Online Auctions Discover 6 Myths Surrounding Them

Writen by Pradeep Agarwal

Online Auctions are unmistakably among the hottest e-Sourcing technologies on the Internet business today. But what exactly is an online auction anyway and what are its benefits? According to The Pocket Oxford Dictionary, fourth edition (1942), an auction is a "public sale in which articles are sold to the highest bidder." And if done on Internet it is online auction.

Online auctions create a competitive advantage because they make it relatively simple for Procurement managers to negotiate on all corporate purchases and create better deals.

Let us see some common myths surrounding online auctions:

MYTH #1: Only very familiar, particular or consistent items can be auctioned:

The myth came into being because no one understood how to measure criteria other than price. Total cost auctions take price and no-price factors, such as delivery time or customer service, into account, and they allow a customer to weight each factor accordingly. This is only a myth because when someone with sourcing expertise takes a creative approach to defining or breaking down the item in question, that item or its components can generally be auctioned.

MYTH # 2: Auctions are only effective when there is a level playing field:

This is false since a level playing field simply doesn't exist. And, not all suppliers are alike. Face-to-face negotiations have long proven this fact. Procurement managers can now normalize for differences (e.g., customer service, warranty terms, delivery cost, etc.) using Web-based technology. In effect, these technologies measure total cost allow customers to compare apples-to-oranges.

MYTH #3: Only Internet-savvy suppliers can participate in an Online auction:

Today, the majority of legitimate suppliers have access to computers. The myth that only internet-savvy suppliers can participate in an online auction is wrong. In order to participate in an Internet based online auction, the suppliers merely need to be able to log on to the Internet, log in to a web site, and log their bids. It's just very simple. Suppliers don't have to know how to navigate the World Wide Web or use any sophisticated search engines to participate.

MYTH #4: Maximum benefits could be derived only if large number of suppliers participate:

For any online auction, competition is a must and you must create a competitive environment, no matter if the suppliers is 4 or 400. Internet auctions put the business "up for bid." Incumbents are wise to take notice. Once existing suppliers believe that the buyer really will change where he takes his business, a competitive environment is created. Thus concrete results for online auctions occur irrelevant to number of suppliers.

MYTH #5: Only products are auctioned?

Not true - in fact, services are also auctioned. Services such as Telemarketing services, Cellular phone services, Security services, and temporary labor services are all good examples. For example, a particular auction site held an auction for telemarketing services that resulted in an 18% cost reduction. The auction involved over 60 suppliers and more than 700 bids. The study shows that apart from products, services can also be auctioned.

MYTH # 6:Auctions are carried out only once in a year:

Event online auctions are generally used for categories of goods and services that require a long-term contract (say one year). These will achieve better results if auctioned year (or less). For example, a buyer may auction off the purchase of 10,000 PCs over a two-year period.

It is important for all to expand their concept of what can be auctioned, as long as the value of each item is 'elastic' enough to preclude fixed pricing. Once they have done that, the possibilities are almost endless.

Pradeep Aggarwal is the creator of Auction Spectrum the online auction hub. This site is dedicated to helping people to build Profit Pulling Websites and start and run a successful online auction business.

Tips For Knowing Your Ebay Buyer Before You Ship

Writen by Jeanne Sheridan

You're soaring high... The auction went well and you've sold an item on eBay! Feels great doesn't it? But now what?

Before you send anything to that buyer, you must get to know them first. This is especially crucial when you're selling a high-ticket item that you can't afford to lose. Even if the buyer has paid, the PayPal transaction could still end up being reversed, leaving you completely out of pocket.

So how do you get to know buyers to see if they can be trusted?

1. Look at their feedback for sellers.

Go to their feedback page and click Left for Others. If they post a lot of negatives about other sellers, then run away from them as fast as you can! If you still choose to deal with them, make sure not to post your feedback about them first. You should consider a negative someone has left to be just as bad as a negative left for them.

2. Look at feedback from sellers.

You might find that they have more complaints from sellers than from buyers. Or it might be the other way around. Some people really are just better at selling than buying.

3. Pay attention to bid retractions.

If your buyer has a high number of bid retractions, this as a red flag.

4. See what else they've bought.

When someone goes from buying items worth $1 to suddenly buying something worth $1,000 you might want to be a little suspicious of them.

5. See what they're bidding on now.

If they've never shown any interest in your kind of item before, and now suddenly they're bidding on lots of them, then that's cause for concern. You should also be suspicious of someone who seems to be spending a lot of money all at once. Few buyers have thousands at a time to blow on eBay.

6. Check their ID history.

People who've changed their ID are often trying to get away from someone who's trying to find them. This is another warning sign! Be especially wary of someone who has changed their ID recently.

7. Be nice to new buyers.

Genuinely new buyers will probably have a name ending in a number and a feedback score of 0. These people usually aren't fraudsters. Somewhat counter-intuitively, people trying to commit fraud will almost never do it when they have a feedback score of 0. They'll think it's too obvious. New buyers often have problems with being inexperienced on eBay, however, and you might have to guide them through things like opening a PayPal account.

8. Email them!

If you want to get to know your eBay buyer, why not have a little chat with them about the item and what they plan to do with it? Tell them how you know they're going to love it and ask if there's anything else you can do for them. Few buyers who seem chatty and nice will turn out not to be in the end.

If you keep getting buyers you don't want, you might consider using eBay's pre-approved buyer function.

Copyright 2006 - J. Sheridan

For more free information on ebay selling, drop shipping strategies, handling bid snipers, and to find out what's the hottest selling items on eBay, visit http://www.Ebay-Selling-Tip.com

Secrets To Making A Killing On Ebay

Writen by Daegan Smith

Ebay gives people a chance to buy anything they want to buy, sell anything they want to sell, and perhaps get rich trying. Everything can be done at home, with very little investment.

Are you ready to earn money through Ebay? All you need are seven simple strategies.

First: Study the market. Ebay is not only an online bidding and shopping center. Some companies actually post their wares on Ebay to see how much people are willing to pay for it.

To market test your product, post it three times with three different starting bids: one comfortably low, another at the price you expect it to fetch, and a third comfortably high. Monitor each product post and see how fast the prices rise with the bidding.

This way, you know how much people will be willing to pay to purchase your product. There is a caveat to this, however: you can incur the wrath of people on Ebay if you choose to terminate bidding of your two other products should you choose to retain and sell the one for which you got the best price.

Second, sell something old but new. Now this may sound strange, but all it means is that you have to sell something that has a use or a following, something that is unique without being obscure. Ebay is filled with hundreds of thousands of people loud and proud of their wares. You can't sell something anyone can find in the nearest grocery store, but you can't sell something no one will know about either.

For instance, you can sell Used Ball Pen Art – it's something you certainly can't pick up at the local Wal-Mart, but it isn't something everyone might be interested in either. If you are unsure, see Strategy Number One. If you believe in your product, however, move on to Strategy Number Three.

Research. Some sellers make the mistake of calling their product certain things: plaid when the pattern is checkered, large when it is actually medium, brand new when it has a tear across its front. Make sure you know everything about your product, so that if someone is finding something specific, they stumble upon your wares. Don't make the mistake of advertising something your product doesn't have. Do so, and your buyers – and everyone else on Ebay – will walk away very unhappy.

Fourth, take a great picture of your product. Showcase its best side, but show any flaws it might have without highlighting the flaws or hiding them. When you have taken the picture, crop it to include only your item, then shrink it down to 72 dpi to make it load faster. This will allow buyers to not only see your item, but see it quickly. If it loads too slow, buyers will turn away in impatience. If you have no picture, you will appear unwilling to sell and wary of showing your product.

So what have you got to hide? Take out that camera and snap those pictures!

At this point, you are ready to get your item onto Ebay, so list your product correctly. What some sellers do is to put their items in the most general category, thinking that more people will see it. This is not true for Ebay, since buyers will be searching for specific things. Put your item in the general categories, and you could miss out on those precious page views.

Sixth, work on your writing. Ebay requires you to have a written description of your product, along with an auction title. Make your written description short and true, and your auction title specific. Remember that some buyers may not have the right Internet speed – and patience – to wait for your picture to load, so you have to grab them immediately with a delicious description.

As a rule, the best descriptions are those which will answer any questions your buyers might have.

Your product is now online and ready to be sold – but how do you sell it right, and when do you stop the bidding? It's all about timing.

Know when Internet traffic is loose so that you can post your item without much difficulty on your part, and know when traffic is high so that you don't terminate bidding when people are actually trying to get through to your site but are stuck in an online traffic jam.

So, seventh, watch your market. Watch TV, so you know when popular shows are on. Chances are, people won't be at their computes during that time. Watch the Weather Channel. In harshly cold or harshly hot weather, people will be indoors surfing the net.

Marketing is all about timing, and in selling, timing is everything. Ebay is no exception, and it can be a great place to earn cash if you strategize and plan.

