E BAY: BUY AND SELL DEALING WITH THE WORLD STORE

5 Hidden Resources For eBay Users

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Sun, 27 May 2007 08:24:00 +0000

by: Jason James

Many thousands of people making a living both buying & selling on eBay. Currently ranked as the 37 biggest site on the net (according to Alexa figures) eBay shows no signs of slowing down, even fortune 500 companies are opening eBay shops to sell surplus & unwanted stock. The following are five resources that I use personally & encourage you to use them to increase your eBay profits with ease.

Reports show that over 90% of searches on eBay are done using the search facility. What users do not know about eBays search factility is that by default it only searches the item titles - not the descriptions of the items. Remember this fact as it will show the significance of some of the resources listed below.

1) FatFingers

How professional a seller are you? Do you check your listings before submitting them or even does someone else proof read them for you? With millions of listings on eBays networks of sites at any one time, a small proportion of these listings contain errors - & a misspelt word is about the biggest error you can make.

Imagine your selling a Sony Television for example. What if you misspell the item as Sony Televisoin. Anyone who searches for the term "Sony Television" simply isn't going to be presented with your item. Only those eBayers who search manually though the category will find your items. Needless to say that if people can't find your item, they're unable to bid on them.

FatFingers is a service you can use to find all misspelt variations of a term. Why would you need such a service?

Well obviously if an item has low visibility on eBay it's also likely to have zero or few bids enabling you to snap yourself up a bargain. I've known people use this service to make a full time living, purely buying items cheaply and relisting them without errors.

Details at: Fatfingers.com

2) eBay Pulse

Back to the search facility eBay pulse shows you the top 10 searched keywords in every category. It's a real gem of a service, obviously by looking at the most widely used search terms you can see what eBayers are after. And if your selling in this category, by inserting some of these keywords within your title your items will be seen by more users.

The only thing to watch out with this service is make sure the keywords are relevant to your item, IF NOT DON'T USE THEM. How many times have you saw listings such as "SONY PANASONIC LG WIDESCREEN DIGITAL TELEVISION GUIDE", - listings such as these are well thought out to earn high visibility from the way users search. Anyone searching for the items with any of the keywords will uncover your listings.

While it may lead to a high number of views, firstly fellow users will get annoyed if they find your item completely unrevealed to what they searched for, Secondly keyword spamming as it is known, is against eBay policy and will lead to your item being pulled. I use pulse daily with all my listings but make sure it's relevant to your item first.

Details at: pulse.ebay.com

3) Keyword-Pro

Keyword-Pro is a commercial subscription service which is similar to eBay pulse. However, the main difference is Keyword-Pro offers a much more in depth list of relevant keywords. It lists the top 50 keywords for every category for both eBay.co.uk & eBay.com. This is a great addition, especially if any of the terms found in eBay pulse are not relevant to your item.

Keyword-Pro is available as both a web service or as a small program that downloads the list onto your P.C. It's data is updated weekly to keep you informed of the latest search terms.

Details at Trading-Web-Solutions.com/keywords

4) Selling Manager

When you first open a selling account on eBay, options listed under the sell tab of eBay are enough to get you by. However, you can upgrade to a more in depth service known as Selling Manager. As eBay describes the service "eBay Selling Manager is our online sales management tool for medium to high volume sellers". It allows you to track every eBay sale, customise your feedback comments, print shipping labels & much more. It saves me about four hours a week tracking orders and watching my sales.

Selling Manager is FREE on eBay.co.uk & has a small monthly charge of on eBay.com (after one a month trial free). Once I moved over to Selling Manager, there's simply no way I would go back.

Details at: Click on services once you've logged into your eBay account.

5) eBay Popular Products

Here you can see, directly from eBay, what the most popular products are in several categories. an invaluable tool for an eBay seller.

Details at: http://product-index.ebay.com/best_selling_1.html

I hope you find these services useful & time saving in your goal for a successful home business on eBay. Remember, your most important resource is your time when your starting or building up an online business & if you discover any site, person or opportunity that can save you time give it the attention & serious consideration it deserves. Every top Internet marketers constantly educate themselves by purchasing & reviewing almost every new product released. The way I look at it, if an ebook costs $197 and the information within the ebook saves me this or allows me to make an additional $197 it's well worth it - once you can do it once you'll be able to repeat the exercise over and over again making repeated profits. If you discover a precious eBay related resource let me know & I'll consider revising this list for future editions.

Good luck with your eBay selling.

Copyright 2005 Auction Resource Network

About The Author

Jason James’ website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 a month on eBay. Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here: http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

5 Simple Steps To Posting Your First Ebay Auction.

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Sun, 27 May 2007 08:15:00 +0000

by: Kirsten Hawkins

It’s surprisingly simple to get started posting your very first auction on eBay. Here’s what you need to do.

Step 1: Open an eBay seller’s account.

If you’ve bought things on eBay, then you already have an account – just log in with it and click ‘Sell’ in the toolbar at the top of the page, then click ‘Create a seller’s account’. If you’ve never used eBay before, then you’ll need to open an account first using the ‘register’ link underneath the toolbar, and then click ‘Sell’ and ‘Create a seller’s account’. The eBay site will then guide you through the process. For security, this may involve giving card details and bank information.

Step 2: Decide what to sell.

For your first little experiment with eBay, it doesn’t really matter what you sell. Take a look around the room you’re in – I’m sure there’s something in there that you’re not all that attached to and could put in the post. Small books and CDs are ideal first items.

Step 3: Submit your item.

Click ‘Sell’, and you’re on your way to listing your item.

The first thing you need to do is choose a category – it’s best to just type in what the item is and let eBay choose for you. Next, write a title and description. Include key words you think people will search for in the title box, and all the information you have about the item in the description box.

Now set a starting price. $0.01 is the best starting price, as it draws people in to bid who otherwise wouldn’t, and items will almost never finish at such a low price. The next thing to set is the duration of the auction: 3, 5, 7 or 10 days. This is up to you: longer sales will usually get more bids, but will also seem to drag on forever. If you’ve taken a picture, add it now – items with pictures always sell for more. Finally, tick the payment methods you will accept (just PayPal is best for now), and where you will post to (limit yourself to your own country to begin with). Submit and you’re done!

Step 4: Wait for it to sell.

This is just a matter of sitting back and letting eBay do its thing – buyers will find your item and leave bids on it. Some bidders might email you with questions about the item, and you should do your best to answer these questions as quickly as you can.

Remember that if your item doesn’t sell then you can list it again for free.

Step 5: Collect payment and post it.

eBay will sent your buyer emails guiding them through the process of sending you payment for the item. Make sure you have the money before you send anything.

Once you’ve got the payment, all you need to do is pack the item for posting (make sure to use some bubble wrap), take the buyer’s address from the confirmation email eBay sent you, and write it on the parcel. Put some stamps on, post it, and you’re done!

I hope you enjoyed selling your first item. Now that you’re starting to get into it, the next email will give you a checklist of things you need to do to be a successful seller.

About The Author
Kirsten Hawkins is an Ebay and internet auction enthusiast from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.auctionseller411.com/ for more great tips on how to make the most from Ebay and other online auctions.

10 Incredible Ways To Sell Your Products Now

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Sun, 27 May 2007 08:05:00 +0000

by: Stephen Thomas

1. Make your reader visualize they have already bought your product in your ad. Tell them what results they have gotten and how it makes them feel. They'll already become emotionally attached before they buy.

2. Turn your ad into an article. It could be a story, or how-to article. This will lead them into your ad without them knowing it's an ad. They'll already be interested when they get to your sales pitch.

3. Make sure you show your reader that they are getting a bargain. Tell them the usual price you sell your product for is $99. Then tell them if they order today they can buy it for $69.95.

4. Direct your ad headline to your target audience. Your readers will feel important and belong to a select group of people who buy your product. For example; "Attention! Accountants, Discover A New Way To Increase Your Client Base!"

5. Tell your reader how fast they can receive your product or service in your ad. Their buying decision may be based on how fast they can receive your product. They may need it by a certain deadline.

6. Use bullets to highlight your product or services benefits. Benefits are the key to selling anything, make them standout in your ad. You can use dots, dashes, or circles to highlight them.

7. Give a money back guarantee that surpasses a normal one. Instead of the normal timed guarantee, give them extra back. Tell them they can keep the free bonus or give them double their money back.

8. Tell your reader they'll receive surprise bonuses. This'll raise your reader's curiosity and make them want to buy so they can find out what the surprise bonuses are.

9. Let your reader know this specific package will not be offered again. You must create urgency so people buy now. You may always sell the same product but not with the same bonuses or price.

10. Give them a couple tips in your ad that will help them with their problem. This will give your business credibility and gain your readers trust to buy your products or services.

About The Author

Stepen E. Thomas is the author of "The Thomas Report Internet Marketing Success Newsletter." He has helped thousands of individuals succeed online. Visit his site to find out how you start your own online business in 24 hours. http://www.stevesbizoppos.com or mailto:stevesbizoppos@getresponse.com

stevesbizoppos@earthlink.net

3 Steps to Begin Making Money on eBay™ Fast - When You Don't Know Where to Start

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Sun, 27 May 2007 07:37:00 +0000

by: Pauline Kiselbach

Do not sit in front of your computer any more, wasting time and daydreaming. Begin today to take the necessary steps needed to make money on eBay™.

I have discovered how awesome eBay™ really is!

It was not too long ago that I had no clue what eBay™ was about, and now look at me, an eBay™ enlightened Mom!

Would you like to get there too? It is not difficult and it is really a lot of fun.

eBay™ is the latest, and greatest money-making endeavor I have found. And believe me, I have searched high and low in all kinds of markets and businesses to find something that could work for me.

Nothing I found seemed to tickle my fancy until eBay™. There were always too many loopholes to stop me from pursuing any of the ideas I came across. Such problems I found were, for example: the costs which seemed to escalate, the amount of time that was required was more than I could give, the steps were way too complicated and the end result always seemed way too small.

No, not me boy, I wanted to invest only a small amount of money, I wanted to spend about 15 hours on this per week, and I needed it to be pretty simple, something that if I stopped at any moment, (you know the kids always distract me at the wrong times) I needed to be able to pick up where I left off and not end up completely confused. Does this sound like the same issues you have had?

Let eBay™ be your solution to the fastest and most simple way of making money! Let me share the ropes with you so you can begin right away.

Step 1 - Log on to eBay™ and start exploring!

Sounds too easy right? Well it is, as I promised. Just look up searches for things you are interested in and see for yourself how items are listed.

