Our 10 Top Tips for Buying and Selling Online

Can you believe that eBay was founded almost 22 years ago!? ... Neither can we! Since its creation, eBay has become one of the top online auction sites, allowing buyers and sellers to trade goods online with ease. Recent years have also seen the creation of successful mobile selling apps, such as Depop and Shpock. However, trading online always has its risks. This is because buyers and sellers don't usually meet in-person, allowing scammers (using fake details) to become less traceable!

So, how do you avoid problems when buying and selling online? After all, there's nothing worse than being ripped off by a seller. Likewise, difficult customers can easily tarnish a company’s reputation. Thankfully, we have created a list of top tips for online traders.

Tips for Selling

1. Write accurate descriptions: 

It's true what people say, 'Honesty is the best policy'. If any of your items have defects that cannot be seen in the photos that you upload, make sure to write a detailed account of them in the item's description. This way, a customer cannot claim that you have falsely advertised an item. 

2. Use the online support provided: 

It's there to help you! If a customer doesn't pay for an item, contact the website/app support centre. For example, eBay has a resolution centre so that sellers can contact them with ease. They will help you to solve any disputes, and in some cases, refund selling fees for any unpaid items. 

3. Do your product research:

Have you ever sold an item, and then realised that you could have easily got an extra £20 for it elsewhere? Don't worry, the majority of online sellers will admit to this! 

Make sure to avoid this mistake by carrying out extensive product research before you post your 'for sale' add. If the item is commonly sold, search for other listings and note what price they have sold for. With rare items, however, it may be worthwhile hiring a specialist to estimate the items value.

4. Communicate with your customers:

This is a must if you wish to create a good repute amongst your customer base. Firstly, if someone messages you about a product, reply promptly with an answer. If you expect to be delayed with your response, simply reply explaining that you will be able to answer their query by a given time (and stick to it). 

Also, it’s okay if you don't know the answer to a buyers question, just be honest. Don't make up answers because your knowledge is lacking, as your response may come back to haunt you if it's incorrect. 

5. Take clear photos:

Blurry, edited photos can be really off-putting to potential customers. After all, how can a buyer trust what a product looks like if the images of it are filtered and covered in emoji stickers? ... Yes, you may be thinking that this is an extreme example, but photo edits like this appear frequently on auction sites.

Instead, keep your product photos simple. Take photos in natural lighting, and place your items against plain backgrounds. You want your customers to focus solely on the product, and not the background clutter.

Tips for Buying

1. Always check postage costs before bidding:

Some sneaky sellers like to increase postage costs, so beware! It's understandable to have £4.99 postage on an item advertised at auction for 99p, after all, how can you expect sellers to make a profit? However, if the postage exceeds the items value on an expensive 'buy it now' post, you can be sure that the seller is just trying to squeeze money out of you. 

Postage costs vary based on the items weight, size, and value. If you are unsure whether the postage price is reasonable, take a look at Royal Mails 'Get a price' page. 

2. Message the seller any questions:

Seems obvious doesn't it? However, many buyers often ignore the messaging features available on eBay, Depop, and Shpock. Remember, most sellers value their customers, and therefore aim to respond quickly to any queries. Also, there is no question too dumb to ask! The likelihood is, if you're wondering something, many other buyers will also have the same question. 

3. Report any problems:

Every reputable auction site and selling app should have a customer service department. For example, not only do eBay have their resolution centre, they also have a customer helpline. If you come across a dodgy seller, report them, and save other buyers from being scammed by them in the future. 

4. Shop around for the best deal:

Think that you have seen a once-in-a-lifetime deal!? Make sure to research the product that you've found, and see if you can find it cheaper elsewhere. Unless the listing is ending in the next 5 minutes, there's really no need to hastily click buy. You may be paying more than necessary! 

5. Check out customer reviews:

If you are worried about how legitimate a for-sale post seems, check out seller reviews left by previous customers. Reviews cannot be hidden by sellers; therefore you can gain a real insight into their services. However, always take into account that every seller has to start from somewhere, with 0 reviews behind them. 

These tips will definitely help you to become a pro, whether you’re buying online, selling online, or both! Once you’ve mastered the use of online auction sites and selling apps, you can thrift wherever you go!