Antique and Flea Market Information » Ebay

Buying Collectibles On Ebay For Profit

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:21:25 +0000

By Ryan Ginster

eBay is a great source of collectibles. There are so many unique objects that you cannot find anywhere else, making collecting these items one of the most enjoyable things to do on eBay. This articles lists a few tips to help you start buying these collectibles.

1. Find your category

Decide what type of collectibles do you want to be looking at. From Star Wars paraphernalia to antique vases, it is likely that all the items you are looking for are listed in the same category. Adding this category to your favourites on your internet browser allows you to come back and dive straight into purchasing items which you are interested in, rather than sifting through all the other items available.

2. Look for mistakes

Being a collector, you probably know a lot about the item, possibly even more than the seller. This can prove to be a golden opportunity for you. Sometimes, the seller does not even realise that they are in possession of a rare item. Email the seller to ask a few questions to confirm your suspicions. You might just be able to obtain an extremely rare item cheaply, either for resale or for collection.

3. Don’t trust the descriptions

Most sellers call their items ‘rare’. Just because an item is labelled as ‘rare’ on the description doesn’t mean it actually is. Don’t bid on an item unless you’re absolutely sure you know what you are buying.

4. Follow other users

When collecting something, you will notice that you are constantly buying from the same sellers, or bidding against the few same buyers. Add their user pages to your Favourites. Checking back on them often will allow you to search for items that interest you far more efficiently.

5. Be prepared to walk away

There are so many items being listed everyday on eBay that even if you lose a single auction, chances are that it will reappear in no time. If you cannot walk away from an auction, expect to pay a premium. Rather than being caught in a bidding war on an expensive item, go and bid on a lower-priced auction. There is virtually nothing that is so rare that another seller won’t be able to sell.

6. Be aware of shipping

Collecting many small items of low value might result in the postage costing as much as the item itself. You should always be aware of shipping costs as they can slowly add up to significant amounts. A good strategy to use is to always buy a couple of items from the same seller. This can result in them offering a discount on postage. Even if they do not, it is good to build a reputation with a certain buyer as they may offer you discounts on further purchases.

Some auctions go slower than others, perhaps even several days before they receive a new bid. In the next article, I will explain how you can take advantage of these ’slow’ auctions to make a profit, or to grab a bargain.

About the Author: Learn how to successfully sell your stuff for a profit on Ebay at: Free Ebay Articles Find more articles like this at: Free Online Content

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=245885&ca=Business

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

7 Tips For Selling Expensive Collectibles On Ebay

admin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:26:24 +0000

By Sydney Johnston

Recently, a friend asked me to help her brother sell his collection on Lladro glass figurines on eBay. These are expensive glass collectibles and I knew nothing about them – but I don’t have to. The principles for selling expensive collectibles on eBay are the same, regardless of what is being sold.

Obviously, like any eBay auction, the seller must have a powerful listing with great pictures. This is always true regardless of what the merchandise is. Expensive collectibles offer splendid opportunities, but also need special precautions.

1. Price: decide the lowest amount you will accept for each figurine and set that price as a reserve. Then make your opening bid absurdly low – yes, absurdly.

Example: if you will accept $1,000 – make your opening bid $25. There is no risk in this, because you don’t have to sell unless the bidding reaches $1000, but the low price attracts buyers, (assuming there is demand, of course).

Looking at completed eBay auctions allows us to track prices, Again and again we learn that starting the price where the seller hopes it will end is not a wise tactic.

For instance, a seller wants to get $750 for his figurine. An opening bid of $750 won’t attract nearly as many buyers as an opening bid of $25 and – surprisingly – the lower bid almost always gets higher prices. There is some psychology at work with the cheap price. It may not make logical sense, but it’s the reality of life on eBay.

2. Devote space in your auction listing explaining how you will pack your item to ensure safe transit. This is critically important because in the back of every buyer’s mind is the dread of receiving a package that rattles. A collectibles buyer will inevitably be thinking of the hassle she will have to go through – and the possible loss of purchase price – if her item is broken. She needs to know that the seller has carefully considered this issue and has a solution.

