6 ways to get maximum value for reselling online
Reselling isn’t a new concept but it has exploded over the last few years as the light continues to shine on the idea of a circular economy. Buying second-hand is better for the environment and easier on your bank balance, making it possible to try more trends without spending or wasting. An Post facilitate this trade throughout the country by fulfilling the postage needs from resellers. We’ve learned a few things from our customers along the way so we’ve included some top tips below to help you maximise your reselling projects.
Say cheese!
In a world of Insta snappers, the first step in selling an item is taking good pictures of it, photography is key. Make sure you have a good camera and a bright space to work with. Setting up your pictures against a plain background and in good natural lighting can easily make them look professional. So, try to take your photos in the daytime in front of a window, rather than in the yellow glare of indoor lights at night-time. Avoid the dreaded flash. If selling clothing, include at least one picture of someone wearing the item, this will give the customer a better idea of how it fits and how it can be styled. Wash and/or iron your product for the photo too. Lastly, capture all the details of the item in your ad, it will stop potential buyers asking questions and will lead to a quicker sale.
Write accurate descriptions
We scroll 11-18km a day so people tend to consume content at speed. No one wants an essay so keep the description short and concise. This is where your sales skills take the front stage so let your ad shine! However, be honest, make sure you explain about any potential flaws, the condition and if its branded, the authenticity. The dimensions / size of the product are key both for a seamless sale and for shipping, so be accurate and whip out the ruler if needed. Depending on the platform, make sure you use relevant hashtags to increase your chances of selling. Personalising your listing using emoji’s and the use of a friendly tone can be the difference between a quick sale and having your item listed for weeks.
Offer value
Be reasonable with your prices by pricing your items appropriately. Consider the item’s quality, and how many times it’s been worn. While you don’t want to overcharge people, you want to charge high enough that it’s worth your time and still offer value to the buyer. If you don’t know how much you want for your item, you can take a photo and Google search it to see if the original price lives online. If this doesn’t lead you anywhere and you are open to negotiation on price, make sure you explain in the description you are open to an offer. If you are a day 1 seller remember that consumers love a deal, so why not offer deals on your items to gain more awareness. Providing temporary deals on your items can increase your followers and spread word-of-mouth about your account.
Posting the item to your buyer
Before listing an item, do your research and know your shipping cost’s. Generally, people who buy pre-loved goods are looking for a bargain, finding the most cost effective solution to ship your items will help you to sell those bargain items. Check out our helpful postage calculator that gives you an instant price on postage. We have customers that use their kitchen weighing scales to assess weight (genius!) and estimate their postage online so they know the cost instantly.
Tracking is really important for person-to-person transactions, it protects you as the seller and the buyer. However, tracking can carry a further cost so it’s worth mentioning in your ad that this is an additional charge, if you plan to only ship with standard post (i.e. no tracking). Generally, a tracked service offers the seller and buyer more protection so this is why most platforms recommend it.
Proof of postage
Once a buyer purchases your item, they will naturally want it as quickly as possible, be clear with your buyer as to when you will post it and when you hope for it to arrive. Sending an image of your postage receipt can also provide peace of mind to a buyer when purchasing from person-to-person, so be sure to request this when sending. If you have added tracking to your postage, providing the tracking number will also allow the buyer to track their item in real time.
Once your item has been shipped and arrives
In the digital world we live in, we rely heavily on reviews. If you want to get a good review, open communication is key with your customer. Hopefully the contents in this guide will help to aid that. Reviews provide proof that the seller is genuine and has provided a good transaction, the more positive reviews you get, the more likely you sell more in the future!