Writing Online Auction Descriptions that Sell

There is nothing more frustrating to a buyer than having to wade through auction listings where there is no or little information available. How can they possibly weigh the item's value without knowing exactly what is being offered?

Separate your auction listings from other sellers by taking the time to detail the key points about YOUR particular items. Be clear, concise and straightforward in your description and state the facts.

For Vehicles & Equipment include Year, Make, Model, Color, Current running condition, Engine type, Transmission type, Current odometer reading, VIN number, Type of title paperwork, Key information. AND, Don't forget to include any known issues.

For other surplus items include: Quantity of items in the lot (if more than 1), What the lot includes and any Make, Model, Color, Size/Dimensions, Type of construction material (Wood, Metal, Plastic, etc..), and current working condition that is known.

Avoid using vague cop-out phrases
such as "As Pictured", "As Shown", "Assorted" and "Miscellaneous".
These types of phrases do not add any value to the item being sold and are pointless.

Avoid subjective phrases
such as "Very Nice" or "Excellent Condition" rather than providing accurate factual information. Remember, what one person thinks is nice or excellent, may not be to someone else.

Avoid relying on the pictures alone.

Don't be lazy either.
Copying and pasting a generic description off of the manufacturers' website is also not the best avenue to go. Too much information is also not a good thing. Who has time to read all of 10 paragraphs from another website.

Most of all...
Stand behind the information provided on the listing.

The old saying is true, a picture IS worth a thousand words...
And maybe more money!

When shooting pictures for an online auction, the better quality the pictures, the more bids your item(s) will receive.

To improve images and receive higher prices, it is imporant to show as much as possible of the item(s) in the images provided. Remember, we recommend that you supply a minimum of 1, but you can provided up to 10 images per lot. Use those pictures wisely and take your time to get the right shots because it could make a BIG DIFFERENCE!

For example on vehicles & equipment, get a good picture of (1) the ENTIRE front of the vehicle and down the driver's side, (2) the ENTIRE back and down the passenger side, (3) through the front door and into the interior and (4) under the hood to show the engine. These are ALL VERY IMPORTANT shots to a bidder who lives 100 miles away and cannot make it to preview.

Also, bear in mind that any vehicle shot with opened doors, hoods and widows could be interpreted by a bidder as either broken, missing or not working.

Which Nissan Altima would you bid on?
The second group that you know has an engine, no damage to the back end and can see the interior condition. OR, the first group where you can't tell if it has an engine, back end damage or see the interior condition?

For miscellaneous surplus, take an overall picture of ALL the items in the lot. To avoid confusion, DO NOT include items in the picture that do not go with the lot. Then, take pictures of individual items or detail shots that could help capture the interest of the bidders. Make sure items are centered in the frame and in focus. This will help the bidders to see what exactly is being offered in the lot.