Online Auctions: Watch Your Ezine Subscription grow Exponentially

مشاهدة الفيديو

Online Auctions are often called the

“Entrepreneurs Dream’, because it is the easiest and the cheapest way to make money. And who doesn’t want to make money and grow rich? The online auction giant eBay has more than a million hits a year. And these are targeted customers. Unlike the regular auctions, in online auctions the customers are already there and they will come to you provide you go about it the right way. So how do you build your ezine subscription list with online auctions? Here are a few hints-

1. Decide who your targeted customers for your ezine are. For example if you are selling herbal health products, then customers who are interested in computers wont be looking at your site.

2. Choose the correct category for your products. To get an idea how to do this you can visit one the online auction sites. For example if you are selling leather belts, you can list it under apparel and accessories. Again, you have to list if it is for men or women. 

3. Then you have to offer your item to the customers. To do this successfully you have to describe your product in a very positive and seductive way? How do you do this? List out the different colors of leather belts available, different sizes of belts. Offering a guarantee is also a sure way to make people know that you are genuine. You can also use positive feed back for previous customers who have bought the product from you.

4. A picture speaks a thousand words. So make sure you have good photographs of the product, so that customers can have n idea of the product that they are going to get.

5. Make sure that your product is listed with a very attractive headline. As the space for headlines is small in online auctions you have to express a lot with very few words.

6. Work in references and links throughout your sales copy to your ezine. Mention your ezine many times throughout your online auction site. Put your listing on some of the biggest online auction sites on the Internet. Some of the big online auction sites charge for a listing but it is free on smaller online auction sites.

Online shopping – A revolution

Online shopping has become much popular day by day and whether this revolution shall continue or increase or is just some sort of short fashion trend.

A few years back people were unaware of the facts that online shopping has numerous advantages such as huge discounts as compared to local outlets. It also saves your time and the hectic schedule of searching your right product. You can find similar discounts and I’m sure you will catch the online shopping bug. 

Since many men hate shopping and want that their wives should do this for them online shopping is very convenient for men. You can easily purchase any item online right from eatables, clothes to anything else you want to have for yourself or your home. During holiday season or festive occasions you can even find great deals for yourself. You can get online coupons for dining out with your family or tickets for watching movie in grand cinema halls or a budget stay in luxurious spa or retreat for yourself. 

Online shopping has just started and many companies also started providing this service and that their website is more impressive and easy to use for the consumer. People more often women will love to go for shopping but for certain goods especially larger and expensive items they can buy it online. 

A recent research has also shown that most households in the UK access internet with the aim of online shopping. Seriously, online shopping has made life a lot easier and less stressful through online shopping and it is advisable for everyone. You can also avail rebates or special gifts for certain purchases and even free shipping of items on may products when you shop online. 

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Selling on eBay - Don't L@@K

L@@K !!!  

Let’s face it, 'L@@K' is really not a good beginning to an article, and it’s definitely not good to include in the Title for your eBay listing.  

Why, you ask?  Isn’t L@@K a good eye catcher?  Won’t people scrolling through the categories on eBay notice it and click through to the description, bid on your item and make you gobs of money?  Well, perhaps, and perhaps people have learned to tune out the little gimmick.  The reality is, a great number of people find items on eBay using the search function, and I don’t know of many people who search for “L@@K”.  (Okay, in researching this article I searched for L@@K and I found 135,726 listings on eBay that recently included L@@K in their titles!)

eBay only allows you 55 characters in your title to bring people to your auction, so you have to use those characters wisely.  You have to include words in your title that people are typing into the search box.  Words like “WOW,” “rare,” “beautiful,” “cool,” or “unusual” are a big waste of eBay real estate.

What makes a good title?  Well, that, of course, depends on the item you have up for auction.  You have to anticipate what people will type into the search box.  Many people make the mistake of thinking it’s redundant to include the category name (such as “men’s shirt”) because they placed their item in the “men’s shirt” category and they figure it’s obvious.  However, since a majority of people search through the search box, if they were looking for a “Men’s large Hawaiian shirt” that’s probably what they’d type in the search box.  It doesn’t matter if you placed your item in “men’s shirts – casual” or “Collectibles – Cultures – Ethnicities – Hawaiiana.,”  If your title shouts “WOW – Cool Vintage Kahala Shirt – L@@K” and the person typed in “Men’s large Hawaiian shirt,” the both of you will never make contact and you will lose a potential sale.