Daegan Smith the owner of Net MLM Articles and the leader of the fastest growing team of successful home business enterpernuers on the net. Find out how we're creating financial freedom all across the globe and how to get in on the action FREE => http://www.comlev.com

Is Ebay A Viable Place To Start Growine My Online Business And Attract New Customers

Writen by Charlotte Alice

How you market your new online business will be something on the top of your mind from day one. It's an important aspect, right? If people can't see your site, you don't make any sales, so it is not surprising that so many people look at eBay and try to work out how to leverage their vast streams of traffic.

Without doubt eBay is one of the world's most popular web sites, so just attracting a very small percentage of that traffic could make a huge difference to a fledgling new business. However, it is not just a case of using eBay to sell your products or services, it is about encouraging them to visit your off eBay web site.

This takes a lot of time, the first thing you will need to do is build up a great reputation. Understand the intricate nature of how eBay works and learn how to position your products to sell them best. Once you have mastered this, you can then begin on your strategy to take your business off of eBay.

The reason why it is important to do this is because of the fees. Put simply, eBay is an expensive place to sell your wares. If you can cut out the middle man so to speak, your margins increase. Fortunately, eBay provide you with some great sales tools, you will have access to your customer's email details, you can send them newsletters and you can pre program automated email responses. In fact all of these tools are powerful in their own right, so try to use them as often as possible as they will come in handy.

Once you're comfortable with these tools, there is no reason why you can not use them to highlight your Internet business. Perhaps you might put a link to your site in every automated email you send, remember you can configure the standard eBay emails to whatever you want (within reason), another strategy is to include some kind of direct marketing response. For example, a limited time only offer of 10% should one of your customer's buy something through your site.

The trick is to ensure that you're encouraging users to click through to your other web site as much as possible. If your ducks are in line, you'll be able to continue to grab your customer's details. Maybe offer them a free eBook in return for them signing up to your newsletter, before you know it you will have a reasonable sized mailing list. Now every time you launch a new product or service, you can converse directly with people you know are already interested in your company.

The great thing about this is that you'll soon start to be able to offer affiliate products, this is another way to make money through your site. If your mailing list is large enough, other web site business owners will approach you for inclusion in your newsletter, of course you can charge for the privilege.

In summary, eBay is a great way to start life as an online business, however it is important to have one eye on the future. Start planning your migration away as soon as possible, why should eBay take all the profit? They have enough already!

Charlotte Alice is a professional author for Guide to dropshipping and full time Content Writer

Starting An Ebay Business

Writen by Louise Riley

So you have read buying and selling guides, and you think you have what it takes to become an ebay powerseller? Well you are right. Ebay is a great way to make money and ebay make it very easy for the average person to start their own business, run it from their home and compete in the lucrative market that is the world wide web. RikensAuctions is an ebay powerseller and here are some of our tips and tricks.

You have decided that you want to start selling on ebay.com.au but you are unsure of what to sell.

To begin with have a look around your house at things that you no longer want or need and this would be a good place to start. Do you have a shed or garage full of junk or items that were a really good idea at the time, that are not longer used by you or your family? For example skis, camping equipment, car parts, clothes that you have grown out of, crockery and cutlery, old pictures and framed prints, computers, old records and CD's or anything really.

Turn junk into cash for your new business

This old 'junk' that you no longer need can be turned into cash and this cash can be used for you to start your new ebay business. All you really need to start is a reasonable digital camera, a computer hooked up to the internet. Take your old goods out and inspect them for faults and flaws, clean them up, arrange them in a good position with plenty of natural light (not direct sunlight) and take a few photos of them. It is best to take a few photos of each item, from different angles. This is best as when you download your photos into your computer, some of them may not have turned out properly.

Remember when you are taking a photo that this photo is the only way people will have to see your item. They are making a purchase based on your photograph so ensure you get a good shot. If there are any flaws or faults you should also take a photo of these too. Once you have downloaded these photos into your computer you are ready to go!

What price should I start my auction at?

There are two ways to go about starting an ebay auction: you can either start your auction at a low price, or start the bidding at the lowest price you wish to accept for your item. Starting an item at a low bid price can incur a lower ebay listing fee and promote bidding activity but you also take the risk of getting a lower price for your item should bidders looking for your particular item be scarce that week.

Starting your goods at a higher price usually means that you may not get large amounts of bidders bidding on your item. But this is not always the case. All it takes is two people and your item can skyrocket if both people really want it. I cannot advise you on whether to start your item lower or higher but I must point out at this time that we start all our items at the lowest price we are willing to take for it.

Once you have chosen a start price, you can begin getting rid of your old items and begin your new life as an ebay business.

Now that I have sold my junk, what do I sell now?

Sell items you have made or refurbished: Now that you have sold your surplus items and you are cashed up, you have to decide what type of items you wish to specialise in. To have a good product is most important. Look at your interests; what do you like to do, do you have any hobbies etc. If you like patchwork quilting, the you could sell quilts that you have made on ebay. If you enjoy painting, the you could sell your original artworks and so on. Perhaps you like stamp collecting, furniture restoration, web design, building computers, painting china or other crafts, picture framing and just about anything can be sold on ebay. The idea is to find your niche in the market and use this to propel your business to greatness.

Make a profit out of a hobby: There are lots of ways to integrate your hobby into a viable ebay business. You can sell the items you make for a profit on ebay. I suggest taking very good quality photos if you are going to sell the same item over and over. Perhaps it is worth hiring a photographer to take photos of your goods to make them more attractive to the buyer.

Make a profit out of second hand goods: A trick of the trade that some people have used to grow their business is to visit local auction houses and pick up bargains then photograph them and sell them on ebay. This can be very lucrative but also very competitive. Lots of people earn their living this way and so sometimes it can be difficult to secure the bargain at the local auction house. You have to have a really good look around and search each box of junk to ensure you do not miss anything. Sometimes it is the least likely thing that can bring you the most amount of profit.

Make a profit out of new goods: It is possible to find a field you are interested in and purchasing products that are brand new from a supplier to this industry. For instance if you are a computer buff and decide to sell computers on ebay then perhaps you could contact a computer manufacturer and purchase some computers or computer parts to sell on ebay.

So go and log into ebay to begin selling right away and you will be surprised just how much fun it can be and how many great new skills you can gain by using this massive marketplace.

See our article on Setting Up Your Own Website for tips for setting up a website to complement your ebay sales. Having a website is a great way to complement sales while giving you a space to let your customers get to know you a little better. You can have your terms and conditions, payment options and any other information relelvant to your items for sale up on the website. This is also a good place to put your contact information so that people can call you should they have any queries about your items. This article gives you some important pointers on setting up a simple site.

Article from http://www.rikensauctions.com Article on setting up a website located at: http://www.rikensauctions.com/website_setup.htm

Ebay And How To Buy Part 3 What To Look For In A Listing

Writen by Amy Lieberfarb

Once you have finished looking through the list of items for sale that appear with an eBay keyword search, it is time to determine which seller to buy from. When looking at an eBay listing, there are some important factors to consider before choosing a reputable seller to purchase from. Things might be overlooked at the average glance by someone not familiar with eBay and it's policies. Things to consider when looking at a listing are things such as item details, shipping information, pricing, seller policies and feedback score and any disclaimers.

I once heard a story about a man looking for "widgets" online who came across eBay and found them for sale for a terrific price from a man in the UK. Having searched online for quite some time already, he simply got excited at the low price and used the Buy It Now feature to purchase his item. When the widgets came, there were 3oo of them. Thinking that the seller had made a mistake and sent the wrong package, he contacted the seller only to end up re-reading the auction he originally had purchased from and realizing that he had purchased 300 widgets.

He had not even really looked at the details of the auction before buying. This is another example of the uneducated eBay buyer, who not only got an absolutely amazing deal on more widgets than he thought but also learned his lesson when he ended up with more than he bargained for, he reads his item details pages now. Taking the time out to read through all the details of any listing is key to buying success and just common sense.

Look first at the details and make sure that the seller has taken the time out to list all of the important features, options, model number and any other pertinent information to the item you are looking at. You shouldn't have the need to ask any questions, the product page should be that thorough. Make sure that the shipping cost is stated clearly in the auction or a shipping calculator is also provided.

Making sure to check the sellers feedback number as well as feedback rating scores and comments that have been made is also very important. You want to make sure to buy from a seller who is trustworthy and going to deliver your product in a timely manner. Beware of the price that just seems too low or the promises that seem too good to be true and really check on these sellers for feedback scores. Knowing what to look for in an eBay listing can make finding that great deal all that easier and less scary.

Amy Lieberfarb has been in the office furniture and interior sales industry for 11 years and currently runs two online websites dedicated to Office Chairs and Furniture. Providing information on how to pick the right ergonomic chair and featuring hundreds of different chairs, the site is very informative.

http://stores.ebay.com/liebswholesale

Specializing in Office Furniture and Ergonomic Chairs.

http://www.liebswholesale.com

Please see her websites and her many other articles for more information on ergonomics and proper positioning.