Make note as to how some auctions draw your eye to them, and others don't. Look at the titles of the items, which ones would you be more drawn to and why. Under the "search" box, use different words to describe what it is you want to find and see what comes up.

Notice how many different categories there are and observe the specialty sites. Interesting now isn't it!

If you are feeling a bit more comfortable the next thing you should do is buy something from eBay™.

Step 2 - Buy something from eBay™.

The reason you need to buy something is because to be a good seller you must understand what it is like to be a buyer. You do not have to spend a lot of money here, in fact you should not spend a lot, just get your feet a bit wet and try it out.

To find out the steps in buying from eBay™ check out my other articles. You will see that it is not difficult to set up a buyer's account on eBay™, AND you get to choose an eBay™ user ID, a code word if you like that eBay™ users will know you by. Sounds exciting now doesn't it! Who knew that part of the process to making money on eBay™ was shopping! Well I would say that is just too much fun.

Okay, now you have browsed around eBay™, you have familiarized yourself with auctions, and you have purchased something! That is great and you are now ready to make some money.

Step 3 - Sell something from your attic.

Don't panic if you do not have an attic. Do you have a cupboard, a closet, a drawer, a child! No, just kidding, there is no need to sell your firstborn, at least not yet! But you do need to find something to sell, and it would be best if it was not your mother's $5,000.00 wedding ring please!

You do not want to start with an expensive item, remember this is a first sale for you so make it easy for yourself. Also, keep in mind shipping costs and packaging needs, so size and weight is a factor here.

Once you have found your first item, or items, take some really good pictures of them and upload the photos on your computer. You are now ready to set up a seller's account on eBay™. My other articles can guide you through this process.

If you have followed these steps, you can sit back now and watch the price of your item go up and up, until at last someone buys it!

You have taken the plunge. In essence you have begun your exciting career on eBay™. May this be the beginning of a very profitable journey for you.

About The Author

Pauline Kiselbach is a single mom of two who started with nothing and built a wildly profitable eBay business. She has put together a free multi-part mini-course to teach you how to generate quick and easy profits on eBay.

Get it now at: http://www.auctionmoolah.com

26 Tips on How to be Safe in Your eBay Selling and Buying

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Sun, 27 May 2007 06:30:00 +0000

by: Brian McGregor

The irony of eBay is that as it grows to be ever more successful, it draws the unsavoury element of the internet towards it. I'm talking about people who make it their business to attempt to defraud you and I in our eBay and PayPal transactions.

Of course, not all dodgy dealings on eBay are fraudulent. Some are just mischievous. Others are by chancers, who perhaps reckon their victims won't be bothered to pursue them.

Whoever causes it, it's left to the targeted buyer or seller to try and sort out the problem. All that we as users can do is to be extremely vigilant and cautious in all our eBay and PayPal activities.

Here is a list of practical steps, in no particular order, which buyers and sellers can take to help avoid becoming the next victim.

Hopefully you are already aware of some of these. It doesn't necessarily follow that if one of these applies the auction or person is fraudulent. But if you use your head, and build up a view of the overall transaction based based upon a number of these factors, you will reduce your chances of getting conned.

a) Stock photos and descriptions

Because they don't have the item they are "selling", some fraudsters use a stock photograph of the item. And they will probably use the manufacturer's product description too. So, stock photos and no original description might be a sign. Search for other auctions by the same seller, and see if they are brazen enough to advertise the same item more than once.

b) A price too good to be true often isn't true

A fraudster wants your money quickly, so you may find they offer to close their auction early with you as the "winner" having bid a price which you know to be somewhat of a bargain. Why would anyone close their auction early if the price hadn't reached market levels? I'll give you one guess.

c) High value or high volume, newly registered sellers

Although the vast majority of new sellers are genuine and honest, be cautious of buying from people selling high value items in bulk, very early on in their eBay career. This pattern isn't quite normal. Think back to your own first sales. You would have been tentative, and probably have tried single, low value items initially. So, a new seller fitting this profile may be someone who has perhaps been previously suspended and has registered another ID.

d) 1 day listings

Although 1 day listing are used by genuine sellers who have more than one item or who want a quick sale, unfortunately this duration is attractive to fraudsters too. They sometimes use a 1 day auction duration to gain a quick sale before their actions can be reported and acted upon. So, be extra wary on auctions with 1 day listing.

e) Invitations to trade off-eBay

This is a classic ploy of fraudsters. Having made some kind of contact with you, or you with them, they will invite you to purchase or to sell off eBay i.e. without using eBay's auction services. The attraction here to the fraudster is that they can drive the transaction along the lines they prefer, whether that be escrow, PayPal etc. Another reason why trading off eBay is not a good idea is that you have to keep your own formal records of the transaction, and you forfeit any cover from eBay buyer protection and PayPal buyer protection. Plus, and this might be a minor point, but you will not be able to leave feedback to let others know your experience with this seller/buyer.

f) Payment methods with no recourse

Fraudsters prefer to chose payment methods in which the buyer has no protection, like wire transfers where the buyer has no way of tracing where the money is going. Western Union Money Transfers and BidPay are favourites and should be totally avoided. Postal orders are similar although they are a popular payment method among the genuine sellers as they require no clearance time. Bank transfers and cheques can only provide the possibility of your bank investigating the details of the account the money was transferred into. For the best protection use Paypal and fund with a Credit Card. Note there are limits on eBay and PayPal protection, and you should make yourself aware of what these are.

g) Unusual sales pattern

If your seller's feedback indicates that they normally deal in collectables, DVDs or other specific items, be suspicious that they are suddenly listing laptops, plasma TVs or other high value items. The change may indicate that this seller's account has been hijacked.

h) Bad english gives you a pointer

Some fraudsters operate from abroad but pretend to be in UK or USA. As they aren't particularly adept at the english language they might use a translation tool like Babelfish to create their emails to you. So, watch out for emails that are not good english. In itself, it doesn't prove anything, there are plenty of genuine eBay sellers for whom english is not their first language. But it might add to further evidence you have.

i) Location Location Location

In the case of lazy fraudsters you might find their locations don't match up. By that I mean the auction says the goods are in the UK, but the seller's ID details show their location to be, say, Ukraine. This is not a good sign. Often in these cases if you contact these sellers you will receive an excuse as to why the item is not in the UK, and therefore can't be collected in person. In short, if an auction says the item is in the UK and the seller says that it is not, I would avoid the auction. And don't forget to cross check with their PayPal account, and see in which country this resides.

j) Ask questions

Always, always ask your seller a question. Any question. Their response, if you receive one, will help you judge how genuine the seller is. Beware auctions that carry a message asking you to contact the seller via a given email address as opposed to via the 'Ask seller a question' link. This could be an account hijacker trying to prevent buyers from 'Asking the seller a question'. They want to stop this from happening because such questions could be routed to the real account owner.

k) "eBay can vouch for me" email

A warning about a relatively new tactic used by fraudsters. If you are proving hard to land as a buyer/seller, they may claim they can get eBay to email you proof of their validity so that you can trust them. eBay, of course, will NEVER do this. The email sent out, however authentic looking, is fake and is designed to get you to part with your money or your goods. This applies equally to Square Trade and PayPal. They will never email you certifying the genuineness of anyone.

l)A PayPal warning

There are fraudsters who use stolen PayPal accounts to accept payments. To lower the possibility of this, check your seller's location as shown in eBay, and then see if it is one of PayPal's permitted countries by clicking here: http://www.workwinners.com/nlr701.htm. If PayPal don't offer their service in the country that the seller resides, be very wary.

m) Passwords

Never have the same password on your eBay and PayPal accounts. Or indeed on any other financial or personal site. Change your passwords every 30-60 days on both eBay and PayPal.

n) Escrow

If your seller asks you to use escrow, and proposes an escrow company they've used before, this is a clear indication they are fraudulent. There are many fake escrow sites which will take your money fraudulently. The only escrow site recommended by eBay is http://www.escrow.com. An alternative in the UK is http://www.auctionpix.co.uk Please don't be tempted to use any other escrow company, however professional looking their websites might be. It is a fact that 99% of escrow companies on the internet are fraudulent. They are set up solely to defraud money out of unsuspecting buyers, and to get goods without paying for them from unsuspecting sellers.

o) Pointers in feedback

Try to read the positive feedback as well as the negative. Read the way your seller responds to negative feedback as this will often give you an idea of how the seller will react if something goes badly wrong. If the seller is offering high value goods, be wary if their feedback has been built up quickly from low value purchases. Also, if the overall rating is good, but there are a disproportionate number of negatives in recent days/weeks, this might indicate the account has been taken over. Finally, be aware that feedback is not the guarantee it once was. Feedback can easily be manufactured. Also, if the user ID has been hijacked, you'll be reading the feedback of the original account owner, not the person with whom you're currently dealing!

p) Credit Card payment

For high value items, or for amounts of money you can't afford to lose, make sure you pay by credit card which has online fraud protection. This will give you some recourse if the seller is fraudulent. In this context, paying via PayPal is not the same. PayPal do have a buyer protection scheme, but there are criteria which the eBay auction has to satisfy in order to qualify. Even if the transaction qualifies, PayPal's standard protection currently has a maximum value of $1,000. Note that payment by debit card provides zero protection.

q) Address and Telephone check

Use the Ask the seller a question link, and request they email you with their address and telephone number. Any reputable seller will give you their address and telephone number. When you get the number, call it, and see if you get through to the genuine seller.

r) Keystroke capturing virus

This is a computer virus which you inadvertently download onto your PC. It's task is to capture the keystrokes you make, and to send them to the virus placer. The fraudster then uses pattern recognition software to identify and extract personal information, like username, password, credit card numbers etc. To avoid this happening to you, it is wise to have good, up-to-date virus, firewall and spyware checking software on your PC. Here is where you can get free software for each of these functions:

Virus protection - http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/

Firewall - http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/comparison.jsp?lid=ho_za

Spyware checking - http://www.lavasoft.com/support/download/

s) Shill bidding

Shill bidding is where people work in cahoots to inflate the bidding on an item. A seller has a "partner" who makes bids on the seller's items with a view to bumping up the bid price. They have no intention of buying the item. Fortunately, shill bidders and their associated seller can be stupid. The shill bidder will usually makes bids on other items from the same seller. Here's how to check to see if shill bidding is a feature of a particular seller. First, look at the seller's closed auctions over the last 30 days. If most of the closed auctions have no bids, it is unlikely the seller has shill bidders working with them. If all of the closed auctions have bids, take a look at the bid history. See if the same bidder appears in the list of bidders, usually with aggressive bidding and normally at the start of the auction. If so, you may have uncovered a shill operation, so avoid that seller's auctions.

t) Keep your transaction information

Keep your own record of the transaction when you're buying. Don't just rely on eBay. You want a record of the seller's identification, the item description, emails sent and received, plus the time, date and price of your bid.

u) "I noticed your bid...."

