· Starting an Ebay Business An Online

Ebay Gold By: Greg Hayes
Internet auctions are relatively new having been around since the mid 1990's. There are several Internet auctions including Yahoo Auctions and UBid. But of course the undisputed king of Internet auctions is Ebay. Ebay has over 100 million registered users making it one of the top 10 most visited websites in the world.

I discovered Ebay way back in 1998. At first, I was strictly a buyer. I was amazed at the thousands of items that could be found on Ebay. Just about anything you can imagine can be found on Ebay. And there were more incredible bargains to be found than at any other ecommerce website or brick and mortar store I had ever visited. After about six months or so of buying, I began selling items on Ebay. I had an extensive collection of unbuilt as well as built plastic model cars. I began placing the models on Ebay with starting bids of $5.00 and no reserve. To my surprise, people started jumping all over these model kits. Some of them sold for as high as $70.00. It was at this time that I realized the enormous money making potential of Ebay. The key to being a successful seller on Ebay is selling items that people want. There are a number of ebooks on Internet auctions that tell of the importance of a great headline and a killer ad for your auction. While this is true, it is also important to remember that the best ad in the world will never sell an item that no one wants. The items that do well on Ebay are unique or interesting items. Antiques, pottery, collectables and high-end apparel are just a few of the items that will bring high bids on Ebay. If you can easily find the item at Wal-Mart, chances are it will not do well on Ebay.

There are a number of wholesalers around the country that you can buy merchandise from to sell on Ebay. But before you buy, do your homework. It's very tempting to buy a bunch of electronic widgets that sell for $2.00 a piece. You might think you can buy 20 of the $2.00 widgets and then sell them for $12.00 a piece on Ebay and make a killing. Unfortunately, you discover that no one is bidding on your widgets despite the fact that you have started the bidding at a mere $6.00. In fact, there are very few people that are even viewing your auctions. The end result is you are now stuck with 20 widgets that no one wants. The first mistake here was not doing a search of widgets on Ebay to find out if they're hot or not. The second mistake was trying to sell an electronic item. Yes, I know there is a huge market for electronic gadgets. That's the problem; the market is too huge. It is already saturated. How many times a day are you bombarded with offers for the latest and greatest cell phone or digital camera? If you try to sell in this market on Ebay, you're encroaching on Best Buy's turf, which means you'll be smashed like a bug. On the other hand, how many offers do you receive for NASCAR collectibles or Gucci shoes? Or how about die cast models? These are the hot items on Ebay. These are in demand items and more importantly you can sell these items without competing against Wal-Mart and Best Buy.

If you're new to Ebay, the first thing you need to do is to build positive feedback. Feedback is vital to your success on Ebay. Potential buyers will read your feedback in order to determine if you're an honest seller. If you have high numbers of negative feedback, many buyers will look elsewhere. Take a look at some of the Ebay Power Sellers feedback. Many of them have feedback in the thousands with a rating of over 99% positive. It's no secret how these Power Sellers became successful on Ebay. They take care of their customers. This means they'll have plenty of repeat business.

When you first sign up with Ebay, you'll have zero feedback. Most buyers will shy away from an Ebay newbie with zero or very low feedback. Start building your feedback rating by selling personal items from around the house that you no longer want. This is a good way to get the feel of using Ebay and to build positive feedback. You should invest in a good digital camera. Good clear pictures are an important selling feature on Ebay. Remember to describe your items accurately and honestly. Do not try to trick or deceive buyers in any way. You can't afford receiving negative feedback this early in the game.

I came across a perfect example of a deceptive seller on Ebay a while back. The seller had sold a pair of slightly used shocks for a 2003 Chevy pickup. He used Ebay's Buy-It-Now feature to sell the shocks for just one cent. Wow! What an incredible deal! But wait a minute. The unwary buyer forgot to read the entire auction. The shipping charges were a whopping 60 bucks! The result was a pissed off buyer and negative feedback for the seller. This was an obvious attempt on the part of the seller to make money on the shipping costs. He was banking on the fact that the buyer would not read the entire auction and would simply assume the shipping charges would be reasonable. Do not use deception in your auctions or try to make money on shipping costs. If you treat your customers the way you expect to be treated you will never go wrong and you'll be well on your way to building a reputation as an honest top-notch seller.

If you happen to get a few non-paying bidders, resist the temptation to leave negative feedback for these individuals. Leaving negative feedback will only result in possible retaliation by the non-paying bidder and negative feedback for you. Once again, you do not want any negative feedback this early in the game. Buying items off of Ebay is another great way to build positive feedback. When you win an auction, pay for the item promptly. The result will be positive feedback for you. Most buyers will not care whether your feedback came as a result of buying or selling as long as it's positive.

After you've built a feedback rating of least 25, you'll be ready to start purchasing wholesale merchandise to sell on Ebay. Remember what I said about doing your homework before buying merchandise. If you have your eye on a particular item you think might sell on Ebay, first do a search of that item on Ebay to find out what people are bidding if anything on the item. If it looks hot, at least 7 or 8 bids, then it's probably a good bet. If it doesn't appear to be getting many bids, you should steer clear. You can also do an advanced search for auctions that have already ended. It's a great way to find out the final bid price for a particular item. A few extra minutes of research can save you from a giant headache down the road.

About the Author
Are You Tired of the scams and the get-rich-quick schemes?
Greg Hayes is founding editor of http://www.mammothprofits.com/.
Mammothprofits is the website devoted to helping others filter out
the scams and become successful in a home based business

top

Ebay Auction: Ebay Selling…Top 10 Secrets Revealed!!! By: T. Patrick

The Ebay explosion has hit astronomical proportions. Over 11 million people did a search for Ebay last month alone on the internet. From all walks of life, everyone is drawn to Ebay.
Some people use Ebay as a hobby to make extra cash. Some people have quit their jobs and are making their living off Ebay. On a monthly basis, the phenomenon of Ebay continues to expand and grow.
Naturally, the best advice is to start selling part time on Ebay so that you can learn the tricks and secrets. It will take some time to learn the inside secrets that the top sellers know. It can be a great way to make extra cash. Ebay will take some work and is not a get rich quick scheme. However, if you take your time and do research, you could make extra income for yourself and your family. After you start to make money on a consistent basis, you might consider doing Ebay as your full time job.
For your Ebay business, all you need is internet access and a product to sell. Don’t worry! If you don’t have a product, there are plenty of companies where you can purchase items to sell. SMC (Specialty Merchandise Corp)is one company where you can purchase items at reasonable below cost prices.
SMC can be found at: http://www.smcorp.com
Many people start off selling old or odd items from their homes. Others are going to garage sales and picking up great deals and then selling these products on Ebay. You can find almost anything on Ebay. You are only restricted by your own imagination.
Here is a little tip: Other’s people junk can be your gold mine! That old Barbie doll up in the attic or in the basement could be a gold mine and bring in a huge profit. For example, it is reported that the Collectibles Category is the top selling category on Ebay. An old barbie doll, old red wagon, and old clock are only a few examples of items in the Collectibles Category.
TOP 10 SECRETS FOR SELLING ON EBAY
1. Do your research!
Make sure there is a need for the item that you are selling. Do a search for your item and see how many items are found for your keyword search. Examine each auction and see the bid amount and number of bids. Follow a number of auctions for several days and see what the final bid is. This will give you an excellent idea if there is a need for your item. It will also help you estimate the amount of profit you can make from the auction. If you don’t find your item, it might not be worth your time listing that item. Try to find an item that people truly want. After you start making money with Ebay, you can always go back and list that original product.
2. Find the right Category for your item!
If you are selling a collectible, please make sure that you list it in the collectible category. If you are listing a toy or hobby, please make sure that you list it in the Toy and Hobbies Category. This could make it easier for people to find your item. Do your homework? Search for your item and see what categories other sellers listed the same item in.
3. Keywords and descriptions are critical!
Use the appropriate keywords to describe your product. If you are selling a Barbie Doll, specify the type of doll it is: 1980 Holiday Barbie Doll. If you are selling a model train, specify the type: HO Santa Fe Caboose. Your descriptions are critical to avoid any future problems or potential returns. Honesty is the best policy. If there is a chip, crack or dent, specify this in the description. This could save you a lot of aggravation later on. If a buyer truly wants your item, a crack or chip won’t stop them from bidding on your item.
4. Always post a photo with your auction!
Auctions with photos sell much better than ones that don’t have pictures. Try to take a picture of the actual item that you are selling. Many Ebay sellers will use stock photos or photos from the internet. This is a turn off and raises a question in the buyers mind. People can tell it is not the original item and this could hurt your bids. Show the buyer that you are honest and have nothing to hide. If you put a picture of the actual item, it builds more trust between you and the buyer. In my case, I have bypassed auctions with stock photos. If you don’t have a digital camera, you can always purchase a disposable camera. When you take the camera in to be processed, tell them that you would like to have the photos placed on a CD.
5. Make the Buying process Easy! Sign up for PayPal!
You want to make your auction easy for the buyer. PayPal is becoming very popular and many buyers prefer to pay with their PayPal accounts. The easier you make your auction, the better it is. In addition, you don’t have to worry about bad checks or money orders. It is a safer payment method for both the buyer and seller.
6. List your items during "Hot Time" buying Periods!
Time your auction so that it ends during peak buying times. If you live in the Eastern Time Zone, list your auction between 9pm-11pm, Central Time Zone list between 8-10pm, Mountain Time Zone between 7-9pm, and for the Pacific Time Zone list between 6-8pm. Thus, this will give you the biggest exposure at the end of your auction. If your auction ends at 2 in the morning, there won’t be to many people placing a bid. The debate is out as to what day your auction should end on. Some sellers report that Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are best. Other sellers report that Saturday and Sunday are best. Try experimenting with this to see what works best for your auctions.
7. Create an "About Me" Page on Ebay or another Free Website Page!
An "About Me" page can be critical to your success. It gives you chance to let the potential buyer know about you and your products. You can also get a free webpage from many companies in which you can promote yourself and your ebay auctions.
8. Feedback is Critical!
An ebay buyer looks at the feedback ratings. A negative feedback rating can ruin your chances of being successful. After your auction is over, please follow up with your buyer. Send them an email or call them if you have their phone number. Make sure that they are happy with their purchase. This is also important with your description. If you weren’t honest with your description, the buyer might be very disappointed and give you a negative rating. Ensure that your buyers are happy!!!
9. Excessive Postage costs can prevent bids!
Be reasonable with your shipping costs. Calculate the costs ahead of time and only charge the buyer a reasonable amount. It is not worth trying to make a couple extra dollars off the buyer because it will scare many people off. Charge the buyer the actual cost of shipping and state this in your auction so that there are no secrets. Be honest and the buyer will appreciate this.
10. Reserve Prices and Buy-it-Now can scare away potential buyers!
Buyers can be scared off by Reserve Prices and Buy-it-Now. In addition, Reserve Prices can limit your final auction price. Buy-it-Now shows that you have a certain limit to sell the product at. This is an auction! Let the buyers keep bidding at your products. If they feel they are getting a deal, they will place a bid.
You can be very successful on Ebay but you need patience and you need to do your homework.
Have fun with Ebay!

