11 Ways To Find Products To Sell On eBay

By Tim Knox

I was part of an eBay Roundtable discussion recently with six
other experts and we all agreed that the number one question most
new (and even old) eBay sellers ask is:

"Where do I find things to sell on eBay??"

To help answer that question I have compiled 10 ways that anyone
can use to find products to sell on eBay. This is by no means a
definitive list and depending on your situation, some of the ways may
not apply to you. However, if you're a beginner and don't know where
to start, this list should help you get on track.

1. Look Around The House:

We all have items lying around the house that we no longer use or
need. Have you grown or shrunk in size? If so, you have clothes
you can no longer wear and can sell. Did you get a gift for
Christmas or your birthday that you will never use? If so, slap
it on eBay (just don't let the person who gave you the gift find
out). Do your kids have toys they no longer play with? Just
looking around your house and garage should give you plenty of
things to get your eBay ball rolling.

2. Garage Sales and Flea Markets:

When it comes to eBay, remember this old adage: One man's junk is
another man's treasure. Now this is not to say that you should
sell junk on eBay. You should only sell products in good
condition. The point is you can find items in good condition at
garage sales and flea markets that you can pick up cheap and
resell for a profit. Remember, nobody wants to buy your old
Beanie Babies that no longer have eyes and noses, but they may
buy "gently used" items if they're in good shape and offered at a
good price.

3. Talk To Your Friends and Relatives:

After you've gone through your own in-house inventory, contact
your friends and relatives and tell them you have started an eBay
business and will sell their items for a piece of the sales
price. Chances are they have as much excess stuff lying around
their house as you did. Offer to list the items for them and if
they sell, take half the profits. You will probably have to pay
the eBay fees out of your pocket up front, but you can then
deduct the eBay fees from the sales price before slicing up the
pie.

4. Consignment Sales:

Consignment sales are a great way to find a wide range of
products to sell on eBay. Consignment selling means that you
offer to sell an item that belongs to a company. In exchange for
your trouble you get a percentage of the sales price. You can
charge up to 50% plus fees for smaller items like clothing,
lamps, jewelry, etc. and around 15% for larger items like cars,
boats, and bulldozers (yes, I said bulldozers).

Contact every business in town and offer to list their excess
goods on eBay for a piece of the action. Most businesses have
returned items, liquidated products, used equipment, etc. that
they would love to get rid of, but don't have the time to do so.
Many will see you as their hero if you can help them get rid of
this merchandise and you'll make a pretty profit for your
efforts. For business customers you should have them pay the eBay
fees on the front end, not you.

5. Thrift Stores:

Thrift stores are an excellent place to look for things to sell
online. Stores maintained by the Salvation Army and non-profit%

Tim Knox - Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker

Tim Knox is a nationally-known small business expert who writes and
speaks
frequently on the topic.

For more information or to contact Tim please visit one of his sites
below:

http://www.dropshipwholesale.net

http://www.smallbusinessqa.com

http://www.timknox.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Knox

How To Make Money On Ebay By Buying
By Dan Lim

Most people think you got to sell on ebay in order to make money. However, there are other ways to make money on ebay other than selling. One secret way is buying. What do I mean? Read on.

That secret method is called ebay arbitrage.

The term arbitrage has been around for a long time. It is a technique used in the stock market by large players who search (with powerful computers in real time) for price discrepancies from one market to another. For example if they see dealers in London trading IBM stock at 1/8th pt lower than in New York, even if it's only for a few seconds, they'll grab it at the lower price and sell it in New York where they'll make an 1/8th pt profit.

So how does that apply to Ebay?

The strategy is buying low in one central Internet market and selling in another more active market for a premium.

Ebay is a huge marketplace, and even though it's centrally located (in cyberspace) it is still a relatively 'inefficient' marketplace. There are several reasons for this : availability of detailed market information available to the participants being one, but the more common reason being the seller doesn't know a thing about the item he or she is selling

Here's where you can benefit. If you have intimate knowledge of a particular market, you probably already have a rough idea of how much an item listed on ebay is worth.

For example, I'm a IT professional who deals with computers all day long therefore it is easy for me to spot bargains relating to desktops, laptops, computer software etc.

Now, there can be many spins on this. I could simply buy the item and resell on ebay for a profit or I could buy the item and sell it locally either in my neighborhood.

Also, I could always do it the reverse way. Buying locally and then selling it on ebay or other auction sites.

By now, you probably realize in order for you to do ebay arbitrage, you need to have expert knowledge on the particular market you are interested in selling.

So do your homework, check out the discussion boards, ask your friends or consult shop owners which sells the items you want to sell. If you want to make more money on ebay, you have to do some research, there's no easy way out.

