself short-staffed and unable to manage the workload. You may also need seasonal employees to help you. Turn to the hardest working friends and family first. If you can’t stand each other, then post a help wanted ad. I use both Indeed and Craigslist to find help.
When you buy enough new stuff on eBay, you’ll notice there’s a flood of the same merchandise. I attribute this to all the “get rich quick” programs out there that insist you can own a Ferrari and a McMansion by purchasing goods made in China and reselling them on eBay. It’s also because the same factories are shipping directly from China with cheap postage on an already-cheap item from across the globe.
If you have a zillion of the same item, don’t flood eBay with it. Of course, there are exceptions. If you are the official, exclusive distributor for a factory, then going wide and deep with inventory would make good sense.
Don’t list an auction with multiples of the same product in the auction. Wait for a sale to occur, then relist and sell the next one. Is this a hard-and-fast rule? Of course not. If you sell individual batteries for DSLR cameras, you can list multiples in an auction so long as the starting price is profitable. Always factor in eBay and PayPal fees. Remember to scan the handy QR codes in Chapter 1 to see the most current fees for both companies.
If you have never sold on eBay and you’ve never owned a business, brace yourself for the reality of retail—returns! If you never hire employees or have customers visit your place of business, the great news is that you’ll also never have to worry about shoplifting or shrinkage. Shrinkage occurs when items are lost due to damage, loss, or theft. According to the National Retail Federation, the estimated shrink rate for retail stores was a massive $50.6 billion in 2019. The amount of merchandise returned to retailers as a percentage of total sales averages 10 percent. By comparison, my eBay return rate is a mere 1.95 percent. Returns are not shrinkage because you can resell an item returned in good condition. An eBay return rate that’s too low is a sign of a restrictive returns policy. Allowing returns means more sales, higher prices, and confident buyers. Dishonest customers exist. All retailers must cope with liars and thieves and eBayers do, too. Thank goodness it’s a very small issue as compared to the bigger profits to be made. Brick-and-mortar retailers have five times as many returns as I do, and the great news is that fraud is rare. eBay has sophisticated software to weed out bad buyers—and those who regularly abuse returns are blocked forever. I’ll share some wisdom with you about returns in the next sections.
Phony Buyer Returns
What do you do about the old switcheroo? If you’re not familiar with that word, it’s the rare practice of eBayers returning a different item than the one you sent them. Granted, this is a super rare event. Possible reasons your buyer returned the wrong item may include:
▶ They are buying so much stuff that they’re losing track of their purchases—a real possibility.
▶ You or your staff inadvertently sent the wrong product out.
▶ They are dishonest.
Before you send out the atomics, remain calm and give the buyer the benefit of the doubt. Take pictures of the box and incorrect item. If the buyer is not an honest person, this practice will catch up with them, and eBay will ban them forever. In the meantime, you’ve got to handle your business and protect your money. If and when eBay formally steps in, be sure to have a rational explanation as well as photos to back up your position. You can call eBay preemptively to make them aware of the potential for a dispute. For your ready-reference, that number is (866) 540–3229.
Milked Return Policies
When you’re just getting started in business, you can easily dream of zero customer returns. However, that dreaded day will come when you receive an email alert informing you the buyer wants to send their item back. Even if you have a no-returns policy, eBay will approve a buyer return under certain circumstances, such as when the item doesn’t match the description or arrives damaged or faulty. As the seller, it’s your duty to ensure the parcel even if the buyer doesn’t want to. When a customer changes their mind, sometimes they’ll make up a story, such as throwing out the bold statement, “It doesn’t seem authentic.” eBay will let them send it back. Often buyers select an inaccurate reason for returns, and if eBay determines that the eBayer is misusing returns or abusing the eBay Money Back Guarantee, eBay will consider an account suspension.
Occasionally, a buyer will use the product and then return it. Clever people figure out a way to return something even if your seller return policy says you don’t accept returns. My overall return rate is very low (under 2 percent). Return rates in specific categories are higher, such as antiques and apparel. Clothing comes back more frequently because it doesn’t fit. New products have lower return rates than used ones. Overall, I suggest you let customers return things. Be calm and friendly when handling returns, and eliminate the “inquisition” of endless questions. Returns should be pain-free. If someone clearly abuses returns, you can block them from buying again. In Chapter 1, I provided a QR code that takes you to the eBay site map where you will find the tools to block undesirable bidders. eBay allows you to offer 30 or 60 day returns, and I permit returns within 30 days.
Mindfully documenting returns can ensure what you receive back is your actual merchandise and not a product that is counterfeit, a different item altogether, or something from another retailer. Busy holiday shopping seasons can be exhausting for a large eBay retailer. Don’t let down your guard, or something might slip past you (or your staff if you employ people).
