Friday, September 09, 2005
Tips :- Seller's Blunder ( 4 )
Research has shown that an item with a picture will sell for 20% more than one without. A good picture is so important! In fact, we just bought a new digital camera for that reason. We had been using a $300 Canon that had served its time. It would only focus at up to 6" and we found that we really needed a camera to get closer to our items. Our new camera is an HP 620 that focuses to 1 1/2". Our pictures are much better and clearer. If you have a bad picture or no picture at all, many buyers will pass your item by and go to one that they can really see.
Also, don't show your living room or your Aunt Martha in the background. Be very careful when taking pictures of mirrors and reflective chrome. We don't want to see YOU in the photo! Crop and lighten your pictures so that they look great! We have set up a photo studio and use it all the time. Our photo studio is outside with drapes for a background, a roof over the top, and indirect sunlight. We take the best pictures. Check out our auctions at here to see our great photos! Also, do not make your picture too large. About 3-5" on each side is perfect (at 72 pixels per inch this is 300-400 pixels on each side). Very large photos take too long to download for those who don't have cable or digital internet access and they will not wait!!!
As an example, we checked completed auctions and found a red little tikes airplane swing where you see the seller's living room in the background. We were selling one that we had taken the photo in our photo studio. It looked very professional. Which item would you rather purchase? Even though theirs came with the original box and was sold in the summertime, it only sold for $20.00. Ours sold in the fall and did not have the box, but sold for $25.01. I think the photo definitely had something to do with it!!!
Also, don't add all that fancy html, color graphics and music to your listings. As a buyer, I quickly go to another auction. Although, the jury is still out on this one and I have heard conflicting reports. However, there is nothing more irritating than to have to wait to read the auction description because some fancy background and music has to take extra time to download. I also get scared out of my mind when I am at home alone searching eBay and some loud music comes on. Keep it simple!! Good, clear and well-cropped photos will help to sell your merchandise !
Article By Lynn Dralle-The Queen Of Auctions (eBay I/D: thequeenofauctions )