Never deal with anyone who contacts you after seeing your bid on another auction. They will say something like, "I saw you bidding on that digital camera. I have the same model available for sale. I don't have time to list it on eBay. It has more accessories than the one you lost out on. You can have it for xyz." If you bite, they'll probably take you down the fake escrow route. Also, if you entertain this proposition, you're operating outside of eBay and therefore have no auction protection whatsoever.

v) Changed eBay ID

Never deal with anyone who has a changed ID icon next to their name. This icon menas they've changed their ID in the last 30 days. Few legitimate people change their eBay ID. When was the last time you changed yours? There's a 1% chance that an ID change is genuine, but 99% that it is fraudulent. Why take the risk?

w) Changed email address mid-stream

If a seller or buyer changes their email address on you in the middle of a transaction, stop dealing with them. It is likely their previous email account was closed down due to some irregularity - such as a previous victim reported them. If you think about it, why would any genuine buyer or seller change their email address whilst corresponding on a transaction they wish to conclude expeditiously?

x) Complications

Never get involved in any transaction where the seller/buyer tries to introduce a third person into the financial arrangements. They might ask you to pay xyz, who will then pay the seller, and you will receive a discount or commission for your co-operation. Such proposals are always fraudulent. They prey on greed. Don't be tempted.

y) Time is of the essence

This is a scam which is has more potential for success than traditional phishing attacks, as it is time sensitive. The fraudster searches for high value auctions that have just ended. The bid history for an auction contains hyperlinks to each bidder. The fraudster checks to see if the winning bidder is selling any items of their own. If so, they go to that auction and embed a request for payment from the first auction within a question for seller. This works because winning bidders are expecting request for payment shortly after an auction ends. A variation of this is to offer a bidder a "second chance". This time the "Ask the seller a question" email pretends that the real winner has backed out, and offers the item at a lower price. The buyer, believing the story, is lured into paying to whom they believe is a genuine seller. Many eBayers have heard of the second chance system, but have no experience of it. This unfamiliarity coupled with the fact that a few weeks might have passed, makes this an effective method for fraudsters. The moral of this story is never get involved in any transaction which arrives in your inbox via the Ask the Seller a Question feature.

z) eBay IDs

Never us your email address as your eBay ID, or part of your eBay ID. Fraudsters have software which monitors internet traffic looking for information such as this. If your eBay ID and email address are the same, it is simple for a fraudster to plausibly communicate with other eBay members in your name.

That's all in my list. If you have any further ideas on how to prevent fraudulent transactions on eBay, please let me know and I will promote these through future newsletters.

In the meantime, be aware, and be safe in your eBay buying and eBay selling.

About The Author

Brian McGregor specializes in showing website owners how to make more money from their sites by applying inventive and original use of eBay. For a free copy of ‘The eBay Traffic Funnel’ which shows you how to use the power of eBay to make more money with your website, visit http://www.more-auction-sales.com/websites/

brian@workwinners.com

7 Steps to Easier eBay Shipping

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Sun, 27 May 2007 05:59:00 +0000

by: John Lenaghan

If you're like me, you probably hate packing and shipping the things you sell on eBay.

Don't get me wrong, I love selling on eBay. I just don't like the shipping part. I find it monotonous to hunt for boxes, wrap the items, drive back and forth from the post office, and all the other steps involved in shipping.

Then there's the waiting for the buyer to receive the item. Has it arrived yet? Did it get damaged in shipping?
It took me a lot of trial and error to figure them out, but the following 7 steps will help make your job easier when it comes to shipping, as well as get rid of the stress of waiting for the item to be delivered to the buyer.

1. Professional Wrapping

When you wrap your item(s), wrap it professionally in nice, clean tissue paper. If breakable, be sure the item is wrapped with bubble wrap as well. Include a business card with your website information, name, address, or a printed statement showing the item(s) name, item(s) number, price paid, and a small hand-written note thanking the buyer for their purchase.

2. Insurance

Insurance is usually a good idea but in general, it should be an optional feature, with the decision left to the buyer. Remember two important things about insurance. First, insurance is VERY inexpensive. Therefore, in your description, you should state how much insurance would cost and recommend it. Second, you should also state in the description that if insurance is not purchased, you are not responsible for lost or damaged items.

3. Weighing

In order to provide accurate details and help in determining shipping costs, you need to know exact weights. The best option, which will save you many unnecessary trips to the post office, is to purchase a inexpensive quality scale for weighing your packages.

4. Postage

Instead of always running out of stamps or having to run to the post office to ship a smaller item, fill out the information located at stamps.com where you can print stamps directly from your home computer.

5. Post Office Freebies

If you use the Priority Mail option through your post office, they will provide all your supplies for free. This includes boxes, labels, and tape. Best of all, they deliver all these supplies directly to your door. Get them at your local post office or go to USPS.com request mailing supplies.

6. Ship-To Locations

Be sure to consider where you will ship to carefully. You will have buyers from around the world but you can limit where you will ship. Some people prefer to ship to the US, Canada, and European countries while others ship anywhere. The option is completely yours but keep in mind that there are some differences in how you wrap the package, the currency exchanges, and communication barriers between you and the buyer.

7. Delivery Confirmation

Unfortunately, some buyers will try to say they paid for an item but never received the auction item(s). When shipping, you should consider using delivery confirmation. This service is generally inexpensive and can end up saving you a ton, especially if the item(s) is higher priced.

Do yourself a favor and put these tips into action - you'll save yourself both time and hassles. Use the time you save to get more listings up, and watch your eBay income grow.

About The Author
John Lenaghan offers success tips for eBay and other online auctions at the Online Auction Advisor website. Visit http://www.online-auction-advisor.com/ for more ways to improve your buying and selling on eBay.

5 Sure-Fire Ways To Make More Money On Ebay

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Sun, 27 May 2007 05:13:00 +0000

By: John Lenaghan

Have you ever dealt with a salesperson or a waiter who gave you unbelievably good service? How about someone who didn't seem to care about you one bit?

Which of those people would you go back to the next time you needed to make another purchase or eat another meal?

I'm willing to bet you would go back to the business or person who gave you great service. Have you ever considered that this same principle applies to your eBay sales?

One of the easiest ways to get more sales on eBay is to make every buyer think "Wow, I've never had such a good experience buying on eBay!"

Once someone has bought from you and had a good experience, they're much more likely to buy from you again. They already know they can trust you, you ship quickly, your descriptions are clear and honest, and all the other things buyers wonder about when dealing with an unknown seller.

Use the following 5 tips and watch your repeat business go through the roof...

1. Quick Response

When you have an item listed on eBay and a potential buyer contacts you with a question, respond quickly. It's important, and actually critical to your success to check your email several times a day. Answering a question quickly could be the difference between you getting the sale or the buyer going elsewhere.

2. Accurate Listings

When you list your items on eBay, write an accurate description. You don't have to write long paragraphs or rambling information, but provide exact measurements, colors, condition, etc. Be honest and precise when it comes to your description.

3. Buyer Contact

Once your items have sold, be responsive to the buyer. Contact them as quickly as possible after the auction has ended, thank them for their purchase and provide the required information for payment.

4. Sending Items

In your description, provide accurate details regarding shipment. Make sure the items are sent within the time you stated. In many cases, people purchase something for a specific purpose and if you don't ship it when stated, not only do you mess up their schedule but you have probably lost a customer and opened the door for negative feedback.

5. Shipping & Handling

You should always charge actual shipping costs, or at most a little extra to cover the cost of your shipping materials. There are a number of shipping calculators that can be added to your description so people can calculate their own shipping. Another option is to state that you will provide actual shipping at the end of the auction, based on the destination. Overcharging your customers for shipping and handling is frowned upon and will often result in unhappy customers.

It's always a good idea to include a thank-you note with every item that you ship. It can be on a business card or something larger, whatever you prefer.

Of course your thank-you note will also include the address to your eBay listings and a friendly reminder for your customer to check back regularly for more of your great deals and exceptional customer service...

About the Author:

John Lenaghan offers success tips for eBay and other online auctions at the Online Auction Advisor website. Visit http://www.online-auction-advisor.com for more ways to improve your buying or selling on eBay.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

10 Power-Packed Promotion Strategies

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Sun, 27 May 2007 00:58:00 +0000

by: Terri Seymour

There are many ways to creatively and affordably promote your online business. I have tried all of the following and they worked very well for me.

Joint Ventures - Participating in joint ventures with fellow publishers can be a very profitable experience. This could be anything from a group pop under window to advertising each other's ezines in your welcome letter. I also know a lot of people have had some results with signature buddies, where you would swap ads, so to speak, in each other's email sigtag.

http://expertonebiz.com/articles/jvmoney.html
http://www.jvmarketer.com/jvresource.html
http://personalizedpartyfavor.com/freenocatch.htm
Writing Articles - Extremely effective method of building your reputation and your business. Writing articles is not hard, just stick with what you know and do not think you have to use big words to impress anyone. People are just looking for understandable articles with helpful info and useful resources. Write as if you were talking to a friend.

mailto:getideas@getresponse.com
mailto:yesarticles@getresponse.com
http://www.ecommercebase.com/article/254
Submit your articles here:

mailto:article_announce-subscribe@yahoogroups.com;
mailto:articles4you2use4promotion-subscribe@yahoogroups.com;
http://www.MakingProfit.com
http://www.ideamarketers.com
Ad Swaps - Swapping ads, or running another publisher's ad in exchange for him/her running yours, is a very popular method of promotion. There are hundreds of thousands of ezines on the net and most of the publishers are willing to swap ads. When writing to a fellow publisher, be sure to include a link to a sample issue of your ezine. Introduce yourself and let them know how you know about their ezine. Tell them about your ezine and suggest a possible swap. There are publishers who will even swap solo ads which is a great opportunity!

http://www.swapezineads.com/
http://www28.brinkster.com/bluesite/swap.htm
http://www.linkydinky.com/swap/
Discussion Lists - Participating in discussion groups can get you established as an expert in your field as well as build your reputation as one who is there when needed. This can bring you subscribers, customers and clients. Always follow each group's guidelines for posting and treat everyone with respect and courtesy.

mailto:hbj_chat-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
mailto:ideasbypost-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
mailto:newbies911-subscribe@topica.com
mailto:Webmaster-Talk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Message Boards - Similar to discussion groups. Find a few quality boards and visit regularly. Participate and help whenever possible by offering your experience, advice, expertise or support. Always follow the rules.