3. For the protection of both of you, insist that the buyer pay for appropriate insurance. Don’t allow this to be an option. You definitely do not want the liability of a broken collectible that costs hundreds of dollars. In fact, if a customer objects to paying for insurance, this might possibly be a red flag. A genuine collector is very eager to add to her collection and wants her figurine to be protected.

4. We can safely assume that every Internet buyer has heard stories of fraud on eBay and elsewhere on the Net. Therefore, anything you can do to prove the authenticity of your collectible is well worth your time. Is there a marking on the bottom? Do you have the original box or other container? Does it have a label? Is there a certificate of authenticity or an appraisal by a respected organization? If the answer to any of these is “yes”, then be certain to emphasize your authenticity in your auction. Taking pictures of your proof is especially effective.

5. I don’t suggest offering a guarantee except in the most general way – that is, you, the seller, are telling the truth about the product. Anyone bidding on a collectible is knowledgeable and therefore they know what they’re buying so there should be no reason for a return. If someone expresses dissatisfaction and mails your merchandise back, there is every likelihood of it being broken. You do not want the hassle of trying to collect on broken merchandise or putting yourself into a litigious situation with someone who refuses to believe that the collectible was broken via return shipping.

Also, you don’t want to take a loss on your eBay fees, which might be substantial if the price is high.

6. With a really expensive item, always offer the option of an escrow service – at the buyer’s expense, of course. They may not take want this service, but make certain they have the option. You, of course, know that your merchandise is legitimate, but the buyer isn’t so certain. eBay recommends an escrow service that is available to all members.

7. If you’re willing to ship worldwide, you need to take special steps to protect yourself. In the US we have AVS (Address Verification System) which offers some protection. A very large portion of the fraud suffered by buyers occurs outside the United States and you are justified in protecting yourself. Losing the purchase price on a $5 item isn’t such a big deal – but a $1,000 collectible absolutely does matter.

Your bank can advise you on the time it will take to verify foreign funds. Be certain to let any prospective buyer know in your auction that there will be a delay if they are outside of your country. Do not let your merchandise out of your hands until you are sure!

If you follow these ‘rules’, the chances of selling your expensive collectibles at the highest possible prices will be greatly increased.

About the Author: Learn how to sell on eBay with 16 hours of online instruction taught by a 10 year eBay veteran. Own an eBay business instead of an eBay hobby. http://auction-genius-course.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=16934&ca=Internet

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

eBay Auction

admin — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:56:35 +0000

By Danny Wirken

eBay – the World’s Online Marketplace – is the place to go when you want to buy or sell anything on the Internet. eBay lets its members sell items on the Internet via Auctions, which entails bidding, and through the Fixed Price Format, which means that there is a set price for items on sale. eBay Auction is the more popular selling method between the two.

Selling on eBay

When selling on eBay, whether it is through eBay auction or the fixed price format, a person has to first register to be a member and then create a seller’s account. Credit card details or being ID Verified is needed to create a seller account. The next requirement is a picture of the item to be sold. This is required since most buyers want to see what the item actually looks like before buying anything.

The next thing to do is to get your item listed by clicking on the Sell Your Item button. After clicking on the button, be sure to give all the necessary information such as the item category, the title, item description, and the price, payment method, shipping costs, return policy, and payment methods. For your item to have a greater chance of being viewed by more prospective buyers you can list the item under more than one relevant category. Another effective strategy would be to have a very specific title that would most probably typed by prospective buyers as their search string.

To keep track of all your listings simply go to My eBay since it keeps track of all the items you’ve sold and are currently selling along with all the bids made on them as well as all the items you have bid on and are currently bidding on. My eBay also has a summary page, a favorites page, and your accounts page. As soon as the item is sold eBay will notify both the buyer and seller through email. Make sure that you communicate well with your buyer and notify the buyer that the item is being shipped as soon as you receive the payment.

In case you plan to sell your item through eBay Auction there are three prices you need to set before putting up the item n sale. First is the Starting Price. The Starting Price is simply the price you want the bidding to start. It is also usually the lowest price you feel that you can accept as payment for your item. Next is the Reserve Price. In case your starting price is lower than the amount you are willing to accept as payment you need to set the Reserve Price. Having a reserve price means that if the bidding ends with the highest bid still lower than the reserve price then your item will remain unsold. This price is concealed from buyers.