Make sure you also anticipate different words for the same item.  I used to sell Lu-Ray dinnerware from the 1940s.  Well, there are three different ways that people search for Lu-Ray:  Lu-Ray, Luray and Lu Ray. I had to include both Lu-Ray (Lu Ray and Lu-Ray are considered the same) and Luray if I wanted to bring the greatest number of people to my auctions.  The same with “cowboy boots.”  To some people they’re “cowboy boots” and to some they’re “western boots.”  

If there’s a popular misspelling you might see if you can squeeze that in your title as well.  For example, a Jack Lalanne Juicer to many people is a Jack Lalane Juicer.  

It’s always good to check out similar items as yours to see what others have put in their titles.  See if there’s a difference between very successful auctions and those that didn’t sell.  Many times it boils down to the title.  Great titles bring the most people to their auctions.  Flashy titles which waste precious characters are seen by no one – as in “Don’t L@@K now, but you have no bids.”

When Payment Matters

When everything's settled after the seller has posted

 a product in eBay, there's only one thing that needs to be accomplished: payment mode. 

When selling something, the most important thing a seller must consider is how he or she shall be paid. This is a very risky decision since a lot of fraudulent activities in eBay involve payment. 

PAYPAL 

This is the most common way of paying a seller on eBay. 

PayPal is an online business that facilitates the transaction of transferring a monetary amount between a merchant account and an online buyer. Because it is electronic, it is basically a paperless transaction. 

It was in October 2002 when PayPal was purchased by eBay. Before, PayPal was just a choice of most eBay users, whether it's a buyer or a seller. The other choices that time involves eBay's subordinate, BillPoint. 

However, due to a relative percentage of PayPal, being the most widely used mode of payment by almost fifty percent of eBay buyers and sellers, eBay had eventually phased out BillPoint and concentrate more on PayPal. 

Right now, there is another company that is in the same line of business like PayPal. This competitor is known as BidPay. There had been reports that a number of eBay buyers and sellers resort to this kind of payment scheme. 

ESCROW 

For high-priced items, eBay recommends that the method of payment should be with an eBay approved escrow service like the one that can be found at www.escrow.com 

Buyers and sellers should take note that there are fake escrow companies lurking in eBay. Hence, it's important to detect if the escrow company that the buyer and the seller deals with is approved by eBay. 

EBay recommends that sellers, as well as buyers, should only contact eBay approved escrow companies like escrow.com for Canada, U'.S., and U.K. eBay users; escrowaustralia.com.au for eBay users in Australia; escrow-europia.com for eBay users in Spain and Italy; ebay.iloxx.de for German eBay users; and tripledeal.com for eBay users in France, Netherlands, and Belgium. 

EBay strongly warns its buyers and sellers not to do transaction concerning wire transfers like the Western Union. This is a very unsafe mode of payment because it does not guarantee the concerned person that the process will be smooth. 

So, it's best for every seller and buyer on eBay to opt for the mentioned payment methods so as to be sure of an honest and reliable business transaction. Besides, eBay will protect the sellers and buyers if the transactions were made under these approved eBay mode of payment.

Tips For Managing Multiple Ebay Auctions.

It can be very time-consuming to keep your auctions

 ticking along, especially if you have hundreds listed at a time. Don’t despair, though: there are a few things you can do to take the weight off you.

Use My eBay.

If you want a broad overview of where you are with your auctions, make sure you pay a visit to My eBay occasionally instead of just relying on emails. With my eBay, you can see all your auctions in a big table, and sort by things like the number of bids and the current price. If you want to see which of your auctions currently has no bids, then you can do that.

One of the most useful things about My eBay, though, is the ‘Summary’ view. If you’re not sure what you should be doing next, then this acts effectively as an eBay to-do list: anything you need to be doing will end up here.

Use Selling Manager.

If you’re willing to pay the fee of $4.99 per month, you can sign up for Selling Manager, which is a more effective version of the My eBay ‘Selling’ view. It lets you customise your view more effectively to see the information that’s important to you, see useful snapshots of how things are going, make automated responses to your buyers using email templates, and more.