http://www.entrepreneur-web.com/index_1.shtml
Fr~e Ecourses - Compile a series of articles and turn them into a mini ecourse. Give step by step info and provide helpful resources to compliment said info. Always provide links to your website, ezine and any products that are applicable. You also want to have your email on every page so it is very easy to contact you. Assemble your course on a fr~e autoresponder and start offering it to your subs, visitors and submit it to fellow webmasters for distribution. Example: mailto:moe-mini-course@getresponse.com

Fr~e Ebooks - Creating an ebook is not hard. You can simply compile several articles that you or other people have written. Provide tips, resources and information. Offer your ebook to webmasters, ebook directories and ezine publishers for distribution.

http://www.pcvoyager.com/dir/ebooks.html
mailto:ebooksforeveryone@getresponse.com
Fr~e Directories - There are hundreds of fr~e ezine, business, and website directories all over the net. Take some time each day or week and submit your heart out! The more places you get listed, the more exposure you get.

http://www.ezineuniversity.com/resources/index.html
http://ezineadhelper.com/businessdir/addsite.htm
http://toolsforthe.net/
http://www.ezineuniversity.com/resources/index.html
http://www.directoryofezines.com
http://www.EzineLocater.com/
Link Exchanges - Similar to ad swaps only you are listing other links on your website in exchange for your link being listed on their website. Set up a special set of pages with different categories for link exchanges.

http://myownezine.com/links/index.shtml
mailto:LinkTogether-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
http://www.iwr.com/free/reciprocal.htm
AutoResponders - Autoresponders are used to mail out follow-ups to ezine subscribers, requests for more information, orders, article requests, etc. Effective follow-ups can raise your sales substantially.

http://www.myownezine.com/ebooks/ARUR10d.exe
http://www.jogena.com/articles/article101.htm
http://www.getresponse.com
http://www.sendfree.com
If you consistently use some or all of these methods, your business is sure to grow. They have been very productive for me and can be for you as well. If you have any questions about the methods I have talked about, please feel fr~e to contact me. ;-)

About The Author

Terri Seymour owns and operates MyOwnEzine.com
Learn to publish and promote your own ezine. mailto:subscribe@myownezine.com
Sign-up for the FR~E MOE Ezine Publishing Ecourse mailto:moe-mini-course@getresponse.com
You can contact Terri at mailto:ter02@newnorth.net

An eBay Garage Sale Online - You Can Do It!

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Sat, 26 May 2007 08:04:00 +0000

by Ron Knowlton

(This is the first of a series of articles on how to conduct an online garage sale on eBay. Today's article deals with taking the pictures and using them in your eBay listing.)

It's almost that time of year again - garage sale season - time to empty out the closets of extra, little-used items.

This time you've decided to try eBay. Afterall, a lot of people are selling on eBay with great results!

You only have one hang up though - the pictures.

It's too expensive to hire a professional photographer (might as well just hold the garage sale at your home than do that)!

But you're brave. You get the camera out. You place your first garage sale item in a good spot.

You carefully aim and shoot.

And the result, again, is not exactly what you had hoped for.

They Look at the Picture First - Then the Headline

Let's face it, not everyone is born to take great pictures and on eBay you need good pictures. Many people just browse the pictures looking for the items they need. No picture (or worse - a lousy picture) and it's on to the next item ...

In this article, I'll try to help you take better pictures and show you how to use them in your eBay listing.

You'll need a gallery image on eBay (it's only 35 cents - but well worth it).

The gallery image is the picture of your garage sale item that people will see when they do their search. No picture and all you get is a graphic of a green camera. That graphic and your short headline is often all the buyer will have to make a quick decision - whether to go on to your listing or not. Many will just skip the "picture-less" listings and go on to the next item - the one that has a picture.

How "Cloudy Day" Lighting Helps

One of the big problems in taking a picture is to get the right lighting.

The wrong lighting leaves dark shadows and real bright hot spots in the finished picture.

The best lighting for your picture is "cloudy day" lighting.

On a cloudy day - with light clouds in the sky - the shadows are soft. The bright spots are not very bright, the shadows not very dark.

Create a "Cloudy Day" Indoors - It's Easy

If you don't have a cloudy day outdoors, you can "create" one indoors.

How? By placing your items near a window.

Find a window that has a light-colored (or white) curtain - with no distracting patterns - that allows some of the light to shine through. The curtain acts like clouds in between the lighting source (the sun) and your garage sale item - lightening the shadows and lessening the bright spots.

Your eBay items will be lit evenly on all sides with very soft - or even no shadows at all.

If you don't have a white curtain, use a white bed sheet instead - with no patterns (patterns will create checkerboard patterns of light on your garage sale item - something you definitely don't want).

Remember to move in close so that your garage sale item nearly fills the frame of the picture (after all, you do want people to see it).

A "Lighting Tent" - the Easiest Solution

If you have a lighting tent (this is usually a white fabric box you can buy online), put your garage sale item in the tent. Move the tent to a spot where there is plenty of light (maybe even outside on a sunny day). The tent is like placing clouds between your strong light source (the sun) and your garage sale item.

Another benefit of the lighting tent, is that it's usually very easy to set up and take down. It gives you an instant photo studio for your eBay items! And also a plain background (no clutter).

There are some lighting boxes (or lighting tents) that even come with photographic lights (which makes it easy - you just plug the lights in and you have instant sunshine (or lighting) for your photos inside the tent).

A Digital Camera - a Source of Instant Pictures For Your Listing

I recommend using a digital camera for eBay photos. You can now purchase digital cameras for under $100. However, if you have the money, I recommend purchasing a camera that will allow you to take close up shots of your item. With small items, you'll need close ups! This may cost a little more in the short term when you purchase the camera, but will pay off in the long run.

A 3.0 megapixel camera should be sufficient.

With a digital camera, you can take the pictures, view them in the viewing screen on the camera, delete the pictures you don't need, and then upload the rest onto your computer.

After that, you select the picture file you need and then "upload" it into the listing. It's kind of like placing a
graphic into a Microsoft Word document.

If you know html, or have Microsoft Frontpage (or a similar program) you can create html pages. Then you just copy and paste the html code into the "description" box for your item on eBay - giving you a customized listing and a more professional look.

Practice Makes Perfect

Like anything, it's a little intimidating at first - to think about pictures, the wording for an eBay listing, and finally going through all of those steps to finally get the item listed.

But once you get the hang of it, you'll wonder why you ever hesitated to put up that first listing! After awhile, it'll seem easy and almost second-nature.

In the next article, we'll discuss how to word your listing and how to find the right price for your garage sale item.

Ron Knowlton is a former newspaper reporter and photojournalist. Go to http://www.photographyschoolbooks.com/ for more help with eBay pictures! Go to: http://www.helpyousucceed.com to read Ron's articles and to http://www.soaringprofits.com for help with internet marketing.

A Seller's Dash For Cash

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Sat, 26 May 2007 06:53:00 +0000

by: David Riewe

Today, eBay is considered to be one of the most lucrative auction sites available in the Internet.

However, selling on eBay is not that easy, and the very first thing a seller should do is to find the ways on how he or she will get paid once the item is sold. And so, here are the different ways how a seller can be paid:

1. PayPal

PayPal is the most common and convenient way of sending and receiving money based on an eBay transaction. Here, the payment for the sold item is sent directly to the seller by means of an established bank account or a credit card.

2. Personal Check or Cashier's Check

Sellers may choose this kind of option. However, the drawback of using this kind of payment method is that the seller still has to wait for a number of banking days before the check gets cleared.

3. Credit Cards

Sellers must have a merchant account to be able to accept payments from its buyers through credit cards. This is applicable only if the buyer will be paying directly to the seller. If the buyer still wants to use credit card but wants a safer transaction, he or she may opt to pay the seller through PayPal with the use of the credit card.

4. Bank to bank wire transfers

In this type of payment, the seller can be paid through a bank-to-bank transaction. Here, the buyer will transfer funds from his or her bank account to the seller's bank account.

5. Money Orders/Bid pay

This is one of the recommended payment methods of eBay. This is considered safe because the seller or the buyer can track down the mailing address of the concerned person.

6. Escrow

This is strongly suggested for high-priced item transactions. The escrow service guarantees full protection while the transaction is not yet closed. Through this service, the seller has to wait for the confirmation that the buyer had received the product before receiving payment.

However, sellers and buyers should take extra precautions on dealing with escrow services. There are a lot of counterfeit escrow services lurking on eBay these days. It's best to check if the escrow service was approved by eBay.

8. Cash

Sellers on eBay may receive payments through cash. However, this is a high-risk activity and offers no guaranteed protection.

8. Instant Cash Wire Transfers like western Union and Money Grams

Sellers may opt for this type of payment method. But, they should keep in mind eBay is strongly against this mode of payment and that insisting this to the buyer may result to suspension or termination of account.

About The Author

David Riewe is a Publisher and Online Marketer. Visit his eBay Blog to Discover 101 Ebay Auction Tips in this FREE ebook http://www.push-button-online-income.com/ebayblog.

An Introduction To Selling on eBay for Profit

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Sat, 26 May 2007 06:10:00 +0000

by: Jason James

It doesn't take a genius to make money on eBay, nor does it require you to have any specialized computer knowledge. You don't even need to be a skilled entrepreneur, because eBay does most of the work for you. With over 1.5 billion page views per month and more than 1000 categories, they bring customers TO YOU and save you enormous advertising costs.

Your job, therefore, is to make a successful sales pitch to the customers who see your auctions, and doing that isn't as easy as you might think. You will be competing with more than two million other eBay sellers, many of whom are veterans at online marketing and highly knowledgeable in the niche markets found on Ebay. So how do you compete with them? The answer is simple: INFORMATION!

This guide provides the information needed to get ahead on eBay and gives you an instant edge over your competitors. I will provide you with insider secrets on Ebay trading that I have learned from years of online auction sales. If you read this guide carefully, you will be armed with the knowledge necessary for an extremely lucrative home-based business selling virtually anything on eBay.

====eBay First Steps====

This link forwards you directy to eBay's new user sign-up page: http://ebay-register.auctionresourcenetwork.net

Step one: Enter all the information that is requested on that form then click submit. You will then be forwarded to a page where you get to pick your eBay user ID.

Step Two: You will need a unique name when asked for a user ID. You might as well advertise your company name for your user ID. For example, Instead of "BobSellsoneBay99" it's best to use your company name, like, "Bobs-Metro-Camera" or something to that effect. I think you get the point. If you don't have a company name, just make one up!

