The eBay Shipping Center
eBay wants to help sellers with every aspect of their
eBay business. The eBay shipping center was
created to help ensure that you get your items to
your customers in a timely manner, in the most
efficient and economical way possible.
The eBay shipping center will help you print shipping
labels, help you figure shipping costs, and even help
you with International shipping. Shipping information
for all of the major shipping companies, including the
USPS can be found through the shipping center. You
can even purchase insurance for packages that will
be shipped by the USPS directly through the shipping
center.
One of the greatest features of the eBay Shipping
Center is the ability to order free co-branded shipping
boxes for USPS shipments. These boxes are
delivered to you, at no cost! This will cut a great deal
of your shipping expenses because you won’t have to
purchase your own boxes! There is also a great video
that will teach you how to save time and money on
your shipping, and whether you are a buyer or a
seller, you can easily track your packages through
the eBay shipping center as well.
192
Buying On eBay: The Importance of Checking Feedback
Are you interested in using eBay to shop online? If you are, you are definitely not alone, as eBay is one of the most popular online marketplaces. As you likely already know, eBay is an online auction website; an online auction website that allows internet users to post items that they have in their possession, but not longer want or need, for sale. While this tends to give you a large number of products to choose from, it can make getting scammed on eBay relatively easy; however, there is a way that you cannot fall victim to some of the most common eBay scams. That way involves checking feedback.
If this is your first time using eBay, you may not necessarily know that buyers and sellers are able to leave each other feedback; in fact, they are encouraged to do so. Now, if another eBay buyer, just like you, were to have a positive experience, like they got their item in a timely matter and it was what they expected, they would be likely to leave a positive feedback. Positive feedbacks are marked with green circles with plus signs in them. On the other hand, if an eBay buyer has a negative experience, like they never received their item or it was in poor condition, a negative comment may be left. Negative comments are market by red circles with negative signs in them. In addition to positive or negative comments, eBay buyers are also able to leave neutral comments, which are commonly used when a problem arose, but the seller in question fixed it in a timely matter. Also, next to the positive, negative, or neutral markings, eBay buyers can also leave comments.
Although you might not necessarily think about it, the feedback that an eBay seller has can give you insight into the type of service that you may receive. As a way, this feedback serves as reputation for an eBay seller. When shopping at a traditional retail store, there is a good chance that you wouldn’t shop at a store that is known for selling poor quality products or a store that has poor customer service. The same thinking should be applied when using eBay. You don’t want to business with an eBay seller that has a number of poor feedback ratings, as it is a sign of what may come.
If you are interested in examining the feedback of an eBay seller, you can easily do so. When visiting an online auction listing page, say a listing for a new set of hair clippers, in the right hand corner there should be a “Meet the Seller,” section. That section has information on the seller’s eBay feedback, as well as a link that you can click to see each individual feedback rating. You are urged to click that link. When examining an eBay seller’s feedback, you need to remember that it is not uncommon for a seller to deal with disgruntled customers; customers that may leave negative feedback for no reason at all. That is why it is not uncommon to see a few negative feedback ratings; however, be on the lookout for any eBay seller who has an excessive number of them or a new eBay seller that has a large number of negative feedback ratings, as they are someone you should try and avoid.
In short, examining the feedback ratings or comments of an eBay seller will only take a few minutes of your time, but it may end up saving you a considerable amount of money. When shopping on eBay, it is advised that you use your best judgment. A number of negative feedback ratings may be a sure sign that an eBay seller may be out to scam you, in one way or another.
630
The eBay Item Listing Rules
Because eBay is such a huge marketplace, with
members from all walks of life, in almost every single
country around the world, it is no wonder that there
are many scammers lurking about. In order to better
protect the buyers, eBay has specific rules
concerning the items that can be auctioned off on
the site. These rules must be followed, or the
person posting the item for auction can be banned
from the site.
Even though there are numerous categories, items
that are put up for auction really only fall into one of
four categories at eBay: Prohibited, Questionable,
Potentially Infringing, and Approved. Approved is the
simplest category to define and understand. An
approved item is any item that does not fall into one
of the other three categories. That is fairly simple,
right?
After the ‘approved’ category, however, it starts to
get a little harder to understand – with the exception
of prohibited items. A prohibited item may not be
auctioned on eBay for any reason, under any
circumstances. Prohibited items include alcohol,
drugs, animals, tobacco, human remains or body
parts of any type, lottery tickets, and
governmental property. There is quite a bit more
on the list, and that list can be viewed at the
eBay website.
