Monday, April 26, 2010

5 Easy Steps To Start Your Ebay Business Successfully

By Leslie Yc

You're probably reading this because you know you can make money from eBay. Well, what you know is correct and what this article will teach you will help you even more. Read on to know how to set-up your eBay business in five easy steps.

Your unique Idea!

The first step in starting up your eBay business is to have a unique item that you can sell, though that maybe very hard to do. Among the millions of listings on eBay, there is no product or idea that you can think of, that is not yet listed. This maybe 95% correct, but it always worth a try. Your unique idea should be one you are passionate about. This could be a hobby, an industry or a service that you are very interested in.

Know your Competition First!

After researching your competition, search through the eBay listings for similar items. Again, 95% of the time, items on your list are already being sold. Don't you worry about that. That's the beauty of free trade - everyone can sell the same item, and the consumer has the option to choose, whichever one he or she will take. It is ideal for you focus on the item that is closest to your heart, and has the least listings on eBay. This will give you a better chance of competing in the market.

Make Your Listing Visual!

To make your listing more appealing to your visitors, take a digital picture of your item and include it in the ad. Don't matter how good and detailed your listings are, it is best to have a picture of the item, which will say everything, nothing more, or nothing less. Try to research on the highest hitting listings, and see why their visual representation is appealing to their surfer.

The Right Price!

The power of the dollar is always at work in eBay. Because you allow interested parties to bid on your product, every dollar counts. Some recommend starting your price at $1, which if you were in the shoes of the buyer, sounds very appealing. But you must make sure that you are selling an item that will eventually be bidded to the price that you like, say $500, even if it start from a dollar.

Online Payment!

PayPal is eBay's partner in it's payment system. And to be successful in you eBay business, you must be a member of PayPal as well. It is easy to set-up, in fact, you can do it simultaneously with your eBay membership and security is highly rated. Fees are also very reasonable.

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Ebay Success: Effectively using your About Me Page

By Leslie Yc

In my last article I discussed various promotion strategies for your eBay store one of which was using your eBay About Me Page. Your About Me Page is one of the best ways to promote yourself on eBay. It allows you much more freedom than other eBay pages and there is a link to it beside your eBay User ID so every time you buy an item, place a bid etc, people may click on it. Despite this it is one of the most underutilised pages for the majority of eBay sellers. In this article I will discuss how you should be using your eBay About Me Page to effectively promote your eBay store:

1) Describe yourself and your EBay Business:- At the top of the page you should describe yourself and your eBay business. Say a little about yourself, how you got into selling on eBay, and what you sell. Also say why people should buy from you instead of the competition. Examples could be that your eBay store is updated every week, your prices are low etc.

2) Link to your Feedback:- To prove that you are a trusted seller you should link to your feedback rating from your About Me page. Just include a simple sentence like "Click Here to view my feedback."

3) Provide a Contact Address:- Buyers viewing your About Me page may want to ask more questions so it is only logical that you provide a contact address. Make it clickable for maximum ease to the customer. For example "You can contact me at any time at: sales@theeBaycavern.co.uk."

4) Provide a direct link back to your eBay Store:- Not all the visitors to your About Me page will have found it through your eBay store. Some may not even be aware that you own an eBay store. The only way to make sure that everyone viewing your About Me page knows that you have an eBay store is to provide a clickable link to it. For example "Click Here to visit my eBay store."

5) Other Links:- If you have a specific auction which you want to promote, or a specific page you want to link to then do it here. For example "You can visit my super duper auction by Clicking Here."

If you follow the steps in this article then you should be well on your way to maximising the effectiveness of your eBay About Me page. Many customers will use your About Me page to assess whether to buy from you so it's essential that yours is effective.

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Sunday, April 25, 2010

EBay Drop-Off Centers: Selling For Someone Else

By Leslie Yc

EBay has moved offline. Several companies, like Snappy Auctions and I Sold It On EBay, offer sellers franchises for brick-and-mortar eBay stores. These drop-off spots take customer items, evaluate, photograph, and list them online, collect the payments, and ship the items to their buyers. In other words, they do all the work - for a percentage of the selling price, of course.

Beginner Strategies If you've contemplated jumping on the bandwagon and opening a physical drop-off location, fellow store-owner and eBay University instructor, Christopher Spencer has some advice for you:

* Location is key. Get a good broker to help you identify convenient retail sites. It's important to be in a high traffic area, such as a strip mall or a facility near good anchor stores, anyplace frequented by upscale individuals. To get high-quality merchandise, you need a higher level of clientele.

* Take store layout into account. As your business develops, you'll need exponentially more storage space. Advises Spenser, "Consider whether a building will fit your needs for future expansion, so you can avoid growing pains."

* Be careful what you accept. Don't waste your time with items that won't be worth the research and energy you'll invest in them. Patrons sometimes bring in boxes of junk, or items with very little value. Be realistic with your clients, and counsel them what will and won't bring in money. That way they know what to expect, and they aren't disappointed by their final prices.

* Charge a reasonable amount for your services. Keep yourself in line with what others are charging, rather than trying to undercut everyone in order to compete. Instead, add value to your services by focusing on areas at which you excel. If you have a staff member who specializes in a certain area, encourage your customers to bring in items in that field because you'll be able to get them the maximum prices on eBay.

* Concentrate on customer service. Exceed your customers' expectations. Says Spencer, "Building a reputation and getting good clients is a matter of word of mouth and referrals, and that's something people build over time."

Help Me Help You! People want help with things they don't know how to do, or don't have time to do - that's why there's such a need for this sort of service. It provides the convenience and ease of being able to just drop off an item and pick up a check. Though users have to pay a commission, they'll typically get more for their item by using an experienced, knowledgeable seller, than they would by selling it themselves.

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Saturday, April 24, 2010

How To Write An Appealing Ebay Description That Attract Bids

By Leslie Yc

Once you've drawn the buyers in with your title, the next thing to do is to tell them all about your item with the description. But just what should you write in your description?

At its heart, your item description is an ad. Without making it too obvious, you should be writing sales copy. You're trying to get buyers excited about your products, and that's usually hard - but on eBay, if you have the right thing to sell and give enough details, the buyers almost excite themselves.

Technical Details.

Include every technical detail you know, including the item's manufacturer, its condition, how big it is, where and when it was made, its history, and anything else special about it. Don't be too boring, though: the best descriptions are written in friendly, conversational language, and show a real knowledge of the item. Whatever you do, make sure you tell the truth!

Remember that most of the people who'll be buying your item will be just as knowledgeable about it as you are, if not more - this is their hobby, and they're experts. Don't feel like you need to explain the basics of the item: just go into as much technical detail as you can. As a rule, don't write anything in the description if you don't know what it means, as the chances are someone will, and if you've got it slightly wrong then you'll look like you don't know what you're talking about.

Interesting Details.

You might find that you enjoy writing a few things about how you got the item, why you're selling it, and who you think might like it. This isn't strictly necessary, but it gives your auctions some character and a personal touch, and can make people more likely to trust you. People might wonder what you're doing selling 500 CDs all at once, and if you tell them the reason, then they'll feel reassured that nothing dodgy is going on. If you're selling them because you're having a baby and you need the space, just say so.

Write as Much as You Can.

Leave nothing out of your description, even if that seems to you like it makes it cumbersomely long. There is no way you can be too thorough: someone, somewhere will appreciate that you took the time to write the extra information.

Don't assume that anyone who wants extra information will email you to ask a question: many buyers are shy and won't do it. Think of questions that buyers might have and add the answers to your description, as people generally tend to ask the same questions over and over again.

Each time a buyer does email you with a question, you should both answer their question and update your description so that it will include the answer next time. If people ask questions that are answered in the description, try putting these parts of the auction on a line alone, or in bold, to make them easier to notice.

