5 Tips for Taking Better eBay Photos, Faster 

I have been selling on eBay off and on since 2008. One thing I do to make listing faster for me is when I'm looking up an item in the thrift store, I just go ahead and save it as a draft with just putting the price in and not changing anything else. That way, I'm not doing that research twice. Thanks for your very informative videos. I'm local to you, Imperial.

This is the greatest channel i’ve found that helps ebay sellers, love your content!

Your communication skills are top notch, and your information is golden. I've been selling and doing well on ebay for quite awhile now, but still find value in watching others talk about their process on youtube. Thanks so much! I'm going to subscribe.

THANK-YOU Justin, I've been searching for months for the right white background. I've always used foam, board, but I get lines at times, and it gets dirty. I spent hours and hours watching YT, trying to find something perfect for me. I just recently purchased lights like yours, but needed a new background. Then I saw you with Jrides, and was very impressed with your knowledge, and no non-sense vibe. So I subscribed. Thanks for showing the background you use, and giving the model number, where to purchase., price. Those details make a huge difference when someone is looking for something, and a lot of YTubers doesn't really go into details. I went right to Home Depot and was able to use the model number you gave from Lowes to get the exact background. I couldn't be happier. Finally the perfect white clean background. The best thing is being able to clean it. Gets a little dirty, just wipe it down! Sorry so long winded, but you have no idea, how many videos, and research I did before I found yours. Thanks to Jride too, since you were on his YT.

Every time I watch 1 of your videos I get more & more confident on getting more done with my eBay store. I thank you SO much for these great tips & precise tips on "how to" get ALL this done in a proper time frame. Much respect!

You are a natural teacher! Thank you for your guidance. I'm learning a lot from you and I appreciate it!

Justin you are so helpful and I can tell that these vids are well planned and thoughtful. Thank you so much!

Just bought these lights through your link. Thank you, sir.

This was so helpful!! Thank you!!

This is Gold! Thank you Justin😊

Went right to lowes and bought that! Game changer to my setup! thanks for your content!

I rarely use my computer. I pick my items. I do quick search on my app, find very similar or identical that was sold, scroll down and pick sell something like that, I pick that get my photos, edit it as I go, scroll through the listing, getting adjustments that are relevant to my item and within 3-5 minutes I am done. I sell small items so I know the weight already but in case of larger item I put a weight and all dimensions and pick my shipping. You are very right about jewelry. iPhone does not produce good photos but I am going to buy macro lens that can be attached to the lens phone. I had it with my 8 and loved it. Very informative and very well presented. One of the best channels, by the way. You treat it as business and you talk about it in terms of actual calculations, and investments in your business. Awesome job!!!

Bro I look forward to your new videos as I learn something useful constantly. Many thanks for how you breakdown your content with a easy to follow( esp if you plan to apply this info) way of delivering it. Keep up the good work & again thanks bro

subbed. Love the no BS, straightforward content. Thanks

First, I set aside the items I plan on listing. I then research price and on a sheet of paper with a pen I write down all the info that I need to complete the listing including title, any condition notes, shipping dimensions, weight and UPC if applicable. As soon as I have all the necessary listing info on the item I then take photos (with a very similar set that was shown here) using my smart phone of the item I just researched. Then tag the individual item and put it on a shelf. Once I’ve completed this process for every item I want to list at that sitting I then head over to my desktop/laptop computer and start creating drafts for each item. I find the desktop interface of eBay easier and faster to create listing than on the app. Also, I always select a currently listed item when I start the listing process and then select sell similar item. I’ll add the appropriate information for the new listing (but do not add photos yet) and than save it for later. This adds the listing to the drafts folder. Then I’ll use the newly created listing that I just saved to the draft folder and select “create similar” and add the info to the the new draft and save again continuing the process until all items are saved as drafts. Once I have all the drafts done I go back to the smartphone, open the eBay app and then one by one add the photos using the tools in the app to edit each. Once all the photos of the item are added and edited it goes live. It might sound a little complicated but i found it the fastest way to list at a high volume. Check out my store at: www.AntiqueExcavator.com

Yayyyy! This is the video I have been waiting for! (I’m the one who asked about your white background on your Instagram). This is fantastic!!! Thank you!!! 😊

thanks for this informative video! I have been taking the photos on my phone, going and drafting them, and then uploading the photos from my phone. Thank you for this great information!

Great information! Thanks 😊

Great tips. I have yet to get a dedicated spot for photography stuff and it definitely is the root of all procrastination when it comes to listing. I have to wipe down my dining room table, and make sure the kids have not wiped gross stuff on the wall i use to photograph clothing. lm also beginning to think clothing is pretty high maintenance in regards to how long it takes to measure and get the colors accurate. Thank you for all your posts. Love them. Organized and to the point.

