published on 21 July '24
Everyone knows that selling items online is more effective when associated with good quality photographs; poor staging or low quality can also deter a buyer.
Pretty images will attract many more people to your ad, making your item sell more easily.
Camera selection
Both mobiles or compact cameras are capable of doing a good job. You don't need to be a professional, use what you already have. Using your phone obviously speeds up the downloading of images directly with the website.
Make a backdrop
Create a space or location for a backdrop that will simplify your photo and avoid having unnecessary objects in your photos. You will need a white or neutral canvas or sheet. Use a wrinkle-free sheet or plain blanket without decorations. Sitting against a sofa, table or chair is a good option if your objects are not too large. You can also use kraft paper, if you have wrapping paper use the unprinted side for a simple backdrop without patterns. Drape the canvas to create a smooth, clean, seamless backdrop.
Lighting
It is very important that your photo is clear and well lit. The best lighting is diffused lighting, which gives ambient light without creating shadows. As the weather is not "controllable", it will be easier to take your photos indoors. Using natural light (near a window) or fluorescent lighting to create beautiful diffused light. In the worst case you can use your floor lamp facing the ceiling.
Cameras and phones have built-in flashes, but they are small and often emit very harsh light. Placing an object in front of the flash can transform the flash into more adequate light.
For very large objects, remove any background clutter, but you can add subtle, eye-catching elements. Rather than taking a photo of an ordinary, worn-out guitar, use the environment where you live. Take an angled photo with flowers, adding color can only flatter your object. If you want to sell a car, go to the beach or choose a contrasting background such as a mountain or a hyper urban location.
Perspective
If you have enough space, always shoot at the greatest distance and use the zoom. This helps ensure that your perspective stays connected to the subject.
Get the right size
Make sure you take photos at least in 800-1024px? In general, ad sites allow you to reduce their sizes but you must assume that you have good quality photos before downloading them.
Number
A single photo is not a very good idea, many websites allow you to easily publish 6 to 8!
Don't hesitate, more photos = more interest.
published on 18 July '24
The purchase price of a used car is negotiable, just like that of a new car. Whether you go through a dealer, an individual or a car agent, you can get discounts or a price reduction depending on the vehicle. Here is our advice for negotiating the price of a used car.
Is it possible to negotiate a used car?
It is entirely possible to negotiate on used vehicles and lower their sale price. Regardless of the seller, professional or individual, you have room to lower the price of the car. If the vehicle is overpriced, consider negotiating. But be careful, a negotiation is done with good arguments. It is therefore necessary to inform yourself about the used car market and the vehicle's rating.
What room for negotiation for a used car?
The room for negotiation at a dealership is quite limited. Similarly, with an individual, the negotiation should not exceed 10 to 15% of the sale price. You can hope for a better discount if the seller is in a hurry to sell his vehicle. Otherwise, it's up to you to be persuasive.
Negotiating the price of a car: the criteria to take into account
Before buying a used vehicle, find out about the car and compare offers. If you have the opportunity, an initial visit to the vehicle is necessary to find out its general condition. History, maintenance, Argus rating, equipment and options, you must know everything about the model to know whether or not you have room for negotiation or if the seller is selling his vehicle at a fair price.
How to negotiate a used car with an individual
Buying your used car between individuals can involve some risks. Also, before signing the transfer contract, here are some tips to benefit from a small reduction.
Check the vehicle's history
The seller must be able to provide you with the history of his vehicle. To do this, ask him to go to the HistoVec website and provide you with a full report (date of entry into service, change of owner, certificate of non-pledge, accidents and repairs, mileage, etc.). Consult the maintenance log to find out the validity of the technical inspection and the various revisions carried out. If you do not get an answer, look for a new vehicle.
Find out about the model
Year of entry into service, options and equipment, glean as much information as possible on the vehicle to allow you to make comparisons on offers of equivalent cars. Also take the time to check the Argus rating. If this rating does not take into account a lot of information, it offers you a standard price according to age and mileage. You will then know if the vehicle is overrated or if it has suffered a depreciation.
Observe the condition of the vehicle
Scrutinize the vehicle: interior, exterior, engine, tires... The slightest snag, the slightest scratch, the wear of the tires, can give rise to a discount. The discovery of hidden defects allows you to negotiate the purchase of the vehicle. On the mechanical side, check the engine, then the ground to detect a possible leak. Test all the equipment such as the air conditioning, and take a test drive to observe the behavior of the vehicle while driving. At the end of your inspection, you will have all the elements to negotiate a price reduction of the used vehicle.
Negotiating well: a question of attitude
If you want to negotiate well, do not show the seller that you have a real crush on his vehicle. Stay calm and detached, mention competing offers, talk about other vehicles that you have been able to see. Show that you are buying a vehicle with full knowledge of the facts to add weight to your argument. And above all, do not be in a hurry to finalize the sale of a used car.
How to negotiate the price of a car at a dealership?
Negotiation at dealerships or agents includes the same elements mentioned above. A good knowledge of the vehicle and your defined budget remain the basis of any negotiation.
Check the condition of the vehicle
Insist on the condition of the vehicle and carry out a thorough inspection. Used cars are generally presented in their best light. A new general appearance should not prevent you from noticing some defects on the vehicle.
