EBay is ONE way artists can start selling their artwork online and get instant exposure to art buyers around the world.  However, as more and more artists are selling their artwork on eBay, the competition has become fierce. With over 60,000 works of art currently being sold directly by artists on eBay, it can seem like your artwork disappears into the abyss.

Below, I share my tips and tricks on how I sell my paintings on eBay. For a view of my own eBay listings, please visit my eBay store.

1. Take at least 2 or 3 clear photos of your art. Include a picture of the front, side(s) and back of the artwork. If there’s a lot of detail in the piece, take close-up pictures.
2. Make sure that the background of your photos is attractive to the eye! You don’t want to take a picture of your artwork next to an opened garbage can. Image is everything, especially in the art world!
3. I definitely recommend that you select the “Gallery Plus” option (US$0.35) when listing your art. This is your first chance to impress buyers when they’re browsing for art.
4. Write A LOT of information about the artwork, but keep your eBay listing organized. You want the buyer to be able to find information quickly and easily. Information to include:
   • Title of the artwork
   • Artist’s name
   • Year
   • Size of the artwork
   • Weight of the artwork (optional)
   • Medium used
   • A description of the piece (may include which country the artwork was made, its condition, whether its an original piece, if a certificate of authenticity is included, etc.)
   • Colors (Here I always include: “Colors of painting are represented as accurately as possible, although colors may vary from monitor to monitor”.
   • Shipping & Handling (Include delivery times to different countries if possible.)
   • Discounts available (optional)
   • Sales Tax (if applicable)
   • Payment information
   • Refund Policy
5. The only way eBay buyers are allowed to pay sellers is through PayPal. Make sure you have your PayPal Business or Premier account all set up BEFORE listing anything on eBay. My advice is to sign up for a PayPal account now.
6. Definitely create an About Me page. This is where you should tell people who you are! Telling eBayers about yourself makes them more likely to trust you. Also, the About Me page is the only place you’re allowed to link to your website(s). So, take advantage of it!!
7. Feedback on eBay is one of the most important ways for people to see if you’re trustworthy.  If you don’t have any feedback, I suggest that you buy 10 small things on eBay.  Not only will you get feedback, you’ll also get to experience how eBay works.
8. I always leave feedback for the buyers, but I never ask buyers for feedback. If they want to give you feedback, they’ll leave it.
9. Try to ship the artwork within 2 business days of receiving complete payment.  Never ship your artwork without being paid first.
10. After the buyer has won an auction (or used the Buy It Now option), send an email to thank them and to let them know that you’re there to answer any questions they may have.  Opening the lines of communication right away makes the buyer feel like they can come to you with any question or problem they may have about paying and receiving the artwork.  This decreases your chance of getting negative feedback posted on eBay.
11. Reply to a buyer’s email ASAP.   (I try to reply to my art buyers’ emails within 12 hours).  Excellent customer service is one of the best ways to get an eBay buyer to come back and buy more of your artwork in the future. Also, it increases the chance that the buyer will refer you to family and friends.
12. If you’ve tried all of the above and you’re still not getting traffic to your listings, try a 99¢ auction with a reserve price.
13. The more artwork you list on eBay at one time, the better the chance of someone “bumping” into one of your listings and finding out who you are as an artist.
14. In each listing, put an image (or image gallery banner) of all your other works of art.  If an eBay buyer doesn’t want to buy the art in that particular listing, they might see another piece they would like to buy.
15. Get an eBay store.  I personally like the basic subscription, which is only US$15.95/month.   An eBay store will provide you with a mailing list.  USE THIS FEATURE!  It’s an easy way to remind people of how fabulous your art is.  You don’t even have to write anything, just present beautiful pictures of your artwork!  Inspire their eyes and their souls.
16. Try using social networking sites such as twitter, facebook and youtube.
17. Have an blog with a link to your eBay store.  The more content you put out on the Internet, the better your chances of getting new visitors from search engines such as Google.
18. Last, but not least…. Create a niche. Sell artwork that is unique and different from the rest of the artists on eBay.  For example, my niche is selling contemporary Japanese calligraphy paintings.  A niche is probably one of the hardest things to come up with, but it is definitely the thing that helps me out the most as an eBay seller.

When I sell my original paintings on eBay, I make sure to include a Certificate of Authenticity (C.O.A.). This is a great way to include all the information the art buyer might want to have on hand about the artwork.

Here is a sample of the Certificate of Authenticity I make for each original painting I sell online.

Things to include in your Certificate of Authenticity are:

• The title of your painting / artwork.
• The artist’s name and year the artwork was created.
• The country where the artwork was created.
• Total height, width, number of canvases, single canvas size (weight is optional).
• If the painting is an original (or print, reproduction, etc.).
• The medium used to create the painting.
• Certificate ID (I use the eBay Item Number for the Certificate ID, but you can have your own numbering system).
• I always include “This is to certify that the painting with the above specifications is an authentic original painting created by and purchased from Soniei’s Contemporary Art“.
• Then I sign my name, add the current date, and I stamp my Hanko (Japanese signature stamp) for an added touch.
• On the bottom of the Certificate of Authenticity, it’s always good to put your logo and website address (mailing address / phone number is optional).

Although this sample is on a white background in order to make it easier to see on your computer screen, I print my certificates on beautiful printing paper that I buy at the art store. The type of paper you use for your Certificates isn’t really important, but try to find paper that matches your personality and your artwork.