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A picture may be worth a thousand words, but you will still need a few good ones to sell your auction items. Item descriptions can make a sale or frighten off prospective buyers. Here are some tips to help you increase interest in your auction items.
Don't wait until you go online to write your description. Write your descriptions on your word processor or on paper before entering it into the auction. Print it out and read it. Make corrections. THEN go online.
Use a template. Work up a sheet for each item that lists price, condition, flaws, etc. This will help you gather your thoughts as well as ensure that you don't leave out important facts. Leave a section for notes to yourself about the photo quality. For instance, if the item shows up darker on the photo, be sure and note that in your final description.
Avoid using the word rare. If you don't know whether or not an item is rare, then don't use the word. An experienced collector WILL know, and a novice will resent you later if he or she pays too much based on your description. Also, keep in mind that some items are common in some regions and scarce in others. This makes the use of the term "hard to find" equally likely to make buyers skeptical of your honesty or item knowledge.
Use spell check. While someone might not refuse to bid on a description full of misspellings, it can hurt your image. If you intend to be a frequent online seller, you don't want to risk your reputation over easily corrected errors.
Engage the senses with color, texture and motion. "A richly textured velvet jacquard in the deepest burgundy" sounds better than "a purple velvet pillow".
Keep your sentences short and on point. Don't turn your description into a version of "War and Peace." The buyer wants pertinent details and short anecdotes if they are interesting and true. "This came from my Aunt Lil's estate. She purchased the cups in 1906 while in Europe," works. Too much information begins to sound like a tall tale.
Ask yourself why the buyer would want your item. Be sure and include the answer in your description. This works especially well if the item is incomplete. A colleague of mine had the bottom half of a birdbath she wanted to sell. I told her it would make a wonderful stand for a Victorian gazing ball or an ornate base for a tabletop. She included that in the description and the item sold quickly. I am sure her final price was far better than if she had tried to sell a "broken birdbath".
Flatter your bidder. When I sell clothes online, I tell the bidder how great they are going to look in the item. This works very well and contrasts nicely to catalogues with intimidatingly gorgeous models.
Always say thanks. After the description and the terms of sale, be sure and say thank you! Everyone likes to be appreciated, and if you don't sell to this person today they will remember and be back tomorrow.
Here are two sample descriptions. Which would you rather buy?
RARE OLD BOX
This pretty little box came from an estate sale I went to a couple of weeks ago. The lady had a grate collection of European things from France and England. I think this might have been something she picked up on her many trips to Europe. It has lots of prety flowers carved on it and just a few scratches, you could probably buff them out if you wanted to. I am not going to try cause I don't want to mess it up. I am not sure what this is worth, but I am pretty sure its valuable. I've never seen another one like it.
LINDEN WOOD BOX FROM POLAND
This is a lovely trinket box made of carved linden wood from Poland. It has a repeating sunflower pattern carved along the top and three sides. The background is textured in the seed pattern typical of these boxes. The box has a dark stain finish except for the leaves, which are painted a deep green and the sunflowers, which are left natural. It measures 8 inches long by 2 inches high and 3.5 inches wide. The top is attached with two sturdy hinges that operate smoothly. The wood is not warped and the box opens and closes easily. There is one small scratch on the top--see photo number two.
The Facts about the Box
The two auction descriptions above both describe the same item. It is a linden wood box I picked up at an art gallery about 15 years ago. It is very nice and really is from Poland. You can buy similar boxes of lesser quality at places like Pier One. They too are from Poland. With the first description you might make more money, however, you are going to have one unhappy customer when he or she begins to see her "rare" box in department stores, garage sales and the goodwill.
The Moral of the Story
If you don't know for sure, don't say or insinuate it. If you really do think something is valuable, take the time to research it and be sure one way or the other.
With a little practice, you will be able to improve your descriptions and improve your sales results! Good luck!
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