How do you make an attractive advert on an ad site?

The sale of second-hand products between private individuals on classified ad sites such as Vinted or Leboncoin is growing year on year. Selling second-hand clothes when they don't fit any more, furniture when you're moving house, a car when you want a new one... it's become a trend, not least because it's a great way to make money! As the second-hand market grows, more and more major retailers are opening their own second-hand sales sections. We can cite brands such as Cdiscount, Zalando, Ikea, Décathlon and even La Redoute with La Reboucle... In fact, according to BFM TV, more than one in 4 French people (29%) of purchasing age have already bought at least one second-hand item. So how do you create an attractive advert on a classified ads site to stand out from the competition? Here are a few tips:

1. Select a catchy title

Writing an eye-catching ad starts with the headline. Structure your advert title so that it includes the following information:

• The name of the object

• The brand of the item sold

• The model

• The state of the object

Keep the title of your ad short and to the point. For example, if you choose to sell a pair of shoes on a private sale website, there's no point in specifying "shoe" in your title; just indicate the make, model and size of your item. For example, the title of an ad for an Adidas Superstar could be "Adidas Superstar, S36, excellent condition".

If your article has a special feature that makes it stand out from the others, specify it directly in your title, which will attract more people.

2. Take care with the body of your advert

There are lots of ads out there, and you're not the only one selling a wooden coffee table. To convince potential buyers, you need to give as many details as possible in just a few words.

This will allow you to select the most important information and correct any spelling mistakes.

Your ad must contain at least the following information:

• Your item branding: one of the most important elements of your advert

• Condition (fair, satisfactory, good, very good, new)

• Date of purchase

• Its technical characteristics (colour, dimensions, model, etc): don't hesitate to visit the official website where you bought your property to find the technical data sheet for your product.

• Its price: refer to step 3

• Defects, if any: be as honest as possible in your advert

• Reasons for selling: state why you want to sell your item, to reassure the buyer.

• Your sales deadlines (urgent advert, date of collection of the item, etc.)

• Your contact details (e-mail address or telephone number)

• The meeting place: refer to step 5

Finally, in your advert, make sure you use the right keywords to get the best possible listing on the site where you are putting your property up for sale. The keywords you choose must be relevant. Don't hesitate to read ads similar to yours to find out which keywords are used.

3. Set the right price

It's vital to set a price that reflects the value of your product, striking the right balance between the financial benefit to you and to the buyer. If the price of your product is too high, your ad will be overlooked.

On classified ad sites like Leboncoin, visitors often search for similar products in a very specific price range. If the price is too high, your ad will not appear in their searches. To set the price of your product boldly, here are a few tips:

• Browse the ad site and look closely at the prices displayed on ads similar to yours. This will give you a better idea of the value of your property on the second-hand market and enable you to match the prices of your competitors.

• If your item is damaged or has defects, it's up to you to adjust the price of your property to reflect its condition.

• If your item is worth more than €100, it is advisable to allow a small margin, as the buyer will probably try to negotiate with you on the price.

4. Take quality photos

To give your item a better chance of being seen and to make potential buyers want to click on your ad, it is essential to include photos. Visitors are less likely to be attracted to an item if they don't have all the information they need about it.

To give you an idea, an ad without a photo is viewed almost seven times less often than one with at least one photo. This means that the most motivated buyers will ask you for photos, while the others will move on. In any case, you will very often be asked to share photos of the item in question, so it's best to do so from the outset, and with quality photos.

Depending on the classified ad site you want to sell on, you will have a limited number of photos that you can publish free of charge. Here are a few tips on how to showcase your item through your photos in the ad:

• It's vital to present your property in an attractive, well-groomed way.

• It is absolutely essential to avoid blurred, dark photos and photos where the object is not clearly visible. For example, don't take photos of the object in your garage with a multitude of objects surrounding the one you want to sell.

• Take photos of the object from different angles. For example, for a bag, it might be interesting to take photos of the top, sides, inside, etc.

• Above all, don't use screenshots found on the Internet. Buyers can easily guess this and don't appreciate it.

Here's an example of an ad where the bag is highlighted

5. Be clear about the meeting place for the exchange

It is important that you are clear from the outset about where the item will be exchanged. Especially if you don't want to send it to the other end of France to avoid transport costs or for any other reason.

When it comes to hand delivery, we strongly advise you to avoid making the exchange directly at your home. Instead, agree with the buyer to meet outside, in a car park or café, for example.

If you find yourself in a situation where you can't do otherwise, because of an imposing object or the impossibility of moving, for example, don't worry, there are solutions. Here are a few tips:

• Indicate a fairly precise location around your home, but above all do not give your address in the advert.

• If you live in a large city, simply indicate the arrondissement.

• If you have to make the exchange from home, ask a friend to be present for the exchange and do not give the buyer your digicode.

6. Post your ad at the right time

On most private sales websites, ads are listed in chronological order. For example, Leboncoin has an average of 800,000 ads per day, or around 10 ads per second, so it's very easy to find yourself on page 3. To do this, you need to be rigorous about the time of publication of your ad.

Business is generally concluded in the evening or at the weekend. The best times are Friday evenings and Saturdays before midday. Post your ads at these times, and you'll get the most hits.

In addition, some classified ad sites such as Leboncoin and Vinted give you the option of boosting your articles so that they are seen by as many people as possible. Of course, this is a paying feature. Wait a few days to see if your ad is seen by enough people. If it is, it's not worth boosting it.

If you don't manage to sell your item and you don't want to pay more to boost it, our little trick is to delete your ad and recreate it a few minutes later, so that it automatically rises in the rankings.

Secure your transactions on classified ad sites with Obvy

The ad sites never intervene in the transactions. The choice of payment method is made between the buyer and the seller. So it's vital to choose a secure payment method to avoid the scams that can be found on classified ad sites. With Obvy as your 100% secure payment solution, you'll have a history of your transactions, which will be essential in the event of any scam attempt.

If you follow our advice on how to create an attractive advert on classified ad sites and use a secure payment method, then you have every chance of making transactions with confidence and peace of mind.