About The Author

T. Patrick is an avid ebay enthusiast and has spent time researching ebay for inside tips and tricks used by the power sellers. Patrick’s website includes: Ebay Quickie Tips, Benefits of being an Ebay Seller and Secrets for Selling on Ebay. Patrick also provides additional information on becoming a top seller on ebay. Please visit the following website for valuable information: http://www.geocities.com/ebayauction411

The Ebay "Powerseller" secrets to save you from the 3 P's By: Rob Noble
"The Ebay "Powerseller" secrets to save you from the 3 P's"
1100 words. Formatted to 60 characters.

You may publish this article free of charge in your ezine,
web site, ebook or print publication so long as the
copyright notice and the resource paragraph (at the end of
the article) are included.

Rob Noble
Email: ByRobNoble@robnoble.com

---------- Article Begins Below This Line ----------

THE EBAY "POWERSELLER" SECRETS TO SAVE YOU FROM THE 3 P's
Copyright 2003 Rob Noble

I'm just amazed that more people don't realise it! Ebay has
a secret that makes it THE best market in the world –
offline or online! In fact it's THE best market EVER. Do I
sound enthusiastic about Ebay?! I do! good - I love it.

Let me give you an example of why I love Ebay.

Years ago I set up my very first business to help me pay my
way through college. It was a stall selling antiques (well
more like rubbish!) in Camden market in London (yes, sorry
I'm a Brit!).

When I started I didn't have a clue. I went through all the
junk I'd collected over the years and put that as "stock".
Then I went to a number of auctions, rooted about in boxes
and bought some that looked "promising".

Then I rented my stall (5.30am to get a spare table) set up
my "stuff" and waited. 9 hours later, after watching person
after person perform the 3 P's (Pick up, Put down and P***
off! - apologies for the language but it IS the official
term amongst UK dealers) I began realising that my items
only appeared promising to ME!

During this time of sitting stiffly, trying to disappear
into my jacket both to keep warm and from sheer
embarrassment, I noticed that certain dealers seemed to act
like magnets. People didn't simply go to them to perform the
rites of the 3 P's, they actually lingered, discussed and,
joy of joys - reached into their wallets and bought!

Over the weeks I ventured over to these stalls and hovered
while I watched the magnificent spectacle of customers
parting with cash! Eventually even I couldn't help notice
that certain items seemed to be selling more regularly than
others, and, as some of the dealers took pity on an earnest
young man (I developed a helpless sort of pitiful look that
worked a treat!) I began to learn the business of buying
items that people actually WANT to buy. And miracle of
miracles came the day when I actually made more profit than
I was paying in rent for the stall!

The absolute, sheer, magnificent beauty of Ebay is you don't
have to go through all that. I don't think there can be any
market, of any kind, where so much information is available
to the public. Because Ebay allows you to SEARCH COMPLETED
AUCTIONS for free! And that is an advantage no other market
allows. Everything you could possibly need to know is there,
available to you just for the time required to root it out.

Now imagine, if back then, at Camden market I had been
allowed the same advantage.

Firstly, before going anywhere near an auction, I could have
had a good look at WHAT KIND OF THINGS WERE IN DEMAND. The
dealers attracting all those people at the market had learnt
over the years what kind of items were ready sellers and
what was likely to sit there for months tying up valuable
space and capital. With Ebay you can search the completed
auctions looking at the relative "SELL THRU RATES"
(percentage of sales to total number of auctions) and
condense those years of trial and error to a few days or
weeks of evening study.

Next, I could have saved myself a very large amount of
money. The other thing those dealers had learnt was that
"PROFITS ARE MADE WHEN YOU BUY"! If you pay too much for
your item, even though it's in demand, you lose! Again Ebay
completed auctions help you condense years of hard knocks
into a few evenings research into discovering your items
"ASP" (Average Selling Price).

Are you beginning to realise the extraordinary advantage of
Ebay?

How about this - what if while I was sitting there, in
Camden market (believe me, I had lots of time to spare!) I
could have had a crystal ball that let me see the details of
every one of the sales that were going on around me. Not
just what KIND of things were selling or at what average
price, but what brands sold most, what colors, years of
manufacture, sizes etc. and what prices encouraged more
sales than others. Advantages that not just allow me to
match what the other sellers were doing but to take the best
knowledge from each and merge it.

Just imagine!

I wouldn't have had to perfect my "take pity on me" look!
With a window into every detail of the most successful
dealers sales - even before I paid my first weeks rent money
or paid for my first auction purchase - I could have been
king! I could have set up my stall on that first, early
morning, knowing without a doubt that I had the items that
buyers were looking for at prices they were willing to pay.
My goodness, what I would have paid at that time for that
kind of advantage!

This, of course is just the tip of the iceberg - there is a
whole list of vital business information that can be learnt
from the Ebay completed auctions. For a fuller listing you
can see most of them at ProfitFacts for Ebay Auctions
http://www.profitfacts.com.

I estimated that, given my eventual earnings on that Camden
stall - after I had served my enforced apprenticeship – This
kind of vital market research would have saved me close to
$12,000.

But the real value of this amazing Ebay data isn't reserved
for antiques. There is an even greater potential for dealers
in new items. Product that can be easily bought in bulk for
a market known to exist, at a price known to sell.

So what is it going to be for you? suffer the 3 P's or take
the opportunity Ebay offers, and condense what would take
years of experience to learn in any other market.

Rob Noble
http://www.profitfacts.com

Rob Noble has had a varied business career including dealing
in antiques, owning a printing company, Venture capitalist
for a private investment consortium, trading index futures
and for the past two years - full time businesses on the web.
He is now CEO of ProfitFacts for Ebay a brand new service
which "tracks who's making big money on Ebay, how much they're
making and how they make it".

------------------ End of Article ------------------

About the Author
Rob Noble
http://www.profitfacts.com

Rob Noble has had a varied business career including dealing
in antiques, owning a printing company, Venture capitalist
for a private investment consortium, trading index futures
and for the past two years - full time businesses on the web.
He is now CEO of ProfitFacts for Ebay a brand new service
which "tracks who's making big money on Ebay, how much they're
making and how they make it".

The Ebay "Powerseller" secrets to save you from the By: Rob Noble
"The Ebay "Powerseller" secrets to save you from the 3 P's"
1100 words. Formatted to 60 characters.

You may publish this article free of charge in your ezine,
web site, ebook or print publication so long as the
copyright notice and the resource paragraph (at the end of
the article) are included.

Rob Noble
Email: ByRobNoble@robnoble.com

---------- Article Begins Below This Line ----------

THE EBAY "POWERSELLER" SECRETS TO SAVE YOU FROM THE 3 P's
Copyright 2003 Rob Noble

I'm just amazed that more people don't realise it! Ebay has
a secret that makes it THE best market in the world –
offline or online! In fact it's THE best market EVER. Do I
sound enthusiastic about Ebay?! I do! good - I love it.

Let me give you an example of why I love Ebay.

Years ago I set up my very first business to help me pay my
way through college. It was a stall selling antiques (well
more like rubbish!) in Camden market in London (yes, sorry
I'm a Brit!).

When I started I didn't have a clue. I went through all the
junk I'd collected over the years and put that as "stock".
Then I went to a number of auctions, rooted about in boxes
and bought some that looked "promising".

Then I rented my stall (5.30am to get a spare table) set up
my "stuff" and waited. 9 hours later, after watching person
after person perform the 3 P's (Pick up, Put down and P***
off! - apologies for the language but it IS the official
term amongst UK dealers) I began realising that my items
only appeared promising to ME!

During this time of sitting stiffly, trying to disappear
into my jacket both to keep warm and from sheer
embarrassment, I noticed that certain dealers seemed to act
like magnets. People didn't simply go to them to perform the
rites of the 3 P's, they actually lingered, discussed and,
joy of joys - reached into their wallets and bought!

Over the weeks I ventured over to these stalls and hovered
while I watched the magnificent spectacle of customers
parting with cash! Eventually even I couldn't help notice
that certain items seemed to be selling more regularly than
others, and, as some of the dealers took pity on an earnest
young man (I developed a helpless sort of pitiful look that
worked a treat!) I began to learn the business of buying
items that people actually WANT to buy. And miracle of
miracles came the day when I actually made more profit than
I was paying in rent for the stall!

The absolute, sheer, magnificent beauty of Ebay is you don't
have to go through all that. I don't think there can be any
market, of any kind, where so much information is available
to the public. Because Ebay allows you to SEARCH COMPLETED
AUCTIONS for free! And that is an advantage no other market
allows. Everything you could possibly need to know is there,
available to you just for the time required to root it out.

Now imagine, if back then, at Camden market I had been
allowed the same advantage.

Firstly, before going anywhere near an auction, I could have
had a good look at WHAT KIND OF THINGS WERE IN DEMAND. The
dealers attracting all those people at the market had learnt
over the years what kind of items were ready sellers and
what was likely to sit there for months tying up valuable
space and capital. With Ebay you can search the completed
auctions looking at the relative "SELL THRU RATES"
(percentage of sales to total number of auctions) and
condense those years of trial and error to a few days or
weeks of evening study.

