Published 31 August 2015 ● Last Updated on 8 October 2020
So you have this lovely little castle which your kids have outgrown, and now you want to sell it for other kids to enjoy. Or you received a hideous bag from a friend which you know you will never use, but you know there are others out there like your friend who think this is IT to make a fashion statement. Or you want to sell your car, or your iPhone, or your PS3…..
Where do you start? Are there any rules to follow? How do people successfully sell things they don’t need any more and make money out of it?
Here are a few things to keep in mind before you start selling online!
1. Find the right platform.
You can’t sell everything on eBay and not everyone looks at Craigslist or Gumtree to buy products. I know of people who have successfully advertised and sold cars on Facebook. If you have a great social network – leverage that. If your web sales platform – such as Carousell – allows you to share your listing over social media, use it to spread the word!
2. Take great pictures of the product.
Would you consider buying an iPhone with just one picture of it lying flat on a table, or one with multiple pictures showing the front and back, and with all the accessories that come with it? Would you think of purchasing a dining set where the seller puts up just IKEA catalogue pictures, or where you the seller shares images of the furniture in a real setting? The moral is clear: Take well-lit pictures from different angles and in real settings. It’s your advertisement!
3. Let the title do some talking.
Make sure the item is correctly categorised and the title is concise using good keywords – that’s what will make it searchable and draw people to your listing. A title like “Golf Clubs” expresses very little, but a title on the lines of “Taylor Made Rocket Bladez HL Irons SW-4 steel shaft Golf Clubs”… you get the picture (and the search engines too!)! Similarly, instead of “iPad” you could use “Apple iPad Air 2 Tablet 64 GB White colour”.
4. Make sure the description is accurate.
It is not brand new if it has a small nick or dent. It is not mint condition if you scratched it. Say it as it is, and don’t worry – perfection isn’t everything – honesty is! Be descriptive, be clear, and if to top it all you have flair for humor – like the guy selling his yoga mat here – your listing will go a long way!
5. The price should be fair.
If you can get the same product brand new from a store for just $20 more, then your item might not sell as it does not come with an exchange policy or warranty. Do some research on how similar products are priced second-hand, and then based on how old and used your product is, ask for a fair price.
6. Meet in a public place while handing off the product.
Both you and the buyer will be more comfortable exchanging the product in a convenient, familiar place – say a mall, or an MRT station. You don’t need to call a stranger to your house unless you are selling something very big and heavy…like a car!
Hope these tips help and happy selling!
– Aashyita Nanda
Aashyita is a talent acquisition specialist based in Toronto who loves reading mysteries in her spare time. She is a foodie, can cook if given directions and is a fabulous sous-chef!
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