The Top Ten Antique Categories On Ebay

Writen by Joe Clare

Knowledge is Power! And this statement could not be more true when it comes to selling on eBay. As explained in my book "eBay Marketing Wholesale SourcePak", being successful on eBay all depends on being in the right place, at the right time, with the right product. For example, did you know one of the most popular categories on eBay for buying and selling is the Antiques Category. That's right! People flock to eBay to locate treasures from the past. But what if we could know exactly what they are looking for? Just what kind of Antiques? Well I can help! Below you will find the Top Ten Picks of Antique Categories (at the time of this writing) as per eBay.

10 - Lace and Crochet Trim

9 - Medical Antiques

8 - Wood Picture Frames

7 - Knobs and Handles

6 - Linen Samplers

5 - Mixed Material: Picture Frames

4 - Roman Antiquities

3 - Silver Napkin Rings

2 - Locks and Keys

And the Number 1 Antique Category for "Hot Items" is...

Weathervanes and Lightning Rods.

There you have it! The Top Ten Picks of Antique Categories where potential bidders are surfing to find all those treasures from times gone by. If you sell Antiques on eBay, finding items that fit into one or more of the above categories will see your number of bids increase substantially. Always remember to do your research before listing any item for auction. Know what categories are "Hot!" Do a price analysis of your product. Know what the item costs you and what you can potentially sell it for. Then sit back and watch the bidding heat up!

Happy Selling!

Joe Clare

Joe Clare is an active Netpreneur and eBayer! He is the author of numerous articles on how to make money online and be successful on eBay! Check out his latest Best Selling eBook "eBay Marketing Wholesale SourcePak" Your Passport to Success!

http://www.ebooksnsoftware.com

Misspelling On Ebay Use It To Your Advantage

Writen by Thomas Haselhorst

In the ongoing quest to find great deal on eBay or even to find items you can flip, one of the interesting approaches is by looking for misspelled items. One of the most common misspellings was "labtop" for "laptop". This misspelling is so common that some people listing laptops actually use the word "labtop" in their title. Check it out.

You know the topics you are interested in. Look at how the word can be misspelled. For instance, if needlepoint is your passion, try searching for "needlepoint" or "needlepoint". It is more than likely that you will find a few items under these misspellings. Even better – for you – these items will not have bids on them because people looking for needlepoint will not find these.

As an experiment, I went and tried this just now and found 13 items and not one of these had an eBay bid. Some were from the same eBay seller. You could watch these, buy them at the last minute for the opening bid price which is low, ask for combined shipping and have a great set of items that you can list in your own auction - correctly spelled!

It won't work in the case of combined shipping where all the items will be shipped in the same package but a side benefit of winning these misspelled auctions is that you have them already packaged and ready to reship when you sell them. If you like, you can take a peek inside to make sure it is as advertised and then tape it up again.

Often it is easy to copy the misspelled auction into your word processing program and fix the misspelling and modify it so that it is yours. It will have the basic information such as dimensions and color already worked out for you.

Thomas Haselhorst is CEO of Monster Internet Empire and webmaster of http://www.auction-design-for-free.com
http://www.powerseller-articles.auction-design-for-free.com
http://www.rebrand.auction-design-for-free.com

What Should You Sell On Ebay

Writen by Ben Catt

The short answer is; anything you can get for less than its actual worth.

One way of finding cheap goods to resell is by finding misspelt items listed by other eBayers. Suggesting this tends to get you shot down in flames by non-believers - but it does work.

For example:

Consider one of the most popular video games of the last couple of years - Grand Theft Auto San Andreas.

If, in the middle of 2005, you could've bought this game for £10, do you think you could've made money? Of course you could, people were more than willing to pay £20 or so on eBay for this game.

Figuring out that many people would spell a word like Andreas wrong, I did a little experiment.

Using an eBay arbitrage tool, such as the one found at http://www.BenCatt.com/arbitrage.php I simply entered "san andreas" into the box and clicked Generate.

I was then given a clickable link which immediately searched all of eBay for misspellings of "San Andreas".

Typically, each time I did this I would get around 20-30 results.

Next, I simply noted down the worst spelt examples and their eBay item numbers.

The most I was willing to pay for a PS2 version of the game was £11.50 in total i.e. the winning price plus the postage and packing.

So, I saved this search in the "My eBay" section of this site and every couple of days would note down new additions.

After finding the item numbers I then went to http://www.auctionsniper.com and set up automatic bidding on each item in the last 6 seconds for my maximum price.

If the postage for a PS2 version of the game was £2, my maximum bid price was set at £9.50.

The net result was that I was bidding on any misspelt San Andreas game automatically whether I was at my PC at the time or not.

Out of 45 attempts, I won 7 of the games - the cheapest at £8.50, the most expensive at £11.50.

Once I had the games "in hand", I simply listed them on eBay for a Buy It Now price of between £16.50 to £18.00 with £2 postage charge. Each game was sold within the 10 day listing time for a healthy profit.

Examples of titles of the auctions I bid on were as follows:

Grand theft auto - San Andres
PS2 GAME GTA SANANDREAS
GRAND THEFT AUTO - SAN ADREAS
PS2 Grand Theft Auto San Anderas

My own listing title was optimised to ensure I captured as many potential buyers as possible through the search facility:

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas Playstation 2 Game PS2 GTA

No keyword spamming, no ridiculous "L@@K" or "W@W", just relevant words which an interested buyer would be searching for.

Total profit from the 7 listings after all fees and costs: £29.74 (+ 7 positive feedback points)

As you may or may not know, San Andreas is now available online for £14.99 or less, brand new and so it is not a viable profitmaker anymore. The game went platinum after Christmas and so halved in price.

However, there are plenty of other games which have slightly "complicated" spelling - the titles of which many people will make mistakes in spelling.

Look at the Amazon top 25 every couple of days and note down the titles of the items at the top of the chart. You can do this with any particular niche, just browse to the sections where your interest lies and you will see the "Amazon Hot 25" list.

For example - the Hot 25 PS2 Games (with spelling mistakes found on eBay in brackets):

TimeSplitters: Future Perfect (TimeSlitters, timespitters,
Timsplitters, timespliters)
Shadow of the Colossus (COLOSSU)
The Chronicles of Narnia (Cronicles)
Star Wars Battlefront II (BATTELFRONT, BATTLEFORNT)
Gran Turismo 4 (Tursimo, TRISMO)

Others:

King Kong (King King, Kingkong)
Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories (LIBERY, LIBERT, LIBETY)
Perfect Dark Zero (prefect)

If you simply find the misspelt items, decide a maximum bid, set up your auction sniper and leave it to run, you will make money.

Of course, video games are just a simple example - your niche may be even more profitable!

Ben Catt is an active eBay buyer and seller and runs an eBay Tips and Tricks website found at http://www.BenCatt.com. He also runs a business opportunity information site - http://www.BizOppsUK.com

Police Auctions Amp Government Auctions Professional Resource Information

Writen by Daniel Holmbeck

Police Auctions Information:

No, a police auction is not where you go to buy a policeman. Most people do not realize that police agencies, including local police departments, county sheriff departments, as well as state and federal law enforcement agencies end up with a lot of confiscated, lost, or abandoned property. This property ends up in the agency's possession as the result of arrests, forfeitures, and just plain carelessness on the part of the property owner who sets a camera down in some public place and walks away.

Once the agency has accumulated enough property they will hold a police impound auction. The purpose of the police impound auction is two-fold. First, they want to empty out their property rooms which, in the case of some state and federal agencies, may be the size of a warehouse. Second, they want to turn this unclaimed or forfeited property into cash. This cash usually goes back into the agency's budget, but it is sometimes earmarked for the particular government's "general fund". No matter where the money ends up, police auctions are usually a big money raiser for larger departments.

Forfeited Property & Police Impound Auction:

Items that fall under this category are usually the creme de la creme of the police auctions industry. This is where you can find anything from motorcycles and cars, to boats, airplanes, and homes!

Forfeited property is generally the result of drug arrests where it was determined that the seized property was either used in the commission of drug-related crimes, or was purchased with money that was received as the result of a drug-related crime.

When you bid on this type of property at a police impound auction you are agreeing to accept the item "as is". You need to be aware that the term "as is" does not simple refer to blemishes or minor damage. If, for example, you buy property at auction, and that property has tax liens placed against it, you will be expected to clear those liens before you can take rightful ownership. The same holds true for mortgages or car loans.

You can find some real bargains at police auctions for this type of high-value merchandise but you need to perform your due diligence so you don't end up in red ink after the transaction.

Unclaimed & Abandoned Property:

You would be shocked at what kind of property that people either lose or simply walk away from. You would be equally shocked at how many honest people find that property and turn it into the police department. Ultimately, if no one claims the property, and the owner cannot be otherwise be located -- it ends up at a police auction where it is sold to the highest bidder.

Auction Process:

Most jurisdictions have specific laws, or ordinances, that deal with how the auction will be conducted. In almost every instance, the agency that is conducting the police impound auction is required to publish a full description of the items that will be auctioned as well as the date, time, and location of the auction. they will also publish payment terms which may be cash, money order, certified check, or any other payment method that they choose to accept. They will usually also publish additional terms such as how long you have to remove the property form the auction site once you win the bid, plus any legal disclaimers that the lawyers think need to be mentioned. This publication is normally placed in at least one major newspaper that serves the area with in the law enforcement agency's jurisdiction.

