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You have to be very lucky to be one of the chosen few who receive an eBay coupon by email. These coupons are just like cash that you can use towards anything you buy on eBay - the only conditions being that you pay using PayPal, and that you are using eBay in the USA, Canada or the UK.
There are two ways to get eBay coupons.
Wait for that Email.
Of course, if you just wait, you’ll be waiting for a long time. You have to do something to make yourself look like the kind of person eBay would want to tempt back with a coupon. If you open an account, buy a few medium-value things and then suddenly stop, the chances are you’ll find yourself with some kind of special offer - but still, not always.
Go Searching.
The better way, of course, is to go and find the coupons that are out there on the web. This is quite hit-and-miss, as eBay don’t always have an offer on, but when there’s a valid code you can guarantee that it’ll be everywhere within a few hours. Just type ‘ebay coupon codes’ into your favourite search engine, but be prepared to pick through some rubbish. You might find you have better luck if you use a more obscure search engine, where people haven’t taken the trouble to game the results.
If going through search engines is too much for you, then just keep an eye out at any community forums you frequent, where someone might just post one. You probably have the best chances if you make a few friends on eBay’s own forums at http://hub.ebay.com/community. It can be fun and educational to chat to the regulars there too, so you really have nothing to lose.
How do You Redeem Coupons?
A coupon is basically a code, with some being quite long. All you need to do is pay with PayPal as usual for the item you want to use the coupon towards. After you choose PayPal as your payment method, you will notice a heading that says ‘Coupons, Gift Certificates and eBay Anything Points’. Type the coupon code in here: they can be long, so you should use copy-and-paste to make sure you get it right. Just click ‘Redeem’, and it’s good to go.
Don’t worry about causing problems for sellers by doing this, by the way - they have no way of even telling that you used a coupon, as eBay just pay them for the item as usual. Coupons are good for sellers as they attract more buyers to eBay, meaning that they get more bids on their auctions. After all, why would they object to getting more money without you actually having to pay it?
Since you’re interested in making your eBay shopping more affordable, you might be interested to know that you can now buy eBay items on credit. Our next email will tell you all the details of eBay’s new ‘Buyer’s Credit’ program.
Kirsten Hawkins is an Ebay and internet auction enthusiast from Nashville, TN. Visit www.auctionseller411.com/ for more great tips on how to make the most from Ebay and other online auctions.
Ok, so you have decided you are going to sell an item in ebay be it a dvd, stamp collection or whatever. How should you go about getting the best possible price?
First of all you should do some research into what prices similar items have been fetching. You can use ebay’s ‘completed listings’ tool to do this. This shows you what has been sold and at what price and is split down into product categories. This will give you a good guide as to what price you can expect to achieve.
The next important step is your opening price. You do not want to set a high opening price that will scare off bidders. It is far better to open with a low reserve and hope this attracts several bidders. It is a fact that people are drawn to items with bids on them already. Having several bidders can lead to competitive bidding and you are more likely to receive a higher final price. To restrict the chance of the item going for a very low price you should set a reserve price - if this is not reached then the item will not be sold.
Consider using a ‘buy it now’. Some bidders do not like to wait until the end of an auction and would rather ‘impulse buy’ in the knowledge they have won the auction. Other bidders enjoy the thrill of the auction. If you have more than one of the product it may be worth considering selling one item on a buy it now and one as a normal bidding auction - this will cover you both ways.
Having a good description and photo is very important. I have seen countless unsold items where the product was probably very good but a terrible photo make it look awful. If appropriate, use a scanner for eg stamps, but for larger items take photos using a digital camera and keep taking pictures until you get a good photo. A good photo is worth a 1000 words! Bidders are instinctively drawn towards items with photos and away from those without. Give as much information as you can as to condition, age, manufacturer, model number etc. If you were selling a tv for example, tell the viewer that it is a Phillips 32″ flat screen tv model number P2350, two years old put in perfect working order.
