Found In: Sell things online
How many times have you bought something on Ebay that you couldn’t see first? For most people the answer is never. Why then, do many people think it acceptable to sell items on Ebay without a picture? Do they really think the item will sell? Using a picture in an online auction, in the right way, ensures your buyer knows what they’re looking at before they buy and can help protect you from negative feedback and criticism in the future.
Using pictures is vital to the success of an auction but making the mistake of slapping in any old picture may do you even more harm than good. Pictures must be relevant, not just to the type of item you are selling, but to the specific item. What does that mean? Quite simply, it should be a picture of the actual article for sale. This is important and is often a deciding factor in whether someone will even look at your auction, let alone bid on it. Many sellers, particularly on Ebay, use stock pictures of items. Stock pictures are photos of a similar item but not the actual item for sale. Many Ebay bidders will not bid in auctions using stock photos. If you are the seller, you must remember that prospective buyers want to see the real item, the one they will eventually receive. Always take the picture yourself. Many people are unaware that using a stock picture from another website or from a manufacturer without permission is actually a copyright infringement.
Think also about the quality of your photograph. Poor quality pictures do not help and may even put bidders off. Take your time and come up with a picture which does your item justice and will show your potential bidders what they’re buying. It will also reduce the number of questions you get about the item. While using a picture of the actual article for sale is vital, just as important is making sure you show the right things in the picture. Ebay allows you to use more than one picture in your auction so use the feature. Generally, for large or expensive items, you should look to use more pictures. For high value items, the small amount charged for using additional photos may be the investment that makes sure your item sells. If the item comes with accessories or extra items, show them in the pictures too. If the item has any damage, make sure you include a picture that shows it. Bidders can then decide for themselves whether to bid, knowing that the item has damage and what the extent of that damage is. This should save you from negative feedback when they get the item and see damage that they either didn’t expect or didn’t understand from the auction description.
In summary, using pictures to support your auction on Ebay is important to ensure your item has the best chance of selling and to protect you, the seller, from future criticism. Use as many pictures as you need to ensure bidders can get a good view of the item. Always use a picture of the actual article you are selling. Make sure it’s a good quality, well-lit and properly focussed photograph. Use a picture that you took yourself and never one from another website.
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