Introducing EBay Stores

Imagine a storefront all your own, where buyers could go to browse through your merchandise. Your items could be displayed for a month, or even indefinitely. Low cost bulk items for which individual listing fees wouldn’t be economical could reside in the store until you removed them. You could have control over hundreds or even thousands of listings, plus image hosting and customizable pages. All of this can be had by opening an Ebay Store.

Ebay stores are a good solution for bulk sellers who don’t want to spend their money on recurring listing fees. Sellers of antiques, collectibles, and other slow-moving items will benefit from the Ebay stores’ “Good ‘Til Canceled” feature. This allows you to list items indefinitely, subject to listing fees every thirty days. If you anticipate that your goods will take some time to sell, it could be worth your while to use an Ebay store rather than traditional auction listings.

Ebay stores also come with a host of features that allow you to manage your listings, host your images, customize your pages, and market via e-mail. At the time of this writing, a basic Ebay store costs $15.95 per month. Basic Ebay stores come with five pages, 300 product categories, 1MB of image hosting space, and built-in ways to promote your store. The Premium and Anchor store subscriptions cost more, but offer more features and space.

The Markdown Manager is a popular feature. Ebay sellers who use the manager can offer their products at discounted prices. Of course, this is a great way to attract the attention of buyers, or to clear out items that haven’t performed as well as anticipated. Ebay stores also offer sellers the choice of putting their store “on vacation”. That is, when sellers won’t be able to manage their items for whatever reason, the store can be taken temporarily offline until the seller returns. This feature is convenient and helps prevent Ebay sellers from feeling like they are chained to their computers.

Ebay encourages store-based merchants to think outside the auction block when promoting their stores. Ebay recommends e-mail marketing to keep in touch with your buyers through messages and newsletters. Promotional flyers can be created and included with shipments. Blogs and other web sites can be used to showcase Ebay store, thanks to marketing widgets. Keyword managers make sure your store will get a good page rank in search engines.

And the list goes on. There are far too many Ebay store benefits to list here. For full details, visit http://pages.ebay.com/storefronts/subscriptions.html.

Ebay is a marketplace for the 21stCentury, but some of the old rules still apply. Sellers must first grab the attention of buyers. The products must be superior to (or less expensive than) those offered by competitors. And customer service is still paramount. With Ebay stores, online sellers have a convenient way to achieve their goals.

How to Deal with Problem Bidders on Ebay

Ebay is an innovative way for online buyers and sellers to come together and make transactions. A seller's feedback score serves as a way for buyers to know who they're buying from. If the seller has a positive feedback rating, the buyer can feel comfortable bidding on their items. But if a seller's feedback score is negative, buyers take it as a warning sign to stay away. Is the same true for sellers? Do they have a way to keep problem bidders at bay?

Yes, sellers do have ways to protect themselves. Say for instance that you've had dealings with a bidder who took a long time to pay you. Perhaps they even have a history of being a deadbeat. In order to protect themselves from this bidder, Ebay merchants can add the bidder to their "Blocked Bidders" list. This will prevent the problem bidder from placing bids on any of the seller's auctions until their name is removed from the list.

To add a problem bidder to your Blocked Bidder list, simply go to your My Ebay Seller's page. Go to the bottom of the page and click the link for your Blocked Bidders list. Once there, you can add and remove as many names as you like. You can even block multiple usernames by placing a comma between them. If the user redeems himself someday, you can remove his name from your blocked list by returning to this page.

In the meantime, how does an Ebay seller handle a non-paying customer? Sellers can file a Non Paying Bidder report seven days after the auction ends. Seven days is the minimum amount of time sellers must wait before filing this report; they can file it up to forty-five days later.

Upon receiving your report, Ebay will send out a letter to the auction winner. Sometimes this is sufficient to make a buyer pay up. If a buyer pays you after you’ve filed a report but before the warning letter is sent, you can cancel the warning by sending in a Non Paying Bidder Warning Removal. This will prevent the warning letter from going out to the buyer. If a buyer receives three or more warning letters from Ebay, their account will be suspended.

What if a buyer fails to pay you, but you have no way to contact them to request payment? If you are involved in a transaction with the user, you can use Ebay’s “Search -> Find a Member” feature. You will need the buyer’s user name as well as the transaction number. The search will return their name, city, state, and phone number. This gives sellers an opportunity to send out letters or even call the buyer to discuss payment.

Finally, feedback is also a possible recourse for sellers, but it should be applied sparingly. A seller should leave negative feedback on a buyer only when they really feel that the buyer is detrimental to other sellers. Anytime you leave negative feedback, you run the risk of retaliatory feedback from the offending party, even if it’s undeserved. Negative feedback can be costly and time-consuming to remove from your record. Most sellers simply use warning letters and their Blocked Bidder list to distance themselves from deadbeats.

Ebay, like any marketplace, has its share of good customers and bad customers. Luckily, sellers have several ways to separate the good from the bad, and to pursue the money they are rightfully owed.

Find Your Niche Market on Ebay

Many of us dream of working from home by selling products on Ebay. But what would we sell? And how would we know if a market exists for the items we have? To avoid listing items that nobody wants, or items within an already flooded market, some research is in order. The goal of this research is to find your niche on Ebay.

Many Ebay sellers provide their goods within one niche. Others have a handful of niches that they specialize in. The key is to find a group of products that you're already familiar with. Perhaps you've been a collector of antiques for many years. If so, you probably know when you come across an item that could potentially sell for a good amount of cash. Likewise, you have a good idea of which items are likely to collect dust on your shelves. You can put this knowledge to work for you on Ebay. Your expertise with antiques gives you an edge over many competitors.

