eBay-Basics-Course

If you are a wanting to become a serious eBay seller and work full-time at it then invest in some eBay analysis/ data-mining software such as :-

Terapeak ---http://www.terapeak.com
DeepAnalysis TM by Hammer Tap----http://hammeertap.com


Before subscribing to this software, make sure it meets you specific requirements and works with the appropriate geographical database/s----Michelle Jansen

# posted by benkhoo @ 9:59 PM

“Profits are made when you buy something, not when you sell it. In order to insure a profit, you must pay 405 or less of the expected sales price”---Terry Gibbs


“Make sure your winners are actually winning something from you in terms of service and product. Then everyone wins”---Thalia Miller


“Most people will never win, because they never lose. Humans grow and succeed by making mistakes and learning from them”—Mike Enos

# posted by benkhoo @ 9:58 PM

Don’t be so quick to give up. Most items do not sell the first time on eBay and if you give up after one failed auction, you are doing yourself an injustice.

Perseverance is the key to long term business success.

If an item doesn’t sell, don’t give up !

Try something new. Change your product, change your price, change your ad copy, change your shipping terms, etc.

Each little change might bring about big results.

Change your strategy, but Don’t Change Your Mind !


This article contributes by Auction mommies- Tim Knox

# posted by benkhoo @ 5:29 PM

One of the best tips that I can give sellers is:-

Relist your product every day. Most people will wait until your auction is near the end before they will buy.

If you have an auction that ends everyday, you can create a constant stream of sales .

This article contributes by Auction mommies- Todd Reese

# posted by benkhoo @ 5:26 PM

Create a mini story in your descriptions to make your product stand out.

When you are trying to sell on eBay make sure that your description makes the products sound exciting by creating a story or showcase a situation on what makes the product you are selling more special then anyone else’s.

People are more likely to bid or buy your product if they can relate to why they will absolutely need your product vs. someone else’s.

I know many people believe in just giving a lot of detailed descriptions or giving features of the product and that is great but it’s not exciting as reading a story or describe a situation so that people can relate on why they might need your product..

It does not matter whether you are selling a book, video, antique, camera or whatever you want your product to STAND OUT from others, even if they are selling the exact same product.

When you learn to create mini stories as well as descriptions of your products, not only will you sell a lot more, but you will get a higher bid amounts.

This article contributes by Auction mommies- Terrance Smith

# posted by benkhoo @ 4:41 AM

There are so many people today who want to make lots of money on eBay. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s great. Ambition is a very powerful force and one to be appreciated. However, anyone who wants to make a lot of money has to become a professional marketer, as suppose to an amateur.

There are two skills that you must have if you want to be a professional Marketer.

1)You have to do your home work :
You have to determine:-

If there is demand and How much competition you have,before you get into anything.

I spend a lot of time doing market research before I get into any opportunity whatsoever. I only want to play games that I can win. People, who jump into eBay hoping and praying that somehow they’ll get lucky , are amateurs.

2)You must test :
There’s only one way to improve your business and that is to make changes based on what is actually happening. We as human beings have a great capacity for deceiving ourselves. We must get accurate feedback on what is actually going on and the only way to get that is to test.

If you’ll focus on mastering these two skills you’ll have a good change of chieving your ambitions on eBay no matter what they are.


This article contributes by Auction mommies- Sydney Johnston

# posted by benkhoo @ 4:18 AM

Merry Christmas To All Of You !

Turn Your Inventory Over Often:-

How many times you can turn your inventory over is the key to making high profits.

Too many sellers get stuck with something that won’t sell at a profit and they keep re-listing and re-listing until some day it eventually sells.

In the meantime, they could have sold the dog at cost, and put the money into something that will turn over rapidly.

Rapid turnover and re-investing your money back into more products is one of the long-term keys to success on eBay.

This article contribute by Auction mommies- Skip Mcgrath

# posted by benkhoo @ 2:12 AM

Re-listing Strategies:-

Did your auction Fail ? No Bids, No Hits ? you can still re-list once for free.

Before you hit the re-list button lets look at what happened. Was the item over-priced ? Was it in the correct category ? Do you need a better headline or description ? Is there any demand for the product that you are selling ?

Since one re-listing is free, you should always take advantage of it. You can also revise your auction before it ends. If something has been up for a few days and is not getting any hits, try revising the title.