Last is the Buy It Now Price. The Buy It Now Price is the amount a buyer has to pay to get the item you are selling without having to bid. Both the Reserve Price and Buy It Now Price are optional. The reserve price can be advantageous since it will protect you from having to sell your item at too low a price but can also be disadvantageous since it may discourage buyers from bidding. The Buy It Now Price, on the other hand, is advantageous for buyers who really want to buy the item you are selling since there is no risk that they will be outbid if they automatically buy the item. It is also advantageous for you as the seller since it can hasten the transaction since you don’t have to wait for the bidding period to end. However, it can also be disadvantageous if there is much demand for the item you are selling since having a Buy It Now price will limit the amount bid even if some buyers might actually be willing to bid beyond that set price.

eBay charges the following fees to seller. The Insertion Fee, Additional Option Fees, and Final Value Fee. The Insertion Fee is a non-refundable fee charged for each item listed on eBay Auction. Insertion Fee ranges from $0.30 to $4.80. Additional Option fees are charged if you opt for additional features like the Buy It Now and if you want your item to be a Featured Item. The Final Value fee is charged depending on the closing price your item manages to garner after a successful close at eBay Auction.

Bidding on eBay Auction

To bid on an item in eBay Auction, click on the item you wish to buy to get to the item page. You can then place a bid by simply clicking on the Place Bid Button found on the right side of the picture. In case there is no such button it means that the item can only be bought at the set price and isn’t up for auction. When you place a bid the only price you will see is the starting price since the amount bid by other people will not be visible to you. Enter the maximum amount you will be willing to pay for the item you wish to purchase the click on the Place Bid Button. eBay Auction will automatically compare your bid with others and won’t bid the maximum amount you entered. Instead it will bid only what is needed to outbid the last bid. eBay Auction will do this automatically until it reaches the maximum amount you entered or you win the bid. In case another buyer outbids you eBay Auction will send you a notification so that you can enter a larger amount or at least know that you’ve been outbid.

In case you are bidding on a Reserve Price Auction check whether the current price bid has met the reserve price. If your maximum amount has been reached but the reserve price still hasn’t been met then you know for sure that you need to increase your bid since the item won’t be sold until the reserve price is met.

If you are nervous about bidding on an expensive item keep in mind that eBay has measures to protect both sellers and buyers from fraud. If you are simply nervous since it is your first time try bidding on cheaper items first before going on to more expensive stuff. You can actually find items for less than $1.00 on eBay auction.

About the Author: http://www.theinternetone.net/Categories_Selling_on_eBay_10.html

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=61647&ca=Internet

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

You Won That Ebay Auction! Now What Do You Do?

admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:53:29 +0000

By Kirsten Hawkins

It’s a heady feeling when you win your first eBay auction: a mixture of happiness and perhaps just a little fear. After all, there seems to be so much to do before you can actually get your item. What do you do next?

The simple answer is: you send payment to the seller, as quickly as possible. The quicker you pay, the more your seller will like you, and the sooner your item will arrive. But how you go about it? That all depends on how you plan to pay.

PayPal.

PayPal is one of the most popular options for paying on eBay, to the point where eBay decided to buy the company. It allows instant electronic payment across the Internet. Money goes instantly from your credit or debit card to the seller’s PayPal account, where they can either use it for Internet purchases or transfer it out to their bank.

eBay offer incentives for using PayPal, and almost all sellers now accept it. Its instant nature makes sellers very happy, and means that they can have your item packed and sent and leave you some positive feedback within a few hours of the auction ending. When paying by PayPal, you will be covered by PayPal’s own insurances and guarantees, as well as any that your card might have.

Cheques and Money Orders.

This is payment the old-fashioned way, and will lead to a long wait to your item. You need to post the cheque or money order, then the seller has to take it to the bank and get it cleared, and only then do they send the item. The only reason to use this method is if either you or the seller distrusts electronic payment methods. If you’re willing to go to the trouble with these sellers, though, you might get an item very cheaply, as most buyers just can’t be bothered.

