eBay BLISS < eBay Success Secrets >

Paying for your eBay purchases is normally a straight forward process. It's made easy, though eBays checkout feature which is fully intergated with paypal.

This enables you to pay with existing funds which you may have in your paypal account, or via your own credit or debit card that is linked to the account.

However like many online & offline businesses eBay & paypal regularly have new offers to try & tempt new users to signup for their services. One of these methods which they use is via the use of electronic coupons which are sent out via email.

Think of these coupons, like discount coupons which may be issued by your local supermarket - something alone the lines of 20% off when you purchase goods over £20.00

So if your lucky enough to receive a paypal coupon it's simply a matter of entering the paypal coupon code on the final confirmation page when purchasing goods from eBay sellers. The discount will be applied immediately.

If you haven't yet received any coupons there are two tips that you can use. Firstly, register a new eBay account & never use it.

It shouldn't be long before eBay send you an email inviting you to bid for your first item - along with a paypal coupon to use should you win the item.

Secondly, & a lot easier just google for "paypal coupons". These coupons are issued to all of eBay members at some stage & there are many website which exist purely to share all kinds of these electronic coupons. Just copy & paste the number & hopefully it should work.


Mark Kenny runs an independent eBay forum where you can discuss any aspects of eBay & get rewarded for your contribution to the forum. For any advise or eBay problems, visit the forum at: http://AuctionCUT.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Kenny
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Buying online at auction websites such as ebay is becoming ever more popular and there are some great bargains out there to take advantage of. There are however risks involved and in this article I am going to write about a bad experience a friend of mine went through, an experience which would cost him a lot of money.

I have used ebay many times in the past and have not only bought a great many items but have also sold a few. I have to say it is quite a buzz and is a great way of offloading some of the things that I no longer have a use for. I have even been surprised at the amounts of money some of these items have sold for.

During a recent evening out, I was discussing ebay with a friend of mine, his name is Ian. Ian has recently attempted to make money from online auctions and was hoping it would earn him a type of second income. He would buy a particular item at what he thought was quite a low price and would then re-list the same item a couple of weeks later, hoping he would make a tidy profit and some easy money.

One of his ways of attempting to pull off a good deal was by phoning or e-mailing the seller and offering them a price to close the auction early. In fairness to ebay this is something they strongly advise against and Ian is aware that he was taking a risk by doing this. In his first few transactions everything went well and all of the items arrived safely and in good condition. He eventually made what he called a small but worthwhile profit on most of the items. In his mind, the more he could buy and sell, the more he would make.

As no doubt you have gathered his luck was about to run out. He contacted via telephone, a seller of a camcorder. Ian offered a price which was duly accepted. The seller advised him where to post the money to and agreed to post the item via registered post. Ian then posted him the amount in cash, also registered post and then waited for the item to arrive. The camcorder did not arrive and Ian started to become slightly worried. He waited a number of days but still it had not been delivered. He contacted the seller who stated that he had posted it. Ian asked him for the registered postal number and to his horror and annoyance the seller stated that he had not sent it registered post, but had sent it first class.

Ian argued, that what they had agreed to, was that he would post the item via registered post due to its cost. The seller denied agreeing to this and put the phone down in disgust at being called a liar. Ian tried by e-mailing and phoning the seller to obtain a refund but the seller just kept saying that he had sent it, so he had no reason to pay him his money back. Ian will never know whether the camcorder was posted, however strongly believes it had not been.

Ian is aware that he had been a bit of a fool and had taken an undue risk. It is a lesson he has learnt from. There was no real comeback apart from possibly travelling two hundred miles to the address of the seller. Even if he had paid via paypal, he had bought the item outside of ebay, which again ebay advise you not to do.

In conclusion if you are going to purchase items on online auction websites such as ebay, use your head and do not let greed cloud your judgements. There are many people out there who are more than happy to take you for a ride and to con you out of your hard earned money. Follow the guidelines set and you are more likely to have a positive experience.

Ian now still uses ebay but not as a way to earn extra cash, he merely uses it for enjoyment. He can not quite believe what he did and actually believes that he deserved it. He realises that if it had not have happened when buying the camcorder that it would have happened eventually.

