How to use eBay auctions to drive traffic to your site

Author: Peter Tarrida del Marmol

Copyright 2005 Peter Tarrida del Marmol

Many eBay auction sellers rely only on eBay for generating 100% of their online income. Many of these people are running a successful auction business; however, they could do even better. They are missing a huge opportunity to turbo-boost their business profits and reduce their listing fees at the same time. If you feel you are one of these people, these are the steps you should follow to optimize your net auction business:

1.Create a website. If you can write an eBay ad, then you can design a website. It is not rocket science. You can download many free web templates from the internet and customize them easily with any HTML editor. If you type the words ""free web templates"" in Google, for example, you will get more than one million results!

2.Register a domain name and hire a web hosting service. These services start at about $40 per year, depending on the web space and special services you require. Once you have set up your hosting account, you must publish your site.

3.Register an account in Paypal in order to allow online payments from your website. Paypal's payment buttons and shopping cart options are easy to use and allow you to set up your site very quickly.

4.Use allowed strategies in your eBay auctions to drive traffic to your website. You don't have to pay listing fees and commissions for the sales that come from your website, so your objective should be to use eBay only to generate traffic and monetize your sales from your own website.

But everybody knows that eBay does not allow placing outbound links in the auction ads, so how can you turn the massive eBay daily traffic into a continuous stream of visitors to your site?

Here comes the interesting part...

The first method is to put a link to your site on your ""about me"" page and then link your auction ad to it. This is allowed by eBay. Your auction visitors will be directed first to your ""about me"" page, and then driven to your website. A second way to gain traffic is advertising your business using a picture or logo on your auction ad that includes your website's URL. By doing this, you will be using eBay as a very cheap way of advertising online. All your auction visitors will see the name of your site and will be invited to type your URL in their web browser.

To optimize the number of visitors to your auctions, make sure to use popular words in your auction's title.

Another easy technique is to write your site's name without the ""http://"" or ""www"" in a paragraph of your eBay ad. This should be done carefully. The paragraph should not look like an ad for your site, but as a natural explanation. For example, let's say your website is www.auctionearnings.com. You could include a paragraph like this in your ad:

""You can find more information regarding this product at AuctionEarnings.com, as well as free articles and free e-books that will contribute to increasing your knowledge on your subject of interest.""

Finally, and in my opinion, the most efficient way to gain massive traffic is to create an information product and give it away on eBay. Sell it for one penny and send an email to your customers with a link to your download page.

Attention - very important!

You MUST capture your customer's name and email address in order to build your own customer list, so that you can promote other products in the future using auto-responders. At this point, you will be taking control of your own business and you will not have to depend on eBay anymore to monetize your sales.

About the author: Peter Tarrida del Mármol has succeeded on using eBay to generate traffic for his affilliate internet business. To learn more, click on: http://www.auctionearnings.com

eBay Business - 5 Hot Tips When Writing your eBay Auction

Author: Jason James

Of course you got into EBay to have fun, right? Of course you did, but business is still business and if you want to stay in the EBay business then you are going to have to tighten up ship a little bit. I'm not talking about taking the fun out of your EBay business but rather treat it a little more customer friendly.

I don't care what an EBay business is selling, in order for it to become successful then it takes repetitive quality customer service combined with merchandise that people want to buy.

Ok, so you've got the product part down pat, but you are probably thinking ""How can I provide fantastic customer service over the computer?"" Well that is what we are going to talk about in today's article - conveying the image of success in your EBay business through your email, your ads, and your auctions.

Believe it or not your entire EBay business image rests in the way you communicate through your emails and your ads. It's the only thing that your prospective customers have to go on. That information tells your customers whether the EBay business is legitimate or if it is trying to hustle them. It tells them whether you have an EBay business that is trying to sneak away with hidden fees or if you are honest.

So what if you do not have the most outstanding products to sell. Why? Because good, clean, honest customer service conveyed through your auctions is what counts in the end. Sure you have to have the product they are looking for but what is going to separate your EBay business from the rest is the way you connect with the people whom are viewing your ads.

The first thing that you have to consider with your EBay business is that most everyone who is shopping and bidding on EBay views all sellers as individual people as opposed to a 'business'. Yes I realize that there are indeed many businesses that sell on EBay but even still, that is the psychological perception of the shopper.

So what does this have to do with you and your EBay business? Well taking this information into account should tell you that you need to play off of the ""home seller"" image as much as possible with your EBay business. People like to support other people whom are trying to make a living. Even though your EBay business is actually a business, do not display that image. Rather, come off as an individual working hard trying to make a living on his or her own with a small EBay business.

I have a question for you; what is the very first thing that the buyer sees after clicking on the title of your auction?

They scroll down through the description! That my friend, is where your EBay business either fails or succeeds. And below I'm going to share with you a few nifty trade secrets that will explode your EBay business sales into new horizons when you implement them into writing your EBay business auction.

1. For starters make sure that your description is not full of pointless dribble. Nobody likes to finally find a title of a product they want, click on the EBay business link, and then get slammed in the face with page after page after page of verbiage that puts them to sleep. Keep it short but concise! Your EBay business is counting on it.

2. Write a true description. Do not fluff it with unnecessary wordage and sentences. List down everything you know about your item, all of the facts, every valuable point. Try to imagine any questions that your customer might have and answer them in the description. People want to know everything they can before contacting your EBay business. So take care of them!

3. Be nice. Yes, be nice, be friendly, be easygoing in your auction description. Shoppers want to feel relaxed and trusting of your auction style. Write your information as if you were exchanging a conversation with your prospects. Let your EBay business show that you can communicate with literally anyone.

4. Take advantage of the ""My EBay page"". Every EBay business has the chance to put friendly personality to their profile to show their customers that they are people too who care about them. Shine through by keeping this page updated. Your EBay business will thank you for it in the long run.

5. Who likes too many rules? You know what I mean! Do you like it when you see an EBay business list down a ton of rules and regulations in their auction? I certainly don't and in fact it turns me off to any EBay business that seems so uptight. Of course you have to have rules but keep it light. Don't come off so firm.

