eBay For Extra Cash

I sold my first item on eBay in 2005.  Since then, I have achieved Top Rated Seller status with a positive feedback score of over 1100.  However this is no longer a viable source of income since I am out of things to sell and do not have the cash to purchase anything else at this time.  : )

How I got started on eBay...
The first thing I ever sold on eBay was a diaper cake!  Ever heard of one?  : )  A friend of mine, who knew my interest in interior design and party decorating, told me I should figure out how to make diaper cakes and sell them online. Having never seen a diaper cake before, I googled "diaper cake" and the first thing to pop up was instructions on how to make one! At first I was skeptical since they looked easy enough for anyone to make...how could I sell something you could easily make yourself? I went ahead and made one, photographed it and put it on Ebay. It sold for an astronomical amount of money (when compared to what I had in the cake)! I began thinking this might be the perfect opportunity to start a business from home doing something I really enjoy. I made up several more cakes, put them on Ebay, and they did very well! They were selling faster than I could make them. Within a few weeks, I opened an Ebay store, set up a UPS business account, learned how to take professional product pictures, and started making and listing inventory as fast as I could. Without much effort on my part, a local Babies R' Us featured me in their Baby Expo and gave me exclusive rights as their official diaper cake designer! In September, a stronger online presence was achieved with my own e-commerce website. I never dreamed I would find something I enjoy so much and actually make money doing it!  Unfortunately I spent money faster than it was coming in (trying to expand too quickly) so after I was $10k in the hole, I sold the business to pay back the debt.  It was taking too much time away from my family anyway.

How you can get started on eBay...

All you need to get started is an eBay and Paypal account, a digital camera, & access to a computer with internet.
First Timers:

1.  Set up an eBay and Paypal account (both are free).  Remember to create an eBay ID that makes sense, is professional and related to what you are selling.  For example; “bigdog1982” is not as professional as “debbiescollectables.”  If you already have an eBay account you can change your eBay ID.
2.  Purchase enough items on eBay to get a feedback score of 10.  This is crucial and skipping this step will result in listing difficulties as well as minimal (if any) sales.  There are lots ideas of what you can buy to get started.  You can buy e-books and coupons for as low as a penny.
3.  List your item for 30 days as a "buy it now" with a  "best offer."  It will cost you $0.50 per listing.
4.  Price your item so that you will not lose any money on fees/shipping.  Use this handy calculator to find out what your final eBay and Paypal fees will be after your sale.
5.  Print a shipping label online through eBay and ship your item IMMEDIATELY.
6.  Leave positive feedback for your seller the day after you ship.

More Tips:

-Open an eBay store if you have more than 50 items to sell or if you plan to do this long-term.  Cost for a store is $15.95 per month and saves you a bundle on listing fees.
-Photograph your items as professionally as possible.  Use a solid color background & good light.  Take pictures from every angle.  Include every detail.  Crop and edit your photos to make them as clean and sharp as possible.  I use a free photo editing software from Google called Picasa.
--Order free shipping supplies from USPS and/or purchase shipping mailers here (bid on the $0.99 auctions until you win one with a unit price of $0.25 or less per mailer)

-Be as honest as you can in your listings and describe any flaws.
-Offer a return policy.
-Always include delivery confirmation with your shipping.
-Keep track of your sales so you can see what works and what doesn't.
-Use a free auction templates such as this:  http://www.freeauctiondesigns.com/

Helpful Links:

How to sell used clothing on eBay