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Ebay Your Way to Extra Income
by Bill Scott
As a staff writer at 'home based business' we regularly answer questions
submitted by our members, one great topic is making money on ebay.
More and more people are joining the eBay phenomenon, selling their items for
profits that can exceed 500 percent of the initial purchase price of the item. A
limited edition $5.99 toy can sell for $50, $60, or even $100.
If you have finally decided to get in on a part of the eBay action, there are
several things you need to consider before signing up and auctioning off items.
Simply diving in can cost you money and bring about frustration that you did not want.
1. Scope out the site. Ebay has a lot of features, selling methods, rules, and
guidelines both sellers and buyers have to follow. Familiarizing yourself with
the site makes it easier for you to navigate and less likely to become confused
by something later on.
Learn where to find help if you need it, contact information, and the different
methods eBay allows for payment and the methods the majority of sellers and
buyers prefer. Now there exists the regular eBay and eBay Express; learn the
differences between the two before deciding which front to sell on.
2. Understand how auctions work. Auctions themselves have a lot to them;
listing, bidding, best offers, buy it now options, shipping fees, return
options, photo options, and a myriad of other things sellers and buyers alike
may or may not deal with.
Because there are occasional scam artists on eBay, both in selling and buying,
learn how to deal with people who do not pay, the time limits eBay has on items
not received, and your overall rights as a seller. There are items you are not
allowed to sell (weapons, livestock, illegal items) so before you list something
you are unsure of, check to make sure you are in the green.
3. Familiarize yourself with the community. Ebay has a large community forum
where other members and even eBay staff can help answer a question you might
have or discuss and issue you may encounter with the site. Ebay is not full of
people just trying to get tons of money for as little as possible. There are
plenty of members out there working legitimate eBay businesses and enjoy helping
out others in their endeavor.
4. Decide what you want to sell. Some people simply roam about their house and
pick off objects they no longer want. A series of books. Cosmetics in unused
condition. Collectables like Beanie Babies or figurines. Other people buy their
items from various places before selling them, for example, specializing in
glass vases and buying them at garage sales.
You may buy the vase for $0.25 and sell it for $30 on eBay. Still other people
specially make objects, selling their talents to those interested. Shadowboxes.
Artwork. Know which method you will use to acquire items to sell, where you will
store them, how much you will want for them, and what your shipping costs might be.
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