Hot Strategies to Boost eBay Sales Just starting out on eBay? Here's how to find a product that'll sell like hotcakes.

Selling a product on eBay can be as easy as looking around your house for something you're not using anymore. Have the kids outgrown their clothes? Sell them on eBay! Nobody listening to those old records anymore? Why not auction them on eBay!

When you're first starting out as an eBay seller, there's no reason to acquire a lot of new stock or jump into the market with something you think will be a hot-selling item. We recommend you start your eBay career by auctioning off whatever's in your basement, closets or attic. Choose small, low-priced items: they'll be easy to ship, easy to sell, and you won't be risking a lot of cash.

Remember, these early auctions are mostly for you to gain some experience. If you make some money, great! But it would be a shame for you to try to sell a family heirloom that's quite valuable for much less than you expected. Wait until you have a better understanding of the auction process before you branch off into selling more expensive or sentimental items.

Three types of common household items that typically have strong markets on eBay are:

• Clothing: Both new and used clothing sells very well on eBay. This doesn't mean you should try to get rid of your old, moth-eaten t-shirts--no one's going to split with their hard-earned money for totally worthless pieces of junk. But if you have some designer shoes that were only worn once because they hurt your feet, there's no reason you can't auction them off for some decent cash.
• Collectibles: Collectors are the people on eBay who really do pay top-dollar for things that seem like junk to you and I. It's actually quite common to post what you think is a mundane item, only to have collectors suddenly go to war over it because it's somehow linked to something they collect.
• Sports equipment: Look through your attic, closets and garage for sports equipment you no longer use. Also check out eBay's Sporting Goods In Demand page for a better idea of what's hot in that category.

Selling the odds and ends you have lying around the house is a terrific way to begin learning the ins and outs of creating auction listings on eBay. And you may even make a little cash in the process.

Keep an Eye On eBay's Promotional Calendar
eBay's Seller Central provides truckloads of valuable information for eBay sellers. One of the most helpful areas to check out within this section--especially around the holidays--is eBay's promotional calendar , which lets you know the featured categories of products that eBay is going to promote on its homepage over the coming months.

If you have any products that fit into those categories, make sure you list them during those dates--you should receive a lot more traffic than usual to your auctions.

Consider Using eBay's Gift Services Icon
Do you think the item you're selling would make a great gift? Then let buyers know by choosing the "Gift Services" option while creating your listing. If your item really is a good gift idea and you're offering some of the gift services people may be looking for, such as gift cards, express shipping or wrapping, this 25-cent option may bring you swarms of eager bidders.

Sellers can choose to search eBay by gift items only, so this is an especially useful marketing tactic during the Christmas season when your items have a good chance of going for a higher price. However, if you don't plan on offering any of the gift services mentioned above, don't bother choosing this option. It won't boost your price and it may get you negative feedback for false advertising.

Final Thoughts
Whether you're new to eBay or an experienced seller, there are always a ton of new techniques and strategies you can be experimenting with to boost your sales in this giant online marketplace. And by tying your promotions in with eBay's special ads and promotions, you can see a dramatic increase in your sales!