Stephen Hill helps to promote a number of websites including:

free poker help

anti aging advice

stuttering information

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fake Escrow Services

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

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

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

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

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

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

Deadbeat Bidders

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

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

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

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

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

Trade Dispute

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

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

SquareTrade.com is one of these outfits eBay recommends.

Prevention is Better than Cure

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

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

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

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_Newton
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By Seth Chong


Have you seen any sellers on eBay which shows a “star” and the word “PowerSeller” by the side of their names? PowerSellers are eBay’s top sellers who have sustained a consistent high volume of monthly sales, a high level of total 98% positive feedback or better, and have met a threshold of compliance with all marketplace policies.

Sounds hard? Nope, not at all, in fact anyone can do it. Shortly, if you want to qualify for being an eBay seller you need:

•To be an active member for 90 days.
•Average a minimum of $1000 in sales per month for three consecutive months.
•Achieve an overall Feedback rating of 100, of which 98% or more is positive.
•Have an account in good financial standing.

Now we’ll learn about the methods used by our fellow eBay PowerSellers. A successful auction has three elements which are: the title, a description and pictures of your selling item.

When listing, always write a clear, attractive and concise title. The first thing any potential buyers see will be your title so you should grab their attention once they enter. It should tell what the buyers want, make them nod their heads when they read your title. Some descriptive words like old, vintage, runs, works or condition statements like “New in Box”, anything that is appropriate can get you better results than a bold headline.

Many people left a lot of money on the table when they depended just on “see photos” instead of writing a good description. A large number of auctions are filled with paragraph after paragraph of information about where to send the payments, how to send the payments, when to send the payments, who can bid and who can’t which sometimes clutters the auction.

It’s really simple to include a good description which can make your potential buyers stay glued to what you say right until they make a bid or purchase your item and everyone in the world should do it!

By writing an accurate description you will make bidders more confident about your item. Not certain on what to describe? Search for similar items on eBay, and read the description, take down the catchy words then use it in your listing. The confidence can translate into higher prices.

As for your auction’s pictures, use big clear photographs. The best way to get nice and clear photos is to take them using a digital camera. Other than that, it is also easier for you to upload the photos into your computer with a digital camera. Try and improve your pictures by adding suitable lightings as well, it can help produce better results in your picture’s quality.

Now, all of us know that feedbacks are based on the seller’s customer service. Whenever we go out somewhere for a meal, customer service is very important. Let’s say DOME, people likes going there because the food has low calories, and of course, it tastes great. But what makes people feel comfortable eating there is the customer service. Good customer service is always defined by: a smile, fast service, and simple.

We’ll need to always be pleasant to our customers. Don’t be shy, be more humble than your customers and treat them as though they’re your boss. When people know you have good customer service, they won’t mind considering buying more items from you. Since you are a trusted person and easy to communicate with it, being your repeated customer in time to come will be great. If you have excellent customer service, it just hurts if I don’t write you a good feedback and keep your items, right?

Selling the item to your customer doesn’t mean he or she is done for good. There are a lot more ways to benefit from your current customers. After they’ve purchased your item, try to offer a bonus, like a free e-book or something that is useful.

But first, they will need to sign up for your newsletter, or subscribe to your opt-in list. You can instead not only offer the bonus for the buyer, but all the other bidders. This way, you add up your opt-in list, make everyone happy, and all these current bidders can be potential buyers of your items in the future.

In your auctions, you can always put a link to your other auctions in your description and inform the surfers that you have more items for sale. By telling the viewers you have similar items for sale and can offer cheaper shipping & handling cost, it urges people to buy more items from you.

A guarantee is always part of the most important factor in your auctions. This can be a simple statement like if the item is not as represented you can return it for a refund. Using a strong guarantee can greatly increase your response. If you offer a guarantee you need to honor it, but if you’re diligent, you will definitely not have many returns. If you want to know how a good guarantee statement sounds like, you can refer this one:

“100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE – IF YOU ARE UNHAPPY FOR ANY REASON JUST RETURN YOUR ITEM FOR A COMPLETE REFUND INCLUDING SHIPPING BOTH WAYS.”

How does it sound? Safe enough to buy definitely! It doesn’t matter if they refund your item in the future, you just need to sell your items to your customers and let them make their choices after receiving it.