The purpose of this publication is first: to notify the owner of the property that they have one last chance to redeem it before it is sold at auction, and second: to generate publicity for the police auction so that it will be well attended.

Depending upon the size of the agency, and the agency's experience conducting auctions, a police auction will either be run by the police department itself, another government agency that is responsible for fiscal matters, or an outside auction company.

The police auction might be held on the steps of the County Courthouse, a room inside of some government office, or a public arena. The location of the police auction depends a lot upon the size of the agency and how much property is being auctioned off.

Some police auctions require that you register as a bidder in advance, while others let everyone and anyone show up at the day of the auction. Bidders are usually allotted time to inspect the goods before the actual police auction begins. You should take advantage of this time because it is a very bad idea to bid on anything that you haven't had time to inspect.

Once the auction starts, you simply bid on the items that you want. Have a budget in mind and don't bid more than you're willing to pay. It's easy to get caught up in the bidding frenzy and end up paying far more than you intended to.

Police auctions can be fun and profitable. Especially police auto auctions. Watch your local papers for announcements, or contact the law enforcement agencies in your area and find out when they are running the next police auctions.

Government Auctions:

Insiders know where to find government auctions to buy homes, cars, boats, airplanes, motorcycles – even furniture, designer clothes and jewelry. The property available for public bidding at government auctions is often surplus goods the government no longer needs or confiscated as evidence in criminal cases. Since government auctions are not well publicized, insiders can buy goods for pennies on the dollar. Whether you want to find bargains for yourself, or to resell your purchases for a profit, government auctions are an effective way to increase your net worth and bottom line.

Own luxury goods at Wal-Mart Prices:

When the government auctions off property, all closing bids are final. Many people attending government auctions for the first time can't believe the prices! Everything you buy at the auction is yours to keep – no strings attached. With prices this low, it feels like your stealing it – only it is yours to legally keep, courtesy of the government. If you have champagne taste but a beer budget, attend a government auction. Rolex brands have sold for Timex prices. Why buy a Ford when you can buy a Mercedes for the same price? Traveling? Put away your checkbook at the discount luggage store. Go to a government auction and spend the same money for Louis Vuitton or COACH! You never know what a government auction will have, but it can always be yours for a price well below fair market value.

Starting a business with government auctions:

No organization in America buys more office goods than the government. Auctions are how they dispose of surplus goods no longer needed. Computers, desks, office chairs, AV equipment, copiers and trash cans – the government auctions them all off. Conserve your capital for operating cash and profits. Smart business people find the office equipment they need at government auctions. Imagine the thousands of dollars you could've spent on furniture and computers while you write out your check for pennies on the dollar at the government auction. Since our government buys the best, you know the auction will be loaded with bargains to keep your business humming along. When you are ready to start or expand your business the smart way, begin your office equipment search here at the auctions.

Making government auctions your business:

After attending your first government auction and experiencing great values firsthand, you may decide to start your own resale business. Many people buy cars for hundreds of dollars and resell them for thousands of dollars. Some people spend a day at a government auction procuring goods and bring them home to sell on their own. E-bay is a popular way for people buying goods at the government auction to resell them right from home. Without a retail store, you can save thousands in business expenses during the year. Your on-line business you can create with government auctions is limited only by the size of your garage! Become a power seller!

You "Don't Need Experience" to bid at a government auction

If you can hold up a bidding number, you can win at a government auction. Of course, with any auction, you will want to inspect the items you are interested in buying before the bidding begins. If you are interested in a computer, but could not turn it on to see if it worked, how much would a non-working computer be worth to you? Since all sales are final, there are no returns. Avoid disappointment, and don't bid on anything you can't personally inspect. Government auctions provide amazing values, but don't lose your common sense in all the excitement. Know how much the property is worth before the auction begins, and your experience at the government auction will be a positive one.

Http://DEAauctions.COM is an unchallenged leader in the Auction information Industry and will transform the way you search & locate the Billions of dollars in property that is auctioned off throughout the country every year.

Knowing Your Auction Targeted Audience

Writen by Rod King

Knowing the correct time to list and end an auction will ultimately depend on your targeted buyers. Your goal is to focus on the largest number of bidders within a defined group, that would be online toward the end of the auction.Choosing these targeted buyers correctly will generate the greatest number of possible bidders.

The most common practice is listing items for seven days and ending at 7pm Pacific time. The reasoning being, for the majority of people this is their non-working hours and the time most people are surfing the web. Most auctions will benefit from this strategy but others may require a different approach. You will have to consider who the likely bidders would be, and when they are more probable to be online. Example: you are selling copy paper by the case. Your likely bidders would be businesses. Would these companies have an employee placing bids for them from there home or would they have a purchasing manager in charge of such orders during regular business hours.

Knowing who your targeted audience is beforehand and posting accordingly will maximize the number of potential bidders. Putting in some simple strategies like these will maximize your profits.Good luck in all your auctions.

Rod King is the owner of Income Strategies Plus, a website for Home Business and Marketing Programs. Rod's goal is to help entrepreneurs by providing strategies and solutions for starting and marketing their home based business. For more information and to sign up for his newsletter please visit http://www.incomestrategiesplus.com.

A Littleknown Ebay Technique Where You Can Sell Anything Today

Writen by Shaun Baird

A few weeks ago I was desperate for some money.

I decided that something HAD TO GO. Regretfully I decided to sell my laptop.

I searched on ebay to see how much they were selling for, and to compare the quality of those which were being sold against my own laptop.

I saw auctions which were just about to finish, and one of the auctions was the exact same laptop as mine.

Looking down I realised that there had been 18 different bidders for that laptop.

Only 1 person could win.

So, then the light bulb switched on inside my head.... !

I decided to contact every one of the other bidders who were successful and mention mine.

Of course, they were jumping all over themselves with excitement because they REALLY wanted that particular laptop and had been deeply upset that someone else had outbid them at the last minute.

Pipped at the post!

Anyway, it was almost as though I was their knight in shining armour because here was me with the exact same laptop giving them a second chance to own it.

6 people came back to me within a few minutes, and I had 3 offers within 30 minutes.

1 hour later I drove and met up with one of the buyers, and came home later that day with a huge grin on my face and a wad of cash in my hand!

Now this is absolutely true and happened to me a few weeks ago.

When you are trying to sell ANYTHING online these days, people always tell you that you need the right targetted buyers to be viewing your goods.

Here you have not only the right targeted buyers, but you also have buyers who had just opened up their wallets or purses and had their credit cards out ready to make payment there and then.

This is a completely EXCELLENT WAY to market anything you could ever imagine - especially as eBay is the worlds biggest online marketplace with millions of products and buyers online every day.

Think another way.

Utilise some resources to find out what people are buying, then go out and buy bucket loads at trade prices, and start contacting members as well as placing your auctions.

This will ensure your sales go out faster than you can get the goods in!

If you want to know more about ebay and other entrepreneurial habits come and grab 7 days free access to our training center at www.someinfo4u.com.

If you have strange goods, you can still sell them! Just search ebay for similar items, if people are bidding on them, youve got a pile of people who you can send an email to and make money from.

Simple supply and demand - you have just become a middle man and put buyer and product together. If the buyer is happy then everyone is happy.

Thanks for enjoying this article. I don't think anybody else is using this technique yet, but it won't be long before everyone is talking about this!

This article was created by Shaun Baird the owner of the successful entrepreneur magazine called Someinfo4u.com Grab a FREE 7 day pass today and watch all the training videos as well as accessing the latest content from our resident experts. http://someinfo4u.blogspot.com/

Question How Can I Resell Books Profitably On Ebay

Writen by Steve Weber

QUESTION: I want to open an eBay Store to sell books at fixed prices. How can I add book cover photos and descriptions to my listings? I've tried TurboLister, but it's so difficult. What about paid listers like Andale?

ANSWER: eBay has made some improvements to its Stores. Your books are visible in regular search results now, so eBay Stores are becoming an option for booksellers who want their own store without building a site from scratch.

You can enter ISBNs for most books while you're listing on eBay's Web form. This will add the book's cover image and synopsis to your listing.

Unfortunately, eBay's free TurboLister software is hard to use, especially for complicated book listings. You can enter ISBNs using TurboLister, provided you're able to work around its quirks.

I've never used Andale, but my hunch is their service works fine. They've been in business several years, so users must be getting their money's worth. I've listed the most popular eBay seller tools at the bottom of this post.

eBay Stores offer a bit more flexibility than marketplaces such as Amazon. You can sell with auctions or at fixed prices. You can experiment with different words in your listings, allowing a bit of flair and salesmanship. And your Store inventory is automatically exported to Shopping.com and Froogle, giving your books some added exposure on the Web.

I agree with your strategy on selling most books at fixed prices. It is possible to get a higher price at auction for a truly unusual book -- perhaps one out of 10,000 books you'll sell.

Here are some of the most popular listing services for eBay sellers. A few are free, and some offer a trial period.

Andale  Zoovy  AuctionWagon  Auction Zealot  Auctiva  eBay Sellers Assistant  GarageSale  inkFrog  SpoonFeeder

See a real-time list of the most highly sought after used and collectible books.

