How To Drive Customers Away

ADD CHARGES FOR HANDLING AND PACKING MATERIALS

You want the advantage eBay offers of a million possible buyers, otherwise you could just have a garage sale at home. And, you want to look like an antique store without paying for rent, employees, insurance, etc. What you want is to have the best of both worlds. But, a professional can't have it both ways. If you are selling more than three items a year on eBay, you are a professional.

Has an antique store ever charged you extra to wrap the fragile antique in lots of tissue paper? Did they ever tell you it would be 50¢ extra if you want a bag? Or charge for the bag by a percentage of the item price? There are expenses in a business, and your way of dealing with expenses should be to deduct them at tax time.

Some sellers use a professional shipper to pack all their items. This probably does assure that the item will be packed safely. But that is not why the seller is using the subcontractor. When you see a seller with tons of feedback, peek in and see how many auctions they are running at one time. Maybe 50? Maybe 100? Even more? How could any seller 1) keep track of all those (computer software) and 2) have the time to wrap up all of those items? He doesn't, he pays extra for someone else to pack up each item. Well, no - you pay extra so he has the ability to run hundreds of auctions at one time. This extra expense benefits him, makes his life easier, allows him to make tons more money, BUT does not cut into his profit margin at all. It is just one more "gift" to you - if you choose to accept it.

This is one of the best off Ebay, for some dishes: "Due to the enormous amount of packing and shipping, shipping and handling is $200.00! I have not decided how to ship yet. I'm thinking UPS just because of their handling policies." First, the seller doesn't even know the cost of postage because he hasn't decided on which company to use. Second, here's an important piece of advice: If you don't want to ever pay for bubblewrap and foam peanuts, sell clothing! You will also find ways to possibly get all of your packing materials for free.

Ebay is full of "gifts" of extra charges right now. Many of the newer sellers have seen the example of these over-charging sellers and have followed suit. The handling fee is $1.00 for unbreakables, $2.00 to $5.00 on breakables (depending on size), and some are charging $5.00 for a "good strong box." That's not all. Someone told them that $.55 is a small price to pay for delivery confirmation. Well, it is a small price for the buyer to pay for the seller's peace of mind. The buyer uses trust to send a seller money, certainly the seller can trust the buyer not to say that the item never arrived when it really did. That is all that delivery confirmation is for - telling the seller the date and time that a package was delivered. Tracking is not included. Just one more charge that is unnecessary and is passed to the buyer.

You might get away with extra charges occasionally if the customer doesn't read the small print, or if the customer does read the small print but really wants the item. The sellers who want to get rid of as many customers as possible put in their listings that the bidder agrees to pay shipping, insurance and handling without a warning of how much the handling charge would be. There is not always time to ask the question and get the reply before making a decision to bid or not.

BE SURE TO INCLUDE A HUGE LIST OF ALL THE THINGS YOU WON'T STAND FOR

Man, there is nothing like reading about all the bad deals the seller has had and what they simply won't put up with anymore to make you want to rush to put a bid on his item! It is almost funny that the sellers with some of the longest lists of do's and don'ts for their bidders are brand new to Ebay. Hmm. Maybe they read the woes of so many other sellers that they thought this would nip all the problems in the bud. If you don't mention cheating, fraud, paying slowly, bad checks, etc., the bidders might not ever think of such things. If you treat your bidders with dignity, fairness and trust, that is what you will usually receive from them. Besides, you certainly don't want bidders thinking that the reason you've had so many problems just might be you.

SNEAK IN EXTRA CHARGES

If you see an item listed for much less than it is worth with no reserve, it sometimes pays to ask a seller early in the auction just what postage would be for their item. You can't just assume even postage rates will always be the same. If the item sells for much less than the seller expected, that 1-pound package may just cost you $3.95 or even $5.20 instead of $3.50. It has happened. After all (they think), they need to make up the difference somewhere, and you probably won't ever weigh the package to even know what they did. This is also when you may see the handling fee go from 50¢ to $2!

