Customer Support Relief for eBay Sellers

Author: Steve Hartert

Automated Customer Support Solution First to Integrate Into eBay's 'Ask the Seller a Question'

HostedSupport.com, a leading provider of affordable automated online customer support solutions for web businesses, today announced ezSupport for eBay, its new automated customer support solution customized specifically to the needs of eBay sellers. ezSupport for eBay helps sellers deal with the overwhelming volume of repetitive email questions from buyers by automatically answering 80 percent of incoming questions.

With 135 million users worldwide, eBay has become the standard in online auctions and the vehicle for millions of entrepreneurs looking to build their own businesses. HostedSupport.com has established a unique partnership with the online auction company and is the only developer of automated customer support that has integrated into the eBay API to support 'Ask the Seller a Question.'

ezSupport for eBay is a web-based, hosted solution with no special software or hardware to purchase. Targeted to eBay sellers and ecommerce companies that sell on eBay, ezSupport for eBay enables sellers to focus on increasing sales rather than dealing with redundant customer emails.

""eBay sellers deal with hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of email questions on a daily basis that are redundant and easy to answer,"" said Steve Hartert, vice president of marketing. ""As the volume of email grows, the time devoted to responding to these repetitive questions hinders the sellers' ability to focus on the needs of the business. ezSupport for eBay is proven to respond to a very high percentage of these repetitive emails faster than would be possible manually by the seller.""

Typical questions received by sellers include inquiries on shipping policies, and specifics about products like size, weight and color. Through a set up wizard, sellers develop their own list of questions and answers and ezSupport for eBay can be up and running in less than 20 minutes.

One example of an eBay seller that found himself bogged down in the volumes of buyer emails is Bob Allen, co-founder of MyGolfBallStore.com. MyGolfBallStore.com is an online retailer of sporting goods and an eBay platinum power seller. Allen and his customer support team utilized email, spreadsheets and paper files to attempt to track customer issues. As the business grew, this manual process became too time-consuming, complex and costly. Allen turned to HostedSupport.com to automate his customer support process and adopted ezSupport for eBay.

According to Allen, ""HostedSupport.com was the answer to my prayers. We were suffering severe growing pains trying to keep up with our customer support workload. Since using ezSupport for eBay, 70 percent of our workload has been eliminated by the system, and our customer relationships have never been better.""

Allen now uses two HostedSupport.com products - ezSupport for eBay and ezSupport Pro for his stand alone website, and has realized the following results: - Less than 10 emails per day require manual review and response - 75 percent reduction in buyer phone calls - 70 percent reduction in overall customer support tasks - No need to hire additional support staff to manage high volumes of emails - Improved customer communications channels resulting in greater customer retention. - 90% of buyer emails automatically answered.

ezSupport for eBay is priced at $9.95 per seat per month and is available on a month-to-month subscription basis. ezSupport for eBay supports Windows and Macintosh and is compatible with Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Firefox, Opera and Safari web browsers.

HostedSupport.com offers two products customized to eBay - ezSupport for eBay and ezSupport Lite for eBay, a free introductory solution that also integrates with 'Ask the Seller a Question.' HostedSupport.com also offers ezSupport and ezSupport Pro, their automated online customer support solutions for any online business. ezSupport and ezSupport Pro feature auto-answer email, FAQs, ticket tracking, live chat, advanced reporting and POP email importing, as well as free training and set-up assistance. Pricing is $49.95 per seat per month for ezSupport and $79.95 per seat per month for ezSupport Pro.

About HostedSupport.com HostedSupport.com is a leading provider of affordable customer support automation for web businesses. Its easy-to-use system can be set up in 20 minutes and eliminates many of the support ""pains"" involved in answering and tracking customer questions and problem tickets. Businesses using HostedSupport.com's products automate most customer support tasks while improving customer retention. HostedSupport.com is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Its clients and partners include: eBay, PCMall, E! Online, TicketWeb, NetMagazines.com, Salesnet, Yahoo! Search Marketing, BrandMuscle, MyGolfBallStore, eBoz, Roving, Bravenet, and ePublicEye.

About the author: Steve has more than 20 years of marketing management experience. His professional background includes running his own marketing consulting firm, where he worked with clients such as The Walt Disney Company, Blue Cross of CA, and ABC Television. He recently served as the marketing director for an electronic cash card project in Sydney, Australia. Steve has a BS in Communications from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and an MBA in M

Ebay - Finding The Hot Items

Author: Jay Bauder

In so many instances, people would always want their food hot: hot coffee, hot-of-the-grill burgers and steaks etc.

That's why even on eBay people would rather go for those items that are selling like hot pancakes, so hot that they almost burn!

Basically, eBay categorize these items as ""hot"" whenever it obtains bids more than 30. Then after, eBay would classify them as ""hot items"". There are a lot of items that are already considered hot on eBay, though; things vary depending on what category these items fall. So, to know which things are considered hot items on eBay, here are some of them to give new customers an idea:

1. Domain names.

Because of the escalating development of the Internet these days, more and more people are getting ""hooked-up"" on the Net. That's why domain names sell like hot cakes on eBay. To-date, a domain name that has only three letters on it got 109 bids. That is really a hot number considering the usual number of bids that go around eBay.

2. Computers and other high-tech gadgets.

Still an information technology aftermath, more people go rage whenever they see computers, mobile phones, PDAs, laptop or notebooks, and digital camcorders are being sold on eBay. It seems that everybody just wants to be wired and hooked-up with the latest gadgets these days.

3. Jewelries.

And to think that most of the buyers are not just women. Jewelries especially if it has diamonds in it are so popular and in-demand. But people must consider when mulling over on this items - they are just too hot to handle.

4. Books.

Books also are also hot items on eBay these days especially those that fall on the interest of young adults like the Harry Potter series, The DaVinci Code, and those that are geared to give tips and tricks to businessmen and entrepreneurs.

5. Clothes.

Clothes sell hot too, and it's the fad that keep them reaching the top rank in the hot items category on eBay. And because brand names do matter nowadays, more people are vying on items that are branded. Some of these items also include perfumes and other garments.

These are just a few of the hot items being sold on eBay. This just goes to show that eBay is, indeed, the best place to get most from a bargain especially if the items are in-demand on eBay.

About the author: Jay is the web owner of http://www.the-lowest-prices.com Online Shoppping , a website that provides information and resources on online shopping malls and discounts. You can visit his website at: Online Deals

Ebay - Electronic Discount Coupons

Author: Jay Bauder

There a novel idea afoot nowadays: electronic discount coupons.

This only goes to show that most good marketing ideas can be adopted for the internet. Instead of cutting coupons out from newspapers or carton boxes, eBay gives out electronic copies of such that are fast and easy to use.

eBay routinely sends out coupons that members can use to pay for items that are payable via PayPal. These coupons signify specified discounts to purchases made with PayPal.

Using Coupons

To use an eBay Coupon one must buy an item where the seller accepts PayPal as a payment method. Upon payment of the item using PayPal, an opportunity will be given to the buyer to enter a coupon redemption code and receive the discount.

Sharing Coupons

Some coupons from eBay can be shared with other people. Some can be used only the owner. If the coupon indicates that only a specific email address may use that coupon, it may not be shared.

Coupons and your eBay and PayPal accounts

To use the coupons the owner must have a PayPal and an eBay account. If the owner does not have these accounts, he or she must sign up for them to avail of the discounts. PayPal lets you pay securely over the Internet using a credit card, checking account, or a PayPal account balance.

Important restrictions

Upon winning an eBay auction, one is required to purchase the item even if his coupons are invalid for that type of sale.

Also, coupons can only be used one at a time. This means that Gift Certificates, single coupons, or eBay Anything Points are valid for one time, one at a time.

One more restriction is that the coupons cannot be used for Half.com purchases.

Items must also meet all coupon requirements and must be paid for in ten days from the closing of the auction on eBay.

Coupons have expiry dates. The owner should take note of the expiry dates noted on the coupons.

Sellers may also configure their listings to accept coupons. To accomplish this, the seller must accept PayPal as a payment mode. If a coupon is used in the purchase of one of the seller items, the value of the coupon is forwarded to the seller as its equivalent in regular currency.

About the author: Jay is the web owner of http://www.the-lowest-prices.com Online Shoppping , a website that provides information and resources on online shopping malls and discounts. You can visit his website at: Online Deals

eBay University...Rah, Rah, Rah

Author: Barbara Snyder, M.A. Ed.

Remember pom-poms, megaphones, and cute cheerleading outfits from your school days. If you decide to take an eBay class, expect the opening of the course to bring about that kind of ""rah, rah"" feeling. However, eBay does have a lot to cheer about. In just 10 years eBay has become a worldwide marketplace, purporting to be the most popular and largest on the Internet. It boasts that eBay makes over 50 million items available online, with more than 5 million items added everyday, not to mention that eBay has single-handedly boosted digital camera sales. After all you can't be a profitable seller on the site without having one.

Don't get me wrong; the ""rah, rah"" business is not necessarily all bad because the instructors come to that position quite honestly. They have been very successful sellers; many of them power sellers, on eBay. They enthusiastically speak from their hearts and their own experiences. However, the eBay party line is a dominant theme during the introduction to the class and borders on being overkill. In all likelihood people would not have signed up for the class unless they were already serious about learning how to be buyers and sellers on eBay.

