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One of the most important things a seller, or affiliate, can do on eBay is to build, and keep, the confidence of current and future buyers. Below are a few useful tips about how you, as a seller, can make a buyer gain interest in your eBay auction item and then how you can “close the sell” and gain a satisfied, and hopefully repeat, customer.

The first thing many eBay buyers look for are details about the item being auctioned and then they look at the shipping terms. Many sellers inflate the shipping cost to increase their revenue. I once saw a DVD player that was selling for 20 bucks. Sounds like a great deal…right? Wrong. The shipping charge, in a deceptively, and incorrect, spot at the bottom of the page, was 120 bucks! Today’s eBay buyers have caught on to this practice and will not bid on an item that is priced low but has high shipping costs.

Auction details should also include the type of payment that will be accepted. Approximately 75 percent of eBay buyers prefer to pay via PayPal, which, by the way, is owned and operated by eBay. An added bonus of using PayPal, statistically speaking, is that it reduces the chance of the buyer skipping out of town and not paying for the winning bid. Buyers can also take full benefit of the PayPal Buyer Protection program where the buyer is protected up to $1000.00. Don’t have a PayPal account? You should! If you don’t, be sure to clearly state that you do not and spell out alternative payment methods.

Let’s discuss shipping again. Terms should be spelled out in your auction detail. This includes shipping time, costs and other applicable policies. An easy way to entice buyers is to offer free shipping. Include it in the price of your item and watch how your sales increase. Another option is to offer a flat delivery rate for specified areas. It is not uncommon for sellers to have a flat shipping fee and then list a secondary international shipping fee.

Auction details need to clearly state return policies along with cancellation charges wherever applicable. The terms of the return policy should always be clear and to the point. It is estimated that approximately 20 percent of current auctions are lacking a return policy. These sellers might be losing sales to the auctions that do have a policy listed. Would you buy an electronic item on eBay if you could not return it to the seller if it showed up at your house DOA (dead on delivery)?

If a seller describes the item correctly, follows up on questions and promptly ships items there is no reason a buyer will not give a rating of 5 stars (5 is the highest and 1 is the lowest). Strive to keep feedback positive and it will increase buyer confidence and have a beneficial impact on your bottom line.

Article By: Bruce Moilan

Attention eBay® Sellers: Increase your credibility...and your bottom line! Sellsi™ helps build trust in online auctions. By representing only the best eBay® sellers, Sellsi has created a network of the most reputable merchants on the web. The Sellsi Seal™ instills confidence and adds credibility to the seller when displayed in eBay® auction listings. It's an indispensable tool used to boost sales and increase positive feedback. Learn more at http://www.sellsi.com.