Questionable items are those that are not prohibited,
but are not necessarily infringing. Adult material falls
under the ‘questionable’ category. Tickets of any
type may also be questionable. Law enforcement
related equipment, as well as guns, knives, and
other weapons are questionable items. Artifacts,
food items, batteries, all hazardous chemicals
and materials are also on the list of
questionable items. You can auction questionable
items at eBay, as long as those items meet certain
conditions.
Potentially Infringing items are those that violate
copyrights, trademarks, and other legal rights. These
items are almost always some type of media, such
as software, DVDs, and CDs, but the list contains
other items as well, such as counterfeit items and
illegal recordings. You can find out more about
‘potentially infringing’ items at the eBay website
as well.
If you are unsure as to which category your item falls
into, you should contact eBay with this question
before setting up the auction. As a buyer, you
should carefully consider the consequences of
purchasing items that fall under one of the three
categories above. In some cases, it may be very
illegal to have some of those items in your
possession – no matter how they were obtained.
Before making such a purchase, or bidding on such
an item, you should find out more details about the
item in question, and then get some legal advice.
437
EBay Business Solutions
If starting an eBay business is your goal, as
opposed to just auctioning a few items off for some
extra cash, you need to use the eBay business
solutions that are available to you. Because eBay’s
success depends on the success of its sellers,
they strive to help you at every turn. eBay Business
Solutions is the key to starting an eBay business.
eBay Stores is one of the better solutions for eBay
business owners. An eBay store will allow you to
list multiple quantities of the same item, and allow
you to keep them listed for longer time periods.
eBay Store owners also enjoy lower auction fees,
and have access to advanced merchandising tools.
Eventually, you should consider upgrading to an
eBay Pro Store, which will allow you to customize
your storefront with your own brand and web
address.
There are many other eBay Business Solutions,
such as seller tools, the eBay solutions directory,
and the merchant solution center, but you should
definitely start with your very own eBay store,
followed by an eBay Pro Store.
177
Art Glass Paperweights
I have a shop that sells art glass. My favorite art glass is paperweights. I have a lot of fun attending art auctions and buying art glass. I try to pay attention to what my friends and clients like and dislike.
I usually give people art glass paperweights that I find at art auctions for milestone birthdays and anniversaries. My grandmother turned eighty last October and I found a wonderful art glass paperweight for her.
The art glass paperweight that I found for my grandmother was made by Baccarat. I was extremely lucky that this was one of the last things auctioned. A lot of people had already left the art auction when this item went on the block. My grandmother appreciated the pansy design because the pansy is her favorite flower.
My cousin loves frogs. She has managed to decorate her home tastefully with her favorite item. I have been on the lookout for an art glass paperweight for her for years. I finally found one at an art auction I was at last year. The art glass paperweight featured a frog sitting on a lily pad and the frog was surrounded by blue water. It was really pretty and my cousin started using it on her desk immediately.
My aunt collects art glass paperweights. I have been asked by her on numerous occasions to find pretty art glass paperweights for her while I’m attending art auctions. Of all of the pieces I’ve won for her over the years, one memory sticks out in my memory more than any other.
By far the prettiest art glass paperweight I’ve ever won at an art auction has to be one that features a blue and gold Macaw. Rick Ayotte was the artist that created it and it was even featured in a book of his work. He has created many lovely art glass paperweights.
I have an art glass paperweight in my shop that just won’t sell. It has been in the store the longest and I think I may have it priced too high. I won the paperweight at an art auction several years ago for one thousand dollars. The paperweight was created by Paul Stankard and it should have easily sold for twice what I paid for it.
I have no trouble at all selling art glass paperweights that were made by Rick Ayotte. His work seems to draw the most interest. I try to win any auction I find for art glass paperweights he made. I won one not long ago that was pink roses. They looked so delicate and sweet. I know that this art glass paperweight will sell quickly.
There have been some inquiries at my shop for art glass paperweights by Richard Marquis. I haven’t found any in any of the art auctions I’ve attended recently. I looked at some of the pieces he’s made and I’m not especially impressed.
I will keep looking for the art glass paperweights at the art auctions I attend, but I will not be going way out of my way to track them down. I will just remember that Marquis is an artist that some of my clients are really interested in. I’m sure that I will find an art auction with one of his pieces in it at some point.