Once you have a good idea of the niche you wish to fill, it's time for the second half of your preliminary work. Start a spreadsheet that lists the different types of items you would like to sell. Then add a monetary value to each entry. This reflects how much you can expect to purchase the item for. Be realistic; you want to lay out an accurate portrait of how much money you will be spending to build up your inventory. Optimism won't help in this circumstance.

Expand your spreadsheet to include other niche markets, just in case. These can be items you enjoy working with, have expert knowledge of, or something you've always had an affinity for and think you could be successful with. Remember: no matter what your niche is, someone will buy from it as long as you list quality items at reasonable prices. Estimate the initial cost of each item, including shipping and sales tax. Then prepare to immerse yourself in Ebay as your research begins in earnest.

Go to Ebay and search through the completed auctions. This allows you to see the actual price that items similar to yours have sold for. Is the average price something you could live with? Remember to factor in shipping costs. Also, pay attention to the quality of the sold items when deciding whether this niche is something you wish to pursue. Items in “mint” or “like new” condition will bring considerably higher prices on Ebay than worn, scuffed items.

Now reflect on your findings. Did the completed Ebay auctions fetch your target price, or were the closing bids uniformly low? Did any of the items fetch a surprisingly high amount? If you were unimpressed by your findings, go back and consult your spreadsheet; it’s time to start researching another niche.

If your observations were mostly positive, you may have found your Ebay niche already. In that case, go out and start building up your supply. Don’t go overboard; you’re still in the testing phase. Purchase a dozen or so items at fair prices. Then list them on Ebay.


For many sellers, waiting is the hard part. But you’ll need patience for this phase of your niche-finding project. Monitor your listings and see how they perform. If they do well, you can build up your stock even more and increase your listings. If they don’t quite live up to your expectations, you can go back to square one. Pick another niche from your spreadsheet and start researching it.

The key to finding your niche on Ebay, as with many challenges in life, is simply to never quit. If you have a wide variety of interests, you’re more likely to find a profitable niche that you will enjoy filling. Think of all the things you enjoy doing, making, or collecting. Then come up with a list of ten items related to each. This sort of brainstorming is a sure-fire remedy for pushing past your seller’s block. Let your imagination roam, and you’ll carve out your Ebay niche in no time.

Make Money Selling Antiques On EBay

It’s been said that antiques and collectibles are some of the hardest items to start selling on Ebay. It’s also known that these items have potential to become the biggest sales. So what should an Ebay newcomer know before they list their first antique or collectible for auction?

First, the market for antiques and collectibles is a slow moving market. If you need to turn a fast profit, you would do better with seasonal, general, or limited lifetime items. Ebay is a wonderful marketplace for antiques and collectibles, but these items aren’t usually fast sellers. This is because there is such a limited supply of rare items, coupled with the fact that demand is also limited to people who both want and can afford the items. As you can see, you should prepare for certain antiques and collectibles to be with you for a long time before the right buyer comes along.

Another obstacle for new Ebayers is the high buy-in cost of an antique business. This merchandise doesn’t come cheap. Furthermore, finding a great deal on a rare item has a lot to do with luck and connections. Merely wanting to be an antique dealer isn’t enough. You need to have a passion for, and strong knowledge of, your merchandise. To offset the high cost and limited sales potential of antiques and collectibles, use a variety of sales channels. Listing on Ebay is a good decision, but Ebay alone might not clear out your inventory. Look for online and offline auctions dedicated to antiques. Get to know your local dealers. They are often a good source of information.

If you do have expert knowledge of your items, make sure buyers know. They will be more likely to buy from you if they know you’re experienced. They want to know that they are getting an item of value, not a cheap (or expensive) imitation. By demonstrating your knowledge of antiques and collectibles, you are reassuring buyers that their money will fetch them something rare and wonderful. Buyers will also be more likely to spread your name and bring repeat business if you treat them well. Be known for your outstanding customer service as well as your high quality items.

Finally, stick to brands and trends that have lasting value. Certain brands are known for their rarity or their resilient workmanship and beauty. These will always be in demand. As for market trends, watch out for hot fads that are here today and gone tomorrow. If you know enough about your product to capitalize on a buying frenzy, go for it. Just be aware of the risk you’re taking. You could end up with an inventory full of merchandise whose proverbial ship has sailed. A safer bet is to ignore the rises and falls of the market and focus instead on items that will always be wanted.

Ebay is famous for its antiques and collectibles, and for good reason. This nontraditional marketplace with its enormous global following is the perfect setting in which to list hard to find items. And sellers who deal in antiques are some of the most satisfied merchants on Ebay. Often, they get to buy and sell items that they are fond of, which makes their online auctioning seem more like play than work. Each transaction does take some effort, but the rewards are worth it.

Make Money by Thrift Selling on Ebay

Thrift selling is exactly what it sounds like: selling lots of unique items on Ebay that were obtained at a low cost, usually at thrift stores or flea markets. These items are occasionally worn or damaged, but buyers like them for their low cost and uniqueness. Thrift selling might not sound very profitable, but it can be – if you do it right!

Thrift sellers have a lot to do. Their business is one of bulk; they will often have hundreds of individual items in their inventory at a given time. This makes for lots of auction listings. Thrift sellers can’t afford to lose track of their goods or their listings, so excellent book keeping is an absolute must. If you plan to sell thrift on Ebay, use a book keeping program that you’re comfortable with. Excel is a good low-frills spreadsheet program. Use it keep track of your stock, your auctions, and your shipping.

Spreadsheets are also excellent tools for tallying your net profits over time. Use them to see which items have performed well, and which should be replaced.

While you’re organizing your virtual inventory, take time to organize your physical inventory as well. You don’t want to have to dig through a messy heap of goods to find the one that needs to be shipped. Instead, use meticulously organized spaces to store your products. Label each space or item with a post-it note containing the listing number. That way, you’ll know you’re shipping the right item.

