Choosing The Right EBay Auction Category

Choosing The Right eBay Auction Category

by: Robbin K. Tungett eBay is divided up into hundreds of categories and sub-categories and once you've decided on an item to list, you must decide what category you will list it in.

For example, let's assume you have a Tonka truck that you had as a child. Do you place it under toys, collectibles, or automotive? And, once you've decided on one of those three, you still need to decide what sub-category you will list it under.

Choosing the category and sub-category you list your item in is not a trivial decision. It can mean the difference between making a sale and no sale at all. It can mean the difference between multiple bidders and only one bidder.

Here are some tips to help you select the best category and sub-category for your item:

1. Begin by checking all the categories that your item might fit into. This may take some time, but it's time well spent. And, as you become more experienced you won't need to spend as much time on this in the future. Look at each category and ask yourself:

-> Are there other similar items for sale here? -> If there are, do they have bids? -> How do final prices in this category compare to those in other categories?

2. Look at completed auctions. Search completed auctions for Tonka trucks. In what category and sub-category have they sold well?

3. Don't make the mistake of thinking you should list your item in a category where there isn't much competition. The reason there aren't many similar items listed in that category is probably that there aren't many buyers there either.

4. Along the same lines, don't automatically list an item in a category just because it has lots of listings. You don't want to place your item in a dead category. Lots of listings are fine as long as most of them are resulting in sales.

5. Look at active auctions in the categories you're considering. Depending upon what the item you are selling is, if there are already a large number listed, at times it may be to your advantage to wait a week to list yours. One of the nice thing about eBay is that auctions don't last all that long.

6. Undecided between two categories? When you write your auction you have the option of listing your item in two different categories or sub-categories. There are times when this may be to your advantage.

7. If you have several of the same items, then try them one at a time in different categories so that you can test how they do in each one. This way you can inexpensively test which category works best for your.

About the Author Robbin K. Tungett is online marketing and eBay veteran of 8 years. She is most widely known for her eBay expertise and her website http://www.AuctionRiches.com. Please visit her blog at http://www.AuctionHerald.com.