Read more free articles on selling used books profitably online: http://www.weberbooks.com/selling/selling.htm

Steve Weber is author of "The Home-Based Bookstore: Start Your Own Business Selling Used Books on Amazon, eBay or Your Own Web Site" (ISBN 0977240606). Got a question for Steve? Send to: steve_weber@yahoo.com

Using Financial Leverage To Develop Your Ebay Business

Writen by Stephen S Alison

Used in the physical sense, the word "Leverage" means an assisted advantage. As a verb, "to leverage" means to gain an advantage through the use of a tool. For example, you can more easily lift a heavy object with a lever than you can lift it unaided.

Leverage is commonly used everyday in the world of finance. When used in the financial area, Leverage is described as the use of borrowed money to make an investment and the return on that investment.

All the major international banks and financial institutions use Leverage in their day-to-day operations. All banks have limited capital. Instead of lending out their own capital, and thus limiting both the amount of money they can lend because of regulatory requirements and restrictions and the number and type of their business activities, Banks take deposits from customers at say 3% and lend these deposits to borrowers at a markup, say 5%. Since they are lending more money than they have in capital, they thus produce a higher return on equity (ROE).

The banks have thus used leverage i.e. borrowed money to increase their return on capital or equity.

Most of us use financial leverage everyday probably without realizing it. You are using financial leverage whenever you use your Credit Card to buy something instead of using the cash in your savings account. Essentially you are using your credit limit which in reality is borrowing money from the credit card company.

In many instances using financial leverage makes sound financial sense. For example, in the end-of-year sales the gold watch you have always wanted is reduced from $1,000 to $300. Instead of taking the money out of your deposit account, you use your credit card to purchase the gold watch and you settle the credit card balance in full 30 days later when the invoice arrives. By doing this you have taken advantage of the sale price and at the same time you have saved 1 month's deposit interest on $300. You have thus used financial leverage.

Drop-shipping - The Low-risk, No Cost Way To Sell On eBay

Similarly, you can use financial leverage in the form of Drop-shipping when selling on eBay.

The tremendous advantage of drop shipping is that you have very little or NO risk as a seller. You only pay for items that sell and the drop shipper sends the product to your customers.

The process is very simple. All you need to do is to find companies willing to drop ship for eBay sellers. There are many good and reliable drop-shippers around.
• Step 1 – Find a reliable, or several reliable, Drop-shipping company/companies. There are many around;
• Step 2 - List your auction items on eBay for 3, 5 or 7 day auctions – at your choice. Your eBay's listing fees are usually advised to you on the 15th of each month and debited to your credit card approximately 1 week later – around the 22nd of each month;
• Step 3 - Sell your item (s) on eBay. You will get paid by the buyer normally within 24-72 hours after the end of the auction;
• Step 4 – Specify in your auctions where you want the buyers to make payment. For example, specify your PayPal or bank account. The choice is yours;
• Step 5 – Collect your payment from the winning bidder in the same account you specified in Step 4 above;
• Step 6 – As soon as the auction is completed and payment received, order and pay immediately for the merchandise from the Drop-shipper using the same account where you received the payment from the seller. Some Drop-shippers prefer to charge a valid credit card. Some prefer PayPal;
• Step 7 - Repeat this exercise as many times as you want;

Let us Summarise:
• Day 1: List your auction items;
• Day 7: Receive payment in the account specified above at the end of your 7 day auction listing. If your listing is for 3,or 5 days you will receive payment at the end of the 3 or 5 day listing;
• Day 8: Order and Pay for the item sold. The Drop-shipper dispatches item directly to the Buyer;
• Day 15: Receive eBay Listing Fees Invoice;
• Day 22: eBay listing Fees debited to Credit Card Account;
• Day 23: You have surplus funds (the profit) in your account;

Thus you have successfully used Financial Leverage to generate profits on eBay. You have not used any of your own money or capital. Instead you have used your credit status with your credit card company:

You received full payment for the item BEFORE you paid the drop-shipper for the item and BEFORE you received and paid the eBay commissions invoice.

The downside risk is that, if your auction item does not sell, you still have to pay the eBay listing fees. BUT this risk is exactly the same if you had purchased and paid for the item in advance using your own money. The SUBTLE DIFFERENCE is that you have not used any of your own money to carry out the operation.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The information presented herein represents the experience and views of the Author with the subject matter at the time of publication. No warranties are made whatsoever about the amount of money, if any, that the reader will earn from following the steps described in this Article and the reader is encouraged to seek competent legal and accounting advice before engaging in any business activity.

Stephen S Alison is a retired "bean counter" who spent 26 years in middle management positions for major US financial institutions in Europe and a further 10 years as an adviser/consultant to a number of European financial institutions. He has traded successfully on eBay for over 2 years using the same strategies and tactics published in his websites: http://www.howtomakeyourfortuneonebay.com http://www.learntomakeyourlivingonebay.com

Top Secret Ebay Powerseller Technique Classifieds Produce Auction Power

Writen by Tim Gilberg

I was browsing through all of the classified sections, and stumbled on Wanted to Buy. I noticed that people were placing ads for items they wanted to purchase. Great! I could do this! The whole eBay market place was a complete turnaround from normal retail where you spend a huge amount of money to bring a customer to a brick and mortar store. The buyers are always there, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You just have to get the product at a good price.

Before I even place an ad in the local paper I will use the eBay search tab to see if there is any demand for the product I am targeting. I purchased some used dss satellite receiver equipment from a local garage sale for $10/each. I went to eBay and typed in the make and model number. This looked good! The search indicated that the receivers alone went for $60 to $90, depending on the make and model. I then checked completed auctions for dss satellite equipment. I saw that the remote controls were selling for $15-$19, and then I saw people sell the access cards separately for $90-$185 . That meant that I could make up to $250 per complete system.

Jackpot! - I was really excited!! I placed a classified ad in the Wanted to Buy section stating "Cash for used DSS satellite equipment". I ran the ad every Sunday, and would average 6-8 calls per week. This resulted in 5 satellite systems I could break down into components with an average of $200 profit on each system. Utilizing ads is a great way to get a steady stream of hot products to sell on eBay. Many of my students have implemented this technique for a great monthly revenue stream.

I was very successful using this approach, and I didn't have to go to the garage sales, etc to find product. With a $9 ad, people would call me wanting to sell their items. Now, that is a great system!

Another classified ad success story, and there are many: Sue E from Montana used one of the eBay hot products categories I supplied - VHS Concert Videos. She placed a $9 classified ad in the Wanted to Buy section listing "Cash paid for VHS Concert Videos". Sue's average cost for the tapes is $4, and she normally is able to buy several. The selling price for each tape ranges between $29-$89 on eBay depending on the artist. Wow! Sue is a stay at home mom with three kids. She spends a few hours a week doing this and brings in $300-$500 per month.

Tim Gilberg is able to provide information and insight from a unique perspective - that of someone who is actually doing what others just talk about. Ebay Power Seller Platinum Status was Attained by Tim Gilberg, which is one of the highest sales levels attained selling on eBay. Tim is active on Ebay and liquidation.com as well as consulting and working with other Top ebay Power Seller's to give you real life in use insight, not theories.Visit Tim Gilberg at his website Make Money on eBay

The Real Route To Successful Selling On Ebay

Writen by Harry Hardisty

If you live on planet earth and have surfed the Internet it's probably already come to your attention that there's a huge opportunity out there in the shape of the unique auction marketplace site - Ebay.

You might be surprised to hear that for thousands of retailers Ebay acts as their only shop front.

There are lots of reasons for this that I won't go into now, suffice to say that the cost benefits in having no premises, staff and even stock in many cases are three great reasons to dip your toe into this exciting online arena.

In this article I'll run you through a few tips on how to rise above the cometition, and how to use your knowledge, some basic marketing common sense, and a little bit of effort to make your ebay store as successful as it can be.

1. Always, always spend time getting your product photo's just right. We all like to view items in as much detail as possible before we click the buy button. The Ebay customer can't be in your house to touch, feel and see the product you're offering for real, so your photographs really do need to be the next best thing. It's common knowledge amongst Ebay entrepreneurs that the items with the most professional photographs are the ones with the most buyer interest.

2. Write every item description with the care you would apply to a media advertisement for your product. It's tempting to dilute your listing text with soft selling words like 'gorgeous, lovely' etc. Don't fall into this trap. If you're serious about making a living on Ebay you need to approach the task professionally.

3. Consider the search engines. Every paragraph you write to describe your items should be written with the search engines in mind. If you are selling a dress that Nicole Kidman wore in a magazine, mention it in the first paragraph, describe it as Nicole Kidman dress, and think of what people may be searching for around your product. Linked with solid, knowledgeable information about your product this is a killer sales tool.

4. Research your shipping charges. It's vital to be as accurate as you can with your postage and shipping charges - if you're not, you can overcharge your customers on shipping purely through your ignorance of the correct prices - this leads to poor levels of customer returns and in the worst cases, bad feedback.

5. Give your buyer payment options Your customers should be able to pay using as many options as possible. Within reason, you should look into every payment option and make it available to purchasers of your items. The more payment options, the more bids - it's as simple as that.

6. Research your items If you are selling vintage handbags you should be spending a portion of your time online looking at similar products, their prices and the bid patterns. It's obvious really - if you see the bidders go crazy for a similar item you'll know the market is strong, and vice versa.

7. Reputation is everything - work on your feedback Feedback is vital on Ebay - it's the only 'trust' element besides the professional impression you give that your buyers have to go on, so make sure your service is great, and focus on selling your low-cost items fast and delivering on time. Once your feedback score really begins to climb you'll see more traffic, more buyers, and your reputation will soar.