Next, I could have saved myself a very large amount of
money. The other thing those dealers had learnt was that
"PROFITS ARE MADE WHEN YOU BUY"! If you pay too much for
your item, even though it's in demand, you lose! Again Ebay
completed auctions help you condense years of hard knocks
into a few evenings research into discovering your items
"ASP" (Average Selling Price).

Are you beginning to realise the extraordinary advantage of
Ebay?

How about this - what if while I was sitting there, in
Camden market (believe me, I had lots of time to spare!) I
could have had a crystal ball that let me see the details of
every one of the sales that were going on around me. Not
just what KIND of things were selling or at what average
price, but what brands sold most, what colors, years of
manufacture, sizes etc. and what prices encouraged more
sales than others. Advantages that not just allow me to
match what the other sellers were doing but to take the best
knowledge from each and merge it.

Just imagine!

I wouldn't have had to perfect my "take pity on me" look!
With a window into every detail of the most successful
dealers sales - even before I paid my first weeks rent money
or paid for my first auction purchase - I could have been
king! I could have set up my stall on that first, early
morning, knowing without a doubt that I had the items that
buyers were looking for at prices they were willing to pay.
My goodness, what I would have paid at that time for that
kind of advantage!

This, of course is just the tip of the iceberg - there is a
whole list of vital business information that can be learnt
from the Ebay completed auctions. For a fuller listing you
can see most of them at ProfitFacts for Ebay Auctions
http://www.profitfacts.com.

I estimated that, given my eventual earnings on that Camden
stall - after I had served my enforced apprenticeship – This
kind of vital market research would have saved me close to
$12,000.

But the real value of this amazing Ebay data isn't reserved
for antiques. There is an even greater potential for dealers
in new items. Product that can be easily bought in bulk for
a market known to exist, at a price known to sell.

So what is it going to be for you? suffer the 3 P's or take
the opportunity Ebay offers, and condense what would take
years of experience to learn in any other market.

Rob Noble
http://www.profitfacts.com

Rob Noble has had a varied business career including dealing
in antiques, owning a printing company, Venture capitalist
for a private investment consortium, trading index futures
and for the past two years - full time businesses on the web.
He is now CEO of ProfitFacts for Ebay a brand new service
which "tracks who's making big money on Ebay, how much they're
making and how they make it".

------------------ End of Article ------------------
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rob Noble
http://www.profitfacts.com
Rob Noble has had a varied business career including dealing
in antiques, owning a printing company, Venture capitalist
for a private investment consortium, trading index futures
and for the past two years - full time businesses on the web.
He is now CEO of ProfitFacts for Ebay a brand new service
which "tracks who's making big money on Ebay, how much they're
making and how they make it".

Selling Effectively on Ebay Motors By: Cherie Szilvagyi

Remember back when selling online was a new experience? Dealers tried everything to sell their vehicles online. Today’s market has expanded to include several hot online marketplaces but there is the largest online marketplace, Ebay. Ebay has evolved into an online solution for everything from whole towns to your favorite paperback book. Big or small it doesn’t matter, Ebay has everything for the savvy consumer.

Vehicles are plentiful on Ebay. Ebay sells a vehicle every minute for the savvy seller willing to invest his time and money in listing his vehicle online. Just how effective is selling on Ebay? A vehicle sells once every minute on Ebay that is very, very effective. Do all vehicles sell that are listed on Ebay? Actually, less than 10% of the vehicles listed on Ebay actually sell.

What are the companies doing that are selling effectively on Ebay? Is there a secret to their success? Consider that a digital camera and some basic design skils is all you need to sell on Ebay. Of course you also need a vehicle to sell. Which vehicle and how much will it sell for? How to type up the description so that that savvy consumer will want to purchase your vehicle?

All of these questions are asked each and every day by savvy individuals and auto dealers all across the United States. A company has come along that can help with your selling situation and take the work out of listing on Ebay Motors. That is right! No work for you! They take the pictures and handle your vehicle sale from start to finish. While handling emails and phone calls in a professional manner to produce a proven sales result.

A Consulting company called www.AutomobileClearingHouse.com has proven that they can sell cars on Ebay with a sell through factor much higher than the average consumer on Ebay. Take the work out of selling your vehicle on the world’s largest marketplace. Check out their website and see how easy selling a car online can be.

“We are commited to selling online. Let us put our extensive experience to work for you.”

Cherie Szilvagyi is the CEO of AutomobileClearingHouse.com and is a leading powerseller on Ebay Motor. See this new alternative to selling online at www.AutomobileClearingHouse.com.

cheries001@yahoo.com

Ebay - A Safe Place To Trade? By: Michelle Johnston Sollicito
Ebay, in all its marketing, claims to be a safe place to trade. It claims that its Fraud Protection Program aims to protect its users against fraud and quite clearly specifies that those who have suffered fraud should get 75% of their loss reimbursed under this program if the amount is less than $100 (they charge $25 for processing costs).

This claim is completely not true. I have used Ebay for years, and although I have had a few transactions that left me worse off through no fault of my own, I never filed a claim until recently when I didnt receive the goods for which I paid $85. I had done everything "by the book" and according to the rules of Ebay - contacted the seller, checked his ratings were good from previous transactions, used Paypal to pay for the goods immediately, tried to gain recompense through Paypal, SquareTrade and the Fraud Protection Program.

However, despite the fact that the same seller defrauded at least three other Ebayers that I know of in exactly the same way, I got only $25 refunded. Ebay will offer me no explanation why they have kept approximately $40+ of the money they owe me, and despite numerous emails to Bill Cobb (CEO) about this, I have made no progress.

I have received email responses claiming that, basically, its really nice of Ebay to have paid me any refund at all, as they have no control over the seller's actions. When I argued that they claim that they will refund 75% of the transaction cost, this was countered by some argument about Ebay not being the same as Amazon (not sure how this was relevant). I argued that ZStores were very similar to Ebay, but again got counter arguments from Ebay and Bill Cobb.

I also stated that actually Ebay takes a huge chunk of every transaction - as Paypal is part of the same company now, in total Ebay took approx 25% of the transaction themselves, so they could at least have reimbursed me with that amount. Their counterclaim was that Ebay and Paypal are separate companies!!

All I keep seeing on the website is "Paypal - an Ebay company" so I hardly think that argument is fair.

I know for a fact that the others who were defrauded by the same guy as me got even less back than I did.

Is it really fair for Ebay to claim to be a Safe Trading Environment when I stand to lose $45 on every $85 I spend potentially? I dont think so!

I have collected a number of stories of other people having similar experiences at Ebay. I would be grateful if any others out there who have had similar experiences could write and let me know and I will publish a detailed article/ebook on the subject.

I look forward to hearing from you! Contact me at www.exceptiona.com or email me at mishj@yahoo.com

About the Author
Michelle Johnston Sollicito is an expert Ebusiness Consultant, having worked for Accenture, Yahoo! and Earthlink amongst others during her 15 years experience. She is certified in many technologies and owns a number of established websites including her main website www.exceptiona.com

CORRECTION: Starting an Ebay Business – An Online Business M By: Bill Platt

THE REALITIES OF AN INTERNET BUSINESS
Millions of people are still coming online each year, and many of those people come to the Internet with dreams of making their financial dreams come true.
The truth is that building a website to sell products and services is not the easiest way to make a living online. A lot of specific knowledge or money will be required to be successful with a standard website.
You must acquire skills --- or pay someone who already possesses those skills --- in the following areas:
· Graphic design
· Copywriting
· HTML design
· Perl or PHP programming · Database programming
· Marketing research
· Promotions
When this is understood, most people throw their hands up in frustration and walk away from their entrepreneurial desires.
Maybe cash is the problem; maybe the desire is just lacking.
If you have reached this point yourself let me offer one piece of advice...
DON'T THROW AWAY YOUR DREAMS JUST YET
More people than I can count are making a successful living online, and none of them own their own website or send a single commercial email to anyone.
How is this possible?
Two words, *Ebay auctions.*
EBAY MAKES IT EASY
Ebay covers all of the difficult technical issues. And more importantly, Ebay already has floods of visitors eager to purchase your wares.
Ebay has provided everything you need to operate a successful business online with three exceptions:
1. Products to sell
2. Time to list the products in the Ebay database 3. Cash to acquire the products
CHOOSING THE KINDS OF PRODUCTS
Before choosing your products, you should ask yourself what you enjoy the most. You may enjoy cats, NASCAR or even antiques. You should select products consistent with what you enjoy for two reasons.
First, you bring to your presentation a real appreciation for the products your are offering.
Secondly, a job you hate is one you will quit. A job you enjoy doing will be one that you will want to keep forever. If you are starting your own business, the hope is that you will be doing it for a very long time.
I personally know people who have generated a nice living on Ebay selling cat-related items, NASCAR memorabilia and antiques.
FINDING THE ACTUAL PRODUCTS TO SELL
I recommend against diving in and spending thousands of dollars buying products that you may or may not be able to sell.
A drop-shipper is a middleman who is willing to permit you to buy an individual product, and then they will put your business name on the return address of the product package and handle the actual delivery for you.
By utilizing a drop-shipper, you can speed product delivery to the client without risking your own cash to keep a product in inventory.
If you are lost as to how to find a drop-shipper, consider subscribing to the drop-shippers directory:
http://thePhantomWriters.com/drop-shippers_directory.html
Through this site, you can get all of the information you need to find drop-shippers from which you can order over 500,000 products from over 1,000 brand names.
LEARNING TO LIST YOUR PRODUCTS AT EBAY
Learning to use Ebay is pretty easy and straightforward. Ebay has put forward a lot of effort to help people to become successful. For example, Ebay has an entire area of their site devoted to the online entrepreneur.
To get an overview of all of the services and tools that Ebay provides to sellers, you may visit:
http://pages.ebay.com/services/index.html
Ebay also delivers courses and strategies to help you to be more successful:
http://pages.ebay.com/sellercentral/index.html
THE IMPORTANCE OF CASH FLOW TO YOUR SUCCESS
Ebay provides tools for both buyers and sellers to rate one another. The speed of delivery is one of the most important factors that sellers are rated on. By providing quick delivery, your buyers will give you a good rating --- and more shoppers will bid on your products.
Ebay recently purchased PayPal.com to help facilitate purchases for their buyers and sellers, and they have integrated the two systems together.
Unfortunately, getting the money from your PayPal account to your personal account generally takes four days. Even with a merchant account, the time gap is nearly the same. This time gap expands the turn-around between the transaction and delivery of the product unless you take action to speed the process.
If you were doing high volume, you would want to minimize the handling of a transaction to reduce the chance for a foul-up and to increase your ratings within the Ebay system.
But how can this be accomplished?
MANAGING CASH FLOW
While you could rely upon credit cards to get the job done, it is not something I would recommend. Paying credit card interest rates to process your customer's purchase, is an unnecessary burden.
Instead, put a sum of money into a dedicated bank account with a debit card attached to it. When you verify a transaction has been credited to your PayPal account, then use your debit card to immediately process the order with your drop-shipper.
But, how can you do it this way on a tight budget?
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO THE RESCUE
Let me ask you this. Do you have a 401(k) account?
Experts advise that you not touch your retirement savings for anything other than retirement income. That is good advice. Fortunately, it is possible under special circumstances to acquire loans against your 401(k) accounts.
Beginning in 2002, even the self-employed small business owner with no employees could open his or her own 401(k), called a solo-owner 401(k), and borrow from it just as employees with big companies can.
Weigh this option against the others available to you. It only makes sense to take out a loan rather than to take a hit in heavy taxes and penalties for drawing your retirement money early. Seriously, consider taking advantage of our historically low interest rates to meet your cash flow needs.
To learn more about creating and borrowing from a solo-owner 401(k), please visit:
http://www.investsafe.com
IN CONCLUSION
It is wise to choose your new business venture based on a model that has proven itself over the long-term. Ebay has been proving its concept since 1995; helping thousands of people build a successful and very profitable business.
The time to act is now. Choose the product line that will give you the most satisfaction and then get busy. Your success awaits you.