Step Three: Once that is done, you simply have to confirm your new eBay account by checking your email. Simply click on the "Confirmation" link within the confirmation email to confirm your new account. This step confirms your request to sign up to buy and sell on eBay.

The next major step is to get set-up to send and receive payments. Becoming e-commerce enabled if you will. The good news is this is very easy with an eBay owned company called "PayPal." PayPal makes things very easy to send and/or receive money with a credit card, checking account, or your PayPal account balance. Sign-up is fast, free and easy. Just click the link below to be forwarded to PayPal's website: http://paypal.auctionresourcenetwork.net

Congrats! You are now ready to begin buying and selling on eBay!

Now lets start selling. First you will need to set up your eBay sellers account. Please take the time to read all the tutorials and "how to" links eBay provides: http://pages.ebay.com/help/basics/n-selling.html

Once you have these initial steps completed, you are on your way to becoming a very successful eBay Power Seller!

Copyright 2005 Auction Resource Network

About The Author

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 a month on eBay.

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here: http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

An Ebay Seller’s Checklist.

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Sat, 26 May 2007 05:33:00 +0000

By: Kirsten Hawkins

Being a seller is a lot of responsibility, and sometimes you might feel like you’re not doing everything you should be. This simple checklist will help you keep on top of things.

Have you found out everything you possibly could about your items? Try typing their names into a search engine – you might find out something you didn’t know. If someone else is selling the same thing as you, then always try to provide more information about it than they do.

Do you monitor the competition? Always keep an eye on how much other items the same as or similar to yours are selling, and what prices they’re being offered at. There’s usually little point in starting a fixed price auction for $100 when someone else is selling the item for $90.

Have you got pictures of the items? It’s worth taking the time to photograph your items, especially if you have a digital camera. If you get serious about eBay but don’t have a camera, then you will probably want to invest in one at some point.

Are you emailing your sellers? It’s worth sending a brief email when transactions go through: something like a simple “Thank you for buying my item, please let me know when you have sent the payment”. Follow this up with “Thanks for your payment, I have posted your [item name] today”. You will be surprised how many problems you will avoid just by communicating this way.

Also, are you checking your emails? Remember that potential buyers can send you email about anything at any time, and not answering these emails will just make them go somewhere else instead of buying from you.

Do your item description pages have everything that buyers need to know? If you’re planning to offer international delivery, then it’s good to make a list of the charges to different counties and display it on each auction. If you have any special terms and conditions (for example, if you will give a refund on any item as long as it hasn’t been opened), then you should make sure these are displayed too.

Have you been wrapping your items correctly? Your wrapping should be professional for the best impression: use appropriately sized envelopes or parcels, wrap the item in bubble wrap to stop it from getting damaged, and print labels instead of hand-writing addresses. Oh, and always use first class post – don’t be cheap.

Do you follow up? It is worth sending out an email a few days after you post an item, saying “Is everything alright with your purchase? I hope you received it and it was as you expected.” This might sound like giving the customer an opportunity to complain, but you should be trying to help your customers, not take their money and run.

Being a really good eBay seller, more than anything else, is about providing genuinely good and honest customer service. That’s the only foolproof way to protect your reputation. Of course, you might be wondering by now whether it’s really worth all the hassle to get a good reputation on eBay. Won’t people buy from you anyway, and couldn’t you just open a new account if it really comes down to that? Our next email will set you straight.

About the Author:

Kirsten Hawkins is an Ebay and internet auction enthusiast from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.auctionseller411.com/ for more great tips on how to make the most from Ebay and other online auctions.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

A Beginner’s Guide To The Different Ebay Auction Types

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Sat, 26 May 2007 05:30:00 +0000

By: Kirsten Hawkins

Over the years, eBay has introduced all sorts of different auction types, in an effort to give people more options when they buy and sell their things on eBay.

For every seller who doesn’t like the idea that their item might sell for a far lower price than they intend, there’s another who wants to shift hundreds of the same item quickly. eBay tries to cater to all tastes. This email gives you an overview of the different kinds of auctions and their advantages for you.

Normal Auctions.

These are the bread-and-butter of eBay, the auctions everyone knows: buyers bid, others outbid them, they bid again, and the winner gets the item. Simple.

Reserve Auctions.

Reserve auctions are for sellers who don’t want their items to sell for less than a certain price – a concept you’ll know about if you’re familiar with real auctions. They work just like normal auctions on eBay, except that the buyer will be told if their bid does not meet the reserve price you set, and they’ll need to bid again if they want the item. If no-one is willing to meet your price, then the auction is cancelled, and you keep the item.

Fixed Price (‘Buy it Now’) Auctions.

Buy it Now auctions can work in one of two ways. You can add a Buy it Now button to a normal auction, meaning that buyers can choose either to bid normally or to simply pay the asking price and avoid the whole bidding process. Some sellers, though, now cut out the auction process altogether and simply list all their items at fixed price. This lets you avoid all the complications of the auction format and simply list your items for how much you want them to sell for.

Recently, eBay added a twist to fixed price auctions: the ‘best offer’. This means that buyers can contact you to negotiate a price, which could be a good way to get sell some extra stock at a small discount. The only downside to reserve and fixed price auctions is that you pay a small extra fee to use these formats. In general, it is more worth using reserve auctions for higher-priced items and fixed price auctions for lower-priced ones – but remember that you can combine the two formats.

Multiple Item (‘Dutch’) Auctions.

These are auctions where you can sell more than one of a certain item. Dutch auctions can be done by bidding. Buyers bid a price and say how many items they want, and then everyone pays the lowest price that was bid by one of the winning bidders. If you have trouble getting your head around that, then don’t worry – everyone else does too! These auctions are very rare.

What is more common is when a seller has a lot of one item, and lists it using a combination of two auction types: a multiple-item fixed price auction. This just means that you can just say how many of the item you they have, and offer them at a fixed price per unit. Buyers can enter how many they want and then just click Buy it Now to get them.

Now that you know about the different types of auctions, you should make sure that the items you plan to sell don’t violate eBay’s listing policies. The next email will let you know what’s allowed and what is a big no-no.

About the Author:

Kirsten Hawkins is an Ebay and internet auction enthusiast from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.auctionseller411.com/ for more great tips on how to make the most from Ebay and other online auctions.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

A Better Way To Profits On eBay

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Sat, 26 May 2007 02:11:00 +0000

by: Martyn Brown

Everyone knows that eBay is ideal for buying and selling items. But, did you know that there is an even easier way to earn, big time, on eBay?

It can be done via a drop shipping web site and order line. You buy a ready made website and either use it or sell it on again, via eBay, only for a higher price than you purchased it.

Buy low, sell high.

To get in on this little known act you’ll need to dig deep into www.ebay.com the American Internet version of eBay.

On the left hand side of the home page you’ll see a heading ‘Categories’ where you’ll need to click on the ‘Business & Industrial’ link (about the sixth link down from the top).

That will take you to a whole page of links to even more categories. You’ll then have to look in the bottom right hand corner of the page under ‘Other Industries’. You may need to scroll down a little to view this section.

Click on ‘Websites and other businesses for sale’. This will take you to the first page of many where you can view all the websites that are available to bid on.

At the time of writing there were over seven thousand sites for sale.

You can pick them up for just a few pounds each, don’t go for those that are thousands of pounds each just yet … you’ll need some practice at first.

Have a real good browse. See what’s available and visit some of the sites to see how they operate. Also read the terms and conditions of each auction you’re interested in so that you know exactly what you’re bidding on. Many sites are under a ‘Buy Now’ logo which means you don’t need to wait to see if your bid is high enough, you literally, buy NOW, usually for a very low price.

Once you see a number of website businesses that you feel you’d like to bid on, mark them down in your ‘Favourites’ on eBay, this will keep an eye on it for you and let you know when the auction is closing. If you have any questions about any site, simply ask the seller by clicking on the appropriate link and they should reply promptly.

Meanwhile, if you have not got a PayPal account, open one. It’s free. www.paypal.com or www.paypal.co.uk for everything UK-ised, if you’d prefer.

PayPal will allow you to accept credit cards (sales can increase by up to 800% when you can take credit cards) and everything is converted from US dollars to pounds sterling for you, automatically, when selling or buying on eBay.

Pretty well everyone who buys or sells on eBay has a PayPal account and you should too. It’s safe, secure and instant.

When looking for a website to purchase, make sure it’s about a subject you’re interested in. It’s no good selling Christian books if you aren’t remotely interested in Christian books. However, if you’re just buying to immediately sell on, then that’s fine if you’re confident that people will bid for it.

Check any sites that you purchase are working perfectly before you sell on.

Also, watch out for sites that charge you a monthly fee to keep your service going. Rather, buy sites that are a once only payment and nothing else to pay. You may only get a commission of, say, 50% on each sale of an item but at least you don’t have to part with more cash.

The sites that are ideal to start you off in business are dropship businesses. You are not responsible for the inventory or the delivery of goods … it’s all up to the Prime Source to do this on your behalf. Once you make a sale, simply pass the details on to them and they’ll process the order for you.

Visit http://www.business4anyone.com. This site would be good to subscribe to if you’d like to become an affiliate in things ‘home business’. You would get a site exactly the same but you would own it. This particular one is mine and I can choose any domain name I wish to advertise it and then redirect my customers to the one above .. which I plan to do very soon. It’s brand new and I’m just starting to promote it.

Having a site like this is the idea way to run a business if you’re not able to build your own website or print books or make software etc.. This is ALL done for you by the Prime Source. Visit the above link, take a look around and see what you think.

You should have your own PayPal account so that any orders received will be paid straight into your PayPal account the next day. You can, literally, earn money while you sleep.

Obviously, you won’t earn any income if nobody knows your site exists but the marketing techniques that you’ll need to drive people to your site are supplied when you buy it. There are useful articles, free software and plenty of ‘how to’ reports to help you.

Advertising in this publication will also help, of course.

At the time of writing it was around three hundred dollars to buy this particular site but they often have special offers so, take a look around, and see what you can find.

Once you’ve paid this start up fee, you never have to pay anything again and you’ll earn between 50% - 75% of everything you sell.

The above website is for you to keep and run yourself but, by looking at the auctions on eBay, you’ll be able to find similar sites where, instead of keeping it, you simply re-list it on eBay and sell it at a profit.

Finally, you may want to purchase a site but create your own product to sell from it. This is a great way of earning 100% of everything you sell … it’s your product so you keep all the money. Allow others to affiliate to this site and give them, say, 50% of their sales. Other people will have lists of customers that you’ll never reach but, through them, you can. Think of the extra earnings by doing just this.

Google ‘Pay Per Click’ ads and setting up auctions for your product on eBay are other ways to earn quickly and efficiently.