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Friday, April 23, 2010

An eBay Reunion With Barbie

By Fabio Serbia

I recall my neighbor when I was a child. She had this big Barbie bust that she dearly loved playing with. It was a life size Barbie bust that she was able to comb it using a normal comb or brush and a large face that she could really apply particular make-up on and then just wipe it off afterwards. I was capable to enjoy it but I truly did not appreciate the idea of playing with a Barbie bust due to the fact it felt like you were getting oneself ready to set-up a beauty salon business and you happen to be just practicing on Barbie.

Whenever I will remember that time, I couldn't help but think of my friend who had that Barbie bust. How is she doing now or where is she? She was the first little girl that I played with and I never have heard from her since their family moved to a different city when we were 12 years old. It has been quite sometime now but I am just sure she won't forget me also due to the fact I was the just one kept her Barbie bust under her grandmother's mattress and she wasn't able to find it for two days.

I think she was traumatized that Barbie could possibly have left her because she built a mess of Barbie's face each time she tries to give her a make-over. We were children in those days so you didn't expect me to be this sort of positive boy, right? Young boys usually are known for being mischievous with very little girls and I lived to as much as it until we were 12 years of age and then their particular family had to leave. I felt like I was losing a sister that time that I did not even desire to go out of the house to bid her goodbye.

Similar to how it absolutely was in the movies, I stood there by simply the window considering them drive off in their particular family vehicle and as I thought she was not looking back, I waved at the car and then suddenly, her hand stuck out of their car window and waved back at me. Well at least she knew that I was in a position to bid her goodbye but I was too unhappy to come to her and tell her.

I was browsing by means of eBay last week and all of a sudden, I just thought of attempting to find a Barbie bust due to the fact I was hoping to get just one similar to what my mate had before so that when I get a chance to meet her, I would certainly be capable to give her a Barbie bust for a reward just for the sake of remembering her childhood toy that I took from her for 2 days. Luckily, I saw a Barbie bust on eBay being sold for only $10 since it has already been used already but it's alright. I set a meet-up with the vendor since the seller was based somewhere nearby. We will be meeting at the mall in the afternoon in front of the toy store with chairs and table where we could complete the transaction seated.

I was early so I waited for a few minutes. Immediately, a lady who have a Barbie box acknowledged me and she asked if I was the one who's acquiring the Barbie bust. I said yes and when I look at her closely, she was smiling. It absolutely was her! It seemed to be my childhood neighbor and she was the one selling the Barbie bust and I did not even know. She said she knew all along since I had my photo and street address on my profile. Looks such as the surprise was on me. All things considered, online shopping can certainly be as fun as the real thing and you even get unanticipated surprises each time.

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Thursday, April 22, 2010

EBay Business 101 for Newbies

By Leslie Yc

Are you fairly new to eBay business? Or is just planning to enter the world of eBay business and test its waters? You have nothing to fear. Here are simple start-up tips for you, as a newbie.

Entering the eBay business means that you are setting up shop on eBay and become a seller. It is easy and risk-free. All you need to have is a computer, an internet connection and an inventory of items to sell. No start-up costs are expected of you. Even if you're at home, you can monitor your eBay business easily enough. You can also do marketing online, right within eBay.

Starting out As a newbie seller, you have a fairly good chance of succeeding in the eBay business by starting out with items that you know and have experience with. Take it from the experts, when you start with products you are knowledgeable about, you are right on target regarding its value.

However, if the items you are supposed to start with do not fall in the line of your expertise, there's no cause for worry. You only have to research about the items you have to know their value.

There might be several odds and ends in your house that are fairly in good condition but not needed anymore. Or you might know of family and friends who have possessions they want to get rid of. You can also buy discounted products, seasonal and specialized items and crafts then resell them. The eBay business has no limit on what products you could sell, as long as there are buyers interested.

Have a photo, make a sale Once you have set-up shop in the eBay business, start the ball rolling by letting customers know of your merchandise. Do this by taking pictures of the products you are putting up for sale. The photo alongside your item listing is free. A 35-cent paid photo post of your product is offered by eBay - a scheme called Gallery. It works by having a thumbnail photo of your product along with its listing on the search results.

Be aware that most customers in the eBay business prefer to see the photo of the product for sale. Most often, your listing will get hits largely because of photo attachments. People need to know they are buying something that exists. You may find that once you upload more photos for each of your product listing, the demand for your products increases. Close-up and high-quality photos of your products are likely to bring you great sales outcome.

Price them right. Upon seeing your product, the next thing potential buyers on the eBay business look up is the price. Note that in the eBay business, it is necessary to remind you not price your item too high, or else buyers may lose interest. With a reasonable starting price, you only need to have two bidders to set off a higher price.

The principle in the eBay business, with regards to setting up the starting price, is that the lower you set the price, the more potential buyers bid on it. You can even get them so attached to the item and inspire a need to be the bidder who gets the item.

For how long do you list up your product? As a seller, listing a product in the eBay business involves meeting qualifications to use one-day period listing and paying necessary fees for 10-day listings. There are several factors to know how long you should list an item in the eBay business: - Longer period listing gives potential buyers more time to see your item and place bids - Listing depending on your selling volume. - Limited period of listing if you are selling products related to certain events

Other things which sellers in the eBay business need to do to generate more profits:

- Regularly checking out the hit list for your items to know if you are getting more traffic. More traffic means more buyers. - Have a detailed product description on your listing to minimize numerous buyer inquiries - Proper handling of payment and shipping. Be aware that 3 out of 4 buyers on the eBay business prefer paying with PayPal. - Keep your buyers, happy and satisfied with your products and overall service. - Keep tabs on other eBay sellers' experiences in the eBay business for you to learn and succeed.

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Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Ebay Business - Longer Bidding Time The Bigger The Bank Balance

By Leslie Yc

Is this your first business venture - if so you must be excited just at the fact of being your own boss with no 9 to 5 job - that is if your Ebay business is going to demand your full time attention to keep the pennies coming in? No doubt you will have questions due to you being in the infancy stage of running your own Ebay business. Your best approach at this time is to study behind the scenes. You can do this on the Ebay site it self. Every thing you need to know is at hand to help you become a success with your Ebay business.

Treat this business like that of any other e.g. like setting up shop because that is exactly what Ebay is the largest online shopping market where people trade their wares. Computer and internet access is all that is needed to start up and of course a product or service. Ebay is risk free. What are your chances in succeeding with your Ebay business - well sheer determination and commitment is a couple of important factors needed for success as an Ebay seller. Don`t try and re-invent the wheel. Follow Ebay`s guidelines and a good chance you will excel.

If money is an issue when starting up - then consider selling bric and brac from jumbles sales or car boots. Remember this is your Ebay business so what you sell is entirely up to you; just be sure to research your product to see if there is a demand for it. Consider shopping wholesale from Ebay itself - personalize the items. This could take a bit of time but well worth it if a sale is in the pipeline.

Tell your friends of your Ebay business - they can help by donating items that you can put to good use. Friends can be useful at times like this in assisting you with paperwork till you get to know the ropes.

Once you have established in your mind what your Ebay business is all about and what wares to sell then it is time to open shop. You have a queue of hungry buyers so now it is time to let them know of you and your product. Promote your product with good quality snapshots- this will give your customer a clearer picture of what they are buying. How you word your description on your listing can increase the possibility of more interest from other shoppers. In the Ebay business pricing items can cause problems - if you are not sure why not go into the forums and ask other sellers for advice. Be reasonable and fair with the prices and you may well get a lot more interest and custom from your window shoppers.

When listing your item make sure you follow the guided instructions and all should go smoothly. Options are available for how long you want you`re listing to run on the Ebay auction, this once again is up to you - the longer the bids are allowed to continue at auction then the bigger bank balance. Organize yourself properly in how you deal with payment methods and shipping. Take note that the popular way that most transactions are finalized on Ebay is through PayPal. Wisdom is the greatest guideline you could ever uphold.

