Selling on eBay is simple, and signing up won’t cost a thing. eBay is a great place for new sellers to start out in online retail as there is so much traffic coming through the site everyday that you will always get buyers viewing your listings. It’s also simple to use and has some very handy help files to teach you everything you need to know.

There are 5 simple steps to getting your eBay account up and running. (If you have already set up an eBay account, skip to setting up a Sellers Account.)

Step 1. Click the ‘register’ button located next to the logo on any eBay page.

Step 2. Enter your personal contact details such as your name, address, email address, phone number, and date of birth.

Step 3. Read and accept eBay’s User Agreement and Privacy Policy.

Step 4. Choose a user ID number, password and secret question. Your secret question helps to identify you in case you forget your password and need to reset it.

Step 5. Check your email. You’ll receive a registration email from eBay. Follow the instructions in the email to confirm your registration and complete the registration process.

Setting up a Seller’s Account

To be able to sell on eBay, you need to create a seller’s account. To do this, follow these few simple steps:

• Click on the Sell tab at the top of any eBay page.

• Select the ‘create a seller’s account link’.

• Provide eBay with your bank account, credit and/or debit card information. This is part of the verification process.

• Choose how you would like to pay your eBay fees.

Great, you are now ready to start selling!

An excellent way to get started is to sell a few things from around your home. Most people have loads of stuff lying around that they never use like old sporting equipment, clothing, or a spare TV which never gets used. All these things can get you a pleasantly surprising amount of cash on eBay, but better still, selling them will give you some practice at selling on eBay.

Get ready to list

Gather the items you wish to sell and start photographing them. Use an uncluttered background – an old white sheet will go a long way here – and make sure you take plenty of photos which really show off your item to its full potential. For more handy tips on taking great photos for your eBay listing, check out this article.

Listing your first item

When you are ready, click the Sell button which you can find at the top right of any eBay page and work your way through the simple Sell Your Item Form. This will include writing a listing title, a listing description, and choosing whether you would like a Buy It Now or an auction listing (or both!).

You will need to enter the Buy It Now and/or reserve price also. In an auction, the reserve price is the minimum that you wish to sell the item for. Many sellers enter £0.01 here to get people interested, but you should only do this if you are prepared for it to sell that low!

Include postage and packing information in the listing. Buyers want to know exactly how much it will cost to send the item.

Finally, select how you would like to receive payments from buyers. PayPal is a popular form of payment among buyers. If you haven’t already, set up an account now.

Right, you are all set now, time to get that listing live!