Tips for Sellers
Under federal law, you’re required to advertise your product or service and the terms of the sale honestly and accurately. You can’t place “shill” bids on your item to boost the price or offer false testimonials about yourself in the comment section of Internet auction sites.You’re prohibited from auctioning illegal goods; some auction sites have further prohibitions on sales of other items. While many auction sites monitor to ensure that illegal items are not being offered, the responsibility for ensuring that a sale is legal rests with the seller and buyer. Some auction sites post a list of prohibited items.You are required to ship merchandise within the time frame specified during the auction, or within 30 days, if a time frame is not specified. If you can’t meet the shipping commitment, you must give the buyer an opportunity to agree to the new shipping date or cancel the order for a full refund. To learn more about your responsibilities when shipping products, see A Business Guide to the Federal Trade Commission’s Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule.
Anticipate questions buyers might have and address them in the description of your item or service.
When possible, include a photograph of the item. There’s much truth to the saying that “a picture is worth a thousand words.”
Specify the minimum bid you’re willing to accept.
Specify who will pay for shipping, and whether you’ll ship internationally.
State your return policy, including who’s responsible for paying shipping costs or restocking fees if the item is returned.
Let prospective bidders know whether you provide follow-up service; if you don’t, tell them where they can get it.
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