When you pay by cheque or money order, make sure to print the eBay order confirmation page (it will be emailed to you) and put it in the envelope with your payment. Underline or circle key information like your mailing address and the item number. Finally, remember to be patient: keep in contact with the seller, as it really can take a month or two before everything falls into place and your item turns up.

Money Transfers and Bank Deposits.

Some sellers may ask you to pay them using a wire service like Western Union, or simply give you a bank account number and ask you to pay money into it. Unless you really trust the seller, this is generally a bad idea – these methods are hard to trace and you’re unlikely to get any money back if anything goes wrong. Paying in cash, it hardly needs to be said, is an even worse idea.

It’s all a lot to take in, isn’t it? I’m sure by now you’ve got a few questions, which is why the next email will be a little eBay buyer’s FAQ. Let’s hope we can solve any problems you might have.

About the Author: Kirsten Hawkins is an Ebay and internet auction enthusiast from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.auctionseller411.com/ for more great tips on how to make the most from Ebay and other online auctions.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=12326&ca=Internet

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

The Internet Is Responsible For The Resurgence Of Sports Cards And Collectibles

admin — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:37:40 +0000

By Adam McFarland

In recent years there have been discussions among collectors suggesting that the internet may actually be hurting the sports cards and collectibles hobby. They point to decreased card show attendance and the struggles of brick and mortar stores as evidence of the demise of the hobby. I am here to tell you that they are wrong. Not only was collecting not ruined by the internet, it was saved by it. That’s right, the internet saved sports collectibles. There is more money in the hobby now, consumers have more buying options, and it is easier to start a business than ever before. Those things are good for everyone involved.

The ‘Golden Age’ of Collecting

Within the last 15 years we have seen the sports cards and collectibles market fall from grace only to rise again to it’s current form. Most collectors and business owners over the age of 20 will point to the late 1980’s and early 1990’s as the best time to be a collector and the best time to be a dealer. Up until that point the sports card hobby had grown steadily from the 1970’s, when shops started popping up around the country, in to a $1.4 billion a year national pastime in 1992.

Card shows were packed with dealers selling top notch memorabilia, signature prices were still reasonable, no authentication was necessary because counterfeiting was minimal, and card shops were able to thrive with loyal customers who were begging to spend their excess cash in their stores week after week. And I don’t disagree with any of this – those truly were great times to be a collector. But factors out of collectors and dealers control would cause the ‘golden age’ of collecting to come to an end.

All Good Things Come to an End

As the US entered recession in the early 1990’s the hobby crashed. Couple economical problems with a hobby oversaturated with companies trying to capitalize on collectors by overproducing (and thus devaluing) their product, and we were left with a hobby on life support. Americans gravitated towards spending their money on other things and card sales plummeted to $400 million in 1999. Failure was inevitable and neither the collector nor the business owner could do anything about it.

The Rebirth of Collecting Online

Lucky for collectors, this little thing called the internet had grown from an information exchange for research, education, and government use into an economic juggernaut that pulled the country out of recession and into the age of eCommerce. Largely due to the advent of eBay, the hobby went virtual and hasn’t looked back since. In 2003, eBay alone sold $3 billion in cards – more than twice the sales of the entire industry at the peak of the ‘golden age’. In addition to eBay, other auction sites, trading forums, as well as fixed price web sites have sprouted up all over the internet. The amount of money in the hobby now is far greater than it ever has been.

Collecting is BETTER Because of the Internet

Not only did the internet save a dying hobby, it made it better. Consumers now have more choices. According to Beckett.com, 34% of collectors still buy in shops, 33.1 % from online auctions, 24.5% buy from online fixed price dealers, and the remaining through other methods. You can still go to a card shop or show (although their presence has been reduced), but the internet has enabled consumers to find what they are looking for easier and cheaper. The consumer is now able to become more educated in less time. In minutes they can compare prices from stores all across the world. They can join message board discussions and chat rooms with other collectors to exchange both information and memorabilia. The hobby can now reach everyone, not just those with a card shop or show nearby and some free time on a Saturday.