Forgive All Ebay Sins! By: Robert C. Potter
Over the years, I have been amazed at the “blinding” greed and reckless approach
to commerce that some business owners have employed. Lying to customers, selling inferior merchandise, and not offering refunds, left a firestorm of irate customers in
their wake. Without fail, all of this “ill will” led most businesses to bankruptcy,
and in some cases, Federal Prison.

I realize that not everyone engages in “business criminality” that rises to the level of fraud and incarceration. Most people try to be good stewards and approach their enterprise in an honest and forthright manner. For those of you who own thriving business concerns you already know that in most cases the customer is always right.
You make sure that you communicate effectively, refund monies if the buyer is truly unhappy, and try to meet the needs of the people who buy your goods or services.

However, there are more than a handful of Ebay sellers that are of the mind that customer service and effective communication is not something that they need not participate in. Take the case of a woman named Barbara, (Nickname: BobAnn) who recently posted her disappointment on the Ryze Business Network:

Quote:
Barbara Cerda wrote:
Greetings Everyone,

“When will sellers on Ebay understand that customer service is key? And
when will Ebay sellers learn using customer friendly approaches can only
make their business grow?” Again today I've bought from a less than friendly
seller.

Thought I was placing a bid and instead bought the item at the buy now price. Of course the seller refused to allow the retraction, nor was I allowed to place a bid. I always pay for my winning bids immediately upon email confirmation.

And did so in this case. But it would have been customer friendlier for this seller
to accept my retraction to be replaced with a bid. He would have gotten repeat
business from me and my friends. His "Buy Now" price is 30% over the retail
price for this item. Lesson learned by me again - that there are way too many
sellers on Ebay out to grab a buck and the hell with fair practice. Lesson learned
yet again.”

BobAnn
End quote…

The operative phrase here is “repeat business from me and my friends”. There is no better endorsement of your product or service than word of mouth advertising. Lack of flexibility on the part of the seller, not only cost them one customer, but also destroyed the possibility for future business. Good news travels fast, but bad news travels faster!

As an auction seller, (Ebay auction ID: LevelBest77) I would have accommodated her request right away. And while I have never had anyone use “Buy It Now” by accident, I have had several people over the years ask me to retract bids. The number of people who have made that request can be counted on one hand! Some, did not even understand the process, (bid retracting) and I was more than willing to guide them through it.

People make honest mistakes, and you should never “abuse” a buyer for doing so.
If you plan to get into Ebay auction selling for the long haul, always practice
good will toward your customers. Unless someone is totally unreasonable, and
you have done everything in your power to accommodate their request, never deny
people the ability to change their mind, return an item, or retract a bid!

“Developing good will also requires that you anticipate customer needs!”

For instance, I had a few overseas customers bid on a wireless router. This particular
item needed to be powered with a Universal Adapter, since voltage requirements in France and Australia are obviously different from those here in the United States.

I made this abundantly clear to both bidders before they sent me any payment. The purchase of such an adapter, not to mention the shipping price, would have doubled the US retail cost. I told them that they could probably get the product cheaper at their local electronics stores. Without hesitation, I let them out of their obligation to pay for the item. I then contacted the next highest bidder and offered that person the chance to
make the purchase.

Both bidders thanked me for my honesty. They had forgotten about the electrical differences. I could have ignored that little detail, and sold them the item anyway.
I just had to put myself in their situation. Think of how frustrated they would have
been if I did not reveal that information. Buyer’s remorse would have set in quickly,
once they realized that they could have purchased the same item for a lot less in their
native countries.

While the benefits of these actions may not have an immediate effect, you can be sure that should I ever have another “item of interest!” these two gentlemen would not hesitate to purchase from me. They can count on me to accommodate their needs, instead of catering to my wants. Creating this type of good will instills trust, and the knowledge that you have the customers best interest in mind.

“Me thinketh thou doth protest too much!

Do you accentuate the positive? Or, do you run on negativity? Negative Ebay feedback is a tool that everyone should use with restraint, or not at all. As a rule, I never leave negative feedback. Unless someone has blatantly lied about your product, or attacked
you personally without merit, then I would not leave any feedback in the “minus” side
of the isle!

“Flame” wars are not pretty. I have seen a lot of unnecessary back and forth “banter” that could have been avoided, if they (the seller) just resisted the urge to make their “two cents” known. Sometimes it gives customers the impression that you are more concerned about arguing, then conducting your business.

I have also witnessed seller feedback that has included some pretty foul language. Engaging in this type of verbal sparring is not much of a confidence builder either. It is more telling of what you are, then about revealing the sins of your customers. Don’t go out of your way to register a negative response if you can help it. Heed the sage advice that our Mother’s use to tell us: “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all!”

“What we have here is a failure to communicate!”

Communication with your customers should not amount to the sound one hand clapping! Bottom line, if someone e-mails you with a question--answer it! Here is an example of the type of feedback I obtained by doing just that……

“He was very Helpful and cooperative in answering questions. Follow-up:
Will DEFINITELY use his services anytime he has items of interest!
Great Seller!”

The gentlemen who left this positive review, wanted to know about some of the particulars of a “Mickey Mouse” clock I had up for auction. His wife is a collector
of all things Disney, and thought it would be a nice surprise for her birthday. The
clock, to say the least, was in sad shape. It was incapable of keeping time, and the
only part of it in working order was the second hand. I thought for sure that he would
be disappointed with the item despite full disclosure of all of it’s imperfections.

To my surprise, not only did I receive positive feedback, but he also told me that his
wife absolutely loved it! In this instance, one man’s junk, truly, is another man’s treasure! I never thought this item was worthy of any praise! The time it took to answer his questions—all of five minutes!

I know that some of you will say that I am not being realistic. You just can’t answer e-mails all day; “I have a business to run!,” you might proclaim. If you plan on making a living on Ebay, then you better think about hiring someone to help you answer your daily inquires if it is just too overwhelming. If you specialize in a particular product, set up a Frequently Asked Questions page to any Auto-Responder.

If you use Ebay on an infrequent basis, and have less than thirty listings a month, then you really don't have any excuse not to provide great customer service and e-mail communication. You shouldn’t be inundated with questions regarding that many items, unless the product you are selling is technical in nature.

If you ignore your customers, they will go away. Good customer service should be woven into the fabric of every good business. I cannot overemphasis the importance of this issue. I continue to be perplexed by the fact that it is last on the list of business priorities
for some Ebay sellers!

Will good customer service and communication alone make you rich on Ebay? That would be a resounding "no”. You will have to understand your market, and provide products that the Ebay community will bid on consistently. There will be “bidders & buyers” out there that will make mistakes and commit some auction sins! Forgive all Ebay sins and you will be rewarded with happy, repeat customers!

About the Author
Robert C. Potter is a wholesale and retail surplus products specialist. He is the author of “The Ultimate Guide To Products For Resale!” Over 300 Wholesale & Surplus Supply Sources For Ebay Auction Sellers, E-Commerce Websites, Flea Market Vendors, and Retail Store Owners! You can find his 160 page ebook at: http://www.productsforresale.com

ForGive All Ebay Sins: Why Bad Customer Service Can Cost You By: Robert C. Potter
Over the years, I have been amazed at the “blinding” greed and reckless approach to commerce that some business owners have employed.

Lying to customers, selling inferior merchandise, and not offering refunds, left a firestorm of irate customers in their wake.

Without fail, all of this “ill will” led most businesses to bankruptcy, and in some cases, Federal Prison.

I realize that not everyone engages in “business criminality” that rises to the level of fraud and incarceration. Most people try to be good stewards, and approach their enterprise in an honest and forthright manner.

For those of you who own thriving business concerns, you already know that in most cases the customer is always right.

You make sure that you communicate effectively, refund monies if the buyer is truly unhappy, and try to meet the needs of the people who buy your goods or services.

However, there are more than a handful of Ebay sellers that are of the mind that customer service and effective communication is not something that they need not participate in.