6. Last but not least keep your typeface size to an average size. There are many different people viewing your EBay business and some people may still be looking from an 800x600 display so be careful not to design your auctions higher like 1024x768 or else you just might be causing someone to click off of your EBay business auction due to the need to scroll and scroll to find the details.

About the author: Jason James' website 'The Auction Resource Network' reveals his inside secrets and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 a month on eBay.

Claim your FREE ""Top 10 eBay Selling Secrets"" eBook: www.auctionresourcen etwork.com

Learning the eBay Lingo

Author: James Mahony

How often do you find yourself saying: ""I wish I knew how to learn more about eBay Auctions""

Well, we were listening!  And this article is the result.  Enjoy.

Do you have trouble sometimes understanding when people talk about eBay? Dont worry, some of the jargon is really obscure, and you cant be expected to understand it until someones told you what it means. Heres a little list of some of the most useful lingo to know, but you dont need to memorise it even the most common jargon is only used relatively rarely.

Words .

Bid : telling eBays system the maximum price you are prepared to pay for an item.

Dutch : an auction where more than one of an item is available.

Feedback : positive or negative comments left about other users on eBay.

Mint : in perfect condition.

Non-paying bidder : a bidder who wins an auction but does not then go on to buy the item.

PayPal : an electronic payment method accepted by most sellers.

Rare : used and abused on eBay, now entirely meaningless.

Reserve : the minimum price the seller will accept for the item.

Shill bid : a fake bid placed by a seller trying to drive up their auctions price.

Snail Mail : the post, which is obviously very slow compared to email.

Sniping : bidding at the last second to win the item before anyone else can outbid you.

 

As you've seen from the article you're reading, we have tried to compile the very best resources from across the Internet on this topic - build the ultimate destination that'll attract you and others interested in the subject.

Abbreviations .

AUD : Australian Dollar. Currency.

BIN : Buy it Now. A fixed price auction.

BNWT : Brand New With Tags. An item that has never been used and still has its original tags.

BW : Black and White. Used for films, photos etc.

CONUS : Continental United States. Generally used by sellers who dont want to post things to Alaska or Hawaii.

EUR : Euro. Currency.

FC : First Class. Type of postage.

GBP : Great British Pounds. Currency.

HTF : Hard To Find. Not quite as abused as rare, but getting there.

NIB : New in Box. Never opened, still in its original box.

NR : No Reserve. An item where the seller has not set a reserve price.

OB : Original Box. An item that has its original box (but might have been opened).

PM : Priority Mail.

PP : Parcel Post.

SH : Shipping and Handling. The fees the buyer will pay you for postage.

USD : United States Dollars. Currency.

VGC : Very Good Condition. Not mint, but close.

The chances are that you'll find more specific jargon related to whatever you're selling, but it would be an impossible task to cover it all here. If you cant figure one out from your knowledge of the subject, then type the term into a search engine, followed by the word ebay. The chances are that someone, somewhere will have seen fit to explain it.

While its good to be able to understand others jargon, avoid using it unless you really need to (for example, if you run out of space in an items title). Many people on eBay are not experienced buyers and you will lose them if you write a load of gobbledegook all over your auction.

By now, you're well prepared for eBay life, and you're probably ready to get started with that first auction. In the next article, well show you how to dive in and get started.

5 Simple Steps to Posting Your First eBay Auction I hope you've found this information helpful and gained something of value from the article. 

In case there is any specific portion that is not clear enough, or that you'd like to know more about, please write to let me know and I'll try and update the article or write another one getting into greater detail.

About the author: James Mahony is the founder of Online Auction Handbook - Learn How to Make Money on eBay

Make Money on eBay

Appraising Items to Sell on ebay

Author: Dan Lim

How Much Is It Worth? Estimating Your Item's 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's 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 seller's 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, you 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's $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.

Remember, buyers on ebay are looking for a deal therefore it is always good to start your selling price low to generate interest and bidding frenzy. To protect yourself, i would suggest setting a reserve price if you have to sell an item above a certain price.

About the author: Dan Lim is an avid ebay fanatic who has been quietly earning a comfortable living online. For more ebay selling secrets and strategies, visit bestnzb.com

How to Sell Like Crazy on eBay this Christmas

Author: Steve Shannon

Serious eBay™ sellers are faced with the same dilemma each Christmas shopping season. ""What should I spend my valuable resources promoting this year that will give me the greatest return?""

The obvious answer should be: Sell what people really want.

Unfortunately, most people get hung up on what they ""think"" will sell rather than what will in fact sell; which is why most people struggle.

So, how can you tell what will sell like crazy?

Well, here is what eBay™ Platinum PowerSeller™ Jason James recently had to say about this puzzle.

""Most consumers are generally looking on eBay for the same types of items they are looking for in a traditional brick and mortar store. If it is ""hot"" at the department store, it will most likely be hot on eBay. So, if you are a thinking of selling on eBay, you need to know what is hot and what is not.""

""This can be accomplished by paying close attention to trends in local stores and by reading consumer magazines. You should pay close attention to what is selling and what you hear people talking about.""

""If you sell technology, listen to the teens. They know what they want and their parents want to get them what they want. If a large majority of teens thinks an item is ""cool"" it will be a ""hot"" selling item on eBay.""

Other than careful consideration of the competition on eBay™ for a particular ""hot"" item, the only other major thing a seller needs to do is find the most inexpensive source for the item in question. Naturally, this is where liquidators and wholesalers (as well as ""drop-ship"" wholesalers) come into the picture.

Once you have possession of ""hot-selling"" items at dirt-cheap prices, the rest is, as Santa would say: ""in the bag"".

About the author: Steve Shannon offers Jason's new 6-page report, ""Top 10

Secrets for Selling Successfully on eBay™"" free at

http://www.FreeAuctionAdvice.com . You may reprint this article

as long as this resource box remains intact and the link is live.

