Thursday, July 31, 2008

Ebay Business Opportunity When The Money Comes Rolling In

Writen by Maisy Day

Why are so many people turning to the Ebay business opportunity in hope that it will help turn their lives around? Let us take away the word hope and replace it with - HOW the Ebay business opportunity has helped people worldwide and is still continuing to do so with their offerings of a no risk Ebay business opportunity.

Living day to day struggling to make ends meet - wondering how the next bill is going too paid has caused many people unnecessary stress - forcing them to pill pop to rid headaches. Well if you have decided enough is enough and going to make a stand to put all that in the past- then your choice to run your very own Ebay business was a wise one.

No up front fees - no 9 to 5 commitment - no refusal from an employer for extra overtime to help with the bills - well no kidding, believe it or not all the above mentioned are omitted from your Ebay business. If you are serious about being in control with no boss to answer too then the only way forward is the Ebay way. Are you willing to do what it takes to change your life - then if so, it is commitment and determination that you have to up hold? After enforcing these two important issues into action - then there is no reason why you can not achieve the success like other Ebay entrepreneurs.

All that is required in running your business is internet connection a product or service. Read up on all Ebay`s rules and regulations to get an overall picture of how the system works - once you have done this then abracadabra Hey Presto your up and running.

Start your business as you mean to go on and that is to succeed - have a test run by selling a book a piece of Jewelry or even a car - whatever you choose is up to you. A dummy run is all that you need to familiarize yourself with the ins and outs. After accepting the Ebay business opportunity and you are up and running with your first listing then let the excitement begin. Remember to categorise your product accordingly - make sure to set a time and date you would like the auction to run for then sit back and watch the bidding rise each day.

An Ebay business can escalate to heights beyond belief and if you believe in yourself then Ebay can make it happen. Once you have sold your first item then you have found success but to become successful you have to sell more. Good quality products and a dedicated service from you may just well give you repeat custom (depending on what you are selling) what products to sell should be researched into - make sure there is a demand for it? For example don`t try selling bikinis to the Eskimo`s - get my drift.

If your product that you are selling entails quantity then ask a friend to help with the organizing of postage and packaging till you get on your feet. An organized business is a step in the right direction in achieving success. In time reality will come to light when the money comes rolling in.

Now that you have a slice of the worlds biggest online market place - it is up to you how you conduct your Ebay business opportunity. This new found venture of yours is like that of any other business undertaken by entrepreneurs, so keep it strictly business at your scheduled times and dates you have planned then all should be Hunky Dory.

For success in business you have to be in the know - don`t take my word for it and check it out for yourself http://www.ebay.webinputbiz.com Hard work comes with rewards - need a break http://www.airfarelive.com

The Top Ten Tips For Auction Success

Writen by Joe Clare

If you were to look through eBay, or any other online auction site for that matter, you would find that many people make some very basic mistakes. And, they repeat these mistakes over and over again. As indicated in my book "eBay Marketing Wholesale SourcePak" with a little common sense these mistakes are completely preventable. So to prevent you from making these very same mistakes I have put together the Top Ten Tips For Auction Success.

10. Shipping
Always state what your shipping price will be. And, Do Not try to rip off your buyers by inflating the shipping price to increase your profit. Believe it or not, people do have a fair idea of what shipping costs should be. If they feel you are inflating your shipping price they will not bid on your item and may not look at any of your other auctions either from fear of being ripped off.

9. Customer Support
You must respond to all emails regarding your auctions. Yes, responding to emails is time consuming. But, if you don't, that potential bidder will look else ware for the product and you will have lost yourself a customer.

8. Reserve Price
Do your research on the price for your item. If you must use a reserve price keep it real. If you over price your item you will not get as many bids. And, while all good marketers know there is a time and place for the Reserve Auction, you may actually get more bids using no reserve pricing at all. Do your research to help you make this decision.

7. Item Condition
You must let bidders know what condition your item is in. Is it new and in it's packaging, or used but like new condition. Does it have any imperfections they should be made aware of. A potential bidders will want to know what condition your item is in before making any bids.

6. Terms
This could come under the heading Customer Service. If you have terms on your auction page that read something like this "Not Responsible For Item Once Shipped" or "Item Sold As Is" you will get less bidders for that auction. Be a responsible eBayer, have insurance on the item that your buyer can purchase. And be sure to have some sort of guarantee on your products.

5. Feedback
One of the most important parts of your eBay Business. Feedback is a method eBay uses to allow buyers and sellers to record their experiences with each other. Then, others can check out the feedback of any eBayer they wish to deal with, to see if there has been any negative comments left. Therefore, it is extremely important to keep your feedback rating positive.

4. Auction Start/Close Time
You must plan your auction start/close time around the bidders you wish to attract to your auction. If the product you are selling appeals to the working woman, the best time to start/end your auction would be in the evening or on the weekend. Always create a profile on your product and what group of the population you are selling to.

3. Item Description
Not enough information or too much rambling of information will discourage people from bidding. So too will to many typos. Your item description must be clean and concise. Succinctly provide all the information required to describe the item sufficiently and create buyer interest.

2. Image
You need to use an image on your auction page. Remember a picture is worth a 1000 words! Potential bidders will want to see what the item looks like before they make a bid. With digital cameras, being so affordable these days adding a image to your auction page is easier then ever. But, make sure the image is clear and well lit to show it's detail or any imperfections it may have. Also, keep the image at a reasonable pixel size so your auction page doesn't take to long to load.

1. Headlines
This is the most important issue for getting more bidders to your auction page. You must include words that people will search on eBay. And, you must make your headline enticing, so potential bidders will click it. If you are selling an antique make-up table a headline saying old vanity table would not pull in a lot of bidders. But, if you said something like "Vintage Vanity Table - Mint Condition - Collectors Item" not only would you get more potential bidders to view your auction, you would also be using words people would search eBay for. Your auction title would appear in searches for Vintage, Vanity Tables, Collectors Items. Therefore, allowing even more potential bidders to see your headline.

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! at http://www.ebooksnsoftware.com

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Why The 1 Cent Auction Is Killing The Ebay Ebook Market

Writen by James Penn

*MYTH 1*

Selling 1p eBooks are ideal for backend sales and website sales.

Total utter rubbish! Do you honestly believe that people who pay 1p for an eBook will bother to read it? Maybe 5% will. But that means you have to sell 100 just to get 5 visitors to your website.

Not only that, but buyers of 1p eBooks are freebie seekers and not willing to loosen the purse strings so to speak. If you're selling an eBook for just £5 on your website, can you really imagine them whipping out the plastic?

The main reason people buy 1p eBooks are to build feedback points, they're not going to take a second glance at your eBook.

Instead, consider some SEO work on your site, write articles, submit to search engines, create a free viral eBook, participate in JV's, participate in giveaway promotions, get reciprocal links, invest in an affiliate programme, sig files on forums, (do not spam) pay per click advertising, create a newsletter and the most important of them all – continue to add more content to your site.

*MYTH 2*

Selling 1p eBooks are ideal for building a strong, positive feedback.

Nope, wrong again! eBayers aren't stupid. They'll see you're selling hundreds of items for 1p and they know the feedback comments you get mean diddly squat.

In addition to that, the majority of buyers aren't going to bother leaving you feedback for a 1p purchase, especially if it's of poor quality.

Instead, invest in a few resale rights products that you can sell for £2 - £3 - £4 and make a few CONSISTENT sales every day. If you just make 3 sales from one product per day and have 15 products that you're selling, then that's excellent profit potential and you're building a solid, positive feedback that will be respected by eBay members.

*MYTH 3*

Selling 1p eBooks will make me an eBay power seller and earn me respect from the eBay community.

eBay have set out certain guidelines that entitle you to power seller status.

To qualify, members must:

• Uphold the eBay community values, including honesty, timeliness and mutual respect

• Average a minimum of £750 in sales per month, for three consecutive months

• Achieve an overall Feedback rating of 100, of which 98% or more is positive

• Have been an active member for 90 days

• Have an account in good financial standing

• Not violate any severe policies in a 60-day period

• Not violate three or more of any eBay policies in a 60-day period

• Maintain a minimum of four average monthly listings for the past three months

Look at the second requirement.

Now, I'm no mathematician and I don't have a calculator handy but I work that out to mean that you would have to make at least 75000 sales (give or take a 0) every month for the rest of your eBay career to retain your power seller status.

Firstly, selling 75000 items per month is impossible and secondly, can you imagine dealing with all the questions from buyers, re-sending eBooks that were failed by your automation (if you have automation) and leaving feedback comments. Dealing with these many customers would be impossible and your inability to answer e-mails quickly and re-send items could easily lead to negative feedbacks – therefore disqualifying you further from power seller status.