I process all my items as soon as I get them home. I clean them, and then take photos to start researching what I am not sure about. You showed me a huge time saver with the create drafts on my desktop then take the photos and upload them from my phone. I have a nice Canon that I started using and realized pretty quickly I was going to need a way to streamline that process. Sorry, Canon back in the closet ya go! Thanks Justin!

Excellent.

Thank you 😊Justin, this is the best video I have seen on eBay photos - it gives excellent tips and solid information to improve photos and I like your systems approach to listing. I prefer not seeing people's hands and FEET either lol!!😂😂

I am old to so I agree with you using your desktop instead of the phone, lol Thank you for the great info!

I list the same way with the laptop next to the photo station if I need to make any changes. I can list about 5 items a hour but my average profit from sale is $40 so im happy with that.

I appreciate your advice

Actually you can get a close up of jewelery with your phone. You can achieve this by taking a normal picture as close as you can without distorting the photo, then going in and doing a quick edit of the photo and enlarging the item to where it fits perfect in the picture.

Another tip for jewelry or very small items is to use the magnifying lens app on your phone. You can save your screen to your images. This is a good way to show markings and hallmarks on jewelry very close up.

My 1st step is on the cellphone I looked up the item with the lock set for solds then click sell similar, fill out my price and shipping save as draft. 2nd step I take photos with the last photo being number of envelope or tote its going in. 3rd I open my drafts add the photos, update any info and put the sku in the draft. Then its ready to go.

Great tips!

Now I use a smart phone iPhone 14 but previously I used my Kindle Fire tablet for beautiful photos. I had the eBay App on the Kindle Fire.

Hi Justin, I have not used my phone before, but will give it a go and see if I can get my timings better. I tend to list 5 or 10 things daily using all the same items (ie all books or cds), I just find the last one listed and sell similar so I only have to change a few things and then don't end up with having to use a draft. I too use a laptop for listing as I find it quicker, getting too old to use the phone.

Thank you so much for this video! One roadblock I'm having as a new seller is calculating shipping costs before publishing the listing. I've decided not to do free shipping. Because I'm a small seller I don't have a bulk amount of shipping supplies at hand, but rather a lot of various sized boxes that I already had at home (did recently purchase some bubble mailers for smaller items). As a result, I find myself having to not only weight the item but also cobble together shipping supplies for that item so I can weigh them too. Do you have any tips for improving my workflow in this area?

Dang Justin, you’re good 👍

Justin, excellent photo set-up video!! Question: When do you weigh the item or do you only use Priority Flat Rate for shipping. Or do you use a hybrid shipping method? Thank you! RC

I saw you playing Techmo Bowl on NES....best game ever as a kid....LOL

I use a real camera for most of my photos because I prefer to use studio strobes instead of constant lights. I used CFLs for a long time and the heat used to turn the room into a sweatbox. The camera is connected to a PC via a USB cable and I can access the memory card without removing it from the camera.

Hi Justin. Just found and loving your channel, and already bought the white backdrop from Lowe's. How did you attach it to your wall? Thank you!

Your RU-vid channel is one of the best that I have found since combing through RU-vid in the last 30 days. I am new so understanding the reseller market is step 1 in my book. You have graciously given followers your knowlege and experience in reselling on ebay that I have found. I know you are correct when you suggest that everyone have goals, or a business plan, in order to be sucessful. And, I can not say enough about your program Flipwise. Having come from the computer industry, your program is the most important KEY to reselling sucess. If I don't know the specifics of where I am and if I am profitable I can not make corrections and would eventually go out of buisness. Would you tell me what the white background is for your photo shoots. I did read other comments below and one person mention the background and Home Depot and Lowes. I did not see that information in the comments section with the other products you referenced and nothing regarding Home Depot/Lowes. Thank you so much

Do you use the promoted listings feature? Thanks

I do my research at the same time as I’m doing the listing draft so I can add any key words and the price right then.

Photos, research- I use my photos to research on Google lens, listing. All in the phone.. but I have trouble with small details of the photos considering upgrading my phone.

great Video , so agree on body parts, hate to see your hands , fingers, anything !

This man is an eBay god

What about dust and reflections?

Justin suggestions on how to hang the 4x8 sheet from the ceiling?

I totally agree on keeping your body parts out of it - I'm always surprised by how many sellers do this - looks so unprofessional!! Makes me cringe every time.

