How to start an eBay business

To start an eBay business, you need to consider your products and select an account type, register the account, and add inventory to your account. For more details on these steps and others you can take to start an eBay business, use this guide:

• Consider your products and select an account type. The very first step you should take is to figure out what types of products you are going to be selling on eBay.

You should do some in-depth market research on eBay's site to determine what you are going to be selling with your eBay business.

Here are some of eBay's top-selling products to give you an idea:

• Automotive parts and accessories

• Motorcycle parts and accessories

• Clothing and shoes (for men and women)

• Women's handbags

• Military equipment

• World War II items

• Collectable lighters, matchboxes, and other smoking supplies

• Industrial automation and motion controls (PLCs and HMIs)

• Medical lab equipment and dental supplies

• Small kitchen appliances

• Jewelry and watches

• Sporting goods

As you can see there are so many different types of popular products sold on eBay. The trick for your business is going to be picking a niche and sticking to it. This might depend on how much startup capital you have for products or your access to resources and certain items.

You also want to determine what payment methods you are going to accept, customer service policies, and shipping methods. It's a good idea to look at eBay's seller policies and rules to make sure the platform can support your business idea.

Once you know what products you are going to be selling, it is fairly simple to select an account type on eBay:

• Click the "register" button on eBay's home page

• You have the choice to create a business or personal account

• You then select a business account (this allows you to sell large quantities of items)

You should also register your businesses name legally, and then customize your online eBay store with your businesses own unique branding.

• Register the account. To register the account you must provide eBay with your legal business name, email, phone number, and unique password.

After this, you are then directed to create a username, then eBay asks for your legally registered business address and phone number in order to verify your credentials.

After you have provided all of this information, simply click "register", and you will have access to your business account.

• Add inventory to your account. Before you do this step, you should adjust your account preferences to your liking, this includes shipping information, buyer requirements, communication preferences, and addresses associated with your eBay business account.

  Once you are ready you can now add inventory to your online eBay store.

  Here is a quick breakdown of that process:

  • Click the "sell" button in the upper-right-hand corner of the account page.

  • Choose "quick listing form" and "advanced listing form"

  • The advanced listing form is the appropriate choice if you want to give more in-depth info on your products or items.

• Selling information (auction versus fixed-price)

• Payment information (eBay Managed Payments, offline credit card payments, PayPal, or pay when picked up)

• Return information

• Shipping details (flat rate versus calculated)

All of this information is crucial because it essentially defines how your business operates on the eBay platform. Take your time to determine the best choices for your particular eBay business.

• Other helpful tips. Once your eBay business is off the ground, there are many things you can do to help it run smoothly and effectively.

Here are some helpful tips for your eBay business:

• You should start small at first to get a feel for eBay

• You can list 50 items per month for free, if you go above 50 you pay a small fee for each item (usually 35 cents per listing)

• Your business will also pay a final value fee. For most categories of products, this translates to a 10% fee of the total sale amount with a max fee of $750.

• Having a niche helps in the eBay marketplace

• Take professional-grade photos of your items

• The more detail you can give to an item's description, the better.

• Be prepared to deal with some returns.

• Utilize the eBay seller's hub.

• Ask for feedback from your customers.

• Network with other sellers on eBay.