"Achieve an overall Feedback rating of 100, of which 98% or more is positive"

James Penn is an experienced eBay seller who sells hundreds of eBooks per month. He also owns make money on eBay website http://www.auction-enterprise.com and he is in the process of attempting to become the biggest eBay eBook seller in the market. You can follow his success at http://www.powerseller-challenge.com You may also like a bunch of free eBay eBooks and you can grab them by visiting this link http://www.auction-enterprise.com/free-ebay-ebooks.html

So Can You Really Sell Ebooks On Ebay And Make Cold Hard Cash

Writen by Ian Major

Selling eBooks on eBay, and making any worthwhile profit from doing so, is becoming more and more difficult.

Gone are the days when you could sell someone else's books on eBay, and it's becoming considerably more difficult to sell ebooks that you might have written yourself or via Public Domain Publications.

Many people seem to think that ebooks should be freely available (because so many good ones are)and there are some excellent ebooks for sale on ebay but rarely do they sell for more than a few pennies.

So purchase ebooks from eBay by all means, there's just no money in trying to sell ebooks on eBay.

There's also the problem of who owns the copyright to the ebook you are trying to sell. This has become so much of a headache that eBay has come up with it's own policy to try and deal with this situation.

HERE'S AN EXCEPT FROM EBAY'S VERO POLICY.

* eBay's Verified Rights Owner (VeRO) Program

* eBay's VeRO Program was developed to facilitate cooperation between eBay and rights owners protecting their intellectual property rights.

* Highlights of the program include:

* Expeditious removal of listings reported to eBay by over 5,000 intellectual property rights owners

* Specific, detailed warnings designed to deter the listing of potentially infringing items before a listing is posted on eBay

* Voluntary daily monitoring and removal by eBay of listings offering potentially counterfeit or otherwise infringing items

* Voluntary daily monitoring and removal by eBay of listings that violate eBay policies designed to prevent the listing of infringing items on eBay

* Ability to save searches and have the results emailed to you through Favorite Searches

* Suspension of repeat offenders

* Continuing efforts to identify and prevent previously suspended users from reregistering for eBay

* Cooperation with rights owners seeking personal information on alleged infringers.

* However, because eBay is not an expert in your intellectual property rights, and cannot verify that sellers have the right to sell the millions of items they post on eBay each day, we need your help in identifying listings which do not appear on their face to infringe your rights.

To read the policy in it's entirety go to:-

http://pages.ebay.com/help/confidence/ia/protecting_intellectual_property.html

KEEP IT SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD

Now there is a way around this that is easier to achieve than most people believe.

The easiest way of making sure that you don't fall foul of eBay's VeRo Policy is:

* Create The Products Yourself

The easiest way of overcoming peoples beliefs that your ebook should be freely availablen is.

* Don't have your ebook look like an ebook!

So when is an ebook not an ebook?

When it is perceived by the visitors to your eBay Sales Page as something else.

For example, if you bundled together your ebook with a printed version of the book, and or an Audio CD or Video DVD, your product would have a much higher perceived value.

SO.

* You create a printed version of your ebook contained in a nicely printed folder.

* You take a digital photograph of the cover of your printed version, surrounded by the audio CD and or Video DVD and use this as your Gallery Picture when you start to create your purchase It Now, eBay auction page.

* You use the same picture or pictures throughout your eBay Auction sales page.

People are used to seeing software generated ebook covers on eBay but by using the above method your product will not be perceived as an ebook.

* In your sales page include the information that the entire package can be digitally downloaded by the customer if they wish.

Do this and you will be one of the very few sellers on eBay using this technique and take my word for it, this technique is very powerful indeed.

Now this might sound like a lot of work or seem over complicated, yet when you come to think of it, most PCs and Laptops come complete with hardware and software for creating Audio CDs and DVDs? and if you don't have this kind of equipment you can get it on eBay relatively cheaply.

SO HOW DO YOU DO IT?

With this technology it is fairly simple to create Audio CDs and Video DVDs.

* You could record or have somebody else record your ebook onto Audio CD or DVD and provide it as an audio product within your product bundle. Many people find it easier to learn by "listening" than by reading.

* If the subject matter of your book included information on how to use a particular type of software for example, you could use a video capture program such as "Camtasia" (http://www.techsmith.com) to capture the sequence of steps that would need to be gone through in order to use the software effectively.

* If your ebook covered a practical subject like gardening for instance you could use a Camcorder to take actual "videos" of the various aspects of gardening, copy them to DVD and make it part of your "bundle". Many people find it easier to learn by "seeing" than by reading or listening.

Remember that your product bundle can be downloaded by your customer (assuming you have set your product up this way) but don't be afraid to provide them with the printed version of your book along with the Audio and Video DVDs if that's what they prefer.

Your ebook presented in this way will represent a much higher value than the traditional way of selling ebooks on eBay and therefore you can ask a much higher price than you would otherwise.

If all this sounds a little daunting to you I suggest that you carry out some research into what you've read here. More information on how to create Books and Videos to sell on eBay can be found at the end of this article.

SO, CAN YOU REALLY SELL EBOOKS ON EBAY AND MAKE COLD HARD CASH?

Sure you can.

By following the methods described here, selling ebooks on eBay really can pay off Big Time and you wont have broken any of eBay's rules.

For more information on how to create Books and Videos to sell on eBay visit:- http://www.ebay-articles.com/Sell-Books-and-Videos-On-eBay.html

Ian D Major is the creator of http://www.eBay-Articles.com, the one stop resource for information, reports and articles that will help you use eBay to your best financial advantage.

eBay-Articles are freely available. To subscribe and get Articles, Reports and Bonuses delivered to your inbox weekly, just visit: http://www.ebay-articles.com

CopyRight 2005 Ian D.Major

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

How To Compete With Amazoncom

Writen by Tony Keeler

If you are selling online,here is the down side of our business....you will never be able to compete with Amazon. (Or Kmart, or Target, or any other big outlet) Here is why, They buy directly from the manufacturer in such huge quantities that they are getting the product for a price that you and I (as small business owners) will never realize. That is an unfortunate fact of business.

The other problem is that they often use products like this as what they call a 'loss leader.' They are willing to take a huge loss on the product in the hopes that the customer will buy other things. If you are like me, you cannot afford to do that. So what do we do?

The answer is very simple....if you can't compete with Amazon, don't! You are not the size of Amazon, so don't compete with them. (I know sounds too simple, but stay with me) So, if I can't be the cheapest price, or compete with Amazon, how can I make any money? ( I know, I asked the same thing when I started) The answer is, if you have a great product, you sell it for a reasonable price, and you have a great sales letter....people will buy from you. (I don't have a degree in marketing, so I can't explain why) But they will.

Here's the thing, if every small business in the world tried to compete with Wal-Mart, or Amazon, there would be no small business around. But, there are and they continue to thrive. What you want to do is to not compete with Amazon, but others on Ebay, or wherever you are advertising your site, that are selling the same product. Try and see what they are selling it for and stay in that range. And most of all, don't worry about being the lowest priced!

I know that sounds funny but, you would be amazed that if you write a GREAT sales letter...then pricing has very little to do with it. (And that has been proven time and time again) In the members area of Drop Ship Connection there are great resources and software that can help you write a great sales letter.

One mistake, between you and me, that I see people making every day on eBay or on a website is that they are not even bothering to write a sales letter. They list the product specs and throw up a picture and expect it to sell. The mistake they are making is that eBay is not a store that has products on a shelf for everyone to pick out.

With the competition on eBay, and the internet as a whole, it should not be looked at like a store for people to pick and choose, but rather a mail order system on steroids. Think of all of the junk mail that you receive in your mailbox; Most of it (if they are trying to sell you something anyway) is going to be in the form of a sales letter. (The main page of The Drop Ship Connection is an example of a sales letter.) You really have to make people want to buy your product from you with a great sales letter, then price is not an problem.

So why is there not much difference between what Amazon sells it for and the wholesale distributors you list; Are you sure they are real wholesalers? My answer to this question is always...yes all of the wholesalers are verified as true wholesalers or manufacturers. However, you will never get the same price Amazon gets...that's just an unfortunate fact.

You are not buying hundreds of thousands of units shipped on pallets with a HUGE discount because of the size of your order. You are ordering from a wholesaler who maybe got two pallets in, then has to pay people to break them up into single units and repackage them for distribution to your customer (obviously they have a higher overhead, so they are going to pass that on to you). And, if they are the manufacturer, again they have to pay people to ship them out individually in packages vs. a huge pallet. (More work, more money)

About The Author

Tony Keeler is the founder of MAR Services who publish several successful websites:

Drop Ship Connection - The Web's #1 directory of wholesale distributors who drop ship.

$2 Software - All of the marketing and advertising software you've seen out there for $50.00 or more for only $2!

DingleHopper - Funny Name, Cool Products!