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How To Become An eBay Power Seller Fast

By Leslie Yc

Most people think of eBay as a place where they can change some of their old junk into cash, gaining some money from what otherwise might have ended up taking a trip to the dump. There are those, however, who have recognized the money making potential of eBay and brought it to a whole new level: the power seller.

Power sellers on eBay have various methods of going about turning a tidy profit. They may employ age old methods such as beachcombing and garage saling in order to gain a large stockpile of inventory that they can then turn around and sell at the world's largest auction at a handsome profit. Power sellers may also offer to sell other people's goods on the eBay market place for a percentage of the profit or an up front fee. Regardless of their method, power sellers often find themselves making quite a bit of money simply by using the potential of the site to its fullest.

The existence of the eBay professional is certainly no joke or figment of the imagination; there are over 700,000 individuals who make this their full time job, with another million supplementing their income through more casual eBay sales. These professionals have learned the ins and outs of the eBay system, and most understand the best ways to sell products for top dollar.

The fact that the professionals have been in the market for so long should not discourage any new entrepreneur from taking the same steps themselves. The fact is, eBay is so huge, with over 1.4 billion items listed in 2005 and three million auctions closing every day, that it could stand a lot more competition before the professional selling business became cut throat.

There are also ample resources to assist a prospective eBay power seller in starting up their new venture. Many books have been written already about successfully and strategically creating auctions, including where to list certain items, what is hot, what is not, and how to go about finding buyers.

As with any business, one of the keys to eBay is to keep your clients happy. EBay operates through feedback, and this feedback is essential both for buyers and sellers in order to retain and evaluate the legitimacy of the business or the offer. Unlike other bid sites, however, eBay also offers a regulated feedback system, in order that professionals do not take a hit to their bottom line because some disgruntled buyer ended up being unhappy with the final price they paid, or they felt that the seller was too pushy when it came to asking for payment.

An eBay power seller has hit upon a fun way to make some extra cash or even to earn a good full time income, without having to go out and invest in advertisements or finding a clientele. EBay brings clients from around the world to your product, and it is just a matter of getting the word to them that you have something that they will need.

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Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Selling Wholesale Clothing - Do You Know Where To Start?

By Jody Walton

Are you checking into selling wholesale clothing but don't exactly where to start? Or you may be wondering where your competitors get their great products from and where do they get them so cheap.

What you need to look for in a wholesale clothing supplier:

A wide range of goods: A supplier who caters for everybody from babies to the latest fashions, won't just provide you with convenience, but they will offer you far more opportunities to sell to a wider audience.

Knowing what's hot: Fashion moves extremely rapidly with some fads only lasting for just a short time, but fads might be extremely profitable. Consequently you need a supplier who can easily sniff out the new trends and source them from the companies to bring them to you.

Finest quality goods: Prior to placing any big orders, get a few samples to take look at. Suppliers are more than happy to get this done and there are some that even expect it. Take a close look at the very top quality, it might even be a good idea to wear them around and wash them, if you possibly can, you'll get a excellent idea of how they'll wear. Order numerous diverse items like shirts, jeans and coats to definitely get a concept of their high quality standards. Greater quality clothing will mean additional repeat customers so make certain you spend some time doing this.

Exceptional customer service: When things go wrong, like shipments going astray, or orders are incorrect, the last thing you want is an unresponsive supplier who doesn't return your calls. Before you place an order with a new supplier, ensure you do some testing by emailing or calling them with a number of questions. See how helpful they are, how thoroughly they answer your questions and if emailing, how swiftly they respond.

How to locate the best suppliers:

How is it possible to locate suppliers that meet the above needs? Well, the most effective companies aren't usually easy to uncover, but with some time and persistence, you'll be able to get there! Unfortunately, it's not definitely an alternative to email your competitors and ask them exactly where they get their items from, but with some patience and persistence, you too can locate great dealers who will support and propel you to PowerSeller status.

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Find Your eBay Niche

By Jesse Holmes

After you've gained some experience selling on eBay, you need to ask yourself what product category you want to focus on. Since you can buy and sell almost anything on eBay, there are hundreds of thousands of options to choose from.

When I was getting started on eBay, I didn't know what I wanted to sell either. How did I choose? Let me give you some background information. I'm a bit of a gadget geek. I usually know what electronics are going to come out before they actually do. I watch the gadget blogs and news services. For example, I keep tabs on when Apple is going to update their iPhones. I like to do this, and it works for me.

It's a natural progression for me to go from looking at the latest and greatest gizmos to start to sell consumer electronics on eBay. Some of the first items I sold on eBay were electronics related. A PlayStation 2, an old Gameboy and other computer games. I knew that electronics was my forte. Soon (after clearing out the house from sellable electronics and random items) we found an electronics wholesaler. We started to sell webcams and other computer accessories. We still sell some of the same types of products to this day.

You need to ask yourself what you like. Selling what you like will make your research and product buying a whole lot easier. Keep in mind that whatever product category you choose to enter, you will be spending a lot of time researching and figuring out which products to sell. If you sell the types of products that you like, then the "work" of researching and talking to suppliers will be easier. And, as an additional bonus, if you sell products that you like, then you can take one for yourself.

Let's say you're just getting started on eBay and you have an idea. Let's say that it doesn't work out the way you hoped. The great thing about eBay is that nothing is set in stone. If you have an idea (or no idea at all) that's ok. The main thing is to get started. You can always change direction later, but you have to start moving first. Choose an eBay category that you think you can sell in.

Think about an airplane. Often planes take off from runways in the opposite direction of where they want to go. Once the plane is up in the air, then the pilot can make adjustments. The same thing applies for you when starting an online business. Getting your little plane off the ground by selling whatever you can is the first step. Next, once you've mastered the take off and basic skills of flying, you can choose which direction you want to go.

The most important thing you can do as a beginner is to just get going. If you choose to travel in too many directions at once, you'll never get anywhere. Sell stuff around your house. Then once you've run out of stuff to sell, think about what you'd like to sell. Just choose something (maybe based on your hobbies) so you have a direction to move in.

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Monday, April 19, 2010

Learn The Problems Of Online Auction Law And Understand The Hazards Of Online Auctions

By Louise Servage

If you are interested in going through an online auction site to get a great deal on something, you do need to proceed to caution. For one thing the online auction site at this time is quite lenient. There are no strict laws preventing con artists from taking advantage of vulnerable consumers and so you need to make sure that you do everything you can to avoid this happening to you. This is even more reason to take the time and why you need to make sure you are doing business with only the most reputable online auction site.

Be extra cautious - when dealing with sellers, however honest they may appear. Scammers usually masquerade as legitimate sellers, and are usually around where the money is. And you could expect them to be active, given the extremely high volume of personal data and money exchanged in online auctions.

They could be lying about what they have to offer or they may actually have those items but be overcharging. Make sure that you read up on the seller and on online auction sites like eBay you can also check their feedback. This means that you are able to read reviews that other buyers have given on them to see what they had to say. Checking out feedback on a seller before buying anything from them will be well worth the time.

If you ever find anything an on auction site you should find out the actual retail value of the item before buying it. One of the biggest scams that con artists on online auction sites pull is charging too much for an item but making it sound like you are getting a great deal. That is one of the problems of buying online and what makes it so easy for scammers to take advantage, is that people are often so excited when they find something they like they often do not even realize that they are paying twice as much as they should be. Sellers are pretty much able to sell their items for whatever price they choose to, and for scam artists this means if they find a sucker who has no idea they are getting taken advantage of that is all the better for them.

Ebay is one of the easiest online auction sites to get started in, and this is another reason so many people turn here. If there is ever anything you want to buy or sell, you can feel more than comfortable going though the eBay site. If you are a buyer you are going to have a better chance of finding what you need. You can search through millions of items and find what you are looking for at half the price you would expect to pay.

