Many sellers on eBay list their items whenever they’ve got the time and something to list, without giving a second thought to timing.

This is a big mistake because when your auction ends is one of the biggest determinants of its success.

eBay sees most of its traffic on a Sunday after dinner, which means that many items are bid on and purchased during that small window of time. More traffic translates into more people viewing your items, which can encourage a bidding war and drive up your final selling prices.

That’s not to say that everything on eBay sells best on a Sunday evening. Some items sell better at different times of day and on different days of the week, so you’ve got to do your homework. To learn what sells best when, my favorite research tools are Terapeak and HammerTap. These are powerful programs that use eBay data to tell you what days and times are most profitable for the items that you’re selling. And yes, I have mentioned both of these services before since I am a firm believer that research will set you apart from the rest! It’s that simple, really!

Terapeak and HammerTap can also tell you the length of auction that’s ideal for your specific items. Generally speaking, it’s good to list your items for as long as you can (up to 7 days is free), but item-specific research can tell you which items sell better as 1, 3, or 5 day auctions. Also, bear in mind that you’ll have to pay an extra $0.40 if you choose to list for 10 days. Those fees can add up, especially if you’re selling low-cost items!

When you do list your auction, consider not only which day it will end on but also the timing, and remember that auctions are on a 24-hour clock – if you list an item for seven days on Wednesday at 4:23am, it will close on the following Wednesday at 4:23am (give or take a few minutes for eBay to get your listing up and running). Don’t forget to take time zones into consideration, too!

It doesn’t take long to get the hang of listing your items at strategic times. All it takes is tools like HammerTap or Terapeak and a few clicks of your mouse. It could be the difference between an auction that flops and one that makes you some serious cash!

Wishing you rippling success!

Svenja