Despite my reservations about eBay touting its own praises, I still recommend that you do take a class on the eBay basics. One day of your time will be well worth it. You can find classes in your area by going to ""Community"" on the eBay home page. From there click on ""Community Calendar"" and then ""eBay University."" The eBay University page provides information on eBay Basics or Beyond the Basics classes.

If you decide to attend a class, act fast because eBay classes fill up quickly. Why? Stop and think about it. There are more than 1.2 million registered eBay users, and more than 25,000 members make five figure income as full time eBay entrepreneurs. In addition, more than 250,000 part timers make several thousand dollars a year of supplementary income. This has gotten the attention of many, and the many are flocking to the classes to learn how to get started right away.

The six modules that the eBay Basics course will deliver are:

1. The History and Safety Features - The history and background of eBay is designed as a welcome to new users. It is the ""rah, rah"" part to which I have been referring. It is interesting to have that in the booklet that follows along with the PowerPoint presentation for the class, but this could be read later if anyone is interested in that. The safety feature was an important part in the first module because it offers peace of mind to know that eBay has a safe environment with a success rate for transactions of 99.999%. There are more than 600 reps available 24 hours a day, but they do need more when you look at the ratio of users to tech support personnel. The eBay safety features include: feedback; buyer protection program; PayPal Protection; third party dispute resolution; and a security and resolution center.

2. Setting Up an Account and Researching the Marketplace - To set up an account the students learn how to register for eBay and how to set up a Seller's Account. They also learn how their ID becomes verified. In the research part of the module students are prompted to select an item to sell and guided on how to research the market value of the item. Included in module number 2 is information on restricted items that cannot be sold through eBay.

3. Enhancing Listings - This module covers the topics of pictures, pricing strategies, and PayPal. The recommended way to put pictures in a listing is to use a digital camera although using a traditional camera or a flat bed scanner are other options. There are some funny examples of what not to do when using a digital camera. The pricing strategies include starting bid; reserve price; buy it now, fixed price, and Dutch Auction. A most important aspect of this module was the information on PayPal. It is a safe and easy way to receive payment from buyers. PayPal is accepted in approximately 90 percent of the listings.

4. Detailed Listings - With this information students are shown how to choose a good title and write a good description for an item they hope to sell. The goal is to make an effective listing by including information that is honest, concise and professional. This is also where the students learn about packaging and weighing items; payment options; shipping; and returns.

5. Completing the Sale - This module guides students through the process of monitoring listings and what to do after the listing closes. It emphasizes that communication is important because a seller must be ready to answer buyers' questions on a daily basis. It necessary that a seller look at hits, bids, and email queries. When there are questions, the seller needs to be professional and helpful with responses. An easy way to monitor listings is to use My eBay. It makes a consolidated listing of all the particulars of the items which are listed. The other areas of interest in this module are the fees that are charged for the various details in the listing and the feedback information.

6. The Appendix - The materials in the reference section of the course booklet is invaluable. The samples included are: selling examples; tips on photography; item descriptions; HTML tips; basic fees summary; and a glossary of terms.

Selling products and services from a home based business can be an exciting, and profitable enterprise. To get a solid foundation on how to efficiently use eBay consider a course offered by certified eBay instructors. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with new users. Three cheers for eBay and its class offerings...hip, hip, hooray...

For more information on eBay visit the How to Sell on eBay Resources Page at http://www.sbmag.org/howtosellonebay.html. While you are there, click on the eBay banner and then on ""register"" at the top of the page and its just that easy to be up and running. Oh, and don't forget your pom-poms!!

Copyright usage: No permission is needed to reproduce an unedited copy of this article as long the About The Author tag is left in tact and hot links included.

About the author: Barbara Snyder, M.A. Ed. is a retired California Distinguished School Principal & Coordinator For Human Resources. She has a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She holds elementary education, secondary, community college & administrative credentials. She is currently the publisher of http://EducationResourcesNetwork.com, co-publisher of Strictly Business Magazine, http://www.sbmag.org and Student Teacher Supervisor at Chapman University.

How Can You Defeat Ebay Snipers?

Author: Ron King

If you're bidding for items on eBay, sooner or later you'll end up having your bid beaten at the very last second by a ""sniper"". This can be a frustrating experience. In theory sniping is against the rules and you can report it to eBay. In practice, however, they never do anything about it.

The best way to beat the sniper is to become the sniper. Once you understand the process of sniping, you can use it to win more auctions, more often, and at a lower price than you would otherwise pay.

Sniping Manually

If you have a lot of time to spare and a reasonably fast Internet connection, sniping manually is not all that difficult. Make a note of the time when the auction you are bidding on will end. Then make sure you're sitting in front of the page at that vital last minute. Then just outbid the current winning bidder, or defend your own winning bid.

Here's a valuable tip to remember for manual sniping: make sure you set your maximum bid quite high. Otherwise you risk being automatically outbid, and the auction will have ended before you can bid again.

It's not worth your time to compete against someone who is using an automated sniping service. If their service is any good, they will always manage to outbid you. In the sniping arms race, you need to find a sniper on full auto.

Sniping In The Age Of Automation

If you enter ""ebay sniping"" into your favorite search engine, you'll find a long list of online services that will snipe on your behalf for a small fee. They usually offer a free trial, so give it a go.

If you don't want to pay each time for an online service, then you can buy sniping software outright -- for example, SnipeRight or ISnipeIt (just add a "".com"" to the name to find them on the internet). You pay once and use them as much as you want.

After you've installed the software on your computer, you tell it which auctions you want sniped and the maximum amount you're willing to pay. The software then places your bid in the last few seconds of bidding. One drawback to this method is that you need to be able to leave your computer on nearly all the time, or you might miss the end of some auctions.

An Alternative To Sniping

If you're reluctant to lower yourself to ""playing dirty,"" then there is another, more low-tech way to get around sniping. You can just email the seller and say that you were sniped at the last minute, but would really like the item. If they have another unit to sell, chances are they'll agree to sell it to you for the price at which the auction closed.

Good luck, good sniping, and good shopping.

About the author: Visit Shop Ebay to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer, visit his website at Website

Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links live.

Ebay Bidding Tips

Author: Jay Bauder

With the dawn of the new era of technology, the Internet has evolved in such haste that people find shopping online an alternative. That's why eBay is considered as a viable place to bid on things that they want to acquire.

The nature of eBay is based on the bidding concept of shopping. People need to bid on the item first before they can have the rights to purchase it. To make online shopping a lot more convenient, eBay uses an automated bidding system that facilitates the auction. The bottom line is that the highest bidder gets the chance to buy the item.

Shopping on eBay is relatively easier than when doing it on a traditional market. However, it could be a little more complicated especially if the bidder doesn't know how to do it properly.

Hence, it's a must for every bidder to know the process and equip himself with the principle of creative bidding.

The first consideration when bidding on eBay is the item itself. Bidders should be aware of its composition from the price down to its technical details. This is to assure themselves that what they are trying to obtain is worthy of their money.

Bidders should also take note of the descriptive details of the item. They should assess themselves if they can tolerate any blemish on the item such as scratches, slight cracks, or dents.

It's also a must for every bidder to do a little background investigation on the seller based on the seller's feedbacks, demographic profile, and the other items that were already sold on his or her behalf, if there's any. This is to ensure the buyer if it's safe enough to proceed with the bidding process.

Consequently, the potential buyer should contemplate on the item first before bidding. The buyer should make it a point that he or she is ready to purchase the item in case he won the bid. This is because the bid is already deemed as a contract that will bind the buyer to an agreement that he or she would have to buy the item in the event that they got the highest bid.

The buyer may also opt to wait until the wee hours of the listing period before bidding, that is, if he or she is really determined to get the product.

Bidding on eBay could be an exhilarating activity while shopping online; yet, it could also be a buyer's worst nightmare if done inappropriately. So, it's a must that a buyer takes bidding on eBay a serious matter to avoid any trouble.

About the author: Jay is the web owner of http://www.the-lowest-prices.com Online Shoppping , a website that provides information and resources on online shopping malls and discounts. You can visit his website at: Online Deals

Ebay - Buying eBooks

Author: Jay Bauder

On September 1995, one of the most prestigious online shopping sites was founded. eBay is unique because it allows online shoppers, either as individuals or as a group, a wide variety of merchandise that they can buy, sell or trade within their community, their nation or even other with other countries.

eBay's merchandise reaches to 44 million things on sale at any given time and is added with more than four million of other things to be sold everyday. Their categories include antiques, collectibles, photography, computers, art, toys, electronics, stamps, jewelry, magazines, comics, pottery, e-books and many more.

Electronic books or more popularly known as e-Books are text materials designed to be portable. They are special books that uses a program that enable readers to read it through their hardware devices - like Personal Computers, laptops, palmtops and/or even mobile phones. They are so accessible and can be transferred from one computer to another using a network.

Since e-Bay is one of the country's leading online shopping site, they also provide a selection on must have e-Books. Shopping for e-Books is fairly easy, but one must need some basic online shopping knowledge before they are able to do so. A great recommended book would be eBay Bargain Shopping for Dummies (can be found at eBay) by Marsha Collier. This book would help all online shoppers who to discover the treasure of eBay shopping. Her book spills the beans on how to outwit and outbid your competition - which is a good way to find discounts on all the items up for grabs.

e-Books can be ordered online and delivered electronically to your computer (or mobile phone). This way, there is no shipping and tax expenses and you get your e-Book at a very low price. There are numerous sites that sell e-books in this manner On the other hand, Instant e-Books do not require additional software or other readers for customers to be able to immediately start reading their e-Books after installing it. And aside from that, there are many free e-Books and other articles written by ""eBay gurus.""