Dan Lim is an avid ebay fanatic who has been quietly earning a comfortable living online. For more ebay selling secrets and strategies, visit bestnzb.com

Move Into the Top 1% of All eBay Sellers - Accepting the Best Payment Methods

By Adam Ginsberg

eBay is becoming a more competitive environment to make money these days. As such, there are certain things that you can do as an eBay seller to separate yourself and distance yourself from your competition.

As you set up your eBay selling systems, make the commitment to accept all methods of payment. If not, you’ll lose out on potential customers.

The following short list should be considered your preferred method of accepting payment on eBay:

1. PayPal

Paypal, owned by eBay, now has over 100 million members and is the most accepted payment method online. While some sellers don’t like the 3% PayPal fees – remember that 97% of something is better than 100% of nothing.

PayPal is simple (and free) to set up – you are only charged a fee when there is a transaction. PayPal makes it easy for every seller to accept credit cards safely online without the time and expense of setting up a typical merchant account.

Many people shop on eBay for convenience. PayPal provides the simples and most convenient way for a buyer to pay. You can register for a free PayPal account at: http://www.paypal.com

2. Money Order or Personal Check

Some sellers don’t like accepting a personal check for fear of the check bouncing. 99.9% of all checks are good. As long as you follow the basic strategy of not shipping your item until the check clears you have nothing to lose – even if the check is not good.

Remember that there are some buyers who don’t have a credit card. If you make them go to the bank to get a money order, they may simply buy from someone else who takes a personal check.

I would suggest NOT taking checks from International Buyers as it simply takes too long for the check to clear. Reminder: In your payment terms in your auction, you’ll need to disclose your payment policies – and be sure to specify whether you’ll accept a personal check or money order from an International Seller.

3. Cash

While it’s not the best method of payment, some eBay sellers do accept cash payments. It’s not likely that a buyer will send you cash for their purchase.

4. Escrow

For a high-ticket item (car, real estate, jewelry, etc.) escrow is a safe and secure way to accept payment for the simple reason that the escrow service will guarantee full protection prior the close of the transaction. NOTE: With escrow, the seller has to wait for the confirmation that the buyer has received the merchandise prior to receiving payment.

Safe Payments Policy

Recently, eBay instituted a “Safe Payments Policy” in an effort to continue the safe and secure transactions on their site. eBay evaluates various payment methods to insure that transactions are safe within the eBay marketplace.

As such, their recent policy states that sellers may accept the following methods of payment:

-PayPal

-Direct Credit Cards (for those sellers with a merchant account)

-Bank Wire Transfers

-Personal Checks, Money Orders, Cashier’s Checks and Certified Checks

Not permitted on eBay.com: Sellers may not solicit buyers to mail cash. Sellers may not ask buyers to send cash through instant cash transfer services (non-bank, point-to-point cash transfers) such as Western Union or Moneygram. Sellers may not ask buyers to pay with Stormpay, Greenzap.com or e-gold payments. Finally, sellers may not request payment through online payment methods not specifically permitted in this eBay policy.

About Adam

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

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

Discover The eBay Opportunity That Will Make Money

By Chris Faux

If you just take a first glance on numerous eBay business opportunities website, you may feel that it’s too big, complicated and confusing. You might even think that only Internet professionals or Internet veterans can figure its complexities and find an eBay business opportunity. This is pure speculation.

If you take advantage of an eBay business opportunity, you’ll come to realize that even Internet amateurs can easily learn and succeed. In fact, every eBay business opportunity is conceived out of resourcefulness and not out of internet intricacy. People with just about any Internet skill level can earn really large profits just by taking time to find the right eBay business opportunity.

EBay is constantly growing and improving. Endless changes are being implemented. For every improvement on an existing eBay business opportunity or newly introduced scheme, the basics are always defined. You will come to find that it’s fairly easy and relatively simple. What’s more, you don’t have to take tremendous risks in trying out any type of eBay business opportunity, whether as seller or buyer.

It is understandable why the eBay business opportunity is always sought after by many people all over the globe. There is always a chance of succeeding and earning great profits with less risk and cost involved.

The attractive aspect of this eBay opportunity is that an entrepreneur does not need to be the high bidder when buying an eBay franchise. The ultimate of latest eBay opportunities, eBay franchises offer very low startup costs given the potential. The eBay opportunities in franchising are embodied by the drop-off centers.

EBay drop-off centers are the most popular auxiliary eBay businesses. eBay’s very nature is to attract high percentage of people, everyday and get them interested in selling items online. This is the core and basic principle of eBay opportunities.

Not all people have the adequate knowledge or the time necessary to market their products on their own. While they may be interested in taking advantage of eBay opportunities and sell products, they can’t commit concentration.