HOW TO AVOID EXTRA EXPENSES AND FEES

As a seller, you have a few ways to deal with expenses like eBay fees. One is to add their fees to the opening bid. At least the actual price is then out in the open. Another is to just keep track of all expenses so you can deduct them at tax time.

The best way to avoid having to worry about any extra expenses is to simply buy smarter. If you think a platter will sell for $15, spend no more than $5 in the first place. That means that you need to shop around for good deals, buy in quantity for lower prices on your end, and keep informed so you know the current values before you buy. You do deserve to make a profit - first for all your time, and second for making such a wonderful item available in the first place. If you want even more profit, sell only what you already own.

Most sellers don't even worry about charging for bubblewrap and tissue paper because they get more than enough free when they receive packages from others. (Which, of course, they found for a "steal" on eBay by following the advice right here at this site!)

Sellers can avoid even more fees by selecting more carefully the services they use. Lots of photo sites don't charge for you to store your pictures, and pictures there can be used with auctions. Some of the other sites that offer free picture storage will not let you use your pictures in auctions (like Yahoo). Still other services charge per picture, which can really get expensive with auctions. And, some picture hosting sites will cost you dearly in sales if you use them because the pictures never load so do your homework.

Some sellers currently admit in their listings that they will only use one photo per auction now because eBay raised their photo rates. If the item is not worth an extra 15¢, why even sell items like that? Or, just add 15¢ to the opening bid. Many items simply require more than one photo to show their condition or quality. You need to treat your buyers fairly, and most items sell for much more when more than one photo is used.

Speak up when you get hit with extra charges that either were not listed or are higher than expected. You can usually get unnecessary charges removed or high charges reduced. If more buyers spoke up, these practices would stop. Sellers would be out of business totally without buyers, and they should truly see their customers as being valuable. That's what gets repeat buyers. When you find a seller with items you like and no extra fees, be sure to click on "View seller's other items ." In fact, bookmark his seller's list so you can check back often.


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The Best Ways To Not Overpay For Items on eBay

We know you'd pay just about any price to add that special item to your collection, but don't let anyone else know that!

Here are some tips on how to not overpay for items on

• Don't jump right in and bid a huge amount as soon as the item is listed.
  This lets others know that the item is worth something and makes them want it more.
  
  
• Keep your excitement in check and don't even bid on the item until the very end.
  
  
• If you are terrible at remembering auctions, you can bid in the beginning - but make the minimum bid only. (This way you'll be reminded with ebay's daily auction notices, or you can always do a search of what you bid on recently - even if you've been outbid.)
  This makes other bidders think you only would have bought it if you got a great price.
  Then leave the bidding alone until the very end! Nothing raises bids faster than competition.
  
  
• Snipe - see our sniping section to find out how. Basically, bid at the very last minute and bid the very most you could stand.
  
  
• Research the kind of items you collect or regularly buy.
  Can you find it just as cheap at the corner store?
  If there are usually six of these on any given day, wait for the one with the lowest price.
  
  
• Look around before you bid. You may find the exact same thing for half the price. 

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Ebay Scams - 14 things you MUST know

Ebay Scams - 14 things you MUST know

1. Know the product.  This is pretty simple in many cases, as some brand names and items are well-known, readily available and difficult to counterfeit.  But as the economy becomes more global, more and more unscrupulous businesses market knock-offs.  It is a safe bet that most of those will show up here at eBay.  Do your research.  There is hardly a product in the world that does not have at least one web site on the topic.  Learn from those who care about the product, not just from those who are selling.  Many specialty items - antiques, jewelry and other collectibles come to mind - have clubs who offer quality advice.  Another pool of potentially good sources are other eBay guides.  If it is an expensive item, check your local library.  Make no assumptions about authenticity.  Educate yourself.  