Putting Your Listing in the Right Place
Experienced eBay sellers know that virtually all buyers locate what they want to purchase by typing keywords into the eBay search box. Some buyers browse categories and look for items to purchase that grab their interest. eBay also enforces the correct use of the category system. Some merchandise, such as jewelry items, can belong in more than one category, which is why eBay allows listing in up to two different categories, but you have to pay twice for the additional exposure.
The eBay selling form requires that you pick at least one category for your listing. A simple and effective method for identifying the right category is to review sold items. Search the item’s keywords and then tick off the checkbox for sold items on the left-hand side of the search results, and then sort by highest price. Click on a successfully sold listing that is close to what you’re selling, and then you’ll see the category at the top of the listing page. Even though most buyers are searching for what they want, add the “right” category based on my research tip.
Here’s a real-world example: Let’s say you’re listing a vintage Monopoly board game. It could go in more than one category: Toys & Hobbies > Vintage & Antique Toys > Other Vintage & Antique Toys and also Toys & Hobbies > Games > Board & Traditional Games > Vintage Manufacture. Categories have levels. “Toys & Hobbies” is the top-level category and the “>” symbol separates that from the sub-categories. Some people call the sub-categories “leaf” categories. After searching keywords and filtering by sold listings, then sorting by highest price, you discover that the highest prices are being achieved in the sub-category Vintage Manufacture, so that’s where you should list your Monopoly game.
Protecting Listings from VeRO Infringement
The Verified Rights Owner (VeRO) program that I mentioned earlier offers enormous protection for eBayers as well as intellectual property owners who sell (and do not sell) on eBay. Way back when there were covered wagons, eBay pioneers would post listings with titles like this, “L@@K! Awesome Nike Blue Cotton Medium T-Shirt (Not Adidas/Puma/Reebok).” The exclamation “L@@K” is popular, old school, useless, and a waste of precious and limited title space. Plus, adding unrelated brand names is prohibited by eBay. Buyers and brand owners retorted, and eBay put the kibosh on this practice, which is now forbidden under eBay’s search manipulation policy.
The brand names, categories, item specifics and details, and pictures in your listing must faithfully represent what you’re selling. If you are trying to slip something in that’s not compliant, another eBayer will report the listing, or eBay will find the listing and end it. eBay’s policy states, “Manipulating eBay’s search and browse experience by adding popular keywords in your listings that don’t have any relation to your items, or using other tactics that could mislead buyers, is not allowed.” The involuntary ending of a listing will put a black mark on your record, and too many of those marks will most certainly result in a suspension, possibly a permanent one. If that occurs, you will never be allowed to sell on eBay again.
eBay’s VeRO program enforces the rights of brand and copyright owners. It also manages potential infringement of the rights of those owners. The VeRO team reviews listings to ensure they are legally complaint. Respecting property owners’ rights is at the core of what makes eBay a safe trading platform. Here’s what you need to do to stay in the good graces of the VeRO team:
▶ Create your own listing content
▶ Use the eBay Product Catalog to create your listing when it’s appropriate
▶ Make sure the statements in your listing are accurate
▶ Use brand names appropriately
▶ Review the VeRO participant profiles created by intellectual property rights owners
The high-level overview of what VeRO polices includes:
▶ Trademark claims involving user ID, eBay Store name, and item or listing infringement, such as counterfeit goods or the improper use of a trademark
▶ Copyright claims for unlawful copy of text, images, and counterfeit products or, in the case of opened software (not new and sealed), violations of enforceable license agreements
▶ Design rights infringement (applicable only in Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand)
▶ Violations of a celebrity’s right of publicity
I’d be very surprised if you never get “VeRO-ed.” If you list enough items, the possibility of that occurring is pretty good. For example, in 2016 I purchased a six-pack of KeySmart KeyCatch, a modern marvel of elegant and simple engineering. The KeyCatch replaces the bottom screw on any light switch cover and holds your car keys magnetically. I stopped misplacing mine, that’s for sure. I didn’t need six of them, so I installed two and listed the other four on eBay. KeySmart is very protective of their brand and immediately filed a VeRO complaint, thinking the product was infringing. As is my right, I filed a counter-claim and notified VeRO the product was not only genuine, but that I had a receipt for it. VeRO restored my listing and interestingly, KeySmart management bought the four KeyCatch magnets. I presume they wanted to make sure they were indeed real. I also received an apology from them.
If anyone steals your pictures, graphics, or copyrighted materials, including your listing text, you can report them for the infringement, and you should. You simply download VeRO’s Notice of Claimed Infringement and fill out the form and email it to vero@ebay.com. Everything you put on the form is under oath and under penalty of perjury, so take it very seriously, or you may face civil or possibly criminal action if you’re not truthful. Use Figure 5–2’s QR code for easy access.
