eBay, my way: Six steps to earning great sales (and feedback) on eBay

Greetings from carmaproductions! OK, so you know me better as "Recession Diaries" columnist Lou Carlozo. But over the years, I've also made a hobby of buying and selling on eBay, amassing great finds, surprising sales and 100 percent positive buyer/seller feedback. That should especially come in handy next month, as eBay plans to offer sellers five free listings every 30 days. (Check out the WalletPop story here.)

Note that eBay will still charge 8.75% of the final price at the end of the auction, or $20, whichever is lower. But with all that free auction love to spread around, now is the time to scour your garage, attic or basement for things to hawk. Here are my six tips for doing it right:

1) Research before you sell. Look around eBay and see what items similar to yours sell for. Can you offer a competitive "buy it now" price? Is the site glutted with that item? Can you offer an edge over your competitors, such as free shipping?