8. This is your profession - be professional You must act as professionally as possible when selling on Ebay. This isn't always the easiest and most natural thing to do - if someone leaves you bad feedback - respond courteously, and if there's a real issue take steps to resolve it swiftly and professionally. Always answer buyers' questions comprehensively, and make service your priority - your customers will thank you for it and you'll project a much more professional image.

© Copyright 2005 Harry Hardisty

Harry Hardisty is a renowned UK SEO expert with over 10 years in the Internet Marketing field. He's performed incredibly successful SEO services for global corporations, uk government departments, private enterprises, small businesses and private individuals.

UK seo http://www.harryhardisty.co.uk

He has won numerous awards in the Internet field and is regarded as a 'guru' for all things web related. You can contact Harry Hardisty on info@harryhardisty.co.uk or harry.hardisty@gmail.com

http://www.harryhardisty.co.uk

Get Rid Of The Biggest Pains In The Ebay Business

Writen by Bruce Dinger

How would you like to get rid of some of the biggest pains in selling items on eBay?

How would you like to have a product where there is:

No scouring the internet or your community looking for

saleable products

No researching for, or dealing with, suppliers,

wholesalers or dealers

No investing hard earned dollars, upfront, in products

No inventorying of products or packaging to store in your

home

No packaging of products after they are sold

No traveling to the post office or wherever, to ship them.

No charging outrageous shipping fees

No more making minuscule profits of only 20 to 30%

What is the answer? Sell digital products!

Digital products can be ebooks, DVD's, reports, videos, CD's and more.

Digital products are reports, files, or movies that are digital (or electronic) and are meant to reside on the computer and be transferred digitally.

All these above products are similar so let's focus on ebooks. Ebooks are basically long reports, stories or how- to's which are written, sold and downloaded directly from a web site or e-mailed to the buyer. Then, if the buyer prefers, he can print a hard copy of the ebook to read in his leisure.

Where do you get these ebooks? Well, that would take a long explanation, but briefly, they are generally written by the seller. However, they can be purchased from others, have others write them for you, or interview an authority and transcribe the interview.

To sell a digital product on eBay, you simply write a good sales page and list it. When someone buys the e-book, you just e-mail the buyer (with the ebook) or tell him where he can download it.

Let's look at the benefits in a little more detail:

1.) You get to keep 100% of the profits. Once the products are written (or developed) there is no further cost and all profits are yours.

2.) You don't have to sell a physical product, i.e., something you can hold or handle. This results in many benefits, namely:

You don't have to buy every product you sell! This frees up a lot of your money that you would have to invest in inventory. It also eliminates buying products and not selling them. How many times do we see something and say that would be good to sell on ebay. Then we buy it and either never list it, or list it and it doesn't sell. Digital products on the other hand are free to create.

You never have to worry about running out of products. Since they are all digital you make one copy and it can last indefinitely.

You don't have to worry about looking for new dealers, suppliers or wholesalers. This can be very time consuming to find the right dealer at the right price. But just as important, you don't have to deal with them.

You won't need any storage space for the products or packaging materials. All you need is space on your hard drive.

There is no shipping and handling costs. You can even have an automatic downlink link where it all happens instantly and automatically. Your customers are happy because they get it without paying any shipping charges and you are happy because you don't have to handle, package or transport anything.

You eliminate the single biggest reason people refuse to buy stuff online: paying too much for shipping charges.

There you have it - eight benefits of digital products.

Remember by selling digital products you eliminate the most painful aspects of selling on ebay.

Some people are selling digital products on eBay and are making a 'killing'. You can be one of them too. Just consider it!

For more information please visit http://www.five95ebooks.com/ebay_info_profit.html and see how you can make a killing selling info products on eBay. To see our growing list of other $5.95 eBooks, please visit http://www.Five95eBooks.com where all products are always, and only, $5.95 or less.

Sittin On The Dock Of Ebay

Writen by Barbara Snyder

Remember when Otis Redding sang, "Sittin' on the dock of the bay, wastin' time…" For those of you too young to remember, suffice to say that it is a classic. It is a catchy tune that drones through your head all day long after you have heard it, and the whistling at the end is habit forming, too. So why would I infer that eBay has anything to do with "sittin' and wastin' time"?

If you don't know what you are doing as you strive to become a seller on eBay, you could be wasting your time or fooling yourself into thinking that you have found a way to make a fortune. What is it you should know about eBay and the cost of doing business on eBay? This can best be summed up with two things - many kinds of eBay fees and PayPal fees. I bring this to your attention so that you go into an eBay relationship with your eyes wide open.

It would be like having a garage sale at your home and not factoring in the cost of placing an ad in the newspaper and paying your kids to watch and help sell the items. Sometimes you can go to all of the work of having a garage sale, and it can be a bust after you deduct the cost of having the sale. The same goes for auctioning items on eBay. After you pay the eBay fees, sometimes there isn't much left. So you ask yourself as you look at the quarter, two dimes, and a nickel in the palm of your hand, "Was this really worth it?" Could be "yes"; could be "no."

The old phrase, "…nickel and dime you to death," comes to mind when I think about the eBay insertion fees, the eBay seller fees, and the PayPal (also owned by eBay) fees. One of the keys to being successful on eBay is to get the most from your listing and minimize the fees that you pay for listing your item. A person needs to do research to come up with a price that will allow for a reasonable profit after the "cost of doing business" is subtracted from the selling price. Taking an eBay class would help beginners with making the most out of their listings where the following costs are explained.

Insertion Fees - This is the price that you are charged for listing an item on eBay. When you list an item, the fee is automatically charged to your seller's account. These fees are not refundable. The basic insertion fees follow a sliding scale. For example, if an item is listed for $1.00 to $9.99 the insertion fee is $0.35, and an item listed for $50.00 to $199.99 cost $2.40 in insertion fees. However, there are many other things that can be done to enhance a listing. They all have a cost factor. The first picture is free, but additional pictures are $0.15 each. To supersize a picture it would be $0.75. What if you want a border, subtitle, bold, gallery, 10 day auction, and gift services? Yes, you can do that, but each has a cost factor from $.0.50 to $3.00. It can certainly add up if you are not careful.

Buy It Now - This is the feature that a buyer clicks if he or she wants to buy an item immediately. They are prompted to use PayPal and to pay for the item. To protect the seller the item does remain available to other buyers until the payment is completed. A buyer who is the first to send the PayPal payment through gets the item. This feature can be used with any of the other selling formats. However, the "Buy It Now" disappears once a bid is placed (if it is an auction item). Of course, there is a cost for this feature which ranges from $0.05 to $0.25.

Reserve Fees - As a protection to the seller, a reserve price may be initiated so that you don't sell the item below a certain price. A seller reserves the right not to sell below that designated price, and the seller uses this option to motivate buyers to bid. A potential buyer may be discouraged if the starting price is too high, but a low starting price could backfire if a reserve is not preset. There is a fee for this, of course. The good news is that the reserve fee is refunded if the item is successfully sold. The bad news is that the fee is not refunded if the item doesn't sell. Kind of like a double whammy, in my opinion.

Final Value Fees - When your item is sold, eBay charges a Final Value Fee. Even if the sale is not completed the fee will be applied. However, you can request a full credit if the buyer did not buy the item or backs out of the deal. Depending on whether the sale was from a regular auction, a store inventory, or eBay motor vehicles the costs may vary on the final value fee .

Pay Pal Fees - Signing up for PayPal is quick and easy. It is a real advantage for sellers because you are able to receive payments very quickly. There is no monthly fees or set up fees. The other good news is that the transaction fees are less than most merchant fees for taking a credit card. The other positives are that there is fraud protection., and Paypal is all available in 38 countries.

As you can see there are many ways that eBay makes money from the fee structures in place, but they are in business to make money. One rationale that is touted as the party line in the eBay schools is that it would be much more to sell items if a person opened a store instead of using the Internet. We are reminded that there would be rent, utilities, and many other things a store owner would need. Their contention is that it has to be worth something.

Just think about how many times someone has complained about wanting to get rid of some items stored in the garage? And how many times has someone else said, "Why don't you sell it on eBay?" It is such a widely known entity and has such a worldwide Internet presence that you just about have to do it. Knowing up front about the various fees and the best way to list your item could help you be successful. You need to plan carefully and work wisely so that you are not "sittin' on the dock of eBay, wastin' time."

Copyright usage: No permission is needed to reproduce an unedited copy of this article as long the About The Author tag is left in tact and hot links included. Comments or questions can be sent to Barb@sbmag.org

Barbara Snyder M.A. is a retired California Distinguished School Principal and Coordinator For Human Resources. She has a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She holds elementary education, secondary, community college, and administrative credentials. She is currently the publisher of http://EducationResourcesNetwork.com, and Strictly Business Magazine, http://www.sbmag.org and Student Teacher Supervisor at Chapman University. Comments or questions can be sent to Barb@sbmag.org

Ebay Quotwant It Nowquot And Reverse Auctions Alike But Oh So Different

Writen by Avril Harper

eBay's 'Want It Now' format has one feature in common with genuine Reverse Auctions, namely that potential buyers post details of items they'd like to buy and wait for sellers to respond with suitable offers.

But that's where the similarity ends because genuine reverse auctions have additional features:

* In a reverse auction prices keep on going down, not up.