Selling Manager Pro gives you more features: it keeps track of inventory for you, and lets you relist items in bulk. It will even produce a monthly profit and loss report to help you keep track of the big picture. Unfortunately, it costs $15.99 per month.

Use a Listing Tool.

Even though they’re called listing tools, much of the software out there lets you manage what you’re doing long after it’s been listed, with all the features of Selling Manager and sometimes a few more besides. This programs also often have the advantage of being programs instead of websites, meaning they’re faster to respond and can do more sophisticated analysis.

Remember the ‘Relist’ Button.

After your auctions end each time, there’s an easy way to put the exact same thing back again: the ‘Relist’ button. You can Relist items quickly and easily this way, as long as you don’t want to change in the listing.

Pay Someone!

Here’s something you might not have considered: if you’re listing so many expensive items that even automated selling tools take too long to use, then have you considered paying someone to help out, as an employee? After all, you wouldn’t try to staff a shop full-time on your own, would you? If you already run a business, you could even give the responsibility to someone who works for you there. Freeing up your own time to do something else might pay off for you in the long run.

When you’re managing so many auctions, sooner or later you might need to cancel one of them early. The next email will let you know when and how you can do it.

Tips And Tricks For Using eBay Search.

If you know what you’re doing, you can quickly find what you’re looking for on eBay. Here are a few golden rules.

Be specific: If you’re searching for the first edition of the original Harry Potter book, you’ll get further searching for ‘harry potter rowling philosopher’s stone first edition’ than you will searching for ‘harry potter’. You’ll get fewer results, but the ones you do get will be far more relevant.

Spell wrongly: It’s a sad fact that many of the sellers on eBay just can’t spell. Whatever you’re looking for, try thinking of a few common misspellings – the chances are that fewer people will find these items, and so they will be cheaper.

Get a thesaurus: You should try to search for all the different words that someone might use to describe your item, for example searching for both ‘TV’ and ‘television’, or for ‘phone’, ‘mobile’ and ‘cellphone’. Where you can, though, leave off the type of item altogether and search by things like brand and model.

Use the categories: Whenever you search, you’ll notice a list of categories at the side of your search results. If you just searched for the name of a CD because you want to buy that CD, you should click the ‘CDs’ category to just look at results in that category. Why bother looking through a load of results that you don’t care about?

Don’t be afraid to browse: Once you’ve found the category that items you like seem to be in, why not click ‘Browse’ and take a look through the whole category? You might be surprised by what you find.

Few people realise just how powerful eBay’s search engine is – a few symbols here and there and it’ll work wonders for you.

Wildcard searches: You can put an asterisk (*) into a search phrase when you want to say ‘anything can go here’. For example, if you wanted to search for a 1950s car, you could search for ‘car 195*’. 195* will show results from any year in the 1950s.

In this order: If you put words in quotes ("") then the only results shown will be ones that have all of the words between the quote marks. For example, searching for “Lord of the Rings” won’t give you any results that say, for example “Lord Robert Rings”.

Exclude words: Put a minus, and then put any words in brackets that you don’t want to appear in your search results. For example: “Pulp Fiction” –(poster,photo) will find items related to Pulp Fiction but not posters or photos.

Either/or: If you want to search for lots of words at once, just put them in brackets: the TV example from earlier could become ‘(TV,television)’, which would find items with either word.

So once you’ve found your bargain item, bid for it and won it, what if it all goes wrong? Don’t worry – eBay has a thorough dispute resolution procedure, and we’ll cover it in some depth in the next article, so you’ll be prepared if the worst happens.

Tips For Selling On Ebay

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.

Why E-bay Is A Seller's Bliss

Today, more and more people are gradually

opting for eBay as an alternative market site for their items. And the more people try on selling their products on eBay, the more they conclude that eBay is the best market site to sell products online. 

So, for people who want to know why eBay had fast become one of the best website for selling items, here are some reasons online shoppers need to know: 

1. It is not just a marketing website, it acts like a "virtual" garage sale as well. 

Usually, a marketing website caters to people who need to sell their products. But most of these marketing websites only allows people who are really into business and that the products they offer should be of high quality. 