Counterfeiting a by Product of Success, Not the Internet

One potential downside to internet that a naysayer is quick to point out is the increase in counterfeit memorabilia. It has been estimated by the FBI that over half of all autographed memorabilia is forged. While this is bad for the hobby, it is not solely because of the internet, and it is not a problem faced solely by sports collectibles. Most other industries (music, movies, software, etc) that thrive on the internet are also subjected to counterfeiting. It is the nature of the beast. There will always be people looking to make money by cheating the system. As technology increases, it becomes easier and easier to create counterfeit memorabilia, as well as to counterfeit CD’s, DVD’s, and software. The best thing that we can do is educate our consumers and continue to develop measures against counterfeiting. Unfortunately, counterfeiting is a by product of the success the industry has had on the internet. The hobby was not brought to the internet by counterfeiters looking for an easier way to scam collectors, nor did the internet “cause” counterfeiting.

Where Would We be Without the Internet?

Back to those who would rather the internet never happened: where do you think the hobby would be today without the internet? It is illogical to think that it would have been able to boom without it. It likely would have continued to struggle. Instead it has flourished. To think that less information exchange, higher prices, and more difficulty finding items is good for the hobby is ludicrous. It seems that the only ones who are complaining are those who have failed to embrace the change. Those who have taken advantage of the many resources the web has to offer are certainly not complaining. The reality is that it the hobby is far bigger and better today than it ever was in the past.

Business is Good for Businesses Large and Small

From a business owner’s perspective, the market is better today than ever. There is significantly more money in the hobby today than there was in 1992 and it is much easier to start a business. All you really need to do is start posting auctions on eBay and you can grow from there – no store, no employees, not even a table at a show. Anyone can do it. The catch here is that it is drastically different than it was ten or fifteen years ago. And where there is change, there are always those who resist. Many who invested a great deal of time and money starting brick and mortar businesses during the ‘golden years’ only to see them collapse were not quick to embrace the internet. While I certainly feel bad for those who lost their business, I don’t correlate that to the internet being bad for the hobby. I can also point to all of those (myself included) who wouldn’t have even had a chance at entering the industry fifteen years ago, who now have had the possibility to live their passion because of what the internet has brought to the table.

Embrace the ‘New Golden Age’

Factors outside of our control caused the ‘golden age’ to end, but by adopting technology and using it to grow and expand the hobby we have introduced a new golden age – one that is better for both buyer and seller. Change in everything is inevitable. We should be embracing this new golden age of collecting as opposed to wishing it never happened.

About the Author: Adam McFarland owns SportsLizard.com – an online marketplace for buying and selling sports collectibles http://www.sportslizard.com.
Try our new search feature that enables you to search eBay, Amazon, and SportsLizard.com all at once to make sure that you get the best deal on what you are looking for!

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=18244&ca=Sports

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Start an Antiques Business

admin — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:00:42 +0000

By Aidan James

How about another great home business idea? One that is rewarding in more ways than just the profit (and there is lots of profit potential!). An antiques business is full of opportunity to learn, make friends and earn some serious coin. It is also one of those great businesses that can be as little or as large as you want or need it to be.

The skills required are some knowledge of antiques and the antiques trade, the eye for a bargain and maybe some handyman skills if you plan on doing some restoration. Because the market is so broad its often best to specialize in one area of the business. This can also be a smart idea if you are keeping this to very much a work at home business and so have limited space. You can then become expert in your particular field very quickly.

The market sectors range from the obvious to the obscure but no matter how obscure, someone is looking to buy the pieces and someone else is making a mint by serving the sector. This might seem obvious but you would be surprised how many enterprising souls start their antiques business in say furniture or porcelain where there is much less opportunity to break through successfully as sectors like those are very crowded and thus competitive. Best to find yourself a less crowded sector like antique toys and dolls or other specialty.

You can source your goods from house clearances, deceased estate sales, advertisements and notices in local newspapers and boards and of course by word of mouth. Your sales can be by private sale through classifieds, markets or of course auctions including online auctions like ebay. You don’t have to be a dealer of course, there are many interested folk doing very nicely out of restoration for example, so if you don’t fancy the dealing part of the business that might be an avenue for you.

Most who get into antiques actually thrive on the thrill of negotiating a purchase or a sale and are always on the lookout for a bargain either way. You want to buy at as low a price as possible while selling as high as you can to maximize profit. This is where specialization can be particularly handy. A good knowledge of the subject to hand will allow you to spot the bargain. It is even possible to get bargains from long established traders if you know more than them about a particular item.

