Christmas can be a time for over indulging and overspending. When the bills start to arrive in January it can be hard to be enthusiastic about the New Year. Where are we going to find the cash to pay these bills?

Most people receive some gifts they do not want. Usually these get put into the back of cupboards and drawers. Now is the time to dig these out and turn them into bill payers! Unwanted gifts are perfect for selling on eBay.
Use the long dark evenings as an excuse to stay in and go through those old gifts and other unwanted items about the house. Put everything into boxes and when you are satisfied that you have found all your unwanted items the fun begins!

You will need to photograph each piece. Experiment with different backgrounds – a blank wall, a white sheet, a dark bedspread. Make sure that you can see each piece clearly and that the pictures show the item to its best advantage.

The next thing you need to do is write descriptions. Remember, just because you did not want these items does not mean that other people will not want them. Write a short list of the features – big, small, yellow, green, vintage, new etc. Now for the most important part, write about how each item could benefit its potential buyer – great for displaying your favourite photographs, would make a beautiful candleholder, great coffee table conversation piece, etc. Use your imagination, the more ideas you can come up with, the better your chance of getting a good price for your item.

Next you should take time to decide the right category for your items. Think about where they would get the most exposure. A candle holder would fit into a lighting category but would probably sell better in a gift category. If you really can not choose between two categories it may be a good idea to use both.

Now you are ready to list your items. Keep the listing basic unless you have a potentially high value item. Great photographs and descriptions are your best tools for selling.

Set your starting price low to generate interest. Only use a reserve if the item value warrants this. Reserves can put buyers off so use with caution.
If you have extra photographs put them into the description section of the listing to avoid paying extra fees. If you are not familiar with html most internet photo storage sites offer the option of html code for your pictures so all you have to do is copy and paste.

What are you waiting for? Turn those unwanted gifts into cash and start the New Year with a bang!