The Ultimate ‘Easy’ Guide For Selling on eBay


how to sell on ebay tips

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Selling on eBay can be a great way to make a full time income or have your own side hustle to supplement your salary every single month.

People all over the world have started selling on eBay and it’s a really great way to bring in some extra income every month while simultaneously decluttering your home!

If you’ve got things lying around the house you don’t want or need anymore, why not consider turning it into cash by selling on eBay? Here are some great tips and suggestions for how to start selling on eBay and make extra money every month!

How To Start Selling On eBay - tips and tricks for learning to sell on eBay and make extra money every month!

How to Sell On eBay For Beginners

Starting to sell your items on eBay isn’t hard, but you will have to declutter a bit when it comes to your own personal items.

Once you make a mental note of the items that you don’t want to quick, you’ll want to make certain that you write down everything that you’re planning on selling.

This is key to stay organized. Write down the name of the items, the condition, the price, and leave a section where you can write whether it’s been paid for or shipped. You can also view these things on eBay but it’s a good idea to keep a physical list just to keep yourself organized.

ItemDesc.PricePaidShipped
Date
Other/Misc.
Basketballround, blue, $9.99No
Tennis Ballround, green$0.75Yes01/04/2019Ship free
Pantene22oz Curly Hair$2.99Yes01/07/2019Ship free

If you plan to make things to sell, decide what you will make and sell and what prices you will be charging.

If you are buying wholesale and reselling through eBay, you’ll want to get that situated before opening your eBay shop.

Simple Selling On eBay “Tip”

Always take the time to compare your pricing to the pricing of other items online. That way you know if you’re in range, overpriced, or underpriced. After all, the point is to list your items to sell!

Create Your Listings


When you start selling on eBay, one of the first things you’ll need to do is create a listing. It’s important to remember that things are found on eBay via search engine, so search engine optimization (SEO) is key. Using words that are highly searchable can help your products be found and listed towards the top!

Once you get a great seller reputation, your items will be moved even further to the top so always be aware of seller best practices on eBay. (the higher the rating, the higher your product will be listed!)

While it can be lengthy, it’s important to read the policies on eBay before you begin selling because they cover fee structures, seller and buyer protection, and what to do if something goes wrong. This is all important information that you don’t want to skip out on. (and while you’ll hopefully never need it, it’s always good to be prepared)

Additionally, when you create your listing, you’ll need to decide if you want it to be auction only or offer a buy now option for a specific price.

Super Simple Selling On eBay “Tip”

If you don’t want to set up an eBay shop on your own, you can still start selling on eBay! They have an option labeled “sell it for me” where you send in your items and professionals sell them for you. You are able to earn up to 80% of proceeds by doing this. If this seems more up your alley, look into it and see if it’s right for you!

Promote Your Listings


If you know anybody locally who might be looking for what you’re selling, feel free to grab the link for your listings and promote them around social media or via email to friends.

If you’re in a group that is specifically related to items you’re selling and you know it might be of interest to that group, consider promoting there as well. Remember, you can post in your own Facebook Groups too. After all, an eBay shop is just like owning any other shop – you still want to attract customers when you start selling on eBay!

Now that we’ve covered how to sell on eBay successfully, let’s talk about all the best things on eBay to sell for a profit.

what can i sell on ebay
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Best Things To Sell On eBay For A Profit

Let’s be honest with each other for a moment. No matter who you are, where you’re from and what kind of love/hate relationship that you have with online shopping, everyone loves eBay. (admit it, you love the rush of “winning” an item)

While there have been a number of other buying and selling online platforms that have popped up in the past several years, eBay is still one of the top online marketplaces that millions of people shop at.

Feeling that rush of bidding and “winning” that item is something that we’ve all been guilty of a time or two, and honestly one of the many reasons that eBay is so popular.

Being able to compete with others over an item that you want and then to have a victorious “win” is an amazing feeling! And don’t worry, as a seller you get those same “rushes” as well!

The powerhouse eBay isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It’s still a great way to list items to sell online, and generate easy income at any hour of the night.

Who doesn’t want to wake up in the morning to discover that they sold 2 items on eBay overnight making $100 while they were sleeping?!

Can Anyone Sell On eBay?

Truth be told, it’s super easy to start selling on eBay. All you need are:

  • good pictures
  • a good description
  • a bit of time

If you have that combination, you’ll be posting items to sell in no time flat. And trust me…the options for items to sell on eBay are never-ending! When you’re marketing and selling to literally the entire world, it seems that there’s always someone who is interested in what you have to sell, no matter how common or off the wall it is.

Quit Holding Back!

Why Not Give It A Try To Sell And Profit From A Few Items On eBay?