* Suppliers compete against one another by reducing their prices until no one is prepared to go lower. That person is usually the winner and gets to sell his stock to the person who placed the ad.

* Reverse auctions work much like items sold on tender where companies requiring goods or services invite offers from suppliers. All things being equal the lowest bidder wins the contract. But unlike the tender system, with bids normally left in sealed envelopes until the offer deadline expires and each supplier can bid just once, in reverse auctions all bids are visible and suppliers can continue bidding against one another until the lowest price is achieved.

There is a downside to reverse auctions in that suppliers might get caught in a bidding frenzy in the same way buyers do in traditional auctions, and end up pricing themselves too low and actually losing money. The same could apply using eBay's 'Want It Now' feature, where it's common to see several seller responses and some sellers making regular repeat offers at lower prices to eventually win the sale.

Want It Now is a great way to find customers fast but like reverse auctions there are problems to contemplate.

Take your time with this new concept, study people placing and responding to posts, learn from their experience and incorporate this new medium slowly into your business

Avril Harper is a triple eBay PowerSeller and editor of eBay Confidential and webmaster of http://www.publishingcircles.com. She has produced a free guide - 103 POWERSELLER TIPS - which you can download with other freely distributable reports and ebooks at http://www.toppco.com

Bidding On Ebay

Writen by Chris Vendilli

eBay is a fun experience. You can find practically any item you want – even if it hasn't been stocked in the shops for the last twenty years! There are some real bargains to be found, and bidding against other people all adds to the fun.

Here's how to find and then bid on an item on eBay.

Obviously the first thing to do is find an auction that you wish to place a bid on. You can either select a suitable category and just browse what's available, or you can perform a search using the eBay search function. This is certainly the easiest way to locate what you're looking for. Remember to search for multiple terms – not every auction for the same thing will contain the same keywords in the title!

So once you've found an eBay item, you need to carefully check over the details. For a start, how much postage is the seller charging? Something that's listed for $1 may not seem like such a bargain if you discover that you'll have to pay $15 postage and packing on top of that!

You must make sure you check the sellers feedback. If they appear shady then don't even think about bidding.

When you're ready to place your bid, enter the maximum amount that you're prepared to pay for the item, and click on the button to confirm. The eBay page will then either tell you that you're the current high bidder, or that you need to go back and enter a higher amount. If you see the latter then you need to consider whether you're willing or not to raise your bid. If you see the former then congratulations - as long as nobody else places a bid that is higher than your maximum bid then the item is yours!

Top Bidding Tip – A lot of people choose to leave it until the last seconds of the auction before they place their bid. While some people question the fairness of doing this, it's a great way of ensuring nobody outbids you. The drawback of course is that you won't have time to amend your bid should you need to. There is even software available that will do this for you! If you're interested just go to Google and type in the keywords "bid sniper" to get more information.

So you've won the item and you're ready to pay for it…

If you're paying for your eBay purchase by PayPal, it's simply a matter of clicking the link in the eBay end-of-auction invoice and paying the seller the correct amount.

If you are intending to pay by check or postal order for example, you'll need to email the seller and find out their address. You can usually find this information in the details section once you've won your item. Remember, it's always good to maintain great communication throughout the process with the seller, this ensures everyone is happy! Don't hesitate to email or even call the seller if you're confused or have questions.

Now it's just a case of waiting for your purchase to arrive.

When it does, the last stage in the transaction process is to let the seller know you've received the goods, and then to leave the seller feedback. If it was a positive experience, let other people know. One of the great things about the eBay community is that you can check an eBayers past performance. Make sure you improve the eBay community by always leaving feedback on ALL of your transactions.

Chris Vendilli is the owner, founder, and CEO of The 3 Rivers Auctions Company. Be sure to visit his website at http://www.3riversauctions.com to get eBay tools, tips, strategies, info, and secrets! While you're there sign up for the information packed weekly newsletter and the discussion forums. You can network with other members, advertise your own auctions or website, ask questions, and get answers!

How To Use Ebay Community Help Boards

Writen by Donny Lowy

Community help boards are the places on eBay where the members of eBay and staff moderators correspond with each other, to post messages, to reply to questions and solve problems. There are a number of community help boards like for bidding, My eBay, search and other technical issues. After browsing through these topics you may post new topics or reply to topics.

To use community help boards, at the top of the page, click on the link "community". Then click "discussion boards" link under connect. Choose and click on the "community help board" of your interest. You get to browse through the topics. Each of the topics will include the status, subject, date of last update, number of replies, etc. Click on the topic to see all this. You will find that each reply will have user id of the member who posted it. It will also include the member's feedback rating, the date and time of post and a link that shall lead you to the member's listings.

You may add a new topic for discussion by clicking on the link "post a topic" given at the bottom of any page of topics. Prepare your message by giving it a title and description. Click on the "post message" link.

You can post a reply by clicking on the link "post a reply" given on top or bottom of messages. Once you have typed your reply click on the "post message" link. There is also a feature in this to check the spellings in your topic or reply. This link is at the top right of the text box.

Donny Lowy runs http://www.closeoutexplosion.com an online wholesale and closeout business that supplies eBay sellers, retailers, and flea market vendors.

The Top Ten Ebay Buyer Personalities

Writen by Joe Clare

In my years of selling on eBay I have come across all sorts of people. For the most part these people have been very nice and easy to deal with. Having said that, there are always a small percentage, like in any business online or offline, who you'll have some degree of problem with. As explained in my book "eBay Marketing Wholesale SourcePak" you will need to be as polite as you possibly can and have a little patience when dealing with these people. Below you will find my Top Ten List of eBay Buyer Personalities and how to handle them.

10 - The Manipulator
There will be times when you have an auction end with no bids. When this happens watch out for the Manipulator. This is an individual who will email you once you auction ends wanting to purchase your item off eBay at a ridiculously low price. He/she will often try to manipulate you into believing the product will not sell but he/she will be glad to take it off your hands. Forget about them! Do Not sell the item to them. Instead relist the item for auction on eBay with a new headline. If he/she wants it bad enough, they will have to get the item through your auction. And trust me 99% of the time your item will sell.

9 - The Impatient Buyer
This is someone who has won your auction today and is wondering why it wasn't shipped yesterday. This individual wants what was purchased fast, real fast. Just have patience, be polite and explain your shipping process to him/her. Getting the product out quickly with a thank you note for purchasing will give you a happy customer.

8 - The Disappointed Buyer
There are some people you just can not please, not even if you were to stand on your head. They will be disappointed no matter what you do. Sometimes these people can be down right rude and take up a lot of your time. Learn to recognize this type of person and don't get caught up in an on slot of emails. Remember that time is money, and once you have done all you can do to rectify their problem move on. If the emails continue simply ignore them.

7 - The Invisible Buyer
This is someone who has won your auction but you never hear from them. Ever! They pay you right on time without any problems. So you send the product they won off to them. And that's it! They do not leave feedback, and do not return any emails. They just disappear into thin air. If you send a couple of follow up emails asking if they received their item and requesting positive feedback and you get no response, just forget them and move on.

6 - The Interrogator
This individual could drive you crazy. It's not their fault, they just have questions. Lots of Questions! For these people even if every question imaginable is answered in your auction description, they'll still manage to find a reason to email you a question. Be weary of this type of individual they can, and will waste a lot of your time if you let them. On your first email to them be polite answer their question then refer them back to your auction description telling them all the answers are there. Suggest they read it again. Don't get caught up in email after email. Always remember that time is money, and if you've done your auction description correctly there should be no questions left to ask. Your auction surfer should be ready to make a bid.

5 - The Late Payer
This customer has no clue about deadlines and they really don't seem to care about them either. Their attitude is you'll get paid when I am ready to pay you. You will need to set guidelines for when payment is due. If payment is not received you may choose to give your buyer one extension. Be specific giving him/her a date as to when the balance is due. Also tell them if payment is not received by that date you will have no other choice but to relist the item for auction. Sometimes a month or so down the road you'll end up getting a check in the mail from this person with a note as to why they were late. Simply return the payment with an explanation that the item was re-listed as he/she failed to meet the payment deadline and it has been sold to someone else.

4 - The Deadbeat
There is no buyer more irritating than the one who is always telling you the check is in the mail. Of course the check never arrives. Unfortunately there is not much you can do about this. Like above give them a deadline and if they don't make it relist the item for auction again.

3 - The "I'm Sooo Confused" Buyer
This customer does want to buy from you. Really, they do! If they could only figure out how! How to bid, how to pay, how to... All this high tech computer stuff is just way to confusing for them. Have patience and be polite. Explain what they should do next. If you find no matter how you explain things it just doesn't register with them, suggest they read over eBay's tutorials. Remember your time is money and you can only spend so much time with any potential customer before you must move on.

2 - The Spender
This individual can spend a lot of money with you. And often will return as a repeat buyer usually purchasing a little of everything you have up for auction. This person will also spend $100.00 in merchandise in order to save $10.00 on shipping. Bless him/her!

1 - The Perfect Customer
This individual is simply a Happy Person. He/she has won your auction and they are just ecstatic about it. The great thing about this type of buyer is if you run into a problem they are always understanding and easy to deal with. If looked after correctly, very often these people will become a customer for life. Now, don't we wish all customers were like this.

