Cash in on your closet
It’s ridiculously easy to sell your clothes on eBay. From tips on how to create the perfect listing to what to do after you've made the sale, it’s all here. You’ll be turning your threads into cash in no time.
What makes the perfect listing?
✓ A descriptive title
✓ Thorough item specifics and an accurate description
✓ Multiple high-quality, helpful photos
✓ The right price
Read on to find out how to master all of these.
List like a pro
- Use relevant keywords to say what the item is, including details like the brand, product type, and other attributes such as color, size, and material.
- Arrange this information in a readable, logical order.
- Avoid: acronyms that buyers may not understand, writing in all caps, and characters like asterisks (unless they’re part of your product’s name).
Here’s an example of a perfect listing title:
‘Lululemon Mens Cashmere V-Neck Sweater Medium Blue Long Sleeve Size M.’
Item specifics are descriptive keywords that tell a buyer about your item. They include brand, size, length, type, color or style, and vary according to what you’re selling. Item specifics are the most important way to help buyers find what they’re looking for. When searching, buyers use item specifics to filter their search results, so your item will only appear if you’ve added the matching item specific. This means the more item specifics you add, the better we can match your item to what the buyer is looking for.
Find out more about item specifics.
Tell buyers exactly what they’re getting.
- Describe the condition, size, color, material and brand of your item, as well as anything noteworthy like whether it's limited edition. If the garment is made from a blended fabric, let buyers know the percentage of each material.
- Highlight any imperfections in the item and include photos to minimize the return rate. This could be anything from a small hole in the item to a stain.
Help buyers understand sizing
Since sizes aren’t standardized, it's helpful to include measurements and brand sizing information to avoid confusion. You can also provide this in both inches and centimeters to help any potential international buyers understand the sizing of your item. Some examples of measurements to include for certain items are:
- Men’s shirts: the length of the chest from armpit to armpit, and the sleeve length from the center of the neck to the end of the cuff
- Dresses: the waist size and dress length
- Pants/shorts: the length of the inseam
- Shoes: the length and width of the shoe.
Read our best practices for even more insight.
Take your best shot
Photos can make or break a sale. Here’s how to get it right:
✓ Place your item on a solid-colored background. Use a white or light-colored background for darker clothes, and a black or dark background for lighter clothes.
✓ Lighting is your best friend. Ensure your photos are well-lit, and use natural lighting where possible.
✓ Show every angle of your clothing. Think about what a customer might examine closely when looking at clothes in a store, and include pictures of it. For example, a listing for a shirt should include a photo of the front, back, labels and any close-ups or unique features such as embroidery.
Learn more about how to take great photos.
Front
Back
Sleeve
Collar
Front buttons
Back buttons
Price it right
Not sure where to start?
- Search eBay for clothes that match or are similar to yours. This will give you a sense of the current prices and how popular they are on eBay, and help you set reasonable expectations of how much you might get.
- Use our research tools to see what similar items sold for 7 days ago up to the last 3 years.
- Use our shipping calculator to offer competitive prices, and learn about the advantages of different shipping types for your buyers.
Raise the bar with marketing tools
Once you’ve listed your items, try these out to help increase your visibility:
Follow this post-sale checklist
Congratulations, your item has sold! Here’s what to do now:
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Leave feedback for the buyer. When the payment has cleared, be sure to leave positive feedback for the buyer, which is an important part of good customer service.
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Package your item. The majority of clothes can be shipped in a lightweight, waterproof envelope. If you have any items with fragile components such as large buttons, wrap them in one or two layers of bubble wrap and then use a box or padded envelope that’s slightly larger than the item you sold.
- Select your postage label. The best way to do this is to use eBay Labels which can help save time and money. It’s also a great option if you don’t have a printer, since you can generate a QR code which is emailed to you. You can then use the self-service station when dropping off your package with a participating carrier, to scan the code and print the label, or ask an associate to do it.
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Send out your item. Take the package to your post office or chosen mail carrier as soon as you can. Shipping things out on time helps to keep buyers satisfied and your seller rating high. Once you’ve done this, upload your tracking number so the buyer is notified that you’ve shipped the item.
Ready to go?
Now you've learned how to create the perfect listing, it's time to start making money on eBay.