FIGURE 5–2: VeRO’s Notice of Claimed Infringement Form
Before we venture into preparing and managing listings, let’s talk about product images.
Working Smarter Using Stock Images
There are millions of known consumer products, and databases that keep track of stock product images. Why reinvent the wheel? For items within eBay’s catalog, you don’t even need a camera to provide photos. All you need to know is the UPC, ISBN, or part number. In many cases, the catalog information can be pulled up with keywords. eBay’s catalog will instantly add product information, such as brand, model number, dimensions, color, capacity, compatibilities, and even professional photos. Sellers of books, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, computer games, and many other categories need never take their own pictures. If you routinely sell merchandise that’s in the eBay catalog, I’d recommend installing and using the eBay mobile app, which allows you to launch, edit, and manage listings quickly using the UPC barcode. I do not recommend the mobile app for more complex businesses involving items that have no UPC code and are used or collectible.
When you’re not using the eBay catalog or when what you’re selling is in the catalog but looks less than factory perfect, you’ll need to take photos of the actual product you’re selling. When capturing photos, consider a resolution size that is at least 1600 pixels on the shortest edge. If you have a phone that allows for the square aspect ratio popular on social media sites, that’s even better. In that case, your photos will be 1600x1600 pixels. Use a JPG (or JPEG) file format. eBay’s picture policy requires photos that are at least 500 pixels for the longest side, but this is far too low for today’s high-resolution screens.
You are allotted 12 complimentary photos for nearly every category except eBay Motors vehicle listings. Vehicle listings may have up to 24 pictures because vehicles are complex and big-ticket items. Even real estate listings are limited to 12 images. Don’t just throw the item on the floor and snap a quick picture. A photo of high heels on your washing machine isn’t sexy. A necklace lying on top of your dirty jeans is going to scare the eBayer and have them heading over to the next seller’s listings. Show your product in the best way possible. Get every angle needed. That said, don’t go crazy. A vintage video game cartridge in mint condition simply doesn’t require 12 photos. In fact, I don’t feel 12 photos are usually required for most product listings. You’ll know when you’ve mastered the art of posting just the right number of images when no one asks for additional images and your items are flying out the door in nicely packed boxes. Look to other successful eBayers for ideas on which photos you’ll need.
▶ When the product is vintage, collectible, or antique, take lots of pictures because collectors are discriminating, and you’ll stand out from the crowd if you do.
▶ If you’re selling a vehicle, max out the 24-photo allocation.
▶ For known products in mint or new condition, you simply don’t need a bunch of photos.
▶ When in doubt, err on the side of more photos rather than fewer—with the understanding that you will eventually only capture the “right” number as you become more experienced.
Figure 5–3 on page 82 shows my images from an actual eBay listing—Arthur Wellesley, First Duke of Wellington and two-time British Prime Minister, immortalized in bronze. His Grace left this earth in 1834; however, his likeness lives on. This bronze is a true antique. There are a lot of markings, and all of them needed to be shown to the buyers. I was careful not to remove the very old auction sticker, which adds interest, provenance, and value. Pretty cool item, huh? eBay is the spot for interesting stuff. You’ll notice that the primary photo has thumbnail images in a ribbon underneath it—scrolling through and clicking these thumbnails displays the clicked image. You’ll also notice from the thumbnails that I’ve captured many views of the bust for clarity and to help bidders make a decision. This bronze sold for $2,495!
I’ve had cameras since I was a pre-teen, and owning a camera didn’t make me any more of a photographer than having a toolbox made me an auto mechanic. Developing an eye for photography wasn’t so much an art as it was a process. In my opinion, I’m not the most creative individual, and I always thrive when I can accomplish tasks that involve predictable actions. I much prefer a repeatable way of doing things. When I started my eBay business in June of 1999, I used a Mavica for photography. The Sony Mavica was the first still video camera invented and stored about 50 photos on a removable 1.4MB floppy disk. It still amuses me to recall how long it took to save the photo once I captured it. The disk would chug along until all of the Bytes were written to the magnetic floppy.
These days, I can store so many high-resolution photos on a tiny SD card that I could shoot a warehouse full of stuff before having to change cards. It’s amazing! Today’s cameras take much better photographs than ever before. The image sensors these days are much more like the human eye and require far less light and user expertise than in years past. Even a smart phone camera is a powerful image-capturing tool. If you own a quality smartphone, then you’re all set. A phone takes really good pictures provided you have good lighting and excellent staging. I’m using a consumer-level Nikon DSLR and strobe photography for most of my listings. Way back in 1999, I spent over $3,000 on lighting equipment, and you know what? I didn’t need it. If I knew then what I know now, I would have made do with what I had. Great lighting can be had for dollars, not thousands of dollars. Great images can also be captured without lighting equipment by using indirect light. I sometimes set up a folding table, put a nice velvet tablecloth on it, and just shoot during a really overcast day. Direct sunlight is bad because it creates uneven and unprofessional lighting due to the sun’s powerful glare. When shooting indoors, there are loads of solutions available designed for online sellers. Turnkey products include lights and backgrounds for extremely affordable prices.