So, there you have it. The Top Ten eBay Buyer Personalities. If you already sell on eBay I'm sure you will recognize some of these personality traits in your own customers. If you're just getting started with your eBay Auction Business no doubt you'll be running into these people soon. Whatever personality your day brings you, always be patience, polite and just have fun with it.

Happy Selling!
Joe Clare

Joe Clare is a successful eMarketer and Author. He has written numerous articles on how to make money on eBay. Check out his Articles, Hot Tips and Free Auction Mini Course and discover for yourself, how you can make a Serious Income with Online Auctions. http://www.ebooksnsoftware.com

Ebay The Power Of The Misspell

Writen by Shari Hearn

Anybody looking for a 1976 Nolan Ryan basball card? How about a pair of stirling silver demitasse spoons in your grandmother's pattern?

The last time I checked, you can find them on eBay, along with a number of basball caps and other misspelled items. Believe it or not, some people still don't know how to spell check. But, bless their little misspelled harts, because you can use their errors to profit on eBay.

Every day items go up for auction with typos and misspells in the titles. The problem is that a large number of people search for items to buy using the search box, not browsing through the category listings. Therefore, the misspelled items are the ones that usually don't fetch the bids they deserve because they're not getting traffic. Sometimes you can pick these items up for a song. And, once you're done singing what can you do? Resell the item on eBay, properly spelled of course, for quite a nice profit.

Some sellers have even begun to capitalize on eBay misspells by selling programs designed to find misspelled auctions. However, just typing in some of the most common typos and misspells into the search box will often times yield great results. (If the correct spelling automatically pops up, that means there were no items with that particular misspell.)

How do you know what a common typo or misspell is? One way to find them is to go to misspell sites such as www.searchspell.com, where you will find typo and misspell suggestions for any word you type in. Some common typos are often caused by leaving out a letter, such as in basball. You could also type in baseall and see several other items for sale. Transposing letters is another common typo, such as baesball, where, once again, you may find some items for sale.

Another way to utilize misspells on eBay is to include the most popular misspell in your title along with the correct spelling. The reason being that some people mistype or misspell the item they're searching into the search box. For example, a Jack Lalanne Juicer is often typed in as Jack Lalane Juicer. That is a very common misspell, and numerous people type that into the search box when searching for a Jack Lalanne Juicer. If you type in Lalanne and Lalane into the title you are able to grab both sets of people, those who are spelling it correctly, and those who are not. You've just increased traffic to your auction.

Savvy eBay sellers (and buyers) are utilizing typos and misspells to their advantage. Give it a try. You might find yourself stumbling onto quite a few treasures.

Writer's note: The items listed in the first paragraph, the Nolan Ryan baseball card and the spoons were auctions present on eBay at the time of this writing. However, there were numerous other items with the misspell of basball and stirling silver from which to choose.

Shari Hearn is a writer and owner of http://www.ebaysellingideas.com and http://www.ebaysellingtips.blogspot.com

I Cannot Tell A Lie Washingtons Hair Selling On Ebay

Writen by Keith Watson

Reported in The Enquirer on July 17th BOONEVILLE, KY.

An eastern Kentucky woman hopes to fetch at least $750,000 for a Revolutionary War map and a few strands of hair that she says belonged to George Washington.

Christa Allen from Kentucky needs some money right away as her son has been in the hospital recently, and she doesn't have medical insurance.

So she decided to put the hair and map on eBay.

Maybe you haven't got the odd strand of Washington's hair kicking around, but you have probably considered selling that redundant exercise bike or coronation mug.

This is the way so many people start selling on eBay, casually selling an item or two freshly dragged from the loft. A goodly percentage then go on and get the eBay selling bug. Just check out the success stories on Freeauctionscripts.com for confirmation.

But beware! There is a world of difference between selling spare items from the attic and buying and selling profitably as a business.

For a start it is essential to consider eBay listing fees, eBay final value fees, PayPal transaction fees, cost of goods, shipping expenses, refund expenses (damaged/missing shipments), office expenses and packaging.

The advice from seasoned eBay merchants is well worth examination if you are considering trading seriously.

Here are the top tips from a variety of eBay Powersellers.

1. Seek advice and learn as much as you can before you start. Use the eBay Store Sellers Board - a lively forum where you can pick up tips and ask questions.

2. Find a niche. Sell what you like and can get your hands on. Keep in mind shipping and the supplies to ship those items.

3. Keep yourself organized either on paper, online, or with a spreadsheet.

4. When volume picks up, find ways to decrease your workload and streamline your business. How about a USPS pickup instead of a trip to the post office each time?

5. Recognize when you need a solution. As number of products increase you will need management tools such as Turbolister or SpareDollar.

6. Make research a part of your daily routine. It's important to know what changes have been made, get tips on how to improve your business , and know when there are problems.

7. Adapt to change. It's a constant fact that things change. Those that can adapt to changes will survive.

With the right preparation you can certainly enjoy a profitable and convenient way of life.

As Judith Isaacson of Goldman Jewelry eBay Store concludes in her success story on Freeauctionscripts.com:

"So here I am in Israel, promoting and selling jewelry that is in New York, to customers around the world, without leaving the house. The process of building and handling the internet extension of our family business, and combining family, home and business brings me full circle. My cup runneth over."

Keith Watson has been developing websites and advising about marketing and sales on the Internet since 1992. To sign up for a ezine from me full of tips and advice about how to make money using the Internet Sign up for an ezine that walks the talk!

Ebay Feedback 5 Key Things All Ebayers Should Know

Writen by Adam Ginsberg

eBay's user feedback system is one of the site's most important components. Without the conscientious comments recorded by both buyers and sellers, there would be no way for anyone to build up a trustworthy reputation in the nearly anonymous realm of cyberspace. And without a good measure of trust among users, eBay would be a difficult, if not impossible, environment in which to safely conduct business.

By learning how eBay's feedback system works you can use it to your advantage. Understanding the numbers and feedback comments will go a long way toward making the online trading venue a safer place for you and your pocketbook.

1. How Feedback Works

The eBay feedback system operates in a straightforward manner. Every time you complete a transaction as either a buyer or a seller, you leave feedback for the other party. This feedback is made up of a score of +1, 0, or -1, as well as a one-line comment that sums up how smoothly -- or how poorly --- the process was completed.

A +1 means that you were happy with the way the transaction ended. A 0 score is neutral, meaning you weren't particularly pleased with the efforts of the other person, but you didn't feel taken, either. A -1 indicates that you were unhappy with the transaction as a whole. In addition to the numbered score, you can submit a short comment that explains the reason for your score.

As you browse the scores and comments on eBay, you'll see the vast majority of member scores are positive, and most have form-letter comments that indicate an effortless transaction. Neutral scores are relatively rare. Negative comments are more common than neutral ones.

eBay users often don't realize the importance of the feedback system in terms of establishing a good reputation. Not only do users benefit from garnering a lopsided positive-feedback-to-negative-feedback ratio, but they reap rewards by advancing upward through the various star symbols used to designate successful users.

2. You are a Star

The star symbols displayed next to a username show, at a glance, how many transactions the user has completed with positive feedback. With fewer than 10 feedbacks, users remain starless. With 10 to 49 positive scores, users will receive a yellow star.

There are many other star symbols, but as an example, after an eBay user snags anywhere from 500 to 999 positive scores, will get a purple star. Once a user moves into the stratosphere of eBay, she'll receive a shooting star that indicates she's gathered more than 10,000 positive scores. eBay sellers who reach this level of activity indicate that when they achieve a new star status, their number of sales increases, often dramatically, especially when it's paired with an excellent feedback rating.

3. Feedback is Forever

One of the reasons feedback is so important, and so potent, is that once you've left a comment, you can't go back and edit it later. That means your comments, both positive and negative, say online for all eyes to see, for as long as that member is active on eBay.

eBay does reserve the right to remove inappropriate comments, such as those that use racist or overtly sexual wording, or those that include hyperlinks. however, eBay does not typically delete most other comments, even those that seem unfair or unjust.

When both the buyer and seller agree to retract feedback, there is a procedure called Mutual Feedback Withdrawal, but this option's effect is limited. If two parties initially had a disagreement about a transaction, but they'd like to change the score they left for the other person, they can do this feature. This removes the score from both parties' feedback rating, however, it does not delete the comments that were left, which often makes this option less effective, especially when those comments were damaging to a reputation. You can start a Mutual Feedback Withdrawal request within 30 days of either party leaving feedback or within 90 days after the transaction, whichever is later. To start the process, enter the item number into the online Mutual Feedback Withdrawal form in the Feedback Forum.

4. The Negative Curse

Negative feedback, or "negs" in eBay-speak, is something to avoid because negs are a virtual curse for buyers and sellers. Serious eBay users evade bad feedback as best they can, and those who depend on eBay for a substantial portion of their livelihood will stop at almost nothing to keep these marks from marring their online reputation.

One of the primary reasons for preventing negative feedback, of course, is that a buyer who's browsing for a product is likely to skip a seller who has more than a couple of recent negative comments.

When you leave feedback for an eBay user, he has the option of responding in kind, os his comments land on your profile. If you leave a nasty remark accusing a seller of extremely slow shipping, you'll likely see an indignant comment denying any wrongdoing in your own profile, even if your claim was true.

This kind of retaliatory feedback is the reason most users think twice before leaving negative comments, even if that comment is true. One user posts a negative comment for another party, and as an act of revenge, the slighted party leaves a neg for the first user - in many cases, the retaliatory feedback has no grounds in truth and is intended only to punish on member for leaving a read mark on another user's profile.

