03 January 2024 , 08:28
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Auction site eBay is a great way to declutter after Christmas as well as making some handy money before January payday. But if you don't know where to start a money-saving site has come up with advice on how to make the most from your sales.
Google searches about how to sell on eBay start to rise straight after Christmas as people look to sell unwanted gifts as well as make money to help them through January before the first payday of the new year.
The site is a handy way to rehome gifts that might not have hit the mark, not just minimising landfill and waste while giving someone else the chance to enjoy the items but also bringing in some extra cash. Anyone who registers with eBay is eligible to sell items on the platform, but, with so many listings on there, to make the most money it's important to make sure your items stand out from the crowd - although it's definitely worth the effort.
Read more: 'I make up to £1,000 a month through selling on eBay - here's how you can too'
There's no doubt that anyone taking a bit of time between Christmas and New Year to list their unwanted items can make some money to help kickstart 2024. Experienced eBay seller James McHutchison, who makes up to £1,000 a month on the hugely popular selling site, told Mirror Money that now is the best time to go through all your unwanted belongings and sell them online to make some extra cash after Christmas.
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He said: "Everybody ends up accumulating a lot of unnecessary stuff over Christmas, so I think January is the perfect time to wipe the slate clean and sort out what you really need.”
Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert site has put together a list of 48 top tips to maximise the money you can make selling unwanted items, which includes identifying niche products which will be snapped up by keen shoppers, making sure your photos are of good quality and explaining when to start with a low starting bid to attract more offers.
eBay's Head of Consumer Selling, Ege Yilmaz, also underlined the importance of gaining buying confidence through using multiple, high quality images and detailed information about the item in listings, adding: "People won’t bid on items they cannot see. Take photos in good light and be sure to highlight flaws rather than hide them, sharing photos from as many angles as you can to gain buyer confidence.
"Make sure your listing heading is clear and concise, don’t skimp on detail in the listing. Be clear about the condition of the item, describing any imperfections and if you’re selling clothes, note the fit and feel of them."
But there are also two surprising additional tips she gave that could help sell your items on eBay this winter.
Firstly, as more than half of all sales on eBay are viewed on a mobile it's important to optimise your listings for the smaller devices - use bullet points and easily scanned descriptions and images that view well on smaller screens.
Secondly, sell on Sundays. Ege explains: "eBay’s busiest time for buyers is Sunday evenings, so if you’re using the auction function, schedule your listings to end around that time or alternatively for ‘buy it now’ items - upload at this time for maximum views."
As well as selling unwanted items, the post-Christmas lull is a good time to pick up items you may not have got under the tree but are on your wishlist that are no available on eBay at bargain prices - whether that's discounted hair styling products, fitness equipment to start the new year or larger electrical items and gadgets.