EBay Strategies - the Auction Title

With new software tools and auction options in place, there is a myriad of avenues in which potential buyers can find your goods posted on eBay.  Home Page Featured, eBay Stores, Fixed-Price auctions, even dedicated storefronts used by 3rd-party developers such as ChannelAdvisor and MarketWorks.

Keeping all of these options in mind, there is still the old adage to remember:  the more things change, the more they stay the same.  This is applicable by the fact that there has been one universal constant from the early eBay days to present time that is the key feature to draw in new buyers:  the item title.  The item title should be clear, concise, descriptive, bulging with keywords, and all within the short 55-character space provided. 

This begs the question, though - which is more important: the title or the description?

Well, in my opinion, they each share a different level of importance, but if I was going to pick one over the other, I would choose the auction title.

The description should serve to answer any and all potential buyer's questions - particularly in the used goods market.  Condition, usage, accessories included, features, etc - these should all be here.  If that information is lacking, then two things will happen.  One, you will receive a flood of e-mail inquiries requesting the information necessary for a smart buy... and second, you'll be turning away a host of potential bidders that don't want to bother requesting information and waiting for a reply... especially when they can purchase from your competitors right away.

Even with the best descriptions, an auction needs to be found to be read.  It is for this reason that a proper item title is necessary and vital to the success of an auction.

Searchable keywords are the foundation for a good title.  For instance, to enter the market of advanced computers - if I had a tape drive on my hand, it would serve me well to have as many features and specifications about the drive as possible in my title.