Do you sell clothes on Ebay, or would you like to? Everyone has clothes. Parents, dieters, declutterers and clotheaholics may find themselves with clothing that they have little use for. Selling them on Ebay may seem like a great idea but selling clothes can provide a number of challenges. Clothes are a typical “touch and feel” product and at first glance, it may seem difficult to sell clothes on-line. The biggest obstacle to selling clothes on-line is that customers can’t try them on and this can cause a lot of tension and disappointment if the item received is not what was expected but this article will help you sell clothes for a better price and get great feedback from your customers.
Table of Contents
Clothing
It is often not profitable to sell used clothing on Ebay at all, but Meg’s Laws, below, will help you get the best price you can. There are a few exceptions to low clothing prices. These are for very high end clothing (designer) large “lots” of clothing, unusual designs, patterns or sizes and where you have an item that has very few others listed.
Meg’s Laws
Thousands of women buy evening wear, fun, sexy, Mother of the Bride or Groom, children’s, Church, extra small, tall, or plus-size clothing every day but when people shop for clothes, they like to feel the fabric and examine the details. This is what makes selling clothes on-line challenging. Selling clothing needs detailed pictures and at least some measurements. This increases the likelihood of clothes fitting better and looking better on your customer – which means fewer returns and more satisfied customers.
Meg’s Law #1 – Measure, measure, measure
No matter what size the clothes are marked, they will NOT fit someone who is, or who claims to be that size. There is no agreed sizing in the clothing industry. Chain store clothing has always been sized differently from one brand to another, that’s why you never know what size will actually fit. If you provide accurate measurements, the return rate on purchases will be lower and your customers will be happier because they are getting what they expect. Measure the size of the clothes, even the length and width, as well as describing the kind and quality of fabric. For instance, on women’s trousers, give the waist size and inside leg length as a minimum and say whether the waist is at the waist or below. Any real customer is going to need this information. If you are lucky, they will ask for it, if you haven’t already provided it but they may also just move onto the next item.
If you haven’t got a Measuring Tape you can print one out on Ebay
Ebay Measuring Tape
Ebay used to have tips on Getting the right fit and diagrams but these have now disappeared. The nearest I can find to what used to be available is at http://fashion.about.com/cs/7/l/blmeasure.htm
Meg’s Law # 2 – nothing beats a decent photo
Clothes are a typical “touch and feel” product and your selling description needs to be the next best thing to handling the item. Some sellers invest in (or borrow) a mannequin so the cut and style are visible. A picture of your next door neighbour (minus her head) wearing the outfit, unless she is a Super Model, does not flatter the outfit, nor does a folded item on a bedspread, nor a lopsided outfit hanging untidily from a hangar. Photographing each item is time consuming but vital if you want to sell. There is nothing wrong with photographing an entire lot of clothing in one or two pictures if you are selling a number of items. A picture is worth a thousand words, and you need at least one good one to sell your auction item. If the item has special detailing, take a close up of it. This can increase the price. Don’t say, “Excuse the photos, the camera wasn’t working”! Get it working or get a friend to take a decent picture for you. Pictures that are too dark or out of focus lose you customers and reduce the price you can get.
Meg’s Law # 3 – be accurate – check twice, write once
If you want to be a frequent Ebay seller, don’t risk your reputation over easily corrected mistakes. Most buyers will check the seller’s feedback before they buy something. If the item is “Like New”, then it’s fine to say so but don’t describe it as immaculate if it’s not – you’ll get very poor feedback. Don’t overuse the word “stunning” – buyers’ eyes glaze over when the same person uses this word for every item they are selling.
Meg’s Law # 4 – Don’t be Greedy
Second hand clothes don’t have a high resale value. Set your starting price at a reasonable amount. If your item is in demand, the bidding will drive the price up but if you start the price too high, you may not get anyone interested. Check out the prices for recent similar items.
Meg’s Law # 5 – Make the most of your Selling Points
If your piece of clothing is an expensive brand name, not only will people be searching for it regularly, some will have email alerts set up to let them know if an item in their size has been listed, so put the designer’s name in the title. Plus size items in the upper range of sizes do well, as they are hard to find in stores. For many women, finding plus-size clothes is difficult and time consuming – make their search easier and you’ll benefit with more sales at better prices.
Even though there are barriers to successfully selling clothes on-line, these 5 top tips will help you sell your clothes for higher prices and get good feedback.
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