With eBay, e-Books are just a click away. What could be greater news to all book lovers out there?

About the author: Jay is the web owner of http://www.the-lowest-prices.com Online Shoppping , a website that provides information and resources on online shopping malls and discounts. You can visit his website at: Online Deals

Ebay Shipping Tips

Author: Jay Bauder

Shipping details for purchases over eBay is actually a misnomer. eBay is not responsible for the shipping details of an item.

First of all, it should be duly noted that eBay is an online market/transaction facilitator. It merely becomes a means for the buyer and the seller to meet. It is also a regulating body that helps develop fairness of trades among parties.

However, the terms and details of the trade are subject to the agreement of both buying and selling parties.

For most cases, the details of a trade the payment modes, conditions, and shipping details are specified by the selling party. Taking note of, and understanding such is important to avoiding disputes over shipping details between buyer and seller.

If the buyer does not pay attention to the terms stated here, he may find himself on the losing end of a trade. He must, therefore, be vigilant in studying the terms before agreeing to a trade.

The buyer should also note that shipping is usually exclusive of the bid price he may have agreed to on the auction. He should weigh in the costs of shipping and handling when considering trades.

Sellers on the other hand should ensure that the mode of delivery he specifies is convenient, cost-efficient, and attractive to most buyers.

Buyers should review the shipping details for an item listing. He must specifically take note of insurance, shipping and handling charges, sales tax and return policy.

In the case of insurance, if the seller does not specify any details for such, the buyer should discuss the possibility of including one in the purchase. One walks on the safe side if he does not assume that all will go well on the delivery.

The buyer should also inquire about the return policy ?the rights available to a buyer if desires to return an item for whatever reason may it be dissatisfaction, damage, etc.

Depending on the size of the item and its location, shipping costs can add significantly to the total cost of the item. The buyer should make sure the shipping details are clear and fair before agreeing to them.

The buyer should also take advantage of the safety mechanisms available to him. The buyer and seller should agree upon such and contact their shipping company of choice to request measures to address their delivery concerns.

Again, the key component to considering the shipping details of an item over eBay is good communication.

In the end, one could say that shipping plans over eBay items can be safe ?as long as one takes great pains and meticulous methods to ensure a hassle free delivery.

About the author: Jay is the web owner of http://www.the-lowest-prices.com Online Shoppping , a website that provides information and resources on online shopping malls and discounts. You can visit his website at: Online Deals

How to achieve fast eBay feedback with very little money

Author: Xanfis

When starting out on eBay your feedback score, or lack of it, can severely impact your ability to sell efficiently.

For each transaction, the buyer and seller are allowed to rate each other by leaving feedback. Each feedback left consists of a rating (positive, negative, or neutral), and a short comment. These ratings that members leave for each other are used to determine individual member profiles.

You can view an eBay member's profile by clicking on the User ID or the number in parentheses next to their User ID. For example, simply click on ""3528"" to view the profile for ebayrose (3528).

To llist a Dutch auction you need a feedback score of at least 30 and to list a featured auction you need a feedback rating of 10.

This can be a real pain in the neck when you are are really keen to sell. Fear not, there is a solution to achieve fast feedback! And it is not against the eBay rules to do so.

Before you continue you will need a PayPal account.

Once you have yourPayPal account, sign-up for an eBay account.

eBat has an excellent search facility. What you want to do is click on the advanced search link and you will be greeted with a whole host of search functions. The functions we are most interested in are the keywords, price and PayPal option.

Input keywords such as free, ebook, cheap into the keyword box.

Scroll down to the price range boxes and enter 0.01 in the minimum box and 0.05 in the maximum box.

Scroll down further and tick the PayPal box. This tells the search engine to only show results from sellers who accept PayPal. Using PayPal is the quickest way to boost your feedback because PayPal transactions are instant unlike cheques or bank transfers etc.

An optional box to tick is the Buy Now option. This tells the search engine to only show sellers who are offering an instant sale, unlike a regular auction.

It is best to experiment, play around with it for a while.

Hit search and you will be greeted with a ton of auctions with the price range you inputed. You can sort the results to show the auctions ending soonest or auctions with lowest prices.

Bid on as many of these auctions as you can. Remember to search again with the Buy Now box ticked for instant purchases.

Each time you buy something for 1 cent, and pay, the seller will usually leave you positive feedback. You should do the same for them. Sometimes you have to remind them. :wink:

A nice trick is to ask them to leave you feedback when you send the Paypal payment. There is usually a box to enter extra information to the seller when send money using PayPal (some sellers have it disabled).

"" Hello, please leave me positive feedback as soon as possible and I will return the favour! "" usually works.

With this simple method of searching for items worth 0.01 you can easily get 100 positive feedbacks in a day for a dollar!

On a side note, don't leave a seller feedback until you have a) got the item you paid for and b) they have left you positive feedback.

This article is copyright (c) Xanfis.com 2005 and may not be reproduced without my express permission.

You may use it if you include my links below.

Xanfis - SecretWebInfo - Indigosi - SabreWul f

About the author: Xanfis - Awesome Secret Stuff - Indigosi - What's here?

Ebay & PayPal

Author: Jay Bauder

E-Bay and Paypal are two giant firms which are involved in sales transactions of customers. E-Bay is an online portal in which buyers could auction and bid items for sale. On the other hand, Paypal is the most popular online payment system used through credit cards. The teaming up of both firms is inevitable because E-Bay provides the goods to be purchased while PayPal provides the resources to be used.

E-Bay has indeed grown as the number one destination of online shopping through auctions. E-Bay offers a variety of choices when it comes to books, food, gadget, technology stuff, and many others. The variety and diversity of E-Bay makes it the most visited site whenever buyers are thinking of something to purchase. It is also a favorite destination for online shoppers who want to have a quality bargain of the items they want to buy. On the other hand, Paypal is the most reliable online payment system utilized whenever holding transactions. The firm claims that they have 16 million users worldwide. Despite of such successes for both firms, there are still many criticisms regarding the nature of both businesses.

E-Bay is often criticized as a portal that is not pro-buyers instead, it some people consider it as pro-sellers. Some buyers accuse E-Bay as not being true to their business and does not really live up to their word. On the other hand, Paypal does not really receive a lot of complaints but when it does, no one seems to mind. This is because their customer service department does not do their job well. No one really assists the customers and when they reply, it seems like the customer waited for 20 years before an action was done.

Due to the partnership of these two companies, many speculated that E-Bay would acquire Paypal. Many people were not in agreement to this deal because they believe that once E-Bay had acquired Paypal, the rotten service of the firm would eventually be more than worst. Aside from that, competition would also diminish in the market. Despite the said speculations, both firms deny that a joint venture or acquisition between the two companies would happen. Both firms insist that they would continue each other? operations separately and not as a joint company. Both firms also expressed that their partnership between each other is solid but not to the point of collaborating with each other.

About the author: Jay is the web owner of http://www.the-lowest-prices.com Online Shoppping , a website that provides information and resources on online shopping malls and discounts. You can visit his website at: Online Deals

Ebay Getting The Sale

Author: Jay Bauder

Since its inception, eBay seemed to be godsend entity to many especially those who want to find a lucrative way of earning a living. A lot of people contend that it is only with eBay that they were able to supplement their finances and extra necessities.

But the question of the majority still remains. Do people really need to sell something first before they can profit from eBay?

The answer is, undeniably, yes! Here some facts about eBay to support the answer:

The nature of eBay is focused on one thing: ONLINE MARKETING.

The concept behind eBay is the fact that it is an auction website. Therefore, to gain profit in a site like eBay is to sell something. It involves monetary transactions and deals, a niche market, and some strategies that can be commonly found in a typical market site.

Hence, a person that has no intentions of selling something on eBay does not actually have any business on eBay.

However, others may contend that buying a quality at the same time affordable product can also be considered as a profit. But nevertheless, taking a closer look at what profit really means, all of these boils down to the fact that whoever earns money benefits more.

Everything is a commodity.

Nowadays, everything seems to be a commodity, from mobile phones to even ideas. With an increasing rate on financial crisis, everybody seems to be finding ways how to earn a living. This goes to show why there are people who sell even the weirdest thing on eBay.

Some may assert that these things may not be true at all. But the question is, what if it is, indeed, true? What if there is really somebody out there who is in dire need of money and that there is nothing that he or she can trade but his or her own virginity?

These things may seem like too nuisance and may seem cheaper than what they had bargain for, but when necessities butts in, it's down to a now or never battle in life.

Indeed, the realities of life are clearly manifested on the kind of transactions that goes on in eBay. In fact, what eBay has on its context is the same as what goes on in real life. Like eBay, life is like an auction, there are those who win and there are those who lose.

With all these facts, the concept of whether a person has to sell something first just to profit from eBay breaks down to two realities in life: money, thus, makes the world go round, and that profit is claimed where there is money.

About the author: Jay is the web owner of http://www.the-lowest-prices.com Online Shoppping , a website that provides information and resources on online shopping malls and discounts. You can visit his website at: Online Deals

Ebay - Appraising Items

Author: Jay Bauder

How Much Is It Worth? Estimating Your Items Value for Sale on eBay

Proper pricing of items to be listed for sale on eBay is one of the most important aspects of generating interest in one auction listing.

