Fact: The need to buy and sell items is made easy because of online auction sites like eBay. While these sites serve this purpose, they are also a means of achieving traffic. Especially those who are continuously putting up their products in these sites.
eBay is among the top ten most-trafficked sites on the Internet. A position that could not be held very long by a site that was not doing its job extremely well.
Part of the reason eBay works so well is its feedback system. All eBay users have a “feedback” page where buyers and sellers can leave positive, neutral, or negative feedback about each transaction.
You can check the feedback rating for any of your buyers (or another seller) by clicking the “Search” tab on the eBay homepage, then clicking “Find members.” You'll be able to see their feedback rating, and read all the comments others have made about their transactions with that member.
Keep in mind that the feedback system works both ways: If you have a positive rating, you can increase your sales by as much as 7% - 9%. So if you are going to sell on eBay you will want to start building your own feedback rating quickly.
Learning the ropes and establishing your reputation.
Since your feedback for buying and selling all contributes to one rating, you can start to establish a positive rating even before you start to sell.
The easiest way to build your eBay reputation is to participate in the auction experience as a buyer. Pick an inexpensive item and see how easy it is to find. Take a look at the techniques sellers use to get you to look at their listings. Then start bidding.
Once the auction is over, take note of the checkout process, and how the seller completes the transaction. Keep track of how long your item takes to arrive, and how it's packaged.
Then analyze your experience. What techniques should you incorporate into your own listings? What should you be sure to avoid?
Afterwards, leave the seller positive feedback, and ask that they do the same for you. Repeat this process a few more times and you'll have learned a ton about online auctions -- and you'll have a great feedback rating when you start to sell!
Finding your eBay market
Listing an item with eBay gives you access to a huge crowd. Unlike most web surfers, who tend to be in search of information, eBay users are actually looking for something to buy.
With three million items listed in 3,000 categories, you will need to do a little research to figure out exactly where your potential customers will be looking for your product and how you can help them find it.
The best way to decide where to list your product and what keywords to use is to search for similar products, determine which ones sell best, and see what they are doing. Check how easily your product can be found using the site's search tools before you settle on a category.
Next, you will need to create a title for your listing. Make sure your title is specific: Instead of "necklace,” say "Beautiful hand-crafted silver necklace with amber pendant," so everything is as clear as possible for your viewers. Being extra clear will help you show up on more searches, too.
No matter what you are selling, eBay can seriously impact your bottom line. There is nowhere else on earth where you will find 37 million people brought together for the sole purpose of buying and selling.
Remember: As soon as someone arrives at eBay, they are ready to buy. Because the bidding process creates so much excitement, it can result in great profit margins on all kinds of stuff.
No matter what you are selling, auction sites like eBay is a business like no other.
You need to educate yourself and test the waters before diving in if you plan to be successful. Have a plan of action on how best you can drive the “auctioneers” to your site.
Honest people do make millions through online auctions so it is not unreasonable to think you can profit too. Just proceed with caution and work these auction sites to your advantage.