There were some inquiries about nautical themed art glass paperweights a couple of years ago and I found a fantastic artist that made them. I buy every art glass paperweight I can find that was made by Rick Satava. My favorite has to be the coral orange jellyfish that I found at an art auction an hour from my home. It was really pretty.
The coral orange jellyfish art glass paperweight was just the first Rick Satava piece that I’ve found at various art auctions. I’ve also found jellyfish in ruby and blue. They are beautiful by themselves or when they are put onto a black light stand that has been built especially for them.
667
How to Start Buying On eBay
Are you interested in doing your online shopping on eBay? If you are and if this is your first time using eBay, you may be a little bit nervous, as many first time eBay buyers are. The good news, however, is that buying what you want on eBay is a relatively easy process. To get you started on that process, you will want to read on.
The first thing that you will want to do is register for a free eBay account. Although you do not need an eBay account to view all of the items that are currently available for sale, you do need an eBay account to bid on items listed for sale on eBay. When it comes setting up a free eBay account all you need to do is provide personal information about yourself. This information includes your address, your phone number, and your email address. You will also have to create an eBay sign in name and a password for yourself. These items will be used to login to your eBay account. Once your account has been verified by email, you should be able to start buying right away.
Speaking of buying your items; one of the reasons why eBay is so popular is because it is one of the largest online marketplaces. Internet users are not only able to shop on eBay, but they are also able to sell on eBay. That is what has led to millions of items available for sale on eBay, at any given time. While having a large selection of items to choose from is nice, it can make finding what you want hard; however, there are ways that you can easily navigate the eBay website, to find exactly what you were looking for, in a relatively quick way.
Perhaps, the easiest way to find exactly what you are looking for on eBay is to perform an eBay search. Towards the top of eBay’s webpage, you should see a search box. This is where you will want to key in what you are looking for. The more descriptive you can be, the more accurate your results will be. For instance, if you are interested in purchasing a ladies shirt, you will want to search with “ladies M shirt.” Incorporating the size or even a brand into your search is likely to eliminate purchases that aren’t want you want or need. You should also be able to perform an advanced eBay search, which will let you enter in price ranges or only show items that are from a specific seller.
Whether you perform a standard eBay search or an advanced one, you should be presented with a number of auction listings. In most cases, those listing are listed in order based on the time that is left. For example, online auction listings that are ending soon will likely be listed first; therefore, if you see something that you like at the top of your screen, you may want to act fast. You can also, easily, choose to have all auction listings listed in order based on the time each auction was started, current location of the item, as well as by price, including highest to lowest and visa versa.
When you see the auction listings outlined from your eBay search, no matter which order you have them showing in, you should be able to see the current asking price, the cost of shipping, the amount of time that is left in the auction, a short description of the product being sold, and possibly even a picture. You can also tell what type of auction listing it is. For instance, most eBay sellers use the traditional auction listing format, where you and other buyers bid on their products, but some use “Buy It Now,” formats, which is where you can buy an item right away, without having to bid on it. To learn more about an item appearing on your screen, simply click on the short product description link. That link will take you to a detailed sales page, which should have product descriptions, pictures, information on shipping, information accepted methods of payment, as well as instructions on how to buy the item or items in question.
As you can see, getting started on eBay is a relatively simple process. To start taking advantage of the millions of items listed on eBay, register for your free eBay account today.
737
Hot Selling Items for eBay Auctions
Many people who are trying to start an eBay
business spend a great deal of time trying to figure
out which items sell the best on eBay. Many of these
people have elaborate systems for determining this
information, and many others purchase expensive
courses that teach them how to find this information
as well. None of that is necessary. Everything you
need to know is right in front of you – on the eBay
website!
Take a look at any category, and you will see the
word ‘hot’ beside some items. These items are not
marked as hot sellers randomly – there is a method
to the madness! Items only get marked as hot when
there have been more than thirty bids placed on
the item. All you have to do is wonder around the eBay
website for a while to find an item that will do well.
However, most power sellers will agree that there is
more to figuring out which items sell best than this.
In fact, they claim that it is a science. A great way
to start your search for items that will result in a
successful auction in the future is to do research on
the auctions that were successful in the past. You
can view old listings that have completed at:
listings.ebay.com .