EBay opportunities makes it possible for you not to miss out on anything! Here’s where eBay drop-off centers come into the picture: Instead of doing the marketing & sale on your own, you can bring their stuff to the drop-off center. Here, trained staff does the marketing for you. The drop-off center profits by taking a certain percentage of the final sales price. Drop-off centers make it possible for you to get profits, even without your physical involvement in the rudiments of eBay selling.

Let’s say you received an order for an item that will cost you a lot for shipping and needs some kind of equipment in order to be safely shipped. Here’s an e-mail pattern guaranteed to get you practical responses.

“I’m emailing you to ask if you’d be interested in getting a mouse or keyboard for the computer you are buying from. Please know that I can throw in any accessory that you may want along with the computer without any additional charge in the shipping expenses. But if you’re not interested, then don’t worry about it. I just thought I might help in any way.”

The “I could throw in…” part of the message is actually one of your eBay opportunities’ leads with the hope of creating an extra sale. Still, its main motive is subtly hidden due to the informal way the letter is written and the off-handed way of asking.

An unsuspecting customer would be highly flattered and thankful of your ‘suggestions’ and initiative to contact. In the eBay business, a grateful and trusting buyer brings about positive eBay opportunities. You gain assurance that he’ll become a constant customer and get other buyers he knows to buy from you.

To get even more tips on how to sell on ebay visit

eBay articles.

Get your hands on the free 5 part e-course that will show you how to make money selling on ebay. Go now to

EBay Buying: How Poor Spelling Delivers Great Bargains

By Keith Longmire

If you ever want to sell anything on Ebay Auctions make sure you take the time to read the excellent guidance published by Ebay itself.

Fairly high up the list is the pretty commonsense idea that, before you commit to posting your advertisement, you spell check it thoroughly.

Commonsense?

You’d certainly be forgiven for thinking so. But strangely, many people choose to ignore it.

The great news for you, as a street wise ebay buyer, is that this inattention to detail can be source of some incredible bargains.

How so?

Well let’s imagine you want to buy an Armani suit. Chances are you are going to spell Armani correctly. In fact, the chances are most people searching for Armani will use the correct spelling. As Armani is a very famous and popular brand there will be lots of people viewing each of the suits on offer on EBay. Competition will be tight. Prices will be high.

Now a little time ago I had a ferret around on EBay. I found the following spellings for Armani (not all for suits):

Amani

Amarni

Amarne

Armane

Armanie

I am sure if I had spent a little more time that I would have found many more spelling variations.

So what?

Well if most people looking to buy Armani products use the correct spelling, yet sellers occasionally get their spelling wrong, it stands to reason that the auctions using the mis-spelt versions will get fewer visitors. Fewer visitors mean less competition. And, all things being equal, fewer visitors mean lower prices.

Finding mis-spelt words is easy. You can take the easy but time consuming option of just trying a few variations for yourself. To get started this is almost certainly the best option.

However, it’s not true to say there are always bargains hidden in mis-spelt words. Searching out the tastiest morsels would require patience and persistence. Not surprisingly therefore, there are a number of software packages that search out the mis-spellings for you. As you get more advanced you will certainly want to check out one or 2 packages with this feature.

Anyone for Gucci, Guichi, Guiggi,…?

Keith Longmire is extremely enthusiastic about EBay Buying. He has collated his research on his Ebay Buying Blog

Problems Selling On eBay?

By Tony Newton

eBay provides internet users with an online flea market where buyers and sellers from around the world meet to conduct trade.

However, like most traders who are faced with an innovation of this sort, the first question will always be: It is safe?

The answer is yes, but devious scammers are daily plotting means to take advantage of eBay’s power to forward their dastardly schemes.

The user’s recourse…information and meticulous care in dealing on eBay. Only then can he be less vulnerable to the scammer.

The common consensus is that bidders are often scammed by sellers. But it is possible for things to be the other way around.

Here is a list of the common problems sellers encounter and the means to handle them.

Fake Escrow Services

A winning bidder may request that an escrow service be used to assure both parties of a fair transaction.

Unfortunately, the seller is sometimes duped into using a fake escrow system.

To avoid such, the seller must always verify the authenticity of an escrow service. eBay recommends the use of escrow.com.

If the bidder insists on his or her escrow service, chances are, that person is a scammer.

Victims of such find it difficult to reclaim their items. They may, however, appeal to the legal means afforded by the state they live in.

They must also contact eBay regarding the matter for any assistance they may offer at that juncture.

Deadbeat Bidders

Deadbeat bidders (a winning bidder who doesn’t pay for an item at the auction’s close) are more common on eBay.

If the winner of your auction does not pay, you may leave that person a negative feedback.

As for the listing fees the seller shells out, eBay lays out a four step procedure sellers can use to potentially recover lost selling fees.

If the sellers complete the process to eBay’s satisfaction, they will receive a Final Value Fee credit and a relist credit.

