eBay Auction Pictures Tips

Whatever you do, resist the temptation to simply copy someone else’s picture file to use in your listing. Not only is this unethical, but it misrepresents the exact item you’re selling. You could also find yourself on the wrong side of a copyright lawsuit if the owner of the photo takes particular offense.

Use a digital camera. Although you can take pictures with a normal film camera, develop the film, and have your film processor transfer your photos to graphics files on a photo CD, it’s a lot easier if you start with digital at the sourceespecially if you plan on listing a lot of items on eBay. You can pick up a good low-end digital camera for $200 or less these days, and going direct from camera to computer (and then to eBay) is a lot easier than any other method.

If you’re shooting a small item, your camera may have difficulty focusing if you get too close. Use your camera’s macro focus mode to enable sharp focus closer to the object.

Take more than one photo. Don’t snap off a quick picture and assume you’ve done your job. Shoot your item from several different angles and distancesand remember to get a close-up of any important area of the item, such as a serial number or a damaged area. You may want to include multiple photos in your listingor just have a good selection of photos to choose from for that one best picture.