If the price is too high, interest will be low, and the possibility of a sale decreases.

If the price is too low, the seller generates enormous traffic, yet the final bid might be too low to satisfy the sellers need for a profit.

The following are steps that will aid in that process.

Step 1: How Much Was this Item Originally Worth

First of all, one must find out how much the item was when it was bought. This helps the seller set realistic goals as to how much he will expect to profit from that item.

The seller must remember that the going price for that item nowadays will be different from its original price. And depending on the demand for that item, he may get a price that is better, or worse than the original price.

The seller must also come to an acceptance of the fact that the buying power of today $1 is different from that of ten years ago.

Step 2: Do a Little Research

Sellers should research on the current price of similar items. This gives them a good standard as to how much they should price their wares. Searching eBay for successful auctions of similar wares is the best way to do this.

Step 2: How Much Has the Item Depreciated?

The seller must check the item for damages and other irregularities from a mint conditioned item of the same kind. He must then deduct a reasonable amount from his asking price. Wear and tear tends to bring down the price of an item considerably. It is wise to make sure the items are repaired, or spruced up before being auctioned.

Step 3: Start It a Little Lower than Usual

It is wise to start an auction a step or two (or even three) lower than a sellers intended price. This generates interest in the item. It may be hard to believe, but auctions that start lower than its intended price actually have a better chance at overshooting that intended price.

Professional opinions are available if the seller is in doubt of the value of his or her item. Third party appraisal companies help in this regard. A list of such is available at the Authentication & Grading link under Protection and Authentication on eBay.

About the author: Jay is the web owner of http://www.the-lowest-prices.com Online Shoppping , a website that provides information and resources on online shopping malls and discounts. You can visit his website at: Online Deals

Basics of Shipping on eBay - Tips to Start Strong

Author: Mason Hipp

1) Always Pack the Item Properly

The biggest mistake you can make when shipping an item is to go lighty on the packaging and send an unportected item. Buyers will instantly leave negative feedback if the item arrives damaged due to bad padding. Make sure you look into the proper packaging for the item you are shipping - a book is different then a china doll, and both require proper materials.

2) Never Pay For Packing Materials

Right behind improper packing is over paying for shipping materials. There are far too many sources of free boxes and free padding to need to buy them. I have been a powerseller on ebay for 4 years and not once have I paid for packing materials. EBay and USPS offer free boxes, UPS offers free shipping labels. Local retailers will generaly have old boxes lying around also - this is perfect for those large items.

3) Ship Promptly After the Auction Closes

So you've just spent $400 on the newest game console - purchased it from an eBay Seller. Do you want to wait a week just for the seller to ship the item? Neither do your customers. Visit this website for more informaton about eBay shipping Always ship the item as soon as possible after the ebay auction is closed.

4) Box the Product Before the eBay Aucton is Over

It is a good habit to get into packaging your items before the auction is finished. This makes it exceedingly easy to ship within a day of the buyer paying. Shipping quickly will grab good feedback more than anythign else.

5) Use UPS Ground Shipping for Large Items

It is generally the best to use UPS ground for anything that weighs more than 10lbs. It is very inexpensive to ship large items with UPS. Though slower than USPS, it is far more cost effective on larger frieght.

6) Use USPS Priority Mail for Sending Small Items

Anything less than 10lbs is best shipped with priority mail. Priority mail is very fast, and very inexpensive for small things. Shipping with priority mail is also very good for your buyer, as it will get them their item quickly and effectively.

7) USPS Media mail is Best for Shipping Media Items

If you are shipping a book, cd, dvd, or any other item that fits in the media catagory - it is probably best to ship with media mail. This is a very cheap service, and is great for the items it is meant for. If your item is expensive, however, it may be better to use priority mail to please your buyer.

8) Include a Thank You Note in Each Package

This is one of the most overlooked methods of creating return customers. You need to ship the package anyhow, why not attempt to get another eBay purchase out of each customer? Almost all of the big players on eBay use this tactic.

9) Use Paypal to Print Shipping Labels

Printing eBay shipping labels from Paypal is one of the easiest and most time saving features availible to new sellers. Larger eBay sellers might want to look into furthor automation, but for everything under 50 packages per week - electronic labels from Paypal are the way to go.

10) eBay Shipping Takes Getting Used To - Don't Quit

Not everyone gets into a rythm immediatly. Shipping on eBay can be a trying task - but keep going and you'll soon be rewarded with happy customers and efficient practices. It is important to learn and rethink and establish you're own personal best practices. With time, anyone can ship like a PowerSeller.

About the author: Mason Hipp has been spending the past two years helping young eBay Sellers get to powerseller level. He has written many selling guides and articles aimed at helping new sellers. More information about shipping on eBay can be found here.

Ebay - The Power Of Words

Author: Jay Bauder

It is a known fact that a business could never be successful without the aid of advertising. In fact, it is considered as the lifeblood of almost all kinds of businesses. That's why sellers and entrepreneur wannabes on eBay understand the impact of an effective advertising technique on their items listing.

Basically, the sale of an item on eBay is dependent on the so-called eBay keyword program. This program asserts the fact that the probability of an item to be sold is based on the keyword used by the seller.

The eBay keyword program suggests that the maximum number of keywords to be used in an eBay ad is 100, the least is 50. This is because the essence of the description of the product or the ability of the ad to promote the item against a thousand similar items is lessened.

This does not necessarily mean that the sellers will also limit the amount of keywords that they will use. The eBay keyword program further suggests that the number of keywords should be congruent to the identity of the product. That is, it should be very specific even down to the last details of the product.

For example, one seller may make his or her descriptive title and ad using the word ""mobile phones"". Then, another seller posts the same item but used the words ""Sony Ericsson mobile phones"". And lastly, another seller does the same but used the words ""Sony Ericsson k700i"". Applying the keyword principle, the third seller will most likely gain more exposure than the other two, such that when a person search for a Sony Ericsson k700i, that person will most likely be lead to the third seller's listing.

Choosing the best category for the product is another effective advertising technique.

There are those online shoppers who search items on the category first. The reason behind this is that they don't have any specific product in mind. For example, a buyer may be looking for a mobile phone but doesn't know what brand to have. So, it's a must that the seller places his or her item in a category that is active or is frequented by most buyers.

But the most important advertising technique of all when selling an item on eBay is to create a sales pitch that comes from the heart. Clich? as it may seem but, in reality, it is the basic concept of selling. A good seller believes on the product that he or she is selling, other wise, he will have a hard time convincing people of he personally doesn't accept it as true.

About the author: Jay is the web owner of http://www.the-lowest-prices.com Online Shoppping , a website that provides information and resources on online shopping malls and discounts. You can visit his website at: Online Deals

Sittin' on the Dock of eBay

Author: Barbara Snyder M.A Ed..

Remember when Otis Redding sang, ""Sittin' on the dock of the bay, wastin' time..."" For those of you too young to remember, suffice to say that it is a classic. It is a catchy tune that drones through your head all day long after you have heard it, and the whistling at the end is habit forming, too. So why would I infer that eBay has anything to do with ""sittin' and wastin' time""?

If you don't know what you are doing as you strive to become a seller on eBay, you could be wasting your time or fooling yourself into thinking that you have found a way to make a fortune. What is it you should know about eBay and the cost of doing business on eBay? This can best be summed up with two things - many kinds of eBay fees and PayPal fees. I bring this to your attention so that you go into an eBay relationship with your eyes wide open.

It would be like having a garage sale at your home and not factoring in the cost of placing an ad in the newspaper and paying your kids to watch and help sell the items. Sometimes you can go to all of the work of having a garage sale, and it can be a bust after you deduct the cost of having the sale. The same goes for auctioning items on eBay. After you pay the eBay fees, sometimes there isn't much left. So you ask yourself as you look at the quarter, two dimes, and a nickel in the palm of your hand, ""Was this really worth it?"" Could be ""yes""; could be ""no.""

The old phrase, ""...nickel and dime you to death,"" comes to mind when I think about the eBay insertion fees, the eBay seller fees, and the PayPal (also owned by eBay) fees. One of the keys to being successful on eBay is to get the most from your listing and minimize the fees that you pay for listing your item. A person needs to do research to come up with a price that will allow for a reasonable profit after the ""cost of doing business"" is subtracted from the selling price. Taking an eBay class would help beginners with making the most out of their listings where the following costs are explained.

Insertion Fees - This is the price that you are charged for listing an item on eBay. When you list an item, the fee is automatically charged to your seller's account. These fees are not refundable. The basic insertion fees follow a sliding scale. For example, if an item is listed for $1.00 to $9.99 the insertion fee is $0.35, and an item listed for $50.00 to $199.99 cost $2.40 in insertion fees. However, there are many other things that can be done to enhance a listing. They all have a cost factor. The first picture is free, but additional pictures are $0.15 each. To supersize a picture it would be $0.75. What if you want a border, subtitle, bold, gallery, 10 day auction, and gift services? Yes, you can do that, but each has a cost factor from $.0.50 to $3.00. It can certainly add up if you are not careful.

Buy It Now - This is the feature that a buyer clicks if he or she wants to buy an item immediately. They are prompted to use PayPal and to pay for the item. To protect the seller the item does remain available to other buyers until the payment is completed. A buyer who is the first to send the PayPal payment through gets the item. This feature can be used with any of the other selling formats. However, the ""Buy It Now"" disappears once a bid is placed (if it is an auction item). Of course, there is a cost for this feature which ranges from $0.05 to $0.25.