Filing an Unpaid Item dispute is the first step toward eBay reimbursing those fees. One can report an unpaid item up to 45 days after an auction’s close.

Trade Dispute

This occurs when the seller and bidder disagree on some terms of the sale. This may also happen if there is a purported violation of any of these agreements.

If communication between both parties does not help, they may consider availing of a third-party dispute resolution outfit to help.

SquareTrade.com is one of these outfits eBay recommends.

Prevention is Better than Cure

A seller’s life may be made terrible because of the constant scamming attacks unscrupulous individuals undertake.

But, with proper information and care, he or she can continue trading on eBay with relative safety.

Discover how to list your pictures for fr-ee when creating your online auctions. Visit http://www.freeauctionpix.com for more details.

New Twist On An Old Scam

Virtually anyone with an email account eventually receives a message running one of the oldest scams in the book.
Often referred to as the "Nigerian Letter," this scam involves getting a message from someone in a foreign country claiming to need a way to get 21.5 million dollars out of the country (the first country used in this scam was Nigeria, hence the scam's name).

He knows that you "are a trust worthy individual" and if you'll just send him your bank account information he will deposit the money in your account and give you 15% of the deposit.
Of course, after you give up your banking information the scammer empties YOUR account.
Well a new scam has spawned to take advantage of one of the web's most successful and widespread activities - online auctions.
The scammer sends you an email offering to purchase an item you're selling through an online auction or in the classified section of your local paper.
They tell you a relative living in the area will pick up the goods, however, when the check arrives, it's made out for more than the agreed price (often thousands more).
The bidder asks you to refund the difference and keep a percentage for your "trouble."
Of course the check is forged and, if you refund the difference, you can kiss your money goodbye.
Moral of the story: free money is only free for the person who steals it from you!
~ The Coming Storm Over DVDs ~
If you thought Napster caused a stir over trading music and the illegal CD-ROMs people made on their computers, wait until everybody gets a DVD burner! The average price for an excellent DVD burner has dropped well below $400 and medium to low priced computers now include DVD burners as standard equipment.
The only thing holding back the avalanche of DVD copying seems to be the rather hefty cost of buying blank DVDs
With an average price of $1.50-2.00 each, blank DVDs cost far more than blank CDs, which run around 20 cents each.
But, if you look back about 6 years, blank CDs used to cost a dollar a piece, so it won't take long for the price of blank DVDs to drop.
When that price drop does come and every home with a computer can also duplicate full-length movies on DVD, watch for one of the biggest upheavals in the history of Hollywood.
It will make the music industry's crackdown on illegal music sharing look as mild as a 5 minute "time out" in the local pre-school class.
~ Yahoo! - Still King! ~
In a bid to capture even more of the world\s search engine traffic, search giant Yahoo! recently purchased the web's largest pay-per-click search engine, Overture.com.
In the process (and more importantly), since the commissions from pay-per-click advertising with Overture represent a major source of revenue for most of the other major search engines, Yahoo! Definitely holds the upper hand.
About The Author:
Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the co-author of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how to use free articles to quickly drive thousands of targeted visitors to your website or affiliate links...
Simple "Traffic Machine" brings Thousands of NEW visitors to your website for weeks, even months... without spending a dime on advertising! http://www.turnwordsintotraffic.com

Auction Sales - Keeping Customers You Worked So Hard To Get!

by Steven Woodward

If you've studied business concepts you know that finding a customer can be the most expensive part of the sales process.
Once you've got a customer why not maximize the money you've already invested in the effort? This time honoured business concept certainly falls under the category of going the extra mile for a customer.