However, eBay does it differently. It acts like a virtual garage sale, in which, a seller can still sell items that are already old. And so, ordinary people who wanted to make profit out of some old item that still has value or those who want to simply get rid of it, eBay is the only site that can provide such service. 

2. E-Bay builds the seller's character. 

There are features on eBay that serves as ways for sellers to build integrity at the same time establish rapport. 

The "seller's feedback" section and the "ask a seller question" tab create a solid foundation based on trust among the eBay members. In this way, the buyer gets the feeling of security while doing transactions with the seller. Just the same, the seller's reputation is solidly established. 

3. It offers a low investment. 

For those who really want to make a business out of selling on eBay, they are guaranteed of a low investment capital. Actually, there is no capital that has to be paid. It's the selling fees that only need to be accomplished by the seller. If compared to charges of other marketing websites, eBay's selling fees are relatively lower. 

4. The selling process on eBay is a lot simpler. 

E-Bay does not require sellers' additional requirements like trade name, domain name, or any other pertinent documents being asked by other marketing websites. The only thing eBay requires a seller to do before posting an item is to create an account, after which, he or she can already start the posting the items to be sold. 

5. It has an "autoresponder" system. 

This means that the seller do not have to stay online most of the times just to get hold of any response from the buyers. E-Bay eliminates the hard-selling type of sale.

Understanding Ebay's VeRO Program.

‘VeRO’? What on Earth is that? Well, it’s a very scary eBay program that can get your auctions shut down, that’s what it is.

VeRO stands for ‘Verified Rights Owner’. It is the eBay policy that deals with complaints about your auctions from companies who own copyrights, patents or trademarks on the items you are selling. Unfortunately, it is often abused to remove items from eBay that are perfectly legitimate to resell, simply because the copyright owner doesn’t want people getting their hands on them.

If the copyright of something you’re selling is owned by one of eBay’s 5,000 verified rights owners, be prepared for trouble. eBay have given these companies the right to remove any auction from eBay that they see fit, and, say eBay, “eBay cannot require the rights owner to provide you with the exact reason of the request to remove your listing”. Worse, eBay may even suspend your account, or give your real-world contact details to the company in question.

Why Do eBay Do This?

Basically, they do it to avoid getting sued, or even getting threatened with being sued. There is a law called the DMCA (digital millennium copyright act) that means that eBay must either take these auctions down when it asked to or take full responsibility for them from that point on. eBay doesn’t want to take any responsibility for your auctions.

It’s not worth worrying too much about it – 99% of the VeRO program is aimed at stopping fake brand-name goods or pirated media being sold through eBay. Big companies also seem to get quite upset when eBay sellers take the company’s ad copy, logos or professional pictures and use them for selling on eBay. 

If you’d like to take a slightly patronising quiz about copyright to help you understand eBay’s policy, go here: http://pages.ebay.com/help/tutorial/verotutorial/intro2.html. 

So Who Are These Companies?

There’s a complete list available here: http://pages.ebay.com/help/community/vero-aboutme.html. This list includes everything from the Microsoft and Adobe to Chanel and Nike, not to mention the RIAA (recording industry association) and MPAA (motion picture association). Most of the companies, understandably, deal in software, media or fashion.

eBay Say I Violated VeRO and I Want to Appeal.

Use the link at the bottom of this page: http://pages.ebay.com/help/confidence/vero-removed-listing.html. That’ll get you to eBay’s VeRO Seller Appeal Form, where you can put your case to them directly. You are supposed to take it up with the company that complained about you first, however – and sometimes you might find that they just back down, which makes the whole thing a lot easier.

If you have no luck getting any response from eBay by email, it’s not really worth trying to phone them – you’ll find they’re most responsive if you use the ‘Live Chat’ feature or write them an actual, real-paper letter. You’re best off being nice to eBay: they have absolutely no obligation, after all, to ever let you sell anything at all.

On a happier note, have you ever heard of eBay Anything Points? No? Well, you’re not alone. The next email will explain what these little-used points can do for you.

