EBay for Dummies (73 page)

Download a fully functional 60-day test drive with no inactive features and no restrictions from
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.

Shooting Star

A super desktop software from Foodogsoftware, Shooting Star works for sellers on multiple eBay sites: the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Download the software to your computer, install it, and you’re set to perform all listing and management procedures without being online. Check out the e-commerce software, which is available for $120.00, at
www.foodogsoftware.com
.

eBay’s Software and Services

When the users call, eBay answers! As eBay grew, the need for additional services and software also grew. eBay answered the need with Turbo Lister software and its PowerSeller program. Read on to see how these services tailored for the eBay user may benefit you.

eBay’s Free Turbo Lister

Turbo Lister is free software that enables you to upload many auctions simultaneously. I use it regularly to set up my listings. After you prepare your auctions offline, the software uploads your auctions to eBay with just the click of a button. You can edit, preview, and (when you’re ready) launch all your auctions at once, or schedule them to launch at different times (which costs you $0.10 for each scheduled auction). Your items can include eBay’s templates, and the items will remain archived on your computer for later use. The software is convenient and simple to use even if you have only a few items at one time — although Turbo Lister will let you launch thousands of listings at a time! The program is free, and you can download it at
pages.ebay.com/turbo_lister
.

Selling Manager and Selling Manager Pro

I have used Selling Manager Pro for my eBay sales for many years, and I find it to be a convenient way to quickly relist singly (or in bulk), track the progress of my sales, send bulk e-mails, leave feedback, and keep track of what has and hasn’t sold.

You also get a nice selection of reports to help you keep track of how your listings are performing. This way you can tell whether your sales are on-target or not. As you can see from Figure 20-1, Selling Manager (or Selling Manager Pro) replaces the All Selling page of My eBay. This thorough data is updated automatically from eBay’s servers and PayPal, so you have up-to-the-minute info.

Selling Manager is free to all sellers but you must request the feature. The Pro version, which adds inventory management and reporting features, is tailored to high-volume sellers, and costs $15.99 a month. Both versions are available at
pages.ebay.com/selling_manager/
.

eBay PowerSellers program

eBay offers an elite club for PowerSellers who fulfill the following requirements:

Be an active eBay member for at least 90 days

Sell a minimum of $1,000 or 100 items per month for 3 consecutive months, or sell a minimum of $12,000 or 1,200 items for the prior 12 months

Have a minimum overall feedback rating of 100

Maintain at least a 98 feedback percentage

Keep your eBay account current

Comply with all eBay policies

Maintain a rating of 4.5 or higher for the past 12 months in all four Detailed Seller Ratings (DSRs)

Run your business by upholding eBay’s community values

No, you don’t need to wear an ugly tie. PowerSellers get a special icon next to their user IDs on the eBay site, thereby giving potential bidders the assurance that they’re dealing with a seller of good repute who stands behind each sale. PowerSellers who meet or exceed eBay’s requirements also get the following benefits:

Bronze level and higher
($1,000 in gross monthly sales or 100 items a month) gets you a PowerSeller logo posted on the site next to your user ID. You also have access to a private PowerSeller discussion board and have 24/7 e-mail tech support with a very fast response time.

Silver level
($3,000 average in monthly gross sales or 300 items a month) gets you the benefits of the Bronze level, plus a toll-free phone number for priority support during business hours.

Gold level
($10,000 average in monthly gross sales or 1,000 items a month) gets you the benefits of the Silver level, plus a dedicated account manager and a dedicated support hot line, 24/7!

Platinum level
($25,000 average month in gross sales or 2,500 items a month) gets you Gold level benefits, plus I’ll bet you get quicker callbacks from your account manager than at the Gold level.

Titanium level
($150,000 average month in gross sales or 15,000 items a month) probably gets you a whole lot of special attention!

Diamond level
($500,000 average month in gross sales). At this level, I don’t think they care how many items you sell, but I’ll bet they will be supernice to you.

There are many more benefits to becoming a PowerSeller. It’s something important to aim for, but start slow and hone your selling skills. You’ll get there soon enough. If you feel that you qualify for eBay’s PowerSellers service (eBay knows who you are!), apply at
pages.ebay.com/services/buyandsell/welcome.html
.

Trading Assistant Program

For experienced eBay sellers who have a feedback rating of 97 percent or more, the Trading Assistant program is the place to be! This is where you can register to sell items for others who don’t have the time or inclination to learn how to sell on eBay.

