Whatever your intentions, it's always best to swot up on best practices before getting started so you can be sure you're getting the most out of eBay, and not missing any tricks! Whether it's a pair of shoes you've accepted you cannot walk in, some old comic books, or your Pokemon card collection — it's crucial that you take a bit of time to decided whether something is in the right nic to be sold on before you post it up on eBay.

You might be keen to start making money on whatever you can get your hands on, but if you make the mistake of selling items that aren't in good condition or missing crucial parts, you'll get yourself a bad rating which is basically eBay suicide — you might as well just give up there and then. If you answered ' yes ' to any of these questions, then the item doesn't belong on eBay it belongs in the bin!

If you're stumped on what to sell, use the 'most popular' tool on eBay to find out what the hottest items are at that time.

This should give you an idea of what will sell and what won't. Thinking seasonally is always a good idea too — you're not likely to get many bids on a pair of sunglasses in the middle of winter, so put them somewhere safe until the time is right. Read more on how one savvy student sold items she bought at a car boot sale on eBay for ten times what she bought them for! Even if you just purchase a couple of small items for a few quid each, pay for the items promptly and take the time to give feedback be pleasant if you can!

Another important step is choosing your username — remember that whatever you choose will effectively be the name of your mini business, so sweetiepiewithsugarxx probably isn't going to instil a whole lot of trust in potential buyers! As you can see, it's not simply a case of posting your items online and watching the cash roll in. Try running your item through this to see what sort of profit you'll make. Just search for whatever it is you want to sell and tick the completed listings box to see heaps of similar items and get a better idea of what to charge.

Also, make sure you price the postage correctly, or you could end up out of pocket. Note that high postage fees can put some sellers off , so we'd recommend adding the cost of any jiffy bags or sellotape into the price to keep postage rates down. Start bids low to catch bargain-hunter eyes It might be tempting to list your items quite high initially, but starting your bids at 99p will actually get you a better sale in the long run.

However, note that this tip doesn't apply to really niche products — if it's something that only an avid collector would be searching for, don't set the initial bid too low as you're less likely to get a lot of interest on these items. Mish Sukharev — Flickr. You don't have to have an amazing camera to do a good job of this, but do make use of the macro mode if you have one and use autofocus, both of which will work wonders for up close shots.

Natural daylight is always the best option for offering the clearest pics possible, but a little extra lighting for example, using your desk lamp can also make a big difference if you don't have much natural daylight where you are. Also remember that 12 photos can be uploaded to your account for free at one time! Therefore, if you're going for the maximum 10 day auction which is always the best option as this increases the chances of getting more bids , list it on a Thursday evening for maximum exposure to potential buyers.

As mentioned previously, if you're selling a themed or seasonal product — think about when the right time would be to put it online.

How to earn money on the Web

For example, the start of October would be the perfect time to start listing any fancy dress items you have as people start searching for their Halloween party outfits online. John Fischer — Flickr. It's crucial that you take your time over this, as a good description can really make or break a deal.

There's also an added layer of security so people can't scam you for your product. Remember the job ain't done when the sale is made! No relaxing just yet! Once your sale has gone through wahey!

Make sure you also dispatch the item as promptly as possible and beware of being too ambitious with your 'handling time' declaration. It's how the eBay world works after all, and as the saying goes — what goes around, comes around y'all!

Always get proof of postage! Send every item you sell by recorded delivery or at least get proof of postage. Hopefully you're now be equipped with all of the super skills you'll need to be a pro eBayer.

Be sure to let us know how you get on, and if you think we've missed any tips — give us a heads up in the comments section below. For more ideas on how to start raking in the cash, head over to our make money quickly guide! Hottest Deals Free sachets of porridge. Save the Student provides free, impartial advice to students on how to make their money go further.

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Ask yourself the following questions: Would this sell for less than the postage and packaging costs i. Does it look like the dog's gotten hold of it? Would I have to tell any white lies about the condition of this item in order for it to sell?

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