Writing a Powerful Item Listing

     

Here's a tip that's fairly self-evident. The better written and more effective your listing title and description, the more successful your auction will be. It's just like advertising copy: Great copy produces the best results.

"Mike Sez"

If you think you're going to get a lot of traffic to your item listing page, by all means display a counter. (It's free, after all.) If, on the other hand, you don't want to tip your hand as to how many potential bidders you might have, go with the hidden counter.

Write a Title That SELLS!

Let's start right at the top, with the title of your item listing. You can use up to 45 letters , numbers , characters , and spaces, and you need to accomplish two things:

• You have to include the appropriate information so that anyone searching for a similar item will find your item in his search results.

• You have to make your title stand out from all the other titles on those long listing pages.

tip

If you're unsure how best to word the title for your item listing, research a few auctions for similar items and " borrow " their wording.

Let's tackle the first point first. You have to think like the people who will be looking for your item. Most users will be using eBay's search feature to look for specific items, so you want to put the right keywords into your item title to make your item pop up on as many search results pages as possible. And you have to do this while using the absolute minimum number of words.

If your item has a model number or series name , that's definitely something to include. As an example, you might be selling a 1956 Gibson ES-175 Red Jazz Guitar . This title gets in the year (1956), the manufacturer (Gibson), the model number (ES-175), the color (Red), and a brief description of what it is (a jazz guitar) ”which pretty much covers all the bases.

Beyond including as many relevant facts as possible in your title, how do you make your title POP off the page and STAND OUT from all the other boring listings? Obviously, one technique is to employ the judicious use of CAPITAL LETTERS. The operative word here is judicious ; titles with ALL capital letters step over the line into overkill.

It also pays to think like an advertising copywriter. What words almost always stop consumers in their tracks? Use attention-getting words such as FREE and NEW and BONUS and EXTRA and DELUXE and RARE ”as long as these words truly describe the item you're selling and don't mislead the potential bidder.

In short, use your title to both inform and attract attention ”and include as many potential search keywords as possible.

Write the Right Description

If the listing title is the headline of your ad, the listing description is your ad's body copy. Which means it's time to put on your copywriter's hat, and get down to the nitty-gritty details.

What makes for good copy? Remember, you have all the space you need, so say as much as you need to say. So, unlike the title description, you don't have to scrimp on words or leave anything out. If you can describe your item adequately in a sentence , great; if it takes three paragraphs, that's okay, too.

When you're writing the description for your ad, make sure you mention anything and everything that a potential bidder might need to know. There are certain key data points that users expect to see in your item description. Refer to the following checklist for the key points you should definitely include in your item listings:

Item Description Checklist

Name (or title)

Condition (new, used, mint, and so on)

Age (if its a used item)

Original use (if its a used item)

Value (if you know it)

Any included accessories

Any known defects or damage

Warranty or guarantee (if you offer one)

When you're writing the item description, you need to put the most important and motivating information in your initial paragraph, since a lot of folks won't read any further than that. Think of your first paragraph like a lead paragraph in a newspaper story; grab 'em with something catchy, give them the gist of the story, and lead them into reading the next paragraph and the one after that.

And, although you need to be descriptive (and in some collectibles categories, you need to be obsessively so), it doesn't hurt to employ a little marketing savvy and salesmanship. Yes, you should talk about the features of your item, but it's even better if you can talk about your product's benefits to the potential buyer.

Let's say you're selling a used cordless phone, and the phone has a 50-number memory. Saying "50-number memory" is stating a feature; saying instead that the phone "lets you recall your 50 most-called phone numbers at the press of a button" is describing a benefit. Remember, a feature is something your item has; a benefit is something your item does for the user .

Use the Right Abbreviations

When dealing with some types of items, collectibles especially, you can use abbreviations and acronyms to describe the product's condition. This helps to conserve valuable space, especially in the listing's title.

Table 18.1 presents some of the most popular abbreviations that you might want to incorporate in your item listings.

Table 18.1. Listing Abbreviations

Abbreviation	Description	Meaning
ARC	Advanced readers copy	A pre-publication version of a book manuscript, typically released to reviewers and bookstores for publicity purposes
BU	Built up	For models and other to-be-assembled items; indicates that the item has already been assembled
CC	Cut corner	Some closeout items are marked by a notch on the corner of the package
CO	Cut out	Closeout item
COA	Certificate of authenticity	Document that vouches for the authenticity of the item; often found with autographed or rare collectible items
COC	Cutout corner	Same as CC (cut corner)
COH	Cut out hole	Some closeout items are marked by a small hole punched somewhere on the package
FS	Factory sealed	Still in the original manufacturer's packaging
GP	Gold plate	Item is gold plated
HC	Hard cover	Used to indicate hardcover (as opposed to softcover, or paperback) books
HE	Heavy gold electroplated	Item has heavy gold plating
HTF	Hard to find	Item isn't in widespread circulation
LE	Limited edition	Item was produced in limited quantities
LSW	Label shows wear	Item's label shows normal usage for its age
MCU	Might clean up	Might show a higher grade if cleaned or otherwise restored
MIB	Mint in box	Item in perfect condition, still in the original box
MIMB	Mint in mint box	Item in perfect condition, still in the original box ”which itself is in perfect condition
MIP	Mint in package	Item in perfect condition, still in the original package
MISB	Mint in sealed box	Item in perfect condition, still in the original box with the original seal
MNB	Mint, no box	Mint-condition item but without the original package
MOC	Mint on card	For action figures and similar items, an item in perfect condition still in its original carded package
MOMC	Mint on mint card	Item in perfect condition, still on its original carded package ”which is also in mint condition
MONMC	Mint on near-mint card	Same as MOMC, but with the card in less-than -perfect condition
MWBMT	Mint with both mint tags	For stuffed animals which typically have both a hang tag and a tush (sewn-on) tag, indicates both tags are in perfect condition
MWBT	Mint with both tags	Same as MWBMT, but with the tags in less-than-mint condition
MWMT	Mint with mint tag	Mint-condition item with its original tag, in mint condition
NIB	New in box	Brand-new item, still in its original box
NOS	New old stock	Old, discontinued parts in original, unused condition
NR	No reserve	Indicates that you're selling an item with no reserve price
NRFB	Never removed from box	An item bought but never used or played with
NWOT	New without tags	Item, unused, but without its original tags
NWT	New with tags	Item, unused, that still has its original hanging tags
OOP	Out of print	Item is no longer being manufactured
P/O	Punched out	Same as CC (cut corner)
RR	Re-release	Not the original issue, but rather a reissue (typically done for the collector's market)
SC	Soft cover	A paperback (non-hardcover) book
SS	Still sealed	As it says, still in the original sealed package
SW	Slight wear	Only minor wear commensurate with age
VHTF	Very hard to find	Self-descriptive
WOC	Writing on cover	Item has markings on front surface

Don't Reinvent the Wheel ”Reuse Item Listings That Work

Here's another good reason to standardize the type of items you sell on eBay. Once you create the perfect item title and description, reuse it . That's right, there's no reason to write a new listing every time you put another item up for auction. Use the old cut and paste to recycle your winning title and description text. That's not to say you shouldn't tweak your copy over time, but once you come up with a winner, why change it? High-volume sellers use the same copy over and over ”just as real-world advertisers do ”for a simple reason. It works!

tip

The single most effective way to improve your item listings is to include a photograph of the item for sale. This is such an important step that I've devoted an entire chapter to the process. Turn to Chapter 19, "Working with Photographs," to learn more.