eBay BLISS < eBay Success Secrets >

Ebay auctions can be easy to start but hard to finish with a winning bidder. If you use auctions, you have to know what is popular, otherwise you are going to have lots of closed auctions with high fees and no profit.

Ebay success depends on research. You can start your research offline by searching the newspaper for advertisements. Basically the advertisements which you see on the cover of most of the newspapers are going to be for what most people are buying on Ebay. You are going to want to promote whatever these ads are promoting.

Most of the new music and movies which are released on Tuesdays are going to be great sellers on Ebay.

Another way to know what is popular on Ebay is to go the Seller Central area on Ebay website. This area tells you what is popular based on what you are selling and what Ebay is currently promoting on its website's home page. You can just buy some of these items and put them up for sale.

Andale.com offer a great service but it is not free. For a small monthly payment, this service will tell you what is hot for any given day ordered from the most popular to the least popular. Not only that, it will tell you what day to start your auction, how many days to run it for, what price to start your bidding at, and what is the best day for buy it now auctions. They offer charts and stats to help you too.

You can go a bit further into the research by trying another service called Word Tracker available at wordtracker.com. This tells you what the most popular search term on the internet is on different search engines. When you find a popular search term on a search engine like Yahoo or Google you can request that your term be submitted free, but it can take a while. You should do that if you have an Ebay store.

If you have an auction running and you find a popular search term based on your item, just use a pay per click (PPC) service for the search engine you want to use. Overture is the PPC for Yahoo and Adwords is for Google’s PPC. Each of these services allow you to bid a certain amount for a term, and when someone clicks on your term, you are charged that amount. Only use a few keywords when you start using a pay per click service, then you can add more later.

Using these tips and services you should become very successful on Ebay but remember to research before you put something on Ebay to sell.
By Michael Russell
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By Shannon Davidson

Founded in September 1995, EBay (Nasdaq: EBAY) is The World's Online Marketplace® for the sale of goods and services by a diverse community of individuals and small businesses. Today, the EBay community includes more than a hundred million registered members from around the world. People spend more time on EBay than any other online site, making it the most popular shopping destination on the Internet.

WHY SELL ON EBAY?

Generally people sell on EBay to supplement their income, liquidate an estate, to rid of unwanted items from their collections, or use it in lieu of a yard sale to sell things that they no longer want or need. Becoming even more common are those sellers who purchase new products at wholesale prices and re-sell them on EBay for a profit. You don't have to sell full-time on EBay though. You can sell as many or as few items as you want. It's a great money making hobby. Keep your day job and sell on EBay in the evenings and on the weekends.

The more work that you put into selling on EBay, the more money you are typically going to make. This is very appealing to many sellers. However, selling on EBay, like any other business, can be hard work. A big motivation for those that end up selling on EBay is the desire to own a business; to be their own boss. EBay is perfect for starting a small sales business because of the low initial set-up costs - it's low risk.

REGISTERING ON EBAY:

If you do not already have an account with EBay, you'll have register in order to buy or sell on the EBay auction site. For buyers, all that EBay requires is your name, address, e-mail and telephone number. For sellers, you'll also need to provide credit card information. EBay uses a secure system to receive your credit card number, so there is no risk that anyone can intercept your credit card number. If buying on EBay, there will be no charge. If you sell on EBay, your credit card will be automatically charged on a monthly basis for any listing fees and commissions.

EBAY/AUCTION PRICING:

Most items sold on EBay are sold for between $5 and $50. Partly because there are just more items that happen to fall into that range of values, and partly because most buyers are comfortable spending that amount on an Internet auction.

EBAY/AUCTION DESCRIPTIONS:

Writing a thorough and accurate item description can be a big challenge for sellers, especially new ones, when creating an auction listing. Search other listings similar to yours and create and produce an informative, professional description of the item(s) you are selling.

What is the secret to making money on EBay?

Attract as many bids as possible and bring back repeat customers!

How do you attract bids and bring back repeat customers?

Establish credibility, present your auctions professionally, offer a guarantee, include a photograph of your item, and maintain an exemplary feedback record. Always ensure your customers are happy, and they always will be if you provide an accurate description.

Remember, when an EBay buyer bids on one of your auctions they are not initiating a transaction with a well-established company with a proven track record like an Amazon.com, they are placing their trust in someone who could very easily no longer be in business tomorrow. The only thing that the buyer has available to them to assess the legitimacy of your auction is your EBay feedback record and the quality of your EBay auction listing. The goal of your EBay auction should be to differentiate your auction from the others by convincing bidders that what you're selling is legitimate, and that when paid, you'll quickly deliver the product in excellent condition.

Once you are comfortable with your EBay business, you can incorporate that business with a retail business by starting your own website and web presence.
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We've got the secrets you can use to create a booming business on eBay.

1. Choose a User ID carefully. Be sure to choose a User ID that represents your business or the items you sell. This will become your eBay brand identity to prospective buyers.

2. Start With the "How to Sell" Tour. Watch the eBay selling demonstration video. Then, learn more at the eBay Learning Center.

3. Get ID Verified. You can use the ID Verify option instead of, or in addition to, giving your credit card information when setting up a Seller's Account. You might want to do it so you'll be given an ID Verify icon in your feedback profile, giving the eBay community more confidence to buy from you and allowing you to bypass some feedback requirements when selling in certain formats.

4. Get Computer Backup Disks. Power surges or computer crashes can wipe out your valuable data in seconds. Routinely save the business documents on your hard drive to disks. Label them, and file them in a safe place.

