Once you have more than 5-10 auction listings online, you will need to develop an effective system for keeping track of them all. Simply listing the items and sending a confirmation email to the winners is not enough.

For example, if a customer purchases one of your products and asks whether you received payment yet or not, you need to track down the item number and see if you have received his check. Other customers may want to know when the item was shipped or have other questions pertaining to auctions they won in the past.

If you list less than 5-10 auctions at a time, you can probably keep track of them with the old pen-and paper method, or with a very simple spreadsheet. If you choolse this method, follow these steps for keeping track of the auctions: Read the rest of this entry »

Ok, you have put a lot of thought into your product and completed the introspective phase of getting started. You’re excited about your merchandise and you’re ready to start selling it on eBay auctions.

The next step is to find your niche market; as applies to online auctions, this refers to the category you will list your item(s) in. Considering eBay has over 1000 categories to choose from, this should be a relatively easy process. But there is one important trick you strategy to know.

Before listing your item in any category, follow these simple steps: Read the rest of this entry »

Always answer a customer’s email. Whether the customer is praising your product or complaining, whether he is offering his input or asking a question, he or she deserves an answer.

Particularly on eBay, where feedback really counts! If you fail to answer emails, you may receive such comments as “unresponsive seller” or “ignored my repeated inquiries” in your feedback file.

You will also earn yourself a poor reputation and lose respect in the online trading community. Here are some tips for your business: Read the rest of this entry »

With over 1000 categories and more being added all the time, you can sell virtually anything on eBay. But choosing what to sell can often be overwhelming.

My advice is to look first to your own hobbies and interests, because the most successful sales pitch always comes from the heart. It sounds corny, but it is TRUE. If you don’t believe in what you’re selling, and you aren’t willing to stand behind your product, your online business will certainly fail.

You should never sell a product that you aren’t enthusiastic about, or else you should be able to fake your enthusiasm better than a Hollywood actor. Either way, you must pass on the positive energy about your product to the consumer. This applies not only on eBay but to marketing in general, both online and offline. Read the rest of this entry »