There are also auction services such as Vendio that will help you with manage your inventory, and are much easier than spreadsheets. Google "eBay inventory management" and you will see a selection of possible solutions, both free and paid.

On Ebay, a seller’s reputation is vital. Since thrift goods are often used items which might have a little damage, be completely honest in the item description. Disclose any damage the item has sustained, and include photographs of the worn or damaged areas. Specify that buyers purchase the items “as is”, and emphasize that you do not know the items’ histories and are not responsible for item failure. It might sound harsh, but you need to protect yourself.

Even better, come up with your own rating system for the condition of your merchandise. A worn corner on a book cover might be a 1 or 2, while a hole in fabric might be a 5. Use consistency and a well-defined rating system so that buyers know what they’re paying for.

There are tools that thrift sellers can use to make their lives easier. Bulk listers are programs designed to make many listings at a time. This is a real time saver for merchants with hundreds of simultaneous auctions. Turbo Lister is the most popular bulk listing program. It’s free and available for download on Ebay’s web site. Other programs are available for low subscription fees.

Thrift items come at a low price, but they can be costly if the size of your inventory leads to mistakes. Keep everything neat and easy-to-find. Use software to help manage your listings. And give buyers your honest assessment of an item’s condition. Whatever you sell on Ebay, you want to maintain a great reputation. Become known as a go-to seller for quality thrift items and wonderful customer service.

How to Take Winning Ebay Auction Photos

Though there have been millions of items listed on Ebay, there is one characteristic shared by most winners: they have a good photograph. Ebay is a virtual marketplace, but buyers still like to see what they’re paying for. Auction listings that include quality photos reassure the buyer that they are making a good purchase. That means more money is your pocket, just because you snapped a picture!

But all Ebay photos are not created equal. Here are a few tips for making the most of your item photos.

First, make sure your item is in top shape before photographing it. If your item is dusty or stained, buyers won’t want to make the purchase. Before you take the picture, wipe down any merchandise with a hard surface. Wash clothing or other soft items. You want the merchandise to look its best.

If a product is worn or has a few scrapes on the surface, carefully document these through your item description and photographs. It might seem counter-intuitive to point out flaws in the item, but it pays off in the long run. You don’t want to get a reputation for dishonesty. Plus, minimal damage rarely puts off Ebay buyers, particularly if the item is rare or discontinued. They’re looking for a good deal. As long as the product is in working condition, a little wear and tear is often deemed acceptable. For instance, the picture of the GeoSafari unit below shows that the box is very worn, but the unit itself is clean and in working order.

Here is an example of a photo I uploaded to a website when I was selling a Franklin Library edition of "The Agony and the Ecstasy". This was before eBay's own photo hosting allowed for enlargements. The item description advised the buyer to click on the photo to see the enlarged version so they could see for themselves if there were any flaws in the cover.

Another thing your buyers will want to know is if an item is in good working order. The GeoSafari unit below was photographed at an angle showing that the lights were on, indicating the unit was working. You can also show older console video game cartridges are operating by taking screen shots of the game in play.

When setting up your photography session, aim for natural light and good contrast. Take pictures near a window when the sun is shining. Avoid using a flash if you can; flash photos often turn out too bright and detract from the item’s detail. For best results, light products should be photographed on dark backgrounds, and vice versa. Take pictures from two or three different angles if possible. Do ensure that the item is displayed by itself, unless it’s a part of an entire lot for sale. And when you take the picture, get as close as you can without distorting the image. You want the item to fill the camera screen.

Take care when selecting a surface and background on which to display your item. Too-reflective surfaces can reveal the photographer’s image, and messy or busy backgrounds can distract from the item. For a professional look, use a very simple surface and background that show off the item well.

Many Ebay sellers use Photoshop or similar programs to clean up their photos before listing. This is fine, as long as the resulting picture is still representative of the item. Try to keep colors and hues as close to the original as possible. Photoshop can be used to lighten up too-dark pictures or to sharpen images. Save the photos as 400 by 300 pixel JPEGs of the highest quality. That way Ebay won’t reduce their resolution too much when it resizes the uploaded images.

Ebay sellers should consider using Ebay’s built-in image hosting service. It’s cheap and reliable, and it’s subject to Ebay’s technical support. They let you list your first image for free. Every successive image costs just a few cents. This convenient service is worth investigating.

It’s long been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. On Ebay, a picture can be more valuable yet: it can bring you buyers.

What to Do When Your eBay Item Isn't Selling

Ebay is an exciting frontier for sellers. There are few other businesses which allow you to make a steady income from home, selling items you choose to sell. And with Ebay’s global following, there are plenty of buyers out there willing to spend money on your merchandise.

So what if your auctions aren’t performing as well as you would like? It happens to most Ebay sellers from time to time, but flagging auctions aren’t the end of the world. Increasing your sales might be as easy as revamping your price structure to meet current market trends. You should also take a look at your listings to make sure they’re as complete and buyer-friendly as possible.

First, check your prices. What have other, similar items been selling for lately? You can check by using Ebay’s advanced search function. Check the box at the top of the listings to see only auctions which have been completed. This is a good way to study market trends and to learn whether your prices are too high, too low, or right on the money. Search for similar items to see how much competition you’ve got. If the market is saturated and prices have fallen off, try selling another type of product until demand once again outweighs supply.

Starting your auctions off at a low minimum bid is actually a great way to get more bids. Buyers see an item listed for a dollar, and they are tempted to place a bid. Others will follow suit, and soon the item will sell for more than you’d expect. Dollar bids bring out the thriftiness and competitiveness in Ebay buyers. Let them fight over your item, and you’ll end up with more bids and higher profits in the long run. The only caveat is that you don't want to set the opening so far below anticipated sale price that eBay flags you as if you were trying to avoid higher listing fees.