Take the case of a woman named Barbara, (Nickname: BoAnn) who recently posted her disappointment on the Ryze Business Network:

Quote:

Barbara Cerda wrote:

Greetings Everyone,

When will sellers on Ebay understand that customer service is key? And when will Ebay sellers learn using customer friendly approaches can only make their business grow?” Again today I've bought from a less than friendly seller.

Thought I was placing a bid and instead bought the item at the buy now price. Of course the seller refused to allow the retraction, nor was I allowed to place a bid. I always pay for my winning bids immediately upon email confirmation.

And did so in this case. But it would have been customer friendlier for this seller to accept my retraction to be replaced with a bid.

He would have gotten repeat business from me and my friends. His "Buy Now" price is 30% over the retail price for this item.

Lesson learned by me again - that there are way too many sellers on Ebay out to grab a buck and the hell with fair practice. Lesson learned yet again.

Bobann

End quote…

The operative phrase here is “repeat business from me and my friends”. There is no better endorsement of your product or service than word of mouth advertising.

Lack of flexibility on the part of the seller, not only cost him/her one customer, but also destroyed the possibility for future business. Good news travels fast, but bad news travels faster!

As an auction seller, (Ebay auction ID: LevelBest77) I would have accommodated her right away. And while I have never had anyone use “Buy It Now” by accident, I have had several people over the years ask me to retract bids.

The number of people who have made that request can be counted on one hand! Some did not even understand the process; (bid retracting) and I guided them through it.

People make honest mistakes, and you should never “abuse” a buyer for doing so. If you plan to get into Ebay auction selling for the long haul, always practice good will toward your customers.

Unless someone is totally unreasonable, and you have done everything in your power to accommodate their request, never deny people the ability to change their mind, return an item, or retract a bid!

Developing good will also requires that you anticipate customer needs…..

For instance, I had a few overseas customers bid on a wireless router. This particular item needed to be powered with a Universal Adapter, since voltage requirements in France and Australia are obviously different from those here in the United States.

I made this abundantly clear to both bidders before they sent me any payment. The purchase of such an adapter, not to mention the shipping price, would have doubled the US retail cost.

I told them that they could probably get the product cheaper at their local electronics stores. Without hesitation, I let them out of their obligation to pay for the item. I then contacted the next highest bidder and offered that person the chance to
make the purchase.

Both bidders thanked me for my honesty. They had forgotten about the electrical differences. I could have ignored that little detail, and sold them the item anyway.

I just had to put myself in their situation. Think of how frustrated they would have been if I did not reveal that information. Buyer’s remorse would have set in quickly, once they realized that they could have purchased the same item for a lot less in their
native countries.

While the benefits of these actions may not have an immediate effect, you can be sure that should I ever have another “item of interest!” these two gentlemen would not hesitate to purchase from me. They can count on me to accommodate their needs, instead of catering to my wants. Creating this type of good will instills trust, and the knowledge that you have the customers best interest in mind.

“Me thinketh thou doth protest too much!

Do you accentuate the positive? Or, do you run on negativity? Negative Ebay feedback is a tool that everyone should use with restraint, or not at all. As a rule, I never leave negative feedback.

Unless someone has blatantly lied about your product, or attacked you personally without merit, then I would not leave any feedback in the “minus” side of the isle!

“Flame” wars are not pretty. I have seen a lot of unnecessary back and forth “banter” that could have been avoided, if they (the seller) just resisted the urge to make their “two cents” known. Sometimes it gives customers the impression that you are more concerned about arguing, then conducting your business.

I have also witnessed seller feedback that has included some pretty foul language. Engaging in this type of verbal sparring is not much of a confidence builder either.

It is more telling of what you are, then about revealing the sins of your customers. Don’t go out of your way to register a negative response if you can help it. Heed the sage advice that our Mother’s use to tell us: “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all!”

“What we have here is a failure to communicate!” From The Movie: Cool Hand Luke.

Communication with your customers should not amount to the sound one hand clapping! Bottom line, if someone e-mails you with a question--answer it! Here is an example of the type of feedback I obtained by doing just that……

“He was very Helpful and cooperative in answering questions.” Follow-up: Will DEFINITELY use his services anytime he has items of interest! Great Seller!

The gentlemen who left this positive review, wanted to know about some of the particulars of a “Mickey Mouse” clock I had up for auction.

His wife is a collector of all things Disney, and thought it would be a nice surprise for her birthday. The clock, to say the least, was in sad shape.

It was incapable of keeping time, and the only part of it in working order was the second hand. I thought for sure that he would be disappointed with the item despite full disclosure of all of it’s imperfections.

To my surprise, not only did I receive positive feedback, but he also told me that his wife absolutely loved it! In this instance, one man’s junk, truly, is another man’s treasure! I never thought this item was worthy of any praise! The time it took to answer his questions—all of five minutes!

I know that some of you will say that I am not being realistic. You just can’t answer e-mails all day; “I have a business to run!,” you might proclaim. If you plan on making a living on Ebay, then you better think about hiring someone to help you answer your daily inquires if it is just too overwhelming. If you specialize in a particular product set up Frequently Asked Questions to an Auto-Responder. Click here: http://www.aweber.com/

If you use Ebay on an infrequent basis, and have less than thirty listings a month, then you really don't have any excuse not to provide great customer service and e-mail communication. You shouldn’t be inundated with questions regarding that many items, unless the product you are selling is technical in nature.

If you ignore your customers, they will go away. Good customer service should be woven into the fabric of every good business.

I cannot overemphasis the importance of this issue. I continue to be perplexed by the fact that it is last on the list of business priorities for some Ebay sellers!

Will good customer service and communication alone make you rich on Ebay? That would be a resounding "no".

You will have to understand your market, and provide products that the Ebay community will bid on consistently.

There will be “bidders & buyers” out there that will make mistakes, and commit some auction sins! Forgive all Ebay sins and you will be rewarded with happy, repeat customers!

About the Author
Robert C. Potter is a wholesale & surplus specialist, who helps all businesses and auction sellers find products for resale. He is the author of "The Ultimate Guide To Products For Resale". His 160 page ebook can be found at:
http://www.productsforresale.com

ForGive All Ebay Sins: Why Bad Customer Service Can Cost You By: Robert C. Potter
Over the years, I have been amazed at the “blinding” greed and reckless approach to commerce that some business owners have employed.

Lying to customers, selling inferior merchandise, and not offering refunds, left a firestorm of irate customers in their wake.

Without fail, all of this “ill will” led most businesses to bankruptcy, and in some cases, Federal Prison.

I realize that not everyone engages in “business criminality” that rises to the level of fraud and incarceration. Most people try to be good stewards, and approach their enterprise in an honest and forthright manner.

For those of you who own thriving business concerns, you already know that in most cases the customer is always right.

You make sure that you communicate effectively, refund monies if the buyer is truly unhappy, and try to meet the needs of the people who buy your goods or services.

However, there are more than a handful of Ebay sellers that are of the mind that customer service and effective communication is not something that they need not participate in.

Take the case of a woman named Barbara, (Nickname: BoAnn) who recently posted her disappointment on the Ryze Business Network:

Quote:

Barbara Cerda wrote:

Greetings Everyone,

When will sellers on Ebay understand that customer service is key? And when will Ebay sellers learn using customer friendly approaches can only make their business grow?” Again today I've bought from a less than friendly seller.

Thought I was placing a bid and instead bought the item at the buy now price. Of course the seller refused to allow the retraction, nor was I allowed to place a bid. I always pay for my winning bids immediately upon email confirmation.

And did so in this case. But it would have been customer friendlier for this seller to accept my retraction to be replaced with a bid.

He would have gotten repeat business from me and my friends. His "Buy Now" price is 30% over the retail price for this item.

Lesson learned by me again - that there are way too many sellers on Ebay out to grab a buck and the hell with fair practice. Lesson learned yet again.

Bobann

End quote…

The operative phrase here is “repeat business from me and my friends”. There is no better endorsement of your product or service than word of mouth advertising.

Lack of flexibility on the part of the seller, not only cost him/her one customer, but also destroyed the possibility for future business. Good news travels fast, but bad news travels faster!

As an auction seller, (Ebay auction ID: LevelBest77) I would have accommodated her right away. And while I have never had anyone use “Buy It Now” by accident, I have had several people over the years ask me to retract bids.

The number of people who have made that request can be counted on one hand! Some did not even understand the process; (bid retracting) and I guided them through it.

People make honest mistakes, and you should never “abuse” a buyer for doing so. If you plan to get into Ebay auction selling for the long haul, always practice good will toward your customers.

Unless someone is totally unreasonable, and you have done everything in your power to accommodate their request, never deny people the ability to change their mind, return an item, or retract a bid!

Developing good will also requires that you anticipate customer needs…..

For instance, I had a few overseas customers bid on a wireless router. This particular item needed to be powered with a Universal Adapter, since voltage requirements in France and Australia are obviously different from those here in the United States.

I made this abundantly clear to both bidders before they sent me any payment. The purchase of such an adapter, not to mention the shipping price, would have doubled the US retail cost.

I told them that they could probably get the product cheaper at their local electronics stores. Without hesitation, I let them out of their obligation to pay for the item. I then contacted the next highest bidder and offered that person the chance to
make the purchase.

Both bidders thanked me for my honesty. They had forgotten about the electrical differences. I could have ignored that little detail, and sold them the item anyway.

I just had to put myself in their situation. Think of how frustrated they would have been if I did not reveal that information. Buyer’s remorse would have set in quickly, once they realized that they could have purchased the same item for a lot less in their
native countries.

While the benefits of these actions may not have an immediate effect, you can be sure that should I ever have another “item of interest!” these two gentlemen would not hesitate to purchase from me. They can count on me to accommodate their needs, instead of catering to my wants. Creating this type of good will instills trust, and the knowledge that you have the customers best interest in mind.

“Me thinketh thou doth protest too much!

Do you accentuate the positive? Or, do you run on negativity? Negative Ebay feedback is a tool that everyone should use with restraint, or not at all. As a rule, I never leave negative feedback.

Unless someone has blatantly lied about your product, or attacked you personally without merit, then I would not leave any feedback in the “minus” side of the isle!

