How to maximise your selling price on eBay

AM6K5F keyboard with the letters of the word ebay on it
AM6K5F keyboard with the letters of the word ebay on it



However affectionate and imaginative your family and friends, the chances are that you've had at least one dud Christmas present this year. That gadget you'll never use; the hideous jumper; the trousers that are the wrong size.

This week, the UK is awash with redundant gifts, with research by money transfer service Azimo indicating that as many as one in seven Christmas pressies is unwanted.

If you have a receipt, you should be able to return your item for a refund as long as it wasn't bought too long ago. Often, though, there's simply no way of returning items to the store.

What are the deadlines for returning Christmas presents?

The answer is to try and sell your unwanted presents on eBay or another site; but how can you get the best price?

Check out the competition
Do a quick search for items similar to yours, particularly those that are attracting good bids, and make your listing look as similar as possible.

Take good pictures
Pictures are probably the most vital part of any sales listing. If you're listing an item of clothing, show it being worn - if you can fit into it, of course. Make sure you include a picture of any labels or tags, to show that the item really is what you say it is, and if you've still got the box, photograph that as well. In the case of shoes and handbags, eBay recommends photographing them from every angle, inside and out.

Are you making these typical gift mistakes?

Use the right keywords
Nobody will buy your item if they can't find it, so it's worth making sure that you use the right keywords. Brand and product names - in all their detail - should always be included. And it's worth popping in any relevant terms that might come up in a more general search - 'vintage' and 'sexy' tend to do very well.

Be honest
If there are any flaws in what you're selling, there's no point trying to hide it: you'll only have to deal with returns. But if you show them in photos and mention in the listings, the chances are buyers will think the condition's not that bad.

Are your presents covered this Christmas?

Sell in bulk
If you're trying to sell something unusual and special, you'll want to give it its own listing. But if you're just trying to shift a few items of high-street clothing, you can make the whole process much quicker and easier by offering them as a bundle. You may not get quite so much cash for the items themselves, but you'll save yourself a lot off hassle - and possibly postage.

Pick your time
December 29th is actually the best day to sell unwanted presents online, according to research from eBay, so you'll need to get cracking. Generally speaking, Sunday evening is the time when most buyers are browsing. And remember that the longer your item is listed, the more people will see it - so if you're auctioning an item off, go for a ten-day period.



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