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19 Free eBay Secrets For Your Success

By Leslie Yc

Gaining success through the eBay selling business may not be as complicated as you think. You only have to know where to find free eBay secrets that count. Once you get hold of free eBay secrets, start applying them in order for you to put up a successful eBay selling business.

No need to look high and low for free eBay secrets, we've got them compiled here for you. You can use these free eBay secrets to create a booming business on eBay.

Once you decide to become an eBay seller, choose the user ID you will have to use, carefully. Choose a User ID that represents your business or the items you sell. Your User ID automatically becomes your eBay identity to potential buyers.

Look up the "How to Sell" Tour and watch the eBay selling demonstration video. Then learn of free eBay secrets in starting up at the eBay Learning Center.

Get your ID verified by using the ID Verify option when setting up a Seller's Account. This gives you an ID Verify icon in your feedback profile thereby giving the eBay community more confidence to buy from you. Don't let this free eBay secret go unheeded.

Make sure to get computer backup disks in order for you to store up valuable data. A free eBay secret of using accounting software will help you know how your business is doing so you can make it more profitable.

Look for a good place where you can put your inventory and shipping materials. It's a free eBay secret that they need to be in a safe, dry place nearby. Writing a daily To-Do List will help you organize your schedule. It is also the free eBay secret for you to manage your time on normal tasks and follow up on opportunities that aren't part of them.

Taking eBay's fees into account may be the free eBay secret you need that'll guided the pricing of your items.

Find the best category where to list your products under. This free eBay secret is probably known by everyone. From eBay's home page, click the Buy button, and browse the categories to find categories that apply to your items. Another free eBay secret that's necessary for your products' success is checking where competing items have been placed. It's a good idea to choose two categories for your listings to reach more buyers.

Even if you have to pay additional fee, spotlighting your title is a practically free eBay secret that's guaranteed to grab buyers' attention when they search for listings.

Hiring a Trading Assistant can free up the time you need to let you focus on the more important aspects of your eBay business. Constantly monitor My eBay for your listings performance and other activities on the site. Keep track of your eBay correspondence by using My Messages. Surely, this free eBay secret will be a great help.

Attending trade shows is not only a free eBay secret advice it is also a great opportunity where you can get product trends preview and connect with manufacturers and discuss the opportunity of selling their products on eBay. Make sure to bring your business cards and be ready for discussions/

Protect yourself from potential fraud. Be wary for unusual buyer requests and consider it as a fraudulent sign if such requests come to light.

eBay consultants are available for advice and even free eBay secret tip offs. Once you know how to sell on eBay and checked out the eBay Community, your head will be buzzing with new business ideas.

Subscribing Chatter may get you not only feature articles, tips, helpful links and member interviews but maybe also free eBay secrets to success. Signing up for the PowerUp Newsletter can get you advanced notice of upcoming events and promotions. You'll get to know free listing days, feature discounts, seller sweepstakes and more.

There's nothing wrong in promoting your eBay store. In fact it is another free eBay secret that you design marketing materials to promote your store.

Once you made a final sale price, donate part of it to a Nonprofit Organization of your choice. Remember that the ultimate free eBay secret to success is passing on the blessings and knowledge you acquire!

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Sunday, April 18, 2010

10 Tips For Increasing The Number Of Bid To Your Ebay Listings

By Leslie Yc

So you've got the buyer in front of your auction, and they've read the description. They're must be interested, or they wouldn't be looking... but just how can you push them over that line and make them leave a bid? Read on for some tips.

Improve your picture: In all that description writing, you might have missed the vital importance of your item's picture. A picture with bad lighting or an intrusive background looks amateurish and won't make anyone want to buy from you.

Add an About Me page: You'll be surprised how much you can reassure bidders just by creating an About Me page and putting a little bit about yourself on your business on there. You can also have a few special offers there for people who bother to look at the page, and let people subscribe to your mailing list so that you can email them updates.

Use SquareTrade: Signing up at SquareTrade and displaying their logo on your auctions shows that you are committed to have them resolve any disputes that arise. You always see this on PowerSellers auctions - it makes you look more professional.

Write terms and conditions: Have the 'small print' clearly visible on all your auctions, giving details of things like shipping times and prices, your refund policy, and any other business practices you might have. This helps build confidence with buyers.

Show off your feedback: Copy and paste a selection of the feedback comments you're most proud of to each item's description page, instead of making bidders go and look for it. If you have 100% positive feedback, be sure to write that on every auction too.

Add NR to your titles: If you have extra space in a title, put 'NR' (no reserve) on the end. Bidders prefer auctions that don't have a reserve price, and doing this lets them see that yours don't.

Benefits not features: Make sure your description focuses on the benefits that your item can give to the customer, not just its features. This is a classic sales technique. If you have trouble with this, remember: 'cheap' is a feature, 'save money' is a benefit.

List more items: If you want more people to respond to your items, then list more items! You might find you have better like listing items at the same time, instead of one-by-one. There's no need to use a Dutch auction - you can just keep two or three auctions going at once for an item you have more than one of in stock.

Accept unusual payment methods: To reach those last few buyers, accept payment methods that many sellers don't, like cheques.

Buy some upgrades: The best upgrade is the most expensive one, which makes your item appear first in search results. In crowded categories, you might find that this is worth the money.

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12 Easy Ways to Maximize Your eBay Product Photos

By Leslie Yc

It's a fact. Clear, high-quality photos will greatly enhance your chances of selling your products on eBay. Here are 12 simple tips that will help you make the most of your eBay product photos.

1. You don't need an expensive, high-resolution digital camera for your eBay photos. You just need a digital camera that will produce a 640x480 pixel image (which includes just about all digital cameras on the market.)

2. Before you buy a camera, handle it to feel how comfortable it is in your hands. Make sure the camera controls are logical, and that it's easy to transfer photos from the camera to your computer. The camera should be able to focus within four inches or less.

3. When taking a photo for your eBay product, generally select the camera's smallest photo size. If you are going to crop the image or upload it to eBay's picture services, however, select at least a 1024 x 768 image size.

4. Disable your camera's built-in flash when taking a photo. The built-in flash produces a glare on the photo and makes your products look two-dimensional.

5. Use your camera's "Macro Focus" feature to take close-ups of your product. ("Macro Focus" is usually indicated by a tulip flower symbol.)

6. The key to effective product photography is lighting, and the key to effective lighting is control. You can control the strength, size, position, color and number of lights you use. And each of these controls changes how the subject looks. Review your camera's manual to understand your camera's "white balance" symbols ( i.e. a light bulb for indoor shots with incandescent lights, a sun symbol for outdoor photos, etc.) You'll use the white balance control to get accurate colors. You can preset the white balance to match the type of light you're using (daylight, shade, tungsten, fluorescent).

7. Use the "Exposure Control" (EV) to correct light and dark photos. A plus number lightens the image, a minus number darkens it.

8. Use a tripod when taking pictures of your product. The tripod stabilizes your camera and eliminates blurry photos.

9. Photograph your products at an angle.

10.Take more than one photo of each item. For example, if you are selling clothing, take one full-length photo; one photo of the tag showing size, fabric, content, brand; and one or more close-up photos showing the texture of fabric and any details or flaws.

11.Use photo-editing software to make final adjustments.

12.Host your pictures on your own website. You will save money and be able to use as many pictures as you need to adequately show eBay bidders your products. It's simple, and yet 70 percent of eBay sellers don't do it.

Adding high-quality product photos that enhance your eBay listings will greatly increase your sales. Try it today!

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Saturday, April 17, 2010

10 Sure-Fire Ways To Kill Your Ebay Business.

By Leslie Yc

It's surprisingly easy to kill your eBay business, if you're not careful - sure, you can start over from scratch without it costing you anything, but do you really want to? Still, if you want your business to end up dead in the water, here are some simple ways to do it.