Assuming your product, customer service, packaging and shipping all work together to create a positive feedback posting, here are a few simple ideas companies have been utilizing for years to help them stand out from the crowd and maximize the return on sales dollars:
A personalized thank you
A drop in
A thank you gift
Personalized Thank You
Every package you send to a customer should include a personalized thank you letter. Personalized means there is a salutary greeting such as "Dear Customer Name" and your personalized signature.
Why personalized? Ever hear the old sales adage, "Don't sell the product - sell the person?" It's taught to sales professionals because it works. A friendly thank you note near the end of a good transaction (more on this later) reminds the buyer they are thought of as a person, not just another sale or number.
A personalized touch in today\'s impersonal marketplace is very refreshing. The body copy of the note or letter is certainly up you but should be as specific to the transaction as possible (if you also include a packing slip/invoice the letter can be a little more generic).
The goal of the note is to let the customer know they, and the sale, are important to you. Here's a short example:
Dear (Customer Name)
I just wanted to personally thank you for your winning bid on our (product name), Item #11111111111, enclosed.
Our customers are very important to us. We realize you have a choice in selecting who you buy from and we greatly appreciate your business - now and in future.
Sincerely, (Your Signature)
Drop-ins and gifts
A drop-in or gift provide extra chances to say thank you, create customer loyalty, increase future sales, and maximize your return on the investment of finding your customers.
As an example let\'s say you\'re selling pet supplies. For a few pennies each you can have refrigerator magnets printed like business cards that include your company name, email, eBay store, or website address. They can be as simple or complex as you can afford but only need to include something like: Acme Pet Supplies (Your company name) For All Your Pet\'s Needs (A marketing line is a good idea) Your Website Address (Either a link to your website or auctions) Other inexpensive drop-ins and gifts could be something as simple as a business card, a sales sheet listing all the product types you carry, a gift certificate (to be used on your e-commerce website) for a future purchase, or an offer for your free newsletter.
If you\'re selling kitchen products you could include your favourite recipe, or if you’re selling poker supplies - a print out of the best starting hands might be nice.
Closing the Sales Cycle
Do you remember my comment earlier when I mentioned "near the end of a good transaction"? If you consider sending the product (with a thank you note, drop-in or gift) the end of the sales process you are missing another great opportunity to increase sales and improve you customer relations.
Don’t consider the sales process completed until you send your valued customer one more email. About a week or ten days after shipping the product, send a follow-up email such as: Dear Customer Name (again, make it as personal as possible): Just wanted to follow up on our transaction and make sure everything went smoothly for you. We trust everything went well but if you had any problems please let us know. We are always looking for ways to improve our service and your input is very important to us. We will post positive feedback for you and hope you'll do the same for us. We look forward to doing business with you again in the future. Thanks again, Your Name
(Suggestion: To avoid spam filters, in the subject line of your email include the eBay or auction item name and number)
Are the efforts to include a note, a drop-in, a gift, and do follow-ups a little more work and expense? Of course, but with the aid of simple automation packages on your computer the follow-ups can be somewhat automated and the drop-in or gift will help you create a returning customer.
Copyright 2005 Steven Woodward All Rights Reserved
About the Author: Steven Woodward is the owner, editor and publisher of the Auction Sellers Network (ASN); a web site for individuals and companies who are serious about utilizing the online auction marketplace for their business. In addition to topical articles, ASN provides an extensive resource center, news feeds, member forums and classified ads.
For more information or to become a member visit http://www.AuctionSellersNetwork.com.

How To Become An Ebay Power Bidder

by Mario Giordani
The two most important things about bidding on Ebay are:
a) Avoid Getting ripped off!
b) Avoid Paying more than you should!
The difference between smart buyers and average buyers is information!