Here is another trick to reduce fees and get a longer auction:-

Start an auction for 3 days. eBay allows you to revise an auction if it has at least 12 hours left to run and has not received any bids. So 13 hours before the auction ends, hit the Revise Your Listing link and change the auction to a 5-day listing. If it still doesn’t get any bids after 4 days and 11 hours, do this again and go to 7 days. Now if it still doesn't sell, relist it once for free. This keeps your auction up for along time without any extra eBay fees.

This article contribute by Auction mommies- Skip Mcgrath

# posted by benkhoo @ 1:39 AM

Find a super HOT item that draws in lots of bidders and use it to bring traffic to a well-crafted eBay store stocked with items that are in constant supply

This article contribute by Auction mommies- Marjory Howes

# posted by benkhoo @ 1:34 AM

Before you sell anything on eBay, ALWAYS check the completed listings !

Search by the highest bid to see what others sold your item for. Look for which items got the most bids. Look at the successfully sold items and see which categories those sellers listed them in. Compare listing times and see who was more successful.

Learn from their mistakes and emulate their successful strategies. Then Find a way to do it better !

This article contribute by Auction mommies- Lisa Galasso

# posted by benkhoo @ 12:13 AM

Like everything else, the more you learn and put into practice, the more effective
You will be at what you do.

So study those people who are already successful on eBay, improve on what they do and the world will be your Oyster.

This article contribute by Auction mommies- Ian D. Major.

# posted by benkhoo @ 5:25 AM

Collectible books do especially well in eBay Stores. Research is showing an increasing number of collectible books with the highest closing prices sold from stores. Because eBay sellers can add as many photos and as much description as needed, you have a big advantage over other fixed price venues.

Another new strategy used by booksellers is the Best Office feature. You can list a collectible book at a very high price with a Best Offer feature. When offers come in you can decide if you want to accept them. In the meantime, you can get a good idea of the demand for the book by checking the traffic statistics that are provided for store sellers.

You do not need to run auctions to drive traffic to your eBay store because collectible books with fewer than twenty copies will show up in searches.

Fill your store and watch the sales roll in.

This article contribute by Auction mommies- Elaine Krieg Smith.

# posted by benkhoo @ 5:16 AM

Sell back-end products or services to your existing customers. The hardest part for any Business ( online or off ) is to convert that prospect into a customer. Once they’re a customer, and you treat them fair, it’s much easier to get additional sales.

So get setup with an auto-responder and begin utilizing the About Me page or your customer service emails to get your customers to register with you (provide their contact Info.) so that you can then communicate with them over and over again in the future for developing relationships and building your business.

This article contribute by Auction mommies--Dave Lovelace.

# posted by benkhoo @ 4:52 AM

When you're considering sniping an auction, do yourself a favor and bid in an odd amount like $20.03 or 446.53.

The majority of people tend to place their top bids at an even dollar amount--
by adding those few cents you greatly increase your chance of winning your item should someone else bid in your range.

This article contribute by Auction mommies--Barbara Ling.

# posted by benkhoo @ 2:34 AM

Whether you have a brick-n-mortar store, online business or eBay auction business....Providing Superior Customer Service is the single most cost effective way to make your business stand apart from the competition.

Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business, and turning customers into repeat customers is the ultimate business goal. As many of us are aware, it costs 5 times as much to bring in a new customer, than to keep an existing one.

So, what is the big secret to turning customers into repeat customers ?

There is no real secret to getting customers to come back. All you need to do is provide customer service that exceeds your customers expectations and outpeforms your competitors service.

This article contribute by Auction mommies--Donna Bovle and Kim Vaughn.

# posted by benkhoo @ 7:08 AM

Best Offer Feature

Best Offer is a feature available on Fixed Price format listings that allows buyers to make a price-based offer on item and if accepted, will close the listing immediately. Best Offer is available at no charge for buyers and sellers.

For sellers, listing an item using the Best Offer feature means:

• You offer items with a starting price.
  
• Buyers make offers when they visit the item listing.
  
• The buyer submits what she thinks is a best offer.
  
• The listing ends if you accept the Best Offer.

• Purchase items without waiting -if your Best Offer is accepted by the seller, the item closes right away
  
• No auction-style bidding.
  
• The buyer submits what she thinks is a best offer.
  
• Find items by clicking on the listing. You will see the Best Offer link (if accepted by the seller) directly below the buy-it-now button.
  
• Insertion and Final Value Fees for online auction format listings are based on the starting price and ending price of the item.
  