She is an expert in most things office chairs and is an eBay Gold Level Powerseller with years of experience and great positive feedback from all of her loyal customer base.

No Ft No Comment Ebay And The Changing Auction Market

Writen by Howard Lewis

The story of the astonishing £40,000 price achieved by Encore Auctions on eBay fizzed around the world in no time. The equine painting by famed Irish artist Jack Butler Yeats was the subject of fierce bidding by three parties. It was featured on Yahoo and CNN news channels plus a host of websites as a key indicator of the changing auction market.

There will always be a place for traditional auctioneers who can validate and promote individual lots through a quality catalogue and network. However, online activity continues to grow exponentially within the art, antiques and collectables field as the Yeats sale testifies.

Why did the vendor choose Invaluable to dispose of this work? There are, of course, many viable alternatives but the bottom line is that Invaluable is respected for the breadth and diversity of its mainstream auction search service over the past 15 years. Its reputation for outstanding customer service also means that it has rapidly attained power seller status on eBay and gives vendors numerous advantages should they wish to access this 150,000,000 strong audience.

Further benefits include the anonymity of Encore Auctions, the Invaluable store on eBay, low seller commission, no buyer's premium and very targeted online marketing through major search engines. Moreover, there is ongoing cross fertilisation between the listings placed on Encore and lot information from conventional auctions that meet the criteria of the Invaluable clientele.

The best way to fully appreciate this shift in the way business is being transacted is to read the recent article in the FT by Simon de Burton. This outlined clearly that Invaluable, while sensitive to the historic approach, is witnessing more and more salerooms, dealers and private individuals use its services to dispose of items that did not sell first time around.

Evidently, it's horses for courses. Not everybody will embrace and welcome such innovations but there is a groundswell of support for Encore and similar initiatives that continues to gather pace. When one sees the FT generate that kind of coverage, there is a sense that the tide is inexorably turning towards slick, cost effective marketing campaigns that combine old world values and new world communications

Howard Lewis,
Chairman, Invaluable group of companies.

http://www.invaluable.com

Only Invaluable gives you unrivalled access to pre-sale and post-sale information for auction houses and salerooms across the globe.

Find art, antiques and collectables. Try our Keyword search, register at http://www.invaluable.com for a free 14 day trial.

Ebay Sales Commands That Increase Sales

Writen by Donny Lowy

eBay sales commands is a phrase that I use to cover the buying motivations for successful eBay sales. In other words, according to my research I have found that most eBay shoppers bid for certain reasons.

Once an eBay seller understands what these reasons are, he or she can make sure that their auctions are geared towards fulfilling those reasons.

Here are some of the top reasons I have found that eBay shoppers have for bidding on items:

1. eBay shoppers are looking for excitement. They are looking for an item which will provide entertainment value. The more exciting the item is, the higher the level of interest.

2. eBay shoppers are nostalgic. They love finding collectibles and novelties that remind them of an earlier time. Many eBay shoppers look for comic books, toys, and posters, which they had when they were younger.

3. eBay shoppers are also curiosity seekers. If an item seems unique it will pick their interest.

4. eBay shoppers are looking to save money. They love bargains where they receive a good value for a relatively low price.

You will still need a good set of skills to make your eBay auctions successful. According to Janiece Smith from ebaybusinessbook.com you need to have a system in place.

It should be a system which can be repeatedly used for all your eBay auctions, regardless of what the item being auctioned is.

Donny Lowy operates the following wholesale sites:

http://www.closeoutexplosion.com
http://www.wholesalequest.com
http://www.wholesalecloseoutforum.com

Search Ebay Super Tips For Find Great Deals On Ebay

Writen by Chris Ryerson

We have all seen the phenomenal growth spurt of eBay and have been amazed by it. Today eBay is a major market place that sells billions each and every day. With some basic skills you can find anything that you heart might desire on eBay. However, the problem is no longer is it being sold on eBay. eBay is such a huge market place that the new problem has become can you find it on eBay. This article is filled with useful tips to help your search eBay to find the exact products you are looking for at a great price.

For many users the World Wide Web and eBay in particular are a fun place to just click around and explore things and that is a lot of fun. On the other hand if you have a specific product that you want not being able to find it can be a source of frustration for many. The real skill today lays in intelligent and targeted search through eBay's listings.

Not the Search Box silly!

Most people that have chosen to look for things on eBay either waste hours wandering around aimlessly hoping to stumble upon the product they want or they use the very limited eBay search box on the front page. This is fine for basic searches and simple products. However, if you want to unlock the huge treasure trove of products then you are going to have to search eBay using their advanced searching features. If you look under the standard search box for the words advanced search and click on the link you can start to do strategic searching.

From the advanced search menu you can see a wide variety of options that opens up to you. For example you can search by excluding words that you do not want. You can also search by seller, by buyer or category. Using these advanced features can help you narrow down the results and find the specific items you are looking for. Often items will be sold for really cheap only because they are so buried and the seller has not used a good auction title. So by truly searching eBay and using the advanced search you can find tremendous deals.

Been there, Done that Searching

Not sure what to pay for the item you are looking for or want to find out what a good price for a product would be? Then try going to the advanced search page on eBay and type in your keywords. Then about midway down the page check the box that says "Completed Listings Only" This will give you a full overview of the products that have sold or not sold on eBay and the prices they have gone for. This is a great way to find out what your top bid should be. Just remember to include the cost of shipping. Sometimes products that look cheaper are really not because of the shipping price.

What is your Model's number?

Do you have a specific item in mind that you really want to purchase? If you have read all of the latest reviews on digital cameras and you know that you want a Canon A610 digital camera then try using the model number in your search. This will filter out some of the useless auctions and help you narrow the field to find exactly what you are looking for.

Super Deals Typoo Searching

Another great way to use eBay searches to save a little extra money for your house is look for auction with typos in the title. These often get missed in the plethora of products and you can therefore swoop in at the last minute and place a bid right before it closes. This is really pretty easy to do just come up with a list of misspelled keywords for the items you want to buy. Then look at the auction titles and find the products that don't have any bids yet.

By using eBay search and the advanced search feature you can find incredible deals and target the exact product you are looking for. This will help you get in to eBay and get out quickly. You have no wasted time meandering around the eBay neighborhood.

For more free quality information about eBay Searches and Saving Money visit our site

Posh Up Your Ebay Listings And Pack More Money Into Your Bank Account

Writen by Avril Harper

Some words just sound better than others meaning much the same thing and can create an air of mystery and excitement for your products. 'Gold Plated' for example, sounds cheap; 'Vermeil' and 'Gold Overlay' sound just that little bit more expensive! Here are some more ideas to help you make ordinary things sound very impressive.

* 'Reprint' means a copy of something else, often an old item in the public domain, and most people know what it means. 'Second strike' is a term I've seen applied to reproduction postcards which has generated double figure bidding for something worth pennies which can be printed millions of times from the owner's computer. That term 'second strike' was confusing even to me and I've been in the postcard business for years; it's a term best avoided. It's dishonest to use words just to confuse bidders into thinking your product is something it isn't, so exercise caution choosing words to dress up your listings. That 'Second Strike' example is acceptable where a definition is provided alongside so bidders know exactly what it means.

Let these ideas be your guide:

- 'Vintage' sounds better than 'Old'.

- 'Pristine' beats 'Perfect'.

* Descriptions are subjective. My idea of 'good condition' may be different from yours. Today, a postcard I listed as 'good condition' fetched a complaint from the buyer that the card was a little faded. That was true, but the card was 104 years old and a little fading on a real photographic postcard, to my mind, is not a major problem. I explained this, offered a refund, the card is now on its way back. Face it, your opinion will not always match the buyer's and it's better to offer a money back guarantee in all of your listings, as long as the product is returned in 'as posted' condition. For argumentative buyers, explain that descriptions are subjective, you stand by your original wording, and offer a refund where second chance buyers exist or just relist the item.

This is the wording I use in my listings which you are free to copy. 'All items are listed to the best of my abilities and reflect my own experienced opinion. However, all items are subject to money back guarantee in the event they are inadvertently mis-described, as long as items are returned within ten days of auction ending. All returns must be by insured post. Refund only applies to items returned in 'as posted' condition.' I'm quite certain this simple paragraph has saved some unscrupulous buyers lodging an 'Item not as described' notice to eBay. You are not obliged to return original or return postage but it's worthwhile doing so on low price items just to rid yourself of problem customers.

Avril Harper offers Internet Marketing Articles to help new and experienced marketers and also offers a range of downloadable free reports including 103 EBAY POWERSELLER TIPS at http://www.toppco.com

Do Your Ebay Listings Get Lots Of Views Do You Achieve The Price You Want When Your Item Sells

Writen by Anne Milne

Many eBay sellers find that their items either don't sell or if they do they don't get the price they hoped for. It happens to us all but good eBay sellers don't find themselves in this position very often. So why is that?

