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What is an eBay Business?
By:
Alice Seba
An eBay
business is what you make of it. You sell your items auction-style; the
items go to the highest bidder. Want to sell baby clothes? Collectibles?
Toys? Computer equipment? The choice is yours. If you want to sell it,
chances are eBay has the ready-made market to buy it.
*eBay Business Supplies *
1. Computer
2. Internet Connection
3. Digital Camera
4. Products to sell. You can sell used items you find at garage sales, from
your closet, etc. You can sell new items you find at discount prices from
liquidators, dollar stores and clearance sales. If you can find a supplier
who will drop ship, you're even luckier.
*eBay Business Skills*
1. Marketing Skills - You can develop these skills as you learn how to sell
various items on eBay.
2. Organizational Skills - You need to keep good records of your sales and
not just for tax purposes. You need to be able to keep track of which buyers
have paid, which have received their items, etc. Setting up a spreadsheet
with all the pertinent information should help keep this under control.
3. Basic HTML Skills - To make your auctions eye-catching and appealing, you
will want to know some basic HTML skills.
*Get Your Business off the Ground*
Start by choosing a certain type of product to specialize in (ex. toys,
clothes, etc.). That way, you can become an expert in those products and how
to sell them effectively. You may want to expand your product line at a
later date.
Getting started is easy. Create an eBay user ID and you're on your way. Be
sure to read through the eBay selling rules and check out all the tips eBay
offers along the way.
Put up only a few items to start and don't saturate your auctions with too
many of the exact same item. The objective is to sell your item at the
highest price. If you are selling 5 identical items, it may be harder for
you to get a high price. Experiment with various selling methods and find
out what works your particular items.
*Online Marketing Ideas*
Promote your business with your own personal web page. This can be a web
page just to promote your eBay business, or it can be an online store that
links to your auctions. It gives you a more established presence on the
Internet and gives your customers a better sense of who you are.
Join some newsgroups and visit message boards for other home based business
people or people who are interested in your product line. Be helpful and
participate in discussions. If it's allowed, be sure to include a link to
your auction with a brief description in your signature line.
Build a mailing list. Send out an informative newsletter on a regular basis
to your subscribers. Just be sure to promote your auctions in the newsletter
too.
*Other Online Auctions*
Don't limit yourself to eBay. EBay is only one of the many online auction
houses available, but it is, by far the largest. However, eBay's fees can
get expensive. It may be cost effective to also sell your items on other
auction sites and you may face less selling competition. Just remember, you
may also have fewer buyers for your products and may have a lower selling
price. You will need to evaluate which is the most efficient way to sell
your items.
Be sure to check out the auctions at
Yahoo.com.
Also, there are a number of "mom" online auctions houses, most of which do
not charge any fees. Here are just a few:
*For a More Comprehensive Look at the eBay Business*
Check out Marsha Collier's Starting an eBay Business for Dummies. This
step-by-step guide covers everything from eBay rules, setting up an eBay
store, where to buy goods to sell, writing your auctions, creating
attractive-looking auctions (how to take photos, html templates), record
keeping and eBay success stories. For more information on Marsha's book,
visit
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764515470/internetbas09-20
Make Your Net Auction Sell is a highly informative ebook that takes at look
at online auctions in general, not just eBay. The ebook includes: standing
out by selling unique items, choosing the best sites for your goods,
promoting your business, how to network with other auction pros, selling
goods in volume, selling high priced items without having to buy them. Find
out more at
http://www.sitesell.com/websuccess2054.html. You can download this book
right away and get started.
**********************************
Alice Seba is the editor of
http://www.internetbasedmoms.com. Fire up your online business with
business ideas, web page building advice & marketing tips. Subscribe to the
newsletter by sending a blank email to
subscribenewsletter@internetbasedmoms.com.
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