There are many ‘hidden’ extra ways to earn a living via the Internet and this is another one of them…. but don’t tell anyone, it’s your secret way of getting in and making the bigger bucks. Your neighbours will wonder where you’re getting all your money from.

About The Author

(c) 2006 Martyn Brown: 20+ years in home business industry.

For details of free magazine and business tools visit: http://www.workinghoursmagazine.co.uk

Building Credibility As An eBay Seller

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Fri, 25 May 2007 08:16:00 +0000

by: Mark Kenny

As a seller on eBay, it's essential to have credibility and pass that confidence onto any potential bidders. eBays system of rating other members, known as feedback is one of the most important parts of your eBay account - however it's not the only way of projecting yourself as a trustworthy seller, here are five other tips to get your started.

1) Offer a money back guarantee. While for most seller this seems to be a major risk initially, studies have shown the vast majority of buyers will not request a refund even if they are unhappy with the purchase. Either way, you should be providing such a good service so your customers will be happy.

2) Offer a free unadvertised bonus. No feedback reads better than that saying they also received a free bonus. Make it relevant, to the initial item so it your selling garden furniture you could include a free guide to maintaining your furniture in perfect condition. Also, include a value on the free bonus, so tell your buyer your including a free gift worth $20.

3) Reply promptly to all enquiries, make yourself accessible easily. You may want to include a telephone number or skype contact. If interested bidders can't contact you during the auction, there unlikely to have enough confidence to place a bid on your item.

4) Reply to all feedback as soon as possible. A short comment, such as "Thanks for your valued custom. Please contact us if you have any comments", will show you are serious about your eBay business and about making sure your customers are satsified with their purchase.

5) Work to build up your eBay business to Powerseller status. The eBay Powerseller program reconginises some of the most trusted and constant sellers. To become an eBay powerseller, you must be invited from eBay once you meet the correct criteria, which takes into account your feedback, sales and account status.

About The Author

Mark Kenny runs the AuctonCUT eBay Forum where you can disuss any aspect of eBay or online auctions. Join the most savvy eBay users at http://www.AuctionCUT.com, where you also get a free dropshipping exclusive report after making ten posts.

Buy to Sell on eBay: the Best Sources are Just Around the Corner

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Fri, 25 May 2007 08:01:00 +0000

by: Karen O'Donnell

Once you start out as an eBay seller the challenge is to have profitable products that are guaranteed to draw buyers on eBay. To achieve this, start considering the strategy of buy to sell on eBay.

Unless you just want to sell from time-to-time to earn extra bucks, you can not forever come up with used items from your own attic, garage and closets. This strategy of risk-free and cost-free eBay selling is just your stepping stone to earn the needed funds and expand your online business. Buying products to sell on eBay is a good way to start getting more serious and responsible as an eBay seller.

If you choose to buy to sell on eBay there is capital involved. Also, be aware that in doing buy to sell on eBay business, you accept that there are risks involved. First of all, consider the cost of acquiring the products you will be putting up for sale. Regarding this, you need to know the best places where the merchandise is cheap enough to buy so that you’ll still get profit once you sell it on eBay. Second, you have to prepare maintenance costs for transporting the products you bought providing enough storage space for the items and repairing damaged items.

Buy to sell on eBay has very tedious and time-consuming aspects. As such here are a couple of the important things to be considered as you venture in the buy to sell on eBay business:

- Identify what products you should buy according to the type of costumer you wish to target.

- Places where you can buy the products you want to sell on eBay and at the same time get good bargains for it

Perhaps you already know of some places where you can start your buy to sell eBay enterprise. Still we give you some pointers on the top places where you can find good sources of products to buy to sell on eBay. Start your research here!

1. Garage sales and flea markets – buying products to sell on eBay from these sources are perfect for those who are starting small in their venture. Most probably you will be able to buy cheaply a wide range of used items you are targeting to sell. Still, before beginning your shopping, do some research first on the product categories you are interested in. Scour several sales in order to get the best bargain.

2. eBay – call it recycling, but eBay is a good source for products you can buy to sell on eBay. As long as you are careful in purchasing, buying wholesale items to sell on eBay through retail can be a very good bargain on your part.

3. Drop Shipper Directories – these are wholesalers that already ship directly to your customers the items they bought from you. With this kind of set-up you no longer have to invest in doing inventory of your merchandise. You also become free of the tedious responsibility to maintain a stockroom or warehouse for your products. Look up online for directories of drop shippers which are for sale. You may run the risk of buying from a disreputable one and as such you need to confirm its record and reputation.

4. Local businesses – there are local businesses in your area that have the exact products you are targeting on for your buy to sell on eBay enterprise. Haggle for a low volume price for the products you wish to buy to sell on eBay for a considerable profit.

5. Crafters – these are good sources of specialized products. Have an arrangement whether to buy a certain quantity or thru consignment. Just be sure to get a certain discount.

If you aspire for more types of product and better deals on products to buy to sell on eBay, try out these other sources:

- Trade shows where there is a wide array of merchandise – a perfect opportunity for those that buy to sell on eBay.

- Permanent marts where you can meet up with product suppliers and get great bargains for retail or wholesale purchase.

- Wholesaler directories online to point you to more places where you can buy to sell on eBay.

- Importers/Exporters are the perfect sources if you want to buy to sell on eBay foreign and imported products, and;

- Foreign trade offices in major US cities.

In order to become successful in buying to sell on eBay, be more resourceful, open to challenges and ready to take risks.

About The Author

Karen O’Donnell

If you would like more information about ebay power selling including a FREE 5 part ecourse please visit http://www.powersellingonebay.com. Great resource for everything to do with sales and selling on ebay! Karen O’Donnell writes and provides information on this subject.

Buying And Selling On Ebay: Tips

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Fri, 25 May 2007 01:52:00 +0000

by: William Davis

Auctions have always been popular ways to buy and sell merchandise, from small community fundraising sales to gala events hosted by famous auction houses like Christie's and Sotheby's. Traditional auctions bring to mind images of fast-talking auctioneers banging mallets to close a deal, or lavish rooms filled with wealthy buyers, ready to bid on rare antiquities and works of art.

But these days, the word "auction" conjures up an entirely different picture: buyers impatiently refreshing the online auction pages on their computer screens, as the minutes tick down to the final bid.

The Internet has changed the way people do practically everything, including the way we buy and sell. Internet auctions have gained incredible worldwide popularity, with the eBay as the undisputed leader. Today, anyone with Internet access can buy or sell online. Bidders don't even need to be in the same time zone, let alone in the same room. Virtually everything is bought and sold on eBay auctions, from expensive antiques and works by master artists, to everyday household items and personal creations.

It's easy to get acquainted with buying and selling on eBay:

* All participants need to sign on to establish an eBay before buying or selling. Every participant receives his or her own unique user-designated screen name like, for instance, Catgirl99. If the user consistently violates eBay rules, the website can discontinue the account as sanctions against the user.

* Anything can be put up for bid on eBay, with the exception of pornography, drugs and illegal items. The seller sets a reserve price, which will act as the minimum bid and starting point for online offers. For example, Catgirl99 is selling a kitty collar with bells on it. She won't take less than five dollars, so she sets the reserve at a five-dollar minimum bid.

* The seller places the item on his or her eBay page, along with a product description, photograph and a sales pitch. Catgirl99 writes, "Never lose your cat again!" The seller sets a bidding period for the term of the auction, usually around two weeks.

* Buyers search the eBay site for items they are interested in. When the item is found, potential buyers will place bids. The initial bid must be higher than the reserve, and higher than any previous bids.

* As more bidders begin to take action, the price of the item up for bid continually rises.

* After the predetermined period has passed, the bidding will close. At this point, the auction is ended and the product is considered sold to the highest bidder. The sale is confirmed with both parties, and the buyer contacts the seller to arrange payment and delivery terms.

Buying and selling on eBay really is a very simple process. With items offered for sale from literally every part of the world, it's easy to see why this method of buying and selling has become so hugely popular. ebay auctions make it simple for buyers to locate hard-to-find and collectible items, and sellers can easily find interested buyers to purchase their items. With strict rules in place, eBay also helps to protect both parties by promoting fair deals.

However, that is not to say that online auctions are free of fraudulent cases. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), over the past three years Internet auction fraud has ranked consistently as one of the most filed consumer fraud complaints. Both buyers and sellers have filed cases where deceitful parties have scammed them.

The key to security when buying and selling on eBay, is to understand what the scams are, and recognize the setup before it's too late.

Bid Siphoning

You've located the item you've been searching for, and the seller emails you directly to tell you that there is an alternate auction site where you can buy his or her product at less than the eBay price. Don't follow up on this offer. Legitimate auction sites like eBay offer buyer protection in the form of insurance. If a seller fails to deliver an item you've paid for, eBay may be able to replace the money you've lost. In turn, they will pursue the seller and charge him or her accordingly. However, if your purchase was made outside of eBay, that protection may not be available to you.

Bid Shielding

This is a scam perpetrated by buyers. An item is shielded from fair bidding when a buyer places a high starting bid. Other bidders don't want to compete with the high price, so they leave the auction. Just before the bid closes, the scammer withdraws his or her bid and begins bidding under another name. Since the auction is about to end, the second lowball bid becomes the final selling price.

Shill Bidding

A shill is a swindler's accomplice. Shills drive up the online bids, forcing legitimate bidders to raise their offers. You'll be able to spot a shill if the item doesn't seem to carry the value of the price it commands. Shills place high bids to lure others to raise their own bids. In the end, the highest bidder has paid much more than they normally would have, often for an item of compromised value. Stolen items, counterfeit or knock-off products and refurbished pieces can be sold this way.

These are the most common cases of Internet auction fraud. Being aware of these situations, and being cautious in general, can help you avoid the unpleasant experience of being scammed of your goods or money. Nevertheless, buying and selling on eBay still proves to be a fair and reliable way of marketing merchandise.

Internet auctions like eBay have created a true global market--connecting buyers with sellers and helping the world to connect through fair and responsible trade.

About The Author

William Davis writes articles for several web sites, most recently http://fidew.com and http://tasup.com.

Drop Ship To Family Health

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Wed, 23 May 2007 03:05:00 +0000

by: David Maddern

Everyone knows that bringing up children is expensive. It is also well known that a lot of business is conducted over the internet.

Parents often get onto the net in the evening, and there is now heaps of scope to join in this commerce.

In fact it may well be a way to excite teenagers to an exciting family dynamic.

Let me explain.

Drop shipping is a term that applies to a supplier having agents who obtain orders for the supplier to fulfil.