To be a successful eBay seller you need to get 3 main things right.

1:- List your item in the right category so that people interested in the type of thing your selling are likely to see it. It amazes me sometimes where people list their items. OK there are some who seem to be deliberately listing in the wrong category usually, 'high traffic' categories I guess in the hope of getting more exposure for their listing but there are the others who appear to have just listed in the wrong category and must be wondering why their listings don't do to well.

2:- Create a powerful title. You only have a few precious letters to play with so don't go wasting them on exclamation marks or similar. Your title is the only thing eBay looks at when someone use the search option so you need to get as many relevant words about your item in to it. For example if your selling a first edition of a book then try to squeeze in to your listing tile the fact that it is a first edition, the title and author. Your objective is to get prospective buyers to find your listing and want to look at your description. The more people that do the more likely you are to realise a good price.

3:- Create a strong accurate description that captures the viewers attention. Now that doesn't mean you go off creating flash graphics or use a rainbow of colours. The reality is you don't have very long to convince the prospective buyer that your description is worth reading so you need to start with some attention grabbing information. Next you want to tell them the details of your item be it size, colour, condition, etc, etc. and be honest, accurate and complete in what you say.

Now you may thinking it can't be as easy as that and in truth it isn't but, get the above 3 things right and your well on your way. So what else can help us make profitable eBay sales?

Use photos - A picture is worth a thousand words but a poor photo won't help to your chances of selling. Taking good photos might take you a little bit of time to perfect but it can make a real difference to your listing success. If you know your way around HTML then you can host your photos on your own web space and lace your listing with them as appropriate whilst keeping your listing costs down.

Research - Now this is where you can really make a difference to your success.

You can have the best title, the most compelling item description and some magic photos but it's not worth a bean if no one is interested in buying what your selling. Sure you might make some sales but the real profits are made when a number of people want what you are selling and bid against each other to get it.

You need to do some research to establish that people are buying what you are considering selling and what the average price being achieved is. You also want to look at the listing where items have sold particularly those where the price has gone beyond your desired sale price to see what category they were selling in, what was compelling about their title and description, what sort of pictures did they use etc. Your not going to copy but you can certainly use the same tactics.

The way I do my research is once I'm logged in to my eBay account I type in one of the keywords that relate to the items I'm going to try and sell. Hopefully this will bring back a load of listings. Now if you look at the left hand side of the screen you can see which categories items with your keyword are being listed in. Now scroll down till you see the 'Search Options' are and click the 'Show Only Completed Listings'.

Now we can start to see what listings are selling and for what price so we can start to make decisions about the viability of our plan. If things look good then its time to start looking at some of the listings to see what works in the title and description and generate ideas of how to compile your own listings.

OK I hope that you have picked up some good pointers to help you with your eBay selling.

If you are interested in reading more about making money on eBay then why not take a look at the free articles and eBooks available at -

http://www.need2knowabout.com/ebay.htm

Good luck

Anne www.need2knowabout.com

Looking for free information on a variety of subjects then visit - http://www.need2knowabout.com

Tips On Buying A Vehicle On Ebay

Writen by Ron Grant

There will be almost $3,000,000,000.00 (That's three BILLION dollars) worth of vehicles sold via eBay Motors this Year. Here are some buying tips if you are planing to purchase a vehicle through eBay Motors:

* Don't be too impatient: Watch the auctions you are interested in for a while. Use your "Watch this item" and search "Completed items" to see what similar vehicles have sold for.

* Narrow your search: Choose a make and model you are interested in. It's easier to make checks on the auction by using an exact make and model in the search field.

* Check Feedback: Check the feedback from other buyers. Make sure the seller is rated as a seller and no a buyer.

* Request more pictures : Request more photos by e-mail if necessary.

* Call the seller : Develop a rapport with the seller, and sale terms may be more flexible than you think.

* Have an Out : Bid only on auctions where sellers allow you to cancel after you inspect the vehicle.

* No-Reserve auctions : Bid on auctions that don't have a minimum winning bid amount, which is often as high as the car's retail value.

* Have cash : Many banks will not finance out-of-state transactions.Check first.

* Have mechanic inspect vehicle : The eBay site offers inspection in 50 major metro areas, as well as a free limited warranty for the drive home for many vehicles.

* Use Carfax : They will do an on-line vehicle history report which will tell you where the vehicle has been, its accurate mileage and whether it has been damaged in a crash or flood.

* Use an on-line pricing service : There are many free services which will tell you the realistic retail and wholesale value of the vehicle.

* Set your maximum bid : Decide on a fair price for a vehicle, then bid and walk away. Don't get caught in a bidding war and end up paying too much.

* Remember travel or delivery costs : You have to either pick up the vehicle or have it delivered when you win the auction. Include gas, hotels, food, lost work time and plane tickets in the cost.

* Buy round-trip plane tickets : A discount round-trip fare is often cheaper than a one-way ticket, and it gives you flexibility if you decide you don't want the car after you see it.

Keep these tips in mind when you bid on that vehicle, and Happy Bidding!

eBay Auto

Ron is a professional eBayer and a registeed eBay Trading Assistant. He has set up several blogs to cover various aspects of the eBay business and invites you to visit his blog at http://ebayauto.blogspot.com.

Start An Easy Home Business Become An Ebay Trading Assistant

Writen by Stephanie Chandler

EBay's online auctions have created business opportunities for thousands of people. Now the Trading Assistant program is making it easier than ever to start a business from home.

Trading Assistants act as brokers, selling merchandise for others and keeping a percentage of the profits. The profit potential can be great, especially when selling high-value items.

Though there are millions of registered users on eBay, many people still don't know how to sell goods themselves. A Trading Assistant fills a need in the marketplace, allowing you to make a profit while helping others unload their stuff. Almost everyone has a box of items in their garage or closet that they would like to sell.

Getting Started

You will need to decide what types of products you are willing to sell and may want to set a minimum value on merchandise you accept. It can be difficult to make a profit on $5 items so many assistants require the products have a minimum estimated sales value of $10 or $20.

Most assistants set their fees between 20%-40% of the ending auction price. You may also want to charge a per-item listing fee of $1-$5, and possibly deduct this from the commission if the auction ends successfully.

As a Trading Assistant, you will list the item for sale, handle all buyer questions, collect payment and shipping fees from the buyer and ship the item. You may also need to do some research on your customers' items to determine their value. Search the closed listings to find out what similar items have sold for and list your auctions accordingly.

You should create a simple contract that your customers sign to indicate that they agree to your services and fees. You can check out the competition in your area to determine what services other Assistants are offering and how they are structuring their fees. Check eBay's directory by zip code at http://contact.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?TradingAssistant&page=main.

You will also need to decide how to obtain the items from your seller. You could offer a pickup service, visit customers' homes and complete a contract there. Or you can offer a drop-off service, where customers bring their items to you. Many assistants operate from their garage so buyers don't have to enter their homes.

Promote Your Business on Ebay

Ebay offers a directory of Trading Assistants that consumers can use to locate services in their geographic area. To get listed in the official Trading Assistant program, eBay requires that you have a feedback rating of at least 50, have sold at least one item in the past 30 days, and maintain satisfaction rating of 97% or higher.

A listing in the official directory is free and you can also download best practices information and other tools from eBay at http://contact.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?TradingAssistant&page=toolkit.

Other Ways to Promote Your Business

Here are some ideas for getting the word out about your service:

•Create a simple brochure and ask nearby businesses to display them for you.

•Leave brochures or fliers on doorsteps in your neighborhood.

•Place classified ads in the local newspapers.

•Place free classified ads on www.craigslist.org.

•Contact small business owners and offer your services to them. They may want to unload their overstock and your service could provide the perfect solution.

•Post fliers and brochures at colleges, retirement centers, and community centers.

•Ask your kid's school to mention your service in the newsletter.

•Visit garage sales and flea markets and offer your services to sellers.

Launch Your Business

Make sure you follow the rules of running a home-based business and check with your county offices to apply for a business license and resale permit. Though online sales are not heavily governed, someday they will be and it is better to comply with business laws.

Also make sure to set expectations with your customers. Since many aren't familiar with how eBay works, explain the process and set realistic expectations for the final values of sales. Some may expect their items to be worth far more than they can get on eBay, and you don't want to disappoint or worse, upset a client by selling an item for less than expected.

If you don't yet have any experience on eBay yourself, it's easy to get started. Begin with some spring cleaning and list some merchandise from your home. Make sure you have a good understanding of how eBay works before you represent your services to others.

A Trading Assistant business is a great opportunity for anyone interested in a relatively easy home business. Once you launch your business, repeat customers and word of mouth should help your business grow. Your only regret could be that you didn't start sooner.

