Extra Tips for Submitting Ads

For  quite a while  I have been selling Furniture and Home Decor that is left over form my Home Staging and Model Home Business.  So I have figured out some of the better ways to list my ads.

Photographing the item

Lighting should be good.  Add extra Lights or take the item outside.   Eliminate clutter around the item.  Photograph from different angles.  Photograph any flaws as well ( Let the customer know if anything is wrong – you don’t want a bunch of people coming over to see the item and refusing to  buy it because of an unknown flaw)  Photograph with and without a flash

Heading

The heading should include key searchable words like mahogany Dining Room Table.  Sometimes I put all the possible things someone may call an item like “Breakfront”, “Hutch” and “China Closet” or “sofa” and “couch”.  If your item is a named product like Ethan Allen, Pennsylvania House, Baker, Henkle Harris, Henredon, Lexington, Hickory, Stickley, Kittinger, Southwood, Biggs, Kindel, Williamsburg, or similar, always put the name in the heading of your ad.

Description.

Give a thorough description of your item including any flaws.  Give the measurements if applicable.  If you are selling an item that has a particular brand name, mention that name in the heading of your ad.  An Ethan Allen night stand is more desirable than a no name nightstand.  If your item has any history of being high end, designer or collectible that you are aware of mention that.  If you know what you originally paid or what the item currently retails for you can mention that as well.

Sometime people will want to make you an offer.  If an offer is acceptable to you you may want to state that in your ad as “or best offer”. You may want to say “asking $$”  then people may make an offer.

I usually try to price my items at around 1/4th retail.  Of course you can try any price and then take less if you wait too long for an offer.  You can edit your ad later and lower the price.