Reserve Fees - As a protection to the seller, a reserve price may be initiated so that you don't sell the item below a certain price. A seller reserves the right not to sell below that designated price, and the seller uses this option to motivate buyers to bid. A potential buyer may be discouraged if the starting price is too high, but a low starting price could backfire if a reserve is not preset. There is a fee for this, of course. The good news is that the reserve fee is refunded if the item is successfully sold. The bad news is that the fee is not refunded if the item doesn't sell. Kind of like a double whammy, in my opinion.

Final Value Fees - When your item is sold, eBay charges a Final Value Fee. Even if the sale is not completed the fee will be applied. However, you can request a full credit if the buyer did not buy the item or backs out of the deal. Depending on whether the sale was from a regular auction, a store inventory, or eBay motor vehicles the costs may vary on the final value fee .

Pay Pal Fees - Signing up for PayPal is quick and easy. It is a real advantage for sellers because you are able to receive payments very quickly. There is no monthly fees or set up fees. The other good news is that the transaction fees are less than most merchant fees for taking a credit card. The other positives are that there is fraud protection., and Paypal is all available in 38 countries.

As you can see there are many ways that eBay makes money from the fee structures in place, but they are in business to make money. One rationale that is touted as the party line in the eBay schools is that it would be much more to sell items if a person opened a store instead of using the Internet. We are reminded that there would be rent, utilities, and many other things a store owner would need. Their contention is that it has to be worth something.

Just think about how many times someone has complained about wanting to get rid of some items stored in the garage? And how many times has someone else said, ""Why don't you sell it on eBay?"" It is such a widely known entity and has such a worldwide Internet presence that you just about have to do it. Knowing up front about the various fees and the best way to list your item could help you be successful. You need to plan carefully and work wisely so that you are not ""sittin' on the dock of eBay, wastin' time.""

Copyright usage: No permission is needed to reproduce an unedited copy of this article as long the About The Author tag is left in tact and hot links included. Comments or questions can be sent to Barb@sbmag.org

About the author: Barbara Snyder, M.A. Ed. is a retired California Distinguished School Principal & Coordinator For Human Resources. She has a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She holds elementary education, secondary, community college & administrative credentials. She is currently the publisher of http://EducationResourcesNetwork.com, co-publisher of Strictly Business Magazine, http://www.sbmag.org and Student Teacher Supervisor at Chapman University.

Ebay Shipping - 10 Tips To Start Right

Author: Mason Hipp

There are about as many different ways to ship ebay items as there are ebay sellers. That being said, there are many eBay sellers who don't ship using the correct packaging or the least expensive service. These 10 tips are written to help sellers get started shipping their ebay items correctly.

1) Always Pack the Item Properly The biggest mistake you can make when shipping an item is to go lighty on the packaging and send an unportected item. Buyers will instantly leave negative feedback if the item arrives damaged due to bad padding. Make sure you look into the proper packaging for the item you are shipping - a book is different then a china doll, and both require proper materials.

2) Never Pay For Packing Materials Right behind improper packing is over paying for shipping materials. There are far too many sources of free boxes and free padding to need to buy them. I have been a powerseller on ebay for 4 years and not once have I paid for packing materials. EBay and USPS offer free boxes, UPS offers free shipping labels. Local retailers will generaly have old boxes lying around also - this is perfect for those large items.

3) Ship Promptly After the Auction Closes So you've just spent $400 on the newest game console - purchased it from an eBay Seller. Do you want to wait a week just for the seller to ship the item? Neither do your customers. Always ship the item as soon as possible after the auction is closed.

4) Box the Product Before the eBay Aucton is Over It is a good habit to get into packaging your items before the auction is finished. This makes it exceedingly easy to ship within a day of the buyer paying. Shipping quickly will grab good feedback more than anythign else.

5) Use UPS Ground Shipping for Large Items It is generally the best to use UPS ground for anything that weighs more than 10lbs. It is very inexpensive to ship large items with UPS. Though slower than USPS, it is far more cost effective on larger frieght.

6) Use USPS Priority Mail for Sending Small Items Anything less than 10lbs is best shipped with priority mail. Priority mail is very fast, and very inexpensive for small things. Shipping with priority mail is also very good for your buyer, as it will get them their item quickly and effectively.

7) USPS Media mail is Best for Shipping Media Items If you are shipping a book, cd, dvd, or any other item that fits in the media catagory - it is probably best to ship with media mail. This is a very cheap service, and is great for the items it is meant for. If your item is expensive, however, it may be better to use priority mail to please your buyer.

8) Include a Thank You Note in Each Package This is one of the most overlooked methods of creating return customers. You need to ship the package anyhow, why not attempt to get another eBay purchase out of each customer? Almost all of the big players on eBay use this tactic.

9) Use Paypal to Print Shipping Labels Printing eBay shipping labels from Paypal is one of the easiest and most time saving features availible to new sellers. Larger eBay sellers might want to look into furthor automation, but for everything under 50 packages per week - electronic labels from Paypal are the way to go.

10) eBay Shipping Takes Getting Used To - Don't Quit Not everyone gets into a rythm immediatly. Shipping on eBay can be a trying task - but keep going and you'll soon be rewarded with happy customers and efficient practices. It is important to learn and rethink and establish you're own personal best practices. With time, anyone can ship like a PowerSeller.

About the author: Mason Hipp has been an eBay Powerseller for over 5 years. During the last two years he has dedicated most of his time to helping people learn to sell on ebay. More information can be found at his website. Click here to learn more about eBay Shipping.

How To Post Your First Auction On eBay

Author: Jason Cooper

It's very easy and simple to get started posting your first auction on eBay. This article will cover the steps you need to follow to get your first auction up.

The first thing you need to do is set up your eBay seller's account. If you have already bought things on eBay in the past, then you already have an account. Just log in and click ""Sell"" on the toolbar at the top of the page and then click ""Create a seller's account"".

If you have never bought or sold on eBay, then you need to create a new account. First click on the ""register"" link beneath the toolbar, then click ""Sell"" and ""Create a seller's account"". From there the eBay website will guide you through the process of getting set up. For security reasons, this may involve including providing your card and banking information.

You can register for your eBay account here: eBay. com

Now that you're registered, you need to decide what you want to sell. It doesn't really matter what you sell, this is just your chance to get your feet wet. Check your garage and attic, I'm sure you can find something that you're not attached to and something interesting. Small items like books and CDs are great for your first time.

Once you have your item picked out, it's time to submit it. Just click ""Sell"" and you're on your way. The first thing you need to do is choose the best category for your item. eBay makes this easy, you just type in your item, and eBay suggests the best category for you. It's usually best to just go with the category that eBay comes up with.

The next step is writing the title and description for your item. You want to make sure to include any keywords that people might use when searching for your item in the title. Include all the rest of the information in the description.

Now you need to set your starting price. In order to draw people to bid on your auction, set a starting price of $0.01. Don't worry because items almost never end up as such a low price. Next set the duration of the auction. You have the choices of 3, 5, 7 and 10 days. This is really up to you, the longer the auction the more bids you are likely to get. Add a picture to your auction because items with pictures always sell for more.

Great, now you're ready to select the payment methods you want to accept, and where you will post to. I would just go with PayPal for now, and limit yourself to the country you are in. Just click the ""Submit"" button and you are done!

Now you can just sit back and let eBay work it's magic. Potential buyers will search for your item and submit bids on it. Some bidders may email you with various questions about your item. Just do your best to answer the questions as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

Don't worry if your item doesn't sell the first time. The great thing about eBay, is that if your item doesn't sell the first time, you can list it again for free!

Once the auction closes and you have a winning bidder, eBay takes care of all the work. eBay will send your buyer emails guiding them through the process of sending you payment for the item your are selling. Just make sure you have the money in hand before you send the item.

eBay prefers that you use PayPal to send and receive your payments. PayPal is very safe and secure and you will get your money instantly so it's a good idea to use them. It's also free to create an account with PayPal.

You can create your free PayPal account here: PayPal.com

As soon as you have received the payment, all you have left to do is pack up the item and send it to your buyer. If you're not sure of the best way to get this done, just take your item to your local post office and they can help you. Use the buyers address from the confirmation email that eBay sent you and write it on the package. That's it, you've made your first successful sale on eBay!

About the author: This article was written on behalf of eBayBusiness.net by Webmaster and Internet Marketing Specialist Jason Cooper. Visit http://www.ebaybusiness.net and download 3 Free eBay Business eBooks today! (c) 2005, eBayBusiness.net. This article may be reproduced in all venues so long as the content and by-line are reprinted intact and all links are set live.

How to Make a Full time Income With Ebay Online Auctions

Author: Greg Willis

First let me tell you a little about myself. I'm an eBay Powerseller. I did about $100,000.00 in sales on eBay over the last year. I love eBay, and I regularly preach the virtues of eBay to my friends and family. I even gave out eBay gift certificates for Christmas! I'm also a student of the business. I like finding ways to increase my sales and grow my business. Believe it or not, I went to Barnes & Noble bookstore and dropped about $300.00 on eBay books. Now those were some hefty bags of books I walked out with!

