Four Huge Mistakes Ebay Sellers Make (Even Some Moderately Successful Ones)

No matter how many times I see it happening, I'm
constantly amazed at the number of people who are
literally throwing money away by making incredibly
simple mistakes when they sell items in an online
auction.

Over the last seven years, I've been making a great
living buying and selling products on eBay and other
online auction sites, and I've perfected a technique
that pretty much guarantees anyone can start making a
profit right away. That technique starts with avoiding
mistakes like these -- mistakes I've seen people make
every day for those same seven years.

If you're doing any of these four things, you're
leaving money on the table with every single item you
sell.

* Listing an item at the wrong time. It's a proven fact
more buyers browse Internet auction sites on Sunday
evenings than any other time during the week. If your
auction is scheduled to end at any other time than
Sunday evenings (specifically between 9 p.m. and 11
p.m. Eastern time), you're not getting the maximum
exposure for your auction at a time when people are
most eager to buy.

* Not giving your photos the attention they deserve.
There are two common mistakes people make with the
photos they use to entice buyers on eBay. One is not
having enough pictures to accompany your item's
description. Over the years, I've learned pictures of
your item are one of the most important components of
your sales page. (There are many reasons for this, but
I don't have the space to go into much detail here.)
Multiple pictures from various angles will ALWAYS help
you get higher bids for your products. The second
mistake is not making sure the pictures are up and
running on whatever server you're using BEFORE you list
your item. How many times have you been browsing an
auction site and seen a blank box where a picture of
the item should have been? That's a seller who's losing
money because of a very simple, and very common,
oversight.

* Using "Las Vegas style" listings. I'm sure you know
what I'm talking about here. A Las Vegas listing is one
that uses all kinds of flashing animation, multicolored
text and other bells and whistles in an attempt to
entice bidders. In fact, it does just the opposite.
Listings like these are distracting, hard to read, and
will always discourage people from bidding, resulting
in a lower final sales price. The descriptions that you
give of your item on your sales page ARE NOT designed
to get a buyer's attention (you already have that if
they've clicked on your listing in the first place).
They should be designed to get someone to actually
place a bid.

* Using a reserve. Using a reserve to guarantee that
you'll get a minimum price for an item will absolutely
kill your auction. Trust me, I've seen it happen too
many times to not accept this as a given. In fact, I
often use other seller's auctions that have a reserve
as a way to pick up items at ridiculously low prices
that I can sell "the right way" for a huge profit a few
days later -- but that's a different article
altogether. For now, just realize that nothing scares
away potential bidders better than seeing the "Reserve
Not Yet Met" tag. If you're truly concerned about a
minimum price, simply set your starting price a little
higher.

John Reese has been actively involved with online
auctions and eBay since 1996. Mr. Reese has written
several articles on the subject and has recently
created the "Internet Auction Secrets" Video for
teaching others how to start, run, and manage a
successful online auction business from home.

His 2-Hour Step-By-Step Video comes with access to
a "Student's Only" web site where his students can
keep up with the latest tips, tricks, and techniques.
You can learn about how *you* can become one of his
students at: http://www.auctionsecrets.com

NOTE to Editors: Feel free to join our affiliate program
and substitute your own affiliate link for our URL in bio box.
Go to http://www.auctionsecrets.com/affiliatepr ogram.html

NOTE2: You may run this article provided you run it with the bio
box intact. Please email a copy of your publication with article
in it to the author's publicist at ArticleDeptBill@rtir.com

---

Ebay Auction Selling Secrets - Using Ebay to Launch Your Very Own Highly Successful Website

Launching your very own successful website is the dream of... Read More

Taking Paypal on eBay

Accepting Paypal as a payment method might increase your selling... Read More

Doing It eBay: An eBay Business Means Fun and Profits in a Global Marketplace

In 1995, when Pierre Omidyar introduced an online business venue... Read More

Selling Effectively on Ebay Motors

Remember back when selling online was a new experience? Dealers... Read More

Start Your Own Business: Sell Things on eBay

The popularity of online auction site eBay has been legendary.... Read More

To eBay or NOT to eBay

FACT: eBay's Gross Merchandise Sales (GMS) 2003 - GMS, the... Read More

eBay The Mega Marketplace For Everyone

eBay is one of the world's largest market places with... Read More

5 Secrets for Increasing Auction Profits

1. Include your ebay seller name, store, and website information... Read More

eBay: Dont Believe All the Hype

Three billion dollars (that's billion with a "B") in revenues,... Read More

EBay Income Possibilities

If you've ever read an article about eBay, you will... Read More

How To Profit Using eBays Saved Search Feature

Did you know that eBay will help you locate products... Read More

Bananas - Your Source of eBay Packing Materials!

This is the most boring stage of the process and... Read More

The Effects of eBay on American Merchandising

With one brilliantly simple idea, eBay was born just a... Read More

Drop Shipping Increases Profits

You would like to increase your income by selling other... Read More

Your Junk is Another Persons Gold

Saving money can be quite hard to do if you... Read More

Online Auctions: The New Way of Shopping for Mauritians

Since their introduction several years ago, online auctions, such as... Read More

How To Convert eBay Surfers into Bidders!

Do you know the phrase "A Call To Action"? Well,... Read More

Why 95% of All eBay Sellers Fail

eBay is now the 8th most visited site on the... Read More

Taxing Your eBay Profits

As a small business person-slash-advice columnist I dread the first... Read More

From Ebay Zero to Power-Selling Hero: The Devil Is In The Details

If you've ever heard the expression "the devil is in... Read More

Dropshipping on eBay, Does It Work?

eBay offers any business owner a new global market to... Read More

Mail Order: The Original Internet Still Going Strong

While the world continues to go catatonic over the Internet... Read More

Is Your Trash Cash? 5 Easy Places to Sell Your Stuff

The old adage that says "one person's trash is another... Read More

From Ebay Zero to Power-Selling Hero: Using Feedback Effectively

When I talk about feedback to new Ebay sellers, I... Read More

Instructions on How to Put Picture on Ebay

Like many folks, you have heard of online auctions. Heck,... Read More

Get More for Your Money Shopping for Designer Shoes on eBay

The worlds online market place.In just a few short years... Read More

The Powerful eBay Bidding Strategy That Claims A 99% Success Rate

Don't you just love it?You've found that special item on... Read More

The Drop Shipping Business

You have suddenly found the perfect business and you are... Read More

eBay and Dropshipping - A Perfect Fit!

eBay and Dropshipping go together like a hand in a... Read More

How To Sell Internationally On eBay Without Risk

Many people just getting started on eBay have reservations when... Read More

A Picture Paints a Thousand Words and Creates Auction Euphoria on eBay

Ever since I sold my first item on ebay I... Read More

How To Make Money Online : Sell On eBay

Selling on eBay can be very profitable, and is a... Read More

Garage Sales, Flea Markets, and Special Events... Oh My!

The activity chart is an ingenious way to find, in... Read More