Dropship NOW

By: Chris Vendilli, 3 Rivers Auction Company

 

Chapter 1 – Creating Auction Titles 

 

It’s probably fair to say that one of the key reasons why many auctions end unsuccessfully on 

eBay is because people have got their auction title WRONG. 

With the eBay marketplace becoming ever more over-crowded, it’s now increasingly more important to 

create auction titles that work. You really do need to stand out from your rival eBay sellers. 

 

So what does an auction title need to do? 

 

Its most important job is to get people to click onto your auction. You can have the most amazing 

bargain in the world, or an absolutely fantastic and compelling advert, but if people never get that far 

then you’ll never make sales. The first step in the buying process is for people to click onto your 

auctions. 

 

So how do I create a “winning” title? 

 

The tips below are what I’ve learned as an eBay seller over the past few years. I’ve tried many different 

strategies and ideas, and these are the ones that work. They bring in the buyers time and time again. 

 

“MY TOP 6 TITLE TIPS” 

Create mystery. 

A relatively unknown ‘secret’ is to create mystery around your auction or product. This makes people 

intrigued, and ultimately results in more people clicking onto your auction. 

  

Let’s say you’re trying to sell an eBook called “Profits from Adwords” that contains information on 

how to create an income through ads on Google. Instead of using a traditional title like “Profits from 

Adwords eBook – the secrets to success,” trying using a title such as “Make a Great Income from 

Writing Three Lines of Text.” You’re not revealing exactly what the product is you’re trying to sell, 

rather what the product can do for the buyer. Another example may be with relaxation oils. Try a title 

such as “The Most RELAXING Thing I’ve Ever Tried.”

 

People may feel more compelled to click on your auction, but of course it does have its disadvantages, 

and it may not be the correct strategy for every product. After all, it’s pretty hard to create excitement 

and mystery around a pack of envelopes for example! It also slightly contradicts one of my rules 

below… but it CAN and DOES work if it’s the right product. 

 

Use capital letters 

 

This is a MUST in an eBay auction title - Start Each Word In Your Title With A Capital Letter Like 

This. It makes your title stand out from people who don’t, and can actually be more effective than using 

paid eBay options such as a bold title. You can also try putting certain key words in full capitals to 

draw attention to a unique selling point or a particularly attractive feature. If the item you’re selling is 

brand new then draw attention to this fact in your title. 

 

Make sure you include as many keywords as 

possible 

 

Most people find items on eBay by using the search facility, therefore it’s important that you include 

words in your title that people are likely to be searching for. People that write titles which are just plain 

un-descriptive will lose out on sales. It stands to reason that it’s important to put keywords in your 

titles. 

 

Spell accurately 

 

Spelling mistakes don’t show up in search results. If I search for “Playstation” and your auction title 

has it listed as “Playstataion” then I won’t find your item. 

 

Be descriptive 

If you’re selling a new item, make sure you point that out in your title. If your item is in excellent 

condition, again make sure you say so.

 

Finally… 

 

Use paid options sparingly. eBay offers all kinds of options that are designed to increase clicks on your 

auctions, such as Bold and Highlight, but I’ve usually found that these don’t have a large enough 

impact on auction visitor numbers to justify the cost. It may well depend on what you’re selling, but I 

firmly believe that good wording is much more important. You can’t always buy success on eBay. 

 

Remember: 

1.) Create mystery and excitement 

2.) Use capital letters 

3.) Include keywords 

4.) Spell Accurately 

5.) Be descriptive 

6.) Use paid options sparingly 

 

Chapter 2 - Creating Auction Descriptions 

 

Ok, so now you’ve managed to get people to click onto your auction, now you must convince 

them to buy your product. eBay is a highly competitive environment. People that don’t do the 

‘right’ things will fail. It’s harsh, but true. 

 

I won’t pretend that this is a ‘secret’ winning formula, but I do say that to be successful you should be 

doing as many of the things below as possible. 

 

Be descriptive. 

 

eBay buyers absolutely hate vague descriptions. It creates a lack of trust between you and the buyer. If 

you think about it, it’s easy to see why. eBay doesn’t involve any face-to-face selling. Buyers don’t 

have the item right in front of them like they do in a shop. They must rely on the seller to provide them 

with an accurate description of the goods. Would you spend $100 on an item you knew very little 

about? I know I wouldn’t. So be descriptive. How? 

 

Include every point people might want to know. 

If I were selling a pair of trousers for example, I’d at least include the waist size, leg length, material 

type, and condition of the trousers. 

 

Point out any blemishes. 

It’s easy to leave out from the description a minor mark on the item, or a slight blemish in the quality, 

but you absolutely MUST point out any defects. Buyers would much prefer that you were honest with 

them. 

 

Include photographs of the item. 