Here are some suggestions for items that can be sold on eBay during any time of the year! (Some may shock you, but when I said that you can sell almost anything on eBay, you really and truly can!)

100 Things You Can Sell On Ebay

  • DVDs
  • Books

  • Toilet paper rolls
  • Pinecones
100 things you can sell on ebay

  • Large Sized and Small Sized (hard to find) Women’s shoes
  • Newborn toys
  • Signed sporting equipment
  • Pipes
  • Cell phones
  • Phone chargersNight Lights
  • Donald Trump toilet paper
  • Whoopie cushions
  • Coffee mugs  (holy pricetag on some of the Starbucks ones!)
  • Adidas brand clothing
  • Coupons
  • Pepper Spray

  • Large Sized and Small Sized (hard to find) Women’s shoes
  • Newborn toys
  • Signed sporting equipment
  • Pipes
  • Cell phones
  • Phone chargers
  • Adidas brand clothing
  • Coupons
  • Purses
  • Tools
  • Earphones
  • Computers
  • Cameras
  • Mystery boxes
  • Stuffed animals
  • Posters
  • Vinyl Records
  • Used clothing

  • New clothing
  • Music CDs
  • Magic kits
  • Bumper stickers
  • Homemade clothing
  • Coins
  • Boxing gloves
  • Ice skates
  • Baby gates
  • Furniture
  • China sets
  • Clocks
  • Bathroom slippers
  • Robes
  • Exercise equipment

  • Goggles
  • Cars
  • Campers

USA American US Flag Baseball Cap Army Tactical Mesh Military Camo Trucker Hat

  • Home decor
  • Deodorant
  • Sheet set
  • BBQ grill cover
  • Rice cooker
  • Watch
  • Hair dryer
  • Forks

  • Lamps
  • Electronic toys
  • Frisbee
  • Disc golf set
  • Baseball cleats

  • Hand stitched pillows
  • Ceiling Fans
  • Candy Bars
  • Stink bombs
  • Pregnancy tests

  • Phony / Prank winning lottery tickets
  • Beach balls
  • Pots and pans
  • VHS movies
  • Sporting tickets
  • Hatchimals
  • Bobbleheads
  • Weedeater
  • Adult diapers
  • Answering Machine
  • Cookbooks

  • Security camera
  • Wedding dress
  • Wedding ring
  • Heavy equipment
  • Puzzles
  • Knock knock joke books
  • Homemade jewelry
  • Antique Furniture
  • Mattress
  • Flashlight
  • Dog leash

  • Comic books
  • Blankets
  • Stilleto heels
  • Walking sticks
  • Canes
  • Paint

  • Blood pressure monitor
  • Fake eyelashes
  • Makeup
  • Mason jars
  • Keychains
  • Fidget spinners



How Do You Know What Items Will Sell On eBay?

Great question. Before diving into the selling world, you need to spend a few hours of your day searching around and really researching everything that eBay has for sale. They literally have categories for almost anything that you could want or need to sell!

Many sellers love the ease of use when being able to use eBay as their preferred online selling choice. And truth be told, eBay started out as the big dogs in the online selling world, and have had many years to perfect their online platform.

If you’re looking for a great way to try to declutter and make some extra cash easily and quickly, eBay is raring and ready to go. In just a few moments, you can have your items listed, described, priced and active just waiting for its first bidder.

Think about how happy you’ll be after you make that first sale! I guarantee that you can’t stop selling at just one item…After the first one, you’ll be hooked and in it for the long game!

Unique Items to Sell On eBay

Just when you thought you’d ran out of ideas to sell on eBay, look around the house and see if you have some of these unique items!

Empty Egg Cartons.  It doesn’t matter if your eggs came in a cardboard or styrofoam container, chances are you can sell a stack of those cartons for a pretty penny.  

Crafters love to use old egg cartons for all kinds of arts and crafts and you can feel good about the fact that your items are being upcycled instead of thrown in the trash.  (Anyone else hate styrofoam?)

A stack of cartons can often sell for $10 and up, plus the cost of shipping! Check These Out!

Toilet Paper and Paper Towel Tubes.  Never in my life could I imagine that people would pay for used paper towel and toilet paper rolls, but they do!  Like the egg cartons I mentioned above, these are often used in arts and crafts projects.  Don’t expect to sell them individually of course, but stock up on 40 or so and then place them up for sale.  

Again, you can expect to make around $10 on a lot this size.  Considering these are simply trash to most people, $10 sounds pretty good.  For Real!! Look at these SOLD listings!

sell empty toilet paper rolls on ebay

Potential Top Selling Items On The Internet

Okay…maybe they aren’t top selling right now, but with some work, they could be!