EBay Introduces A New Way To Increase Your Auction Profits Without Risk

Author: Ben Catt

A New Feature You Can Use To Increase Your eBay Profits

Until very recently, you had three ways to run an eBay listing for a single item.

You could either:

(a) Run an auction i.e. upload your item with a starting bid and leave it to the mercy of the bidders

(b) Decide how much the item was worth and list a Buy It Now (BIN) listing or

(c) Upload an auction but add an extra Buy It Now price to it so the auction finishes immediately if someone buys your item for the BIN price. If someone bids then the BIN option disappears.

However, eBay has now added a great new feature allowing potential bidders to Submit An Offer .

So, how can this be used to profit?

If you have read any of my previous posts you will know that I like to use BIN listings for almost all of my items.

There are two main reasons for this:

(1) Auctions are risky. eBay can be a very fickle place and one week an item may go for hundreds of pounds and the next it may go for pennies. Auctions depend on willing bidders, if there are very few willing bidders your item may be sniped at the last minute for next to nothing.

(2) Some users, those who know the value of the items I offer, are happy to buy at the price I determine as the BIN price. They buy and receive the item very quickly meaning that both parties are happy.

eBay has now added a new option allowing potential buyers to offer a price at which they are willing to buy.

This is great news for all eBay sellers. Now you can list an item with a high BIN price and ask potential buyers to offer their Best Price. If the price is acceptable, the seller can end the auction there and then and the buyer is obliged to buy the item at the price they offered.

Now, you no longer have to worry about your item being sold for next to nothing, you can invite offers and pick the winning bid!

For example:

Say you had a rare antique plate which you bought for £100. You know that the plate is worth £500 and you are not willing to auction it off for fear of it selling for pennies.

Because of this new ruling from eBay, you could list the plate with a Buy It Now price of £500 but also include the ""Submit Best Offer"" feature so interested parties can basically bid their highest bid.

If, during the duration of the listing, you do not receive the price you want, you do not need to sell it.

However, say 3 people submit their best offers, at £300, £350 and £400, you can pick the highest offer and sell to that person. Your item has now sold for 4 times what you paid for it and you are at no risk whatsoever of losing money.

The ""Submit Best Offer"" feature is like an auction where you can determine what the end price is. If no-one offers the price you want, let the listing expire and list it again. Wait for your best offer.

To use this new feature to its best ability I would set the BIN price to a little higher than what the item is worth. In the description, mark clearly that you are open to offers and steer the interested buyers to the Submit feature.

You never know, someone may just buy the item for the BIN price and save you a lot of work!

About the author: Ben Catt is an active eBay buyer and seller and runs an eBay Tips and Tricks website found at http://www.BenCatt.com . He also runs a business opportunity information site - http://www.BizOppsUK.com

Learn How to Sell on eBay Book published by eBay Selling Expert

Author: Doug Luthringer

Certified eBay educational specialist Doug Luthringer has released a self-published eBay selling book titled ""This is the Way to Sell on eBay: Personal Lessons to Successful eBay Selling"" this week on his website http://www.Thefastmall.com. ""I wrote this book with the intention of providing my readers with the knowledge of how to sell on eBay the right way,"" said Doug Luthringer. ""This is not a book designed to make you an overnight eBay millionaire, but it will guide you through the most successful ways to sell on eBay. Once you read this book, you will be five years ahead of where most people currently are when it comes to eBay selling experience.""

The book covers best business practices on eBay such as how to do proper research, how to write a good title and description and the best way to pack and ship items. The book also discusses eBay business strategy and marketing hints as well as ways to develop trust within your eBay listings. The book's audience is for people who want to learn how to sell on eBay or improve their existing eBay business by learning from an honest eBay Seller.

The eBay selling book is available by email in a PDF format for $4.99 or by mail for $7.99. Visit http://www.Thefastmall.com to read more about the book, it's author and also to purchase the book.

About the author: Doug Luthringer is a certified eBay education specialist who has taught more than 150 students The Basics of eBay Selling course and The Advanced eBay Selling Techniques course. He has been selling on eBay for nearly six years and has completed over 1800 eBay transactions and has over 1150 unique positive comments with no negative feedback. Doug has also been invited to be a guest speaker to talk about how to sell on eBay and the use of Google Ad

Selling Real Estate on eBay

Author: Dan Farrell

Copyright 2005 MHG Consulting

Selling real estate over the internet may sound like an awkward idea. However, the exposure the real estate receives over such a widespread media like the internet is every realtor's dream.

Can eBay be used to market real estate? The answer is a resounding 'yes!'

eBay provides functionality that is clearly adaptable to the needs of most realtors. It provides a widespread medium of advertisement for the real estate. It is also a relatively inexpensive method of advertising.

One of the best things about selling real estate on eBay is that it ""markets"" to many areas around the world, not just a local area. Advertising on eBay makes the property available to more than 100 million potential buyers, including those from other countries. Visitors can browse through the property details 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - all without the realtor having to explain the details about the property to every single prospect wanting information.

Advertising Your Real Estate on eBay

When one has a house or other real estate to sell, he or she may list it for auction on the eBay Real Estate site. This is found at http://www.pages.ebay.com/realestate.

There are many different ways to present the property for sale on eBay. If the realtor seeks to sell the estate at a fixed price instead of having the property go through an auction, he may request eBay to display a real estate listing in a format much like a local paper.

eBay's Real Estate page has three selling formats. These are the auction, fixed price selling, and the traditional real estate listing.

For each of these selling formats, the ""user"" furnishes additional information regarding his or her property. Details may include lot size, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, type of property, year built, and other information. The auction listing period must also be specified, where the choices range from 1-, 3-, 5-, 7-, 10-, or 30-days, or a 30- or 90-day non-auction listing.

The eBay Real Estate website charges two types of fees for listing a property. There is a simple fee for listing the property and also a fee is based on the final amount of the property sale. The charge for a 1-, 3-, 5-, 7-, or 10-day auction listing is typically around $100. A 30-day auction listings cost about $150. A non-auction listing costs $150 for 30-day listing, and about $300 for a 90-day listing.