People with items to sell go to
pages.ebay.com/tahub/
and search for Trading Assistants by zip or area code. After their search, they’re presented with a list of sellers who are ready and willing to sell their goods (that’s you, right?). Take a look at some of the sellers in your area who act as Trading Assistants to get an idea of what you should charge for your services. For full information, go to
ebaytradingassistant.com/
.

Appendix

Finding Stuff to Sell

After you pick clean everything not nailed down in your house, you may want to broaden your horizons. The key to successfully selling items on eBay is to find things people actually want to buy at the right price. (Wow, what an incredible observation.) I know it seems obvious, but having stuff to
sell
isn’t always the same as having things people
want to buy
. Using this concept, you can teach yourself all kinds of effective marketing strategies. Finding the item that may be “the next big thing” takes lots of work, timing, and sometimes a dose of good luck.

As an eBay seller, no doubt you’ll receive tons of spam (unsolicited e-mails) guaranteeing that the sender has the hottest-selling items for you to sell on eBay. Think about this for a second. If you had the hot ticket to riches, wouldn’t you be selling the product on eBay and making the fortune yourself? These people aren’t big-hearted millionaires; they make money by preying on those who think there’s a magic way to make money on eBay. There isn’t. It takes old-fashioned elbow grease and research.

Knowing the Market

Just as successful stockbrokers know about individual companies, they also need to know about the marketplace as a whole. Sure, I know about the top designer purses out there, and so does nearly everyone else. To get a leg up on your competition, you need to know the big picture as well. Here are some questions you should ask yourself as you contemplate making serious buckets of money (well, I hope) by selling items on eBay:

What items are currently hot?
If you see everyone around you rushing to the store to buy a particular item, chances are good that the item will become more valuable as stocks of it diminish. (iPod accessories?) The simple rule of supply and demand says that whoever has something everyone else wants stands to gain major profits. Big-box warehouse stores like Costco usually have a full stock of popular items because their very savvy buyers purchase by the truckload months in advance — how about visiting a warehouse store to find items at discount?

Do I see a growing interest in a specific item that might make it a big seller?
If you’re starting to hear talk about a particular item, or even an era (’80s nostalgia? ’60s aluminum Christmas trees? Who knew?), listen carefully and think of what you already own (or can get your hands on) that can help you catch a piece of the trend’s action.

Should I hold on to this item and wait for its value to increase, or should I sell now?
Knowing when to sell an item that you think people may want is a tricky business. Sometimes, you can catch the trend too early and find out that you could have commanded a better price if only you had waited. Other times, you may invest in a fad that’s already passé and find that no one’s interested anymore. It’s best to test the market with a small quantity of your hoard, dribbling items individually into the market until you’ve made back the money you spent to acquire them. When you have your cash back, the rest will be gravy.

I’m a huge fan of the artist George Rodrigue. When building my collection of his famous “Blue Dog” items years ago, I came across a seller who had liberated some early museum exhibition catalogs from a dumpster. Although the old catalogs had been tossed in the trash, they were boxed and bundled — and in perfect condition. Being a true-blue Rodrigue fan, I thought perhaps these catalogs might make good future eBay items. I asked the seller if he had 30 to sell, he said yes, and he sold them to me for $4 each. I resold them over the next five years for between $15 and $35 each. Spotting the trends and seeing the value in items is what it’s all about.

Is a company discontinuing an item I should stockpile now and sell later?
Pay attention to items that are discontinued, especially toys and novelty items. If you find an item that a manufacturer has a limited supply of, you could make a tidy profit. If the manufacturer ends up reissuing the item, don’t forget that the original run is still the most coveted — and valuable. I once bought a case of last season’s footless pantyhose at a huge discount — I sold them one at a time, at a 400 percent profit, for three years.

Was there a recall, an error, or a legal proceeding associated with my item?
If so, how it affects the value of the item takes a backseat to eBay policy: An error item, okay. But items that have been recalled for safety reasons can’t be sold on eBay (for details, go to
pages.ebay.com/help/policies/recalled.html
). For example, a toy recalled for safety reasons may no longer be appropriate for the kids, but even if it’s rare and collectible, you still can’t sell it on eBay.

But here’s another angle: Consider that shares of (and any paperwork to do with) the now-defunct corporation Enron became highly prized collectibles after the scandal hit.

Some people like to go with their gut feelings about when and what to buy for resale on eBay. By all means, if instinct has worked for you in the past, factor instinct in here, too. If you’ve done some research that looks optimistic but your gut says, “I’m not sure,” listen to it; don’t assume you’re just hearing that lunchtime burger talking. Try testing the waters by purchasing
one
of the prospective items for resale on eBay. If that sale doesn’t work out, you won’t have invested a lot of money, and you can credit your gut with saving you some bucks.