Stephanie Chandler is the author of "The Business Startup Checklist and Planning Guide: Seize Your Entrepreneurial Dreams!" and the founder of http://www.BusinessInfoGuide.com, a directory of free resources for entrepreneurs. Sign up for the BusinessInfoGuide newsletter to receive hot resources and tips every month.

10 Tips To Boost Your Ebay Sales

Writen by John Singelman

1. Use Descriptive Key Words In Your Title - Most bidders use the search function to find items, so you want to make it easy for these bidders to find your auction. Don't waste your title space with words like WOW, MUST SEE, HOT, and MUST HAVE.

2. Use Detailed Descriptions – Use clear and accurate descriptions. Give the bidder as much information as you can. If the item has a flaw, be sure to mention it in your description. If the item looks new be sure to mention that too.

3. Check Out The Competition – Do a search for items similar to yours. You can learn a lot from your competition, such as price, keywords, and descriptions.

4. Always Include A Picture - People want to see things before they buy them. Make sure that the picture is clear and of the actual item for sale, not a stock photo.

5. Offer More Payment Options – Offer Check, Money Orders, Pay Pal, Credit Cards. This will make it easier for bidders to buy your item. A wider variety of payment options will make your item available to more bidders.

6. Create Your About Me Page – An "About Me" age is a Free Web page eBay gives you to promote yourself and your auctions. Include your shipping information, contact information, plus, you can also add links to your auctions and you can list your positive feedback. This means that any potential buyers can see what you sell and what others think about you, all on the same page. You can also place a link to your website if you have one.

7. Low Starting Bid - If you have a good item that you know will sell well, then start the bid price low. Low starting bids attract more bidders.

8. Add NR To Your Titles - Put 'NR' (no reserve) on the end of your title. Bidders prefer auctions that don't have a reserve price, and doing this will increase your bids.

9. Email Signature – Promote your eBay or Online Business every time you send an email. Setup your email so it automatically adds your contact information. You should include your name, your business name, address, phone, fax, and your web site URL if you have one. If you don't have a website, then link to your eBay "About Me" page.

10. Offer 100% money back guarantee – You have to build up trust with your potential customer since they don't know you. Offering a money back guarantee will always increase your sales.

You may use this article as content for your website or ezine as long as this tagline remains unchanged.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

John Singelman is the owner of http://www.freedropshipsources.com a free wholesale drop ship directory.

Create Winning Ebay Auction Titles

Writen by Chris Vendilli

It's probably fair to say that one of the key reasons why many auctions end unsuccessfully on eBay is because people have got their auction title WRONG.

With the eBay marketplace is becoming ever more over-crowded, it's now increasingly more important to create auction titles that work. You really do need to stand out from your rival eBay sellers.

So what does an auction title need to do?

Its most important job is to get people to click onto your auction. You can have the most amazing bargain in the world, or an absolutely fantastic and compelling advert, but if people never get that far then you'll never make sales. The first step in the buying process is for people to click onto your auctions.

So how do I create a "winning" title?

The tips below are what I've learned as an eBay seller over the past few years. I've tried many different strategies and ideas, and these are the ones that work. They bring in the buyers time and time again.

"MY TOP 6 TITLE TIPS"

Create mystery.

A relatively unknown 'secret' is to create mystery around your auction or product. This makes intrigues people, and ultimately results in more people clicking onto your auction.

Let's say you're trying to sell an ebook called "Profits from Adwords" that contains information on how to create an income through ads on Google. Instead of using a traditional title like "Profits from Adwords eBook – the secrets to success," trying using a title such as "Make a Great Income from Writing Three Lines of Text." You're not revealing exactly what the product is you're trying to sell, rather what the product can do for the buyer. Another example may be with relaxation oils. Try a title such as "The Most RELAXING Thing I've Ever Tried."

People may feel more compelled to click on your auction, but of course it does have its disadvantages, and it may not be the correct strategy for every product. After all, it's pretty hard to create excitement and mystery around a pack of envelopes for example! It also slightly contradicts one of my rules below… but it CAN and DOES work if it's the right product.

Use capital letters

This is a MUST in an eBay auction title - Start Each Word In Your Title With A Capital Letter Like This. It makes your title stand out from people who don't, and can actually be more effective than using paid eBay options such as a bold title. You can also try putting certain key words in full capitals to draw attention to a unique selling point or a particularly attractive feature. If the item you're selling is brand new then draw attention to this fact in your title.

Make sure you include as many keywords as possible

Most people find items on eBay by using the search facility, therefore it's important that you include words in your title that people are likely to be searching for. People that write titles which are just plain un-descriptive will lose out on sales. This tip seems like an obvious one, but you would be shocked at how many people don't optimize their titles with proper keyword use!

Spell accurately

Spelling mistakes don't show up in search results. If I search for "Playstation" and your auction title has it listed as "Playstataion" then I won't find your item. Most people don't make spelling mistakes purposely, that's why they're called mistakes. If you notice that you did make a mistake after you've already listed your item you may still be able to go back and correct it if you do so prior to any bids being placed. One misspelled keyword can ruin all your hard work!

Be descriptive

If you're selling a new item, make sure you point that out in your title. If your item is in excellent condition, again make sure you say so. Try to be creative as well, look at your auction title as a buyer would.

Example, instead of saying "Pair Of Computer Speakers Used Condition Work Great" – try "Pair Of Computer Speakers w/ Manual Included – Like New."

Finally…

Use paid options sparingly. eBay offers all kinds of options that are designed to increase clicks on your auctions, such as Bold and Highlight, but I've usually found that these don't have a large enough impact on auction visitor numbers to justify the cost. It may well depend on what you're selling, but I firmly believe that good wording is much more important. You can't always buy success on eBay.

Remember:

1.) Create mystery and excitement
2.) Use capital letters
3.) Include keywords
4.) Spell accurately
5.) Be descriptive
6.) Use paid options sparingly

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

Successful Ebay Selling Tips

Writen by Anne Milne

eBay is awesome and everyday more and more people are participating. So what if you want to become a successfull eBay seller? - Where do you start? Well here are some pointers for you that will have you going in the right direction.

First and most important Honesty and Reputation. Sure you can make some fast money on eBay but start getting negative feedback and the cash flow will vanish in a flash. If you want a growing sustainable income from your eBay activities then you must make sure you have a solid reputation as a reliable honest seller that delivers good value.

Let's start with your listings - they should be uncluttered, easy to read, informative accurate and explicit. Buyers are not looking for fancy bells & whistles, mutlicoloured fonts and the like. Your listing should convey a sense of professionalism not be a show ground for your HTML or graphics skills.

Your item description should accurately reflect the item and its condition. If the item is damaged or incomplete then explain this. If you don't then you will get negative feedback no doubt about it. A basic tip is the description can never be too long as long as it is describing the item.

If you're selling a lot of items then you need to aim to keep your listing fees down. An easy way to do this is host your eBay pictures yourself. If you have already have a website then devote some of your hosting space to your listing pictures. For those that don't have their own web site check to see if you have free space provided by your internet service provider. If you don't have any free webspace you can use then consider buying your own domain name and web hosting. It doesn't need to be expensive the very basic package is all you will need.

Make sure you list your item in the right categories to maximise your chances of getting lots of views. If your not sure what the best/right category is then see where the competition are lisitng their items.

If you are selling items such as DVDs, software and designer labels, make it clear that your items are genuine and not pirate copies or fakes. Aside from the legal issues selling fakes as genuine goods will hurt your reputation.

Don't be tempted to set too high a starting price. Aside from pushing up your lisitng cost you will also turn away potential buyers hoping to bag a bargain. Far better to have a number of interested bidders as they can end up starting a bidding war that will drive your price up.

Don't try to make profit on shipping & handling charges. Nothing puts me off from buying more than seeing inflated shipping & handling charges. Now this doesn't mean you take a loss on S&H just be fair and reasonable. Also make sure your S&H information is clearly laid out so that potential buyers can easily see what to expect.

Your item title is vital. If you want lots of people to view your item then the 55 characters available for your title are all you have at your disposal to generate interest. Don't waste them on special characters or non value words. Think of what you would type in to the eBay search bar if you were looking for the item.

Check your item title spelling. Items won't sell if potential buyers can't find them because you've misspelled the item's title. Use manufacturers name and model number within the title if applicable.

Start your auction so that it ends during a 'peak' buying period. In general most would agree that Thur evening through to Sunday afternoon tend to be good times to have your auctions end.

Have a system - you want to minimise the time you spend preparing listings and getting them loaded to eBay so make use of automation tools. Turbo Lister which is free from eBay is a great tool for cutting out the repetative grind and making the job of getting listings uploaded simple once you have things set up. Other areas to automate are your emails to winning buyers and if you are selling digital items (eBooks, Software etc) you can automate the product delivery side of things as well.