Fees for Timeshare property and land are usually slightly lower. The final fee amount for Timeshares and land is generally about $35.

Selling real estate on eBay is growing in popularity as the internet stretches it's outreach to more countries. Although nothing beats direct and personal inspection of property, the convenience of having eBay connect seller and potential buyer is definitely appreciated.

About the author: Would you like to get MLS listings before they hit the mob? For free? By email? Go to: http://www.realestatebyemail.net

Brandon Dupsky Makes $22,000 A Day On Ebay

Author: Thomas Haselhorst

These days it's not easy to make money online. But I will talk about one of the easiest way to make money online is to start selling on eBay. eBay makes getting your new business started a snap. You can literally have your first moneymaking auction listed in the space of an hour. Absolutely ANYONE can start listing items for sale on eBay today. No initial starting costs, very low running costs and massive automatic visitors. Do you know that more than 2 Million people visit eBay every day ? eBay is -- by far -- the busiest and most visited e-commerce site on the entire Internet, and more than 33% of ALL Internet users in the U.S. visit eBay! People spend an average of 2 hours shopping on eBay every time they visit! And they've got cash to spend, since 72% of eBay users make more than $50,000 per year! eBay processes over $1,000 in sales every second! In other words, people spend a TON of money on eBay. That $1,000 per second adds up to $86,000,000 a day -- every single day of the year!

So, having these numbers in mind everyone should have success selling on eBay. But do you know that many eBay sellers struggle to make a profit. I mean a REL profit. eBay fees and paypal fees are higher than ever and the competition offering the same products as you do for a fraction of the price is massive. So how do you survive in the jungle called eBay ?

Let me introduce you to a regular guy (from Fremont, Nebraska, population 25,188) who is currently making $153,846.17 each and every week... by selling ""everyday"" stuff on eBay. Just to save you the math, that adds up to a little over $8,000,000 a year. Or just under $22,000 a day. Can you imagine that ...? $22,000 A DAY (!) ?? In other words, it's a truckload of money -- no matter how you look at it! In fact, since he first got started on eBay back in 1999, Brandon has sold more than $20,000,000 worth of goods on eBay. Yep, you read that right... more than TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS.Unlike so many of the so-called eBay ""success stories"" -- Brandon's income does NOT come from selling super high-priced items on eBay -- like cars or satellites! (It's EASY to say you're making a MILLION DOLLARS if you're selling *cars* on eBay!

Brandon has put his knowledge into one amazing course so everyone can duplicate his entire system to start their own highly profitable eBay businesses!

This story is so amazing:

* Which products are ""hot sellers,"" and guarantee the BIGGEST profits!

* Where to find in-demand products that you can buy for cheap and resell for massive profits!

* How to attract TONS of bids and make HUGE profits on every single auction you list!

* How to CREATE stunning ads that grab the eyeballs of eager bidders!

* How to easily rake in even MORE cash by establishing a glowing feedback rating!

* Techniques for driving 1,000s of qualified bidders to ANY auction listings!

... and much, MUCH more!

About the author: Thomas Haselhorst promotes http://www.auction-design-for-free.com/make-money-with-ebay/make- 22000-a-day-with-ebay.html and is the webmaster of http://www.auction-design-for-free.com and http://www.monster-ebook-sale.com/html/ebay.html

Increase Profits on eBay by using Drop Shippers

Author: Jason Cooper

You might already be one of the many eBay business owners earning a living online with eBay. While most people are working that nine to five job everyday, you're living the dream of self employment and running your own business.

But, if the long hours and hard work just isn't adding up to the profits you dreamed of, you may want to consider using drop shippers to increase your profits.

Drop shipping is a great way to offer many different products to your customers without having to keep an inventory of products in your garage.

Basically, you sell a product for a company or warehouse using online auctions or your own website. Once a sale is completed you pass the order information and money owed for the product to the drop shipper. They process the order, package and ship the product to your customer using your company information on the logo.

The customer never knows that the item was drop shipped, and you get to keep the difference between your cost and the price you charge the customer.

Drop shipping and eBay can work hand in hand. The high traffic rate of eBay makes it a great place to offer drop shipped products. Without a drop shipper, an eBay business owner would have to stock, pack and ship the items on their own. Additionally, the task of product research and purchasing a stock pile of products.

Drop shippers take care of everything except actually selling the product. This frees you up for creating your auctions and finding more products to sell using your eBay store.

Also, using a drop shipper creates almost no financial risk on your part because you don't need to invest a lot of money on something you're not sure about. You have no inventory and pay the drop shippers only after you have an order and the buyer has paid you!

A few drop shippers do ask members to pay a small fee for selling their products. This is to keep the products cheap and to make sure that members are getting a really good deal.

If you want to guarantee a profit, just set a minimum bid amount. There is really no downside.

With drop shipping, anyone has the chance to make great profits using eBay auctions, and at the same time not having to worry about getting the product to the customer. Since your customers never know that you're using drop shipping, you gain credibility and look very professional in the process.

Resource Box: 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 eBayBusiness.net Success Reports 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.

About the author: Jason Cooper is an up and coming Internet marketing entrepreneur. He is currently the webmaster of a variety of websites that involve teaching proven internet marketing strategies that get results. Find out what all the fuss is about and visit http://www.supabiz.com to get free internet marketing resources and information.

7 Foolish Mistakes You Should Avoid If You Are New To Selling on EBay

Author: Ben Catt

(1) Keyword spamming

This is a sure fire way to make yourself look like a complete fool.

Basically, keyword spammers list words which are not related to the auction in the title to try and attract more visitors. Often the words they use have absolutely no relevance at all to the product they are selling.

For example:

ps2 the getaway not xbox nintendo pc sega

(from a listing found 1st November 2005)

This particular title is a very bad choice. Why on earth the seller decided to put ""not xbox nintendo pc sega"" in the title I do not know.

