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This year’s Garage Sale Trail is all about helping you clear out and cash in, whether that’s at a garage sale or online.

When it comes to selling pre-loved fashion and accessories, particularly well known brands and high quality clothing, listing on eBay provides access to a global audience of shoppers. For clearing lots of stuff including homewares, books, toys & more, naturally we think hosting a garage sale is a great way to go.

To help you smash it out of the park when it comes to online selling, we caught up with the team at eBay to get the inside scoop on how to turn your stash of unwanted clothes into cash. Read on for juicy tips and insights…

But first, why list on eBay?

There’s never been a better time to sell your pre-loved threads on eBay. It’s safe and secure plus thanks to the magic of AI, it’s quicker and easier than ever to list your items.

What’s more, until the end of the year you can list pre-loved fashion & send it free. Spoiler alert: skip ahead to the tips section to find out why this is such a red hot deal.

If it’s been a while since you have listed an item on eBay, you might be surprised by some of the high tech ways the platform makes creating a listing quicker than ever.  

With the eBay app:

👩🏻‍💻 eBay's AI feature helps you fill in descriptions about your listings faster and maximise the use of keywords in the title to make your item easy to find.

🏷️ The price indicator tool helps you understand how much to list it for.

📸 You can take high quality photos of your items from all angles to make your listing stand out.

What should I list?

Pre-loved fashion and accessories is a great place to start. Millions of people shop on eBay globally and the data shows that pre-loved fashion sellers make an average of $400 - $500* in their first year selling on the platform. 

Australian designers are especially hot property. Household brand names like Aje, Bassike and Sir the Label sell quickly as their garments are high quality.

Tapping into current trends is also a great way to sell items fast. Got a pile of Y2K fashion from your grunge kid days lurking in the back of your closet? Liberate them on eBay.  

Not sure what’s trending? Follow some fashion accounts on social media.

How do I make sure it sells?

TIP 1: GET THE PRICE RIGHT

eBay has heaps of features to help you price your items if you don’t know where to start. 

If you have an account, the pricing indicator tool reviews similar items listed on eBay and recommends a figure, helping you set a price that immediately attracts buyers. 

TIP 2: LIST QUALITY ITEMS

Always choose quality over quantity when listing on eBay. Selling better quality items means a higher resale price. 

Select items that are in good condition, cut well and made from good quality fabrics.

TIP 3: OFFER FREE SHIPPING

Items with free shipping often sell faster so if you can, list items with free postage.  

From now until the end of the year, you can get 10 free postage labels when you list your pre-loved fashion. Find out more. T&Cs apply.

TIP 4: BE TRUTHFUL

The best way to keep your shoppers happy and ensure great reviews is to make sure you’re always truthful about your items. Be clear in your listings and highlight any important details in your photos (like tears or stains), to ensure shoppers won’t be surprised by any hidden flaws or marks in their garments. 

TIP 5: LIST ITEMS THAT FIT THE SEASON

And list early in the season. Hang on to cosy knits and sell these at the beginning of the Winter season.

TIP 6: ADD GOOD QUALITY PHOTOS

Take photos from multiple angles in good natural light. Aim to show the garment on a hanger, provide a close-up shot of the fabric as well as any imperfections or damages.

Sounds interesting… How do I list?

STEP 1: Set up an account

First up, set up an eBay account. Add a profile picture and customise your username. Once that’s done you’ll reap the benefits of eBay’s top notch security system and have support on hand to make sure your reselling journey is as smooth as possible.

STEP 2: List an item

Give your item a simple and clear title that describes exactly what the item is.  

Add a more detailed explanation in the description, alongside measurements and the level of wear. Point out any flaws, be honest and detailed.

Add photos - they don’t need to be fancy but they should be clear and shot in good lighting so the shopper knows exactly what they’re getting.

STEP 3: Send your item

You’ve made a sale! Woo hoo. 

Now it’s time to get your item into your buyers hands as quickly as possible. Discover postage options to suit your schedule with eBay Postage Labels. No need to visit a post office or even own a printer if you ship with Sendle.

Claim your 10 free postage labels

From now until the end of the year, you can get 10 free postage labels when you list your pre-loved fashion. Find out more. T&Cs apply.

*Based on eBay internal data between July 2020 and June 2023, showing the average value of sales made by new or re-activated sellers.