With my eBay experience and knowledge I decided to write an ebook about ""how to make a full time living by selling on eBay"". I researched my ""eBay library"" from the bookstore, and I searched the internet for other resources. What I discovered was a few things... First, the books from my collection of books from the bookstore were generally more out-of-date, and less practical from an entrepreneurial point-of-view in comparison with many online resources. The books contained a lot of valuable information, but often fell short where the rubber meets the road in terms of true money-making ability. The second thing I discovered was that the eBay opportunity is so huge, and so many thousands of people have found success, that many have already written excellent material that covered everything I was planning on writing and more!

I'm not a lazy person; I could have written the book, but I decided my time would be better spent on other endeavors since I would essentially have been repeating the same information already written by others. In fact, since that time, I have written a book on a completely different topic. And with my ambition to spread the good news of eBay I decided to create a website to spotlight some particularly helpful resources.

The reason I've written this article is to warn you that there is a lot of outdated information out there, and much of it that was never good to begin with. Before purchasing an Ebay ""how to"" book, please check out the author's credentials. The best Ebay books are typically written by real Ebay Powersellers--NOT by famous authors or internet marketers.

The next thing I want to make you aware of is that there are many, many ways to make a full time income on Ebay. Some of them require more work than others. Some involve importing, others involve dropshipping. Some involve keeping a physical inventory, and others utilize virtual downloadable products. The ways of making money on Ebay are as diverse as Ebay itself. There are hundreds of categories, and a myriad of different types of people who shop Ebay. All this goes to say: find your niche. If you're new to the business, I do recommend buying a guidebook from a successful Ebayer, but if that author's system is not appealing to you, do not give up and decide it's not for you. Simply find another niche or another system that IS appealing to you.

I hope this article has inspired you to find your own niche and join the millions who have already discovered a life of eBay success!

About the author: Greg Willis is a veteran Ebay Powerseller who left his day job to go full time on Ebay over 4 years ago. You can read all his secrets and recommended resources at www.auctionsprofit.com

How to Bid Smartly on EBay

Author: Kathy Burns-Millyard

In today's hectic world, millions of people have fallen in love with online shopping... and a fun, unique way to shop online is at eBay.

eBay has fast become a favorite destination of bargain seekers everywhere. Buyers get to bid on products they'd like to buy, and bidding is a lot like haggling. Sometimes you get really lucky and score an excellent deal on great items.

At eBay, if you're looking through the auctions, you'll need to actually place a bid on an item before you can buy it. The auction bid system is automated, and other shoppers can come along and bid on the same item you did. Their bid must be higher than yours of course, and if you want to ""win"" the auction, you'll have to place another bid for a higher price. The bottom line is that the highest bidder gets to actually buy the item.

Shopping on eBay is relatively easier than when shopping in traditional auction markets. However, it could be a little more complicated especially if the bidder doesn't know how to do it properly. So it's very important for all auction bidders to learn the process first, and it helps if they learn basic principles of creative bidding too.

The first thing to consider when bidding on eBay is the item itself. Bidders should be aware of everything they can learn about the product: from the price down to its technical details. This is to assure themselves that what they are trying to obtain is worthy of their money.

Bidders should also take note of the descriptive details of the auction item. They should decide honestly if they're ok with blemishes on the item such as scratches, slight cracks, or dents.

It's also a must for every bidder to do a little background investigation on the eBay seller. Take a look at the seller's previous feedback notes and ratings, demographic profile, and the other items that were already sold on his or her behalf if there are any. Doing this helps you as a buyer know whether it's safe enough to proceed with the bidding process.

So think about the item up for bid first, and decide whether you really want it as advertised. Investigate the seller to be sure they're honest and reputable. Only then should you place your auction bid. Bidding on an auction is a promise to pay, so you should never place a bid for an item you don't fully intend to buy.

About the author: ? 2005, Kathy Burns-Millyard. Find the latest auction deals online at Useful-Online-Auction.info

Beware, There Are A Lot Of Crooks On Ebay

Author: Steve Hill

I hope you have not had a negative experience on ebay. I was very much enjoying the site until one day, some freak tried to steal nearly £200 from selling me an item which did not exist. This article explains what happened and also the advice the police gave to me.

As I have already mentioned I was having lots of fun buying and selling on Ebay for a number of months without any problems at all. I regularly sold second hand mobile phones and was doing very well for myself. If I ever bought anything that cost over £100, I would offer to meet the seller somewhere, normally just off the motorway. I pulled off what I believed was some good deals and also managed to offload some of my unwanted items which I either had no interest in anymore or that I had no longer a need for.

Unfortunately all good things have to come to an end and it certainly did with ebay.

One particular morning I was looking to purchase another second hand mobile phone, which I would then re-sell on. There was an advert for a buy it now phone with the asking price low but not extremely low.

There was a mobile number to phone if I had any questions. I decided to phone the number, his name was Tony and I asked him the general type questions. He sounded and seemed really nice, however stated that he was unable to meet me as he was unable to drive as he had not past his test. The alarm bells should have already started to ring, but me being a bit stupid they didn't.

His house was a long way from where I lived and reluctantly I agreed to pay via a bank transfer. He assured me he would post the phone, that very day via Royal Mail Special Delivery to arrive by 11am the next morning. He seemed very genuine, they always do your thinking and that was that.

Next morning have a guess what arrived, yes nothing at all, nor the next day, nor the next.

I tried e-mailing him, texting and ringing his mobile phone, guess what, there was no reply.

I realised what a fool I had been, however decided to go to the police. They were very helpful and half an hour later I had a crime number however was warned that it was very unlikely I would ever see a phone or recieve a refund of my money which was £170. The police advised me to be very careful as they regularly have complaints from people who have been defrauded on ebay, I was not alone!

Outside the police station I sent Tony a text with the police crime number. To my shock he phoned me straight away swearing at me but eventually agreed to refund me the money, if I stopped the police action against him.

I was very lucky, I am sure many other people as the police stated, never get their money back.

About the author: Stephen Hill has a number of websites including:

std treatments

natural health cure

arthritis specialist

Shopping Ebay for Plus Size Clothing

Author: Jane Clark

Shopping ebay is a bonanza for plus size women!

Ebay lists over 50,000 plus size women's plus size clothing items every day. You'll find brand new plus size clothing at unbelievably low prices! And you can find large lots of gently used plus size clothing.

Are you a little hesitant about ebay shopping for plus size clothes? Or are you overwhelmed by ebay? Ebay has tutorials for every problem you might have getting started shopping ebay.

With over 1.5 million items listed in Clothing, Shoes & Accessories, you can find everything from plus size jeans, to plus size wholesale lots, to one-of-a-kind plus size sweaters.

Jeans: Plus size jeans are hugely popular and easily transition from daytime to evening. Paired with Sexy high heels, a beaded top, or just your favorite sweater, your plus size jeans can make a bold fashion statement. Ebay has a jeans style guide that will help understand all the terms and style cuts. Ebay has about 4,000 auctions for plus size jeans. You may also be looking for those hard to find plus petite jeans.

Jackets and Outerwear: Few elements are as essential to a fall and winter wardrobe as the plus size jacket. From plus size athletic jackets to plus size wool overcoats and leather or suede plus size jackets to faux furs, you'll find all the latest styles, materials, and most popular jacket designers.

Shoes: Discover the latest shoe fashions and hottest designer shoe bargains, including wide shoes and boots, sizes as large as 12 and 13 and wide calf boots. There's a huge selection of the latest shoes and boots every single day. From comfortable and casual shoes to dressy or fabulous exotic shoes, you'll find just the right shoe to match your style. No matter what your shoe size or shoe width, you will find it when shopping ebay.

Holiday: This is the time of year we start thinking about plus size evening, holiday and formal wear. Or you might be looking for a cute, plus size Christmas top. In need of some plus size slinky pants? Or how about a sparkling plus size evening suit? You will find it at ebay.

Lingerie: BBW Lingerie is the most searched plus size clothing item. Plus size bras can be found in all colors and styles on ebay. Plus size body shapers are essential for some outfits like body clinging plus size dresses. They streamline your silhouette and are great to have in your wardrobe. Plus size nightgowns can be found in sexy styles or cozy flannel. Maybe you prefer plus size pajamas or you are searching for a new plus size robe - some at 80% below retail. How about Plus Size Camisoles? Or Plus Size Baby Dolls?

Pants: Pants give the plus size figure a long, lean look. Plus size pants can fit into the most casual wardrobe or all the way to the dressiest of wardrobes. Plus size evening pants come in crepe, velvet, silk and wool. You can even find plus size shorts in the off season if you are Florida bound or heading out for a cruise. Ebay also has hard to find plus petite pants.

It doesn't matter what you are looking for in plus size dresses, plus size suits, or plus size pantyhose, etc., you may find it at ebay.

If you need help shopping ebay, my plus size searches and information about ebay shopping will help you out. Let me point you in the right direction to get started with your plus size ebay shopping.

About the author: Jane Belle Clark is an expert on dressing by body type. She is the author of Plus Size Bridal Guide, the only bridal guide written for plus size brides. Visit Jane at http://www.MyPlusGal.com Jane has also been an ebay power seller - specializing in plus sizes. http://www.MyPlusGal.com .

Want To Be An eBay Millionaire? Have You Got What It Takes?

Author: Darren Yates

Taking the leap to full-time as an eBay seller is living the dream: earning a real income, working at home, being your own boss etc. It's the promise of a million scams, but it's finally come true, at least for some.