5. Use Accounting Software. Accounting software helps you know how your business is doing so you can make it more profitable. It's also going to make your life much easier come tax time. A bookkeeper can recommend the right software for your business, set it up and teach you how to use it.

6. Make Space for Inventory and Shipping Materials. These items don't have to be in your office, but they do need to be in a safe, dry place nearby. This helps you keep an eye on what you've got and what you need as your business grows. The U.S. Postal Service offers free eBay/USPS co-branded Priority Mail shipping boxes. Go to http://ebaysupplies.usps.com to order yours.

7. Write a Daily To-Do List. Schedule a time to follow up on opportunities that aren't part of your normal tasks, and use this time frame to respond to unplanned tasks that pop up that day.

8. Take eBay's Fees Into Account. Even though eBay charges a small listing Insertion Fee and a Final Value Fee, you may want to take these into account when you're pricing your items. Both of these fees are listed here: http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/fees.html.

9. Choose the Best Category. From eBay's home page, click the "Buy" button, and browse the categories to find ones that work for your items. Also see where competing items have been placed. It's a good idea to choose two categories for your listings to reach more buyers.

10. Spotlight Your Title. For an additional fee, you can grab buyers' attention when they search for listings by bolding your text (which has increased final item prices by an average of 25 percent) and using a color highlight or border on your listing. Also, say more about your item by adding a subtitle.

11. Consider Hiring a Trading Assistant. When your business on eBay starts booming, you might want help managing your listings so you can focus on other areas of growing your business and also enjoy a balanced work/home life. Hiring a Trading Assistant can free up the time you need and want. Find a Trading Assistant at http://pages.ebay.com/tahub/index.html.

12. Use My eBay. Make sure to use My eBay to monitor your listings and activity on the site. My Messages can also help you keep track of your eBay correspondence.

13. Attend Industry Trade Shows. Not only will you get a preview of product trends, you can also connect with manufacturers and discuss the opportunity of selling their products on eBay. Bring your business cards, and be ready to discuss your success as an eBay seller.

14. Donate to a Nonprofit Organization. Donate part of or the entire final sale price to your favorite nonprofit organizations. Support your community, and your charity listings will get additional visibility along with a blue-and-yellow ribbon icon. Search more than 5,000 charities at http://givingworks.ebay.com.

15. Beware of Unusual Buyer Requests. To help protect yourself from potential fraud, be wary of buyers who have unusual requests. If buyers ask to send partial payments, consider that a warning sign.

16. Ask eBay Consultants for Advice. Once you know how to sell on eBay and you've checked out the eBay Community, your head will be buzzing with new business ideas. Run your questions by the Seller OnRamp consultants for free advice on creating a profitable business on eBay.

17. Subscribe to the Chatter. Every month, get feature articles, tips, helpful links and member interviews. Share your eBay story, and you may be next in the member spotlight.

18. Sign Up for the PowerUp Newsletter. Get advance notice of upcoming events and promotions by e-mail at http://pages.ebay.com/sellercentral/newsflash.html. You'll get a heads-up on free listing days, feature discounts, seller sweepstakes and more.

19. Design Marketing Materials to Promote Your Store. Get business cards, fliers, letterhead and envelopes to strengthen your Store's brand and invite offline shoppers to check it out. Download eBay's marketing templates for free or visit NetPost Business Connect to create and mail advertising and promotional messages to your customers.
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Behind every eBay success story is a tale of trial and error. We'll help you skip straight ahead to the success part.
October 01, 2004
Jacquelyn Lynn and Chris Penttila

You've heard the eBay success stories, and you want to become one of them. Great! eBay has created some of the most incredible entrepreneurial success stories in the history of commerce, and the surface has barely been scratched when it comes to the profit-building potential of this popular online marketplace. There's plenty of room for you.

Whether you're starting a brand-new business or just looking for ways to grow an existing operation, you can do it on eBay. Business experience is helpful but not necessary. You'll learn as you go, and you'll be part of an extremely supportive community where people are eager to help you succeed.

So where do you begin? If you haven't done so already, start by logging on to www.ebay.com to explore the site. "You really need to experience it," says Randy Smythe, 44, co-owner of Glacier Bay DVD (eBay User ID: glacierbaydvd) in Anaheim, California. Smythe and his partner, Michael Lehman, 41, sell DVDs exclusively on eBay. Last year, their revenue was $3.6 million; they expect to hit $7 million this year.

Set aside several hours to browse around the site. Click on all the different buttons to access and learn about eBay's various features. Read the news announcements, check out the help pages, surf the discussion boards, take the online guided tours, and study the listings. A great place to begin is with the eBay Learning Center, which offers free audio tours and online courses.

Learn all about eBay University; with sessions held across the country 30 weekends a year, eBay University is likely to come to an area near you soon. (Read more about eBay University in our "Up Front" section on page 6.) eBay is a huge site, but it's well-organized and easy to navigate. Take the time to get familiar with it before you get started, when you're not under any pressure to buy or sell.

You don't need to be registered on eBay if you just want to browse the site, but you do if you're planning to buy or sell. Registration on eBay is free, so go ahead and sign up. The most important part of the registration process is choosing your eBay User ID, which is the name by which you'll be known on eBay.

Jim "Griff" Griffith, dean of eBay Education and author of The Official eBay Bible, advises that because your User ID will be your official "handle" (you may actually become famous by it), it is crucial that you pick one that is perfect for you as well as reflective of your business. (To avoid trademark infringements, don't use eBay in your User ID.)
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