Tip of the Day – 3/22/2011

Selling aquarium equipment and livestock on nation wide reef forums can be a daunting task with many complications, but it doesn’t always have to be. Take quality photos of the items you wish to sell, describe them as accurately as possible, and price them competitively but not insanely low. Understand that you will most likely eat shipping expenses and PayPal fees, so either build them into your price or be prepared to not make as much off of what you are selling. Once your item sells, package it in the manner that you would like to receive it. For example, don’t put a coral frag in just a few ounces of tank water and let it sit in the bottom of the bag. Carefully attach the coral upside down to a piece of styrofoam and use enough water to keep it floating and from puncturing the bag. For aquarium equipment, disassemble the item and secure things properly. You wouldn’t want anything to break during the shipment. Which brings me to my next point, ship the item out as soon as possible. The purchaser is expecting timely delivery, so don’t wait a few days to ship the item. Instead, shoot for the very next business day, if your schedule permits. And always, keep lines of communication with the buyer open. Respond to all emails or private messages in a timely manner. Dealing with a total stranger selling equipment can be nerve racking, so don’t leave the buyer hanging.