Pine Cones.  Yep, those pine cones that are littering your yard under the trees can make your family a little extra cash.  Pine cones are used by artists for some pretty unique creations (noticing a theme here?).  

So send the kids outside to work collecting pine cones and get to selling! 

Yes, Money DOES grow on Trees (sorta).

Empty Makeup Containers.  If you use M.A.C. makeup you are going to want to read this one.  M.A.C. offers a trade in deal with empty makeup containers, so these often sell for several dollars apiece on Ebay.

Empty Coffee Containers.  Crafters seriously are in love with these!  Frugal organizers can’t get enough!  Look how much these containers sold for!

empty coffee container

Old Remotes. Who doesn’t have a few old remotes lying around? Instead of letting them take up space, sell them for some dough!

As you can see, you can sell some pretty crazy stuff on eBay!  Don’t be afraid to take a look around at your clutter to see what you have and check out eBay to see if it sells there, you might be surprised. 

How Much Does eBay Take For A Sale?

If you don’t sell your item, they don’t take out any fees. But, the higher the price tag, the more percentage that they’ll keep at the end. Always be aware that you don’t get the full price that people pay because eBay gets a portion as well.

How do you get payments from eBay?

When you sell an item, the purchaser can either pay using PayPal or with a credit/debit card. These tend to be the quickest and only options for receining payment.

How Hard Is It To Make Money Selling on eBay?

As everyone knows eBay is definitely the place to look to if you are looking for an easy way to make some extra money.

You can make some quick cash selling old or never worn clothes, jewelry etc on eBay. There’s nothing that won’t sell on eBay. Many people go through their own closets, attics, and basements for items to sell. Others go thrift shopping or scavenge through yard sales to find hidden gems to re-sell on eBay. (If you know what you’re looking for in a thrift store, you can really turn some items around for quite the profit!

It’s important to think outside the box on what you can sell on eBay and I’m going to change the way you think and shop while putting money in your pockets!

Earlier we talked about a ton of different things that you can sell on eBay, but here are a few examples as well.

how to find and sell great deals on ebay that everyone wants

Best Things To Sell On eBay For Profit

Candles

Candles! Tons of people, like myself are candle lovers and you can always find AMAZING deals on candles. Did you know Yankee Candle’s semi-annual sale and their end of the year sale is crazy!

You can find candles on sale down to $1 that would usually cost around of $10. Catching these sales allows you to stock up and turn around and sell those candles on eBay for their original price of $10+ like these ones HERE. How’s that for a HUGE profit.

Hint: Candles are big items for many these days and the small ones are great sellers for shower favors, so listing and adding that into your description keywords also known as search engine optimization (seo) could help promote your listing! 

Toiletries

There are so many more ways to find profitable items to sell on eBay.  Toiletries is a great category.  One super example for this would be shampoo. Yes, you read that right! Shampoo can be sold on eBay and you can always find great deals for shampoo at your local store.

Keep your eye out for a great sale, clearance items or you use rebates and other savings techniques to get them for less or even free! These are items you can stock up on then turn around and sell on eBay for the original price.

There was a Shampoo that was recently on sale and with rewards and rebates it netted as FREE, could be sold on eBay for $8.99 Look HERE and see how fast they go! Give it a try if you’re looking for a way to make some extra cash.

Remember, you aren’t  limited to just shampoo there are other toiletries like deodorant, hairspray, etc. Many of these items are regular selling items and you’ll quickly find yourself building a regular customer base on eBay!

note: use care when checking for expiration dates and eBay policy before selling

Other Profitable Items To Sell On eBay

There are plenty of other items too that you can buy for cheap and sell for the original price. Amazon is always having crazy sales and deals. For example, they had a recent lightning deal on Bentgo Salad Containers which were being sold for 67% off and they sell great on eBay for $18.39, take a look HERE.

Or things like this Glade Automatic Spray Kit which had a great sale and you could have purchased as low as FREE and sold on eBay for $10.99 are the listings on eBay for it.

It’s crazy easy to find items that you can flip for a profit on eBay. This really is one of the quickest ways to make some extra cash.

How To Sell On eBay And Make Money

People are making a living doing this! Changing your view on items sale worthy will really help you increase your success.  You can totally do this! Just have a little faith and take the eBay leap !

If you’re new to eBay selling and needing a little help, make certain that you read the eBay guidelines for selling. You may even find some great tips and advice.

Do you sell on eBay to make some extra money? Are there any other examples you can think of?

tips for selling on ebay
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Matt R

Hi, my name is Matt and I'm the founder of Barefoot Budgeting. This site is dedicated to one thing... helping you budget and save money.

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