eBay is the most popular auction site in the world and the third most popular online market in the US. Statistica predicts that it will have 161 million active buyers in 2022 and 159 million active buyers in 2023. The platform has been around for a long time and has shown that it is reliable. Because of this, it provides a strong market for dropshipping products all over the world. It is simple to sign up and list products. There are no limits on what you can sell, unlike Amazon, which bans certain items from its store. This gives merchants the freedom to choose their own fate. Another difference between Amazon and eBay is that eBay doesn’t sell products. Since eBay doesn’t sell products, it doesn’t compete with merchants like Amazon does, so it gives dropshippers a place to compete on a level playing field.
Dropshippers can make money on the platform because they can set any price for their products. The platform has different seller fees depending on whether they handle your payments or you use a third party to handle your own payments. Depending on the category, the fee can be anywhere from nothing to 15% of the sales. That means that if the margins on the products you dropship are very small, you could lose money if you sell them for less than 20% of what you paid for them.
Ideas for Making Money on eBay
Dropshipping on eBay is a legal business that requires you to set up plans that give you an edge over your competitors. Some of the strategies may even seem like common sense, but many traders don’t use them. As a result, they waste time and money and later wonder if dropshipping on eBay was worth it. You can be sure of success if:
Getting the facts right
Knowledge is the best thing you can have. Either you’re right or you’re wrong. Dropshipping lets you choose any product you want, and eBay’s huge selection of products means you can dropship millions of items. If you don’t have a lot of luck, making decisions without thinking can lead to trouble.
The best way to avoid this kind of problem is to do research on what sells and how much it can sell for. You can start by looking at the finished items on eBay to see if the items you want to sell sell well at the right price and if you can make good margins. Don’t just focus on the numbers, but also on the return on investment. If you can sell a $2 item for $8 or $25, you should do so until your competitors figure out what you’re doing.
Learn how to spot chances.
eBay is not only a place where you can dropship your products, but it can also be where you get the products you dropship. Keep an eye out for clearance sales on the websites of the stores you want to order from. Items sold in stores and on eBay are sometimes cheaper than wholesale because some sellers just want to get rid of their stock. You don’t have to tell the store that you’re reselling the item because most stores already have fast shipping times.
Sign up for a PayPal account
PayPal users who buy or sell on eBay are protected by eBay’s buyer protection. Paypal is another safe way to buy things online. Because of these two things, most eBay sellers prefer PayPal over all other ways to get paid. If you have a PayPal account, you will not only be able to protect your buyers, but you will also be able to reach buyers who look for the PayPal option.
Have prices that are comparable
Keep your eye on the price. At the end of the day, it’s just business. It’s all about making enough money to cover your costs and make a profit. You should have a plan for setting prices that takes into account how prices change with the seasons. When you have a lot of competition, try to get the best prices that will help you sell as much as possible. Try to find out how much different things cost so you know what the fair price is before you put the item on eBay.
Understanding the different costs of selling on eBay is a key part of figuring out how to price your items. There are listing fees, final value fees, and marketing costs. Depending on the product category, these costs can add up quickly and cut into your razor-thin margins. Add things like free shipping to make it look like you care about prices. You don’t have to pay for the whole cost of shipping, and most of your customers won’t even notice if you add it to the price of the goods. Look for strong suppliers on sites like dropship-empire who may offer lower prices for high-volume sales and try to meet this goal or criterion. Keep your costs low by limiting the number of expensive returns and reshipments caused by dropshippers who aren’t good at what they do or who you can’t trust.
Make Titles People Can’t Resist
How interesting are your product names and descriptions? When you’re a seller in a space with a lot of competition, it’s often the titles that make people think that will get their attention. After all, they don’t have forever to look through your whole listing to compare prices and value. People are likely to click on the titles and descriptions quickly.
It’s not just about clicks; it should also be easy to find. If you do good research on your product, you’ll be able to find out what your target customers are looking for so you can use keywords that directly target them. Add as many relevant words as you can to the title to help get rid of adjectives and buzzwords that don’t belong there.
Try to get to the top of the list of sellers.
Everyone likes products and services that are of high quality. eBay knows that it’s important for customers to know which merchants always give great service, so it gives them a Top Rated Plus seal. The top-rated seller badge or seal does more than just show customers how good you are. It also gives you a 10% discount on the final value fee for certain products, which is a great way to make more money.
When selling to people in the US, a top-rated seller must meet the following requirements:
- Have at least 100 sales totaling at least $1,000.
- At least 95% of the orders have valid tracking information uploaded within the time frame promised.
- Have less than 0.3% of all PayPal and eBay transactions have dispute protection.
- Less than 3% of the sales that had late shipping
Use photos of good quality
Like good titles and descriptions, good photos will help your customers understand what you are selling. Customers are more likely to look at your listing if it has good photos. This gives your listing more exposure. Accurate photos also let your customers know what to expect, which will cut down on returns and buyers who are disappointed.