“Flame” wars are not pretty. I have seen a lot of unnecessary back and forth “banter” that could have been avoided, if they (the seller) just resisted the urge to make their “two cents” known. Sometimes it gives customers the impression that you are more concerned about arguing, then conducting your business.

I have also witnessed seller feedback that has included some pretty foul language. Engaging in this type of verbal sparring is not much of a confidence builder either.

It is more telling of what you are, then about revealing the sins of your customers. Don’t go out of your way to register a negative response if you can help it. Heed the sage advice that our Mother’s use to tell us: “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all!”

“What we have here is a failure to communicate!” From The Movie: Cool Hand Luke.

Communication with your customers should not amount to the sound one hand clapping! Bottom line, if someone e-mails you with a question--answer it! Here is an example of the type of feedback I obtained by doing just that……

“He was very Helpful and cooperative in answering questions.” Follow-up: Will DEFINITELY use his services anytime he has items of interest! Great Seller!

The gentlemen who left this positive review, wanted to know about some of the particulars of a “Mickey Mouse” clock I had up for auction.

His wife is a collector of all things Disney, and thought it would be a nice surprise for her birthday. The clock, to say the least, was in sad shape.

It was incapable of keeping time, and the only part of it in working order was the second hand. I thought for sure that he would be disappointed with the item despite full disclosure of all of it’s imperfections.

To my surprise, not only did I receive positive feedback, but he also told me that his wife absolutely loved it! In this instance, one man’s junk, truly, is another man’s treasure! I never thought this item was worthy of any praise! The time it took to answer his questions—all of five minutes!

I know that some of you will say that I am not being realistic. You just can’t answer e-mails all day; “I have a business to run!,” you might proclaim. If you plan on making a living on Ebay, then you better think about hiring someone to help you answer your daily inquires if it is just too overwhelming. If you specialize in a particular product set up Frequently Asked Questions to an Auto-Responder. Click here: http://www.aweber.com/

If you use Ebay on an infrequent basis, and have less than thirty listings a month, then you really don't have any excuse not to provide great customer service and e-mail communication. You shouldn’t be inundated with questions regarding that many items, unless the product you are selling is technical in nature.

If you ignore your customers, they will go away. Good customer service should be woven into the fabric of every good business.

I cannot overemphasis the importance of this issue. I continue to be perplexed by the fact that it is last on the list of business priorities for some Ebay sellers!

Will good customer service and communication alone make you rich on Ebay? That would be a resounding "no".

You will have to understand your market, and provide products that the Ebay community will bid on consistently.

There will be “bidders & buyers” out there that will make mistakes, and commit some auction sins! Forgive all Ebay sins and you will be rewarded with happy, repeat customers!

About the Author
Robert C. Potter is a wholesale & surplus specialist, who helps all businesses and auction sellers find products for resale. He is the author of "The Ultimate Guide To Products For Resale". His 160 page ebook can be found at:
http://www.productsforresale.com

Effective Online Car Sales on Ebay Motors By: Cherie Szilvagyi

Remember back when selling online was a new experience? Dealers tried everything to sell their vehicles online. Today’s market has expanded to include several hot online marketplaces. The largest online marketplace is Ebay. Ebay has evolved into an online solution for everything from whole towns to your favorite paperback book. Big or small it doesn’t matter, Ebay has everything for the savvy consumer.

Vehicles are plentiful on Ebay. Ebay sells a vehicle every minute for the savvy seller willing to invest his time and money in listing his vehicle online. Just how effective is selling on Ebay? Actually, less than 10% of the vehicles listed on Ebay actually sell. A selected few dealers sell at 80 to 100% of their online car sales.

Who are the auto dealers that are selling effectively on Ebay? Is there a secret to their success? Consider that a vehicle, digital camera and some basic design skills are all you need to sell on Ebay. Which vehicle and how much will it sell for? How to type up the description so that the internet savvy consumer will want to purchase your vehicle?

All of these questions are asked each and every day by savvy individuals and auto dealers all across the United States. A company has come along that can help with your selling situation and take the work out of listing for a car dealer on Ebay Motors. That is right! No work for you! They take the pictures and handle your vehicle sale from start to finish, while handling emails in a professional manner to produce a proven sales results.

A Consulting company called www.AutomobileClearingHouse.com has proven that they can sell cars on Ebay with a sell through factor much higher than the average auto dealer on Ebay. Take the work out of selling your vehicle on the world’s largest marketplace. Check out their website and see how easy selling a car online can be.

“Committed to selling online, put our extensive experience to work for you.” At www.AutomobileClearingHouse.com, their moto says it all!

Cherie Szilvagyi

www.AutomobileClearingHouse.com © AutomobilleClearingHouse 2004

cherie@automobileclearinghouse.com

The Down Side Of Using Dropshippers For The Ebay Auction Are By: Robert C. Potter
Ok, let me just say right up front that I am not against drop-shipping! I love the concept. If you are dealing with a particular wholesale drop-shipping distributor that is serving your Ebay ambitions well, then hold onto that company with bonds of steel, for truly good drop-shippers are hard to find!

Drop-Shipping sounds like the utopian business model. No up front
investment in inventory. You don’t have to carry packages to the Post Office, United Parcel, or Fedex. All you have to do is set up your own business, auction, or retail website and advertise the products that the company provides. Once the orders come in, you forward it to the drop-shipper and they send the product directly to your customer.

But, the devil is always in the details. Dropshipping is best suited for a
stand alone E-Commerce website, mail order, or catalog advertising
venue. If you are considering using a wholesale drop shipper for your Ebay auction, then you might want to take a step back and let me provide you with some “points to ponder.”

Back ordered products..The reality is that drop-shipping companies run out of product and will be back ordered. Ebay bidders purchase product in “real time.” They are under the impression that the item you auction, is the item they bought, not a product that is subject to shortages.

One or two customers might be understanding about the situation, but most will not. If you happen to run out of product on a regular basis then your negative feedback rating will go through the roof, and your reputation will suffer.

One way to combat shortages is to buy a pallet of product in advance, and have the drop-shipper store it in their warehouse so that you are assured of
an ample supply. This method sort of goes against the idea of Drop-Shipping (buying the product in advance) but if you are selling on Ebay, you would be best served by employing this method.

Also, if possible, find a drop-shipper in your area, or within a comfortable traveling distance. If you run into any supply or shipping problems, then you could be on hand to visit the facility, should any shipping or logistic concerns
arise.

Fees..Some dropshippers will charge you a sign up, or entry fee of about twenty five to fifty dollars just for the privilege of selling their product. You are also charged a “processing fee” for sending the product to your customer.

The “price for processing” can range anywhere from seven to twenty dollars per item, depending on the type of merchandise you are selling. These expenses, plus Ebay fees, can take a big chunk out of your bottom line. Finding a product that can bring you a profit, as well as offseting these types of expenses, can be a delicate balancing act.

Circumventing your customers..While I do not believe that this is a pervasive practice among drop-shipping companies, anecdotal evidence has suggested that some unscrupulous enterprises can cut you out of the sales loop. They could easily substitute your return address for their company logo,
selling directly to your customers.

Market saturation..One of the largest wholesale drop-shippers in the county is the B&F System, BNFusa.com. A lot of Ebayer’s started selling their products, one in particular, called Giovanni Navarre leather jackets. At first, it was a profitable item. After a while, everyone started selling the same product. Too much of the same supply, creates market saturation, ultimately destroying profit potential for the seller.

The Giovanni Navarre leather jackets are still being sold on Ebay today,
but I doubt that they still provide a very profitable return for the seller.
Even though B&F carries over 500 products in 14 different categories,
they are intimately familiar to the Ebay community. You could probably
make a great profit from just about any B&F product if you were to sell
them off line, and out of the auction arena.

When a company becomes too well known to the general public it becomes almost impossible to make money from products that have flooded the marketplace. In addition to finding a drop-shipper who is close to home, it might be a good idea to find a DS company that is not well known to the Ebay market, or who’s products have not been scattered all over cyberspace.

These days however, it is hard to find drop-shippers that will cater to the smaller seller. Most will find it more profitable to sell in volume than by the piece. The larger wholesale dropshipping distributors are used by retail catalog operations. To get involved with the larger operations, you would have to be doing a tremendous sales volume.

If you still want to pursue drop-shipping as a source of supply for your Ebay auction, then I would suggest that you read other opinions, and become as educated as you can about the drop-shipping company you do business with.

A good and inexpensive start to finding drop-shipping companies is the Drop Shipping News: http://www.drop-shipping-news.com . Remember, when
it comes to Ebay auction selling, “own what you sell.” Never leave customer service, or your feedback rating in the hands of other people!!