Auction listings are at least as important as the items you’re selling. If yours are too short or don’t accurately describe your merchandise, buyers will notice. Also beware of typos and misspellings in your item descriptions. Avoid using distracting graphics or garishly bright text. To provide an easy-to-read listing, either use HTML tags to format the text, or use one of Ebay’s auction templates. Buyers won’t waste time on something they can’t read. You probably wouldn’t want to spend a lot of time struggling through a poorly written, disorganized auction listing. Neither will your customers.

You want to build up a reputation for being an honest seller. If you don’t provide enough details about your products – especially if the goods are used or lightly damaged – buyers will feel like they got duped when the items arrive. And unhappy buyers lead to negative feedback, which directly impacts your reputation and your success on Ebay. Strive for a feedback rating close to 100%. If your feedback number or positive score is low, buyers will go elsewhere to make their purchases. Luckily, you can increase your score by making purchases.

Finally, eBay now requires that you be clear about your refund and exchange policies. If you don’t accept returns, say so. If you do accept returns, clearly state your requirements. You will also need so specify a handling time in your listing. Buyers like to know that you have a firm set of rules in place before they risk a purchase.

And, of course, accept a variety of electronic payment methods. You want to give buyers every possible chance to buy from you. According to eBay's website,

Checks and money orders are no longer allowed as payment methods on eBay. All items appearing on eBay.com must be paid for using either:

* PayPal (funded by PayPal account balance, credit card, debit card, bank account, PayPal Pay Later, PayPal Buyer Credit or eBay gift certificate)
* Credit or debit card payment to a seller (through a seller's Internet merchant account)
* ProPay
* Payment upon pickup

In January 2009, all of the approved electronic payment methods will be integrated into eBay checkout. For example, if a seller offers credit or debit card as a payment option, buyers will be able to directly enter their credit card information securely in eBay checkout and their payment will be directly routed to the seller's Internet merchant account.

We are also working with other electronic payment providers currently included in our Accepted Payments Policy to integrate their services into eBay checkout in 2009.

Keep up with your competition, make sure you are following eBay's TOS, troubleshoot your listings, and you’ll soon turn those flagging auctions into real moneymakers.

Dealing With Negative Feedback on Ebay

Ebay’s feedback system is the backbone of sellers’ success. All the top sellers have large quantities of positive feedback. On the flipside, negative feedback can hurt sales and prevent businesses from taking off. The feedback system was intended to be a collection of impartial reviews of the performance of buyers and sellers. If a buyer pays quickly, their seller will leave positive feedback. If a seller ships quickly, their buyer will leave positive feedback. This way, future buyers and sellers can get the scoop on who to buy from and who to avoid, from people who have been there.

Negative feedback has an enormous impact on sellers in particular. If your feedback score falls below the nineties, or even into the lower ninetieth percentile, buyers might take their business elsewhere. But what if you feel like the negative feedback was unjustified? Maybe the buyer was just unpleasant to work with, or had unrealistic demands. As a seller, do you have any recourse?

You do, but it’s not easy. The best strategy is to avoid negative feedback in the first place. But if that’s not possible, turn to a mediation service like Square Trade. With a mediation service, you’re able to file a case regarding your negative feedback. Explain why you think the charge is unjustified. The other party will have two weeks to respond. Square Trade says that most cases are resolved for free without having to turn to a mediator. But if a mediator’s services are used, case resolution will cost between twenty and thirty dollars. There are certainly times when amicable resolution is worth the price. As a seller, it’s up to you to decide when to pay up, and when to leave things as they are.

Never make the mistake of arguing with or harassing customers who leave you negative feedback, deserved or not. Nothing looks more unprofessional than a seller and buyer fighting back and forth over feedback comments. It’s understandable that you might be angry or emotional when hit with negative feedback, especially if you don’t feel that you did anything wrong. But for the sake of your professional reputation, learn to overcome those emotions before responding. Employ the 24 Hour Rule; that is, don’t make a reply until you’ve had a day to cool down.

When you do respond to unfair negative feedback, stick to the facts. If the buyer claims that the item was not as described, point out that every defect was carefully documented in the item’s description. (It was, wasn’t it?) If they complain about slow shipping, post the shipping dates as well as the shipping policy that they agreed to when they purchased the item. Never use personal attacks, only facts.

If you did make a mistake that earned you negative feedback, respond with courtesy. Apologize for the honest mistake you made, and mention that you were not given a chance to rectify the situation before feedback was left. This type of follow-up can make buyers more sympathetic to your situation.

There are right ways and wrong ways to deal with negative feedback on Ebay. As long as you respond with class and professionalism, you can minimize the damage to your reputation.

Register a Domain to Promote Your Ebay Auctions

Branding and name recognition are sought after by merchants and marketers both online and off. Some names have gotten so big that they’re now used as verbs, such as ‘Google’, ‘Photoshop’ and, yes, ‘Ebay’. On a smaller scale, you can get your own name recognition by registering a custom domain name and using it to promote your Ebay stores and auctions.

Why would you pay for a domain name when you could just use your Ebay storefront URL to draw customers? Two reasons: marketability and customer convenience. It’s much easier to market a custom domain name than it is to market a long URL filled with random numbers, letters, and other characters. Likewise, it’s easy for customers to remember a custom domain name. Marketing is all about getting people’s attention and keeping it long enough to cinch a sale. Most domain names can be reserved for under ten dollars a year. With the potential payoff that name recognition brings with it, those ten dollars are definitely a worthy investment.