Ok that's enough for now. Not a definitive guide but hopefully it has given you somethings things to think about. There are mountains of material available online to help you further with your eBay activities some free some you have to pay for. If you want a load more free information then you will find a load of good articles here ==>http://www.need2knowabout.com/ebay.htm

Now, time for you to get started, remember, build yourself a good reputation.

Good luck.

Anne Milne
http://www.need2knowabout.com

Turn Ebay Into Your Personal Salesman

Writen by Niall Mehaffey

Yes, that's right, you can turn eBay into your own personal salesman. Now the question is how. If you have a look on eBay for ebooks, you will see thousands of them being sold and quite a lot of them are even being sold for as little as 1p. You can take advantage of this and I'm going to show you how.

The authours of a lot of those particular ebooks that are being sold on eBay for such ridiculous prices are actually very happy about it. You see most of those ebooks will have a link inside it leading back to the authors website, therefore generating visitors to the site and hopefully some sales for higher priced items. Another way you can make money from those ebooks is to put a few afiliate links in them and jope that people reading them will buy through your link, therefore gaining the author a percentage of the sale.

This is a type of residual income as you only have to produce the ebook once and it can make you money for years to come. Now if only one ebook can do this for you, then two ebooks could potentially double your profits and three ebooks means yet even more money to be earned.

However you must create a well presented, informatice ebook and grant master resale rights to it, as nobody will want to sell your ebook for you if it is no good. If you create a good quality ebook and grant master resale rights to it, you will find many people selling your ebook and generating you website visitors and revenue. This is called viral marketing as your ebook will spread through eBay like a virus.

Viral marketing is a very effective form of advertising ad can make you money for years if done properly. Ebay can be an extremely useful tool for starting a viral marketing campaign as it is one of the most known and used web sites on the internet today. What are you waiting for? Get started and make some money on ebay.

Niall Mehaffey is an internet marketer and ebay seller. If you would like to learn the real potential of eBay then click here make money on ebay

Ebay Selling Outsell Your Competitors By Adding Audio To Your Ebay Listings

Writen by Jane B. Clark

Why should you consider adding your seller's voice to your auctions? There is a reason the big buzz about auction selling is adding audio to auction listings. Increasing bids and profits would motivate most ebay sellers to give auction audio a spin around the block.

What is the added bonus to using an auction audio service? A large percentage of your buyers are sellers. Your competitors want to know what you are doing as much as you want to know what they are doing. They will take note of your audio and increased bidders, click on the audio link and sign up to put it on their auctions, as well. Voila! You have just made a second tier sale.

According to Sellathon CEO Wayne Yeager, the amount of time an auction visitor spends looking at an auction page is a real eye opener. "We now know that the average time spent looking is 26 seconds, but more important, about half of all auction visitors - 48% to be exact - spend 10 seconds or less looking at your auction."

Visit one of your ebay auction listings and assess how much a person can read in 10 seconds. Adding your voice to the auction can increase the amount of time spent by your auction visitors. Selling on ebay is competitive and you want to beat your competitors to the punch and get the bidders.

Adding your seller's voice to your auctions is as easy as picking up a phone and recording your message. What would you like to tell your ebay shoppers? As an ebay buyer, what matters to you when looking at an ebay auction listing? What do you want to know about the auction seller?

An audio message about your customer service is very effective. Amanda Jane's Attic uses a customer service approach and about us script for some of her auctions.

"Hi, welcome to Amanda Jane's Attic.
We are a home grown company offering ……antique reproductions……….
We offer great prices and friendly customer service.
If there is an item you are looking for you have not yet found in our store, send me an email and I will see if I can find it for you.
It is our goal to make our clients feel as comfortable ……………………………
There is no question too small to ask………………………………………….."

Do you ship daily? Do you package securely? Do you welcome emails with questions? Do you ship internationally? Do you have payment expectations you want your buyers to know up front? What would you like your auction visitors to hear about you? Use your seller's voice to direct ebay buyers to read certain parts of your ebay auction. Audio is the very best way to add emotion to the sale. Excitement sells.

Buyers need to hear YOUR voice! They want to connect with you.

In a world of horrible customer service, tell your ebay auction shoppers how wonderful your customer service is.

Jane B. Clark trains people in buying and selling on ebay. She also advises car dealers on ebay Motors listing and marketing techniques. You can visit Jane at http://www.addauctionaudio.com or email Jane at jane@addauctionaudio.com.

How To Set Up Your Ebay Account

Writen by Donny Lowy

Go to www.ebay.com and you will find a menu at the top of the page reading something like this – home, pay, register, and site map. Click on register to be directed to the registration page. Registration page consists of three sections – personal details, id & password details and acceptance of terms & conditions section.

Personal details section asks for your first name, last name, street address, city/town, state, zip code, country, phone numbers and email address. It is advisable to create a new email id for your Ebay operations since you can expect lot of emails while being active on Ebay. You will be asked to retype your email address in the last box in this section. Ensure that you retype it, and not merely copy paste it from the above box. This will ensure correct email address being given to Ebay system. Creating a new email id for Ebay operations prevents your regular emails being mixed up with those from Ebay and allies.

Second section on the page demands selecting user id and password for the logging in purpose. Select an id of your choice or one suggested by Ebay. Then go on to select a password. Ensure that you have written down your password somewhere on your personal notes. The password should be minimum of six-character length. Ebay will then ask you a secret question like mother's maiden name or pet's name. Select the one that you can recall anytime, and provide the answer. This is provided for security purpose and case when you forget your id or password. Then select your birth details from the drop down menu.

In the last section, check on the box below 'Terms of use and privacy' indicating your agreement to terms of use (for a more detailed person, it is recommended to read the whole set of terms & conditions). Click continue button. That's it. You will receive a mail from Ebay for confirmation. Click on the confirmation, and now you are registered on Ebay.

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

Ebay Express A New Way Of Buying And Selling On Ebay

Writen by Pamela Bruce

In January 2006, eBay announced a new specialty service named eBay Express. Here are some of the highlights of this upcoming venture, according to eBay e-mails and websites:

It emphasizes new merchandise. eBay obviously wants to distance itself from the "online flea market" image that many people associate with it. However, eBay also states "eBay Express will allow shoppers to buy products ranging from new, used, refurbished and more".

It is not auction-based. Everything on eBay Express will have a fixed price and will be available for immediate purchase - no more waiting for auctions to end (of course the Buy-It Now feature has also been available on eBay.com for quite a while).

There appear to be plans for some kind of shopping cart, making it easier for buyers to make multiple purchases from the same seller.

There are a number of seller requirements: a feedback score of 100 or more, 98% positive or better, public feedback (as opposed to private), PayPal Premier or Business account, setting PayPal account to ship to unconfirmed addresses or make sale-by-sale decisions (a point that has caused some stir among sellers), and being based in the US (it seems that eBay Express will be offered only in the USA at first). Sellers also must state shipping costs, either flat, calculated or free, rather than forcing buyers to look for them in the item description or having to e-mail the seller.

eBay Express is supposed to be launched during the spring of 2006. Like the "IT" campaign, it seems to be another attempt by eBay to get away from the "cleaning out your garage and selling stuff on eBay" image and a challenge to conventional online rivals who have offered fixed prices and shopping carts for a long time.

Pamela Bruce lives in Austin, TX. She is the owner of Love Beads Unlimited and sells the sterling silver and Swarovski crystal bead jewelry she designs and creates both in her eBay store (http://stores.ebay.com/LOVE-BEADS-UNLIMITED) and on her website at http://www.lovebeadsunlimited.com, where you can also download the free e-book "A Consumer's Guide to Buying Bead Jewelry Online".

Using A Scanner To Quotphotographquot Items For Online Auctions

Writen by Pamela Bruce

As I mentioned in an earlier article ("Photographing Jewelry for Online Auctions"), taking pictures of small items, such as bead jewelry, for eBay or other auction sites is not always easy. You have to use the proper lighting, keep objects in focus and chose the correct background that enhances the target without distorting its colors or detracting from it.

The smaller the item, the more difficult it can be to take good photos, as cameras might have difficulties focusing on such small targets. I was wrestling with a particularly tricky photo of earrings one day, when I came across the suggestion of using a scanner. I tried it it, and the results were great - very detailed images that preserved even the tiniest features of the object.

The only limitations I have found is that objects should not be too three-dimensional, as that can cause focus problems. Also, in some instances very shiny materials, such as silver, can cause distortions.

Another issue is the background - sometimes the white plastic of the scanner lid just won't do. In this case, a simple sheet of construction paper (use pastel colors) might be the solution. As the thickness of the scanned object also raises the lid more than a sheet of paper would, you might want to cover the top of the scanner with opaque cloth to shut out stray outside light.

Scanners usually come with software that lets you set resolution, brightness, contrast and other parameters, as well as crop, flip and rotate the object. Play around with these settings until you achive the desired results.

What scanner should you get? There are reviews of scanners on many online sites, such as epinions.com. I personally like multifunction devices that also serve as printers and copiers (saves on desk space) and have achieved good results with the very inexpensive Hewlett-Packard PSC 1315.