What they don't always tell you in the success stories is that becoming a full-time eBay seller is not for everyone. You really should try it part-time before you consider taking it up full-time, and even then, caution is recommended. Before you go and burn your suit, here's a list of questions you should ask yourself.

How Much Am I Earning From eBay Now?

Calculate how many hours a week you spend working on eBay related things (be honest here), then divide this by the average profit you make in a week. If you were doing full-time hours, would you earn as much as you earn now?

Do I Have a Good Job?

Consider what you might lose if you quit your job to focus on becoming a full time eBay seller. If you're in a well paid job with good promotion prospects then it's well worth reconsidering: you might get a few years down the line and wish you'd stayed in your traditional job, as you'd probably be the CEO by now.

Can I Really Make More Money on eBay?

Unless you're selling a large quantity of small goods, most of what you do on eBay will be waiting for auctions to end and you can wait at work just as easily as you can at home. Whether you would make more money on eBay really depends on what kinds of items you're selling - for low value items, going full-time could be a good move. For high-value ones, the chances are you'll hit the limits of how much money you have to invest in inventory long before you hit the limits on your time.

Can I Handle Working At Home?

Apart from anything else, you might find that your dream of working at home is more of a nightmare in reality. Your family can start to depend on you to get things done during the day. If you have a wife and children then they can resent the fact that you're in the house but refuse to have anything to do with them for large parts of the day. Giving in to them and stopping work for a while will cause your profits to slide.

Would I Survive if it All Went Wrong?

Could you get by if you had a month or two where you sold nothing? Or would you be desperately looking around for a job and cursing the day you ever discovered eBay? That's the real test.

If you are not phased by these questions, then I guess you could be cut out for the eBay seller lifestyle - and even if you were phased, you'd be surprised just how far you can get part-time.

About the author: Brandon Dupsky makes $22,000 a DAY! on eBay selling everyday stuff. Do you think you could too? -

http://www.how-to-make-money-online.info/eBay-millionaire/

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The Ebay Survival Guide

Author: Dave Bromley

When I was in the Armed Forces we were always being issued with ""Survival Guides"". How to survive in the Jungle, the Desert, and the Sea are just 3 titles that I remember. But if there is one environment that has been crying out for a survival guide it is eBay.

So I was intrigued when I got my hands on Michael Banks latest book ""The eBay Survival Guide"". I soon realised that it was a cut above many of the recent eBay books. As the webmaster for UK auctionline I comes across literally hundreds of books and reports about online auctions every year. I expected this would just be another expanded version of the eBay site map. But I was wrong; this book is an informative and riveting read.

It is a fact that it is possible to make a very good living selling products through eBay. However, it is equally true that if you either go about it in the wrong way or in some cases are just plain unlucky you can lose money. One of the biggest causes of this happening is the person not fully understanding how the market place works or knowing what to do if things go wrong. After reading the ""The eBay Survival Guide"" you should be much better equipped to tackle the day to day business of buying and selling on eBay.

One area that Michael covers in full detail is a subject that other books hardly mention and that is how to get the most out of the eBay search function. There are two detailed sections on buying and selling on eBay. The ""Do's and Don'ts chapters for both buyers and sellers not only show you the correct way to approach the task but also the traps to avoid.

The book is written in an easy to read no nonsense manner and you will find plenty of useful tips. One in particular that I liked was Michael's suggestion on how to react to a customer who claims that a sent item never arrived. To find out what it is you will have to buy the book.

There are two chapters that everyone who buys or sells on eBay should read. They are ""Shills, Sleazes and Seller Scams"" and ""Bogus products and Money making Scams"". Being forewarned is being forearmed and after reading these chapters you should be able to avoid the pitfalls that can trap the unwary.

The book covers a wide range of subjects including effective bidding strategies, buying stock to sell a dhow to create compelling listings. Whether you are new to online auction or an old hand this is one item you should definitely add to your eBay Library. This 260+ page paperback is published by No Starch and is available from Amazon.com for $13.57 (£7.99). And whether you are a new comer or an experienced eBayer I think you will find this book interesting.

About the author: Dave Bromley is the webmaster and publisher of the UK Auctionline web site and newsletter.This is an information packed site for all users of eBay. You can register for his newsletter and 6 part mini course at http://www.ukauctionline.co.uk

Being A Smart Ebay Buyer

Author: Jay Bauder

WHEN IT PAYS TO BE A SMART BUYER

When buying things from E-bay, it's the responsibility of the shopper to protect his or her identity and well being. That's why it's a must for every online shopper to keep in mind some rules on how to buy safely from E-bay so as to avoid frauds, scams, and cheaters.

Here are 15 tips on how to buy safely from E-Bay:

1. The buyer should analyze the item list extensively. It's a must that the buyer understands every word written on the item list. Buyers should contemplate on the item and its description over and over again before hitting that bid button.

2. It's a must for every buyers to know the seller's demographic profile, selling history, and the feedbacks tendered by the other shoppers.

3. Buyers should choose payment schemes that provide utmost protection.

4. Buyers should know how much they will pay for the shipping.

5. It's a given fact: If it's too good to be true, chances are the transaction is not worth the buyer's trust...and money!

6. Even without the intention of selling, it's a must for every buyer to know the concept behind e-bay's listing procedures.

7. The ""Ask seller a question"" link is not there just for the heck of it. The buyer should use it in any way possible. It's only one way of analyzing if the seller is trustworthy enough.

8. When sending payment, buyers should first confirm the contact information of the seller.

9. Buyers should be extra careful when dealing with foreign sellers. They should take note of the payment scheme required by the seller. If it's not trustworthy, then it's best not to proceed with the transaction.

10. When dealing with valuable and expensive items, buyers should use a payment scheme accepted by Escrow.

11. Buyers should insure their items. This will provide protection in the event that the transaction slipped off.

12. By all means, buyers should avoid transaction involving wire money transfers. If a seller insists on this method, chances are, it's a scam.

13. Buyers should steer clear of sellers that only accept cash-based transactions. This means that the seller has not yet established a reputation in E-bay because he or she is not capable of establishing an account with Escrow.

14. Buyers should be hesitant when considering offers like off-the-E-bay transactions. This kind of transaction is not being protected by E-bay.

15. Buyers should take note of security signs when visiting secured domains. This applies to payment-related web sites.

About the author:

Jay is the web owner of http://www.the-lowest-prices.com Online Shoppping , a website that provides information and resources on online shopping malls and discounts. You can visit his website at: http://www.citydeals.net Online Deals

Australian online auction upstart takes on eBay

Author: 2Bid.com.au founder, Adam Mulcahy

An exciting new online auction website , 2Bid.com.au is taking on the global might of eBay in a bid to keep a slice of the auction action in Australia.

The site offers all the powerful features of a major online auction website with two significant differences - it is 100% free to buy, sell or trade items, and, it is 100% Australian owned.

2Bid.com.au was started by local businessman Adam Mulcahy who became frustrated with seeing foreign companies collecting huge amounts of money in fees for Australians to trade with other Australians.

""I find it absurd that Aussies are trading direct with each other yet paying fees to overseas companies for the privilege! I started this online auction website 2Bid.com.au so that Aussies could trade with Aussies completely FREE and not lose money overseas with every transaction.""

With 2Bid.com.au it costs nothing to buy, sell, auction, swap or create an online store - there are no commissions, no listing fees and no sales fees. This means 2Bid.com.au has no need to collect members' credit card details making it a safe option for people wary of submitting their credit card details online.

Even with a majority 72% of Australian households having internet connections and 59% of internet users performing buying/selling activities (ACNielsen, 2005), there are still concerns about security and fraud. 2Bid.com.au addresses this issue directly and has opened up online selling to a whole new group of Australians.

Also, because the auction website is only open to Australians it lowers the chance of fraud from overseas users and removes the complexity of international currency and delivery.

""We're taking the global guys on at their own game using the internet to let Aussies trade with Aussies without a slice of revenue going overseas"" said Mulcahy.

2Bid.com.au first opened on 10 November 2005 and has since had 6,797 visitors and 2,435 auctions created by its 185 active members. Having established it as a proven concept with secure and efficient services, 2Bid.com.au is now launching to the mainstream Australian market.

About the author: Australian businessman Adam Mulcahy started 2Bid.com.au after becoming frustrated with seeing foreign companies collecting huge amounts of money in fees for Australians to trade with other Australians.

Selling on Ebay ... Sources of Elegant Mexican Blown Glass, Mexican Tile, Silver & Ceramics at Wholesale Prices

Author: Mexico-Store.com

Selling on Ebay ... Sources of Elegant Mexican Blown Glass, Mexican Tile, Silver & Ceramics at Wholesale Prices BY.- http://www.Mexico-Store.com

Mexican products have become big sellers in every country of the world. The total value of Mexican products that are imported into the US alone exceeds the billion dollar mark by far.

Thanks to their low cost, quality and uniqueness, most Mexican products can be resold for high profits.

It's not uncommon for American and European traders dealing in Mexican art, paintings, silver or exotic leather to harvest handsome profit margins that in many cases exceed a 100% markup when they buy from the right suppliers.

With out a question there is a lot of money to be made by reselling Mexican products. And the cheaper you buy, the better. Just don't expect to get the best possible prices from those Mexican products ""providers"" that you can find on the web for free.