Does he think that a potential XBox buyer will suddenly feel compelled to buy a game for another console?

The only result of this is that a huge number of potential bidders will miss this auction.

The seller has overlooked the fact that anyone searching for ""getaway playstation 2"" will miss his auction. And people searching for that term are looking for his product!

A better title would be:

Sony Playstation 2 (PS2) Game - The Getaway - As New

Even worse than those who spam in the title are the sellers who spam in the subtitle. Searches on eBay do not include the subtitle so it is completely pointless keyword spamming in this way.

Instead of spamming, make sure you use the entire character allocation of your title and cram in as many keywords as possible.

(2) Feedback Gathering

One quick way to get to 10 or 20 feedback points is to buy lots of 1p ebooks from other eBay members.

The foolish newbie believes this to be a great way to increase feedback, after all, you can spend £1 and receive 100 positive feedbacks!

The problem comes when they start to sell products and their potential customers look through their feedback. When they see that the seller has purposely inflated their feedback by buying crap, it looks like a scammer's account.

Go about your eBay business professionally from the beginning. If you need feedback, sell some things you don't need from around the house. You'll soon build up some positive numbers next to your username.

(3) Trying to sell ""resale rights"" eBooks

One reasonably well-known information marketer recently made a massive mistake by selling an eBook with resale rights. Within a couple of days her £30 eBook was changing hands for as little as 5p (£0.05).

Resale rights do not work on eBay because as soon as you sell an eBook with these rights someone even dumber than you will undercut your price. Then someone even stupider will undercut theirs. Next thing you know, several sellers are offering the eBooks, along with 10 or so more for 1p. The price drops within 48 hours and there is no real money left to be made.

If you want to sell eBooks on eBay, write them yourself and beware of other people trying to sell your work. Never try and sell someone else's work unless you have purchased the right to do so. You will get sued.

(4) They neglect to give prompt, polite service

When you list an item on eBay you can sometimes get someone who asks a very silly question or makes a ridiculously low offer. Always be courteous to these people, they may be future customers.

At the same time, when you do make a sale, ensure that the product is dispatched as soon as possible once payment is received. eBay buyers are very, very impatient. You may think that sending an item with 2 weeks is OK, most buyers want it within 2 days.

You can, and probably will, get negative feedback for being too slow or by appearing to be rude in email communication. Remember your manners, answer all questions in full and treat everyone as a potential life long customer and you will have an easier time on eBay.

(5) They sell the wrong products

The ideal eBay product is easy to source, easy to post and popular. When first starting on eBay it is a good idea to concentrate on selling small items such as CDs, DVDs, video games etc.

Buy bulk lots from eBay, break them up and list them seperately. Make sure your title, description and photos are clear and show the product for what it is. You will be surprised at the profit you can make just by doing this.

Also, steer clear of huge, bulky items. Selling plasma TVs may seem like a good idea but when you come to post your TV to the buyer, you will soon regret offering it for such a low price.

(6) They try to cheat their customers

New sellers can be very ""wet behind the ears"" and neglect to mention some damage to the item they are selling. If you do not mention a scratch or other significant damage on your item, the customer will return it and expect a refund. You may even receive negative feedback for your troubles.

And, more seriously, never, ever try to bid on your own auction to raise the price. You aren't the first person who thought of it and you won't be the last. Shill-bidding will land you in trouble with eBay and potential customers. A lot of buyers check a seller's previous sales. If they continue to see the same bidder bidding on your auctions they will refuse to buy from you and may even report you. eBay will then ban you.

(7) They over-charge on postage

Be fair with your customers and you will have a lot less hassle from them. Overcharging on postage may seem like a good idea to boost profits but what you will probably find is that any potential bidder will bid less for your item if the postage is too high. Always state your postage in your auction and you will get a higher price than if you do not.

About the author: Ben Catt is an active eBay buyer and seller and runs an eBay Tips and Tricks website found at http://www.BenCatt.com . He also runs a business opportunity information site - http://www.BizOppsUK.com

Steal the Secrets of a Regular Guy Who Made $8 MILLION On eBay Last Year!

Author: Amit Jain

Review: ""The Insider Secrets Of An eBay Millionaire"" by Derek Gehl and Brandon Dupsky

I've just finished devouring the brand-new ""Insider Secrets Of An eBay Millionaire"" by Brandon Dupsky and Derek Gehl, and I've got to tell you, it is by FAR the best system for making a life-changing income on eBay that I've come across!

Don't be embarrassed if you've never heard of self-made eBay millionaire Brandon Dupsky before. After all, he likes to fly ""below the radar"" (which gives him more time to focus on his booming eBay business!)

But what you should know about him is that he's just a regular guy who got his start on eBay by selling a few odd-and-ends he found in his basement...

... and since then, he's refined his techniques to the point where he made $8 MILLION this past year alone!

And what's really great is that Brandon has agreed to team up with Derek Gehl, the well-known Internet marketing expert who is responsible for over $40,000,000 in online sales!

... together, they can show you everything you need to know about profiting on eBay!

I'm talking about information like...

Where to find in-demand products that you can buy for cheap and resell for massive profits!

How to attract TONS of bids and make HUGE profits on every single auction you list!

How to CREATE stunning listings that grab the eyeballs of eager bidders!

How to easily rake in even MORE cash by establishing a glowing feedback rating!

How to eliminate 90% of all eBay headaches by setting up foolproof payment And shipping systems!

Techniques for driving 1,000s of qualified bidders to YOUR auction listings!

And much more!

And if you have an existing Internet business, they can show YOU how you can use your current business to tap into the 2,000,000 visitors who come to eBay every day!

I give this eBay profit system the highest rating possible!

It includes a huge 237-page guidebook PLUS over 4 solid hours of audio instruction on 4 CDs...

... and contains every tip, strategy, and secret there is for getting started on eBay today, earning your first profit by tomorrow -- and making a life changing income of potentially $100,000 or MORE in your first year!