A new way to determine what items sell best on
eBay is ‘eBay Marketplace Research.’ Marketplace
Research will allow you to view important statistical
information on the buying trends at eBay. This
product contains all of the data one could possibly
ever need to determine how well – or how poorly –
an item will do in an eBay auction. There is a small
fee for using the eBay Marketplace Research tools,
however.
Another tool that will be very useful in your quest for
finding hot selling items for your eBay auctions is the
listing of popular eBay search terms that is found on
the site. This list can be found at:
popular.ebay.com/ . This list is divided into
categories, which will make it easier to determine
how popular your potential item may be.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that an item will
do poorly, or that it will do well without doing your
homework on the item first. Some of the strangest
things sell for the highest prices, while items that
would sell quickly in any other environment just sit
there. Almost any eBay Power Seller will tell you
that the key to a successful auction rests in the
amount of research you put into the items you
hope to sell.
428
How to Sell Expensive Items on eBay
Selling expensive items on eBay is really no different
than selling low cost items. Essentially, no matter
what you are selling, it all comes down to how you
market the item. This doesn’t mean you have to
surf around the Internet placing ads here and there –
when it comes to eBay auctions, the marketing is
all done at the eBay website. Basically, when you
set up your auction, you are setting up an
automated marketing campaign.
First, you must determine what the value of your
item is, in three different ways. This will help you
determine what your reserve price is. On eBay, the
reserve price is the lowest price that you are willing
to accept for your item. First, have your high priced
item evaluated to determine what the actual market
value is. Next, research similar items from past
auctions at eBay to see what price those items sold
for. Finally, determine what the value of the item is to
you. With this information, you should be able to
determine the lowest amount you are willing to sell
the item for.
Set your reserve price, and then set your opening bid
price lower than $50 – no matter how high your
reserve price is. This is a marketing tactic. It will be
hard to attract potential buyers to an auction for an
item selling for hundreds or thousands of dollars –
but getting them to an auction where the opening
bid is only $50 is quite simple. Remember, you don’t
have to sell the item to anyone who bids less than
your reserve price – unless you choose to do so at
the close of the auction. This method of price setting
resembles marketing gimmicks used by offline
businesses that are simply designed to ‘get customers
in the door.’
Work hard on the description for your listing. Use
words that really describe your item well. Provide as
many details as possible, including details that prove
the authenticity of collectible items. Include pictures
of the item as well. Do not try to deceive potential
buyers! If the item has marks or scratches, simply
be honest about it, and make sure that the pictures
convey this as well. State how the item will be
packed and shipped. Also let potential buyers know
that shipping insurance must be purchased as well
– in case the item is damaged once it leaves your
possession.
For higher priced items, most eBay buyers feel more
comfortable using an escrow service. Offer this as
an option in your auction, with the understanding that
the buyer must pay for the service. This protects both
parties from fraud, and it makes many buyers more
open to spending the money to obtain the item.
eBay has partnered with an escrow service that is
commonly used for high ticket items.
466
The eBay Trading Assistants Program
If you excel at eBay auctions, you might want to
consider an additional source of revenue as well. The
eBay Trading Assistant Program will allow you to
sell items for other eBay members on consignment.
Being successful at your own auctions is the key
to becoming a successful trading assistant for other
people.
Often, newcomers simply don’t know how to make
their items sell. Many people who are auctioning off
a one time big ticket item, such as cars or real
estate, will often employ the services of an eBay
Trading Assistant. Items such as these can add
up to very big commissions for serious trading
assistants! Usually, trading assistants are
responsible for every aspect of the auction,
including shipping the product to the customer and
collecting payment. For high ticket items, the person
who hires
Trading Assistants get access to trading assistant
marketing materials which are quite helpful. In order
to become an approved trading assistant, you must
have sold at least ten items in the last ninety days,
have a feedback score of at least 100 with 97%
positive feedback or higher, and your eBay account
must be in good standing.
193
Learning the eBay “Lingo”.
Do you have trouble sometimes understanding when people talk about eBay? Don’t worry, some of the jargon is really obscure, and you can’t be expected to understand it until someone’s told you what it means. Here’s a little list of some of the most useful lingo to know, but you don’t need to memorise it – even the most common jargon is only used relatively rarely.
Words.
Bid: telling eBay’s 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 auction’s 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.
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 don’t 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’d be an impossible task to cover it all here. If you can’t 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 it’s 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 item’s 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 email, we’ll show you how to dive in and get started.