When I sit down with a coaching client, one of the first questions I ask is “What process do you go through when you post items on eBay?” And over the years I’ve heard some great ways and some really bad ways. But what I always tell people is that if you can make a list and it works for you, then stick with it.
But then you often hear sad stories when you get those emails and phone calls, saying, “I give up, I feel like I’m drowning in items to list, how come people list so many items in a day or a week”?
Well one of the reasons is that they may have family members to help them or they may employ people to come and list items, but most of the time they are working on their own, they have a full time job and a family to take care of, But what they do have is a fine-tuned process that helps them list items quickly and allows them to list wherever they are in the world.
The process that I use and teach others to use is a process that I have modified and played for many years and it works for me and I know that there are other vendors who use the same or very similar process. Now this is not a magic wand or a trick, it takes time, but as you get used to it, it will help you make lists faster and you will be able to use the process faster.
So let’s take a look at the listing process that I use to save time when listing new and old items on eBay.
Step one: group similar items, for example put together DVDs, CDs, stuffed toys, women’s clothing and the list goes on and on. (Tip when bringing new items home to do this sorting process on the list instead of later)
Step two: take all your photos and edit them in one go. Rename the photo from 123456.jpg to the product name. For example Charlie Bear Porridge.jpg this helps you find the image and also helps search engines.
Step Three: On sheets of paper or using your computer, write down your titles, item descriptions, and calculate weight and shipping costs.
Now the three steps above can be carried out over three days or divided into morning, afternoon and evening, the choice is yours. But every week do the same process: never take a photo, then list, etc., random items, this will make you tired and you will get the table.
The above system or process will allow you to list items wherever you are and have access to the Internet. For example, you might be waiting for your child to play sports or waiting for a date somewhere.
The idea of grouping will allow you to quickly move through your elements. Suppose you are listing the DVDs once you have listed the first one, just remove parts of the title each time, then remove the photo and add the new one, then in the description you just need to change a few bits of information. (If you only listed random items, you would have to change the entire layout each time)