In order to get the highest bids, you need to get high volume traffic to your bids. To do this, you will need to make sure your auction title and description features the keywords your highest bidders are searching for. This means understanding the minds of these buyers and to anticipate what they are looking for. We will look at the various aspects of your auction and give advice on each one.



Auction Title

Since you're allowed only 45 characters, you will need to get to the point, and use keywords your bidders are using to search Ebay with. DON'T use a title like "Amazing deal! A must buy if you're looking for trainers!". Nobody searches for "amazing deal trainers" but they're more likely to search for something specific like "Nike Air Jordans". So, if you are selling Nike Air Jordans, use a title like "Nike Air Jordans | Basketball Shoes | Trainers" - get to the point. The pipe "|" is a clean way to separate distinct keywords, and still makes sense in the auction title, while using useful keywords like "basketball shoes" and "trainers". Also look at what's listed already on Ebay regarding your item. Distinguish yourself from the other listing titles.

Category Guide

Ebay's Category Guide is a useful tool to help you find the right category for your item - essential for helping the high bidders find your item.

Auction Description

Firstly and foremostly, make sure you have no grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. Discerning buyers spot this and are put off by this. Secondly, get to the point. Don't frustrate people with long-winded introductions to your item. Give it to them straight - the condition of the item (if it's not new), and links to objective reviews of the item on other websites. Use plain English and avoid jargon. If the description is long (for whatever reason), make sure to have a summary of it as a preamble to the description itself. Finally, be honest. The vast majority of Ebay listings feature sales cliches; when you see one that is straight-up and honest, you notice it more. People have learnt to filter out the hyperbole and look for signs of trust. Give them these signs by simply being honest in your item description.

Item Photo

Use clear photos of the actual item in question, not a generic photo of the item (e.g. PlayStation 3) - it makes the auction look much more genuine if you have a photo of the actual item, and trust is a huge dealmaker on Ebay. A lack of trust conversely is the main dealBREAKER. You must win over the trust of your visitors.

Appearance

Don't use busy colours, or complicated layouts - keep it simple. People are not impressed by cheap thrills. Use a single colour for all text, and the same font throughout. Your auction visitors are skimming your page with their eyes, not reading it like they would a book. Make their experience a pleasant one without distraction, and don't make them hunt for the most pertinent information.

Conclusion

This is by no means an exhaustive list of how to organize your Ebay listing, but it does cover the basics for first-time sellers to help them prepare a successful Ebay listing.