Free eBay Resources - Start your auctioning career right, for FREE.

tony.keeler@dropshipconnection.com

Monday, July 28, 2008

Buying Tips For Maximum Profits On Ebay

Writen by David E Nettey

Buying on eBay can be lots of fun and profiting. If you love bargains, and am yet to see anyone who doesn't, i stand corrected, if there is anyone one out there who doesn't, then eBay is the right place for you. 24 hours a day and the whole year through in the comfort of your own home, you can find and profit from lots of bargains.

From eBay antiques to eBay motors, real estate to sought after event tickets, consumer electronics to collectibles, there is something for everyone on eBay. And these are just a few of the categories i have mentioned. At any one time, eBay has hundreds of thousands of items for sale on its network of sites.

Items are organised into categories on eBay, and these are listed down on the left hand side of the screen. It's amazing what's on sale on eBay. Rather than moving through all this categories, it's a better idea to use eBay's search facility.

Because eBay has such a massive number of items for sale, it's very likely you will be presented with hundreds if not thousands of items when you search for items to buy on eBay. The first thing to have in mind, when you need to buy on eBay will of course be the price.

EBay is supposed to be the bargain warehouse, but over the years, there have been so many items that have exchanged hands for way above their retail value because of the bidding frenzy that comes with certain items offered for sale on the auction site.

It's always a good practice to compare bids if you are involved in an auction, and if this has already exceeded the pre - determined amount you are willing to pay, don't be tempted into a bidding war, just move on and find similar items with a different seller, you are always bound to find these because remember there are thousands of items available for sale on eBay.

Items you buy on eBay will be mailed to you unless stated otherwise, so be very wary of postage and delivery costs when determining the amount you are willing to pay for an item. When you have decided on these, also consider the condition of the item. EBay is an auction site, and as is the case with all auctions, there are always old and new items for sale. So be very careful, usually the seller's description of the item should give you an idea about its condition.

When in doubt you can always email the seller through eBay's mail system. All good sellers will answer questions regarding their items.

Some auctions come with a "Buy It Now" icon, you can end the auction immediately by paying for the advertised price using the "Buy It Now" icon. I suggest you should only do this if the "Buy It Now" price is within the pre - determined amount you are willing to pay.

Copyright © David E Nettey

David E Nettey is the webmaster of http://fishing-lures.lyecryads.com and http://podiatry.lyecryads.com He has helped several new online business owners get started, For Internet Business Ideas and Opportunities visit his website http://www.Profits-Web.com

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Make Money Selling On Ebay What To Sell How To Sell

Writen by Kent Hamilton

The biggest question people have when starting an Ebay business is what to sell. We will get to that in a minute. First, here are some general guidelines to help you know how to sell:

1. Make sure you have a quality picture of the product: The last thing I want to see when I trying to decide to buy something is a blurry picture or one that doesn't show the product well. You can sometimes raise the price of a product by taking an appealing photo of it.

2. Write an good description: When writing a product description use words to build value but don't over do it.

3. Build up positive feedback: If you don't have enough good feedback you won't make a lot of money. Concentrate on smaller items that you can deliver quickly and that are in great condition and then you can move on to bigger items.

What to Sell: Once you build up some positive feedback and reviews you can move on to selling stuff that will make you money. Just some beginning tips for what to sell: Sell something that will need to be replenished - such as vitamins, energy drinks, protein shakes, etc…. That way you can create an income stream that builds with time and more customers instead of just selling one time items. You should also plan on building a main website separate from Ebay so that you can maintain a list of customers. You can sell them your products and also cross sell them new items. This is a strategy that uses Ebay an alternate source of leads for your main website.

Another good strategy to get started is to find a product you think will do well and then see how popular that item is by using a keyword analyzer tool: http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/ You can use this tool to see how many times a keyword is typed into a search engine each month. Once you find out how many times it is searched for each month, you then need to see how many websites there are out there about this keyword or product. If the keyword is searched for a lot and there are only a few websites pertaining to it, then you will have a good chance of being successful with that product and make good money. Be creative when searching for what to sell and you should be able to come up with something that will sell.

After you are making a decent amount of money, you can then teach others how to do the same and charge consulting fees or mentor fees. A lot more money can be made from this than selling products on Ebay. Begin to sell your services on Ebay and use the items as just a way to gain new clients. If you have any experiences with Ebay and making money this way, share it with the people here. Helping others helps you.

Kent Hamilton - founder of http://www.moneygenius.net shares his making money tips for Free to help others get started. Lots of useful information. He has been developing and promoting websites for over 10 years.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Taking Great Auction Photos Increases Sale Price

Writen by Francesca Black

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. That being the case, it is important to use photos as a tool to sell auction items.

Background:

Use a neutral backdrop in your photos. You want potential buyers to focus on the auction item, not on the background. If the background is busy or crowded, it may be difficult for bidders to see the item clearly. Remember that you are trying to sell the item.

Border:

Keep the auction item in center of the camera's viewfinder so it frames the item all the way around.

Artistic:

Remember that you are selling the auction item, not the photograph. Clarity is more important than overall effect.

Clarity:

Bidders want to see a clear shot of the item for sale. Don't alter or "doctor" your photos. Buyers may detect this and assume you are trying to misrepresent the item.

Lighting:

Use as much natural lighting as possible. Auction item images should be lit brightly with lots of diffused lighting. Sometimes lighting can make an item look different than it does in real life. Do your best to capture the real color, texture, and condition of the auction item for sale.

Flash:

Don't use a flash, unless you are a professional photographer. The flash will likely wash out an item.

Focus:

Use a tripod, you will find that pictures will be sharper. Tripods will result in a sharp, clear pictures. Photographers not using a tripod will often experience blurred images in their acution item photos.

Closeups:

Be sure to take closeup photos of any auction item damage, so customers will not be surprised when they receive the item. It is also a good idea to take closeup photos of brand-name labels or stamps, as well as any certificates of authenticity. When taking a closeup, move close to the object. A tripod or an image stabiliser in the lens is a huge bonus. Handheld closeups are often blurry or overexposed, a tripod will minimize this on close-up shots, especially if the photograph is of a physically small item. Multiple

Angles:

Use as many photos as you need to capture the appearance of your item. You can use up to 12 photos in a standard eBay auction listing, and you can pay a little extra to include even more pictures, if you feel they will help sell the auction item.

By presenting a clear sharp image of your auction item, you can often increase the amount of auction bids that your product receives.

Copyright 2006 Francesca Black

Francesca Black enjoys photography as a hobby and manages content at Future Photo http://www.future-photo.com and Digital Photo Tips http://www.digital-photo-tips.com/

Ebay Profiting With Books By Janette Oke

Writen by Gary Hendrickson

Janette Oke is a Christian writer whose books about life, love, values and faith have a huge following among women today. Each of her Christian books for adults falls into one of six different series she wrote. These are:

  • Women Of The West
  • Love Comes Softly
  • Canadian West Saga
  • Season Of The Heart
  • A Prairie Legacy
  • Song Of Acadia (the books in this series were written with T. Davis Dunn)

While they show up at FOL and AAUW book sales, they are most often found at garage sales. They won't find them at every garage or yard sale you visit, but spend a morning on the yard sale circuit and you should come home with several of her book and not have paid more than $.50 for any of them.

You will find a lot of these on eBay but nearly all are sold as single titles and that's a big mistake. In order to make the cash register ring for you with her books you should buy them individually or in groups, hold them until you have a complete series, and then sell the series as one auction.

All information and pricing is for soft-cover editions which are by far the most common.

Here's a list of the books that make up each series:

Women Of The West Series (12 books)

  • The Calling Of Emily Evans *
  • Julia's Last Hope
  • A Woman Named Damarus
  • Roses For Mama *
  • They Called Her Mrs. Doc
  • Measure Of A Heart
  • A Bride For Donnigan
  • Heart Of The Wilderness *
  • The Bluebird and The Sparrow *
  • A Gown Of Spanish Lace *
  • Too Long A Stranger
  • Dreams Of Change *

* These six titles were re-written, with the same titles, for young girls (age 10 - 14) and published as the Janette Oke Classics For Girls Series. When buying these six titles be sure to check which series the book actually belongs to.

I've never found the Classics For Girls series to be a big seller and pass them up when I see them. You can try them if you'd like to though.

Love Comes Softly Series (8 books)

  • Love Comes Softly
  • Loves Enduring Promise
  • Loves Long Journey
  • Loves Abiding Joy
  • Loves Unending Legacy
  • Loves Unfolding Dream
  • Love Takes Wing
  • Love Finds A Home

Canada West Series (6 books)

  • When Calls The Heart
  • When Breaks The Dawn
  • When Comes The Spring
  • When Hope Springs New
  • Beyond The Gathering Storm
  • When Tomorrow Comes

Season Of The Heart Series (4 books)

  • Springs Gentle Promise
  • Once Upon A Summer
  • Winds Of Autumn
  • Winter Is Not Forever

A Prairie Legacy Series (4 books)

  • The Tender Years
  • A Searching Heart
  • A Quiet Strength
  • Like Gold Refined

Song Of Acadia Series (5 books)

  • The Meeting Place
  • The Sacred Shore
  • The Birthright
  • The Distant Beacon
  • The Beloved Land

This last series continues under the name Heirs Of Acadia, but Janette Oke was no longer one of the authors and it isn't nearly as popular. It's the Janette Oke name that sells these books.

