Selling your art on eBay is a great way to reach thousands of potential customers without ever stepping away from your living room. It is also the perfect way to sell your art if you live away from a large city or have little to no access to the artistic community. By using eBay, you also avoid the large fees that come with setting and maintaining your own website.
Instructions
1. Price your items low and put a "reserve price" (the minimum price at which you agree to sell the item) on it. On eBay, that price is kept a secret from the bidders to entice bidding. Setting a high price, on the other hand, tends to discourage people.
2. Use auctions if you have items you want to sell quickly, such as those from a closeout, or are sure the item will set up a bidding war. For most items, though, a virtual art store may be better. Items put up there are available for sale for a longer period of time (1 month versus an average 7 days for an auction), and can serve as your online presence if you don't have your own website or don't sell through other virtual venues.
3. Factor in shipping and handling. If your item is large, quite heavy or too fragile, you need to make sure you set the right shipping price and offer additional insurance protection.
4. Use plenty of photos. Since people won't be able to see the item in person, they need an accurate description to understand exactly what they are getting. A series of pictures from different angles, along with measurements and a detailed description will make a work of art much more attractive to people browsing.
5. Read the eBay art selling guide to understand the different steps involved in the process, from listing your items to keeping tabs on your art business (see Resources below). The guide will take you through the necessary steps to start an auction or to set up a virtual store and will also help you understand selling strategies so you can make the most of your experience on eBay.