There are some rules to remember before you reserve a domain name for your Ebay store. First, never reserve a domain name that actually includes the word ‘Ebay’. Name recognition is a hot commodity, and Ebay will not be happy if you try to capitalize on their trademark. There’s a secondary issue as well. The Internet is a very fluid place. Ten years ago, we didn’t have YouTube, MySpace, or many other modern day giants. Ten year down the road, who’s to say that Ebay will be the auction site of choice? It would be a shame to spend several years cultivating your name recognition, only to have another auction site spring up overnight and bump Ebay out of top position.

What you do with your registered domain is entirely up to you. Some Ebayers simply have the new URL forward to their Ebay store. Others build an entire web site around their auction listings and seller bio. With widgets, feeds, and other little extras, it’s possible to have a very informative web site that still promotes your auctions and storefront.

The Ebay pros do caution against using affiliate links on your web site to promote your own auctions. This is against Ebay’s terms of use, and can get your account suspended. You can, however, use your web site to promote other goods that you sell elsewhere. If you have an offline store, post contact information so that local buyers can drop in and check out your goods. You can also sell merchandise directly through your web site. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination – and, of course, by Ebay’s rules!

If you’re having trouble thinking of a snazzy name for your new domain, try using your Ebay account name. If that name is taken, try following it with ‘auctions’ or ‘auctionsite’. Many domain registration services make suggestions for alternate domain names. Remember to make the name easy to spell and remember, and look at it with a critical eye to make sure the words don’t inadvertently combine to spell something embarrassing or offensive.

Ebay stores and auctions offer modern solutions for sellers. But to take full advantage of the possibilities, serious sellers should never underestimate the power of branding. Get an inexpensive custom domain name that will stick in buyers’ minds, and watch those bids roll in.

Sell What You Love on EBay

EBay is a non traditional way to make money, but one some of the old rules still apply. In particular: do what you love, and your job will be a positive, rewarding experience. Work is so much easier when you enjoy what you're doing. For that reason, it's important for EBay sellers to list items that they actually enjoy selling.

How do you know what you'd like to sell before you start listing merchandise? Start with your hobbies, things you enjoy doing offline. Then look at all the items associated with that hobby. If you are passionate about scrapbooking, you could sell scrapbooking supplies, specialty papers, stickers, punches, and other materials. If you love surfing, you could sell surf boards and equipment. But don't stop there; list related products on your EBay auctions, such as beach wear. Beach goers need flip-flops, sunscreen, swim suits and cover-ups. Try to sell as many related items as you can to outfit customers for a trip to the beach. Be a one-stop shop. If you open an EBay store, it's even simpler to put up an entire inventory of merchandise related to surfing - or any other hobby or passion.

Before you start your first EBay auction, explore the Internet to see which items are hot sellers. Using other auction and merchant sites, look for items within your niche market. Does one jump out at you because it has more demand than supply? If so, you should try selling that item yourself.

Use your connections to your advantage. If you have access to a large supply of items that your competitors aren't listing, put those items up for sale. Buy wholesale whenever you can, especially if you're into arts and crafts. Most materials can be purchased in bulk and listed on EBay for a nice profit. Candle makers can sell wax and wicks, and jewelry makes can sell bands, beads, and all sorts of baubles. Remember that finished products sell best around the holidays, but component parts can also bring in a lot of profit, especially if they’re rare or hard to find.

Figuring out what to sell on EBay is easy once you figure out what you love. But remember other family members' hobbies, too. If your little girl is into ballet, you might try listing ballerina gear and related toys and products. If your husband really loves to fish, try your hand at selling fishing equipment and novelties on EBay. Parents have an advantage here, because they can use their children’s sports and activities to come with all kinds of exciting ideas. Look to other relatives for inspiration, too. If your mother collects figurines or your father is a wood worker, you have probably watched and listened as they went about their tasks. This gives you a perfect inroad to start selling those craft-related items on EBay.

I made a lot of money from 1999-2001 selling Pokemon merchandise when my son was consumed by collecting the cards. If you can spot a trend in children's toys or video games, this is an area people are willing to spend more, especially at the holidays. I actually felt compelled to return money to a customer who clearly thought she was buying a rare item and just didn't know what she was doing. I couldn't justify charging her quadruple what the card was worth just because she was ignorant and really wanted something special for her child for Christmas.

We won't debate for now whether the cards were ever actually "worth" anything. But at that time they were in great demand and they flew off the shelves at almost any price.

When you do something you love, it makes work enjoyable. The same goes for EBay: when you sell what you love, listing merchandise seems less like work and more like a hobby unto itself. The best part is that this hobby can be both fun and profitable. Find a niche market and sell products you enjoy selling. Buyers will appreciate your enthusiasm and your inventory. Once you become known as the place to go for certain items, you’ll be all set for a great selling experience on EBay.

The Many Benefits of eBay Stores

Ebay can be a fast and fun place to sell your merchandise. Everyone dreams of buying an item for pennies at a rummage sale, only to find out that it was a rare antique worth thousands on Ebay. Stories like that do happen on occasion, but the majority of Ebay profits come from good old-fashioned effort.

Many sellers list a vast collection of items in search of that single smoking hot sale that will make them rich. Unfortunately, it might take hundreds or even thousands of listings to turn up such a sale, and sellers have to pay a fee every time they list an item. Ebay listings only last for seven days. If items don’t sell by the end of those seven days, the seller must pay to list them again. This can get expensive if the seller has hundreds of items to list every week. Some sellers get discouraged when they have to pay repeat listing fees.

Fortunately for sellers with large inventories, Ebay offers stores that allow items to be listed permanently. Ebay stores are virtual storefronts where merchandise can be displayed and sold. Ebay stores are similar to regular auction listings, in that sellers can add photos and descriptive text to give buyers a good idea of what they’re purchasing. But if some Ebay store items take a while to sell, the seller isn’t required to pay for additional listings. Once listed in an Ebay store, the items stay put until they are removed by the seller.