Using The Ebay Anything Points Program.

eBay Anything points are a loyalty scheme, just like you might get in a shop. The buyer earns points on their purchases, which they can then redeem for money off when they pay for items through PayPal. 

Buyers can also earn eBay Anything points when they use the eBay credit card, or exchange their frequent flyer miles for eBay Anything points. People think it’s really great to take frequent flyer miles they’re never going to use and get stuff on eBay for them.

How to Offer Points to Your Buyers.

Go to http://anythingpoints.ebay.com/offer.html and click ‘Log In to Offer Manager’. Enter an item’s number to offer Anything points on that item.

How Does it Work?

You choose how many points per dollar you want to offer to your buyers when they pay you with PayPal. Each point costs you 1c, and is worth 1c to the buyer – eBay don’t take anything out along the way.

For example, if you sell an item worth $500, and you offer 2 points per dollar, then the seller will receive 1000 eBay Anything points – the equivalent of $10. You only pay for the points when the buyer actually receives them, and you can offer points on as many or as few listings as you like.

Each listing you add will get a big banner below the description, saying “X Anything Points per dollar of the final price for buyers who pay with PayPal”. Buyers can click it for more information on the scheme.

Why Would You Want To?

Really, most sellers who offer points are doing it to get around a condition of their contract with their supplier. Many sellers only get access to goods at wholesale prices provided they don’t list them for sale below the manufacturer’s MAP, or minimum advertised price. The points allow them to offer the items at the MAP and then give their buyer money back in the form of points. It’s a bit like a virtual rebate.

The eBay Anything points scheme is good for you and for eBay, as it encourages buyers to use PayPal instead of more cumbersome payment methods. eBay are keen to promote PayPal, and obviously thought this would be a good way of doing it – not to mention that it keeps buyers coming back, to spend their points. You will also get to be listed on the ‘Earn Points from eBay Sellers’ page, which is here: http://anythingpoints.ebay.com/earn.html.

Here’s another advantage for you: if you buy things from sellers who offer Anything points, you can then use those points to pay your own seller fees. Another seller gets to pay your fees for you! All you need to do is go to My eBay, then Account Management, click the Pay button, and then choose the option to use your Anything points to pay.

If you’re going to offer points, then you want your auction to end for as much as you can possibly get – let the buyer pay for their own points! All you’ll need is our next email, all about strategies for when to start and end your auction.

The Secret of Timeshare Auctions

Timeshare auctions are tempting.  

You see great timeshare properties at great prices on various Internet Auction sites.  You want a timeshare, but you’re nervous about bidding.  You have heard “Internet Auction Horror Stories” and want to avoid a bad experience.  But there’s good news.

Timesharevalues.com not only sells timeshares, but it also purchases many through the Internet.  We at Timesharevalues.com buy properties, office supplies, and personal items through Internet auctions.  We have seven tried-and-true tips for Internet auction success:

1. Start a Dialogue with the Seller as Early as Possible

You want to know if you can work with the seller.  Does the seller respond quickly?  Does the seller give complete information?  Remember, some people don't communicate well in written form.  Just because they have some typos and poor grammar, don’t rule them out.  Responsiveness, tone, and information are key.

There is also nothing wrong with a phone call.  Savvy bidders call us all the time.

2. Make Sure you Have all the information about the property you are interested in.

You should know:

    * The name and location of the property. 

    * How many bedrooms and bathrooms does the unit have?

    * What exchange company(s) does the resort trade with?  When is “first use” for the winning bidder? (“First use” is the earliest time the winning bidder can use the property.)

    * What is the annual maintenance fee?  Is it paid, and does the seller want to be reimbursed if first usage is this year?

    * What are the sizes of the beds in the unit?

    * Are there any special assessments this year? Are any expected next year?

3. Set Your Budget - and Keep to It

Do some research and see what similar properties sold for recently. Determine how these properties are selling on the resale market.  A good place to find this information is  http://www.timeshares.com, the leading portal for the timeshare property industry.

Find a reliable auction site and register. Check our marketplace section for recommendations: http://www.timesharevalues.com/Marketplace/auctions.htm.   Find a property you’re interested in, then enter your bid based on your budget amount.  Remember, the auction sites will increment your bid automatically.  If there is little competition, you probably won't reach the upper limit of your bid.  In popular auctions, you may be outbid, and most sites will notify you via email.