Lie about an item: Say it works fine when it sometimes doesn't work. Say it's in perfect condition when it has a scratch. Your customers will hate you!

Post whenever you feel like it: Make sure to leave your customers hanging around, wondering when their item is going to turn up. This makes sure they buy from someone else next time.

Let items end anytime: Few people will be around to care about your auction if it ends in the middle of the night. Why go to the trouble of working out whether auctions will end at a good time?

Don't bother with email: Customers are just timewasters anyway. eBay businesses are supposed to run themselves! Never give informed responses to questions about your item.

Sell rubbish: Really, it's just eBay. You can just sell any old tat from the market for a 200% profit. Let quality be someone else's concern - I mean, really, what do they expect for that price?

Refuse to give discounts: You know what your items cost, you know what your profit margin is going to be, and you're not going to negotiate. Remember that giving customers special deals might make them feel good and come back to you again.

Make your listings ugly: As many colours, flashing lights and animations as possible will really give those customers a headache. Write as much in CAPITALS!!!! as you can. Preferably big, red capitals. Be sure to use the fonts Impact and Comic Sans. For an extra special touch, see if you can figure out a way to add some music.

Don't take photos: It's such trouble, after all. If buyers are picky enough to actually want to see items before they bid on them, then screw 'em, that's what I say.

Write short descriptions: Be as brief as possible, and use lots of mysterious abbreviations. This obviously makes you look very cool. You can even just write the title again in the description box. Think of the effort you'll save!

Use reserve auctions: Now, this is a fairly controversial final choice, but it really is one of the best ways to scare away your customers. They'll see 'reserve not yet met', and click that 'back' button before you know it. Luckily, they can always bid in a normal auction for the item somewhere else.

Now that you know the ten ways to kill your eBay business, how about we explore what to do if you want to do the opposite, and make a success of it?

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10 Ways To Save Time And Money With Shipping & Handling On Ebay

By Leslie Yc

One problem with eBay is that unless you are careful you can end up spending far too much time on routine tasks such as packing and shipping. Not only is there the time spent wrapping the items, but also when you take them to your local post office to have them weighed, stamped and posted. As someone who never seems to have enough time I have adopted some time saving measures which frees up my time to do other things.

1.Buy Stamps in advance. Many of the items that I sell are similar, CDs , audio tapes and books. Therefore I know exactly what the postage is for these items and I buy in advance a quantity of stamps for the various denominations that I use. I can then pack, stamp them and just drop them into the post box without the need to wait at the post office counter.

2.Get a set of scales Of course one really helpful piece of equipment is a set of postal scales. Not only does this save you time by allowing you to pre stamp packages but it is also very useful when you are listing an item. You can quickly and accurately calculate the exact cost of postage for each item. This can save you making those errors of under estimating the true cost of posting an item or having to make a special journey to the post office just to find out what it will cost to post.

3. Buy packaging materials online A thriving industry has grown on eBay offering packaging materials. It really is a case of selling spades to miners, but as a result the competition in this field is very fierce. This means that you can make considerable savings if you go to the Business, Office and Industrial Category and look in Packing and Postal supplies. Also many of the major stationers such as Staples and Viking offer a good 24 hour service and often have some attractive special offers or gifts to make an even better deal. Most offer free postage for orders over a certain quite low amount.

4. Whenever possible use padded bags. If it is suitable for your products one of the great time savers is the use of padded envelopes. They come in a big range of sizes and thickness and are suitable for a wide range of products. It is much easier and quicker just to pop something into an envelope and seal it than putting something in a box, put in padding and using tape to seal it. Also these days padded envelopes can work out cheaper than other forms of packaging.

5. Hold a stock of Post Office Forms These days forms control our lives and it is no different with the postal authorities. Normally if you are a regular postal user your local post office will be happy to supply you with a stock of the forms that you might need. The ones I keep handy are customs declarations, recorded International and national forms and supplies of airmail and fragile stickers. Completing these and applying them to your packages before you go up to the post office can save considerable time.

6. Use Rubber stamps I also have a selection of rubber stamps with First Class Mail, Do Not Bend, Small Packet Rate, This saves the time rather than writing these phrases over and over again.

7. Pre print return labels I would never send out a packet without a return address on it. Over the years that I have used eBay I have had about 5 parcels come back to me because they were undeliverable for one reason or another. If I had not had a return address label on them they and the contents would have been gone forever. You can of course order a pack of name and address labels from the local printer but I have found the most cost effective is to use the sheets of plain labels such as Avery, the 65 labels to a sheet are ideal and print them off as required a sheet at a time. I then just stick one of these on to every packet I send out. And of course it also makes you look a little more professional with your packaging.

8. Pick the time that you go to the post office There are always some times in the day or days in the week when your local post office is liable to be more busy than others. If you ask the counter staff I am sure they would be happy to tell you when these times are likely to be. Also they would also be able to tell you the times they would expect to be less busy. If you use this information you can cut down the time you spend waiting in line at the post office.

9. Copy addresses from Paypal notification. Whenever you get payment notification from Paypal it will contain the name and address of the buyer. I always highlight and copy this and using my labelling software I paste this into the label template this saves having to write or type the information in. I always print my labels on the AveryL7160, 21 labels to a sheet paper.

10. Compare prices There is plenty of competition to ship larger items and it is worth comparing prices for the various shippers and couriers to get the best deals. In my experience with smaller items it is difficult to beat the Post Office but for items that need to be shipped fast or weigh over 2 Kgs (4 1/2lb) it is worth looking for the best deal.

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Friday, April 16, 2010

5 Easy Ways To Make Money On eBay

By Leslie Yc

Frequently the question they ask is, "Please tell me an easy way to make money on eBay." I suppose the answer to this question really revolves around how you define the term easy.

It is my belief that there is no easier way to make money on the Internet than by selling items through eBay. What could be simpler, a straight forward 5 step process.

1. Get something to sell. 2. Photograph it, and write a description. 3. Upload your listing to eBay. 4. Collect your money. 5. Dispatch the item.

What could be simpler than that?

But I suspect what people are really asking is how can I easily get products to sell. From my experience this is what both newcomers and some experienced eBayers find difficult. So in this article I just want to highlight 5 very simple ways that you can get products to sell without even leaving your computer. This I hope that will be easy enough for everyone.

1. What, no photograph? It is my belief that there is hardly an item listed on eBay or any of the other online auctions that does not benefit from having a photograph or image included in the listing. In fact most items that are listed without a photograph that actually sell tend to fetch 20% less than those with. In some categories the figures are even higher. For instance clothing items offered without a photograph average a 78% lower selling price than those with. So it would seem to be pretty easy to browse eBay looking for these "photo less" items, buying them and then relisting with a photograph. Money for old rope really.

2. Finding the poorly listed item. There are many reasons why someone's listing fails to attract any worthwhile bids. Bad title, short or poor description, wrong category, poor spelling and so on. You can find these by browsing around the auction site, but I would suggest an easier method.

Select the categories that you are interested in and look down the search feature for items finishing within the next hour. Here is where you will find the bargains that have failed to attract any bids for the reasons we have mentioned.

3. Unsocial hours In any book about eBay you will find tips on when is the best time for auctions to finish. The most suggested times for most items are Sunday afternoon and evenings and Wednesday evenings. Some experts suggest that for business related items Monday or Tuesday during office hours are best. If you accept that there are times when you will get increased bids for your items there must also be times when if your auction ends you will not do so well. I would think if you have an auction that finishes between say 5 am and 8 am on a Monday morning you will not have too many people lurking to place last minute bids to push the price up. Again buy and relist with your auction set to finish at a more sociable time and you could easily make a 20% or more profit for very little effort.