FIGURE 5–3: eBay Listing Photos for an Arthur Wellesley Bronze Bust
Here are some pro photography tips:
▶ Work with what you’ve got. If you don’t have a lot of money, make do.
▶ Use a plain background, and don’t put items in the picture unless they are actually part of what’s being offered. Flowers and fruit are OK, but random props might confuse the buyer as to what you’re actually including in the offering. Exceptions will include products that require props, displays or mannequins such as jewelry or clothing.
▶ If using natural light, be sure the area is well-lit. You can use large pieces of white cardboard to bounce available light to provide soft and diffused lighting. Lots of indirect light is good.
▶ If you don’t have steady hands, it’s OK to use a tripod. They’re very cheap and having one handy won’t hurt. If there’s a ton of available light, you won’t need one because the shutter will open and close so fast, the image won’t suffer any blur. If the light is low, the shutter speed slows down, requiring a tripod.
▶ Use a resolution that makes sense. Massive resolution is overkill, so pick a setting that will provide nice, large images, but won’t take forever to upload. Optimize your technique to avoid having to crop and resize pictures.
▶ Keep things in focus.
▶ Photos cannot have marketing text or artwork added to them. Logos or messages are not permitted. A watermark for ownership or attribution is not allowed.
▶ Stock photography is only allowed when selling new items and is not permitted for used, damaged, or defective merchandise.
▶ Fill the frame—don’t have an itty bitty product sitting in an ocean of props and/or backdrop.
▶ Show measurement or scale using a coin or ruler. In addition to providing a scale shot, include the product measurements in the description. Show size for rings using a ring sizer, and clearly state the size, provide length for bracelets, pins, ear-rings, necklaces, etc. To cover global audiences, provide the measurements in both inches and centimeters.
▶ Capture the details, and don’t hide the warts. Hiding flaws means costly returns.
▶ Turn off the built-in flash, as it can leave hot spots and reflections.
▶ Keep everything meticulously clean—avoiding lint, fingerprints, dust, and dirt. Wear lint-free gloves and have microfiber cloths handy to quickly remove fingerprints. A mini shop vacuum is perfect for the photography area.
▶ Provide clear photographs of the maker’s marks; gold or silver purity marks (sterling, 14k, etc.); or make, model, serial number, etc.
▶ It’s OK to crop the photo or adjust the brightness, but do not use software to doctor your pictures to make them look better than the actual product will appear in person.
Merchandise moves faster when the presentation is gorgeous. Tossing a pair of jeans on a table isn’t very alluring. A necklace in a pile isn’t attractive. Some items require props for the best presentation. This is very different than adding a bowl of fruit in a shot of a coffee table. “Are you selling the bowl and fruit with that winsome table?” Some things require support or propping up to display them in the correct perspective or to give them appeal. Sometimes I stuff a bit of tissue into shoes, handbags, or the arms of shirts to give them a more pleasing look. In time, you’ll master the process of capturing fantastic images.
eBay provides practical photography tips, and I’ve provided a QR code (Figure 5–4) that will take you directly to them.
In Chapter 6, we’ll talk in detail about how to prepare your eBay listings.
For many years, a photograph has been circulating of a shiny chrome teapot (the holy grail of teapots) with the reflection of the eBay seller caught flashing his flesh. I mean, really, how is this not on purpose? A quick Google search will reveal the vintage image that’s been the mother of memes for years. Perhaps he thought that nudity would raise the bid prices.
Droves of eBayers pushed the limits of good taste with copycat pictures hocking antiques using bare-skinned antics. Another eBayer based in the U.K. accidentally took a nude selfie while posting her eBay listing for an ASOS skater outfit—she staged the outfit on a hanger hooked onto her closet door and a bit of mirror revealed that she had only her brassiere on and nothing else. The racy image induced over £100,000 in bidding before the eBayer pulled the listing.
Don’t chase these sellers down the rabbit hole. eBay subsequently established policies that forbid these antics. Be sure that you’re wearing neutral clothing with no logos when working with shiny items—but most importantly, wear clothes! Reflective items and colored clothing are like oil and water. The last thing you want is a slew of questions about that “red mark” on your resale flat screen. A white or light gray shirt seems right for most situations. To minimize reflections, you can cut a hole in a large white or black cardboard sheet and shoot through the hole. For shiny silver items, I find white works well. Black tends to work for colorful glass items. Experiment to find the best solution.