You can also make good money teaching others about antiques either at community college type classes or on a website, you are not likely to be short of an audience as the interest in antiques seems universal and millions of people are looking online for information on antiques.

Possibly the greatest thing about the business though is the ability to choose just how deeply you want to get into the antique business, a little or a lot, some extra cash or a whole living, its all completely up to you.

About the Author: See more on this lucrative home business idea at An Antique Business at Home or see lots more honest ways to make money at home and get free downloads at Work at Home Ideas

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=284491&ca=Business

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Antiques Concepts, Online And Off

admin — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:55:01 +0000

By Simon Oldmann

Are you a part of the latest antiques craze? Compared to ten years ago, we are constantly bombarded with antique radio shows, antique television show that have become increasingly popular have pitched the idea of dealing with antiques to large international crowds, and the simple fact remains, the antique world is giving love to those who love the antiques… not to the bargain hunters.

Do you feel excited when you see an old toy, dating back 200 years ago and in mint condition, do you feel that owning something like that will give you something special, that the first person to ever hold this in his hands is long gone, but that there is a link between generations and across time because you are now enjoying the same thing?.

I know this feeling, and even though I did sell and still do sell some of my antiques, I hold on to many others, it is no secret that most antique lovers have to sell a few things here and there, but every once in a while something gets to you, sometimes even in a mystical way, its something you know you want to hold on to.

A very popular niche in antiques is old toys, the toys first produced when mass production just started, or even hand crafted toys that date way back. When shopping for antique toys, it can be extremely helpful to have a price guide in hand.

Many unscrupulous sellers are hoping to gain profit due to a buyer’s lack of knowledge. Watching some of the antique shows can help educate you as a buyer. For a few dollars, you can purchase an antique toy pricing guide and have a firm understanding of how to find a bargain. If you happen to have collected many of your childhood toys and are ready to sell them, there can be a great deal of money to be made. Do some research regarding antique toy and their prices and some items may make you a mint!

An extremely popular collection of antique toys includes a wooding rocking horse. Wooden rocking horses are widely available at online antique stores and often cost well over $1,000 if they are in good condition. Some wear is expected, but the rocking horse must work and contain the original pieces.

Surprisingly, antique-toys sought after by collectors typically include marbles. One onionskin marble on EBay is currently priced at $500 and steadily climbing. While marbles may be at the bottom of your antique toys list, they can sell for huge amounts of money.

If antiques is your passion and you want to learn more the internet is a great resource of information, in fact, the antiques market has been growing in a phenomenal rate since the internet started catching on, people can trade and present antiques on Ebay and other auction sites. There is always a place for more people and more items on this market, and you may find out that its not that difficult to start doing things in the antiques market soon enough.

About the Author: Simon Oldmann has been experimenting with intenet auction sites for some years now, he is writing about his experiance in sellign and buying Antiques online, Simon writes articles for ZupaTips.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=56756&ca=Arts+and+Crafts

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Tips For Buying Collectibles On eBay

admin — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:13:20 +0000

By Kirsten Hawkins

Buying collectibles is one of the most enjoyable things to do
on eBay, simply because you can find so many things that you
just can’t get anywhere else. Here are a few tips to help you on
your way.

Find your Category.

You’ll probably find that all the items you’re after are listed
in a single category. Add this category to your browser’s
Favorites, and keep coming back.

Look for Mistakes.

If you collect something, the chances are you know a lot about
it. This can be your opportunity to make a mint from a seller’s
mistake. They might not realise that they have a rare version of
an item, or they might have left off the key information that
makes it valuable. If you’re willing to email the seller and ask
them a few questions about the item to confirm that it is what
you think it is, then you should be able to buy items like
these. You can then resell them at a big profit, if that’s what
you want to do.

Don’t Always Believe Descriptions.

If you find something you haven’t heard of, and the description
calls it ‘rare’, don’t assume that it actually is. Far too many
sellers just put ‘rare’ into all of their descriptions – the
chances are that the item is common and has just been described
wrongly. Don’t bid unless you know what you’re buying.