Finally, make sure you give all the details for post and packaging. I’ve been caught before when buying a small item where I thought the postage would be pennies; the seller didn’t disclose the postage cost until after the auction and I had a nasty shock. I’m not the only person this has happened to so make sure you disclose your postage and packing charges or you may lose some potential bidders.
Nowadays most people are aware of what Online Auctions are all about. Most of us have, at some time or the other bought or sold something on Online Auctions. But very few people know that Online Auctions can be a very profitable home-based business. A lot of people worldwide have made a lot of money with their online auction sites.
To start a home-based Online Auction business is very easy. Unlike other home-based businesses, it requires no investment. All it requires is a few moments of your time to get started. The advantages of starting a Home-Based Auction Online are -
No investment is required; hence there are no financial risks like other businesses.
There are no fixed working hours. You can choose to work when it is convenient to you.
No technical skills required.
You can get your Online Auction Business started in less than 10 minutes.
Wow! That sounds real easy doesn’t it? Well it is. No wonder that people all over the world are making thousands of dollars with their home based online Auctions.
Now lets get down to the details of how to get started with your home-based Online Auction, first and most important, you have to get an idea how Online Auction works. To get an idea you can visit various online auction sites like -
http://www.ebay.com
http://www.auctions.yahoo.com
http://www.ubid.com
http://www.onsale.com
http://www.qxl.com
It’s easier to understand how auctions work if you have first hand experience of buying an item on an online auction. You become familiar with how to register with an auction site, how to place your bids and how to make payments and receive delivery of your goods.
What You Buy is Up To You
Even if you want some item very badly, do not buy it because it is the last item of its kind available on the auction site. It might be over priced. You can try to best to get what you want at other online auction sites.
Late is Best
It is always best to leave your bid till the last few minutes before the closing of an auction. This prevents the price from being driven too high.
No Time? Then Automated bids are the Best
If you are hurried for time then automated bids are the best way for you to place a bid online. You can use automated bidding sites like eSnipe http://www.esnipe.com
You can open a free account on eSnipe. When you want to make a bid all you have to do is type your bid amount. eSnipe automatically places the bid for you before the closing of the auction. You pay eSnipe a small amount if you win your bid, otherwise you pay nothing.
Lookout for Wrongly Spelt Items
Many items on a home-based Online Auctions are wrongly spelt. You can use this to your advantage, as there will be less people searching for wrongly spelt items.
Buying and paying for an item online teaches you how things work from a buyer’s point of view. This gives you a good idea about what kinds of customer services you can offer buyers on your own online auction site.
List Unwanted Items
Now lets get into how to start setting up your own home based online auction. Look around your home. You’ll see many things that you have no use for. You can also ask your friends for unwanted items. Make a list of all these items on your site as well as their photographs. There is nothing like a photograph to instantly grab the attention of the buyers.
Description of Items On Sale
This is very important as it give your buyers a good idea of want they will get. Make sure that you give all the technical and detailed descriptions of items on sale.
Offer A Guaranteed Refund
To convince your buyers about your honest approach to business and your integrity, offer to refund money if the goods sold by you are less than satisfactory.
Feed Back Forms
Positive Feed Back forms are an absolute necessity to show your prospective buyers that you have satisfied customers. And to have satisfied customers your quality of service has to be very good. Positive feedback reassures your prospective customers of your integrity.
Set a Reserve Price
Always sell items on your home-based Online Auction site for what it’s worth. Never ever sell it for less than its value. To do this you need to set a reserve price, below which you will not sell. Make sure that your reserve price is not too high, as it will scare customers away.
Different Payment Modes
Make your site more customer friendly by offering a number of payment options, like credit cards, Pay Pal (www.paypal.com) etc. Make sure that all payments are secure.
Now that you have all the necessary details on how to start your home-based online auction business think of catering to a niche market. This will reduce the competition from other online auction sites.
Remember that it is within you to earn thousands of dollars with hardly any investment.