In the auction world, there is no better feeling than winning at a bargain price.  On the other hand, there is no worse feeling than winning at a price higher than you wanted to pay. 

We have found that properties auctions go in cycles.  Every time we sell property in Hawaii, for example, we are contacted by Hawaii owners looking to sell.  Once a new property goes up for auction, other owners at that resort get bold and try to sell theirs. 

The moral:  There will always be other properties; it pays to be patient. 

4. Determine Payment and Owner Transfer Methods Before the Auction Ends

The range of payment services has grown dramatically.  Email your seller before the auction ends to understand the choices you have. If the seller is vague or does not offer you a choice, you should be careful.

You want to know if the seller is just preparing a Quit Claim deed or a Full Warranty deed.  The seller may not know the difference, especially if he or she is the owner. 

A Quit Claim deed means the property is transferred to you “as is”.  Anything owed is your responsibility.  A Full Warranty deed states the property is free and clear upon transfer, and the previous owner will pay any fees, liens or encumbrances that are discovered later.

If the seller is an owner, he or she may not have a good idea about how to close the property.  Feel free to email us for closing options you can use in your timeshare purchase or share with the seller.   

5. Check Out the Seller's Transaction History

All major auction sites provide a rating system for both buyer and seller.  For example, on Ebay the rating is the number in parentheses next to the seller’s name.  If you click on the number you will get a history of that seller’s transactions and feedback from Ebay members who have bought from that seller.  TimeshareValues.com’s feedback is a little under 350 emails.  We have more than 370 positive comments, but comments from the same person are only counted once.)

You are looking for a seller who has consistently generated positive feedback. In the case of Ebay, we have had two negative experiences and (number) positive experiences in almost three years of selling goods on Ebay.  In both instances, the buyers were uninformed and tried to get out of a purchase they should not have made. Getting negative feedback is sometimes out of the seller's control, but a consistent pattern should be a warning flag. 

6. Determine Your Objectives BEFORE you Bid

Ask yourself:

    * Is this your first timeshare or are you adding to your portfolio of property?

    * Will this be a property you actually intend to visit, or do you plan to trade the property after you buy it?

A first unit - we call them "landmark properties" - should be in a location that you plan to visit three times every four years.  You would tend to bid higher for this property, and you may be concerned about the annual maintenance.  The location and unit size and amenities are important to you.

A trader property - one you want for its trading value - may have a variety of features.  You can be more flexible, and you can control your bidding a little more.  You are looking for value in both the purchase price and maintenance fees. 

7. How to Win When You Lose

Imagine you were just outbid on your dream timeshare in Kauai by $10.  You were ready to bid and the auction ended.  It happens all the time.  Last minute bidders “snipe” your position, leaving you more than a little frustrated.  But there is hope.

Your first step should be an email to the seller right after the auction closes.  Tell the seller very clearly you would like to purchase the property in the event the winning bidder does not complete the sale. 

Sometimes the seller has multiple timeshare weeks at the same property, and can sell you another block of time immediately.

Winning s sometimes get cold feet, especially those who didn’t use seven tricks in this article.  Sellers have no desire to keep offering the same property at auction. Solve their problem and get a timeshare!

Make sure you get agreement on a property’s price when you contact the seller.  If the property is popular (more than 20 bids) you might want to use the winning bid amount.  If the property has fewer bids, you can use your last bid amount.  Most negotiation books tell you to never throw out the first price, but we believe this situation is an exception.  You are a backup buyer, so you have to make the seller feel confident in contacting you.

It is not considered “good form” to offer more than the winning bid.  We had a second place bidder do this recently.  It defeats the purpose of an auction, and if they have more than one piece of property, you would have overpaid!  Remind the seller he saves money and time dealing with you as a backup buyer. 

Summary

We admit it. We are biased when it comes to timeshares.  They’re great ways to travel.A comment we heard a few years ago from a veteran timeshare owner rings true today:

“Since I bought a timeshare I consider roughing it a hotel room stay.”

So do we.  A well-maintained timeshare will spoil you very quickly.

Auctions are the best way to purchase a timeshare property They let the buyer focus on the best property for their needs and at a price they control.