Robert C. Potter is a wholesale and retail surplus products specialist. He is the author of “The Ultimate Guide To Products For Resale!” Over 300 Wholesale & Surplus Supply Sources For Ebay Auction Sellers, E-Commerce Websites, Flea Market Vendors, and Retail Store Owners! You can find his 160 page ebook at: http://www.productsforresale.com

The Ebay Revolution - A Beginners Guide By: Adrian Ryder

With E bay being one of the most searched for terms on the internet today,[ approx 24 million people last month], it is hardly suprising that more and more everyday people are turning away from the 9-5 job scene, and looking at the income opportunities that this hugely popular forum has to offer.
So just what are the benefits of starting your own E bay business, as opposed to the more traditional self employment options, such as buying a business, or becoming a franchisee?
Well the first and most obvious benefit is the financial one, you can start an E bay business on a shoestring, whereas buying a franchise or setting up on your own will in all probability cost you 10s of thousands of dollars.
Secondly, the element of risk is fairly negligible with an E bay business [ as long as you don’t invest hugely in stock before you have properly researched the market]
Thirdly you can start up in your spare time, without having to “give up your day job”. This allows you to test the water, and see if you actually enjoy running your own business, before you actually take the plunge.For many people Ebay is simply a profitable and fun sideline or hobby, and that’s fine, but you need to make the choice if it’s a hobby you want or a business.If you make the decision that its to be a business,then you need to keep professional records, pay tax etc.
Another beauty of running an online business is that you can do your business activities when it suits you.You can organise your auctions at 2 am if you so choose, and people will still be looking at what you have to offer!
A final benefit,[ and this list is by no means exhaustive ] is that unlike a traditional business, your marketplace is unlimited, you can sell your product anywhere in the world, you have a potential marketplace of millions upon millions of buyers
The most common question for many people is “ how do I get started ?”. The first step if you haven’t already done it, is to get on Ebay and have a look around. Ebay itself offers great informative resources and tours for the uninitiated. Have a look at some auctions in progress, see how people list and display their products, bid for something you would like [you have to join first, but Ebay makes this a very user friendly process] Have a look round your home for unwanted items, run some auctions of your own, its fun, and you’ve nothing to loose but your junk. This is a great way of dipping your toes in the auction pond.
So, after having done this you decide that you would like to get serious about building an E bay business, what should you do first? Here is a shortlist of some basic first steps.
1. Choose your product- Everything from baseball cards to luxury homes is for sale on Ebay.Research possible product choices by looking at what your competition is doing.If you have a particular area of expertise, or a passion which others share, choose your product accordingly. TIP- A great research tool is available at www.overture.com. Its called the keyword selector tool, and it enables you to check how many times a certain word or phrase has been searched for on the internet in the previous month ie rolex watch. If few people have been looking for what you want to sell, chances are it will be a non starter on Ebay.[ at the time of writing this tool can be used by anyone free of charge, though this may well change] On the other hand if your product is frequently searched for, you may be onto a winner.
2. Don’t sell poor quality products.There is nothing more disappointing than receiving a purchase only to find it is inferior quality junk. Ebay has an excellent feedback system, which it uses to rate traders.This feedback is available to both buyers and sellers, so if you get negative feedback, this can seriously jeopardise your Ebay reputation permanently
3. Start small. Unless you are utterly confident in your product, and in a very secure position financially, start things off on a small scale, and increase your spending only as your results justify this.
4. Test, Test, Test- Try different products and combinations of products to see what works best, and always use photos,as many people buy what they see not what they read.
5. Commit from the start to offering exceptional service. Treat others as you would like to be treated, and you will soon get a reputation as a trader to be trusted, and from whom you can buy with confidence.
6. Don’t always try to make a large profit. Many of the powersellers on Ebay make small but consistent profits,and run a lot of auctions! Always ensure that you cover shipping costs, and any costs incurred in running your auction.
7. Many of E bays top sellers sell other peoples products which they neither stock or in most cases even see, through a process called ‘dropshipping’. A dropshipper is a wholesaler, who also takes care of all the product shipping details on your behalf.There are many dropship companies who tailor their services around the Ebay auction scene, and who can provide you with quality products, at very competitive prices shipped directly to your buyers [ if you plan to be in Ebay for the long haul, it is well worth giving this option serious consideration, as you really need to have a steady reliable source of cheap quality products.
Copyright 2005 Adrian Ryder

About The Author

Adrian Ryder is a University Honours graduate, internet entrepreneur and researcher. For some detailed E bay success resources, dropshipping & wholesale directories, and work at home opportunities, check out his affiliate site at http://www2268.dropshipwholesale.net.
Adrian regrets that due to time constraints he is unable to enter into personal discussion/queries regarding his article.

Top Ebay Selling Tips By: Ebay Steve
Hey kids - EbaySteve here again! I just want to share with you guys'n'gals a few little tip-ettes and tricks that I personally have always found to be Steve-tasticly good for pulling in the greenbacks with the help of the mighty Ebay. Number one on EbaySteve's list - know your market!. Check Ebay for similar items BEFORE you start knocking up yours - a title search is the best way to do this - you want to find completed items sorted by price. These are the ones that actually sold - i.e. the seller got it right!

EbaySteve would never even CONSIDER an auction without checking out the competition first! Oh yeah! This gets us to ebaySteve's next super tip - decide on your price now. As you kiddies will know, you can set a 'Buy it Now' price on your auctions - this is generally what you think an item is actually worth (at least to you - ebaySteve often wastes a happy Friday afternoon searching the 'Bay for "domain" auctions - some of these wutangs think a 90-letter domain in greek is worth millions! Hah! call the dumbo police!).

Remember, ebaySteve says that your opening bid (the price you want to start the auction off at) should be MUCH lower, or everyone will think you are Pennywise the Clown. Don't ever forget, once an auction gets going, it can take on a life of its own, and setting a low start price is the easiest way to stimulate that initial excitement, especially on an item in mucho grande demand (like ebaySteve's used socks, for example!). While we are on this one, don't bother with secret 'reserve' prices. If you don't know what your item is worth, you shouldn't be selling it!

EbaySteve's next tip? How are your potential buyers gonna find your auction? They will search for it. That means you have to get your keywords into your auction title! No point having a title that bangs on about 'great opportunity, never to be repeated bargain' etc etc if yo forget to say '1967 Ford Mustang' too! EbaySteve super-tip - don't bother with punctuation, or silly characters - if you waste your title with that stuff, they'll never find you in the first place! Only mis-spell if it is likely to be searched for, because Ebay search finds exact matches. If you need more space, use a subtitle. These cost a cool 50 cents, so ebaySteve says use 'em on items below about $25.

When they find it, will it scare them away? There are, unfortunately, a number of auctions on the mighty Bay that scare ebaySteve! Choose your colors and font sizes carefully - the one thing you do NOT want is for everyone else to think you are a fruitcake. Even though ebaySteve likes fruit, and cake, he doesn't like 'em together. OK? Oh yeah! You will also need at least 1 good quality photo of your item. Try and make it a little 'different' from similar auctions - if everyone chooses the 'stock' photo, how do potential buyers differentiate between you? BUT, make sure it ain't bigger than 40 or 50k - plenty of people are still on dialup, and they won't bother with you if the page takes more than 10 seconds to load. And fer crying out loud, make SURE you allow payment via Paypal - it is Ebay's very own payment method, and by far the best. They charge only a TINY commission on your sales, and you will find buyers take you MUCH more seriously if you do. No harm in other payment options too, just start off with Paypal! (Super extra important tip - only allow Paypal payments from members with a CONFIRMED address. Helps to cut down on fraud and refund requests).

Payment tip - ebaySteve has in the past had problems with spam filters - there's nothing more annoying than to get an offer but miss it because your darn email system 'binned' the mail! Have a special email account for auctions (if you start getting too much spam, open up a new one). It's also worth mentioning in the text of your auction that potential buyers should 'whitelist' your email address. In the worst case, you can always contact other ebayers with the Contact Member form.

Auction timings - choose to start and end an auction during daylight hours (for your target audience!). These auctions statistically generate higher prices because bidding continues right up to the final bell. Use http://pages.ebay.com/turbo_lister to list your items quicker - it costs, but only a tad, and will help you get the whole process moving fast. That's about it fer now, Bayers! Keep it real!

About the Author
Ebay Steve owns the way cool site www.ebaySteve.com the super site for free advice on making money with ebay, the world's greatest auction house

Using Online Ebay Auctions to Promote Your Website - Confess By: Michael Turner
If you are looking for traffic to your e-commerce site, you should look no further than Ebay. The reason for this is Ebay is an online auction site that has a huge following and millions of hits on a daily basis. Because of this, if you have your products and services being auctioned off on Ebay, your storefront can be linked to the auction which increases your site's visibility. Here are a couple benefits Ebay auctions can provide:

1. You'll Have More Links

It is affordable to auction things off on Ebay and the price could come out of your advertising budget. Regardless of how you pay for it, you will have temporary web space where you can provide all the links you want to your website, photos, descriptions of products, or anything you like. These links will accomplish two things. The first thing they will accomplish is they will help you get higher rankings with the big search engines so other people will click on your site, increasing your traffic and ultimately sales. The second thing these links will accomplish is they take the visitor who is currently shopping and interested in your product right to the description, giving them the option to buy. Regardless of whether or not anyone buys your products online, you will have links to your site which will prove successful in driving traffic. You can re-list your Ebay auctions as often as you like and have as many auctions going at the same time, as well. This is a great way to sell products primarily, and secondarily a great way to promote your website.

2. Guaranteed Targeted Traffic

Most people work hard and long hours trying to develop links and joint ventures to their site to get better rankings. However, with Ebay you don’t have to ask permission or link back, you just pay a small fee and there you go. You have another link to your website, you have a website that is as popular as they get, targeted traffic interested in your products and services, and all for a very small fee. Actually, the small fee you pay to get your link and product on Ebay is probably less than the amount of money you lose trying to develop joint ventures. So, consider Ebay and other auction sites when trying to get more links to your website, not to mention selling products.

And above all, Ebay is easy. You can learn how to use the interface in no time at all and before you know it not only will you sell some of your products and services online, you will generate so many targeted leads for such a low cost you will wonder what took you so long to try it.