People feel much more comfortable buying something that they can actually see. It helps to decrease 

the ‘barrier’ between you and the buyer. You’ll find it increases sales, and it’s extremely easy to do 

nowadays. If you don’t presently have a digital camera, you MUST get one now. You really don’t have 

to buy a professional one – a cheap camera from eBay will probably do the job just fine.

 

Use the HTML editor when listing. 

When listing an item, eBay includes a little editor that allows you to create enhanced descriptions. For 

example, you can change the text colour, font size, or change the layout of your advert. Make sure you 

use it! It looks so much more appealing and professional to buyers than a mass of plain text.

 

Include postage and packing charges 

It sounds quite obvious, but many people forget to inform people how much it’ll cost them on top of 

the auction price to get the item shipped. As a buyer, if I can’t find this information then it sets the old 

alarm bells ringing. For all I know, you could be about to rip me off on postage. I wouldn’t be the first! 

 

Be persuasive. 

You’re trying to sell something to people here so make sure you do so! Why should I buy your item? 

Why shouldn’t I instead go to a rival eBay seller? What makes your item so special that I must place a 

bid right now? 

 

Chapter 3 – Pricing Strategies

 

eBay offers a number of ways for you to sell your goods. There are also several pricing strategies 

for you to consider yourself – which one you choose will depend on a number of factors. 

When using the traditional auction format, there are two main pricing strategies that you can adopt. 

Start low, and hope it’ll go high. 

This can be a very good idea, but it’s not without risk. The idea is that many people will be attracted by 

the initial low price, and then end up bidding against each other, thus raising the price. 

This can be extremely successful, and is probably the best way to sell on eBay, but always remember 

that the price may not go up as far as you’d like. It’s entirely possible that you could list something 

worth $20 for $1, and it’ll sell for $1. To avoid this, you could also use a reserve price however. 

Start high. 

Many sellers list their item at the price they think it’s worth. While this has the advantage that the item 

will never sell for lower then you want it to, you can end up out of pocket because people will be put 

off by the initial high price. I’ve seen many cases where two different people list exactly the same item, 

but adopt different pricing strategies. One starts their item at say $1, and the other at $20. It’s not 

unusual for the auction which started at $1 to end up selling for more than the other simply because 

there was more interest in the auction.  It’s also quite common to have to list an item for three or four times before it sells. 

Other Options: 

Buy-It-Now 

Aside from the original auction format, eBay also allows you to list a Buy-It-Now price for your item. 

Buyers can click on this button and purchase instantly at a price which the seller has set. 

This is a great way to get quicker sales, and can either be done as a Buy-It-Now Only auction, or it can 

be implemented as an additional option on a normal auction. 

 

Reserve Price 

eBay also allows you to set a reserve price on your auction. If the listing doesn’t rise high enough to 

your pre-determined reserve price, then you won’t have to sell the item to the high bidder. This is an ideal way of protecting yourself. 

 

Deciding on which pricing strategy to adopt. 

The main thing to consider is what type of item you’re selling. How valuable is it? Are you prepared to 

take the risk of your item selling for a lower amount? 

If you’re selling something worth only a couple of dollars, then it’s probably not worth using a reserve 

price. Start it low and let other people decide how much they want to pay. Who knows, what you 

thought was only worth $2 could very well sell for $50. You just never know with eBay! 

 

Chapter 4 – Think Like A Buyer 

 

If you’re a seller on eBay then it’s important to know what buyers expect from you. Offer them a 

“million dollar” experience and they’re far more likely to come back to you and buy again. 

What’s more they’ll be much more likely to buy from you in the first place. 

 

The easiest way to improve on your service is to think of the typical buying process of an eBay buyer. 

 

1.) The first thing a potential buyer does is search for relevant items. eBay buyers expect a clear 

auction title. It should be descriptive, and tell them everything they want to know in order for 

them to make a decision as to whether to click on it or not. Include details such as the make and 

model of the item, condition etc. 

 

2.) Once they’ve actually reached your auction, the next thing a buyer expects is a clear auction 

description. It should leave no questions unanswered in their mind, and make them feel relaxed 

and comfortable about dealing with you. Photos help to break the barrier between buyer and 

seller. People definitely like to see what they’re buying. 

 

3.) So if all this adds up in the buyers mind, they’ll check the bid price and postage cost. If this 

doesn’t seem reasonable to them they’ll go elsewhere. eBay buyers expect and demand low 

prices. 

 

Acknowledgements

The author, as well as The 3 Rivers Auctions Company and CCX Solutions, cannot and will not be held responsible for any profits or losses you 

may experience as a result of following any of the advice contained in this eBook.  The information contained herein are the 

opinions of the author and promises or guarantees as to the amount of money you can make following this advice are not 

expressed nor implied in any way, shape, or form. 

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