However, eBay is a behemoth, with 171 million active customers worldwide. According to the company, a women's handbag sells every six seconds, a mobile phone every four seconds, and a pair of shoes every two seconds on the platform.

Here's what you need to do to make money on eBay if you decide it's the right place to sell your things.

Determine whether or not a subscription is appropriate for you.

Things should be priced reasonably.

Use high-resolution imagery and have excellent customer support.

Determine whether or not a subscription is appropriate for you.

On eBay, you have the choice of becoming a standard seller or paying for a store subscription. The best and most cost-effective solution is determined by the type and amount of items you want to sell.

Those who do not have a subscription can list up to 50 products for free per month. Following that, each listing will cost you 30 cents. In most cases, eBay also charges a final value fee of 10% of the gross selling price to those sellers. It's limited to $750.

Subscriptions are divided into three categories: basic, premium, and anchor. Subscription rates range from $20 to $350 a month, with customers having the option of paying month to month or committing to a year at a lower rate. These sellers have the ability to list thousands of products for free and pay a smaller listing price for additional items than regular sellers. They'll pay a final value charge ranging from 3.5 percent to 9.15 percent, with most products capped at $250.

If you sold five refurbished tablets for $500 total and didn't have a shop, you'd pay a flat $50 final value charge or about $40 if you had a basic yearly subscription. The extra $10 may not seem like much to a casual seller, but it can add up over time in an active seller's bank account.

Things should be priced reasonably.

Before you list your products, do some research on the current market. This will assist you in setting competitive rates and increasing the likelihood of sale.

Begin by conducting an advanced search in the relevant product category on eBay's sold lists. If you don't include all applicable keywords, you'll most likely be directed to the general category tab. For example, you might look up “Samsung Galaxy Tab A tablet, refurbished, 7”, 8GB” to get a price on those refurbished tablets. Examine latest "buy it now" listings as well.

You'll also need to keep an eye on rates to remain competitive on the site.

"I've found over time that my rivals will list the same products as me, for a penny less than my listing, so it's crucial for me to keep an eye on the price and content on my listings so that my product sticks out from the competition," says Nicolaus Wolfrum, an automotive eBay store owner who was named a finalist in eBay's SHINE Awards for Small Business.

You must also choose which listing form to use. EBay is famous for its auctions, which can last anywhere from one to ten days depending on the object. However, according to the website, fixed-price goods account for 88 percent of the site's listings. If you're selling products that are in high demand or have an undefined value, such as rare baseball cards or antiques, it's usually better to set a fixed price. Under these cases, potential buyers are more likely to attempt to outbid each other and push up the selling price.

Once you've ironed out those information, use this calculator to estimate your earnings after shipping and site fees have been deducted. However, you'll need to account for other expenses when calculating your final earnings. If you process purchases through PayPal, for example, it will cost you 2.9 percent of the final selling price plus 30 cents. Depending on how much money you make from the platform, you will also need to make estimated quarterly tax payments.

Use high-resolution images.

To build a listing, you must upload at least one picture with a longest side of at least 500 pixels. However, since the site might already have thousands of listings for similar items, you'll want to add a few more high-quality images to your listing to make it stand out. The majority of listings allow you to post up to 12 images for free.

Photograph the objects against a plain white backdrop on a flat surface. Take photos from various angles to highlight precise data. Aim for high-resolution images as well. On the longest hand, they should be between 800 and 1,600 pixels. With the zoom feature turned on, these images will appear clearer.

In a sea of mediocre pictures, good lighting will also make you stand out. Right now, you don't need to invest in professional equipment. Instead, use natural lighting to avoid using the spotlight. You can make your own lightbox for around $10 using white poster board, a cardboard box, and a couple of lamps if you're selling small things. You can always update later if necessary.

Customer service that is second to none

Any online company relies heavily on customer support. Reviews, which are shown on every seller's profile on eBay, are used to determine this. These include your contact, the quality of product descriptions, shipping costs, and delivery time. You'll also get a positive feedback score overall. This is expressed as a percentage and appears prominently on product pages and in your profile. Each sale gives you the chance to raise (or lower) your score.

Begin by giving each product an accurate title and thorough description, noting any faults or quality variations. This will help you gain customers' confidence and close sales.

In addition to customer service, shipping plays an important part. According to eBay, two-thirds of packages are shipped in three days or less, and most products ship for free. New sellers can find it difficult to meet those requirements. If you can't provide free shipping, concentrate on providing fast responses to queries and delivery monitoring and alerts.

Mike Mammone Jr., whose eBay store had a 99.5 percent positive feedback score at the time of release, says that even with careful preparation, you can run into distribution problems or disappointed customers. “Pretend every customer is your grandmother,” he advises when issues occur. Apologizing, sending a free sample or small gift, and giving a discount are all options.