About the Author
Michael Turner reveals step-by-step how you can increase search engine traffic in his free 7 part mini-series. Grab it now at http://www.powertraffictactics.com

How to Make a Full time Income With Ebay Online Auctions By: Greg Willis
First let me tell you a little about myself. I'm an eBay Powerseller. I did about $100,000.00 in sales on eBay over the last year. I love eBay, and I regularly preach the virtues of eBay to my friends and family. I even gave out eBay gift certificates for Christmas! I'm also a student of the business. I like finding ways to increase my sales and grow my business. Believe it or not, I went to Barnes & Noble bookstore and dropped about $300.00 on eBay books. Now those were some hefty bags of books I walked out with!
With my eBay experience and knowledge I decided to write an ebook about "how to make a full time living by selling on eBay". I researched my "eBay library" from the bookstore, and I searched the internet for other resources. What I discovered was a few things...
First, the books from my collection of books from the bookstore were generally more out-of-date, and less practical from an entrepreneurial point-of-view in comparison with many online resources. The books contained a lot of valuable information, but often fell short where the rubber meets the road in terms of true money-making ability. The second thing I discovered was that the eBay opportunity is so huge, and so many thousands of people have found success, that many have already written excellent material that covered everything I was planning on writing and more!
I'm not a lazy person; I could have written the book, but I decided my time would be better spent on other endeavors since I would essentially have been repeating the same information already written by others. In fact, since that time, I have written a book on a completely different topic. And with my ambition to spread the good news of eBay I decided to create a website to spotlight some particularly helpful resources.
The reason I've written this article is to warn you that there is a lot of outdated information out there, and much of it that was never good to begin with. Before purchasing an Ebay "how to" book, please check out the author's credentials. The best Ebay books are typically written by real Ebay Powersellers--NOT by famous authors or internet marketers.
The next thing I want to make you aware of is that there are many, many ways to make a full time income on Ebay. Some of them require more work than others. Some involve importing, others involve dropshipping. Some involve keeping a physical inventory, and others utilize virtual downloadable products. The ways of making money on Ebay are as diverse as Ebay itself. There are hundreds of categories, and a myriad of different types of people who shop Ebay. All this goes to say: find your niche. If you're new to the business, I do recommend buying a guidebook from a successful Ebayer, but if that author's system is not appealing to you, do not give up and decide it's not for you. Simply find another niche or another system that IS appealing to you.
I hope this article has inspired you to find your own niche and join the millions who have already discovered a life of eBay success!
Greg Willis is a veteran Ebay Powerseller who left his day job to go full time on Ebay over 4 years ago. You can read all his secrets and recommended resources at www.auctionsprofit.com

Strange Goings On Over At eBay By: Lindy Austar
What makes people list some very weird and outrageous items on Ebay?
Is it their ego that drives them? To think that thousands of people will read and maybe even bid on their ridiculous offerings - is that it?
What sort of offerings can be categorised as 'strange' you might ask?
Well, this author has seen auctions for: virginity (this was removed because let's face it - that's prostitution and definitely not something that Ebay really want to promote!), a hilarious auction for a stick - yes a stick! The offending stick was part of a chair which broke when the seller sat on it! He was so outraged that he decided it would be a saleable item. And starting at .01c, he was right! He actually did sell it for close to $1.00 …
Now that doesn't mean you should all rush out to your local forest and collect firewood and give each piece an interesting history about which to write and offer up on Ebay!
Also seen was a piece of toast! This was so ridiculous, that one TV station in Australia featured that piece of toast on an evening comedy program and the hit counter went berserk after that! So it seems that anything, which could be classified as 'strange', has a place on Ebay.
Anyone got any old false teeth perhaps? I'm sure even those would get a bid! Or how about that most horrible 'thing' you bought on Ebay, which could be classified as the worst, buying choice you ever made?
I've got one of those - what self-respecting Ebay supporter hasn't?
Thinking it might be fun to buy a wig after having my long hair cut short, I turned to - you guessed it - Ebay - to spend my cash on a wig. Boy oh boy, what a disaster that turned out to be! I purchased this gorgeous looking blonde, long haired, curly looking piece which promised to make me look sexy and turn heads! The only heads this disaster would have turned would have been in true 'Exorcist' style!
This 'thing' which was advertised as "New, with Tags" was an absolutely revolting disaster! It was made of what can only be described as raffia, was orange in colour and was 'glued' in bits to the mesh which fits 'all sizes of head' - all but mine, that is! Too small, too horrible, too funny for words! It now sits on the corner piece of our banister - I keep thinking I'll paint some eyes and a big red mouth there. It certainly has been a talking point with lots of laughs and wise cracks at 'mum's worst Ebay purchase'! It almost seems a shame to sell it now in the 'weird' category because 'Sally' seems to now have a home here!
Ebay - not just a place to buy and sell - a place to find outrageously funny odds and sods to keep readers of all ages amused!
About the Author
You may reprint this article, in full, provided you link back to the http://strangeebay.com and use the following information:
Copyright 2005 StrangeeBay.com: Covering All The Strange, Weird, Wild & Wooly Auctions Going On At eBay.

Unique Selling Proposition On Ebay By: Greg Hayes
If you have dabbled at all in the world of Internet marketing, you may have heard the term "unique selling proposition" or USP. USP is a technique that Internet marketers use to set themselves apart from the competition. Internet marketing is highly competitive and highly saturated. In order to be successful, it is vital that the Internet marketer present himself as being unique and different from his competitors especially when many of them are selling the same products.

It is also just as vital to have a unique selling proposition on Ebay. I am amazed at the number of Ebay sellers that are either unaware or just don't care about the importance of having a unique selling position. A case in point: A while back, I was researching some products on Ebay from a wholesale company called B&F System. B&F System is a wholesale only company that carries a variety of brand name products. One of the brands they carry is called Maxam. I came across several Maxam leather jackets on Ebay while searching ended auctions. Now here's the kicker. About a dozen or so of these leather jacket auctions were exactly the same. They all used the same image of a guy modeling the jacket that was captured from the B&F website. They even used the exact ad copy used by B&F!

What was the result? Only one of the sellers was able sell any jackets. The top bid was only $26. And since he purchased the jackets from B&F for $20, he made about $5.00 profit after Ebay fees. That's a slim profit for an item that normally retails for $95.

Always keep in mind that the amount of effort you put fourth on you auctions will be in direct proportion to the amount of return you get from your auctions. The sellers who put up the jacket auctions put fourth little effort by using stock photos and ad copy from the B&F website, and therefore received little or no sales from their auctions. The sellers in this case might think that using stock photos makes their auctions look more professional. It's just the opposite. These auctions look very amateurish. Using a picture of someone modeling a garment will not entice people to bid on your auction. Using three or four high quality pictures of the actual item along with a detailed description will entice people to bid. Remember that buying apparel off the internet is not like buying music CD's or software. You don't need to worry if a CD will fit. You don't need to see multiple pictures of a box of software to know what you'll be getting. However, when selling apparel, good quality pictures and a detailed description are vital. You should use a good quality digital camera to take pictures of the item from different angles. If you're selling jackets or coats, include a picture of the lining as well. In your description, don't just say it's a large size. Give measurements of the garment including overall length, sleeve length and chest size. If you're going to specialize in apparel, it would be a good idea to purchase a form or clothing dummy to model your apparel. Doing these things will go a long way in setting you apart from the competition and establishing a "unique selling proposition."

What ever you're thinking about selling, always look at your competition and think about how to set yourself apart. Remember that unless you're selling antiques on Ebay, there's always someone else who's trying to sell the same thing you're selling. Establishing your USP will put you on the road to Ebay success.

About the Author
Greg Hayes is editor of www.mammothprofits.com/AuctionWealth.
Mammothprofits is the website devoted to
helping others filter out the scams and become successful in an Internet home business

USP on eBay By: Greg Hayes

If you have dabbled at all in the world of Internet marketing, you may have heard the term "unique selling proposition" or USP. USP is a technique that Internet marketers use to set themselves apart from the competition. Internet marketing is highly competitive and highly saturated. In order to be successful, it is vital that the Internet marketer present himself as being unique and different from his competitors especially when many of them are selling the same products.

It is also just as vital to have a unique selling proposition on Ebay. I am amazed at the number of Ebay sellers that are either unaware or just don't care about the importance of having a unique selling proposition. A case in point: A while back, I was researching some products on Ebay from a wholesale company called B&F System. B&F System is a wholesale only company that carries a variety of brand name products. One of the brands they carry is called Maxam. I came across several Maxam leather jackets on Ebay while searching ended auctions. Now here's the kicker. About a dozen or so of these leather jacket auctions were exactly the same. They all used the same image of a guy modeling the jacket that was captured from the B&F website. They even used the exact ad copy used by B&F!

What was the result? Only one of the sellers was able sell any jackets. The top bid was only $26. And since he purchased the jackets from B&F for $20, he made about $5.00 profit after Ebay fees. That's a slim profit for an item that normally retails for $95.

Always keep in mind that the amount of effort you put fourth on you auctions will be in direct proportion to the amount of return you get from your auctions. The sellers who put up the jacket auctions put fourth little effort by using stock photos and ad copy from the B&F website, and therefore received little or no sales from their auctions. The sellers in this case might think that using stock photos makes their auctions look more professional. It's just the opposite. These auctions look very amateurish. Using a picture of someone modeling a garment will not entice people to bid on your auction. Using three or four high quality pictures of the actual item along with a detailed description will entice people to bid. Remember that buying apparel off the internet is not like buying music CD's or software. You don't need to worry if a CD will fit. You don't need to see multiple pictures of a box of software to know what you'll be getting. However, when selling apparel, good quality pictures and a detailed description are vital. You should use a good quality digital camera to take pictures of the item from different angles. If you're selling jackets or coats, include a picture of the lining as well. In your description, don't just say it's a large size. Give measurements of the garment including overall length, sleeve length and chest size. If you're going to specialize in apparel, it would be a good idea to purchase a form or clothing dummy to model your apparel. Doing these things will go a long way in setting you apart from the competition and establishing a "unique selling proposition."

What ever you're thinking about selling, always look at your competition and think about how to set yourself apart. Remember that unless you're selling antiques on Ebay, there's always someone else who's trying to sell the same thing you're selling. Establishing your USP will put you on the road to Ebay success.

Are You Tired of the scams and the get-rich-quick schemes? Greg Hayes is founding editor of http://www.mammothprofits.com/. Mammothprofits is the website devoted to helping others filter out the scams and become successful in a home based business.

ghayes@mammothprofits.com

Weird Ebay sales: What are people trying to sell each other? By: Daniel Punch
Like all other areas of life the comedians and jokers have invaded and put their mark on this incredible new phenomenon that is eBay.

Recently I wrote an article entitled, " Future Internet: Collaboration without loss of individuality: Example 1: Ebay". Since then it has come to my attention that like all other areas of life the comedians and jokers have invaded and put their mark on this incredible new phenomenon. I am by no means against humour as I am a firm believer in the idea that laughter is the greatest medicine of all. If humanity just learned to laugh at ourselves a little bit more instead of taking everything in life so seriously, I think we could achieve both individual and social harmony much more quickly. There are several websites on the Internet already dedicated to weird things that have been offered and even bought on www.ebay.com. A few that I've seen are found at: http://www.whowouldbuythat.com/,