Our seven tips should help you bid with confidence, and have fun at the same time. Good luck!

What Makes E-bay Stand Out For Buyers?

E-Bay is certainly a hit to the market especially for the buyers. The concept of online shopping or bidding for that matter do not appeal too much for buyers but the emergence of E-Bay made a difference to that. Both buyers and sellers are flocking in the site in order to conduct their business there. What is the real reason why E-Bay became a hit for buyers? 

Well, one of the reasons for the success is the concept that E-Bay had. Auctioning is a good way to bargain the products but at the same time still have a profitable business. The concept also of people from all over the world makes it more fun. Most buyers are also looking for a sweet deal in the internet because they originally have the original price in their hands. A good yet quality bargain for customers is important because they are looking for their money’s worth. Aside from that, E-Bay serves as an online mall or “internet shopping haven” for buyers that do not want to be bothered when it comes to hopping from shops to shops. E-Bay offers a variety of choices for their buyers which make it fun. The choices and alternatives that E-Bay offers attract customers who are always on the look out for something new and fresh. On the other hand, the transactions held in E-Bay are safer and secure if compared to other portals. In E-Bay, they guarantee the safety as well as the quality of products once a buyer has purchased it. 

When it comes to the design and lay-out, E-Bay keeps it simple and hassle-free which really is a priority for buyers that are not particularly technology sassy. The simple design that graces the computer screen is one of the reasons why people go to E-Bay and purchase what they want online. As others would say it, simplicity is the key and it is indeed a key to the success of E-Bay. Another factor which makes E-Bay click is the communication ability of the site. Both buyers and sellers have the chance to communicate openly with each other. Both parties could exchange views and opinions which could help both parties as well as E-Bay. 

E-Bay is viewed by buyers as a refreshing change against the tight grip of big companies towards buyers. In E-Bay there is freedom and choice in every transaction made.

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

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.

Top 10 Reasons Why EBay Auctions Fail

Is your ebay auction not attracting any bidders? Do you find it difficult to sell your items with so many competitors. Then you need to take a look at the list below of the top 10 reasons why auctions fail.

1. High Starting Price

Many ebay buyers are looking for a good deal on ebay. If you fixed your price too high, you are probably scaring them away. They will not even look at your auction. Try to lower your starting bid each time the auction fails.

2. Ebay Buyers Can't Find You

With millions of listings on ebay with thousands added each day, buyers may not be able to find your auction listing. That is why your auction title is so important since most buyers only uses basic search function. 

3. No Picture

Humans beings are visual animals. We tend to be attracted by images. So it is important to insert an image for every auction you list. Buyers like to see what it is they are bidding on even if they already know the product well.

4. Reserve Price

Putting a reserve price sometimes scares potential buyers away. Try not to have a reserve price if possible.

5. Bad Presentation

The presentation of your auction needs to be professional. Get a free auction templates from ebay or on the internet. Make it easy to read your auction by choosing a light colored background and 12 size black font. 

6. Bad Spelling and Grammar

Run a spelling checker before you list your auction. A bad spelling or grammer auction makes you look bad and doesn't inspire the buyers' confidence in you.

7. High Shipping Cost

Do not overcharge your shipping costs. Most buyers will be able to know if you overcharge pretty easily by using the shipping calculator provided by ebay. A small handling charge is reasonable.

8. Low Feedback

Are you just starting out selling on ebay? If so, it may be quite difficult to sell your auction. My advice is to get your feedback rating up to at least 20. You can buy some cheap items to increase your feedback. It will be easier for you to sell then.

9. No Payment Options

Paypal is far the most acceptable form of payment on ebay. If you do not have it, go and get it. There are also other payment processor such as 2checkout, nochex but they are not integrated into ebay like paypal. Your customers may not know how to pay through those.

10. Don't respond To Questions

There will be times when buyers have questions regarding your auction. You should try to respond as soon as possible or within 24 hours. Take too long and your buyers will run off to buy your competitor's product.

There you have it. This is my list of top 10 reasons why auctions fail to get any bidders. Of course there are other reasons as well which I will highlight on my website but if you can eliminate the points I mentioned in your auction, then you should be able to get bidders.