Stalk Other Users.

When you collect something, you’ll probably notice that there
are four or five sellers who seem to come up with consistently
good items – and the same buyers buying them. Add their user
pages to your Favorites, and check back often to see what
they’ve got – or what they’re bidding on – that you might be
interested in.

Don’t Get Too Attached to an Auction.

There are millions of items being listed every day on eBay –
whatever you want, it’ll come around again, and if you don’t get
it there are plenty more things to buy. This is similar to the
golden rule of negotiating: always be prepared to walk away. If
you can’t walk away, then expect to pay over the odds. There are
few things so rare that another seller won’t have one to sell.
Go and bid in a lower-priced auction, instead of getting into a
bidding war in one that is already expensive.

Beware of the Postage.

If you collect lots of small things with a relatively low
value, you might end up paying as much for postage as you do for
each item. You should take these costs into consideration when
you make your bid. Another good strategy is to always buy a few
things at once from the same buyer, as they will almost always
offer you a discount on the postage.

When you’re bidding, you might notice that some auctions go
more slowly than others, going days at a time without any new
bids. The next email tells you how to take advantage of these
‘slow’ auctions.

About the Author: 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.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: www.isnare.com/?aid=12339&ca=Internet

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

How to Win More eBay Auctions, and Pay Less Everytime

admin — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:15:02 +0000

An eBay auction is a superb place to by products that are not available locally or just not sold in the retail industry anymore. It is also one of the best places to find items related to personal hobbies, collectibles and antiques. Buyers usually go straight to eBay auctions, find their item of choice and then begin the bidding process. The bidders often return again and again to the site, checking their bid and raising it as others come in. More often than not they allow themselves to become caught in a bidding war, which sends the price of the item sky high. What happened? They lost it. They lost the item and they lost control of themseves and THEN they ended up paying more than they wanted – it’s a case of “I’m not going to let him/her (the other bidder) get this item”, rather than wanting the item for it’s own sake. So, how can you make sure you don’t get carried away?

Here are three points to finding the ultimate bidding strategy, so you always purchase the item you want, at the price you choose. It?s so simple, yet very clear:

One: First, find the item that you’re interested in and want to bid on (see? Easy!)

Two: Decide how much you are willing to pay for that item (easy)

Three: Put your bid in with a sniping service or ebay tool (sometimes known as last minute bidding – also easy!)

Ok, lets find number one first. You want to buy something, so go to eBay! It might be a used or new car in eBay Motors, it might be anything, maybe choose one small simple cheap thing in an eBay auction ending in the final 5 minutes so you can practice your sniping skills and begin to feel confident about the process.

Try putting searches into eBay for the item of your choice, but mis-spell it on purpose. Many items on eBay are lost or don’t receive any attention because of a mispelling. This can give you the edge, and get your item at rock bottom prices. The same goes for bad descriptions of items. These can turn a lot of people away from an otherwise valuable item. You wouldn?t want to turn down a lost Picasso just because it was described as “an old painting found in attic” would you?

Secondly, Decide on what your maximum bid is going to be for that item. It’s important to cross reference as much as possible with brand new versions of that item on retail sites, and other similar items on eBay. You’ll get a good general idea of how much the thing’s really worth and how much you’re prepared to pay for it. Look in Completed Items on eBay and use the advanced search to help you get the best info possible before you decide on the final amount to bid.

You should always be aware that shipping and delivery can sometimes push the price of an otherwise cheap looking item sky high. The seller can put whatever he or she wants for packing and delivery. Just be aware of this before you place your bid. Then when you’ve done all your research, place your bid, your final bid and stand by it. That’s the price you want to pay for that item so don’t get caught up in any other ideas of winning over someone else. The relationship is between you and that item, not you and the other bidders!

Thirdly and finally, use a sniping service to place your bid. So what is sniping? It sounds a bit wrong doesn’t it? Don’t worry, it’s all in the service and not the name. The name probably originates as a way of describing “silent bidding” suddenly, like a bullet, the final bid on the item comes out of nowhere and wins. I found when I started bidding on eBay that I’d regularly lose an auction when some bid came in during the final seconds and stole the item off me. This really ground my gears. No matter what I tried, I couldn’t get my bid in last, so after getting mad, I decided to get some research done. I found that I’d been “sniped” of course, so the next step was an obvious one, I had to get real and start sniping! First I found an eBay auction tool, an automated bidding service. These services synchronise automatically with eBay’s clock, making putting a last second bid in, easy and dependable.