While my experience has been primarily with jewelry, other types of items also lend themselves to scanning: books, photographs, coins, CD and DVD covers, etc. Scanners can thus be a real time-saver in preparing your auction pictures.

Pamela Bruce lives in Austin, TX. She has been beading since her teens. She is the owner of Love Beads Unlimited and sells the bead jewelry she designs and creates at http://www.lovebeadsunlimited.com

How Does Ebay Auction Work For A Seller

Writen by Donny Lowy

Stated simply, like any other auction site eBay functions in the same manner. The only difference between eBay and other similar auction sites lies in size. No other site comes even closer to eBay in terms of number of items on sale at any given point of time.

It is very easy to understand the basic functioning of eBay. This functioning is similar for seller and buyer. Both the parties have to register themselves on eBay. Registration process is easy to understand and follow.

Once the seller has registered himself on eBay, he can think of putting an item on sale. This item could be new or old. This has to be specified at the time of putting the item on sale or listing the item. There are charges in the range of 25 cents to $5 for listing an item for sale.

Then you have to define the time period of bid – in other words, how long this item will be on sale on eBay. In addition to this, the seller has to decide the minimum amount for the bid i.e., the amount below which the seller will not accept the bid for selling the listed item. People interested in buying the listed product start bidding for the item. After the expiry of the time frame, the person (buyer) with maximum bid gets the item for the amount he has placed the bid for. The seller has to make arrangements for delivering the item (as decided at the time of listing the item) after receiving the payment from the maximum bidder.

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

Online Auctions And Industry Niches

Writen by Lance Winslow

If you have an industry portal website then it might make sense to consider having online auctions as part of your website. Many folks may have not considered this on their portal site but if you have good traffic then it does makes sense.

For instance in one of our industries we have a Franchising Website and a Pressure Washing Industry Website. Both of those have significant traffic and adding an online auction for the industry could boost traffic and perhaps raise additional revenues as well.

Consider if you will the amount of used equipment that is out and about in many industries and consider all the buyers out there interested in purchasing such equipment. Bringing the buyers and sellers together makes sense and a small fee could be charged for doing so; perhaps a percentage of the sale.

Think how many industry portal websites are out there and how poor it is to try to find something you are looking to buy on eBay? If everything on your portal website is indeed industry specific and all your traffic is too then online auctions for your industry niche is something you can and probably should add; both to make revenue and increase traffic and repeat visitors.

Online auctions are not expensive to set up and there are many convenient and easy to use programs, which can help you do make online auctions a reality on your website. Please consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Wholesale Bumper Stickers How To Find The Best Wholesale Bumper Stickers Deals For Ebay

Writen by Donny Lowy

Wholesale bumper stickers 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 bumper stickers at a lower price.

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

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

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

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 bumper stickers drop shipper, so how can your prices be lower?

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

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

For instance, ABC Bumper Stickers might not have the name recognition that Stickers International 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 bumper stickers manufactured by ABC Bumper Stickers.

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

You can find great wholesale bumper stickers 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.

Buying Art On Ebay And Other Internet Sites

Writen by Nina Kuriloff

BUYING ART ON EBAY
and other internet sites.

Do you want information to help you purchase art on eBay and other auction venues?
Do you want to purchase art that you like a great deal and ensure that your transaction is an excellent one?

There are many wonderful artists who sell their art online and are honest and trustworthy.

One group of professional artists who are established and trustworthy is The Electronic Museum of Established Artists (EMOEA). EMOEA is a group of artists who consistently create high quality artwork in a wide variety of subjects.

We are artists who take a great deal of pride in the artwork we create. We create our own original and authentic artwork. We are very proud of the art we create and sign our names on each of our paintings.

We are dedicated to creating high quality artwork and to providing excellent customer service, as well.

In an excellent transaction:

• the buyer receives the work of art that is represented in the auction pictures and in the description of the artwork.
• the buyer receives the work of art in excellent condition.
• the buyer's communication with the artist is helpful and friendly.
• the seller ships the artwork in a timely fashion.
• the seller is honest and trustworthy.

It is also important to be able to determine whether or not you are purchasing original artwork or reproductions of original artwork. Very often, reproductions of original works of art are referred to as prints.

You may trust EMOEA artists because:

• We are all Verified sellers through eBay or Square Deal.
• The artwork we sell is our own original and signed work.
• We ship our own artwork directly to you.
• All of us are established artists who have sold on eBay for at least one year.
• Each of us has feedback from at least 100 different buyers.
• Our feedback on eBay is excellent. This indicates that our buyers are extremely pleased with our artwork as well as the service we provide.

We want to make the process of purchasing art on eBay an experience that is honest, friendly and pleasant.

We strive to make the experience of purchasing original art on the internet one that is based on honesty and trust, and take a great deal of pride in doing so.

To ensure that you are buying high quality, original artwork directly from a Verified seller, search EMOEA on eBay and other online auction sites.

Nina Kuriloff is a professional artist who sells her art online. Nina has exhibited her artwork in galleries throughout the United States. Her artwork has been chosen for exhibition in 21 juried competitions. She has had artwork published in exhibition catalogs and on the cover of a chapbook of poetry.

Reverse Online Auction If You Want To Save Money Reverse Online Auctions Are The Way To Go

Writen by Richard Verker

By now everyone knows how eBay works. You list an item you're trying to sell, and buyers place bids on it. After a predetermined length of time (commonly seven days), the highest bidder "wins" and gets to pay that much money for the item. That's great for sellers, but what about buyers? Wouldn't it be better if sellers competed for a buyer's business, instead of the other way around? That's where reverse online auctions come in.

Reverse online auctions work in the opposite way from eBay- style auctions. A buyer lists the item he's looking for, and sellers compete for his business by offering their lowest possible prices. In effect, the buyer is playing hard-to-get. Rather than running to eBay and flinging himself at the seller -- "Please sell it to me! Look how much I'll pay for it!" -- the buyer plays it cool, letting the sellers come to him.

As a result, buyers in reverse online auctions usually pay less than people participating in regular auctions. A DVD that's only worth $12 might have its price driven up to $20 or more on eBay, due to buyers competing with each other for the right to buy it. With a reverse Internet auction, that price will stay low, because buyers aren't getting in each other's way, artificially driving up the price. Instead, the sellers are driving DOWN the price because they want your business.

There are two ways of running an auction online: open and closed. In an open auction, all the bidders know where they stand in the bidding, i.e., whether they've been outbid. In a closed auction, each bidder only knows his own bid. Therefore, he must put forth his very best offer at once, since he won't be able to make a better one in response to someone else's bid.

Sellers know that e-procurement -- where items are bought, paid for and sold over the Internet -- is more lucrative than traditional brick-and-mortar stores simply because there are fewer overhead costs. So it's in their best interest to attract new online customers, and they know one way to do that is to participate in reverse auctions on the Internet. Connect on oltiby.com and take advantage of this new way of making business.

Richard Verker has been writing business articles for 15 years. After studies in general economy and e-commerce, his work on online auctions make his articles top-rated by magazines and thousands of readers.

Writing Ebay Titles That Sell

Writen by Shari Ode

What are titles? They are the headings above eBay auctions. It's my opinion you write a better title after you have written out your auction information. After all, you have all the product information right in front of you, well organized and well written. Writing the title is then straightforward and easy.

Writing titles is not for selling and not necessarily for marketing or advertising. Writing titles is purely for getting "found" by the eBay search engine.

Simple & Straightforward

What does a title for one of your eBay products need to do? The title should:

• Completely identify the item
• Contain appropriate keywords for the eBay search engine
• Indicate exactly whether the item is new,2nd hand and if used, indicate the condition that the item is in.

It's that simple. Don't try to make it more complicated. Notice that I didn't say the following:

• Try to attract attention
• Hook prospective buyers
• Start the sales process off

Indeed, the need to use hype is a misconception that many eBay sellers make. They are not clear about the purpose of the title therefore tend to offer information in the title that is NOT needed. Let's say you are selling a Canon Powershot Digital Camera, a well known brand with several models. Prospective buyers get to the list of digital cameras via the eBay search (i.e., keywords = digital and camera) If a potential buyer is looking for a Canon Powershot, you want him to be able to immediately spot your title in the very long list of titles for Canon digital cameras.

The following title says it all:

"Canon Powershot Digital Camera New"

A prospective buyer can read the list quickly and spot this title easily. You've done your job well. Once prospective buyers have found your ad, they will read your ad copy. That's where you make your sales pitch. Anything that detracts from potential buyers finding your auction ad easily will result in fewer bidders and ultimately lower sales prices.

For instance, look at some of the following titles:

CANON CAMERA POWERSHOT FABULOUS DIGITAL CAMERA!!! ***Great Fast Action - digital camera, new in box **** Fast Action camera !!! - Canon - award winning !!! – in the box!!