Mrs. Oke also wrote a series of 12 early readers for children called Janette Oke's Animal Friends Series. It's also a good seller when sold as a complete series. It's made up of the following titles:

  • The Impatient Turtle
  • The Prodigal Cat
  • Spunky's Dairy
  • This Little Pig
  • New Kid In Town
  • Ducktails
  • Prairie Dog Town
  • Trouble In A Fur Coat
  • Maury Had A Little Lamb
  • Pordy's Prickly Problem
  • A Cote Of Many Colors
  • Who's New At The Zoo

Here's some pricing information for each series from the last several months. The prices shown are the averages each series sold for.

  • Women Of The West - $36.78
  • Love Comes Softly - $42.17
  • Canadian West Saga - $13.19
  • Season Of The Heart - $12.03
  • A Prairie Legacy - $14.38
  • Song Of Acadia - $37.14
  • Animal Friends - $38.63

As you can see some series are more popular than others, but as long as you don't spend more then .50 each per book you will make money with any of them. Just list complete series, start them at $9.95 and let the bidders run them up.

Each of these series was also sold as a boxed set. If you find a set with it's box it will usually add a premium to the the final price.

Gary Hendrickson has been making his living selling on eBay for more than six years. He's the author of two eBay related ebooks, has a blog for eBay sellers, and is the owner of ColdItems.Com. Did you find this article helpful? If so, this is the kind of information you will find each week inside Gary's ColdItems.Com.

ColdItems.Com The Auction Rebel Blog

Friday, July 25, 2008

Fed Up With Ebay

Writen by Richard Grady

For many people, their first experience of working online involves selling products on eBay. This was how I got started back in 1998 and I know countless other people that have done the same.

However, it is important to remember that eBay is not the 'be all and end all' - there is a much bigger online world out there. My reason for mentioning this is that I have spoken to three people this week who each make a decent full or part-time income on eBay but who are fed up with it and looking to move in other directions.

Having sold on eBay myself, I can understand why sellers do get tired/bored/frustrated with the auction site - it is highly competitive and it takes an incredible amount of hard work to succeed. In addition, it is normally the case that the more successful you become, the harder you have to work. Listing auctions, handling customer enquiries, packing, shipping, sourcing/buying stock, keeping up with feedback, monitoring the competition - selling on eBay is a tough job and it is no wonder that after working in this way for a few years, many people wish they were back in the land of the employed!!

Don't get me wrong, there is good money to be made on eBay for anyone willing to put the effort in and many people enjoy trading on this huge auction site. But it isn't for everyone.

Having spoken to numerous eBay sellers in the past, it seems to me that of the ones that don't enjoy working on eBay, the particular task that they enjoy the least is the packing and shipping of products. Funnily enough, this is exactly the bit of trading that I grew to dislike too.

I (and the sellers I have spoken to) didn't have a problem with creating sales descriptions, dealing with emails, collecting payment (naturally!) and the other administrative tasks involved in running an online business. But wrapping things up and taking them to the post office is something completely different and for me and many others that's where it all started to fall apart :-)

As I said at the beginning of this article, if you are getting fed up of doing the eBay 'thing' or if you just don't fancy the idea to start with, there is a wealth of alternative opportunities available online. My own solution was to get rid of the one aspect of eBay trading that I didn't enjoy - the packing and shipping - and start to produce and sell digital products which could be delivered to the customer automatically. I still have to write sales pages and build websites, I still have to deal with emails etc but I don't have to handle any physical products (neither do I have to deal with payment collection because that too can be handled automatically by software).

Of course my products are very relevant to eBay sellers and indeed, there are numerous individuals and companies out there that have made a fortune off the back of eBay without ever having sold a single product on the auction site. I am sure that there are numerous other problems that eBay users have that could be solved with a new piece of software or a particular service and if the idea takes off, there are 135 million registered users on eBay to market to!

eBay provides a wonderful opportunity for hundreds of thousands of people but it isn't for everyone and if you find yourself frustrated/bored with the same old routine everyday, start to look for something outside of the eBay world.

Copyright 2005 Richard Grady

Richard Grady has been helping ordinary people earn online since 1998. He writes a free newsletter which is published every two weeks. To subscribe (and claim your free gifts), visit: http://www.thetraderonline.com/newsletter.html

10 Tips For Selling Successfully On Ebay

Writen by Mark Kenny

Many people have chosen a work-at-home career and, thanks to today's technology, it's easier than ever. One such opportunity for entrepreneurs is available at internet auction site, eBay. The concept seems simple enough, but having an edge over the competition is always a good idea. For those who already sell, or who are considering a new business venture, a little knowledge can go along way. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Tip 1: Many eBay sellers accept PayPal, also an eBay company, as a way for buyers to quickly pay for their auction purchase. Payments are done immediately and are deposited directly into the seller's PayPal account. It's very important to make sure a buyer's address is confirmed, which is a method PayPal uses to verify the identity of the customer, before shipping an order. In addition, sellers should purchase tracking numbers whenever possible so that they may confirm delivery of an item.

Tip 2: If you have a refund policy, make certain that your terms are clearly noted in the auction description. Consider the conditions under which you will accept a return, how long the buyer has to return an item, whether or not you are willing to refund the original shipping price and who will be responsible for the return shipping. Do not leave anything open to interpretation because it's very important to describe your refund policy in a clear and concise manner. If you do not accept returns, it's helpful to note this in order to avoid confusion.

Tip 3: The most important part of an auction is the description. Describe your item clearly and in detail. If it's new, let your buyers know. The description should contain everything from the condition of the item to the cost of shipping, payment methods that you accept and payment due dates.

Tip 4: When possible, include a color photo of the item you are selling. On eBay, the first photo that you include is free of charge. Buyers generally want to see the item they are considering, so avoid the 'sight unseen' scenario if possible. If you do not have a digital camera or scanner, purchase a disposable camera at your local supermarket.

Tip 5: Always be polite and respectful to your customers. It's extremely important to keep the lines of communication flowing. If possible, notify your buyers immediately when they win your auction and answer any questions throughout the process.

Tip 6: Sellers should consider the best listing options for their product. Unless you are selling a very expensive item, avoid the higher priced listing upgrades. Keep in mind that, if a bidder wins and fails to follow through with payment, sellers can request a final value fee credit. However, sellers will be stuck paying for the listing fee - even if the bidder doesn't honor their bid.

Tip 7: Show appreciation to your customers. If possible, include a free gift with every purchase. Whether it's a small picture calendar or other gesture, buyers will love the added surprise.

Tip 8: After the transaction is complete, buyers and sellers should always exchange feedback for one another. Everyone loves to increase their reputation and build trust within the auction community.

Tip 9: If a buyer fails to follow through with payment, contact them to see what happened. It may be a simple mix-up, so be polite in your letter. After your contact, if the buyer still refuses to honor their bid, sellers should promptly send an unpaid item reminder. This option is available seven days after the auction closes. The last step, after an additional 10 days have passed, is to file a request for a final value fee credit and relist the item.

Tip 10: If an item doesn't sell the first time around, don't be discouraged. Through a new relist policy, eBay refunds all relisting fees if your item sells the second time. In order to qualify, you must not increase the price or change other important auction information before relisting your item.

At the end of the day, internet auctions can be a terrific way to earn extra cash or as a full-time career. Where else can you earn money 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and even when you're sleeping? Happy auctioning!



Subscribe to my eBay Maximum Profits mini-course by sending a blank email to taebay@aweber.com

Mark Kenny, has been selling on eBay successfully for over five years. To subscribe to his eBay Maximum Profits Mini-Course, send a blank email to taebay@aweber.com or visit http://Trading-Web-Solutions.com

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Wholesale Electronics

Writen by Donny Lowy

Wholesale electronics offers resellers high profit margins along with high volume sales, when done right.

Resellers, whether flea market vendors, eBay sellers, or dollar stores, will be faced with competition from online and offline retailers who can buy wholesale electronics at a lower price.

To outmaneuver this competition in the wholesale electronics business, resellers need to have a strategic plan in place.

Part one of their plan deals with finding the best sources for wholesale electronics at the lowest possible prices.

For this reason I would recommend resellers to stay away from drop shippers when looking for wholesale electronics.

Since the drop shipper is set up to offer his products to thousands of other resellers, you will not be able to compete based on price. All the resellers are paying the same price to the wholesale electronic drop shipper, so how can your prices be lower?

When looking to buy wholesale electronics you want to get as close to the source as possible.

