| |
| |
|
Auctions Main Page |
|
|
|
Doing It eBay: An eBay Business Means Fun and Profits in a Global Marketplace
In 1995, when Pierre Omidyar introduced an online business venue that was essentially a virtual garage sale with auction pricing, no one knew a retailing revolution was about to occur. That site became known as eBay, and it's hard to find someone today who hasn't at least heard about the popular online auction company. What's important to understand from the start is that eBay is a sales channel that you can use exclusively or in addition to selling through a retail operation, mail order catalog, independent Web site, or network of direct salespeople. You decide the type of business you want to have, what type of merchandise you're going to sell, and how you're going to operate. To sell on eBay, you'll pay a listing fee to post your merchandise and a final value fee (a small percentage of the sale price) when the item sells. For the current eBay fee schedule, check the eBay site. What can you sell on eBay? Though eBay is a popular place for the sale of used items ranging from high-dollar antiques to second-hand junk, it's also a venue for brand-new, up-to-the-minute merchandise of all types and in all price ranges. Deciding what to sell on eBay can be particularly challenging because your options are virtually limitless. Some of the more popular categories of items are cars, computers, consumer electronics, books, movies, music, sports items, collectibles, clothing and accessories. As you take the first step of deciding what to sell on eBay, keep these points in mind: · Have an interest in the product. Don't choose a product based on potential profits alone; be sure it's something you'll enjoy working with. · Cost and sale price. How much will the item cost you and how much can you reasonably expect to sell it for? · Availability. Is the merchandise readily available or will you risk having to deal with supply problems? · Storage. Do you have room to store the merchandise? · Packing and shipping. Consider what is involved in packing and shipping the merchandise. Even though the buyer typically pays the shipping costs, think about your labor, time, and potential breakage. · Seasonal issues. Will the item sell year-round or be subject to seasonal fluctuations? How do you sell on eBay? You have a variety of ways to sell on eBay. In addition to the traditional basic auction, where you post your item with a starting price and wait for bidders to drive the price up, you can use a number of other pricing features and auction types. In addition to auctions, you can also set up your own eBay store, which will allow you to sell auction and fixed-price merchandise from your special location on eBay. You'll pay a monthly fee based on the level of store services you want, plus additional fees for items listed and sold. The technical side of eBay eBay has evolved into one of the most user-friendly sites on the Internet. Getting set up as a user is a simple process that you can complete in just a few minutes. You will be required to provide your name, address, e-mail, and telephone number, as well as a credit card number and your checking account information. eBay uses this information to confirm your identity, which protects the integrity of their operation, and to collect auction fees. If your contact information changes, be sure to notify eBay immediately. You must register to buy or sell on eBay, but you can browse around the site without registering. Before you do any business on eBay, take the time to get to know the site. Set aside several hours to get online and browse around, study listings, read the help pages, understand the various tools and how you can use them, check out the forums, and get comfortable with how the site works. Once your business is up and running, you'll probably want to consider using supplemental auction management software, which will save time and money, make you more efficient, and improve the level of customer service you offer. Getting started as an eBay seller Start off by buying a few things, then start selling, posting just one or two auctions at a time until you're comfortable with how the process works. You'll make mistakes, especially in the beginning, but if you learn from them they'll be worth the cost. Keep in mind that eBay is ever-changing. As the economy cycles, you'll experience changes in pricing and demand. And as more people start operating on eBay, the competition will increase and prices may decline slightly (great when you're buying, but not when you're selling). If you plan to make selling on eBay a full-time business, expect to work hard. Though there is plenty of money to be made on eBay, it's not a get-rich-quick or easy deal. You'll invest as much time and energy as you would in a traditional retail operation--but your potential for profits is greater. Don't be intimated by the sheer size of the operation, and keep in mind that eBay has reached less than ten percent of its potential market-which means there is plenty of room for you. So find your eBay niche, get online, and watch your business grow. Jacquelyn Lynn is the co-author of Make Big Profits on eBay: Start Your Own Million $ Business (with Charlene Davis, Entrepreneur Press, 2005) and the author of Start Your Own Business on eBay, plus nine other titles in Entrepreneur's Start-Up Guide Series. For more information, visit http://www.jacquelynlynn.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Auctions - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