Hi Justin, thank you for the tips, agree with you. I have sometimes problem photographing long dresses, the lights I use are not sufficient. Do you have any tips how to tackle this? Thank you

I have the Iphone 15 Pro Max and often the pictures don't come out the exact colour or are much darker. I have stand lights and try to get the best light but still sometimes they do not look great (not really the quality but more the colour or lightening) Any advise thanks :) I am mostly selling clothing

Don’t mind a finger to point out flaws, for example, but what bugs me is items on the floor! Sure, it’s a pre-owned item, but why conjure images of it being on a dirty floor?! With dirty toes 😂 I start my process on the desktop with templates, take photos on phone, add to the drafts and then complete on desktop. Sometimes I will complete the listing for going live from my phone (while waiting in line somewhere, etc). Trying to get faster with the listing details. So. Many. Fields. In. Ebay. !!!! Thanks for your videos!

Hey, that's my VCR player listing! 😂 might i add, the one with slightly better lighting 😂

👁️ Killa

I have another question, how do you attach the bendable plastic sheet to your wall?

I’m starting to get into reselling more seriously. I will be working with very limited space soon. Should I invest in a storage locker or vintage booth? Based out of Tampa Florida

Question, I find that i have to edit the photo size and brightness, so I do that on the desktop. Can that be done from the ebay app? Great video!

Is there a way to add video to my listings like I can on Poshmark? I get so many more sales on posh I think because of the video

My hangup is knowing how much the item will weight with box and packaging. I hear it has to be exact, because even a few ounces over or few inches too large for box can have me paying a lot in overages. How do you manage this? Seems like you photograph, list, and into the inventory it goes; do you just estimate the final weight and dimensions of shipping box?

I spent all this time yesterday going through my eBay store and placing the Custom Label (SKU) on items locations trying to get organized. I sold an item today and I can't find the SKU number. How do you and everyone else see the SKU number after an item sells? The only way I found to see it is go to the sold item and hit revise (if its a qty item) or sell similar (if it's a one off) to see it under the Title section on my desktop. Hope you have the answer if you even get to read this comment. Thanks and keep up the amazing work, you're awesome and very helpful!

😇🙏

Don't be bashful on holding something down but try to make your fingernails clean or trimmed. It's often a lot easier to hold something open and snap a shot that's my opinion. If they're that picky they should not be buying something used. But put that photo in the 5th or 6th slot or further down so it is not the thumbnail. Also I prefer manually transferring my photos but my setup is pretty fast takes less than a minute to transfer & they upload faster on my computer via batch image compression with a nice CPU behind it that is a lot faster than a smartphone. Way less errors when listing. I live way out in middle of nowhere as well so my phone which is my internet will not allow me to upload without the phone being aimed like a satelite dish. So listing manually is your best bet with any sort of internet or ebay glitch. Pre-compressed photos go up so much faster. The batch compression only takes about a minute or less per day of photos and that can be like 600+ photos. That's how I get my photos down to 1:1 as well. If ebay does switch to 4:3 the compressor has that crop as well.

Does that waterproof wall panel scratch/damage easily?

Which is better for comics, a white or a black background?

My names Justin too

I use my iPad which I think works just as good if not better than my iPhone.

That photograph workbench made of wood. Did you make that or can i buy that somewhere?

Can you do one for clothing please 😊

The lighting you recommended is no longer available. You may want to add a substitution link. : )

Just I did subscribe .I never sell or buy in eBay . I have experience in retail and wholesale in my back home [ before moved to the USA] for many, many years but not online . So what's your advice if I want start resale on eBay .I have $20000 for inventory what should I buy whit this mouny. To not lose my savings

I use my iPhone or galaxy note been selling 3 months on eBay and made over 8k you just need your phone and a steady hand

My tip: Use a collage for your main photo. Most items can’t be captures in a single photo. If your buyers are scrolling through 100s of items, a collage will make yours stand out. In a single photo, they will see multiple views of your item. Ex. Sweatshirt with cool images on the front and back or a pair of shoes that you want to show the soles ands the tag in addition to the shoes themselves.

Or exactly what he said! Lol

I use daylight a few feet from a window with items on a thin 2 x 2' white marble slab. However, you mistated something. You can list anytime of the day, not just daytime. If you use only daylight, you can only get pictures during those peek light hours. 99% of what I sell is media and first class size, and a few lots a month. As for inputting each item's cost; that's too itemized for a small-time seller. Ask your accountant: 99% will say to just do a "money out/money in" method. What ALL monies you spent for the year, what all monies you gross for the year. I.E. Spent $100K, grossed $200K. Pay your taxes on the total net of $100K. Itemized wont apply until you net over a $500k per year - highest tax bracket.

Using a computer and mouse because it’s easier than an app because you are old…Sir, you are my people 😅

Nintendo!!

Keep your toes private!!!! 😂😂😂😂

You're not old, lol!!!

Toes and dirty fingernails are a BIG no-go for me. I don’t buy from those sellers.

I have templates where I just change applicable details for each listing. This helps make posting faster and also helps prevent me from forgetting info on a listing