Since you will not be able to buy brand name wholesale electronics for a lower price than major retailers can, you will want to look for lesser known wholesale electronic sellers.

For instance, ABC Electronics might not have the name recognition that Sharp enjoys, but you can show customers that the quality is the same, and as long as your prices are lower some customers should buy the wholesale electronics manufactured by ABC Electronics.

When you contact these companies looking for wholesale electronics ask them for their overstock, overrun, and closeout deals. You would be surprised at the wholesale electronics deals you can find from small manufacturers that are looking to move merchandise out.

You can find great wholesale electronics deals but it will take some solid leg work.

Donny Lowy is the CEO of http://www.closeoutexplosion.com, an online wholesale and closeout business, and http://www.wholesalecloseoutforum.com, an educational site for the wholesale and closeout business.

Ebay Explained Non Paying Bidders

Writen by Mark Kenny

As with all auction sites, eBay gets it's fair share of non paying bidders. These are users that bid and win your auction, or even use the Buy-It-Now option but then simply disappear without paying.

Time Wasters, Competitors, & Users who forget they've even bidded all make up their share of non paying bidders. As eBay charges you a final sales fee on each item sold you really need to do all you can to minimize these sales.

Although if a member fails to pay for a product, you can follow eBays procedure to reclaim the final sales fee it still takes time - even then you will not be able to claim back the listing fee & will have to relist the items again to resell them.

So what can be done to prevent a large number of Non Paying Bidders?

Well eBay has a number of options you can use when listing goods to help prevent these incidents.

One of these options is "Immediate Payment Required", which means anyone using the Buy-It-Now feature has to pay immediately otherwise the item is not sold and remains on eBay. If for some reason payment is not sent, the transaction is cancelled as if it never happened.

The second option you can use is called "Paypal account required".

Most delays in payment happen because the winning bidder is new to eBay & has not yet opened a paypal account. So, by using this option unless the eBay member has a paypal account linked to their eBay account they are not able to bid.

Most importantly, you should use your listing to explain when payment is required, normally within a few days & how you expect users to pay. If like most users you only accept payment though paypal ask your bidders to ensure they have a paypal account open before bidding.

Hopefully these tips will reduce the number of Non Paying Bidders you receive to your auctions.

Mark Kenny operates an ad-revenue sharing independent eBay forum at http://ebusinessebooks.com/forum. For any eBay related comments or queries just visit our forum for support.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Effective Online Car Sales On Ebay Motors

Writen by Cherie Szilvagyi

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

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

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

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

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

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

About The Author
Cherie Szilvagyi

www.AutomobileClearingHouse.com © AutomobilleClearingHouse 2004

cherie@automobileclearinghouse.com

Ebay Auction Sellers Guide To Finding Hot Money Making Products

Writen by Leroy Chan

You might be one of the thousands of individuals who open a trading account with eBay and dream about making auction selling a full-time home-based business.

However, before that dream can become a reality, you need to do many important things while running an auction business.

One of these important things to do is to pick the right products to sell. The right products to sell are the ones that people on eBay want or will buy.

eBay tells you what people actually want and what people actually will buy in four areas of its website.

"In Demand"

One of these four areas on eBay's site is the "In Demand" section. There is an "In Demand" link for each of the main categories on eBay. Listed in these areas are the previous month's top ten products that people wanted and the top ten searches for each subcategory. To see the data in these areas follow the link below and when you reach the page, scroll down and click on the link "In Demand" under any of the categories shown.

http://pages.ebay.com/sellercentral/sellbycategory.html

"Hot Categories Report"

The next area containing information on finding what to sell on eBay is the "Hot Categories Report." This report lists the "fastest growing" categories on eBay for the previous month. The explanation for what eBay considers "hot" can be hard to understand on your first reading. Nevertheless, the important thing to know is that the categories listed are the ones were buyer demand for the items under those categories are growing faster than the seller supply. This report is a PDF file so you will need Adobe® Reader® to open it. Here is the link:

http://pages.ebay.com/sellercentral/hotitems.pdf

"eBay Pulse"

"eBay Pulse" is another area where you can figure out what people are looking for on "The World's Online Marketplace®." It contains a category's daily snapshot of the ten most popular searches and the stores with the most active listings. A subsection on "eBay Pulse," known as "Most Watched Items," reveals the ten auctions that are getting the most attention. Visit this page and select a category to study from the drop-down menu.

http://pulse.ebay.com

"Merchandising Calendar"

The last area with information on what to sell on eBay is the "Merchandising Calendar." Here, eBay shows you the categories they will promote on their homepage each month. This is where eBay "tells" you what to sell. You can ignore their calendar and sell anything you choose, but wouldn't it be easier to make sales if you took advantage of eBay's promotional influence? Look at this page and use the calendar as a guide in planning your inventory and listings.

http://pages.ebay.com/sellercentral/calendar.html

Last Thoughts

Now that you have the links to data that tells you what people will buy on eBay, you can look forward to listing these items and making sales. The next step is finding the wholesale or drop-ship sources that carry those items that are "In Demand." That is when you will be one-step closer to achieving your goal of making a living from eBay.

(c) Leroy Chan - All Rights reserved

Discover the "Insider Tricks" to making money on eBay. Visit Leroy Chan's site, eBay Auction Seller Money Making Reports to receive a free 12-part auction selling course.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Wholesale Socks Find The Best Wholesale Sock Deals

Writen by Donny Lowy

Wholesale socks are an integral product which should be in the merchandise stock of every retailer, flea market vendor, and eBay seller.

Wholesale socks are great retail and eBay items because people need them on a constant basis.

Items that wear out, and that can easily get lost in the laundry, are always perfect sellers in a store, flea market, or on eBay.

If you buy wholesale socks you will be able to capture many impulse sales.

For instance, if a customer is already buying from you clothing, he might decide to buy some of your wholesale socks, simply because he knows that he will socks at some point.

If you are able to buy your wholesale socks at a truly low price, you can offer them in small and large lots on eBay.

And if you secure an ongoing supply of wholesale socks, you can start wholesaling them to dollar stores, flea market vendors, and eBay sellers who themselves buy and sell wholesale socks.

So how do you find great deals on wholesale socks?

There are plenty of wholesalers online whose specific business is selling wholesale socks.

You can also look at the prices of wholesale socks that are charged by general product wholesale and closeout dealers.

Often, a wholesaler or closeout dealer will have a special sale on wholesale socks because of a one time closeout buy that he made.

To be alerted of their deals make sure to add your name and email address to the lists of wholesalers.

By adding your name and email list on these wholesale and closeout sites you will know when they have a great deal on wholesale socks.

Weeks, or months, might pass bye before they have a deal on wholesale socks, so it is definitely staying on wholesale and closeout lists until you see the deal for wholesale socks that you want.

When you find wholesalers or distributors of wholesale socks, make sure to buy from the a variety of all sizes, styles, and colors.

Your customers need all types of socks, so you need to make sure that your inventory has a full selection of wholesale socks.

Also, the larger your variety of wholesale socks, the more of a chance of having multiple item sales from a single customer.

Meaning that a mom will purchase socks for herself, her husband, and her children, at the same time. But this can only happen if your wholesale sock selection has socks for the entire family.

Donny Lowy is the CEO of http://www.closeoutexplosion.com, an online wholesale and closeout business, and http://www.wholesalecloseoutforum.com, an educational site for the wholesale and closeout business.

Ebay Seller Opportunity Tip Dont Miss The Boat

Writen by Maisy Day

Choices have to be made in life if you want to change the way you live and if others are doing this the Ebay way - then why not you. Without doubt we all want the same things out of life and that being our health and money. Becoming an Ebay seller can give many folks the lifestyle they so much crave.

Ebay offers an opportunity to earn extra cash when it suits you. Unfortunately people shy away from the sheer thought of running their own business which is sad really. Hundreds of people are missing the boat by not looking into the Ebay opportunity that can change their whole way of life.

Becoming an Ebay seller is an option to be considered if you are seriously thinking on turning your life around. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain on top of the satisfaction of being your own boss. If you have decided this is the route you are going to take to earn extra cash by becoming an Ebay seller then you have made a positive move in securing your future. Remember to catch up on the basics on how to start selling by following the advice supplied by this most competitive market in the world.

Once up and running always treat your Ebay business as a business and conduct matters like a professional. Professionals in their Ebay empires are experts because they have had a lot more practice. So there is plenty of time to get to that stage. Never cut corners and operate on the cheap you are out to gain custom not lose it. Financial gains should be reinvested back into your business. This is how an Ebay seller will run his/her successful business.

When it comes down to promotional activities and advertising of your product/service you are sure of sales if done tastefully. Your product has to be described in the best descriptive way. Give your prospective customer a run down on every little detail on what you are selling this will make a huge impact on getting those sales. Be friendly in your approach when dealing with potential buyers as you are looking for repeat orders. Try to simplify all correspondence like payment methods or even offer to help them if they are new and not sure of how things are done after winning an auction. Your customer will feel comfortable and begin to trust you as a worthy Ebay seller with your offer of assistance. Because of how you handled and conducted the sale along with your friendly approach just may have secured your self a regular customer.