Good Luck
Pradeep Aggarwal is an Internet Entrepreneur and a leading Online Business consultant, He has conducted many workshops and seminars across the world empowering people on How to start money-making Home Based Business. He also provides niche Website Promotion Tools for internet marketing
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You don’t need to be a marketing genius to sell on eBay, but you should enter the marketplace with some knowledge and understanding of what helps drive sales. Even if you have never sold anything online, eBay can create a powerful opportunity for you to launch an online business. Getting started is much easier than you may think, once you understand the power of what eBay offers to the average, everyday Jane or Joe.
Secret #1: eBay is a search engine. eBay brings the traffic. It is up to you to capitalize on it. You don’t need to build links, create content, or purchase keywords. (Although if you want to purchase keywords, they now have a venue for that, too…) eBay also has built-in keyword research tools. If you use their search engine, eBay offers up suggestions on other spellings and synonyms. You can easily use these keywords to create headlines in categories that are underserved. Another great trick is to use commonly misspelled words, alongside the correct spelling, to reach people that are looking for your products. Just because they can’t spell right doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve to buy your products! You can also delve deeper into eBay’s research tools to find out what, and when, people are buying specific products.
Secret #2: eBay is a community. In a community setting, it is important to build your credibility. As a buyer you get feedback for paying promptly. If you haven’t ever sold on eBay, your buying patterns will establish trust with others to begin with. Make sure you have good feedback as a buyer. When you become a seller, be community-focused and friendly. Remember that the feedback that is left for you is based on answering emails, telling the truth, and quick shipping. Start out with good feedback and remember customer service and you will earn your rightful place as a community member.
Secret #3: eBay is a launch pad to bigger things. While it is true that eBay is huge, the fact is that most people start out on eBay selling things they don’t want. Then they sell things they don’t need. Then, they go out and look for things to sell. eBay has helped thousands of people launch successful internet businesses, before they ever had a website or an email list. If you already have a business, you can use eBay to generate new leads and find new list members. People who aren’t ready to place a bid will join your lists because they aren’t ready to buy, but they’re willing to think about it. Even if you are selling exclusively on eBay, you’ll likely want to expand enough to open an online store. Keep in mind the big picture - if you decide you’re going to open a store or add new inventory, you’ll want to be able to be notify past customers, and prospects, too. If you’re using eBay, think about using it differently - what kinds of promotions can you launch with your everyday listings? What do you want to happen in six months down the line?
Once you’re comfortable with selling on eBay, you’ll probably want to look into new products and services to sell. Keep these eBay secrets in mind while you’re working on your business plan or strategy, and you’ll be able to maximize your success and focus on the big picture - especially as eBay, and your business, continue to grow.
Matt Bacak, Entrepreneur Magazine e-Biz radio show host became a “#1 Best Selling Author” in just a few short hours and the co-author of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how to Retire From Your Job This Year and Still Make More Money Than the Average Medical Doctor… You Can Do It
Once You Know the Proven Steps Outlined here! ==> http://www.internetmillionairemind.com
It is a sad fact that most first time sellers have one thing in common; they fail in their auctions. Many of them fail time and time again, never understanding what is going wrong with their listing. They do hours of research looking for the perfect item to sell, get the auction set up, and wait for the bidding to
begin. Hours go by and no bids are placed. Days go by, and there are still no bids; or there are very low bids. Finally the auction ends, and it turns out to be a total failure; no one bought the item. Considering the huge number of sellers
who run eBay auctions, there are specific things you
must do before you can expect to sell any item, and specific things you must not do if you are to be successful selling in eBay.
There are a number of reasons why auctions fail. The most
common reason is quite logic, this is,the item is not in high
demand. This problem can be avoided by doing the
necessary research to determine which items sell
well, and which items should be avoided if you expect any profit. This research can take a great deal of time, but in the end,
you will find that it is time well spent.
Another important reason for eBay failure is related to pricing. No matter what your reserve price is, your opening bid price
should never be more than $50 or so, always remember that. This is how you will attract potential bidders to your auction. If you
set that opening bid too high, most people won’t even click the link to read the description for your item, and they will simply walk away. Another pricing problem is lack of research. Before you set your reserve price, you must determine what the item is really worth, and the price similar items have sold for in past eBay auctions.