Retaliatory feedback is a problem because negative feedback of any kind carries real weight. Not every buyer or seller takes the time to investigate negative feedback, preferring instead to find another user who doesn't have recent angry comments directed at him.

On the other hand, the good news is that one or two negative comments aren't the kiss of death. The more positive feedback comments you have, the more unlikely it is that a negative score or two will cause you problems. Remember this as you deal with other users on the site, but also remember the feedback system doesn't work unless you're honest about transactions.

5. Final Feedback

eBay's feedback system has its share of flaws, but for building trust and creating a safer buying and selling environment, it's indispensable. however, to make the system work best, you'll have to learn to read comments appropriately to get a better idea of how to discern trustworthy users from online swindlers.

Do your research on the items you want to buy and check the feedback of buyers and sellers before you commit to dealing with them. The effort will help you avoid financially draining scams, give you peace of mind, and make eBay a much more productive place for you to do business.

About Adam

Selling on eBay and the Internet is still a relatively a new phenomenon with unprecedented opportunity. Adam Ginsberg, recently featured on NBC's Today Show is an author and educator and has built a small fortune selling on eBay. As an early Internet pioneer, Adam discovered a system for generating wealth - through the power of the eBay marketplace.

Adam personally sold over $20,000,000 on eBay and the Internet in the last three years. Currently he travels the world sharing his knowledge, expertise and experience with others. Adam's book, "How to Buy, Sell & Profit on eBay", went to #1 on Amazon within 3 days of being released. Learn how Adam has solved the mystery of success on eBay and how you can apply his system to capitalize on this hot new money making opportunity. Adam has also created several best selling e-books and software to enable you to enhance your ability to succeed. You can learn more at http://www.adamginsberg.com

How To Write Up A Good Auction Listing

Writen by Robyn Johnson

Writing up your auction listing is equally as important as taking your photo's and pricing your auction. As I said previously, honesty is your best policy. If something has a small stain, list it in your auction listing. If there is minimal wash wear on your clothing items, then list it. Don't try to fool your buyer, they have a "keener" eye than you might think. Consider this, they are purchasing something from someone that they cannot see, they cannot interact with, and they may not be able to return if they find that something is wrong with the item. In addition to this, they are paying for something before they have it, so they are placing a lot of "trust" in you the seller to give them the entire "scoop" on the item that you are selling.

Here is a list of items that should be included in your auction listing:

Name of item: be exact in your name and title. Give brand name and article name. Example: Gymboree Whale Watching Sailor Pants

Make of item: cotton, linen, silk, etc. be very specific, people have certain fabric and make preferences. Especially with children's clothing.

Size: read the label, also if you are selling jeans or pants make sure to include your inseam, waist size, etc. If you are selling European sizes, please make sure to have a size chart with equivalent U.S sizes for those of us who don't know the conversion of the sizes.

Condition of the item: make sure to include the following: wash wear, fading, pilling, stains, tearing, or pulling. I also add a rating system: fair, good, excellent, and like new. Keep in mind that what you may consider "like new" someone else may not, so try to remain objective in your listing.

Housing Conditions: where do you store your inventory? I always let people know that my items are in a "smoke free" and "pet free" home, and they are clean and washed prior to sending out.

Clear payment instructions: make sure you include clear and concise payment instructions. Don't leave any room for misunderstanding. Be firm, but polite.

Clear shipping and return policies: again make sure that you include a clear and concise shipping and return policy. Also, be consistent in all of your listings.

Open yourself up to questions: Be personable and customer service oriented. I always let people know in all of my listings that they should feel free to email me if they have any further questions or concerns about the item.

Some great sites for listing information are:
1. Auction Insights
2. Here Comes The Stork
3. Auction Templates
4. Ebay's own selling resources

Robyn Ann Johnson http://www.themomscafe.net

Have You Thought About Ebay As A New Sales Channel

Writen by Doug Luthringer

Small businesses that complain that eBay is taking their business should jump on the eBay train before it leaves them behind. eBay is not only for baseball cards and antiques anymore. Many places have an online eBay Store to supplement their walk-ins during the slow times, and to sell off-season or obsolete inventory. Besides Christmas being a good time to sell just about anything, there are going to be seasonal slow times that will bring your sales to a crawl. Also, especially in any kind of electronics business, the products you are selling today will be very different from what you are going to be selling in six months.

So what do you do with the excess inventory? Sell it on eBay. Most people don't mind not having the next big thing. As long as your thing meets their needs, they will be happy to buy it from you.

Next, you're scared and don't know how to sell on eBay. You don't want to pay someone to do it for you, and your little brother's friend is not the best instructor. Enter eBay's education specialists. These are people who are trained and certified by eBay to teach you The Basics of eBay Selling, Advanced eBay Selling Techniques, and The Basics of Buying on eBay courses. These courses are professionally developed by eBay and the instructors have the latest data and material to help you learn how to sell on eBay.

You may have seen info-mercials, heard radio ads and tried to read eBay for Dummies, but you still aren't getting it or trusting where you are getting the information from. The classes taught by eBay Education Specialists are not designed to make you an overnight millionaire, or get you involved in some scheme that makes them more money than you will. They are there because they love what they do and want to teach others how to do it right. It is a way of strengthening the entire eBay Community to do things right, to treat people right and to know what the right things are to do in order for everyone to succeed.

In closing, do not be scared of eBay but rather embrace it. Learn how to do it right from the right people and you will succeed.

Doug Luthringer is a certified eBay education specialist who has taught more than 150 students The Basics of eBay Selling course and The Advanced eBay Selling Techniques course. He has been selling on eBay for nearly six years and has completed over 1800 eBay transactions and has over 1150 unique positive comments with no negative feedback. Doug has also been invited to be a guest speaker to talk about how to sell on eBay and the use of Google AdWords to small and medium size business, as well as university students. You can get more information about Doug and his eBay selling book at http://www.Thefastmall.com

Six Steps Towards Successful Buying At Ebay Auctions

Writen by Stephen Reynolds

Buying on eBay can be very rewarding, either in terms of being able to pick up items cheaply or for hunting for hard to find items. Although generally the experience is good, there are instances where things can go badly wrong. These tips, based on experience over the last seven years, should help to avoid some of the potential pitfalls.

1. Make use of the various tools provided on eBay to ascertain the target price of items you are interested in. A simple way to do this is to 'search' for completed items.

2. Always check that there are no hidden costs associated with your potential bargain. These may may include unspecified unspecified postage costs, or paypal fees chargeable to the buyers. If in doubt e-mail the buyer and if you don't get a response then don't bid. Remember that when buying from overseas postage costs can be significant compared to the price of the item and also for more expensive items you may be liable to customs fees.

3. Check out the seller's feedback. You should be aiming to buy from sellers with feedback of at least 98 per cent - if it is less and you are interested in an item read the feedback comments to satisfy yourself that the buyer provides a good service. In particular, read the neutral and negative feedback posts to try to work out what may have gone wrong with previous transactions.

4. Don't get carried away and end up bidding more than need or want to. Some items appear very frequently on eBay and it may be worth setting yourself a limit and waiting for the next one to come along.

5. If you find you are often being outbid at the last moment, consider using a sniping software which you can use to automatically submit a bid in the last few seconds of the auctions.

6. Where possible, use Paypal to pay for items on eBay. The sellers get their payment quickly, and there is a degree of protection for buyers if things go wrong. eBay (via My eBay) provides a number of tools for monitoring progress on your transaction.

Stephen Reynolds

MusicShopper.info is a great resource for music lovers. Providing information and resources about music shopping, it also has an extensive range of music reviews, music competitions and giveaways, and a popular discussion forum. It is also an important music reference source with a music website directory of more then 1,000 hand-picked sites listed. MusicShopper forum and newsletters subscribers are entered into monthly draws for Amazon voucher.

Make Money Tearing Up Old Books And Magazines And Selling Them On Ebay

Writen by Avril Harper

Vintage books and magazines were packed with prints and advertisements and other paper items which are not only interesting, but very collectable, and profitable, too. So many things derived from these old publications are hot sellers on eBay including: prints, advertisements, knitting and other craftwork patterns, recipes, how to articles, historical articles, music scores, stories and other out of copyright material … etc., etc, etc.

Let me introduce you to just a few of these easy to find items.

Prints

Old prints are valuable collectors' pieces and there's a good income to be made simply from packaging prints neatly and categorizing them according to theme, eBay's best sellers being: animals, sports (especially golf and horse racing), royalty, music hall artists, topographical (named locations) and children.

Advertisements

Advertisements were often hugely ornate, colored or black and white, photographic or artist-drawn. Whatever shape they take, framed and unframed, mounted and unmounted advertisements are very popular on eBay where only recently an advertisement placed by a slave trader in The Memphis Daily Avalanche in 1859 fetched $200.

Clippings

'Clippings', sometimes called 'Cuttings' as both names suggest, are simply items cut from books and other printed publications. They can be large or small, or even comprise entire sections of a book linked to a specific theme. They can fetch high prices on eBay as did a 1909 article about the magician Houdini that went for $200 in May 2005 and clippings of Rudolph Valentino fetched $305 at around the same time.