PLUS -- the live recorded conversations between Derek and Brandon are indispensable for explaining in detail the most powerful auction strategies that other eBay ""Power Sellers"" don't want you to know!

I strongly urge you to check out Brandon's eBay profit-generating system as soon as possible! Click here for a FREE preview.

About the author: MatchABid - Auction Guide

Make eBay Selling Better by Building Trust and Credibility

Author: Doug Luthringer

You will need to develop trust and credibility to be successful, not only on eBay but in your business life as well. Trying to build a trusting relationship with someone you've never even talked to is extremely difficult, and this is what you will have to do when selling on eBay. I will cover many ways to develop trust throughout this book, but I will hit on a few simple ways to quickly become a credible source of information in this section. The first is as easy as choosing an appropriate eBay User ID. If you are selling wedding accessories, your eBay User ID should not be crazyjoe_3568. This is not the type of place most people would want to shop at for their wedding. Now if your eBay User ID is YourDay or WeddingAccessories, people are much more likely to trust your products and service over crazyjoe_3568. If people are more likely to trust you, they will be more willing to bid higher for your items.

The lesson here is that the first impression is the most important and to be honest in all your business ventures. If you are comfortable with yourself and the business you operate, then knowing that you provide a high level of service and professionalism will lead others to believe in you also. You might get banged around a little at times, but hold your head high and things will work out for the better. And don't forget, crazyjoe_3568 will have a hard time selling much of anything unless it's CRAZY!

About the author: Doug Luthringer is a certified eBay education specialist who has taught more than 150 students The Basics of eBay Selling course and The Advanced eBay Selling Techniques course. He has been selling on eBay for nearly six years and has completed over 1800 eBay transactions and has over 1150 unique positive comments with no negative feedback. Doug has also been invited to be a guest speaker to talk about how to sell on eBay and the use of Google Ad

Jewelry Wholesale and eBay Auctions

Author: Glenn J Fournier

eBay is a great place to find almost any item that you can imagine. Jewelry wholesale auctions are quite common on eBay, and in many cases, you cannot beat the deals that are offered here. However, there are also many con artists that operate through eBay, and you have to use caution.

Start by reading all of the fine details about the jewelry wholesale lots that you are purchasing. If you still have questions, send those questions to the seller through eBay's website. Make sure that you keep all of your contact with the seller through the website so that there is documentation.

Check out the person or company that is offering the jewelry wholesale. Look at their ratings and their feedback. Has there been any negative feedback? If so, you may want to reconsider your options and look into other auctions. If the feedback is all positive, and the seller's rating is high, doing business with them should not be a problem.

Make sure that you are clear about shipment costs and the shipment time frame, as well as the payment options offered. Usually, the buyer is responsible for the shipment costs, and this is added to the total and paid before the item ships. In the case of high ticket items, insurance may be required on the item as well. The seller seldom pays the shipping costs.

If the jewelry wholesale is a high ticket item, such as jewelry that is bought in bulk or rare pieces of expensive jewelry, you should strongly consider using the escrow service that is recommended by eBay. If the seller recommends any escrow service other than the one that eBay recommends, you might not want to do business with this seller - it could be a scam.

Beware of sniper's on eBay! Sniping is against the rules at eBay, but a large group of people do it anyway. Sniping is automatic bidding, which is not against the rules, but the software or service is instructed to place the highest bid in the last possible minute of the auction - leaving no time for anyone else to place a higher bid. Again, this is against eBay's rules.

Instead of sniping, place your first bid at the maximum amount that you are willing to pay for the jewelry wholesale lot. Each time the bid is raised, your bid will automatically be raised - until your limit is reached. This is not sniping, and it is a perfectly legal way to bid on auctions at eBay.

About the author: Glenn has been researching and exploring for gold, jewels and treasure for about 16 years. You can get a copy of my new ebook Getting Gold: http://www.island-publishing.com/GetGold/Index.html

Ebay - Avoiding Fraud

Author: Jay Bauder

Everything in E-bay seemed perfect: nice shopping portal, almost complete buyer's list, and a convenient place to do shopping online. In fact, it's too good to be true.

If this is the case, then it's time for the buyer's warning signal to go red alert because if things on E-bay seemed to good to be true, it probably is and may not even be worth the buyer's time and money.

There are lots of frauds and scams?going on in the Internet today and E-bay is not excused. So, it's important for buyers to detect early signs of fraudulent activities before it gets them. Here's how to do it:

1. Buyers should look for the seller's feedback section. If a seller has many feedbacks and almost 50% of it is negative, chances are transaction with this seller will turn out a hoax, even if the seller has provided positive replies.

2. Online shoppers should be aware of emails contending it's from E-bay and certifying some seller as a good one. It's already anomalous in the first place because E-bay does not send emails. Plus, E-bay would definitely not certify a seller even if he or she has a remarkable selling history.

3. Buyer should be aware of sellers that insist on wire transfers like Western Union as mode of payment. In fact, E-bay does not recommend their buyers to use wire transfer services. If the seller insists on it, then, no doubt it's a scam.

4. Buyer should also be aware of ""too-good-to-be-true"" prices. Chances are items that are priced way below their real prices are signs of imminent fraudulent activities.

5. Online shoppers should take note of phishing emails. These are emails that require subscribers to fill out forms provided in the email with warning statements saying the subscriber's account will be closed if the person concerned will not provide the required pertinent information. Once given, anomalous activities are on their way like identity theft.

6. Buyers should also be aware of sellers that let them pay the bid amount to wire transfers directly from the buyer's checking account. Worst, the seller contends that the given bank account is Escrow's.

7. Online shoppers should be weary of institutions claiming they are escrow but ask payments be made to a person instead of a corporation. This is a clear case of scam.

So, to shun away from probable scam attacks, it's a must for every E-bay buyer to keep these tips in mind. It's better to be safe than dumb.