Firstly start building up a reputable reputation - this will have your feedback scaling to enormous heights. People make judgement on the feedback scoring system of the Ebay Seller when buying. No matter how good your product and fabulous glossy photos appear - if feedback is poor say through lack of communication etc, then say goodbye to sales.

Remember by becoming an Ebay Seller there are rules and regulations that you have to adhere to. The rules are there for the safety of the buyer and seller. It is a good chance you may not like or agree with a number of them - but remember it is in every ones best interest why these rules have been implemented.

One of the nice things apart from meeting friends from all over the globe on Ebay is instead of being part of Ebay you now own a share with your very own business empire.

For sucess in business you have to be in the know - don`t take my word for it and check it out for yourself http://www.ebay.webinputbiz.com Find a niche market - garden features is worth looking in too. http://www.watergardens.webinputbiz.com

Monday, July 21, 2008

Five Tested Ways To Find The Perfect Drop Shipper

Writen by Sean Felker

You've heard about it many times in recent months. Being the business-minded person that you are, you most probably got curious and did a few research of your own. But resources seem to be few, and what meager data you've found made you wonder even more…

Is drop shipping a fact or a myth?

I can't blame you. There are quite a lot of reasons why information about drop shipping haven't fully invaded the internet marketing scene. The few sites that promise to teach you about this novel concept are usually full of crap. Often, they don't even know the difference between a drop ship and a mother ship. They'd rather capitalize on the growing curiosity about the subject, and make a quick buck at your expense. But don't let this discourage you.

Drop shipping is real, and it's here, and it has made a number of people rich.

Those who know speak of it in hushed tones because it is a rewarding secret that they would rather keep within their circles.

Case in point: Visit an internet marketing discussion board. Look for a thread about drop shipping. You will find many posts there, but none would reveal the contact information for any drop shipper.

Why is this so?

Drop shipping is a very lucrative option. You don't have to make any financial investments. You don't have to secure a warehouse to store your products. You don't even have to worry about your buyer's location and how to ship what you're selling to his doorsteps. Drop shippers will take care of those problems.

All you have to do is to market the drop shipper's products. Sell it for a retail price, with a markup of your choice. Then, once a customer buys what you offered, you'll just simply pay the drop shipper the wholesale price of the product, and he'll take care of the rest, including shipping. There will be no middleman, thus assuring you of maximum profit.

And yes, there's no such thing as a minimum purchase.

The only problem really is: How do you find a drop shipper? Many offer their functions, but once you review their terms and conditions, you'd discover that their services hardly qualify as drop shipping.

So how do you find drop shippers? Better yet, how do you find the drop shipper that would be perfect for your needs? Here are some techniques that will surely help you in your crusade.

1. Try product sourcing first. The common mistake of people looking for drop shippers is that they're not concerned about what products they'll sell.

This shouldn't be the case. Remember, we cannot sell what we don't believe in. We just can't rely solely on what the drop shipper, if ever we find one, has to offer. We should at least have an idea of what we want to sell. Such would most certainly narrow down our search.

2. Avoid an agent.

The purpose of establishing a direct contact with a drop shipper, aside from the convenience and the win-win situation it entails, is to keep the price as low as possible. An agent, or a middleman, who would offer you means of contacting a drop shipper, would be detrimental to keeping the cost low.

Most certainly, the agent would receive a commission from your sales. This would inflate your retail price, making your offers less attractive.

3. Penetrate the circle. As mentioned earlier, people who know about drop shippers operate like a secret fraternity of marketers. Squeezing information out of them would be impossible. Well, almost impossible.

Remember the saying "if you can't beat them, join them?" This holds much truth in your search for the perfect drop shipper. Be on the lookout for someone who should know about drop shipping. Perhaps, he could be a drop shipper in disguise himself. Befriend him first before asking for his services. Chances are he'll be the first one who'll open up about his secret.

4. Know where to look. You can't find any leads on drop shippers in an online dating site, that's for sure. Try lurking in online discussion boards, particularly those which are dedicated to internet marketing.

It would be quite easy to distinguish the people who know what they're talking about from mere loudmouths. Once you've pinpointed these people, send them a friendly private message where you'll ask for help regarding a topic that is not related to drop shipping.

Thank them for their time once they reply, and assure them that you'll be there when they would ever need help. You'll be surprised how effective this method is!

5. Try credible online resources. There are indeed online sites that offer comprehensive directories of bona fide drop shippers worldwide.

This is an excellent recourse for anyone who wishes to engage such service. There is a downside, however. All, and I do mean ALL, of these reliable resources demand a membership fee. The rates range from $50 to $200. Yes, that's a clear indication of the general interest on drop shipping these days.

Sean Felker is the publisher of the very successful and popular Work at Home and Making Money on the Internet blog: http://making-money-online.blogspot.com/

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Importing Products To Sell On Ebay

Writen by Nowshade Kabir

The interesting thing about online buyers is they are extremely price sensitive. A survey done by Forrester Research shows that 73 percent of surveyed online buyers expect prices on the Internet to be cheaper than in stores. No wonder auction marketplaces are thriving. Among the most popular auction marketplaces growth of eBay is especially notable! Its market share is growing at roughly twice the pace of the over all market. So, it's only natural if you like many other wannabe entrepreneurs thinking seriously to start an eBay business.

Say, after spending long hours on the eBay and doing much research offline and online, you finally have come up with a niche category of products to sell. But, there is one little problem! You don't have a slightest clue where to get regular supply of this product for wholesale price. Often, entrepreneurs with great product ideas fail to materialize their dream business plan just because they are unable to find a right supplier. How to tackle this problem?

Finding a local supplier

Success in any trading business depends not only on how good you are in selling, it also relies greatly on your ability to source the product at right cost. If you have a fairly large list of products that you are considering to work with you have a variety of options to choose from. You may start your eBay auctioning business based on local liquidators, closeout dealers, government auctions, newspaper classified or Drop-shippers (http://ezine.rusbiz.com/article/39). But to start a real niche business you need to find a constant source supplier, which could be a manufacturer, a distributor or a wholesaler. Obviously, Internet is the easiest place to get the initial contact information. Try http://www.thomasnet.com/ or http://www.tgrnet.com/ - both websites are good information sources for industrial products manufacturers.

Bear in mind that many manufacturers simply aren't able to handle small orders and don't sell products directly to retailers. Some times, the minimum sales lot is way too big for a small start-up company to manage. However, even if the manufacturer does not sell directly to retail levels, they will provide you with information on their products and refer you to their wholesaler or distributor companies, which will be in a position to cater your needs.

For some category of products, your best option is to attend trade or industry shows in order to locate a supplier. Check out websites of some exhibition centers in your vicinity and find one or two trade shows of your area of interest. Make sure that participants of the trade show are distributors and wholesalers as oppose to large manufacturers. After all, you need to find a supplier who will agree to work with your initial small orders.

Trade journals or publications of your related field also could be a great source in your quest to find a supplier. Trade journals publish information on industry trend, articles on major players, various industry related event schedules such as trade shows, and often carry classified sections. Sometimes, they also publish specialty issues such as a buyer's guide or a who's who issue. You may consider getting those issues by contacting the publishers.

Professional and trade associations similar to local chamber of commerce and other groups offer a variety of services, which are extremely useful to members and general people a like. Promotion of the industry and its products and referral services for buyers trying to find specific products are some of the services that they offer. You should not hesitate to contact these organizations for help.

Importing

Competition in world's largest electronic marketplace is fierce! If you have to buy products from a middleman, you may find that your prices are not workable at all. What to do? Since most of the consumers products are imported any way, you may consider outsourcing your product from a foreign country. Today, thanks to globalization importing products are no longer as difficult as it used to be! If you are trying to buy a labor-intensive product, the best places are probably China – which is the hottest at this time, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh and some other Asian countries. If you are looking for medium quality electronics and computer parts, your options are China, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, etc. For high-end designer products Italy, Germany and France are your best bet. For intellectual property related products, Russia and other Eastern European countries are still a paradise.

There is a good chance of finding a supplier through online B2B portals. If you are looking for a supplier from China you may try www.alibaba.com and www.globalsources.com. Two of the largest trade leads aggregators on the Internet. For products from India you may try searching the database of both www.indiamart.com and www.trade-india.com. For products from Russia and other CIS countries www.rusbiz.com is a great option.

Here are the steps you must take in order to import products successfully:

• Locate several suppliers either through online resources or by contacting Trade Commissions of respective countries.

• Contact the suppliers and see if they are in a position to deliver the right product. Make sure that the suppliers are not your direct competitors. Many foreign suppliers are actively selling products through eBay.