4. Buy Collections One of the easiest ways to make money on eBay is to cash in on other peoples laziness. If someone has say a collection of 10 china dogs, it is a fact that if they put all ten in one listing as a collection they will get less than if they had listed each item separately. But it is amazing how many sellers cannot be bothered to do this. I have in the past bought such a collection and actually made more from one of the items than I had paid for the whole collection.

5. Other online auctions. Over 95% of all online auction sales are on eBay. They have the largest number of registered buyers and items listed for sale. For this reason items offered for sale on eBay get the best prices. So why not search around some of the smaller online auctions, because in many cases items listed with them will not attract such a good prices as could be achieved on eBay. Then all you have to do is buy from them and relist on eBay.

So there are 5 easy ideas for you to consider. Why not give some or all of them a try.

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5 eBay Selling Tips for Newbies

By Leslie Yc

I'm directing this article to those who are just starting their eBay Selling Venture. Whether you're selling books, DVDs, CDs, collectibles or clothing, all things (with the exception of eBooks and services) need to be mailed. And it's the postage, handling fees and mailing that seems to cause a great deal of angst among new sellers.

You've heard the advice - don't overcharge for shipping. That is very good advice, indeed, as nothing turns off potential buyers like sellers who gouge you on the shipping costs. It's also a practice that can rack up bad feedback.

However, I'm going to play Devil's Advocate here and suggest that you don't go overboard and give so much of a break on shipping that you're chipping away at your profits. It's good to remember the "hidden costs" of shipping: bubble wrap to secure your breakables, tape, shipping envelopes, boxes, etc. Then there's the gas you put in your car to take all those trips to the post office.

You might think I'm being cheap, but, if you added up all your eBay expenses for the year (as some did for their recent taxes) you might be shocked to see how all the packing materials and gas for your car added up and took a little chunk out of your eBay profits. And, believe me, they do add up.

Some people are even more surprised to find they underestimated the weight of their packages, causing their profits to shrink even further.

How can you be fair to both you and your buyers?

1. Buy a scale. It may sound simple, but purchasing a scale can save you a bundle in shipping. If you're just eyeballing the weight of the package, you can often times guess too low, and be in for quite a shock when you go to the post office and see the package is going to cost twice what you thought to ship.

2. Know the dimensions of your packaging before listing the item. Some packages cost more to ship because of their dimensions. Knowing the weight alone isn't enough.

3. Offer the buyer a variety of shipping methods. Some prefer speedy delivery with Express mailing, while some prefer to save money with parcel post even though the wait is longer. It's always a good idea when using parcel post or other slower ground shipping to alert the buyer by email that it can take anywhere from 8 to 10 days.

4. Save yourself money whenever possible by using boxes that have been used. Most stores are more than happy to let you rummage through their old boxes and take some home with you. But, do remember to choose boxes that are presentable, secure and strong enough for your items. And, if you have breakables, don't skimp on the bubble wrap.

5. Give yourself a small handling fee that will cover your expenses. Some sellers add on an additional $1 or $2 to the shipping fees for their handling fees (depending on the cost of the item and how much packaging you have to use). I really advocate doing this because your expenses will add up if you do a lot of selling on eBay. Be sure to be upfront with your buyers that you have a small handling fee so they can't complain about it later.

Being fair to both yourself and your buyer will keep you both happy, and keep more of your profit in your pocket.

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Thursday, April 15, 2010

4 Secret Keys To Dominating Ebay

By Leslie Yc

There is no doubt that eBay is packed with competition. Each day there are millions of dollars passing through that website into many accounts. If you follow these four tips, you will easily succeed and dominate the competition on eBay.

1) Try to get excellent feedback.

When you first sign up with eBay, you will have zero feedback. Most buyers will stay away from an eBay newbie with zero or very low feedback. Start building your feedback rating by selling personal items from around the house that you no longer want. This is a good way to get the feel of using eBay and to build positive feedback. You should invest in a good digital camera. Good clear pictures are an important selling feature on eBay. Remember to describe your items accurately and honestly. Do not try to trick or deceive buyers in any way. You really cannot afford receiving negative feedback this early in the game.

2) Do not lie about your auctions.

Do not ever use deception in your auctions or try to make money with shipping costs. If you treat your customers the way you expect to be treated you will never go wrong. You will certainly be well on your way to building a reputation as an honest future power seller.

3) Stay away from negative feedback.

If you happen to get a few bidders that do not pay, just simply resist the temptation to leave negative feedback for them. Leaving negative feedback will only result in possible retaliation by the non paying bidder and negative feedback for you.

Keep in mind that you do not want any negative feedback right now. Buying items off of eBay is another great way to build positive feedback. When you win an auction, pay for the item immediately. The result will be positive feedback for you. Most buyers will not care whether your feedback came as a result of buying or selling ,just as long as it is positive.

4) Do some research before making wholesale purchases.

After you have built a significant feedback rating, you should be ready to start purchasing wholesale merchandise to sell on eBay. If you have your eye on a particular item you think might sell on eBay, first do a search of that item to find out what people are bidding. If it looks great then it is probably a good deal for you. If it does not appear to be getting many bids, you should stay far from it.

You can also do an advanced search for auctions that have already ended. This is a great way to find out the final bid price for a particular item. A few extra minutes of research can save you from a giant headache down the road. It can also mean the difference between making money or not.

Remember that eBay is the largest auction site in the world. There are people who make a living selling and buying items. They will fight the competition in order the stay dominant. After following these simple tips, you too will easily dominate the competition.

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4 Things You Never Knew About Ebay Auctions

By Leslie Yc

This article is for every seller who hates the idea of their item selling for a lower price than they intend. Not everyone fully understands the many features on eBay. Here are the four different types of auctions you can use to sell your items.

1) Normal Auctions

These are by far the most popular on eBay. Almost everyone who has sold on eBay recognizes this format. You post an item, set up a bid for it, and wait for the customers to come to you.

2) Reserve Auctions

Reserve auctions are for sellers who do not want their items to sell for less than a certain price. They work just like normal auctions on eBay, except that the buyer will be told if their bid does not meet the reserve price previously set. If no one is willing to meet your price, then the auction is canceled, and you keep the item without any further charge.

3) Fixed Price Auctions

These auctions are only used when you want to sell an item for one fixed price only. You just simply add a Buy it now button to a normal auction. This shows that buyers can choose either to bid normally or to simply pay the asking price and avoid the whole bidding process. Some sellers just cut out the auction process altogether and simply list all their items at fixed price. This lets you avoid all the complications of the auction format and simply list your items for how much you want them to sell for.

Keep in mind that sometimes this will turn many buyers away. They will feel discouraged due to the fact that they cannot bid lower than the fixed price. In many instances the fixed price are much higher than they can afford.

Just recently eBay added a twist to fixed price auctions known as the best offer. This means that buyers can contact you in order to negotiate a price. The only downside to reserve and fixed price auctions is that you pay an extra small fee to use these formats.

4) Dutch Auctions

These are auctions where you can sell more than one of a certain item. Dutch auctions can be done by bidding. Potential buyers bid a price and say how many items they want. Afterwards, everyone pays the lowest price that was bid by one of the winning bidders. These auctions happen to be very rare due to the complications involved.

The more common issue is when a seller has a lot of one item and lists them using a combination of two auction types. These include Dutch and fixed price auction formats combines. You can just say how many of the items you have, and offer them at a fixed price per unit. Buyers can enter how many they want and click buy it now button to get them.

The eBay auction site has been a highly successful website in comparison to others. Just remember to pick the most appropriate auction format for your items.

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3 Tools For Product Sourcing On EBay - Using Seller Central

By Leslie Yc

You may have already discovered that selling on eBay can be fun and profitable. But after you've cleared out your garage and attic, and auctioned off everything your husband owns, where can you go to get new product ideas?