2.  Do not follow e-mail addresses that are included in the text section of postings.  If the seller claims that is the only way to contact them, abandon ship and go no further.  Send all the questions you have ONLY via the Ebay mail link (Ask Seller A Question).  When you do send a message, ask about payment methods and shipping and such, not just about the item itself.  If you don't like the options the seller gives for payment method, tell him what you would be willing to do.  If he is real, he may try to accomodate you because he has the item and he wants to sell it.

3.  Short duration sales may be suspicious.  There are a few good reasons to sell quickly (such as a high-demand commodity item where there are many sellers and many items), but it may also be setting the stage for a hit-and-run seller.  Scammers want to quickly hook their marks and then disappear into the ether; they do not want their postings to languish for for all to see.  It is not a deal-breaker, but should be considered along with other potential red flags.

4.  American laws do not apply anywhere but in America.  The bad guys know that.  So use great care, if you must proceed at all.  Especially do not deal with anyone who is "temporarily" out of the country. 

5.  If the sale is supposedly in the United States, make sure the bid amount is in American dollars.  Non-American currency values are printed in italics on Ebay, so they are easy to spot.  It doesn't make much sense for a guy in Texas to convert your bid to Euros, does it? 

6.  What is the return policy, and how much do they charge for shipping?  Don't be impressed by money-back guarentees and dirt-cheap shipping.  If it is a scam, they aren't going to give your money back and they aren't going to ship anything.

7.  Look at the seller's feedback.  Carefully!  Don't just look at an impressively large number and call it good.  There is a ton of useful information here if you take the time to really investegate. If it is a stolen account, they are somebody else's points anyway.  But you can learn a lot:

A.  Has he bought or sold anything recently, and what was it?  Accounts that have no recent activity are much more likely to be stolen accounts. 

B.  Is this auction consistent with items bought and sold in the past?  If a buyer of $5 trinkets is suddenly selling a $4000 drum set, take note.  It may be valid, but it is suspicious.

C.  Is the item location the same for this sale as for his last sales?  Does the location actually exist, or is it some fictional locale?

D.  Are his accepted payment methods the same as his last sales?  If he accepted PayPal before, why is he insisting on a wire transfer or cashier's check now?

E.  The seller's positive feedback points for purchased items are not very useful to you as a buyer, so don't over-value them.  

8.  What else is the seller posting for sale at the time?  Follow the link for Seller's Other Items.  If they have a large number of unrelated big-ticket items currently for sale (musical instruments, computers, cameras, bicycles...) that is very suspicious.

9.  Look at the photos.  Are they just stock pictures from the company web site or are they apparently authentic photos of the item?  Scammers can get pictures of anything from the web, including from other Ebay auctions.  If you have seen the exact same photo in other auctions, be suspicious.  Also, look at the backgrounds in the photos.  Does it look like they just took their digital camera into a store and started clicking away? 

10.  Talk to the seller!  How?  Place as low a bid as possible on the item.  Bidding gives you the right to view the seller's contact information.  Go to this link, and paste in the seller's name and the item number.  Ebay will e-mail his contact information to you.

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQtZvbQQsofindtypeZ9

If the phone number does not work, that is a major red flag.  Use a phone number web-site or directory assistance to verify that the person's name, location and phone number make sense.  Don't be afraid to ask very specific questions about the product and sale.  If you have tried to contact the seller but cannot (and do give him time to respond), that is a valid reason to cancel your bid.  While I am not a big fan of bid cancelling, I will not send my money to anyone who won't answer my phone calls or reply to my emails.

11.  Is the item in the correct category?  Another device scammers with use to hide their skulduggery is to post items in obscure places.  Instead of searching the entire Ebay universe for your item,  specify your category. 

12. Payment method is a very big deal.  C.O.D. is great if they will go with it.  Escrow.com is good (though a little pricy), and the only escrow Ebay recommends.  Some criminals set up bogus sites that sound and look like Escrow.com, but do not be fooled. DO NOT use any other escrow site.  PayPal is good too, up to a point, but the sale does not qualify for their $2000 protection unless it specifies that on the posting.  In that case, the best you can hope for is the $200 coverage extended by Ebay (minus a $25 service fee). 