Negotiate on equipment and services
Professionals have less room for negotiation. If you can't get a cheaper car, ask the dealer to cover the registration certificate fees. Try to get an extended warranty, or new equipment, such as new floor mats. Improving the comfort of your car or getting rid of the costs associated with administrative procedures are also part of a successful negotiation.
Buying your used car from a dealership often involves tougher negotiation. Stay confident, don't show any haste. If your negotiation is fair, the dealer will call you back to make you a lower offer. Otherwise, the used market offers a wide choice of vehicles, try another dealership.
published on 4 July '24
Use delivery packages as much as possible
With flat rate shipping, the shipping price is divided into categories of size, weight and destination distances, the price of sending a package becomes more predictable. This is why this solution is often the best to use.
You can usually use flat rate shipping options offered by carriers such as USPS or Fedex. These carriers offer predetermined rates for specific sizes, making it simple to estimate and budget costs.
Choose the best packaging size
Shipping costs can be lowered by making choices about how you package your shipments. Here is a non-exhaustive list of important points:
Reduce package size
Always aim for the smallest packaging dimensions. Flexible packaging materials such as plastic mailers or padded mailers protect your items while being smaller and lighter than cardboard. Reducing weight as much as possible leads to long-term savings.
Find free packaging
Some carriers offer free packaging. You can also reuse the packaging when it is not too damaged. In addition to cost savings, reuse is good for the environment.
Create your packaging
If you're shipping precisely packaged items, invest in custom packaging. Costs will often be offset through optimized sizes, as well as fewer damaged or lost shipments.
Reduce the weight of packages
The weight of the package is not negligible compared to the package size criterion. The weight of a shipment has a cost, which becomes high for heavy packages.
Send lightweight packages by packing your items in corrugated cardboard boxes.
Corrugated cardboard boxes are packaging and lighter than regular cardboard. These boxes are made up of air-filled grooves, providing great strength while reducing weight.
Pack your sales in poly mailers
For non-fragile items (textiles for example), you can use polyethylene envelopes instead of boxes. They are very light and economical.
Use lightweight packaging material
To fill empty spaces in your package, use lightweight materials such as plastic air cushions, wrapping paper, bubble wrap or foam blocks.
Suggest delivery to a parcel relay
The best way to reduce shipping costs is to stop using carriers. If you ship items locally, you may be able to deliver them yourself or use local businesses to allow your buyers to pick up their purchases at a drop-off location.
Obviously, the cheapest being hand delivery, you still have to live at a reasonable distance and not hesitate to meet the buyer face to face.
published on 22 May '24
The process for posting an ad on Craigslist is very simple. Just follow these steps:
1) From a web browser, go to Craigslist.
The website will automatically transport you to the local Craigslist classifieds that it believes is most appropriate for you. However, if the city displayed at the top is not the correct city for your posting, you can navigate to the correct city using the column on the right of the page. The location column can be navigated by popular cities or by state.
2) Find your city and select it.
3) Click the Post to Classifieds button in the upper left of the page.You will then be directed to a page where you select the category of your post.
4) From this page, you can also login if you have an account. To login, simply click the login button in the upper right of the screen.However, you can continue and post without having an account.
5) Select your category and click continue.
At this point, you will be directed to select subcategories depending on the initial category you chose for your post.
6) Choose a subcategory.Once you have selected the appropriate classifications for your ad, you will be taken to a page to create your post.
7) Enter a posting title, posting body, postal code (your location) and any other required information for your post.
The required information is outlined in green. Any information outlined in black is optional.
8) Once you have entered your details, click the continue button.On the next page, you see will be a map.
9) Here, you can tell potential interested parties about your location either by dragging the location marker to your location or entering your location into the text boxes.
10) Click continue from here to be redirected to the Add Images page.
11) On the Add Images page, you will select the Add Image button which will redirect you to the images stored on your device.
12) Select your images and continue by selecting Done with Images.The final page is where you can review your ad and see what it will look like to other Craigslist users.
13) If it looks how you want it, click the Publish button. If not, select “edit post, edit location, or edit images to make changes.When you click the publish button, an email will be sent to the email address you entered in the post information.
14) Open the email and select the link to publish.All done!
Source : Dummies.com
published on 2 July '24
You were only able to sell one item, read this
1) Include High Quality photos.
Most people don't even look at ads without photos. You too I imagine?
2) Make your own webpage.
Imagine having to explain in detail the sale of your house or your car. Link to a web page with all the details that you can't put in your ad. More photos, videos, maybe links to documentations, etc.
3) Delete your listings after 72 Hours.
Deleting your ads and re-posting them will move your ads upward in the search results, thus maximizing the chances of selling quickly.
4) Don't forget to include your phone number.
Many people prefer to make a phone call than to send an email.
If you notice too many calls, you just have to delete the ad to redo it without that.
5) Before launching the sale, estimate the amount of your listings.
Scan the listings for the same thing you are selling, this will usually help you find a price that's favorable to the sale.
People are looking a lot to find the cheapest or the closest one. Try to stand out in the details of your ad and most importantly, don't overestimate your sales price.