# posted by benkhoo @ 12:01 AM

How to request a user's information

To request a user’s contact information (phone number and address) just click on the Community button at the top of the eBay home page. Then click on the big “find a member” button. On the page that comes up next is a sidebar menu. Under Members click on the “Find Contact Information” hyperlink.

You will need to input the user id of the member and the item number that you have an ongoing or recent transaction with. Just keep in mind that both you and your bidder will each receive contact information for one another.

By doing this, the bidder know that you are serious. Also, a phone call placed before relisting an item, can get the item paid and on its way. For some reason, a personal phone call can get unpaid items paid !

# posted by benkhoo @ 1:07 AM

A User ID (also referred to as a Member ID) is the unique name members use to identify themselves on eBay. At registration, members should choose a User ID that they like and will remember. User IDs may not be profane, obscene or violate any eBay guidelines. Furthermore, User IDs may not be an email address or URL or represent an email address or URL. For more specific information and examples of what is and is not permissible – please review the Examples and Additional Information sections below.

Violations of this policy may result in a range of actions, including:

Listing cancellation

Limits on account privileges

Account suspension

Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings

Loss of PowerSeller status

# posted by benkhoo @ 1:15 AM

Want It Now is where buyers ask and sellers deliver.

It's a place where buyers can tell sellers exactly what they want to buy. Buyers go the :-

Want It Now Home page

# posted by benkhoo @ 12:37 AM

Buyers automatically enter into a legally binding contract to purchase the item from the seller if they win the online auction or use the Buy It Now feature. eBay's Unpaid Item policy requires buyers to pay the seller for the items that they commit to purchase.

Sellers can file an Unpaid Item dispute with eBay for each of their items that are purchased but not paid for. eBay will issue a strike on the account of the buyer who does not honor their obligation to pay (unless the buyer and seller mutually agree not to complete the transaction).

Note: If a buyer gets too many strikes in too short a time period, their account will be suspended indefinitely. In some cases, limits may be placed on the buyer’s account in advance of suspension.

# posted by benkhoo @ 1:08 AM

Saving a draft of An Unfinished Listing.

If you start to create a new listing in the Sell Your Item form, but you don't get to finish it, eBay will save it as a draft so that you can easily finish it later.

How it works:-
As you fill out the Sell Your Item form and click the Continue button at the bottom of a page, all the information you've entered so far is saved for you on eBay.

When you want to finish the listing, return to eBay and click on Sell at the top of any page. On the Sell page, click on the "Complete Your Listing" link. You can continue from where you left off in the Sell Your Item form.

# posted by benkhoo @ 1:01 AM

At PayPal, protecting your account's security is Paypal top priority. Recently, PayPal members have reported suspicious-looking emails and fake websites. These emails are not from PayPal and responding to them may put your account at risk. Please protect your PayPal account by paying close attention to the emails you receive and the websites you visit.

Please use the following tips to stay safe with PayPal:

Safe Log In: To log in to your PayPal account or access the PayPal website, open a new web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer or Netscape) and type in the following: https://www.paypal.com

Greeting: Emails from PayPal will address you by your first and last name or the business name associated with your PayPal account. Fraudulent emails often include the salutation "Dear PayPal User" or "Dear PayPal Member".

Email Attachments: PayPal emails will never ask you to download an attachment or a software program. Attachments contained in fraudulent emails often contain viruses that may harm your computer or compromise your PayPal account.
Request for Personal Information: If Paypal require information from you, they will notify you in an email and request that you enter the information only after you have safely and securely logged in to your PayPal account.

Often, fraudulent emails will request details such as your full name, account password, credit card number, bank account, PIN number, Social Security Number, or mother's maiden name.

If you think that you have received a fraudulent email (or fake website), please forward the email (or URL address) to spoof@paypal.com and then delete the email from your mailbox. Never click any links or attachments in a suspicious email.

# posted by benkhoo @ 2:10 PM

My Messages is the place for you to receive secure, relevant messages directly from eBay and other eBay members. All messages originate from eBay systems and are guaranteed to be authentic. If it affects your eBay account, it's in My Messages.

Through My Messages, eBay provides you with:-

Important alerts about your account that require your immediate attention.
Member-to-member communications (Ask a Question, Contact eBay Member, Second Chance Offer.)
Customer Support correspondence and replies.
Useful information about buying and selling.
News about upcoming activities, events, and product updates.
Copies of your seller invoices for listing and final value fees.
Policy changes and other special notices.

