How To Increase eBay Profits

Some sell on eBay to clean out their garage or attic. Some sell to make a little extra money here and there. But for some, eBay represents a chance to create a second income or start a home business. Product choice is important. But to really increase profit you must know how to increase the number and amount of bids per item. An eBay seller must maximize each product's profit margin. This article describes techniques to make as much profit as possible.

1. Sell like products at the same time. Bidders look to see what else you have for sale they might be interested in. Combined shipping saves postage for the buyer. Packing in the same box saves time and packing costs for the seller.

2. Bundle a less desirable item with a more desirable item increases sales. This is an old offline auction technique. If the bidder wants the better item he has to buy both. If two sellers offer the same item, the buyer bids on the two item auction. Bundling two low cost items together also increases bids. A buyer may not be willing to pay shipping for one item, but would for two.

3. Remember seasonal issues. Don't sell snow skis in July, water skis in January. Be sure to offer seasonal items early enough to allow for shipping. Don't expect to sell many Christmas items that must be shipped during the second week of December.

4. Understand profit margins. Don't buy to resell for only a $5 profit when you can make $20 on a different item. Determine your desired monthly income and choose products appropriately. Want to make 1000 a month? That is $250 a week. That's ten successful actions at $25.00 profit, or five items at $200 a month, or ten items at $100 each. Also packing 10 items takes less time than packing 20 items. Always consider time as a cost.

5. Don't forget back end sales and secondary products. Offer similar products during the payment process or on your auction store/web site. If you sell underground fences for dogs, an up-sell item is a customized collar. A secondary product could be a pet door. Another secondary product could be a ebook on "Travel Safely With Your Pet". A back-end sale to the ebook could be a item that helps your family travel safely with your pet.

6. The List - For many successful online sellers the mailing list is where their money is made. Using a autoresponder, sellers automatically email customers on their list at regular intervals. Including content with announcements of upcoming sales increases back end sales. Once a customer buys, they are more likely to buy again from same person or company.

7. Customer demographics should be considered. Collectors have expectations non-collectors don't. Example, some book buyers that are allergic like to see "book from non-smoking home" in ad. This would earn you a higher bid. What does the customer expect to see in a description?

8. Auction terms and conditions should be included with each auction. What shipping options are available? Do you take questions? Do you ship only certain days? What kind of payments do you take? Type whatever standard terms you offer in a word processor and cut and paste into your auctions. This saves time. For some sellers, typing the content for each auction is one of the most time consuming tasks.

Profit involves keeping costs reasonably low and creating higher bids. We've described some techniques for increasing profit. Sit down and mentally run through the process of auction selling and come up with some of your own ideas. EBay is a great business opportunity but like any business, sellers must be wise in their product choice and sales techniques.

Author info: L. C. Peterson is a writer and web marketing consultant. Her sites include http://www.new2auctions.com, http://www.LCPeterson.com, and http://www.publishingebooks.com. For more information on online marketing, content and ebook creation and online auctions take a look.

MutualArt.com

Top auction houses to put art market rally to test Reuters By Mike Collett-White | LONDON (Reuters) - Auction houses pinching themselves after bumper 2011 sales are now turning their attention to 2012, amid cautious optimism that the two-year bull run for top works of art will continue. Surreal Art positioned to steal the show at $265 million London auctionsMutualArt.com Final portion of Elizabeth Taylor Collection to go on salePanARMENIAN.Net all 23 news articles »

Wayne Co. offers homes in Detroit for cheap The Detroit News In a stark sign that paying property taxes is optional for some in Detroit, Wayne County Treasury officials decided last week its workers will go door-to-door to some of the 6500 city properties unsold at last fall's tax auctions and offer to make a ... and more »

Fewer buffalo, higher prices from past years mark stock show auction Rapid City Journal He travels to auctions in Custer, Denver and Rapid City looking for animals, he said. "People tend to bring their better bulls to these things," White Thunder said. "They say if you go to a ranch, it's kind of like a feed lot so you don't really know ... and more »

Treasury Yield Is 3 Basis Points From One-Week High Before Debt Auctions Bloomberg Ten-year Treasuries yielded more than German bunds for the first time in four days as the US prepared to sell $72 billion of notes and bonds this week, starting with an auction of three-year securities tomorrow. “What's going on in Greece underlines ... and more »

Belfast Newsletter

Bargain homes bagged at auction Belfast Newsletter BARGAIN hunters were celebrating this weekend after seizing on the collapse in property prices to snap up super-cheap houses at auction. Twenty-four residential lots, starting from £10000, were sold in little more than an hour at the major sale in ... and more »

Treasury Auctions Set for This Week New York Times The Treasury's schedule of financing this week includes Monday's regular weekly auction of new three- and six-month bills and an auction of four-week bills on Tuesday. At the close of the New York cash market on Friday, the rate on the outstanding ...

Spain Renewable-Energy Future May Center on Auctions, Cinco Says Bloomberg Spanish renewable-energy projects may be awarded in the future through auctions, Cinco Dias reported, citing language in the January royal decree that eliminated guaranteed subsidies. The law champions “a new model for retribution” in which “resources ... and more »

The Hindu

Uninor to bid for 2G spectrum: CEO NDTV Uninor, a 67 per cent subsidiary of Norway's Telenor, plans to look at all options including fresh auctions of second generation spectrum by India to protect its investments. Sigve Brekke, CEO, Uninor said that the company was ready to participate in ... Telenor readies legal, diplomatic fight to save investmentTimes of India Norway's Telenor says 'not dead yet' in India marketEconomic Times all 92 news articles »

CTV.ca

Tom Brady Game Jersey Sells for Thousands at Super Bowl Auction Patch.com The 2011 game jersey was purchased at The Super Bowl XLVI Live Auction in Indianapolis on Saturday, tripling the item's presale estimated value, Hunt Auctions reports. Brady wore the jersey during the Oct. 16 game against the Dallas Cowboys. Tom Brady Jersey Auctions For $46KWRTV Indianapolis Tom Brady Jersey Sells For $46K At Auction Before Super BowlHuffington Post Super Bowl 2012 Buzz:Indianapolis Star WLKY Louisville all 502 news articles »

CAPS auction brings record haul Salina.com By CHRIS HUNTER As the bids poured in from the crowd on a Bud Light speaker at the 23rd Annual Celebrity Benefit Auction for Child Advocacy & Parenting Services, Dr. Merle "Boo" Hodges was hoping to get a crack at the speaker if it stayed lower than ... and more »