Do You Have a Talent?

If you’re talented in any way, you can sell your services on eBay. Home artisans, chefs, and even stay-at-home psychics are transacting business daily on the site. (Psychics are doing a land-office business)! What a great way to make money on eBay — make your own product!

Personalized and custom items do well on eBay. There’s a demand for personalized invitations, cards, and announcements — and even return address labels (and you thought you had all you needed). Calligraphic work or computer-designed (customized with Fido’s picture, awww) items are in big demand today, but no one seems to have the time to make them. Savvy sellers with talent can fill this market niche.

People go to trendy places (when they have the time) like Soho, the Grove, or the Village to find unique custom jewelry. They also go to eBay.

The world is your oyster on eBay, and the sky is the limit. Use your imagination, and you might be surprised at what your new business will be!

Catching Trends in the Media

Catching trends is all about listening and looking. You can find all kinds of inside information from newspapers, magazines, television, and of course, the Internet. Believe it or not, you can even find out what people are interested in these days by bribing a kid. Keep your eyes and ears open. When people say, “That GEICO gecko is
everywhere
,” instead of nodding your head vacantly, start getting ideas.

In newspapers

Newspapers are bombarded by press releases and inside information from companies the world over. Pay close attention to the various sections of the newspaper. Look for stories on celebrities and upcoming movies and see if any old fads are making a resurgence (you can sell items as “retro chic” — Lava Lamps, anyone?).

Read the stories about trade conventions, like the New York Toy Fair or the Consumer Electronics show. New products are introduced and given the thumbs-up or -down by journalists. This way you can start to think about the direction your area of expertise is heading.

On television

No matter what you think of television, it has an enormous impact on which trends come and go and which ones stick. Why else would advertisers sink billions of dollars into TV commercials? And look at the impact of Oprah’s Book Club. Just one Oprah appearance for an author can turn a book into an overnight bestseller. More and more celebrities (even Homer Simpson) are talking about eBay. The buzz brings people to the site.

Tune in to morning news shows and afternoon talk shows. See what’s being featured in the programs. The producers of these shows are on top of pop culture and move fast to be the first to bring you the next big thing. Take what they feature and think of a marketing angle. If you don’t, you can be sure somebody else will.

Catch up with youth culture . . .

. . . or at least keep good tabs on it. There seems to be no catching up with it, just as there’s no way to say this without sounding over-the-hill: If you remember cranking up The Beatles, James Brown, or The Partridge Family (say what?) until your parents screamed, “Shut that awful noise off,” you may be at that awkward time of life when you hardly see the appeal of what young people are doing or listening to. But if you want tips for hot-selling items, tolerate the awful noise of today’s music (how
did
that happen?) and listen to the kids around you. (Try to watch a little MTV, too.) Children, especially preteens and teens, may be the best trend-spotters on the planet. See what kind of marketing tips you get when you ask a kid questions like these:

What’s cool at the moment?
Or “rad” if you want to sound cool — whoops, that was ’80s-speak, wasn’t it?

What’s totally uncool that was cool two months ago?
Their world moves at warp speed!

What music are you buying?
Kanye West, Kelly Clarkson, Coldplay, and Black-Eyed Peas — yup, all the hot bands with big hits — but maybe
ewww-that’s-so-five-minutes-ago
by the time you read this.

What could I buy you that would make you really happy?
Hint:
If the kid says, “A red BMW Z-3,” or “Liposuction,” look for a younger kid.

Check out eBay

Another important link goes to the
eBay Pulse
. Visit the Pulse page and you can find an up-to-the-minute snapshot of the most-searched-for items in each category. This is usually pretty amusing reading — you’d be surprised how many people are watching eBay listings for get-rich-quick schemes — right along with expensive real estate! You can also reach this page by going directly to
pulse.ebay.com
. There’s a drop-down menu at the top of the page, so you can see the most-searched-for items in the main categories.

Check out magazines

Magazines geared to the 18-to-34 age group (and sometimes to younger teens — they call them
tweens
) can help you stay on top of what’s hot. See what the big companies are pitching to this target audience and whether they’re succeeding. If a celebrity’s suddenly visible in every other headline or magazine, be on the lookout for merchandise relating to that person. (Are we talking hysteria-plus-cash-flow here, or just hysteria?)

The Hunt for eBay Inventory

If you’re not sure what you want to sell for profit on eBay — but you’re a shop-till-you-drop person by nature — you have an edge. Incorporate your advanced shopping techniques into your daily routine. If you find a bargain that interests you, chances are you have a knack for spotting stuff that other shoppers would love to get their hands on.