You have to simply set up an account with one (taking advantage of the free initial trial often offered) and place a bid, or “snipe” on an item of your choice. You can go away for the weekend, go for a walk, do something else. Your bid will be taken care of for you and when you return and a switch your computer back on and see if you’ve won the auction. A lot of online sniping sites offer multiple bidding on multiple auctions where all other bids are cancelled once you get the item of your choice at the exact right price. Sniping has recieved criticism in the past, but this is all about sour grapes from those who cant be bothered to use sniping services themselves. It’s difficult to understand why these people make a standpoint against a service that is accepted by eBay, used by tens of thousands already, and makes life easier AND wins you more auctions for less.

I hope this simple guide has been useful, I recommend you try a bid snipe yourself the next time you go onto a eBay auction – you may well find that once you’ve understood how it works, and that it DOES work, that it’ll be the method of choice every time you go to buy and bid on eBay.

Happy bidding bidders!

About the Author: Dan is the co-director of BidBurglar.com the leading ebay auction sniping website.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Ebay Strategy #1 — Know How Much Your Auctions Are Really Making

admin — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:18:25 +0000

By Stephanie McIntyre

There are many sellers who are working full time at selling on
eBay. In fact, it is their primary source of income and yet they
have no idea how much they are making, I mean really clearing
from the whole endeavor.

It’s easy to get carried away when you first start listing on
eBay by the sheer volume of work. I remember working well past
midnight running on pure adrenalin and excited by the fact that
there was money coming into my Paypal account daily from the
items I was selling.

But like the great basketball coach John Wooden says, “Never
confuse activity with actual achievement”. Just because you are
moving like a whirling dervish doesn’t mean that you are
necessarily meeting your financial objectives.

So how do you know how much you are really making on eBay? It
is possible to figure it out but you have to start with real
numbers. The traditional profit calculation:

Revenue – Expenses = Profit

can be somewhat helpful but only if you plug in the accurate
numbers. The guy who bought something for $1.00 sold it on eBay
for $5.00 and thinks he make a $4.00 profit is way wrong. He has
actually lost money on the sale.

But to understand how he lost money we need to look at the
right way to calculate your eBay earnings. If you have set
$30,000 a year as your financial objective then you need to
actually clear about $82 per day on eBay.

If you are looking to sell an item that costs you $10.00 and
generally closes at auction for about $20.00 with a 70%
sell-through rate, then you need to list 12 of these actions a
day, everyday, in order to clear your $82.00 per day.

This translates to 70 auctions a week for your item and it
better continue to produce for you. If your weekly auctions go
much over this 70 auctions per week you will surely have to hire
help thereby adding to your expenses and wreaking havoc on your
financials as outlined above.

This scenario is not meant to scare you but to make you aware
of the real dollars and cents of selling on eBay. So what is the
solution to this? To find and sell item that you can sell over
and over again, thereby reducing the amount of labor involved
and being sure that you buy low and sell high.

You have to continually evaluate what your time is worth and
factor that into the items you sell and the time that it takes
to list them. All auctions are not created equally. Some items
are decidedly more difficult and/or labor intensive to list than
others; with clothing being one of the most time-consuming.

Photographing your items for auction is one of the most
labor-intensive tasks you will have to do for your auction. So
having an item that you can just sell over and over again makes
the process of listing and relisting a lot easier. If you are
selling unique, one of a kind items then it becomes important to
factor in additional time for photographing items, in your
calculations of the hourly rate you pay yourself.

Just like in any business, keeping track of the numbers will
let you know if you are on the right financial track with your
eBay business.

About the Author: Stephanie McIntyre became a Platinum eBay
Powerseller (making $10,000 a month or more) after er first 6
months. She now works with business owners offering training in
eBay As An added Revenue Stream, and Advanced eBay Strategies.
www.ebay-selling-basics.com

Source: www.isnare.com

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.