The whole official PayPal safety spiel is here:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/paypal-protection.html?ssPageName:BPM:PPPBP

If you use PayPal, use your credit card rather than your own bank account.  PayPal may try to persuade you to draw money directly from your bank account.  Don't do it.  Many credit card issuers will refund money stolen from you.  It is not fail-safe, but it is another layer of protection.  Never use Western Union for these transactions.  Western Union's own web site will tell you that.  Wire transfers and any kind of check is a one-way ticket to fraud.

13.  Some second-chance offers are scam attempts, so be careful.  If there is a hot-link on the page, take a look at the URL it points to when you roll your cursor over it. (The URL is usually displayed at the bottom of your web browser)  There are fake Ebay and PayPal sites that attempt to steal your login information.  If the URL does not start with "https:" it is not a secure site.  Do NOT log in there! 

14.  Finally, do not wait until the last hour of the sale to get interested in it.  If it is something you want, there is some homework for you to do.  Give yourself the time to evaluate things and give the seller time to respond to your questions.  Do not burn bridges, but do not allow yourself to be burned.

If you think a listing is bogus and want to report it to eBay, this link will get you where you need to go:

http://pages.ebay.com/securitycenter/reportproblem.html

Finally, you are doing business with total strangers here, and don't forget it.  Most people are decent and honest, but some aren't, and they can really mess up your day.  

Why it's a BAD Idea to Promote Hot Selling Products on eBay

Do a quick search on Google, Yahoo, or your favorite auction resource site, and you'll quickly discover there are several software programs targeted to vendors who want to promote hot selling products on eBay.

The infatuation with hot selling products exists because sellers believe if you target items that have a robust sales pattern, you'll have a better chance at profiting on eBay. This is both true and false.

Yes... hot selling products can improve your bottom line. But unfortunately by the time the average eBay seller (a) realizes what the hot selling products are, (b) purchases stock to sell on eBay, and (c) actually puts the items up for sale, the demand is already being met by other eBay sellers who probably started the hot selling product trend some time ago.

Not only that, with thousands of people also having access to the same hot selling product lists, you'll have to contend with other eBay vendors who have the exact same ideas that you do. So you'll be up against the original sellers who are currently feeding the demand, AND doing the tango with newer sellers who have jumped on the same hot selling product bandwagon that you did.

Okay maybe this won't happen to you.

But suppose it does.

What if competition becomes so great that prices start dipping below the wholesale cost that you paid for the item? (It happens all the time on eBay.) And what if you lose $100, $200, or even $1,000 on inventory that you thought would be flying off the shelf? Suddenly that hot selling item is looking rather cold sitting in your garage collecting dust.

So if not hot selling products on eBay, then what?

Do what the majority of PowerSellers do. Sell what you want, instead of what's hot. Repeat after me, "Every day ordinary items sell extremely well on eBay... Every day ordinary items sell extremely well on eBay... Every day ordinary items sell extremely well on eBay." Allow this to become your mantra, because it is very much true.

I know this from first-hand experience as I analyze top sellers instead of hot products. And my research has continuously shown me that mediocre products don't necessarily translate into mediocre sales.

For instance, there's a seller right now who clears about $1,000-$2,000 a week selling magnets. And that's AFTER eBay and PayPal fee's. Another seller promotes homemade CD's to a specific audience and clears $900-$2,000 a week. A few sellers make $500-$700+ a week - after expenses - promoting public domain information. And the cool thing about public domain information is that anybody can sell it because it's free. So that's pure profit by selling something they never paid for. Talk about the ultimate arbitrage opportunity!

The ultimate key in succeeding no matter what product you end up selling, is to build a successful strategy. To figure out 'how' to profitably market what you have, instead of chasing after the next great thing. Because once you have the strategy part down, you can sell anything on eBay and make it a hot seller to your bank account.