From Ebay Zero To Power-Selling Hero: What It Takes Have you ever wondered what it takes to be "the best of the best"; to outcompete everyone who tries to do what you are doing--and to keep them guessing exactly what it is that makes you so much better?If you've ever owned a commercial website before, you know who these people are: they're the ones who sell the same product as you, but make $200,000 each year doing it. They have top rankings on search engines, flocks of loyal visitors, and a mailing list with 500,000 subscribers. From Ebay Zero to Power-Selling Hero: The Devil Is In The Details If you've ever heard the expression "the devil is in the details," you can probably already guess how it relates to today's lesson. The bulk of the work you do as an Ebay seller will be easy and repetitive, but it is the minor details that will make or break your business. Auction and Its Benefits An auction is basically a public sale wherein any object is sold to the highest bidder. It can be defined as a process of purchasing and selling things by offering them up for bid, taking bids and selling the things out to the highest bidder. Traditional Marketing Techniques for eBay Auction Ads Ya know, I sort of giggle when I look at an ad on eBay that's just a black and white description of the item or product that's up for bid. It wasn't long ago at all that I would have done the exact same thing, but once I understood some traditional marketing techniques, not just been exposed to them; everything looked totally different. Get More for Your Money Shopping for Designer Shoes on eBay The worlds online market place.In just a few short years eBay has become a household name and millions of people are registered users benefiting from the enormous variety of auctions listed every day. Drop-ship or U-ship: That is the Question For small Internet retailers, drop-shipping is one of the best innovations since sliced bread. How else can a start-up offer a wide variety of products and convince customers that they have a fully-stocked warehouse-while investing virtually nothing in inventory or warehousing? Before you jump right onto the drop-shipping bandwagon, however, there are some pitfalls to avoid. Losing Sales By Overcharging For Shipping And Handling As a serious seller on eBay you're familiar with their fee circumventing rules. If not, visit: http://pages. 7 Great Reasons Why You Should Start an EBay Business Today EBay is a great part or full time business. An Ebay Business can be used as a way to promote your Online Home Based Business. Making Money on eBay is Really Easy If I can do it you can.Let me tell you my story. Image Hosting For Online Auctions Use eBay picture service or host your own photos?If you use the eBay picture service, your first photo is free. But each additional picture will cost you $0. How To Find Tons of Hot Items Selling On EBay ...In Less Than 10 Minutes There are many ways to start a home business online, and few are easier than eBay - the world's largest online auction site. However, there is one critical condition - you have to know what to sell and how to sell it. Finding Antiques And Collectibles To Sell On eBay Many people who decide to make a living selling collectibles on eBay soon fail. I meet them in the line at the post office. Start an Easy Home Business: Become an Ebay Trading Assistant EBay's online auctions have created business opportunities for thousands of people. Now the Trading Assistant program is making it easier than ever to start a business from home. Rent A Coder & Other Service Auctions You may be in the market for a new website. Perhaps you may be looking for a new logo or a database constructed for yourself or a small business. When is Wholesale Really Wholesale You've finally found the wholesale source for the high demand widget that is selling like hotcakes on the Internet. Thoughts of watching the money pouring in and celebrating the new found success selling widgets has you so excited that you can't wait to buy 5 widgets at wholesale and double the investment. The Top Ten Antique Categories On eBay! Knowledge is Power! And this statement could not be more true when it comes to selling on eBay. As explained in my book "eBay Marketing Wholesale SourcePak", being successful on eBay all depends on being in the right place, at the right time, with the right product. Profitable Paper Piecing on eBay -- Part 2 Basic Paper Piecing TipsHere are some tips that will help you create paper piecings that will sell!Save some time by eliminating the "tracing" of patterns. Take your pattern, lay it over your cardstock and use your stylus to "trace" it onto your cardstock. Join the Home-Based Business Revolution Greetings, Friend. So you've decided to go into business. How to Survive the Jungles of Ebay Selling Come with me, we are going to take a safari into the jungles of eBay selling, sometimes wrought with danger but most often rewarded with treasure.Beware of non-paying bidders, beware of auction snipers waiting to try and steal your eBay auction at a very low bid, but welcome the loot you will receive selling outdated relics in your house for a small kings ransom. Before You Sell On Ebay, Take The Most Important Step If you want to earn a full-time income selling on Ebay, you must take the first and most important step in all successful business ventures: you must accept that it is possible.This probably sounds really trite--and maybe it is, but that doesn't mean it's any less true.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
