Selling on eBay in an easy way to make some extra money or generate a second income. But there are a few easy things you should do and think about before setting up your first auction if you want to be more successful in your eBay undertaking.

1. Research - Look up an item similar to the item you are looking to sell to see if there is a market for it. Look to see if there are any similar items. See how many bids there are for it. What was it priced at to start the bidding? What price is the bidding up to? Basically, what we're taking about here is checking out the competition.
2. Pricing - Start your bidding at the lowest, rock bottom price that you are willing to accept for your item. Even lower if you're willing to take a little risk. The lower your "Price" the more enticing your item will be for prospective buyers to bid and once the bidding starts, the more likely you are to get a higher price for your item.
3. Description - When describing your item, you want to be honest and detailed. If it's a saw that looks like new, you have all the literature, the original packaging and you only used it for one project; say you only used it once! Don't sell it as new unless it is new and never been used! Describe your item as if you didn't have a picture. Of course you do have a picture that goes without question.
4. Shipping - Checkout shipping options prior to you listing your item and don't try to make any additional profit on "shipping and handling". The Post Office is a good place to start. Know ahead of time what shipping your item is going to cost and only pass that cost on to your buyer. No one is going to be willing to pay $24.95 shipping and handling on a $15.00 item.

So, there you have 4 easy steps to take when to putting your first item up for bid that will help you be more profitable on eBay. You want to make your item more attractive and yourself stand out from the crowd.

Tom Richardson is a Computer Systems Analyst with over 20 years experience in his 3rd career. eBay has helped his family bridge the financial gap, while between assignments, for several years. If you want to know more about how to get started off on the right foot selling on eBay, check out: http://www.cashinthecloset.info