• An eBay auction can be a fun way to clean out your attic and make money.gavel image by Cora Reed from Fotolia.com
  
  E-Bay allows its millions of members to list items for sale, either through an online auction or direct purchase at a fixed price. The range of eligible items is vast, and the buying market is worldwide, but the techniques of successful listing and selling are rather simple, and they hold true for the occasional seller as well as the million-dollar eBay storefront.
  
  

Photos

• Take a clear, well-lit and accurate photograph of the item you're selling. Multiple photographs taken from several points of view allow potential buyers an all-around view of the item. A digital camera and strong natural light should be sufficient, but professional photography studios will do an excellent job for a fee.
  
  

Description

• Make your text description of the item as complete and detailed as possible. Give the brand name, date of origin, provenance (history of ownership) if known, condition, as well as your best estimate of the item's fair market value. Describe any marks or defects that are present. For collector's items, make sure to give any information that may make the item unique or particularly valuable.
  
  

Pricing

• Set your minimum auction price low, so bidders can get into the game easily. Be cautious about reserve prices, and never set the reserve at full market value (as you estimate it). Bidders who constantly fail to reach a reserve price will get frustrated and drop out. Set your BuyItNow price, if you have one, above fair market value, to give bidders a target that's advantageous to you.
  
  

Research

• Before you list your item, do some research on eBay to see what the same or similar items are selling for. If there are few or no auctions for items like yours, or if the selling prices seem unusually low, you may want to consider waiting until a better market for the item develops. If there are many auctions of the same item, you're going to have too much competition and the selling price will also suffer.
  
  

Duration

• Set the auction to end on a weekend evening, when most people are home and paying attention. Consider the end time for competing auctions, and set your own auction to end later or the next day. Bidders who didn't win your competitors' auctions will be looking for similar items and will join your auction. Set your auction to last at least five days, to allow buyers to find your item and develop interest.
  
  

Shipping and Service

• Set your shipping rates at the actual shipping cost, via whatever delivery service you're using. Gouging buyers on shipping costs is annoying, to say the least. Respond to all queries promptly, provide additional photographs if a bidder asks for them, and don't offer to stop the auction to sell the item outside of eBay and its PayPal payments system. Also, don't bid on your own item. This can cause trouble you don't need with eBay.