Tapping into EBay's Resources Most people don't realize that eBay itself is actually a terrific place to find product sourcing ideas. Besides being an easy selling venue with built-in traffic, it also contains a goldmine of useful data about what that traffic wants to buy. One of eBay's best-kept secrets is their Seller Central page (http://www.EBay.com/SellerCentral). Very few people, even PowerSellers, are aware of this valuable resource. Consequently, very few people are taking advantage of the tools available there:

* The merchandising calendar - this is a great spot to get sourcing leads because it shows you specifically what products eBay will be promoting over the next few months. It gives you dates and tells you which item categories you need to list your product in for it to be displayed on eBay's homepage. When a user clicks on that item, your auction will pop right up.

* The hot items section - this is basically a monthly trend-watching report. It tells you what items are moving, producing more bids, and getting higher final prices. It lets you get a feel for where the demand is.

Whether you're searching for products at a tradeshow or a rummage sale, Janelle Elms (http://JanelleElms.com), of eBay University, recommends, "Print this report and keep it with you at all times." She explains, "If you don't know what to look for, this will help direct and keep your mind focused to what's moving on eBay."

* The hot categories section - this resource takes the top categories and gives you tips on how to sell in those categories, insider secrets about your buyers, and trending info. For each category, there's a section called 'In Demand' that tells you not only the top-selling items in that category, but also the top keywords that buyers are using to find these items. Use those keywords in your listing titles. If you have any left over, put them in your description. Essentially, eBay tells you what to sell and then tells you how best to list it.

Catering to Your Customers Advises Elms, "Don't ever try to sell to the buyer what you think they need to own." Users are already telling you what they want to buy - you just have to listen. These tools show you what consumers are saying they want and how they're saying they want to find it. EBay users are ready to spend money with you - all you need to do is give them what they're looking for.

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Wednesday, April 14, 2010

7 Ways To Outsell Other Ebook Resellers On Ebay

By Leslie Yc

How would you like to have your car payment or mortgage paid for? Or perhaps you would like to quit your job and work part time from the comfort of your home?

Whatever your dreams are, selling ebooks and software with resell or master resell rights can help make them a reality! But what if you are not a savvy internet marketer? Well, eBay is an easy and great place to start. It is also a great source of supplemental income even for seasoned resell rights marketers.

But, with increased competition on eBay among ebook resellers, an effective strategy is a must have to continue to grow your ebook business effectively. Don't ever let the seemingly low prices and the thought of resell rights saturation discourage you from reaping large financial rewards. I have been selling ebooks and software on eBay for 3 years now and have developed and refined 7 tried and true tactics that will allow you to resale ebooks for up to 10 times the price of your competition.

The secret is in the listing title! Below are 7 ways to maximize your traffic, conversion and profit using smart listing strategies.

1. Keyword Rich Listing Title

This tip is not unknown but is still rarely used. Most people who sell ebooks with resell rights simply list their item on eBay using the "actual name" of the product for the listing title.

For example, "James Jackson's Giveaway Gold" is listed by many sellers by it's title. In reality this is an ebook on how to build your email list. If you were looking for a guide on how to build your mailing list would you type in "James Jackson's Giveaway Gold?" Not if you have never heard of such an ebook! It should be listed as "Build Create Make Your Mailing Email List". This would be a wise use of relevant keywords and phrases which will bring in the greatest amount of traffic to that listing. You can find these targeted keywords with a free keyword search tool.

2. Understand What You Are Selling

If you don't know what you are selling how can you give it a proper listing title? Be sure to read the sales page that it comes with. Often times you can find useful keywords and phrases in the sales page that will help you list it correctly.

3. Check Out Your Competitor's Listing Titles

Do this before you pick your listing title. As you start writing down possible keywords and phrases to use in your title, cross check them on eBay to see if any other of the same products pull up. Be sure to choose the keywords and phrases that give you the fewest competitors.

4. Use Misspellings To Your Advantage

People's inability to spell means money for you. For example, a product that has to do with "Google Adsense" can also be written as "Google Ad Sense," or even Goggle Adsense."

5. Cross Positioning

A great example of this would be having an ebook on coin collecting but listing it as coin collecting with metal detector. There may be nothing in your ebook on metal detectors but no doubt anyone who pulls up metal detectors will see your ebook on coins and bingo, you just created a niche listing with no competitors.

6. Name Recognition Tie In

This is a great way to pull in brand name recognition traffic even though you aren't selling the product with the name. An example of this would be if you were selling an ebook on how to create a pay per click search engine. You could list the title as something like "Make A Pay Per Click Search Engine Like Google Adwords."

Another benefit to using all 6 of these techniques is that often times the resellers won't find you very easily. Resellers will be looking at other resellers and trying to copy their titles while undercutting their listing price. Because most of them are looking for the actual name of the product, you will be virtually invisible to them.

7. Put Your Ebook On CD

Now that you have positioned yourself on eBay away from the rest, burn your ebooks to CD. Why on a CD? You can increase the price as well as charge shipping and handling. You can easily charge $4.99 for shipping when in fact it costs less than half that to pay for the CD and shipping materials.

There you have it. Now you can be the ebook reseller you have always wanted to be and start pulling in easy cash, the smart way!

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7 Ways To Enhance High Priced Items On Ebay

By Leslie Yc

Just like any eBay auction, you as the seller must have a powerful listing with attention-grabbing photos. It does not matter what type of object you want to sell. If potential buyers see it well presented on eBay, the chances of a sale only increase.

1) Price

Always decide the lowest possible amount you will accept for each object and set that price as the reserve. Make your opening bid as low as possible. If you foolishly start the bid at the price of the object, there is no doubt that you will lose customers. Keep in mind that people shop on eBay because that is where they want to get items very cheap. It does not take a rocket scientist to understand this method. That is just how business is done on eBay.

2) Shipping

In order to keep everyone protected, you should insist that the potential buyer purchases shipping insurance. Try very hard not to make this a simple little option to be brushed off. You do not want to be held responsible if there is a problem getting a high priced item to the buyer. Stop and look everything over twice if the buyer does not want insurance.

3) Item Packing

Use a significant amount of space on your auction listing that explains how you will pack your item and send it. This is of major importance because the potential buyer wants to make sure that they will receive the item in excellent condition. If you say in your listing that it will be delivered in excellent condition, then they expect it that way. A buyer who wants a high priced item will always be thinking of the problems in case they receive a damaged item. You need to ensure them that they will get the item the same way it is presented on eBay.

4) Quality

Do everything in your power to prove that your item is of the best quality, or in other words, genuine. This one aspect could mean the difference between a sale and a dead item. A few questions to ask yourself as the seller are, is the object in the original package?, is it labeled correctly?, and are there any markings on the item? Be sure to take pictures of the item at all angles in and out of the package to ensure it is genuine.

5) Satisfaction Guarantee

This tip is another one of all time importance. Be sure to give the buyer a "satisfaction guarantee" type notice. Any buyer that is bidding on a high priced item will want to be able to send it back in the event that that they are unsatisfied or if the item is defective in any way. If someone is not satisfied and sends your item back, there is a high probability that it will be broken. This step will build credibility to you as the seller and will hopefully result in more future sales.

6) International Shipping

If you are planning on shipping worldwide, you will need to take special steps to protect yourself. Many countries outside the United States are full of fraudulent buyers. Be sure that you have insurance for yourself and do some research on the area you will be shipping to. If you need help with this part, eBay will provide services to help you out.

7) Escrow Service

With a high priced item, you should always offer the option of an escrow service. Charge the buyer the extra fee in case they want it. Even if they do not want it, keep it available as an option. As the seller, you already know the item is legitimate; however, the potential buyer is not so sure.

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7 Tips for Selling Expensive Collectibles On eBay

By Leslie Yc

Recently, a friend asked me to help her brother sell his collection on Lladro glass figurines on eBay. These are expensive glass collectibles and I knew nothing about them - but I don't have to. The principles for selling expensive collectibles on eBay are the same, regardless of what is being sold.