Every day a lot of people purchase overpriced items on Ebay due to lack of information. For example, how would you like to pay $100 for a widget that you could have gotten for $10 or even free?
Most Ebay information available is directed towards helping sellers make a profit instead of showing buyers how to save money, yet without bidders, Ebay would be useless.
Ebay is just too big to focus on everything that can be sold there but as a general rule, if you’re just buying generic products, you may first want to verify the best price for the products being offered at the auction. Good places to start are MySimon.com or http://shopping.yahoo.com/ and if you are buying computer parts, I suggest you also check prices with a company called TigerDirect.com. The idea here is to verify prices before you bid on anything. Sometimes what seems to be a good deal may actually be pretty close or even more than average retail prices. While price is important, take into consideration things such as manufacturers warranties, refunds and returns, options that you may not get with an Ebay auction.
Ebay also offers you a completed auction search option where you can determine what a particular type of product has been selling for or simply look at the seller’s recently sold items to see what other bidders have paid for them.
Before you do any bidding, consider the seller’s feedback both as a buyer and as a seller. Draw the line somewhere as to how many feedback counts you will require to feel comfortable with doing business with a particular seller I personally draw the line at 20. If a seller has less than 20 seller side positive feedbacks in the last 6 months, I just pass. But that’s just me. You need to use your own criteria on this. If the seller has been buying a lot of $1 items to gather positive feedback and then turns around and tries to sell something for $300, I get suspicious. The idea is to look for stability and a good track record, after all you are sending money to someone you’ve never met before.
Buying an expensive item? Minimize your risks. You can always spend a little money and learn more about a seller’s background at https://www.peopledata.com/
Another suggestion is to type in the seller’s name or business name into Google to see what comes up. This is particularly useful outside Ebay also. For example, if you get an email offer that sounds interesting, you can do a search under +scam +offer and see what comes up. Long time ago, I received an email offer stating I had just won $2.5 Million dollars, wow. Nice. Obviously I deemed this offer to be a scam so I just typed in the companies name into the Google search bar and voila, there were fraud alerts everywhere!
In the event that you’ve been ripped off so to speak, you can take advantage of Ebay’s $200 (-$25 deductible) fraud insurance. Check with Ebay for more details. The following are other resources you can use, keeping in mind that they may or may not do something about your case:
1. http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/complaint.htm
2. http://fraud.org
3. http://bbb.org
I have a lot more information about bidding on Ebay on my upcoming e-book but for now, let’s just use turnkey web sites, for illustration and look at some rules to help you avoid being taken by an unscrupulous Ebay seller. Be skeptical of auctions that have Private ID bids. What does Ebay say about Private ID auctions? When I read Ebay’s policy I interpreted it as a method to protect the privacy of bidders. It reads:
Please don't make your auction private unless you have a specific reason, such as potential embarrassment for bidders and the buyer.
http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/private.html
Ask yourself:
What could be embarrassing about this auction I am bidding on?
I believe that in cases where a buyer is bidding on adult items, for example, he or she may want to remain anonymous. Another reason for a private ID auction could be the sale of a physical business where the seller wants to keep things confidential.
But when an auction is for a non-adult web site or an e-book, etc., it’s hard to imagine why all bidders should be privy to the seller only because of potential embarrassment as stated on Ebay’s Private ID policy.
It’s easy to see instances where Private ID auctions can be abused. For example, someone could easily have 1) multiple Ebay accounts or 2) have bidding friends. If a person has another account on Ebay they can bid, conceivably, on their own auctions. This is called shill bidding and Ebay has a policy against this type of unethical practice. However, if a different account bids on an item that happens to belong to the seller, they can artificially drive prices up thus making you think you are competing against another live bidder somewhere in the system.
Power Buyers Tip: Bid late and one time Only! Don’t get into bidding wars. Find out first if the item you want may be found elsewhere and cheaper, is fairly priced or if it is listed by another seller. If it’s not a must-have, move on.
The Private ID option, can be unethically used to fool unsuspecting bidders into thinking other people are actually bidding on the item you want. When the auction is over, you will have no bid history to evaluate who you were bidding against. Even if you didn’t bid at all, you won’t be able to contact the winning bidder to see if he is satisfied with his purchase. The majority of people, especially people who are new to Ebay, usually have no idea this could happen. I see these types of auctions on Ebay every week.
Whether the fake bidder pays for the item or not, it is between him and the seller, who sometimes happens to be the same person! Ebay prohibits interaction between one or more accounts belonging to the same seller as far as bidding is concerned to avoid the possibility of shill bidding.
About the author: Mario Giordani has been marketing online since 1993. He\'s a web site designer and Internet marketing consultant. He manages over 40 websites that include a variety of affiliate programs. He resides in Salt Lake City, Utah. He can be contacted at mario@registerwire.net. http://registerwire.net.

Getting The Most From Your eBay Store

By James J. Patriarca

PRICING ITEMS:

How much profit you want to make is entirely up to you. Depending on what you sell, if your products are priced too low you’ll be working for peanuts, price it too high and you won’t be selling any.

You need to factor in all the individual line item costs before you set your retail price. The eBay final value fees and PayPal fees are the most obvious. eBay does not include shipping costs when they calculate the final value fee while PayPal does plus a small transaction fee.

Other fees include auction, buy it now, store inventory and those for additional pictures as well as any optional listing features.

You must also consider the cost of your shipping material. At the Laundry Bag Store Online we know the exact weight of each item down to the printed invoice. By knowing the exact weight of each item including the shipping material, you can tell if a buyer is being truthful if they claim that an item was not included with their order since the shipping weight is printed on the postal receipt.

Some sellers set up their listing to use the shipping calculators while others use the flat rate option. It may boil down to a matter of choice, but on some items one be better to use than the other and sometimes the calculator is unavailable which can result in a lost sale. Stores with a large volume of products should use the calculator.

Keep in mind that savvy buyers know if they are being overcharged for shipping. Don’t risk losing a repeat customer by overcharging for shipping.

GUARANTEE:

Just what is your guarantee? Your guarantee and any store policies should be clear and well defined. Wishy-washy policies are sure to confuse your buyers. Work with your buyers. Consider bending the rules for a valued customer or a large order if it will mean future business.

FEEDBACK:

Open any business and you automatically have a reputation. It is within your power to create a good reputation or a bad one. For eBay sellers and buyers your feedback page is your reputation and is one of the most widely viewed pages.

Trying to keep a 100% positive feedback is the ultimate goal. However, there are some things that may be beyond your control, for instance, a buyer may have had a bad day and decided to take their frustration out on you.

Still certain buyers may have their email accounts set up to block spam, AOL and hotmail accounts are notorious for this. Avoid including any links, pictures, attachments and/or HTML code in any emails sent to these accounts.

If you need to contact a buyer with an AOL or hotmail email address, first send a basic text only email to let them know you are contacting them and then follow it up with an email that contains HTML.

Lapse a store policy if it could mean the difference between getting positive feedback and negative feedback.