# posted by benkhoo @ 7:24 PM

Your account status is a running list of your seller's account activity and information, including fees, payments, refunds, fee credits, and your current balance.

All account activity falls into one of two categories—charges or credits.

Charges represent the money you owe eBay, including Insertion Fees and Final Value Fees. Charges are listed on your account status and your monthly invoice as negative numbers.

Credits represent fee reversals, outage credits, or payments. Credits are listed on your account status and your monthly invoice as positive numbers.

Note:
Only eBay sellers have an account status area, since eBay only charges fees for selling.

# posted by benkhoo @ 5:39 AM

eBay will remove feedback ratings and comments if they meet the standard for feedback abuse outlined in the ‘Additional Information’ section below. In addition, eBay offers members the opportunity to withdraw feedback ratings using Mutual Feedback Rating Withdrawal.

Members should use caution and good judgment when leaving feedback for another member of the eBay community, because:

Feedback cannot be edited or removed once it has been left. It generally becomes a permanent part of a member's eBay record and is viewable by the entire eBay community.

Members could be held legally responsible for damages to a member's reputation if a court were to find that the remarks constitute libel or defamation. Under federal law (the Communications Decency Act), because eBay does not censor feedback or investigate it for accuracy, eBay is not legally responsible for the remarks that members post, even if those remarks are defamatory. However, this law does not protect the person who leaves the feedback from responsibility for it.

Violations of this policy may result in a range of actions, including:

Listing cancellation

Limits on account privileges

Account suspension

Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings

Loss of PowerSeller status

Feedback removal

# posted by benkhoo @ 5:45 AM

As an eBay user, you're ultimately responsible for making sure that buying or selling your item(s) is legal in the eyes of the law.

Take these steps to find out if your item can be listed on eBay:

First, review eBay's listing policies. These guidelines will help you list items properly and understand what's allowed on eBay.

If you're still unsure about listing your particular item, look over the list below. These guidelines and policies are designed to help you trade safely on eBay.

# posted by benkhoo @ 6:11 AM

Avoiding Unpaid Items - tips for sellers :-

eBay's research has revealed that sellers can cut their Unpaid Item rates significantly by following a few simple tips:

Use Immediate Payments for fixed price listings and listings using the "Buy It Now" option.

# posted by benkhoo @ 6:03 AM

Your listing may be shown in several places on eBay at the same time, depending on whether you listed it in more than one category, chose to put it in the Gallery, and so forth. And, of course, it will also show up on a variety of search-results pages.

Type your item number into the Where Is an Item? form to see the places where your listing appears (other than search results). You can find your item number in your listing's confirmation email, on your My eBay page, or on the View Item page.

If you want to see your item as it appears in search results, simply search for relevant keywords. Or you can "Search by Seller" to find ALL the items you’ve listed.

Can’t find your item? Here are some tips:

When listing or relisting, your item will not be immediately searchable. To search for an item right after it’s listed, use the listing’s item number for your search. Your item will take longer to show up in keyword or category searches because it has to be indexed onto the site. This process can take between 2 to 6 hours.

Note: If you still can’t find your item through keyword or category searches, check your item’s title for any special characters added next to important words (e.g., *, !, /, @). The search tool may overlook words that contain these characters.

# posted by benkhoo @ 5:58 AM

eBay permits the listing of inactive credit or debit cards, provided that the expiration date on the face of the card is at least 10 years old. Such 10-year old, expired debit/credit cards may be considered ’collectible’ and may have some collectible value, Sellers should examine the terms and conditions on the card to ensure that the sale of the expired card is permitted.

If posting a picture of the card, the seller should cover or block out at least part of the name and/or credit card number.

Violations of this policy may result in a range of actions, including:

Listing cancellation

Limits on account privileges

Account suspension

Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings

Loss of PowerSeller status

# posted by benkhoo @ 5:49 AM

Is PayPal safe to use ?

PayPal protects your financial information with industry-leading security and fraud prevention systems. When you use PayPal, your financial information is not shared with the merchant. Once your payment is complete, you will be emailed a receipt for this transaction.

BBB Privacy Certification:-
The information practices of PayPal, Inc. have been reviewed and meet the standards of the Better Business Bureau's BBBOnline Privacy Program.



Note: This seal indicates that PayPal is a member of the BBBOnline Privacy Program and in no way reflects any relationship a seller that uses the PayPal service may have with the Better Business Bureau.

# posted by benkhoo @ 2:41 PM