Poorly written descriptions are another cause of failed auctions that you must consider. Poor grammar and misspelled words drive people away. Failing to post a picture of the item will also keep people from visiting your auction page. Always use good pictures. Make sure that your description is well written. This is essentially your ’sales copy’ and must be taken seriously.
Shipping prices scare people away from auctions if they are too high. Find the lowest shipping prices that you can find, and consider paying for the shipping yourself if it won’t cut into your profits too much. Do not charge handling fees.
Offer great ‘customer service’ for all of your auctions, this is of vital value and always ask your buyers to give you feedback, this will keep your business marching. If the items that you sell are everything that you said they would be, and you offer a great customer service, you can with no doubt expect wonderful feedback from your buyers and this feedback will help a great deal in your future auctions.
If you want to learn more bout Ebay and how to sell and buy like the pros.
You should visit:
http://www.ebay-auction-advice.com
China has become the world’s largest maker of consumer electronics, producing more MP3 Players, Digital Cameras, Video Players, Electronic Gadgets, and other high tech products than any other country.
Have you ever wondered how you could buy direct from the source in China and make your own profits from this economic miracle?
1. Hottest Unseen Consumer Electronics And Gadgets
If you work together direct with suppliers in China you will be ahead of your competition. You will be able to buy many cutting-edge consumer electronics, long before they arrive in the retail stores back home. And you’ll have the chance to check out the newest products before they are even released.
2. Don’t Worry, They Speak English
Many trading companies and wholesalers in China are already experienced in dealing day to day with their foreign customers in English. And if you are lucky, you will be able to find partner companies in China which are wholly run by Europeans or Americans. Many of them will provide just the same quality of service and support as you would expect from anyone back home.
3. Isn’t China On The Other Side Of The World?
You can already see “Made In China” labels everywhere you go. Thanks to international logistics companies like UPS and DHL practically any country in the world can receive consumer electronics straight from China. Wherever your customers are in the world, your next buying opportunity will be in China, especially with the increasing number of Chinese wholesale drop-shippers opening their services internationally.
4. Wholesalers, MOQ, Yadda Yadda
In most manufacturing sectors in China, suppliers require a minimum order quantity (MOQ) for their products before the production process even starts. However, recently it’s become much easier to order smaller quantities of electronics: wholesalers such as Chinavasion.com are the leaders in this field. You want one sample, you got it. You need 20 pieces for your online business? No problem! Online wholesalers are opening the electronics market for small to medium business like never before.
5. Can They Drop-Ship in China?
The traditional trade triangle of wholesaler - retailer - customer has been revolutionized through the Internet. Now at last you can ship direct from China to your customers worldwide without touching the products. (Just in case profiting with Chinese Wholesalers wasn’t a big enough opportunity already.)
6. How Do I Pay Them If They’re In China?
With online wholesalers you can usually choose to pay in many international currencies, and even submit payment “the eBay way” - through Paypal secure online ordering. Paypal offers total protection for buyers, and dealing with their approved online electronics wholesalers will give you extra peace of mind.
7. The Bottom Line
China has been described as the world’s factory. The unbelievably cheap production costs for consumer electronics in China are well known to everybody.
Online wholesalers simply let you put those products straight in your cart, without all the hassle - and middlemen - normally associated with the import trade. With no sales taxes added or hidden charges, the price you pay… well, it will speak for itself.
A strong relationship with an electronics wholesaler in China will let you reap rewards for years to come.
Rose Lee is a member of Chinavasion Wholesale Ltd. To get access to real-time prices for wholesale electronics direct from China, register now for free at China Wholesale Electronics
QUESTION: I’ve been selling used books on Amazon Marketplace for a few months and would like to expand to other sites. What is the best software program that would enable me to list my books on more bookselling Web sites? I’d like to be able to track all my transactions and sales tax.