At the end of your auction’s description, always make it easier for surfers and maintain their urge of buying by listing the shipping & handling costs for your items.

Refrain from letting them do the math or turn to other pages just because it’s troublesome inquiring for the fees. A good example is:

“$5.00 shipping to US Destinations by Priority Mail. I will pack with care and ship with delivery confirmation for your protection. International shipping are sent by Airmail letter Post. I will combine items that end on the SAME day to lower your shipping cost.”

This is absolutely clear and to the point. When you include this information, surfers will not have to figure out anything extra or look at other pages to find out the shipping information, and it can help increasing your response in sales!

People have many different opinions when it comes to how long they should list an auction. There’s no definite answer to it, but five to seven days are the peak ones. Search results are presented by newly listed items or those items which are ending on the same day, which means the first and the last 24 hours are when most people will see one’s auction.

Pack well! By packing nicely you inflict the message of how valuable your item is, and it increases your customer’s satisfaction for the product. Chocolates like Ferrero Rocher or Kit Kat have nice packing and that urges people to buy it as well, noticed it before?

To be an eBay seller isn’t hard at all, it takes a little time and effort, but that’s it. Slowly build your customer database, keep the opt-ins, add up your positive feedbacks, continue providing good customer support, and you’re almost there.

Seth Chong is the owner of IMViral, one of the largest, greatest viral Internet Marketing Newsletter which is being spread around the world, you can sign up for the Newsletter(worths $297) for Free at http://www.IMViral.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Seth_Chong
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Writing a sales page is one of the most important things you will
do for your eBay auctions โ€“ especially if there are many
different sellers selling similar items. You have to write a
sales page that makes the buyers want to bid on your item,
instead of your competitor's items!

There are many different elements to a winning sales page.

A winning sales page starts with an outstanding headline.

The headline must stand out so that it will be noticed when
bidders search for particular items. The headline must mention
the item that you are selling, but there needs to be more
information than that. For eBay, this will be the title of your
auction, and when a person looks for a specific item in your
category, that title will appear in the search results. Make sure
it catches their attention!

The rest of your sales page is written by filling out the form
that sets up the auction for eBay.

Again, you want to encourage the bidder to place bids or to buy
now. You should outline the features of the item that you are
selling, using words that capture the attention of the bidder,
and even words that pull them emotionally. For instance, if you
are selling an heirloom item, you may want to give some history
of the item โ€“ information that makes the item even more valuable
to potential bidders.

It is important to tell the bidders how they will benefit from
the item should they win the bid. Again, this serves to make the
item more valuable and desirable to the bidder. What will the
buyer get out of it?

The end of your sales page should ensure the bidder that if there
is a problem with the item you will offer a money back guarantee.


If you do this, it is vitally important that you do indeed honor
your guarantee. Guarantees are generally reserved for new items.
Old items are usually sold 'as is' with no refunds offered.
However, eBay requires you to accurately describe your item, and
they require that the item arrive at the buyers address in the
condition that you described. If it does not, you are obligated
to refund the money that the buyer paid for the item.

Without putting down other sellers or their products
specifically, you need to tell the potential bidders and buyers
why they should bid on your item, as opposed to bidding on other
auctions for similar items.

There is a fine line here that you cannot cross โ€“ putting down
other sellers in a public way simply is not to be done! But at
the same time, you must let the buyer know why they should choose
your auction. Again, this is done by listing benefits and
features, and by letting the buyer know that you will honor any
money back guarantees you may have.

Adding a good picture of the item to the sales page is
recommended.

People want to see what they are buying, and many bidders will
by-pass auctions that do not include photographs of the items.
Make sure your picture is clear and shows your item in its best
light, and add a link to view other pictures of the item as well.

Remember, you are trying to sell something with your eBay sales
page.

Use words that will draw the attention of the buyer and make them
want your item more than anything else in life! Dress up your
words in a way that makes your items more attractive. For
instance, instead of saying that you have 'an old beat up record
player' for sale, you might say that you have a 'well loved
record player.

Successful eBay selling is all about choosing items that people
want, and using the right words in the sales page to make the
buyer want the item even more!
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