The vast majority of buyers search through eBay listings by entering item they are looking for into eBay's search engine. The main auction search engine only searches for words listed in auction titles. If a person selects a word that isn't in your auction title, your auction won't come up as a result of their search.

This means that by far most important task you have when composing a title for your auction is to use words that are relevant and specific to item you are listing. While this may seem obvious, a lot of sellers don't do it (in fact, searching for listings in which people have ineffective or misspelled titles can often get you some great items which you can resell for a profit).

If you are going to spend any extra time on your auctions, thinking through best key words for your title is where you should spend that time.

With a limit of 45 spaces, writing everything you want in title just isn't going to be possible. For example, say you have a complete set of four bobblehead giveaways, sponsored by Mountain Dew, that Minnesota Twins gave away at select home games during 2002 season.

Although accurate, that description is way too long for allowable number of spaces. The key is to think through an accurate description that includes everything and then taking most important words out of that and using them.

A simple title might read "Minnesota Twins Bobbleheads". However, that title would be ineffective because it isn't specific enough. While there are many buyers who are looking for Minnesota Twins memorabilia and bobblehead dolls, categories are too large and your auction will be lost among all listings. You will have a very limited number of people who will ever see your auction.

For example, let's assume you have a Tonka truck that you had as a child. Do you place it under toys, collectibles, or automotive? And, once you've decided on one of those three, you still need to decide what sub-category you will list it under.

Choosing category and sub-category you list your item in is not a trivial decision. It can mean difference between making a sale and no sale at all. It can mean difference between multiple bidders and only one bidder.

Here are some tips to help you select best category and sub-category for your item:

1. Begin by checking all categories that your item might fit into. This may take some time, but it's time well spent. And, as you become more experienced you won't need to spend as much time on this in future. Look at each category and ask yourself:

-> Are there other similar items for sale here? -> If there are, do they have bids? -> How do final prices in this category compare to those in other categories?