If an item is out of stock, email the buyer as soon as possible. Include an estimated shipping date.

SHIPPING:

Some sellers use UPS while others use the USPS. The Laundry Bag Store Online uses the USPS so these tips are based on shipping with the USPS. Some of the information you may already be aware of.

The USPS offers several types of free shipping boxes, mailers and envelopes. However, some of these can add extra weight and thus add extra cost to your shipping. Aside from using postal rate calculators you can print or ask your local post office for Notice 123, rate fold. The notice includes all the current postal rates. You will also need a postal zone chart.

13.1 oz. is where First Class postal rates ends and Priority Mail or Parcel Post rates begin up to 70 lbs. The cost of shipping most items Priority Mail vs. Parcel Post is small and can be the difference between getting positive feedback or negative feedback, a satisfied customer or a dissatisfied customer.

Depending on the weight and size, some items may be best shipped via Parcel Post instead of Priority Mail. The saving amount between Priority Mail and Parcel Post increases significantly as the weight increases and you can pass this saving on to your buyer.

Shipping Parcel Post takes a few days longer so make sure your buyer is willing to accept the delay. However, keep in mind that there are specific guidelines when shipping packages via Parcel Post. Notice 123 and the USPS web site lists all the required criteria.

Another shipping option offered by the USPS is Priority Mail Flat Rate. You can ship to any US destination regardless of weight for a specific cost. The post office offers free flat rate boxes in two sizes as well as a flat rate envelope.

If you buy your own shipping boxes the size of the box may exceed the USPS shipping limits and you may have to pay additional shipping. The combined length and girth of a piece (the length of its longest side plus the distance around its thickest part) may not exceed 108 inches.

However, to be safe in most cases the combined length and girth should not exceed 84 inches. The formula is simple. It is 2x the height + 2x the width + the length. For example, a box measuring 24” L x 12” H x 16” W is 80 inches. (24H+32W+24L)

Self adhesive poly bags come in various sizes and are extremely durable. These may provide an inexpensive way of shipping certain items and may even save your some money on shipping if you are including it in the sale price.

If you print your own shipping labels on an ink jet printer, tape over the entire label covering the ship to and return address. The ink will run if it comes in contact with any water making the label illegible.

INSURANCE AND CONFIRMATION:

Depending on the retail cost of your products, insuring shipments is always a wise choice. If you ship via UPS then your packages up to $100 in value are insured for free. USPS insurance is extra. For USPS online and APC you can insure packages up to $500, over $500 requires a trip to the post office.

The USPS refers to tracking as delivery confirmation. There is standard confirmation and signature confirmation. You should use signature confirmation for shipping expensive purchases and standard for the others. Insured shipments over $50.00 require a signature anyway so signature confirmation may be redundant. When you do ship with confirmation or insurance the counter person will give you a green receipt for confirmation and a blue receipt for insurance. On each is a section to write the name of the buyer.

APC MACHINES:

In the lobby of certain post offices is an automatic postal machine. These can speed up shipping significantly. The machine is easy to use and walks you through the shipping process. However the system and the current version of the software have a few drawbacks. Sometimes the package drum is full. Make sure you can open the drum before you start shipping. Don’t ship any fragile items or they could get damaged when other packages are inserted on top of them.

The machine is capable of confirmation or insurance but not both. You can ship a flat rate envelope but not a flat rate box. You can’t ship to an APO.

It can print two sizes of labels, a large and a small. If you plan on using the large label make sure you leave enough room on your package for it. Use this label if you plan on adding insurance or confirmation.

Since you have to type in the destination zip code make sure you double check it before printing the label.

You can pay with a debit or credit card but not cash. When you use a debit card it requires you to make separate payments for each package, thus separate receipts. Credit card transactions are printed on one receipt. When you add confirmation to a package the tracking number is printed on the receipt as well as destination zip code.

eBay TOOLS:

Thee are many free and fee based seller tools available from eBay. Some of the more common ones include Selling Manager, Turbo Lister, Andale Counters, Picture Manager and Sales Reports Plus.

However, another great tool is Omniture’s Site Catalyst. It provides detailed reports on your site’s traffic. Some of the stats include: the most often viewed pages and listing, the web sites and search term keywords that generated the most visitors and the path reports will show you exactly how they navigated to and through your store.

PROMOTING YOUR STORE:

There are several things you can do to promote your site. However, your site must be pleasing in design. You store listings should be consistent. Choose the same font size, and colors for each listing. Avoid the cute graphics and the rainbow text. This is one of the benefits of using Turbo Lister.

Utilize your storefront’s real estate to offer sale items, special offers, your guarantee, and even shipping information. Put items in both auctions and buy it now. Use the subtitle to mention your store or key features about your product. Add a link in your listings to your store or other products. By reviewing the stats recorded by Omniture’s Site Catalyst, you’ll know exactly which items and pages are generating results.