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 Fraud And Risks

Author: Steve Hill

I am one of many people who have had a negative experience on the internet auction website ebay. This article describes how I nearly lost a large some of money from a man who attempts to defraud people out of their hard earned money.

I have read about many people who have had bad experiences on ebay, I hope you are not one of them. I must admit, I was having a great time on ebay, and also making some cash myself until this fraudster ruined it for me.

I had been buying and selling on ebay for a couple of years and even though I was aware of the risks involved, had traded without any problems at all. I was very careful, and if I bought an expensive item, I would always ensure that I met the seller somewhere, normally just off a motorway and I even drove to their houses. I pulled off some great deals and was even thinking that I could make it into a real income. I also pleased the wife as I made money from some of our unwanted items.

Good things apparantly have to come to an end and they certainly did with Ebay.

Where it all went wrong:

I was on the hunt to buy a particular make of mobile phone and thought I had found a real bargain. I saw an advert for a buy it now phone at a price which I thought was quite low. The advert stated that the mobile phone was an unwanted christmas present.

On the advert there was a mobile number which people were able to call if they had any questions. I therefore rang the number and a man called Tony answered. I asked him all the typical questions and he gave all of the answers which I wanted to hear. He sounded very genuine and seemed really nice, however stated that he was unable to meet me as he was as he had yet to pass his test.

As stated previously, in this situation I would normally travel to the sellers house, however he lived a long way from where I did and it was deep into the country. I had a bad feeling about the deal, however reluctantly agreed to pay via a direct 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. I knew I had taken a risk however believed that everything would go smoothly, how wrong could I be.

I waited in my house the next day and to my horror nothing arrived. For some reason I waited until the next day before contacting him, hoping it would be delivered, but as you have already guessed, it didn't.

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 was not happy just to let him get away with it. I therefore decided to report the incident to the police. They were very helpful and half an hour later I had a crime number, I was however warned that it was extremely unlikely I would ever see a phone or receive a refund of the money I had sent.

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:

stammering stuttering therapy

back pain specialist

coach life london

Holiday Shopping On eBay

Author: Ron King

Whether we like it or not, the holiday season has become the shopping season. But there is a way to remove the traffic and hassles from your holiday gift buying -- eBay. Shop in the comfort of your own home, and have fun in the process.

Perfect Gifts

If you know the kinds of things your friends and family like, then eBay's categories are ideal places to get ideas. And then a few clicks later, you're shopping -- at bargain basement prices.

eBay offers a cool way to come up with gift ideas. Think of a recent item that your gift recipient bought for themselves. Type it into eBay's search box and see which category it's in, then click the link to look at everything in that category. You'll immediately have a huge list of things that they would probably love to have. If you know the recipient well, you should have no trouble sorting through the suggestions to find a special and unique gift.

Let History Be Your Guide

You have an extra tool available when the people you're buying for are eBay users. If you know their eBay usernames, you can look at what they've been buying to see the kinds of things they may want.

First, click Advanced Search on the main page, then Find A Member on the left-hand menu to see an eBay user's history. Type in the username and you'll get their user page, which lists the item numbers of everything they have bought. Choose an item number and paste it into the eBay search box to find out what the item was. Voila! You have a nearly foolproof list of ideal gifts for that person on your shopping list.

Avoid Last-Minute Shopping

Don't be tempted to use eBay for your last-minute holiday shopping, though. The prices will be high, and items might not reach you in time.

Every year there's a toy every child wants and all the stores sell out. Suddenly the toy appears on eBay -- at a premium. Holiday shoppers have to pay many times the gift's value, and still don't receive it in time for the big day. Don't get caught in this snare.

'Tis The Season

The holiday season is peak time at eBay because millions of people are shopping there. A good percentage of them are inexperienced eBay shoppers, who drive up prices far above normal. Try not to end up paying too much for an item just because it's the last one you could receive in time, or because everyone else is bidding high. Know when to cut your losses, stop bidding, and just go buy something from the local store.

Keep It Jolly

eBay works best when it's not taken too seriously. Treat it like a game, and you won't be too disappointed if you lose. It can feel somewhat like gambling, but when that really rare gift for that special someone arrives on your doorstep just in time for Christmas, it all becomes worth it.

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.

Have you thought about eBay as a new sales channel?

Author: Doug Luthringer

Small businesses that complain that eBay is taking their business should jump on the eBay train before it leaves them behind. eBay is not only for baseball cards and antiques anymore. Many places have an online eBay Store to supplement their walk-ins during the slow times, and to sell off-season or obsolete inventory. Besides Christmas being a good time to sell just about anything, there are going to be seasonal slow times that will bring your sales to a crawl. Also, especially in any kind of electronics business, the products you are selling today will be very different from what you are going to be selling in six months.

So what do you do with the excess inventory? Sell it on eBay. Most people don't mind not having the next big thing. As long as your thing meets their needs, they will be happy to buy it from you.

Next, you're scared and don't know how to sell on eBay. You don't want to pay someone to do it for you, and your little brother's friend is not the best instructor. Enter eBay's education specialists. These are people who are trained and certified by eBay to teach you The Basics of eBay Selling, Advanced eBay Selling Techniques, and The Basics of Buying on eBay courses. These courses are professionally developed by eBay and the instructors have the latest data and material to help you learn how to sell on eBay.

You may have seen info-mercials, heard radio ads and tried to read eBay for Dummies, but you still aren't getting it or trusting where you are getting the information from. The classes taught by eBay Education Specialists are not designed to make you an overnight millionaire, or get you involved in some scheme that makes them more money than you will. They are there because they love what they do and want to teach others how to do it right. It is a way of strengthening the entire eBay Community to do things right, to treat people right and to know what the right things are to do in order for everyone to succeed.

In closing, do not be scared of eBay but rather embrace it. Learn how to do it right from the right people and you will succeed.