Ebay stores offer convenience to buyers and sellers alike. They can be linked to directly, and they do not expire. For a small monthly fee, Ebay sellers get an e-store that they can customize, link to, and even temporarily take offline if they go on vacation or become otherwise indisposed. Since Ebay stores have static URLs, sellers can even register their own domain names and set them up to forward readers to the store itself. Convenience for the buyer leads to profits for the seller. Buyers will appreciate a convenient custom URL.

Niche Ebay stores are especially appealing. If you have lots of listings that fall under a common category, you should definitely think about setting up an Ebay store. Some stores are devoted to electronics or maternity clothes, while others are devoted to rare vintage items. Whatever your passion, you can build an Ebay store around it.

Another benefit of having an Ebay store is the increased exposure your merchandise receives. Ebay searches now turn up auction listings as well as store items. That means more potential buyers see your items whenever they do a search. More views translate into more money for you, the seller! And because you have a store with a static URL, you can also promote your business by placing links in your e-mail and message forum signatures. You can link to your store from your personal blog or web site. Submit the store’s URL to search engines and social networking sites. Marketing is the key to making money with your Ebay store.

For detailed store terms and conditions, visit the Ebay site. They have a host of information for prospective sellers, including everything you will need to get your Ebay store off and running. If you’re a high-volume seller or frequently list similar items, this research would be well worth your time.

Time Your Ebay Listings for Maximum Profit

When it comes to selling goods on Ebay, what you have and how you present it are two vital characteristics of successful auctions. Buyers like to know that they’re getting a good deal, and they like to know details about the merchandise they are paying for. But did you know that the timing of your Ebay auctions can also affect their success? It’s true. Real Ebay pros use timing strategies to maximize their profits, and you can, too.

Some sellers are discouraged when their auctions fail to get bids within the first few days of the listing. This is very common; most bids are placed in an auction’s final hours or even minutes. Buyers who have been watching the auction will try to place the winning bid just before time runs out, to cut down on competition. Since this is the case, Ebay sellers will benefit from making sure their auctions end during peak buying times.

When are Ebay’s peak buying times? According to the pros, daily purchases spike between 8 and 10PM Eastern Standard Time. Weekly sales reach their summit on Sunday evenings. If your auction closes during any of those time periods, your listing is more likely to be seen and bid on. If your auction closes in the wee hours of the morning, it’s unlikely that you will benefit from the last-minute buying scramble.

So how do you time your auctions to end when Ebay has the most visitors? Time your listings carefully. If you put up an item in a three day listing, the auction will end at the exact listing time, three days later. The same goes for other auctions of longer durations. For example, a seven day listing made at 8PM on Sunday evening will end at 8PM the following Sunday evening. It sounds simple, but careful auction timing is an oft-overlooked strategy that can drastically increase your sales on Ebay.

Also, consider the length of your listings. If you list an item for three days, you are shutting out thousands of potential bidders. You want to leave items up for as long as possible. Not only does this give buyers time to find and place bids on your merchandise, it also cuts down on listing fees. Why would you list an item for three days over and over again when you could just list it for seven or ten days from the beginning? Some types of merchandise, such as antiques and collectibles, can take a while to find purchasers. By listing them for three days, you’re losing out on lots of potential visibility. Increase the length of your auctions and increased profits will follow close behind. Items listed for a week or longer have time to attract plenty of auction watchers who could turn into bidders in the auction’s final moments.

Time your auctions for maximum visibility, and your profits will improve. You don’t want to lose out on sales because your auction ended at 3AM when nobody was looking! Close the bidding at a peak time to make the most of your Ebay business.

And for goodness sake, don't end your auction - or post blog articles about eBay selling - on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day when millions of people are NOT online.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (Luke 2:8-14)

Merry Christmas!

Using Ebay to Advertise Offline Stores

Ebay is a fabulous way to sell items, but did you know that it can also be used to advertise and drive sales for your offline business? When you list items on Ebay, you can also include information about other offline businesses. This results in a marketing one-two punch; buyers are drawn to your auction as well as your store information. It’s a legitimate tactic that does not violate Ebay’s terms of use, and savvy sellers are taking advantage of it.

With a bit of research and practice, you can soon come up with auction titles that catch the eyes of potential buyers. When these buyers view your item description, they will also be exposed to any information you list about an offline business. This is particularly useful for sellers of antiques, collectibles, and other items that can take a long time to sell. Smaller items can be listed on Ebay, along with the address and phone number to the seller’s offline store where larger merchandise can be found. If this sounds like an easy and effective marketing tool, that’s because it is.

There are a few tips to remember before you advertise your other businesses on Ebay. First, consider whether this sort of advertising will benefit you. If you sell products within a niche market, such as musical instruments or rare artwork, advertising your shop in your auction listings will probably drive business to your offline store. But if you’re a supplier of general goods that are easily obtained, you might not benefit as much.

Successful merchants who use this marketing strategy always include basic information about their offline stores. You need to list a phone number and physical store address so that buyers can contact you. Put up a schedule of store hours. If your store is in an urban location where parking is a bit tricky, be sure to give a brief description of the parking situation. Will buyers need to pay to park? Will they need to park down the street? Extra information like this will prepare buyers for a trip to your boutique.

Another thing to consider is a map of your store and the surrounding area. Buyers like to know where they are going. If they can visualize your store’s location, they will be more likely to visit. Also, put up a picture of your storefront and interior. This makes your store seem more familiar to buyers and paints an accurate picture of your establishment.

Finally, buyers like to know that you want their business. In your Ebay listing, put in a brief paragraph about how your business prides itself on excellent service. Then invite buyers to call or come by. Even a simple invitation can make the difference between a casual browser and someone who will take the time to come and look at your merchandise.