That being said, getting a steady flow of visitors to your store is really the hard part. If you sell a hot item you’ll get plenty of traffic but also have fierce competition and if you sell a niche market item you’ll have to go out and get your traffic.

You may have read our guide on RSS FEEDS (available on our eBay about me page), if not, you should check it out. RSS feeds provide an easy way of getting your products listed throughout the Internet.

Another way of getting traffic is to list your store in ListMyStore. It is free to join and is exclusively for eBay stores. A sponsored listing is very inexpensive.

A link is available at the top of the Laundry Bag Store Online Home Page and also in our About Me page.

Advertising your site with Google AdWords and Yahoo Sponsored Search are two possibilities.

A link directory is certainly a popular way of generating traffic but usually requires a reciprocal link so your options may be limited. However, search with Google or Yahoo for a free links directory.

Be sure to test your link before you submit it and write your stores description ahead of time. Link directories allow only a certain number of characters in the description so make sure you get your best pitch up front.

If you have a non-eBay site like we do you can use that to drive traffic to your store. Did you know that eBay will give you a store referral credit off the final value fee if someone buys your item through a link outside of eBay? Search on “store referral credit” in eBay help for more information on how to set this up.

Join some forums outside of eBay. You won’t be able to spam your store but you can set up your signature with your store’s link.

Create landing pages. There are tons of free web hosts that you can use. If you don’t know HTML you can use one of the free web host’s templates. It would be advantageous to learn both basic HTML and then Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in that order. Pick up a book on both at the local library.

The areas you should know something about are the HTML Meta tags for title, description and search terms (keywords). If you can learn how to code HTML tables and the anchor and image tags you’ll be able to modify your store’s home page and listings at will.

If you sell different products you could make a landing page for each and even add a link exchange directory.

Press releases are great way to promote your Store. However, it can’t be an advertisement but should be a newsworthy story. The Laundry Bag Store Online sends out press releases on an ongoing basis and these show up in the Search Engines rather quickly as well in RSS feeds.

If you have a verified PayPal account list your store in PayPal shops and then submit an application to have your store considered for a PayPal “featured shop”.

Driving traffic to your store is an ongoing effort. Use the Omniture traffic stats to monitor exactly where traffic is coming from. Experiment with different ads, offers and descriptions to increase sales.

As you can see there are many aspects of operating an online store. If you do your homework you’ll have success.

Best Regards,

Laundry Bag Store Online eBay

Laundry Bag Store Online Web Site

Learning How To Be Successful At Selling On eBay

By Stuart Perryman
As you might have already noticed there's more to selling on eBay and the various other auction sites than just posting an auction and waiting for the money to arrive. You only need to to look at the many many eBay items that go unsold every day. This article will help you learn to successfully sell on eBay and other auction sites by examining the different skills to you need to learn to be successful. We will use combined experience of many eBay sellers with years of success and we will list here many pointers and tools that will help you join their ranks.

Sell something you know and care about.

The to be very successful on eBay requires more than just following a few steps. The above average sellers more than just anonymously listing a few items for sale. The top sellers reflect a portion of themselves in each item they list. This helps put aside any uncertainties a buyer might have purchasing from a complete stranger. Thus the first lesson in becoming a top of eBay seller is to learn how to put to that little something of yourself into your auction listings.

Research, what the buyers in your field of interest are looking for.

What is the main difference between eBay sellers who sell, and those who run up bills listing items that they don't get rid of? Those who are stuck with their stock look for items to sell that they want to sell, those who are very successful at selling looks items to sell that people want to buy!

Research is absolutely critical to being successful on eBay. You should utilise the Internet to its full extent to find the information necessary pertaining as to which heightens will be the best sellers. Good sources for finding this information are eBay itself, and the various forums dedicated to eBay buyers and sellers.

Make sure what you know how to meet your eBay buyers' needs

You will need to learn how to obtain your products, be it through wholesalers or importers or other means. How to deliver your products, be it self delivery, out sourced delivery or drop shipping. Keep in mind the extra costs involved with the various forms of purchase and delivery.

Design your auctions to build relationships with your eBay buyers

Buyers would prefer to spend their money when they feel comfortable with the seller. You should therefore build up good relationships not only with your current customers that with any potential customers looking at your listings. Keep in mind that eBay keeps track your customer satisfaction through the feedback system. It is imperative that you build up an excellent feedback score.

Promote your auctions to attract new buyers

You should learn how to promote your products on eBay through use of the inbuilt tools such as eBay stores, membership profiles and cross-referencing of various listings.

By following these pointers you will improve your selling results in no time at all. It's all a matter of discipline and being realistic and with oneself.

Stuart Perryman
Tips for selling on eBay
http://ebay.alluneedtoknow.info