Make Some Money: Ebay

So in order to support my shopping "research", sometimes I need some extra funds.  When I need to make some extra cash, I turn to Ebay.  It allows me to clean out my closet to make room for my new finds, make money, and I don't have to be bothered with the hassle of a yard sale.  You can make some extra money on Ebay, too, you know.  Here are the basics.

1. Go to ebay.com and sign up for an Ebay account.  As long as you have an e-mail address, you'll be all set.
2. Go to paypal.com and sign up for an account.  Paypal is how those buying your goods from Ebay pay you.  Using PayPal, no one gives out any private information.  Money is transferred from one person's PayPal account to yours, and then you can have that money sent from your PayPal to your bank account, or have a check sent to you in the mail.  Very simple, very safe.  PS- PayPal is now taken by many merchants, too, so you can use PayPal to shop!
3. Pictures, pictures, pictures: whatever you're selling, take plenty of pictures.  You are allowed to post up to 12 pictures of an item without being charged by Ebay, so make sure you use them all.  Buyers like to see every angle of what they're buying.  If an item is damaged, make sure you post pictures of the damage so the buyer knows what she's getting.
4. Search your item on Ebay before you list it: This way, you can make your price competitive.  What you think it is worth and what is actually worth might be two very different numbers.
5. List your item: My suggestion is to put it up as an auction.  Ebay has a "Buy it Now" feature that allows people to buy the item immediately at a fixed price, but if you put it up for auction you might actually get more money for your item if there is a bidding war.  Make sure you describe it accurately- the condition is important and you want to have a good reputation as a seller.
6. Calculated shipping: You might choose to be super nice and ship your item for free, but chances are you want the buyer to pay shipping.  Figure out approximately the item weighs, and choose calculated shipping so that Ebay determines the shipping amount for you.  You can print shipping labels directly from Ebay.  My suggestion is to use USPS or FedEx.  UPS tends to be expensive, no matter what Ebay calculates I always spend more!  Also, make sure you package the item well, you don't want it to arrive damaged.

You are allowed to list up to 50 items on Ebay at a time for free.  After 50 items (and/or if you choose special listing features), there are listing charges.  Ebay does take a small percentage of your sale price if you sell the item (and only if you sell the item), and PayPal takes a small percentage also.  So while these services are "free", they're really not- but your stuff is worth more sold than it is sitting in your closet, isn't it?

You can find me on Ebay as user pinksparklezoxo.  Right now I'm selling a Coach wristlet I no longer use and some fine china for my mom.  Let me know if you try to sell something and what your experience is!