*This is a collaborative post but all thoughts are my own
I’m a huge advocate of making money online. And if 2020 has taught me anything it’s the importance of making extra money wherever I can. You never know when one income stream is going to be taken away from you. Now unless I win the lottery there are always going to be things I need money for. And selling items online is a great way to make some extra money to either fund a savings goal, or just to put in your emergency fund.
I’ve sold items online quite a lot over the past decade. And anytime I do a declutter I always seem to find items I no longer want or need. Selling items online doesn’t need to be timeconsuming, but here are some things to consider.
Work out where you want to be selling items online
There are so many sites where you can sell your items that it’s important to choose the right one for you. And the right one for the item you’re looking to sell.
If you’ve got a larger item which you can’t post then Facebook Marketplace may be the right place for you. If you’re selling clothes then Depop or Vinted might be right for you. Or if you have a niche product you want to get as much visibility as possible then eBay may be right.
Look into the different sites you can be selling items online through and don’t just use one.
Plan your packaging needs beforehand
If you’ve got quite a lot of items to sell then you should plan out your packaging needs ahead of time. Make sure you have all of the things you need to send out your items like packaging, labels, bubble wrap etc so when you sell an item it will save you so much time.
When I used to sell items the thing that I’d hate most was an item selling then scrambling around looking for a jiffy bag or something to pack it in. Being prepared and having the items will save that stress.
Research prices and be competitive
Of course, you want to make as much money as possible selling items online, but you want to be competitive enough that the items sell. There’s no point overpricing something and have it sitting for sale for months.
Search around online to see how much similar items are selling for to give you an idea of where to start. You might find that just be lowering your price by 5-10% you’ll have a higher chance of it selling.
Make sure your photos are extensive
Photos are one of the most important things people look at when buying items online. So make sure you take photos in good lighting, from all angles and highlight any damage or marks. If an item has a pattern on it take a close up image. If jewellery has a hallmark on it take a photo of that etc.
You want someone who buys your item to be satisfied and happy so that they’ll leave you a good review. So make sure you’re upfront about anything out of the ordinary.