ANSWER: Back when I started five years ago, the Seller Engine software (www.sellerengine.com) was available for a one-time fee of $150. Now it’s much more expensive, available only as a subscription service, about $40 a month. And it sounds as if you need more capability as far as bookkeeping, etc., which is not handled by Seller Engine.
Personally, the only software I’ve used for handling my Amazon business is Seller Engine and Intuit’s Quicken personal-finance software. I have a business checking account where I can download all my transactions from my bank, and assign them to categories such as books, postage, mailing supplies, etc. This has worked fine for me, but it only allows me to view my total sales.
To figure my sales tax obligation, I use a Microsoft Excel worksheet containing my individual Amazon Payments transactions. I sort the transactions by state in my worksheet, then get a total.
It sounds like you may need more capability. If you need to track sales tax and the amount of each transaction, you may need to integrate Intuit’s Quickbooks small-business accounting software with one of the Amazon inventory-management programs.
Every few weeks it seems another software startup is launching a new service for selling on Amazon Marketplace and the competing bookselling sites. There’s a wide range of capabilities and fees for these products, so you may want to consider what sort of price range is acceptable.
I know some of the Amazon seller software products will let you export all your transaction data, which could then be imported into Quicken/Quickbooks. And many of the newer programs will allow you to list the same inventory on multiple Web sites.
Here are a few of the most popular vendors, try plugging these product names into Google:
Bookrouter, Aman for Marketplace Sellers, BookHound, FillZ, Art of Books, Prager Software, Readerware, SellerMagic, BookSku, and MonSoon.
See a real-time list of the most highly sought after used and collectible books.
Read more free articles on selling used books profitably online: http://www.weberbooks.com/selling/selling.htm
Steve Weber is author of “The Home-Based Bookstore: Start Your Own Business Selling Used Books on Amazon, eBay or Your Own Web Site” (ISBN 0977240606). Got a question for Steve? Send to: steve_weber@yahoo.com
One day, you might decide that you want to end an auction early. Before you do, though, you should consider why you want to do it: cancelling auctions upsets buyers and upsets eBay, and there might be a better to way to get what you want.
I Want to Change my Listing.
If you just want to revise your listing, you don’t always need to end it. For listings that have more than 12 hours left to run and haven’t received any bids, you can revise almost everything. You can remove the Buy it Now price or reserve price, change the duration of the listing, or add listing upgrades.
If the listing already has one or more bids, then you can still add upgrades, or add to the description. You add more pictures too, if you want to. Once the listing gets into its last 12 hours, however, what you can do becomes far more limited, even if it has no bids: you can only really add to the description.
It’s a very bad idea, by the way, to cancel one listing and ask bidders to bid on another listing for the same item instead. The chances are they’ll be annoyed with you, and won’t bother.
The Item is No Longer for Sale.
Perhaps you sold the item to someone else, you lost it or it got broken. Whatever happened, if you no longer have the item to sell, you should remove your listing - in fact, this is just about the only situation when eBay allow you to.
However, you need to make sure you get the listing removed quickly - if you leave it to the last 12 hours, eBay will refuse to let you remove it, whatever has happened. This might seem cruel, but it’s there to stop people from backing out in the last few hours because they want to try again for a better price.
So How Do I End My Listing Early?
You can do it at this page: http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?EndingMyAuction. Just type in the item number and hit ‘Continue’.
Now, be very careful. The option you almost certainly want to choose is ‘Cancel bids and end listing early’, NOT ‘Sell item to high bidder and end listing early’. You’ll be asked to choose a reason why you ended the listing, and then it will end. Your bidders will be emailed to let them know what happened.
Note that ending a listing early because it looked like it wasn’t going to get a good price is against the rules, and eBay could come after you and get upset.
Speaking of breaking the rules, if you’re selling software on eBay, did you know that there are special rules that apply to you? Plenty of sellers have no idea, and are being caught out every day - that’s why our next email will explain the rules clearly for you, just in case you need to know.
Kirsten Hawkins is an Ebay and internet auction enthusiast from Nashville, TN. Visit www.auctionseller411.com/ for more great tips on how to make the most from Ebay and other online auctions.