• If you find their price and quality of the product are acceptable get several samples. It is very important to give them an exact copy of the product you are looking for. Without a prototype you might end up getting something far different than you expected.

• Work out your cost, which include buying cost, packaging, shipping, insurance, customs duty, excise duty if any, financing and handling charges, etc. You may also incur other expenses depending on products and your location.

• Check out your supplier. If possible make a trip to visit the supplier. Ask for references. Contact their bankers if necessary. Importing requires absolute due diligence.

• Check with a logistics consultant about shipping and exporting rules of the country.

• Contact a customs broker to verify latest duty and other regulations related to importing of this particular product.

• Don't forget to consider product life cycle, shipping time, seasonality of the product and other characteristics specific to your product.

Importantly, do your homework! You can sure make money by importing and selling goods on eBay. Thousands are already doing this. But, the key to success relies on your entrepreneurial spirit, due preparation, sound judgment and hard work. If you think you are ready, go for it!

Nowshade Kabir, is the founder, primary developer and present CEO of Rusbiz.com – a Global B2B Exchange with solutions to create e-catalog, Web store, business process management and other features to run a business online. You can read various articles written by Nowshade Kabir at http://ezine.rusbiz.com.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

A New Definition Of Buyer Beware

Writen by Jesse Somer

"Who's Suzie?"

My wife Katrina had been acting strangely ever since I had returned home from my Native American cultural class, not to mention the weird phone call I received just before I left, full of little pauses instead of our usual fast-paced communication. Now that I was home she had been pretty much ignoring me completely, then comes this strange question. Katrina was calm but I could tell there was something under her skin as she chopped up the vegetables for the night's dinner.

"I don't know anyone named Suzie." I replied. "Well come to think of it, there's my old friend Peter's wife Suzie."

My wife remained calm, " Do you want to tell me anything?" she replied. "There is nothing to tell Kat."

Katrina was heating up; her trademark rosy cheeks had evolved to boiling teapot. Still however, no steam or whistle had been emitted from her pretty spout.

She looked at me thoughtfully, "Well, I looked at your cell phone today. It seems you've been sending text messages to a woman named Suzie. I've read around thirty of her texts in the archive; they're all like "I love you heaps" and "Thinking of you right now". Who is she Tom?" A strange feeling overcame me. Katrina seemed absolutely sure that I was guilty of something. Accused yet innocent, her eyes spoke of the obvious evidence that was piled against me. The thing is, we were really having serious relationship problems at the time, with many arguments and rarely seeing eye-to-eye.

Katrina was on the brink of tears and I simply didn't know what she was talking about. Looking down I could see the cell phone gripped tightly in her hands. Funny, I hadn't thought about the fact that I own two phones and she was holding the one that I rarely use. A few months back I bought it off eBay as it is extremely small and I don't want to have to carry my big expensive "computer" phone on me when I am riding my mountain bike. It was actually my second 'extra' phone as my wife had killed the first when she had put it through the washing machine.

"Are you talking about that phone Kat? Give me a look at it." She handed the phone over reluctantly, as if it were evidence in a murder trial. I looked at the messages and sure enough there were a whole bunch from someone named Suzie. Some of the messages were quite raunchy indeed. Straight away I started to search for the dates of the archived messages, as they would surely prove my innocence. "Look Kat, the dates of these messages were several months ago. I've only had the phone for a couple months. They are obviously someone else's."

Her look of disbelief was starting to rattle me. It is a really horrible feeling when somebody you love so much doesn't have trust in you. I then searched and found the receipt from eBay for when I bought the phone. After showing the date on the form to her I could tell she was starting to see that I was telling the truth, but the wall of disbelief still hung over, clouds covering her bright face.

Finally I decided to search for the guy who sold me the phone. If this didn't prove my case nothing would save me from eternally sleeping in the doghouse. Using the email address he had used in the sale proved fruitless as my message kept coming back 'Return to sender.' Let me tell you I was really beginning to panic! Then, bang! The sound of the gun rang in my ears...just joking. It didn't get that serious! No, the bang was the sound of the flash of inspiration that suddenly entered my mind. I went back on the Internet and eBay and searched for the guy's name. I found it with a different email address, as he must have changed his Internet Service provider. A huge feeling of calmness rushed over me like the first wave at the beach when you have been in the heat all day.

Next I sent him a message asking him about the archived messages to 'Suzie' and asked him to 'Carbon Copy' (Cc) his response to my wife's email address so she would see that it was authentic.

The man then replied with a message that said he was very embarrassed about not deleting the messages on the cell phone. All right, pay dirt! He also went on to say that his wife was named Suzie and gave her address so Kat could then contact her if necessary. He seemed especially nervous about the content of the messages and said that he hoped nothing too x-rated was there as he and his wife often used risqué language to keep their relationship's fire 'stoked up!

O.K. So there's my story. My main message to you from the whole experience is that if you are buying or selling a product on eBay, make sure you clean up any unwanted information. It can really cause problems! Let me also tell you that now I am back searching on eBay as my new phone has also been sent on a mission back to the creator as it too has been on the 'Quest for the spin cycle'!

*This story is based on a true story of someone (not the author) with names changed.

Jesse S. Somer
http://www.m6.net

Jesse S. Somer is a creative writer working at M6.Net: 'The web-hosting company for humans.' M6.Net is working hard to help humanity experience the power and freedom to develop their own part of the Internet, to share their information and connect with anyone, anywhere, anytime.

Friday, July 18, 2008

How To Locate Wholesale Products For Free To Sell On Ebay

Writen by Tim Gilberg

How to Locate Wholesale Products for Free to Sell on eBay

Too good to be true? Is there a catch? Yes, you really can obtain items at no cost to sell on eBay. Read on for the details....

There is a new website in which people list items they are giving away for free. The sites are located across the country and all you have to invest is the time to pick up the products. The website is called FreeCycle. Do a Google Search to obtain their web address.

The FreeCycle Network is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots movement of people who give (and receive) things for free in their own towns. Each local group is run by a volunteer moderator and membership is free. You can go directly to the website for your local group by clicking on community links at the FreeCycle website.

FreeCycle was started in May 2003 to promote waste reduction in Tucson, Arizona's downtown area and help save their beautiful desert landscape from being taken over by landfills. It provides individuals and non profit groups an electronic forum to "recycle" unwanted items. This site can be used to get rid of excess items in your house and garage, as well as getting items you can resell for a large profit on eBay. Obtaining a steady stream of items at no cost to sell on eBay can jumpstart a new eBay business; or it can add an additional revenue stream to your current eBay sales.

As mentioned above, you will need to pick the products up and store them. Use this service to expand your eBay business!

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.

Ebay Selling Dropshipping And Buying Wholesale

Writen by Holly Stewart

If you haven't already signed up for an ebay account, you should probably get on it today, because you are missing out on an extremely popular way to make money online. There are millions of people who are registered ebay users, and tons of people have quit their 9-5 jobs and started making a full time income selling on ebay.

What are they Selling? A little trick people have been doing for a while is they find a wholesale supplier, or a dropshipper and they buy in bulk and then resell these products on eBay. There are millions of products out there that you can resell on ebay for a profit, including everything from clothing to ebooks.

Dropshipping has become really popular lately and there are probably a ton of people who don't even know what dropshipping is. It is when you sell a product for a company and they ship it to your customer for you. You don't have to stock any inventory whatsoever.

Another thing people have been doing lately is selling information. "how to" guides, and electronic cookbooks are very popular these days because it doesn't cost anything to ship, and the customer receives it instantly through email. Its 100% electronic! Do a search on google for wholesale products and you will find lots of companies where you will be able to purchase and resell on eBay!

Holly Stewart is a 22 year old entrepreneur that has become successful making money online! http://www.wholesale-package.com

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Make Money Online Learn To Sell On Ebay

Writen by Jon Evans

The online auction site eBay is an excellent tool for making money online. Think of eBay as an online yard sale and shopping mall. Whether you want to start a business selling merchandise or sell the stuff that is cluttering your attic, eBay is the place. It is not difficult to learn to sell on ebay, in fact, the website has made the process downright simple. You will need access to a digital camera in order to upload images of your stuff onto your auction's website. Items with images sell quicker and for a higher price than those without. Furthermore, you will find some auctions will be more successful than others. Many sellers choose to set their auctions to end on a weekend instead of a week day. These sellers have determined their auctions tend to elicit more bids during that time since more potential buyers are online. Also, consider the target audience for each of your auctions. You may want to set auctions of items with a younger audience to end later in the evening than others.

