Beyond eBay: 5 tips for online computer auction sellers

Get the best possible return from your online computer auction listing with these 5 professional tips.

Getting the most from your auction listing can take luck, skill, and experience. These 5 tips will help you with the last part, and stack the odds in your favor.

1) An image is three times more important than anything else.

This is simple, but it's amazing how many sellers miss it: make sure your listing has an image. Throughout the industry, a picture usually generates three times the number of listings over a listing that doesn't have one. Even if your listing doesn't seem photogenic, a picture rarely if ever hurts traffic, provided you aren't so excessive as to slow download times. Make sure your listing has an image.

2) More details about the item, less about yourself.

Now that you have more possible bidders on the hook from your image, make sure they don't lose the bait from a lack of information. And if you are wondering how much detail you should go into, the answer is too much. Serious bidders want to know more about your item's condition, not less. More information establishes that you are serious about giving buyers an informed choice.

Start with the age and condition of the listing, especially if the item is used. Follow up with technical specs and manual information, if applicable. Do not, however, state why you want to sell your item, unless the proceeds are going to charity. It's not professional, and it can easily call your integrity as a seller into question.

3) Keep it factual, not opinionated.

Effective selling copy is factual, not opinionated, and doesn't insult the intelligence of the prospects. Pepper your listing copy with facts to ground whatever opinions you want to express, and don't overstate the capability or quality of the item. Your buyers are not dumb people. If you treat them as such, they won't buy.

4) If you are selling a common item, offer a low opening bid and no reserve.

Getting bidders to compete is your best bet for a great return on your investment. So, if you have a commonly held item, consider rolling the dice with a minimum opening bid that's significantly lower than the market value - all the way down to $1. The goal is to get more people looking and bidding at your listing, and there's no better way to do that than give them a chance at a great deal. With luck, a good listing, and a well-trafficked auction, your auction will bring a serious return.

5) State your shipping price in advance.

Many sellers go for the quick buck of overcharged shipping prices. The problem with this strategy is that for every penny you make in higher shipping, you'll lose dollars from bidders that stayed away from your auction. (For maximum traffic and bidders, consider offering free shipping as well, especially for light items.)

Bonus tip: Prepare for the sale with personal references. Many auction sites have merchant ratings, which is nothing less than your online reputation. Your goal with every sale is to improve your reputation. After all, this will later impact on your ability to get bidders.

Until you have this track record, prepare a few names of personal references that can eloquently speak of your character. If your buyer needs a reference before they send payment, the last thing you want is to not have one. This buyer needs fast and professional reassurance of your good intentions. Make sure you have a name that's prepared to speak well on that aspect of your personality.