Many offline shops use Ebay to sell their overstock, but really sharp sellers use Ebay to market their other stores, too. Advertise your business on your Ebay auction listings and you will bring your store’s name to a whole new audience.

Eye Candy: How to get Your Listings Seen on Ebay

Wait, didn't we do this already? How to get 100,000 people to look at your auction?

No, that article was about having a killer headline so your buyer will want to take a look. This is about having an attractive, informative and accurate ad that will set you apart from your competitors.

It’s true that Ebay is an enormous virtual marketplace with millions of vendors all over the world. With that kind of competition, it’s vitally important to go above and beyond the competition to get buyers to notice your listings. Luckily, the steps you should take, though critical, are few in number. Anyone can implement these tips to draw more eyes to their Ebay auctions.

1. Guard Your Feedback
2. Organize Your Listing
3. Provide Clear Descriptions and Photographs
4. No Typos
   
5. Multiple Payment Options
   

First, think like a buyer. Would you want to buy merchandise sight unseen, or would you prefer auctions with pictures? Do rushed or incomplete descriptions put you off? What if you saw a listing from a seller with several negative feedback comments stating that the merchandise was shipped late, or wasn’t as described? Chances are you wouldn’t want to buy from such a seller. Neither will buyers feel comfortable buying from you if these things are true of your listings and reputation.

So, to get Ebay shoppers to click on your auctions, always include clear photos of the item. Be sure to photograph any damaged spots as well. Use Ebay’s inexpensive photo hosting service, and always upload your pictures as 400 by 300 pixel jpegs of high quality. Ebay will resize the photographs to those dimensions anyway; if you create the pictures at that size, you will lose minimal detail after uploading.

Listings should be easy to read. Very disorganized listings can be distracting, and some buyers won’t want to spend time trying to decipher them when there are so many other, more user-friendly listings available. To keep buyers reading, use a template or HTML to make the item description easier on the eyes. You don’t need a lot of fancy code to make your item description clean and readable. Ebay offers an inexpensive listing designer that you can use if you’re not comfortable writing your own HTML tags.

While you’re evaluating the layout of your item description, also make sure that your listing isn’t filled with typos. If it’s hard to read, buyers will go elsewhere. Another thing to watch out for is the length of your item description. Buyers like to know details. If your listing has one short paragraph passing for an item description, you probably haven’t given them all the details they want. Go back and share more information about the item. If the product is damaged in some way, in addition to documenting the damage with a picture, you should also describe it in the text of your listing.

Offer a variety of payment options, including PayPal. Buyers will frequently skip auctions that require a check or money order as payment. PayPal allows buyers to use their PayPal account, bank account, or credit card to make a purchase. Most Ebay auctions offer Paypal, so yours should, too.

On Ebay, sellers have to compete against many other sellers hawking the same wares. If one seller has well-organized information and a good photograph of their item, they will draw the most views and bids. Don’t run buyers off with a hard-to-read listing. Employ these simple tips instead to make sure your auction gets seen on Ebay.

Use Ebay’s Buy It Now Feature to Your Advantage

Online auction sites like Ebay are very competitive. Sellers do whatever they can to make sure buyers bid on their items rather than a competitor’s. The lengths they go to include keywording, careful auction timing, and the use of Ebay’s many features which make life easier for buyers and sellers alike.

One of Ebay’s most popular features is the “Buy It Now” option. With Buy It Now, bidders can choose to purchase the item outright at a predetermined price. This option is best suited to buyers who want the item and don’t want to risk losing it to a higher bidder. Its appeal comes from its limited availability: once a bid has been placed, Buy It Now is no longer an option. Buyers will be tempted to make the purchase right away, before someone else places a bid.

But some pros caution sellers to be careful when deciding whether to use Buy It Now on their Ebay auctions. Should you offer this option? If so, how should you price your products? Are there times when you shouldn’t offer Buy It Now?

Buy It Now can be risky for sellers. If an item is listed for its full course of seven to ten days, it has the chance to attract watchers who will place bids at the last minute. But if someone comes along and snaps up the item at its Buy It Now price, the seller will never know how much money the item would have generated otherwise. They might even wonder if they should have listed the item at a higher price.

Sometimes it makes perfect sense to use Buy It Now. Holiday shoppers in particular are going online to look for gifts, and many won’t want to wait for auctions to run their course. Additionally, the holidays are a time when impulse shopping is at its peak. By using Ebay’s Buy It Now feature over the holidays, you’re allowing buyers to make purchases before they change their minds.

When should sellers avoid Buy It Now? If you’re selling an item of uncertain value, it’s best to let that item remain on the auction block for a full seven to ten days. For example, let’s say you’ve got some collectible plates but aren’t sure how much they’re worth. If you put them up with the Buy It Now option, you might be asking for much less than the plates’ actual value. Keen collectors would certainly buy the items right away, but you would have made a much larger profit had you forced buyers to place bids.

Ebay sellers should do some research before listing items with the Buy It Now feature. Search completed auctions to see how similar items have been performing. It’s a safe rule to price your items slightly on the low side, since Buy It Now makes it much more likely that they will be purchased quickly. But take care not to price items so low that they’re no longer profitable! Keep an eye on market trends by doing frequent searches for items in similar categories. If the market is saturated with items of this type, you could set your Buy It Now prices low, or switch to different items until the market recovered. If demand outweighs supply, go ahead and set your Buy It Now prices higher than normal.

Buy It Now is a useful feature when used correctly. Take this advice to heart and you’ll have no problem deciding which of your auctions should incorporate Buy It Now.