Gifts and Advertising Novelties from Early Publications

Early publications often contained useful free gifts for readers, some of which are profitable collectors' items today. The most common free gifts were advertising inserts and sometimes advertising blotters, rulers, children's painting books and maps. Maps are particularly prolific in older books and are amongst eBay's highest priced items, such as the 1873 Beers Atlas of Maps of Long Island New York which recently fetch over $2,000 and a Mitchell's Map of Missouri and Arkansas found folded inside a tatty old book from 1937 that reached $1702.

Posters

Some early publications, larger ones, had double center page spreads that make great posters and prints. They can fetch bids of $20 and more. As for all publications, learn to specialize, and look for special interest magazines, targeting a specific audience, say dog lovers, train enthusiasts, classic cars, and so on. This way you gain experience about specific subjects and the person to buy from on eBay.

Fancy Dress

Another very easy project where all you have to do is look for copyright-free patterns and designs which you can combine into books or sell individually. They are all great sellers on eBay especially for traditional fancy dress anniversaries such as Halloween.

Cartoons

The secret here is to look for copyright-free cartoons which you can copy and mount or frame as they are or revamp to suit today's market. As for other copyright-free material, although there is no law against lifting and using cartoons, it is arguably immoral and unethical to claim the work as your own.

Cater for Lovers …. Of Anything and Everything!

Actually, that title is a little misleading because this project covers virtually every interest for which there is a large, better still, indeterminate audience. Books and such compiled here can be sold in printed, CD or downloadable fashion on eBay.

This is my particular favorite and, arguably, the easiest to profit from. All you do here is clip, collect and collate as many snippets as you can relating to one particular subject or theme. Cats, dogs, golf, writing, children, Amish recipes, fortune-telling, witchcraft, and more, are useful ideas for books that are simply compilations of everything you find on the topic.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1001 Great Golfing Jokes

Everything You Didn't Know About Cats

Psychic Cat and Dog Stories

1001 Great Dating Tips

500 Amish Recipes

Candles and Witchcraft: Ten True Stories to Brighten Your Life

50 Ways to Reduce Everyday Stress

101 Ways to Market Your Writing

Early Veterinary Practices

Let Grandma's Kitchen Make Money For You

There's money to be made from compiling early recipes in book or report form for selling in print, CD or via email attachment from eBay listings. Recipes don't need to be popular today; you might research and write up on some of the far less appetizing dishes our ancestors might have 'enjoyed' centuries before.

Knitting Patterns

Knitting and other craftwork patterns are hugely popular sellers on eBay, especially unusual and niche market types, such as dolls' clothing, war-time economy designs, clothes for animals, and so on. Again, look for out-of-copyright items and other patterns that never had legal copyright. Many old publications included free patterns as loose items or pull-out publications which need no additional work on them to sell. However, you are not always allowed to copy these items so where you have a good seller, work hard to obtain as many copies of the parent copy publication as possible.

So many books and magazines available, so many ways to make money from them, so what are you waiting for!

Avril Harper is a triple PowerSeller and author of Mags to Riches (http://www.magstoriches.com) http://www.magstoriches.com. She has produced a free guide - 103 POWERSELLER TIPS - which you can download with other freely distributable reports and ebooks at http://www.toppco.com.

Ebay Issues New Digital Product Rules

Writen by Michael Nalbone

Acknowledging higher demand for digitally delivered products, Mara Holian, from eBay's Product Marketing team said that eBay is tightening the rules for egoods in an effort to "improve the way these items are bought and sold on eBay".

Sellers will now be required to identify digital items during the listing process and provide additional information about each product.

Listings for digital products will now include:

*System Requirements. *File Size. *File Format. *Details about any additional software that may be required to use the digital product, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader for .pdf files.

I know what you're thinking: "Shouldn't the listings already contain this info?"

Of course. But, have you ever browsed auctions for an ebook? Some sellers in fact, do not make this basic information prominent in their listings. Buyers will now find the relevant info in the same place and format in every listing, instead of it being scattered about or omitted altogether.

According to eBay's site, sellers of digital goods are now required to use a "PayPal Verified Premier" or "Verified Business" account or eBay's "Checkout Redirect functionality" in order to collect payments.

Does this mean that you can't sell digital products unless you use PayPal or set up complicated software using eBay's API?

Probably not. Third-party services may still be an option.

An inquiry to one of the largest auction checkout & payment services, Andale, was not immediately answered. But they, and others, are likely to make updates which include this new, required functionality.

eBay also said that buyers will no longer see "unnecessary information, such as shipping costs". Which leads one to believe that the days of a 99 cent ebook with $12 in "shipping and handling" charges are gone.

Some sellers have been known to list digital items with unnecessary charges like these, and many buyers, in their enthusiasm to purchase one of these products, overlook these fees only to be disappointed upon checkout.

In addition, sellers will now be required to state that they are "legally authorized" to sell the product.

Research shows that everything downloadable: ebooks, mp3 songs, whole music CDs, even movies, are being offered as illegal downloads via online auction services.

While the legitimate online auction marketplaces police these types of listings and remove them promptly when they are reported or noticed, occasionally an item may slip through leaving those involved open to legal action by the copyright owner.

So, will eBay's new policy have the effect of eliminating piracy on the auction site?

Don't bet the farm.

Often, sellers mistakenly believe that they have purchased "resale rights" to the digital products they're offering for sale. So naturally, they will agree that they have the "legal" authority to re-sell the product.

Many egoods do not contain a copyright notice or resale agreement.

An inexperienced or hasty ebook publisher may unintentionally omit the information or a "pirate" may have removed or edited the author's copyright/resale notice.

While the new guidelines are certainly not a foolproof solution to digital piracy, eBay should be commended for taking a step in the right direction.

For more information on eBay's new digital goods requirements, see: http://pages.ebay.com/choosingformats/digitalitems/faqs/

Mike Nalbone is the publisher of "The Essential eBay Seller's Guide" which is a FREE, complete e-course that gives those who wish to sell successfully on eBay a great head-start. For more information, or to sign-up, visit: http://www.thewholesaledetective.com/ecourse.html

How Drop Shipping Works

Writen by John Lynch

One of the most frequently asked questions on the Net is: "What should I sell online?"

Many people know what products they want to sell. However, they don't know how to do this. Should they physically stock the products themselves or promote other companies through affiliate programs?

Drop shipping may be the answer for some website owners who want to become stockless retailers, whereby they keep no stock themselves. Instead they promote products on their website and get a drop shipping company to despatch these products for them.

Here are the steps involved in drop shipping:

1) You open an Internet Store with a shopping cart and accept credit cards on your site. You can also sell on Internet Auction sites.

2) You find a distributor who will "drop ship" the products you want to sell.

3) You open an account with the "drop ship" distributor(s) you choose.

4) You receive descriptions and images of the products you wish to sell from the distributor and put them on your Internet Store or Auction.

5) When a customer buys from your Store or Auction, they pay with their credit card. Your Store or Auction charges their credit card plus shipping.

6) You email the order to the drop ship distributor with the customer's name and address.

7) Then the drop shipper despatches the product to your customer from the warehouse with YOUR business name on the package.

8) The drop shipper charges you the wholesale price plus shipping. Remember you have already passed the shipping charge on to your customer, so the shipping costs you nothing.

So that's how drop shipping works. You don't have to buy products in bulk and store them, hoping to sell. You don't have to pay to have it shipped to you, and then pay again to ship it to your customer. All you had to do was send an email to your drop shipper.

(C) John Lynch

For details of drop shipping companies for your website or ebay business: http://www.merchant-account-service.com/drop_shipping.html

Ebay Competition How To Stand Out From The Competition On Ebay

Writen by Donny Lowy

Have you tried running an auction on eBay recently?

If you are new to eBay, or are an experienced eBay seller, you might have noticed the growing competition. As the popularity of eBay grows so does the number of sellers running auctions on eBay.

Continuos improvements to eBay make selling on eBay easier than before. Anytime it becomes easier to enter a market, you can expect to find more competition, as is taking place on eBay.

The bad news is that there are hundreds of thousands of sellers and millions of products for sale on eBay. Standing out from all the competition can be extremely difficult.

The good news is that the majority of eBay sellers are not professional or dedicated sellers. If you approach your eBay sales like a real business you will put yourself on the fight path.

By implementing the following steps you can stand out from your eBay competition.

Step #1

A picture is worth a thousand words. This is especially true on eBay, where there is usually no personal inspection of the items. This is the place to spend your money. Buy the digital camera with the highest number of pixels that you can afford. Spending an extra $100 here can make a difference between success and failure.

When taking your pictures use a background that compliments your items. Think about how much nicer clothing looks when it is on a mannequin than sitting on the floor.

The background color should also compliment the colors of the item you are selling. Take a look at any professional catalog or website and you will see how much attention is paid to this.

Step #2

The right description is worth a thousand pictures. Use what you learned in English class. The right description will bring your pictures to life. How often do we see an item and cannot figure out what it's used for? By having solid item descriptions in your eBay auctions you will ensure that people know what the uses of your product are.

Solid descriptions should also be worded in a way that shows people what needs and wants can be fulfilled through the use your item. For instance, if you are auctioning off a pair of sneakers, list all of the benefits that be enjoyed with the sneakers. Ex: Fashionable appearance, athletic potential, daily comfort, and so on.

The more benefits you can list the more appealing your eBay auction will be to eBay shoppers.

Donny Lowy runs http://www.closeoutexplosion.com an online wholesale and closeout business.