Selling on eBay in 2021
A Quick Guide
What are the current opportunities for sellers on eBay? How can you increase your sales, or rank higher in eBay’s algorithms? We’re answering all the different ways you should be selling on eBay in 2021.
We know this space is noisy, so we’ll keep things simple!
eBay Key Terms
If you aren’t already, get acquainted with the key services eBay are offering their sellers:
eBay’s Seller Centre is the central platform dedicated to providing private and business sellers with all the information they need about making the most of their eBay account.
From learning about promoted listings, to growing your sales with different tools, there’s lots to be learnt. eBay Seller Centre also allows you to mange your:
- Listings
- Promotions
- Marketing
- Shipping
- eBay storefront
- Finances
- Service Metrics
Every seller on eBay has access to an eBay Shop. This is a central destination for other buyers to learn more about you and your business. Sellers and buyers can browse yours listings through a customised and branded shopfront, along with discounted fees and an increased number of free listings per month.
When you open an eBay store, you’ll choose a Shop package: Basic, Featured or Anchor.
Basic: Get your business started with reduced fees and tools to help you grow.
Featured: Take it to the next level with more free listings, eBay packaging supplies, free international listings and more.
Anchor: Expand your business with confidence, with unlimited fixed price listings included and increased benefits across the board.
eBay Premium Service is badge for consumers looking to identify items from sellers that offer the best services. The service standards offered by eBay Premier Sellers are continuously reviewed by eBay. To become one in 2021, you must meet the following criteria:
- Offer a free domestic delivery option within 3 working days
- Offer an express delivery option within 2 working days for no more than £10
- For items over £20, all of the delivery services must be designated tracked services and valid tracking must be uploaded within the dispatch time (this includes auction-style listings and Best Offers where the final price is over £20).
eBay’s Service Metrics allows sellers to rate themselves against the competition. These metrics can help reduce after-sale buyer requests, which are time-consuming, costly to service, and often result in refunded sales.
See how many of your transactions result in ‘Item not as described’ return requests and ‘Item not received’ requests, along with valuable insights into why these requests are being made.
eBay’s Global Shipping Program (GSP) aims to make international shipping easy for eBay sellers. With GSP you only have to ship your product to a warehouse in your own country, then eBay takes over and handles international delivery to the buyer.
To find out more about selling internationally with eBay, scroll down the guide.
What’s selling best in 2021?
eBay’s best selling categories
We’ve compiled the best performing categories on eBay based on current best sellers, as well as the influence of what’s selling best outside of the platform.
- Smartphone Accessories
- Health and Beauty Products
- Smart Watches
- Smartphones
- Sporting Equipment
- Sewing
- Drones
- Furniture
- Books
- Guitars
Start selling internationally
One of the best ways to increase your eBay sales? Expand your audience.
Using eBay’s different international selling programmes, it’s easier than ever to start getting your products to audiences outside your country.
- Basic International Selling
- Offer international postage on your listings, enabling international visitors to purchase your products, and appear on international eBay sites.
- Advanced International Selling
- Whilst a little more time consuming, eBay’s advanced selling allows you to optimise your listings for the markets you want to sell on internationally.
- Global Shopping Programme
- Ship your products directly to the GSP shipping centre, and eBay’s global postage programme will take care of the rest (including international fees).
If this is an option you’re considering, it’s worth investing in a good inventory management software to help manage your sales across more than one marketplace, with multiple currencies.