Using PayPal as a Payment Method on eBay

eBay auctions are more likely to be successful if the seller offers a variety of payment methods. It’s always a good idea to give buyers every possible chance to make a purchase. Checks and money orders work fine, but the preferred payment method for Ebay auctions is, and always has been, PayPal. If your auctions don’t list PayPal as a payment method, you might be turning away a lot of business. Here’s why:

PayPal was purchased by eBay, and the two services work seamlessly together. PayPal is like an online bank account. Users can deposit and withdraw money to and from their offline accounts, or they can make online purchases using their PayPal balance directly. Users like PayPal’s security and convenience. PayPal can also be used as a way to accept credit card payments from buyers, which is increasingly vital these days.

To sign up for PayPal, go to www.paypal.com. You can create a free account and start accepting payments immediately. Your PayPal account must be linked to an actual bank account or credit card. Note that Ebay pros recommend that you create a bank account specifically to use with PayPal. That way, if one of your transactions gets hit with a chargeback, your main bank account won’t be in danger of going negative.

PayPal will verify your account by sending two small auto-deposits of different amounts. Don’t get too excited, though. These deposits are just a few pennies. They take a couple of days to show up in your bank account. Once you see them, log back into PayPal to verify your account by entering the exact monetary amount of these deposits. Once your account is verified in this way, you can start withdrawing money to your offline account. You can accept payments into your PayPal account from the moment you open it, though.

Now that you’ve signed up for a PayPal account, you need to add Paypal as a payment option. This is a simple way to get more bidders and more money from your Ebay auctions. To add PayPal as a payment choice, go to your “Sell Your Item” details and check the box next to “PayPal”. Then you will need to enter the e-mail address you used to open your PayPal account. Once this is done, buyers will be able to pay you immediately via PayPal whenever an auction ends.

If you want to be able to deal with unlimited amounts of money each month in your PayPal account (which is recommended for high volume sellers), you should upgrade your account. Upgrading is free, and also gives you the option of accepting payment by credit card. To upgrade your PayPal account, simply log into PayPal and click “Enhance Account”. There will be a small fee taken from each transaction after you upgrade, but it is nominal when compared to the benefits of using PayPal.

Take a lesson from Ebay’s top sellers: give buyers as many payment choices as you can. This includes PayPal, Ebay’s number one preferred choice for payments.

Making Money with eBay's Affiliate Program

Ebay offers plenty of ways to make money. Sellers can put items up for sale or even open their own virtual storefronts. But did you know that Ebay also has an affiliate program? You can sign up to be an Ebay affiliate and have the potential to earn lots of revenue just by driving traffic to Ebay.

Let’s say that you have a web site that gets thousands of hits each month. When you sign up with the Ebay affiliate program, you will be able to place links on your web site that lead back to Ebay. When users click these links, they are able to browse items for sale and even sign up for a seller account if they want to. For all sales and sign-ups that occur within one week of the user clicking on your affiliate links, you earn money. It’s that simple.

Signing up with eBay's Partner Network is easy. For every active registration that occurs through one of your affiliate links, you will receive $25-35. Ebay considers a registration to be active if a user places a bid within thirty days of registration. In addition, you will receive a commission of 50-75% on all winning bids or Buy It Nows within seven days of an affiliate action. That means users who click your affiliate link and make an Ebay purchase are putting 50-75% of that transaction’s revenue in your pocket. And all you did was put some code on your web site. What could be easier?

Ebay uses a tiered payment structure for determining commission rates. If you bring over 1-49 active accounts, you will earn a commission of $25 per account. 50-1,999 active accounts will earn you $28 per account. If you bring in 2,000-29,999 active accounts, each one will earn you a $31 commission. And for recruiting 30,000 or more new accounts, you will receive $35 per account. Those are generous terms for an affiliate program. The revenues system is similarly tiered. For every $0-$99 you generate, you will earn 50% commission. The amounts increase incrementally, up to 75% commission for revenue of $3 million and more.

Ebay’s affiliate program is painless for participants and easy to get involved in. Drive traffic back to eBay and get rewarded. Every little bit helps, right? To learn more about this affiliate program, visit the eBay's Partner Network.

Maximize Your Ebay Holiday Sales

Just as with other retailers, eBay sees a sales peak each November and December as buyers get serious about holiday gifts. Wise Ebay sellers enjoy a surge in income during the gift-giving season. What can you do to maximize your own profits during the holidays?

One good rule to follow is this: don't wait until the holidays roll around to start your sales campaign. Lots of online holiday shoppers start shopping early to avoid the last-minute shipping rush. To make the most of your Ebay holiday sales, you'll need to start early, too.

Start listing your holiday items in September or October. This will give you several listing cycles in which to promote your eBay items before the holidays.

Do some research on "hot gifts" months before you start listing. That way, you'll have time to build up your stock of items projected to be top sellers. News programs and web sites often have lists of the year's must-have toys and gadgets. You can also use Ebay's "What’s Hot" page to see which items are top sellers. Ebay Pulse lets you keep an eye on current trends. Remember that hot gifts are hot both online and off. If you find the next must-have at a great price, snatch it up! It will almost certainly turn nice a profit on Ebay.

Speaking of hot items, what else should you sell on Ebay around the holidays? Anything that would make a good gift. Finished products tend to sell better than component parts. Think about it: would you rather be gifted with a package of candle-making supplies, or finished candles? Most people will want the finished product. If you're a craft maker, really market and promote your finished crafts during the holiday season.

The holiday season is the perfect time to target impulse buyers. You can do this on Ebay by adding the “Buy It Now” option to most or all of your listings. And you can even sweeten the deal by offering free shipping for your Buy It Now items. With a deal this tempting, even casual browsers will be persuaded to make a purchase. The small amount of revenue you lose on shipping will more than pay for itself with your increase in overall sales.