As an example I might set up an eBay auction page say binoculars for starting price $1.

I set my reserve at wholesale + $2 (unresearched amount to cover Bay fee and Paypal fees)

As an auction comes to its time, perhaps the final price is 60% higher than the wholesale.

I get the funds from the buyers, which is price +shipping and send the order with details to the supplier.

The supplier delivers the binoculars and bills me for the wholesale + shipping.

I send off the money to the supplier.

Note all my communications with the supplier are by email and money transfer through Paypal transactions over the net.

The result is here 60% or the wholesale figure times the number of buyers, and all I have out-layed a few dollars for eBay and deducted Paypal fees. No big out of pocket expenses at all.

Now that is a model. There is far,far more than binoculars and I can give you links to over 700,000 products, over two wholesalers.

The excitement that a teenager (or anyone else)could feel is in:

skills in selection of goods to sell,
skills in constructing eBay sites,
watching the bid development,
the reproducibility with extra products,
the profit and what options that gives,
sharing the knowledge with others.
There is incidental training in aspects of financial dealings,and setting up a wall chart could be a valuable tool for training in organization.

The areas of potential risk are (you may be able to see more):

losing passwords and web addresses
failure to set a reserve figure
spending the sale price without provision for wholesale payments,
no provision for tax put away for tax time,
delay in payment, incurring a bad reputation on eBay
lack of organization with multiple auctions
(over-trading is not a problem as you don’t buy the goods in the first place.)
These are easily preventable, and can lead to valuable structural lessons.

There is an eBook on eBay that you can download free from http://www.healthinsuranceplus.biz/ebayreports.zip (344Kb) fees that eBay charge are at http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/fees.html

A Yahoo store is also a possibility but costs,while traffic to it will happen.

Credit card net processors

Paypal (an eBay company) is well received, sign-up free here http://Pay_pal.Opportunity.com

Clickbank http://Click_bank.Opportunity.com

Drop ship merchants are-

FreeStoreClub.com http://www.soy.freestoreclub.com

You can join this one for free, or pay $10 or$50 per month to lock in your place in a net work, and as people join under you, perhaps at your recommendation, you get payments.

Certainly the free option will be adequate for drop shipping.

Worldwide Brands is an operation that covers 120 makers and 700,000 products. http://Drop_ship.Opportunity.com

You will have to download their Directory which has a cost associated but the scope here is enormous.

So those are the tools from which acorns can produce oak trees. Start small and who knows where you will go.

In fact, since there is no loss if a reserve is set, and there is no outlay, I can’t see why you can’t cover all the walls with wall charts, but you would be the one doing it, not me!

If you build your own web page and wish to tune it for the search engines be aware that is a longer term option, even if you are destined for top spot, expect up to 6 weeks.

Look at my page which describes using free trials to optimize at

http://free_trial.opportunity.com

Free to distribute by any media as long as links are maintained

About The Author

David Maddern in into web marketing and promotes FreeStoreClub,MasteryTV -new empowering internet TV that shows home topics like teenesteem and relationships, as well as power negotiation and other business topics at
http://www.masterytv.net/logon, and CASHculture which has free webspace for members at
http://www.cashculture.com/restio
His major page is http://www.restio.referralware.com

eBay Auction Pricing Strategies That Really Work!

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Tue, 22 May 2007 09:38:00 +0000

by: Paul Duxbury

If your items aren’t selling, then you might have a bad pricing strategy. There as many pricing strategies in the world as there are buyers – if you look at two businesses selling the same thing, often the only difference you’ll be able to find between them is pricing.

The ‘Few Dollars More’ Strategy.

Here’s something you might not have thought of. If you set your auction’s starting price to what you would usually charge for Buy it Now, while setting the Buy it Now price a few dollars above, you can make a profit by setting off an interesting psychological reaction in the buyer’s mind.

Here’s what they’ll think. They want the item, but why should they bother bidding for it? After all, they could use Buy it Now for just a few dollars more, and be sure of getting it! Doing things this way makes the value of the Buy it Now option extra clear to the buyer, and makes them more willing to pay extra for the privilege.

The ‘One Dollar Less’ Strategy.

This is simple, but requires you to keep an eagle eye on your competition. As soon as they start a Buy it Now auction for an item you stock, start an auction for one of those items yourself. Match the title closely, but price your item one dollar less than theirs. This will mean that your auctions will sit together in the search results, and who’s going to see both and go for the one that’s a dollar more expensive?

The ‘Free Shipping’ Strategy.

Buyers really hate paying for shipping. With Buy it Now, you might find it easier to incorporate the shipping cost into the main price of the item, and then write “free shipping” in the auction’s title. You’d be surprised how many buyers would prefer to pay one price including shipping for the auction, instead of having shipping added on at the checkout. Again, this is psychological: they pay the same at the end, but it doesn’t feel like they’ve paid an unnecessary ‘extra’ cost for Internet shopping.

The ‘Go for It’ Strategy.

If you’d like a slightly more risky strategy, try this. List your item for the maximum duration (ten days), starting the listing on a Thursday so it goes across two weekends and finishes on a Sunday. Set the starting price to the minimum (one cent).

What you’re trying to do here is give bidders as long as possible to discover your auction, so that they push the price up themselves. Pay for a few upgrades like bold and highlight, to give them a helping hand. If you do this right, you can make a much bigger profit than you would have with any Buy it Now price, especially with a medium or high value item.

About The Author

Paul Duxbury is Head of Training for a major UK Charitable Organisation with a wealth of experience in personal development, management development, e-learning and operational management. In addition he owns PK eBooks (http://www.pk-ebooks.co.uk) two sites specifically aimed at those who want to successfully sell on eBay http://www.ebay-profits.co.uk and http://www.info-entrepreneurs.co.uk.

Ebay Shipping - 10 Tips To Start Right

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Tue, 22 May 2007 08:28:00 +0000

Author: Mason Hipp

There are about as many different ways to ship ebay items as there are ebay sellers. That being said, there are many eBay sellers who don't ship using the correct packaging or the least expensive service. These 10 tips are written to help sellers get started shipping their ebay items correctly.

1) Always Pack the Item Properly

The biggest mistake you can make when shipping an item is to go lighty on the packaging and send an unportected item. Buyers will instantly leave negative feedback if the item arrives damaged due to bad padding. Make sure you look into the proper packaging for the item you are shipping - a book is different then a china doll, and both require proper materials.

2) Never Pay For Packing Materials

Right behind improper packing is over paying for shipping materials. There are far too many sources of free boxes and free padding to need to buy them. I have been a powerseller on ebay for 4 years and not once have I paid for packing materials. EBay and USPS offer free boxes, UPS offers free shipping labels. Local retailers will generaly have old boxes lying around also - this is perfect for those large items.

3) Ship Promptly After the Auction Closes

So you've just spent $400 on the newest game console - purchased it from an eBay Seller. Do you want to wait a week just for the seller to ship the item? Neither do your customers. Always ship the item as soon as possible after the auction is closed.

4) Box the Product Before the eBay Aucton is Over

It is a good habit to get into packaging your items before the auction is finished. This makes it exceedingly easy to ship within a day of the buyer paying. Shipping quickly will grab good feedback more than anythign else.

5) Use UPS Ground Shipping for Large Items

It is generally the best to use UPS ground for anything that weighs more than 10lbs. It is very inexpensive to ship large items with UPS. Though slower than USPS, it is far more cost effective on larger frieght.

6) Use USPS Priority Mail for Sending Small Items

Anything less than 10lbs is best shipped with priority mail. Priority mail is very fast, and very inexpensive for small things. Shipping with priority mail is also very good for your buyer, as it will get them their item quickly and effectively.

7) USPS Media mail is Best for Shipping Media Items

If you are shipping a book, cd, dvd, or any other item that fits in the media catagory - it is probably best to ship with media mail. This is a very cheap service, and is great for the items it is meant for. If your item is expensive, however, it may be better to use priority mail to please your buyer.

8) Include a Thank You Note in Each Package

This is one of the most overlooked methods of creating return customers. You need to ship the package anyhow, why not attempt to get another eBay purchase out of each customer? Almost all of the big players on eBay use this tactic.

9) Use Paypal to Print Shipping Labels

Printing eBay shipping labels from Paypal is one of the easiest and most time saving features availible to new sellers. Larger eBay sellers might want to look into furthor automation, but for everything under 50 packages per week - electronic labels from Paypal are the way to go.

10) eBay Shipping Takes Getting Used To - Don't Quit

Not everyone gets into a rythm immediatly. Shipping on eBay can be a trying task - but keep going and you'll soon be rewarded with happy customers and efficient practices. It is important to learn and rethink and establish you're own personal best practices. With time, anyone can ship like a PowerSeller.

About The Author: Mason Hipp has been an eBay Powerseller for over 5 years. During the last two years he has dedicated most of his time to helping people learn to sell on ebay. More of his articles and information about ebay shipping are availible at http://www.selladeal.com/guides/shipping/

eBay Safe Buying Tips

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Tue, 22 May 2007 08:19:00 +0000

by: Peter Andrues

It's important to remember that eBay is like an online flea market or swap meet. There will always be someone trying to sell things that most people wouldn’t touch. The trouble is that online, when you can't physically view the merchandise, so these people can be a little harder to spot. Here are some tips to make your eBay experience more enjoyable and safe.

Know Your Seller...

This, by far, is the most important research you must do before placing your bid on eBay. Getting to know a little about your seller before you bid on their item will make for a much smoother purchase.

1) Review the seller’s feedback and member profile.

Check the seller's eBay feedback before you make a bid. The feedback rating will give you a good idea about the trustworthiness of your trading partner. One or two neutrals or negatives can be overlooked due to the fickle nature of some buyers, however if a trend of poor service or item quality comments is visible you may want to avoid the seller entirely. If a seller has no feedback or negative feedback, contact the seller before bidding to get a feel for their customer service.

2) Ask the seller questions.

Email the seller with questions by clicking the “Ask seller a question” link. If you have won an item, you can request the seller’s contact information to get more information.

3) Review the seller’s policies on shipping, payments and returns.

Shipping and handling – Review shipping and handling charges before you bid, and ask to have your item shipped and insured in a traceable manner. Avoid sellers who either won't disclose or charge exorbitant shipping charges.

Payment – Consider paying with PayPal or with a credit card, as most offer 100% consumer protection. Be careful when sellers only accept one form of payment, especially when the seller requests cash. NEVER PAY WITH CASH and use caution when paying with cash equivalents such as wire transfers.