About the author: Doug Luthringer is a certified eBay education specialist who has taught more than 150 students The Basics of eBay Selling course and The Advanced eBay Selling Techniques course. Doug has also been invited to be a guest speaker to talk about how to sell on eBay and the use of Google AdWords to small and medium size business, as well as university students. You can get more information about Doug and his eBay selling book at http://www.Thefastmall.com

Ebay - Online Auction Tips

Author: Jay Bauder

Buying things in an auction is the most affordable way to obtain the item a person wishes to have. That is why even the Internet had provided such sites like eBay in order to provide more affordable items than what the typical market has to offer.

Best of all, net auctions sites like eBay can provide a number of potential profits for the small time entrepreneurs who want to, in some or way or another, earn extra income.

Through eBay, sellers do not have to build a site just to sell. In fact, there's no investment capital needed in order to start the business.

There just simple things a seller has to do in order to come up with a good sale. Here are some things the seller has to know before putting up a sale:

1. The Market Value

It's a must for every seller to do some homework first regarding the price of the item in the market. This is to enable the seller to come up with a price that is reasonable enough to compensate the purchasing power of the buyer and the much-needed profit of the seller as well.

The seller may also look for the other sites that offer the same item so as to give him or her an insight on how he or she should stipulate the price.

2. The item description.

It is important for a seller to come up with a detailed description of the item. That is, the seller should be honest enough to put everything that depicts the items actual state and appearance. It should be based more on information and not just propaganda.

3. The photograph.

Pictures are enough to sell the item. But it takes skill to get the right angle and the perfect aura of the item so as to illustrate the best point of view. If the item is clear enough for the buyer to see its specifications, chances are, the buyer will purchase it.

4. The seller's requirements.

It is an essential thing for the seller to state his or her payment requirements. It's best for the sellers to include everything especially the additional charges that will apply like shipping fees.

5. The customer service.

In order for the seller to close a sale, he or she must be well adept on customer service. That is, the seller should know that it is important to reply on a buyer's inquiry, to answer whenever there is confusion, and to do some follow-ups even if the transaction is finished.

As they say, a happy buyer makes a happy seller.

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 - How Sellers Get Paid

Author: Jay Bauder

Today, eBay is considered to be one of the most lucrative auction sites available in the Internet.

However, selling on eBay is not that easy, and the very first thing a seller should do is to find the ways on how he or she will get paid once the item is sold. And so, here are the different ways how a seller can be paid:

1. PayPal

PayPal is the most common and convenient way of sending and receiving money based on an eBay transaction. Here, the payment for the sold item is sent directly to the seller by means of an established bank account or a credit card.

2. Personal Check or Cashier's Check

Sellers may choose this kind of option. However, the drawback of using this kind of payment method is that the seller still has to wait for a number of banking days before the check gets cleared.

3. Credit Cards

Sellers must have a merchant account to be able to accept payments from its buyers through credit cards. This is applicable only if the buyer will be paying directly to the seller. If the buyer still wants to use credit card but wants a safer transaction, he or she may opt to pay the seller through PayPal with the use of the credit card.

4. Bank to bank wire transfers

In this type of payment, the seller can be paid through a bank-to-bank transaction. Here, the buyer will transfer funds from his or her bank account to the seller's bank account.

5. Money Orders/Bid pay

This is one of the recommended payment methods of eBay. This is considered safe because the seller or the buyer can track down the mailing address of the concerned person.

6. Escrow

This is strongly suggested for high-priced item transactions. The escrow service guarantees full protection while the transaction is not yet closed. Through this service, the seller has to wait for the confirmation that the buyer had received the product before receiving payment.

However, sellers and buyers should take extra precautions on dealing with escrow services. There are a lot of counterfeit escrow services lurking on eBay these days. It's best to check if the escrow service was approved by eBay.

8. Cash

Sellers on eBay may receive payments through cash. However, this is a high-risk activity and offers no guaranteed protection.

8. Instant Cash Wire Transfers like western Union and Money Grams

Sellers may opt for this type of payment method. But, they should keep in mind eBay is strongly against this mode of payment and that insisting this to the buyer may result to suspension or termination of account.

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 Gift Certificates

Author: Jay Bauder

Now that online shoppers have realized the true potential of online shopping with eBay, they offer their customers a better and easier (not to mention cheaper) way of doing their transactions with eBay. eBay Gift Certificates!

But the customers and all online shoppers must always be careful about the terms and/or conditions regarding the gift certificates. Always be alert and reminded about the expiration date of the gift certificates, this way, customers can always make full use of their eBay GCs. The gift certificates from eBay are wonderful gifts to the people dear to us. With an eBay gift certificate, we share the joys of shopping online through eBay.

eBay gift certificates are available to anyone who wishes to buy one. No eBay registration or eBay membership is required to get your hands on this baby. They can be purchased though PayPal. One of its yet better points is that while paying for your gift certificate, you can choose to sign up for your account at PayPal.

But as anything, there is a catch. The catch is not all eBay gift certificates will be redeemed. Only those that pass the following requirements will be redeemed.

1. The one who sells the item on sale accepts PayPal as one of the ways to pay for their merchandise. 2. The original price of the item on sale must be in Pounds Sterling, Canadian Dollars, Euros or US Dollars. 3. The owner of the GC has ten days after the item on sale has been closed at eBay to pay for the merchandise through PayPal.

There are rare occasions that and eBay gift certificate will expire. Customers or purchasers of the gift certificates are also not required to pay maintenance fees on unused balances of the gift certificate. If the price of the item that a customer is buying cannot be covered by the gift certificate alone, the buyer needs to supply the remaining balance through paying from another fund source at PayPal (which can either be credit card or bank account).

eBay gift certificates can be spent when the customer wishes to buy an item or have won an item at eBay that passes the requirements mentioned above. To do this, when you have chosen the item that you want, select the word Paypal for your payment method. (Don't panic if it reroutes you to the PayPal site, this really happens) Log in to PayPal and write down the redemption codes found in the Check Payment Detail. Look for the Add/Select button and click on that to enable you to use your GC. You redeem your gift certificates this way and the seller of the item receives the payment through PayPal.

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