The most important aspect of selling things on eBay is the actual product. Keep in mind, whatever you sell must be shipped to the buyer, so choose items that can cheaply and easily be mailed. Even though the buyer covers all shipping costs, many eBay users will be hesitant to bid on goods with hefty shipping fees. It is a good idea to become well acquainted with the United States Postal Service or any other shipping agency so you know all of your shipping options upfront. Ensuring you send your buyers a correct shipping cost will ensure you do not end up paying for this cost, which cuts into your profit. In addition to the general size and weight of your items, choose products that have been selling well on other seller's auctions. Keep a careful eye on all eBay auctions to see what things have been selling well with buyers. Just as with merchandise sold in traditional brick and mortar stores, popular buyer trends affect the online auction market. Whether you are selling things found around your home, handmade items, or retail goods, going along with public trends will benefit your auctions. If you have further questions about how do you sell stuff on ebay, there are a number of resources available to sort out the process and help you determine what items to sell.

Different items sell better during different times of the year. Holiday-themed things, including decorations or collectibles, tend to sell better before the specific holiday instead of at random times of the year. Additionally, certain items sell better at specific times of the year. For example, toys and gift items tend to sell better before Christmas and Easter, whereas wedding and bridal merchandise will sell better during the early spring for the May and June wedding season. Knowing when to begin and end your auctions will ensure your item sells for the highest bid possible.

Anyone can sell on eBay but knowing what you are doing will ensure your things will elicit the greatest profit possible. Learning how, when, and when to sell on eBay is an art, but luckily it is one you can easily master. The key to eBay success is carefully choosing your goods, knowing how long to run the auction, and deciding the right time to begin your auction. Once you become an eBay pro, you will be hooked! Selling on eBay is a quick and easy way to make money on the World Wide Web. Soon you will be hunting for all types of stuff to sell, as you will have caught the eBay bug.

Jon Evans runs http://www.SuccessAlert.net and has written the book Success Alert - Conversations with Successful Internet Entrepreneurs which has been widely acclaimed in a variety of online and print media. If you want to learn to sell on eBay this book is an absolute must-read!

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Effective Auction Listings How To Create Them

Writen by Gary Hendrickson

Once you've created the best possible title for your item, you will move on to writing your auction description. Here, you have more space to give a detailed description of the item you are selling in the body of your auction. While the photo and title are what get a person interested in your auction and bringing them to your listing, it's your description that is going to have to induce them to actually bid on it.

The sole purpose of your description is to get people to place a bid by presenting them with an honest and factual description of what you are selling.

It has been shown that the chances are high that if a person doesn't place a bid the first time they view your auction, they won't come back and place one later. Furthermore, if you can get someone to bid on your auction early, this in itself will attract more possible buyers to your auction. There is an inherent curiosity when searching listings to see why someone has bid on a particular item, so auctions that already have bids stand out from those that don't. This brings even more potential bidders to your auctions.

When writing your auction description, you want to list every attribute that will make it sound as appealing as possible. However, you must also be careful to be as accurate as possible in your description. Details are extremely important.

The more detailed you can be about what you are selling, the better. Potential bidders want to know as much as possible about something before placing a bid on it.

Even things that may seem obvious should be included. Take a few minutes and ask yourself if you were considering buying the item you're listing, what details would you want to know about it? Your description should paint a picture of the item in the persons mind. Write your auction description as if your auction didn't have any photos attached to it.

If there is an imperfection or a flaw with the item, be honest and upfront about it. Ask yourself if you were the buyer and the seller left out the imperfection in the description, how would you feel when you received the item? By making your description as accurate as possible, stressing the attributes, but also giving all the details about any imperfections, you will greatly reduce the chance of having problems when the sale is completed. Your honesty will also quickly gain you a reputation for describing your items accurately.

Your descriptions are also another way of attracting buyers to your auctions. While the main way people search eBay is through the search engine that uses the item titles, they can also refine their search to include words or phrases found in auction descriptions. By writing a thorough longer description, you automatically create more words that in return increase the chances of your auction being included in someone's search criteria.

If there is a story that goes along with the item, include it. The buyer just has your photos and descriptions to make an informed decision with. The more flavor, detail and warmth you put into your listing, the more likely the person looking at your auction will be to bid on it.

Use adjectives freely and play on any unique attributes the item has. Take the time to create a description that will make the buyer feel completely comfortable with placing a bid if it is something that he or she is interested in.

Also be sure that you include all your after auction information in your description. Don't leave potential bidders in the dark concerning the shipping cost. List all shipping options and the cost of each. List the types of payments you accept. Include a definite date by which payment must be received. The clearer your instructions, the more comfortable the bidder will be and the less likely you will run into problems at the end of the transaction.

Naturally all the items you sell are going to be the same. However, there will be portions of your description that can remain the same for virtually every product you sell. Once you have created a description you like and seems to get people to bid, save it and make it your template for auctions.

Then simply change words and add extra information where needed. This will not only guarantee that each of your auctions will have a quality description, it will also allow you to list more auctions since you won't have to write a completely new description for every auction you list.

Gary Hendrickson has been making his living selling on eBay for more than six years. He's the author of two eBay related ebooks, has a blog for eBay sellers, and is the owner of ColdItems.Com.

ColdItems.Com The Auction Rebel Blog

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

How To Set Up An Ebay Drop Ship Or Consigment Business Without Franchise Fees

Writen by Tim Gilberg

There has been a flood of publicity generated regarding the "Small Business Opportunity" being offered to would be internet entrepreneurs.

The plan is for you to purchase a franchise operation to sell products on consignment via eBay. Selling on consignment means you take a customer's product into your business, and pay the client the balance of the sales proceeds when and if the item sells.

The parent company guides you through the process of setting up a brick and mortar type of store located in a strip mall or similar location, and shows you how to attract customers using traditional advertising methods by which you sell their items on eBay. Your income is generated after all the fees are subtracted from the franchiser and eBay, along with the related standard business expenses listed below.

All of these items are considered overhead or business operating expenses:

1. Rent/Lease
2. Agreeability of Items
3. Bonded Insurance
4. Utilities
5. Employees
6. Fiduciary Insurance
7. Fiduciary Responsibility
8. Advertising

To start an eBay Consignment Business using this method, you will first be charged a Setup Fee ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 depending on the franchise you choose. There is also a range of fees to be paid to the Franchiser on every sale. You need to do the math for this type of operation after paying the franchise and setup fees to see if it is viable.

Part two will be avaliable in 2 days check back for more informative eBay selling information.

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.

How To Win On Ebay

Writen by Christine Breen

I've bought over 100 items on eBay over three years and am ready to share my knowledge of how to win at eBay and buy from reputable sellers.

1. You can find anything on eBay. When searching on eBay I suggest first doing a general search such as "ionic breeze" and checking what the items are going for. I noticed the items by companies with eBay stores were selling much higher than those by individuals. This is true for all categories. So don't be scared of buying from an individual as it could be much cheaper.

2. Before bidding look at the seller's rating. I only buy from those with 99% or higher ratings.

3. Next check the shipping cost. Quite a lot of eBay sellers are willing to sell their high priced item at NR or no reserve but make the money back with outrageous shipping costs. How do you know a shipping cost is too high? When checking out the auctions for your item such as "ionic breeze" keep an eye on the shipping cost. The average cost for shipping quadra ionic breeze machines seems to be $20. If someone is charging $30 then you know you're getting had on the shipping. I make my maximum bid less on those auctions where the seller is charging too much for shipping.

4. To have less search results to wade through limit the search by using the minimum and maximum amounts setting. Think of what you'd really like to get the item for and put it as the maximum amount. By combing the listings for "ionic breeze" I've found it is possible to get a Sharper Image Ionic Breeze Quadra for $50 if I buy it used from an individual or reconditioned from a business. That's ok with me as I just want to pay less than what Sharper Image is charging!

5. One of the most important tips is to read every word in their auction page. People sell broken items on eBay. Some of the auctions for ionic breezes looked great but in between their text stating how great ionic breezes are, how much square feet it covers, was the sentence that the item was broken. Imagine how I'd feel if I had bid and won only to find out I didn't read the auction carefully! Yes it's a nasty way to do business selling items that are broke and tricking people into buying them. But if you bid you legally have to pay for it.

6. Ask questions before you bid. If the auction does not state how the item is being packaged then ask. I once bought a wall mounted barometer, temperature, humidity item that was shipping in a shoe box with no packaging! It was busted, glass shattered. So make sure you ask how they are going to ship it and what packaging they are going to use.

7. Also ask if the item works, do they have the manuals, does it still have a warranty if ownership is transferred, are items sanitized, does it come from a smoke free pet free home? You need to ask these questions as it's "buyer beware" on eBay.

8. The cheapest prices on items is during the summer when people are on vacation and not stuck at home during the winter. The worst time to buy is before Christmas. Everyone is trying to outbid each other for a gift. The prices are unbelievable!

9. After spending time doing the legwork I mentioned above, you'll find that a few eBay sellers seem to be ideal to buy from. Add them to your favorite seller's list. Then it's easy to go straight to their store, or items for sale page, and bid on what they have. You've already checked them out so don't forget who they are!

More ebay tips at ebay tips