Obviously, like any eBay auction, the seller must have a powerful listing with great pictures. This is always true regardless of what the merchandise is. Expensive collectibles offer splendid opportunities, but also need special precautions.

1. Price: decide the lowest amount you will accept for each figurine and set that price as a reserve. Then make your opening bid absurdly low - yes, absurdly.

Example: if you will accept $1,000 - make your opening bid $25. There is no risk in this, because you don't have to sell unless the bidding reaches $1000, but the low price attracts buyers, (assuming there is demand, of course).

Looking at completed eBay auctions allows us to track prices, Again and again we learn that starting the price where the seller hopes it will end is not a wise tactic.

For instance, a seller wants to get $750 for his figurine. An opening bid of $750 won't attract nearly as many buyers as an opening bid of $25 and - surprisingly - the lower bid almost always gets higher prices. There is some psychology at work with the cheap price. It may not make logical sense, but it's the reality of life on eBay.

2. Devote space in your auction listing explaining how you will pack your item to ensure safe transit. This is critically important because in the back of every buyer's mind is the dread of receiving a package that rattles. A collectibles buyer will inevitably be thinking of the hassle she will have to go through - and the possible loss of purchase price - if her item is broken. She needs to know that the seller has carefully considered this issue and has a solution.

3. For the protection of both of you, insist that the buyer pay for appropriate insurance. Don't allow this to be an option. You definitely do not want the liability of a broken collectible that costs hundreds of dollars. In fact, if a customer objects to paying for insurance, this might possibly be a red flag. A genuine collector is very eager to add to her collection and wants her figurine to be protected.

4. We can safely assume that every Internet buyer has heard stories of fraud on eBay and elsewhere on the Net. Therefore, anything you can do to prove the authenticity of your collectible is well worth your time. Is there a marking on the bottom? Do you have the original box or other container? Does it have a label? Is there a certificate of authenticity or an appraisal by a respected organization? If the answer to any of these is "yes", then be certain to emphasize your authenticity in your auction. Taking pictures of your proof is especially effective.

5. I don't suggest offering a guarantee except in the most general way - that is, you, the seller, are telling the truth about the product. Anyone bidding on a collectible is knowledgeable and therefore they know what they're buying so there should be no reason for a return. If someone expresses dissatisfaction and mails your merchandise back, there is every likelihood of it being broken. You do not want the hassle of trying to collect on broken merchandise or putting yourself into a litigious situation with someone who refuses to believe that the collectible was broken via return shipping.

Also, you don't want to take a loss on your eBay fees, which might be substantial if the price is high.

6. With a really expensive item, always offer the option of an escrow service - at the buyer's expense, of course. They may not take want this service, but make certain they have the option. You, of course, know that your merchandise is legitimate, but the buyer isn't so certain. eBay recommends an escrow service that is available to all members.

7. If you're willing to ship worldwide, you need to take special steps to protect yourself. In the US we have AVS (Address Verification System) which offers some protection. A very large portion of the fraud suffered by buyers occurs outside the United States and you are justified in protecting yourself. Losing the purchase price on a $5 item isn't such a big deal - but a $1,000 collectible absolutely does matter.

Your bank can advise you on the time it will take to verify foreign funds. Be certain to let any prospective buyer know in your auction that there will be a delay if they are outside of your country. Do not let your merchandise out of your hands until you are sure!

If you follow these 'rules', the chances of selling your expensive collectibles at the highest possible prices will be greatly increased.

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Double Your eBay Sales In 30 Days

By Leslie Yc

First, and as important to your success as anything you learn here, is clearly understanding how eBay users find things to spend their money on.

No matter what type of buyer they are, no matter where they come from, they all use the same tool to find auction ads;

"They use the search bar to type in general terms..!"

Very rarely do buyers check the "Search Title and Description" checkbox and start browsing the more specific results. Heck; the checkbox isn't even an option on the front page of eBay, you actually have to do an "Advanced Search" to even have that option. This just confirms the importance of your title keywords.

Some do browse categories rather than search, but we're mainly concerned with general majorities here, not exceptions to the rule.

In case you're unaware, this means that most searches are ONLY CHECKING YOUR TITLE, not the words in the description area of your ad!!!

Experience tells me that, since you now know this, you are actually way ahead of 70% of the other eBay sellers out there; and that's a very conservative estimate..!

Now that you have a clear understanding of the importance of your title keywords, here's a priority list for precisely picking the right ones for each of your ads:

Take these rules literally, but understand that each of these will not apply to every ad that you run. You have a maximum of 55 characters allowed for your title and just try your best to achieve as many of these as possible in this limited space.

1. Obvious keywords that are specific to the product you're selling and make sure that they are spelled correctly.

2. One or Two misspellings of the obvious keywords from the last rule. (Google says that 33% of all searches are misspelled) ...CATCH THAT? One Third! Don't Forget This Part.

3. One or Two general eBay keywords such as "nr", "n/r", "no reserve", "free shipping", or "lot". These are keywords that a lot of pro buyers search for.

4. Other general keywords like "new", "free", "excellent", "pc", "usb", "dvd", "wholesale", or "supplies". You can only use ones that are relevant to the product you're selling, but these are very powerful.

Now, take these rules and create a list on a piece of paper each time you're about to list an ad. Usually the list is way too big to fit into the title. Once your list is done, start narrowing down the list using the priority structure that I just gave you until they do fit into the 55 character limit.

If you have more than one of the item to sell and intend to list multiple copies of your ad, be certain to take the time to create different titles for each one!!! If you don't, and you just use the same title for each copy; you're just wasting money. Multiple versions of the same ad with different titles for each can really increase your traffic.

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10 Great Ways To Source Low Cost Products For Ebay

By Leslie Yc

So you're having trouble finding stock cheaply enough to sell it for a good profit? Well, you've come to the right place.

Garage sales. The chances are you've gone most of your life seeing ads for these and ignoring them. Start going to as many as you can. You won't find good things at every one, but when you find one person with good stuff, make them an offer for the lot - they'll be so happy about it that you can get a real bargain.

Markets. If your area has a market, then go there and look around for anything good. You could buy it there if it's cheap enough, or try to make friends with the market traders and find out who their suppliers are.

Pawn shops. Pawn shops don't usually know what to do with the junk they accumulate (unless it's jewellery, of course). Generally, they put their stock out on the shelves haphazardly, hoping that someday someone with a little money will just happen to come in, search around and buy wildly obscure things. Get them to offer you a discount for bulk.

Real auctions. Go to a real auction, as the chances are that you can resell things for more than they will sell them. After all, they only have a few hundred people in that room - you have a few million to sell to!

Local newspapers. Place an ad in the local paper that reads "I pay cash for [your item type]", with your phone number. If you can afford it, make it a big display ad, so it'll be noticed.

Ad boards. Get one of those little ads in the grocery store.

Friends. Ask your friends if they have anything they'd like to sell you, and ask them to spread the word to their friends.

Become known. Give out business cards, mention to people what you do. The chances are that you'll come across someone who'll say "Oh, really? I've got a load of [item] I don't want".

Shops. This might be a little surprising, but some real shops even sell things more cheaply than they sell on eBay. Take a look around your local deep discounter, and pay special attention to any shop that takes trade-ins from customers. The chances are they take a loss on trade-ins as a promotion, and are dying to get rid of that stock.

And finally: eBay! When you're looking at the completed items view, you'll notice the massive range of prices that items can sell for on eBay. Try taking the highest-priced item and searching for it on its own, then sort by lowest price first: I can almost guarantee that you'll see an auction for the same item where it sold for almost nothing. The trick is to find these flawed auctions before they close, win them using a bid sniping service, and then turn around and resell the item.

After all that trouble, though, when do sell the item you might find that a buyer leaves you a feedback rating you just don't think is fair. The next email will show you what to do about it.

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