Most of the guys and companies that are ranking at the top of the internet search engines are basically American companies that are reselling Mexican products. So don't think you will get the best possible prices from them. Marketers and other middlemen exist to make a profit. Everybody knows it. It's impossible for an intermediary to sell you at a manufacturer's low price. It's against their business model.

The only way you are going to make BIG cash is by dealing direct with the Mexican sources. Visit http://www.Mexico-Store.com today and discover how you can access beautiful Mexican products at incredibly low wholesale prices that you can easily resell twice as much or translate into GREATER profit margins for your self.

This is your chance to enter a multi-million dollar market with REAL PROFIT MARGINS. You can start a fun and practical business that you can run from anywhere by selling on Ebay or at your location.

Take this opportunity and Visit us TODAY! at Mexico-Store.com http://www.Mexico-Store.com

P.S: Bigger profits just around the corner.

If you already sell silver jewelry, art, leather or Mexican handcrafts, imagine the savings and the immediate extra profits that you can generate by contacting cheaper & reliable Mexican suppliers.

About the author: Mexico Store helps importers & entrepreneurs from every country in the world get access to low cost Mexican products with high resale value at http://www.Mexico-Store.com

Ebay Getting The Top Bids

Author: Jay Bauder

Making your Item Get the Best Bid on E-Bay

Having a worthy item does not immediately guarantee that you would receive the highest bid. Sometimes, it takes more than a great product to get the top bids in E-Bay.

One of the things that you should consider is the presentation of the product. The product should be presented carefully and gracefully because buyers are often attracted to products that have presentable packages because it promises that it is also a quality product.

Research is always a good thing therefore a little research regarding your product is important because it would help you determine many things in E-Bay like the demand of the product, the price range for the product as well as the quality of your competitors. As they say, keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer and this saying is really appropriate for E-Bay.

Okay now, first things first, make sure that the product is on the right category. This is because most customers browse products online through categories and once you put your product in a different category, chances are customers would only bypass the ad and you would lose your chance of selling or even advertising the product.

The right category is important because it makes your product known in this department and if it is really good then the quality of your product could be known. The second thing that you have to consider in order to have a high bid in E-Bay is to take quality photographs of the items.

A quality picture means that the item should be presentable enough for sale. Though quality pictures suggest a presentable outlook, it does not mean that you should lie regarding the quality of the product. Honesty is the best policy here and for example your items have minor defects like a glitch on the backside.

Be honest enough to admit it and also take a picture if necessary. This would ensure the customers that the damage in the item is only minor and could not affect the purpose and reason of the item. Another thing that you could do is to advertise.

Advertising is really not a bad thing because you give exposure to the items and the longer you expose it, the more potential customers you could have thus giving you the chance to have a best bid of the product.

Getting the highest bid only needs a combination of strategic planning as well as execution. This is needed so that one could maximize the benefits of E-Bay.

About the author:

Jay is the web owner of http://www.the-lowest-prices.com Online Shoppping , a website that provides information and resources on online shopping malls and discounts. You can visit his website at: http://www.citydeals.net Online Deals

Ebay Payment Options

Author: Jay Buder

eBay and the Advent of Cybercash

Gone are the days when only cash (or cattle in some cases) was the only accepted mode of payment for trades. As the concept of trading evolves, so does the means of paying for items.

Today's electronic world pushes the envelop further. With the advent of online trading systems such as eBay, many new forms of payment have flourished.

First of all, on eBay, the mode of payment depends on the agreement of the buyer and the seller. Most often, the seller will specify his or her desired payment method. In these cases, the seller often has primacy in the decisions regarding payment modes. However, the buyer may still communicate with the seller regarding a viable alternative if it suits both parties.

The following is a list of common eBay payment modes.

Cash On Delivery Cash is, after all, still cash. This payment method can be done through a third party courier system or by the buyer and seller meeting each other at an agreed place. The advantage of such is that the exchange of item for payment is done in the presence of the buyer and the seller (or the seller's representative). However, some people will qualm over the risk present when two strangers meet.

Personal Check One popular method of payment is personal check. Writing checks is easy and safe. However, many sellers do not like accepting check because they are easy to cancel.

PayPal PayPal is the payment of choice on eBay. In fact, eBay owns PayPal.

Using PayPal is easy, convenient, and relatively safe. PayPal acts as like an internet 'wire transfer.'

After signing up for PayPal, one may send cash over to anyone with an email address using the PayPal system. PayPal also has security features that safeguards against fraud in case there is dispute between the seller and the buyer. This system is best for transactions up to $1000.

Escrow.com Escrow.com is the payment of choice for purchases over $500. Escrow.com holds the buyer's money from the seller until the seller delivers the item. Only then will the funds be released to the seller. This system makes for a very safe, although highly procedural transaction.

Wire Transfer This is the payment of choice for countries that do not carry the PayPal service. Wire transfers are risky because the buyer usually has to wire over the funds before the seller sends the items. The chance for non-delivery of items is high.

Other Payment Systems The number of third party payment services is steadily on the rise. Their systems for payment vary. However, to be successful they must be convenient to use and safe as well.

About the author:

Jay is the web owner of http://www.the-lowest-prices.com Online Shoppping , a website that provides information and resources on online shopping malls and discounts. You can visit his website at: http://www.citydeals.net Online Deals

The Ebay Selling Guide

Author: Jay Bauder

How to Guide on Selling on E-Bay

Almost everyone that has access on the internet has heard about the greatness of E-Bay. Despite of the popularity of this internet portal, not many people understand what E-Bay really is. E-Bay is not your traditional website and online shopping/bidding store. In fact, it is way more than the traditional ones because there is no direct person in charge of the whole thing. It more or less resembles newsgroups wherein it links people that have the same interest and hobbies. It is also a place for people to buy and sell their products as well.

If you are interested in the buy and sell part of E-bay, then you have to learn the basics of E-bay. The first thing that you could do is tour E-bay and then research about products that are similar to yours. In this way, you could have an idea about the price, shipping details, and the demand of your product. The next thing that you should do after research is to try and sell one item. This one item could be viewed as a trial wherein the price should not be too cheap or too expensive. The description included in the item should be catchy in order to stand out among the competitors as well as to create an impact to potential customers. Before doing the trial sale, you must already have a set criteria of products that you want to specialize in.

Once the details about the product are ironed out, it is now time to discuss the shipping requirements. This is usually the source of many disagreements because most customers that the shipping is free which far from reality because shipping could be more expensive than the product itself. As the product-owner, you should be the one in charge of explaining to them that the shipping cost would be charged to them. When the shipping matters are settled, then it is time for the product to be shipped. Once the product is in the hand of the customer, encourage the customer to post feedback regarding the item as well as the transaction done with you. The feedbacks of customers are important because it would be the basis of your reputation as a seller in the E-Bay portal.

These feedbacks are important because once you have a lot of good feedbacks; it earns you more points (e.g. 10 positive feedbacks equates a gold star; after 100 a blue star; 500 purple; 1000 red). The more stars you have, the higher the chances of having successful transactions in E-Bay.

About the author:

Jay is the web owner of http://www.the-lowest-prices.com Online Shoppping , a website that provides information and resources on online shopping malls and discounts. You can visit his website at: http://www.citydeals.net Online Deals

Ebay Pro's and Con's

Author: Jay Bauder

In today's fast changing world of e-commerce like E-bay, people find shopping online the most convenient way of purchasing items. The fact that a person doesn't even have to drive to and from the store is exhilarating enough.

To date, E-bay is the most celebrated and the most world-renowned online mall today.

However, there are advantages as well as disadvantages when buying on E-bay. So, it's important for shoppers out there to take not of these facts before buying items on E-bay.

THE PROS

1. It's relatively simple and within reach.

Why? Because eBay makes ones shopping spree just a click away.

2. Great access.

With E-bay, buying items had never been this varied.

3. It's twice as fun.

With colorful graphics, unusual items, and weird but quirky listings, entertainment is just around the corner.

4. A viable online price indicator.

Buying on E-bay can give a shopper an insight and update on the present price of certain commodities these days.

5. Money-back possibility.

Most often than not, there's a higher chance of getting back the buyer's money if things slipped up.

THE CONS

1. ""In good condition"" not guaranteed.

There may be a lot of sellers who use the words ""in good condition,"" but because the buyer cannot visually and personally examine the item before purchasing it, most often than not, the items sold were definitely not scratch free.

2. Additional postal fees.

The common delivery method of items bought by the buyer is through mail; additional charges screw up thereby adding hefty charges just for the delivery alone, plus most transactions are on international basis, so international rates applies.

3. Lack of human touch.

There are people who still prefer to go to the mall not just because they want to go shopping but also they want to tag their friends along, have coffee breaks, and chat along the way.

Buying on e-bay may provide an interactive mode of shopping but it's not a form of socialization.

4. Too risky.

If Internet is jungle, then there might be big bad wolves lurking on E-bay ready to gobble probable victims. These refer to scams, frauds, and identity theft.

5. A form of enslavement.

Once hooked, shoppers will never get the hang of it. There were cases wherein people buy things on E-bay almost everyday. After all, with the convenience online shopping and credit cards give, who wouldn't?

Just like any financial decisions, it still pays for shoppers to contemplate first on things before jumping into conclusions.

About the author:

Jay is the web owner of http://www.the-lowest-prices.com Online Shoppping , a website that provides information and resources on online shopping malls and discounts. You can visit his website at: http://www.citydeals.net Online Deals