Returns – Examine the seller's return policy carefully before you bid. Contact the seller before you bid with any questions about the return policy. Some questions you might ask include how long do you have to return the item, who pays shipping and handling, and under what circumstances can you return the item.

Know your item...

Read the description fully. Most misunderstandings result from buyers not carefully reading the item description in the auction listing. Use caution if the price is significantly lower than similar auction items. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Review the item condition, whether it is new or used, and any damage described.

Be realistic when purchasing used items. People have different definitions of quality and condition. Remember, just because the seller says the item is in "like new" condition, doesn't mean you will feel the same way. A 25 year old item is likely to have some wear and tear so don't be overly critical of the item when you receive it. Take the condition of the item into account BEFORE you place your bid.

Use PayPal...

Take advantage of PayPal for safe and fast funds transfer between you and the seller. PayPal is eBay's preferred way to pay. It is a system that lets anyone with an email address securely send online payments using their credit card or bank account. eBay members can use PayPal to quickly and easily pay for all the items purchased on eBay. PayPal’s industry-leading fraud prevention measures make it a safe way to pay online.

When you’re shopping on eBay, look for items that are covered by PayPal Buyer Protection. With it, you get free protection of up to $1,000.00 USD on your purchases. To determine if your item is eligible, look for PayPal Buyer Protection in the Seller Information box on the View Item page.

The more that you know about your seller and the items that you are bidding on the safer you, as a buyer, will be. Spending some time doing research before you place your bid will help to ensure a positive buying experience.

About The Author

Peter Andrues is an author, publisher and internet expert who helps people become successful online Marketers.

Would you like to become a Smarter eBay Buyer? We're offering a 25 part Free eBay training class to teach you the tips, tricks, secrets and strategies that will make you successful. Sign up today at: http://dogsonthenet.com/ebay-training-class.html.

Ebay Hot Tips

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Tue, 22 May 2007 07:48:00 +0000

by: Samuel Colon

eBay Hot Tips

The worlds largest online auction site, continues to dominate the online shopping world. Review these basic tips for eBay buyers and sellers before bidding or selling.

No matter where or when you bought an item you can turn around and sell it, sometimes for more than what you paid. The eBay marketplace is no longer a phenomenon; it's a hobby and even a way of life for millions of addicts around the globe. But no matter how much you sell on eBay, odds are you're missing a few opportunities to maximize your bottom line. Here are some tips that can help

eBay Buyers Tips

Leave eBay feedback only after receiving the product and addressing any issues you may have with the seller via e-mail.

Use the numerous "My eBay" resources to keep track of your bids and offers and get e-mail notifications on your bids.

Watch the eBay.com feedback very closely. This is most important in judging seller credibility. Don't buy from eBay.com sellers with under 10 feedback ratings if possible. Be especially careful of anyone with negatives on large ticket items.

Pay promptly.

Always leave eBay.com feedback.

Respond to all questions from inquiring eBay bidders promptly.

Try to comprehend the power of the Internet. People run their business from the Internet, search for love, research succulent recipes, plan vacations, and best of all - they SHOP!

The most popular public auction site, eBay, is where people gather to find anything from dishes to jewelry to houses and just about everything in between. Last year there was even a mother sold on eBay!

You can purchase amazing original artwork from China, have it signed by the artist, and shipped directly to your home.

The other side of buying is the selling. Anyone can sell anything on eBay. Open an account, list your product, and wait for the bids to start coming in. There are secrets to being a power seller on eBay. People may check more ideas on http://www.realmoneysolution.com.

eBay Sellers' Tips

Always list a photo in your eBay.com auction, even if it’s a stock picture from the Internet.

Are you ready to learn how to be an eBay seller? You will find it to be easy, fun, and exciting.

1. Collectibles

Hot sellers on eBay are collectibles such as coins, stamps, or dolls.

2. Consumables

This category would include anything that people use and then would need to buy again such as lotions, camera film, candles, perfumes etc.

Is the item you're posting on eBay new or just opened and never used or in fair condition? These seemingly small details can often make the difference in a higher bid for your product.

Mention comments in your follow up e-mail after your eBay.com auction is closed.

Send the merchandise only after you have received payment for your eBay.com auction item, even if it’s from a family member.

Leave comments only after the eBay.com buyer confirms receipt of the product, either via e-mail or the eBay.com comments form.

Look before you list. Before you list your item, perform a quick, title-only search on eBay for items similar to yours.

Scrutinize the most successful sales and see how the sellers have described and promoted their items in order to earn top dollar.

About The Author

My name is Samuel Colon, Online Business Man, the owner of http://www.realmoneysolution.com. If you are searching for a business opportunity so you can work from home, or an online home based job or idea that can help you change your career or generate extra income. Let us help you. We have compiled a comprehensive list of opportunities and ideas for you to investigate.

Easy Ways to Make Money on eBay

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Tue, 22 May 2007 07:33:00 +0000

by: Chris Chenoweth

If you do not have a website, one of the easiest and most profitable ways to make money online is with eBay. It is the largest online auction site, drawing millions of people every day. It is the first place most people check out when they are looking for items, both new and used.

You can sell almost anything on eBay from small inexpensive 99-cent items to cars, boats, real estate, and everything in between. By placing your item on eBay, you are placing it in front of millions of prospective buyers.

There are many ways to make money on eBay. I started out as a seller by trying to get rid of leftover items from a garage sale. I listed some books, clothes, and toys. I made a very small profit on the toys, a reasonable profit on the clothes, and a very nice profit on the books. That’s all it took for me to get hooked on eBay.

From that day forward, my goal was to make money by finding as many bargains as possible and selling them for a profit on eBay. I had always loved garage sales but now I had an additional reason for seeking out bargains.

I armed myself with as much knowledge as I could find by using eBay tools to search out certain items and learn what they sold for. I also learned how to determine the value of those items by a lot of trial and error. I only worked with items that I was reasonably familiar with and felt comfortable trying to sell.

Once I felt confident enough to start my eBay selling, I started scouring garage and yard sales, estate sales, and local auctions. I also used my local newspaper classifieds. Bargain hunting became my “business” and it was a business that was always challenging and exciting.

The more knowledgeable I became, the easier it was for me to find great bargains. I learned how to know if an item had profit potential by looking at it. I was amazed at what some people considered “junk” and the prices they sold for. (Remember, most people can be “haggled” with to get the price even lower!)

My most successful items (remember, I just chose a few that I was comfortable with) were items I bought at estate sales like textiles (bedspreads, doilies, etc.) and old tools. “Old stuff” sells quite well on eBay if the item’s condition is good. If the condition is not good, make sure you are honest about that in your ad. You will still get bids.

I would not recommend attempting to sell items you know nothing about. If there are certain items you would like to sell, make sure you acquire as much information about them as possible. You should know what the item usually sells for and how much it is really worth. You do not want to lose money; you want to make money!

Once you are ready to start selling, learn about eBay’s rules and guidelines for selling. When you click on the word “sell” on the main eBay site, a page comes up that contains many resources and tools for sellers. Make sure you read over all of the information because it will increase your chances of being successful at selling on eBay.

Now you are ready to sell. Your ad is the most important piece of the selling game on eBay. The text and graphics in your ad will have a huge effect on the price you can get for your items. The better your pictures and description are, the better your price will be.

You will need to decide how long you want your auction to run. There are 3-day auctions and 7-day auctions. As a rule, the 7-day auctions are good because it gives people a longer time to bid up your items. Of course, the items you are selling sometimes dictate which type of auctions you should use. Make sure you check to see which type of auctions similar items sell for.

You can also choose to include a “Buy it now” button. This button allows buyers to purchase your item instantly at whatever price you set. Before you use this option, make sure you are comfortable with the price you are setting and make sure the price is not too low.

How do you make money on eBay? Do your homework, find your items, list your items, and wait for the bidding to begin! It IS possible to make money on eBay!

About The Author

Chris Chenoweth, author of the DO-IT-YOURSELF HOME HEALTH & MONEY GUIDE, writes articles pertaining to health and nutrition, budgeting, and online business: http://mysiteinc.com/djtrevayne/guide.html

Read the real life story of a housewife who earns thousands of dollars every month on eBay! http://www.ezniche.com/data/article.php?l=72

eBay Auction Home Business Tutorial: Don't Charge Too Much...Or Too Little!

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Tue, 22 May 2007 07:16:00 +0000

by: Chris Bryant

In my last few eBay auction tutorials, we talked about what you can sell to make money on eBay and start your own home business. But whether it's an ebook packed with your favorite recipes or custom coffee cups, one of the most important decisions you have to make is the price of your item. As we all know, the highest bidder in an eBay auction wins the item.

There's also a "Buy It Now" feature on Ebay you can use to sell your item for a set price rather than auctioning it off, and that's the way I sell all of my items. If you use "Buy It Now", the purchaser can decide to pay your asking price and purchase the item immediately, rather than having to wait for the end of the auction.

If you're selling a physical item, you have to take inventory and shipping costs into account, and we all have to pay various fees on eBay in order to sell items there. These fees vary depending on how much your item is sold for. If you’re selling a physical item, don’t try to cut the price of the item and then charge a lot for shipping. For example, there’s a certain type of computer cable I occasionally buy on eBay, and I’ll see the same cable listed at $5 from one vendor and 99 cents from another. Why? The vendor selling it for 99 cents asks $8.50 for shipping! EBay is really starting to crack down on this behavior, and frankly, it’s a really good way to discourage customers from making future purchases.

When deciding on a price, the key is to NOT price the item too high…but you also have to avoid selling it at too low a price, because that will make people think that your item has no value.

I went through that personally. When I started selling my first ebook on eBay, I priced it very low, thinking that I'd make up for the low price by selling a lot of them. It just didn't work out that way. If you put too low a price on an item, instead of being happy that the item is cheaper than others, it makes people wonder what's wrong with it. After a while, I raised the price, and started selling more ebooks!

You may have to experiment a bit in order to find the best price to offer your eBay customers, and that's just part of being in business. The key is not to ask too high or too low a price. If you have a competitor on eBay selling the same thing you're thinking of selling, check their feedback to see if they seem to be selling quite a few of them, or hardly any. Adjust your price appropriately, and if one price doesn't move items, try another. And when it comes to selling on eBay, don't be afraid to ask for a premium price - as long as you're offering a premium product!

About The Author

Chris Bryant is an eight-year veteran of eBay, and he wants to help you use eBay to change your life just as it's done for him. For free eBay tutorials, articles, and other freebies, visit http://www.freeebayauctiontutorials.com today!

Ebay Auction: Ebay Selling…Top 10 Secrets Revealed!!!

noreply@blogger.com (soldado) — Tue, 22 May 2007 07:11:00 +0000

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