The first is in all caps, which is hard to read. The second uses characters that interfere with skimming. In addition, it doesn't say much that's concrete. It doesn't even include the brand. The third is difficult to read due to the exclamation marks. And what does "in the box" mean? It probably means new, but it could mean used but put back in the box.

"Award winning" is OK for an auction ad but not for a title; it doesn't help identify the product. These titles will cost you potential buyers. There's no reason to make an art out of writing titles. They are Straight forward. Just identify what's for sale using words that potential buyers will use to search.

Shari Ode - Ebay, Clickbank marketplace and Adsense web publisher. Check Out My Cool Little Website That Makes Me Money With Every Click! For details visit: http://www.moredollarsonline.com

Secrets To Selling Successfully With Online Auctions

Writen by Jason Ziarko

The Internet has literally hundreds of auction web sites, all trying to cash in on the online auction craze. There are five basic techniques I will discuss that will dramatically increase the success of your online sales. I have actually put these to the test myself and they really are successful.

1) Keywords in the Listing – The single most important element in an auction listing is carefully selecting the keywords you use in your listing. Start with your title and fill your title up with keywords that accurately describe the item. Do not use keywords that are not relevant to your item, you will only waste the buyer's time and yours. Use as much of the allotted characters allowed to write your title. In the description, write it using keywords to best describe your item. The more keywords you use there is a better chance a potential buyer will find your auction. Be careful not to use spamming techniques of any kind, it is a waste of time for everyone and could result in being banned from the auction site.

2) Misspelled Keywords – A technique that is commonly overlooked is the use of misspelled keywords in your listing. Intentionally including misspelled words can increase the audience of your listings. For example, on eBay as of right now, searching for the term "jewelry" – correctly spelled, there are 192,701 auctions with "jewelry" in the title. If you create your auction with "jewelery" also in the title and description, there are 2,018 items listed, so by misspelling words you can increase the traffic to your auction.

3) Low Starting Price & Reserves – Start your auction at a low opening bid price and secure your desired selling with a reserve price. Lower opening bids will encourage more bidders to bid up the price to an amount they are willing to pay. For example, I recently listed an older Dell Latitude laptop on eBay and started the price at $0.99 with a reserve price of $150 and successfully sold for $197.50. Coupled with a low opening bid, you want to make sure there are plenty of keywords in the title & description so there will be sufficient traffic to your auction. A well-written auction would not allow an item to sell for $0.99, since we know the item will sell for much more than that.

When we set a reserve price, it means we do not have to sell the item unless the bidding price meets or exceeds the reserve price. A reserve price insures the seller of not having to forcefully sell the item if the reserve has not been met, but the seller has the option to do so if desired. The reserve price set by the seller is not shown to the buyers, in order to encourage bidding up the price to find out what the reserve price is.

4) Timing of Auctions – An important technique to know is the timing of your auction as to when it closes. The auction should be timed to close during the late evening hours, such as 10-11pm at night. Research indicates most ideal time to close an auction and encourage the most bids is Sunday at 11pm. The idea is to time the auction when the majority of people are home and able to place final bids. I've researched this myself with several auctions and had them close at different times and the ones that close late at night receive a higher number of bids than those that close during the day.

5) Pictures – Pictures are a vital element of listing an auction on any site. Buyers want to see what they are purchasing before placing a bid. Include multiple pictures of your item, such as different angles, back side, or inside if it can be opened. Be sure the pictures are professional looking and is presented clearly to the buyer as to what they are bidding on. Typically, picture sizes should be under 100K to ensure fast loading for users with slower Internet connections. If they have to wait too long for a picture to load, they will click off and go to the next auction, thus you have lost a potential bidder.

The techniques outlined here are just the beginning of creating successful auctions. There are several books & websites online that are dedicated to successful selling. However, implementing these techniques will dramatically increase the success of your auction sales.

By: Jason Ziarko
ejzBids Auctions - Online Internet Auction Site

Online Auctions How Much Do You Know About Them

Writen by Pradeep Agarwal

Online auctions are a great way to find a bargain on almost everything and it is an excellent way of getting the best price for selling something of your own. These are Virtual auctions on the Internet. The seller sells the product to the person who offers the highest price. These products include houses, cars, seized electronics, jewelry, books, antiques and others.

Consumers are increasingly feeling more comfortable in buying products through the Internet. Through online auctions they are able to bid on state surplus items, using any computer with Internet access.

There are innumerable auction sites, selling everything from a pen to a used car and even houses if you want to bid from them. For sellers, online auctions open up new sales channels for new products and offer buyers favorable purchasing conditions. Just think of the product and you will find it on one of the auction sites. All you have to do is sign up, get registered and bid a price for that item.

The items available for sale can include: airport confiscated equipment, boats, electronics, medical supplies, office furniture and equipment, tools and equipment, antiques, computers, heavy equipment and machinery, vehicles, specialty items, and miscellaneous items.

Online auctions are different from their real-world counterparts. You are free to take your time browsing the listings and bidding takes place over a period of days rather than minutes. Online Auctions offer good opportunity for anyone wishing to start an online business for a number of reasons. If you feel you have the persistence necessary to run your own successful business, this is one opportunity you should consider.

There are thousands of online auctions on the Internet with more popping up everyday. People love them because they can usually find great bargains.

Some of the tips for buyers and sellers at online auctions:

You could sell your excess or discontinued products at an online auction. It's an effective way to make extra income without any loss for your business. Thus you can make a profit depending on how much people will bid for your excess inventory. Also excessive inventory can be cleared off cost effectively.

An easy way to test new product prices is to see what people will bid for them at an online auction. First, sell your product at three different online auctions. Next, calculate the average selling bid from all three auctions and that will be your selling price for your new product. Hence we can know the exact selling price of the product.

There are numerous auction sites for bidding any product. Some of the auction sites draw over millions of hits a year. The key to being successful is to sell your product at multiple online auctions at the same time. Suppose if we sell a product at one hundred online auction sites that would be one hundred sales a day! This way we can increase our sales at one time.

You could drive traffic to your web site by starting your own online auction site. Customers will visit your web site to find bargains and to sell their own products. Thus plenty of repeat visitors from people re-bidding on products and adding new products to sell.

Lowering business costs is another benefit of online auction. The prices on business supplies and equipment at online auctions are lower. So, do some research work to find which site offers lowest price of the same product to make good savings. For example, a company may be selling them at a lower price at an online auction because they have excess inventory.

Drop shipping is used by intermediary and mail order companies who do not wish to stock inventory of the products sold for future delivery through mail order, catalogues and Internet advertising. Manufacturers providing drop-shipping services can gain additional sales, shift advertising costs to middlemen, offer advertising material and reduce inventory requirements. Minimal capital is needed to start.

Pradeep Aggarwal is the creator of Auction Spectrum the online auction hub. This site is dedicated to helping people build Profit Pulling Websites and start and run a successful online auction business.

Bidding And Buying On Ebay Bonus Or Bogus

Writen by Ron King

You're undoubtedly heard about people getting great deals on items they bought through eBay. If you're a bit envious and ready to try your hand, here's your chance to learn more.

Exactly What Is An eBay?

It's an online auction website, in fact the biggest one in the world. You know how an auction works -- someone puts up something they want to sell and then buyers come along and place bids on it. The highest bid wins the item.

Being an online auction makes eBay a bit different, though. eBay accepts almost any item, no matter how small, and will then advertise it on their sites all over the world.

How Does Bidding On eBay Work?

Bidding on eBay is a little more complex than a normal auction. On eBay, you enter the maximum amount you are willing to pay for an item, and then eBay places the bids on your behalf. You could enter a maximum bid of $100 for something, and end up paying only $25, if that was sufficient to win.

The best introduction to eBay is to dive in and give it a try. First, you need to go to the eBay website for your country. If you don't know the address, just go to www.ebay.com and you will find it. Once you have the front page of your country's website, you should see a big box marked "esearch." Just type into the box anything that you'd like to buy.

When you enter an item, say an opal ring, the website gives you a list of opal rings for sale, along with how much people are currently bidding for them, and the time when bidding ends for that item. Click on each of the listed items, and you can read the description. If you find an item you want, and are willing to pay more than the current highest bidder, then it's time to enter the fray.

How Can I Buy What I Want?

On the item's description page, scroll down to the bottom and type the maximum you are willing to pay into the box. Then click the "eplace bid" button. At this point you will need to sign in, or go through a quick registration process if you are new.

eBay will let you know if someone else's maximum bid on that item is higher than yours, and you'll have an opportunity to change your bid. Otherwise, you're now the new highest bidder! You can sit back and wait until the end of the auction. Meanwhile, if someone else outbids you, eBay will notify you by email, and you can revise your bid.

Sounds like a fun shopping experience, doesn't it? Well, if you're ready, it's time to jump into the eBay.

Visit Shop Ebay to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer, visit his website at Website

Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links live.