eBay 4 U

Anyone still there ???

2007-05-11T18:04:00.000+01:00

I'm still alive ..and just about to start selling again ..if you want to know what I have been up to these past 12 months then check out my other blog ..shared4u ..see the link on the right ..

If any of my old ebay friends are stll about then drop me a line in the comments ...

Taking a break

2006-07-19T14:20:00.000+01:00

Hi folks ...no I havn't died ...still doing my stuff ( see shared4u link) ..I have just had to prioritise my time a little more carefully ...I still do need a second income and eBay is the best place for that ...so I will be back ..Hope you are all well

Rob

eBay psychology

2006-05-24T09:45:00.000+01:00

If you have an hour to kill, are interested in the psychology of buying and selling on eBay and you enjoy economic analysis then this article is for you .

Its a paper written by a student at Stanford University entitled

" Do consumers know their willingness to pay ?" ...it makes interesting reading ..if you can find the time to read it that is !

Ever felt like this

2006-05-20T16:36:00.000+01:00

The task sometimes seems a little too big ...but always remember David soon sorted out Goliath

still alive ...Its a bit too fast at the moment

2006-05-20T16:18:00.000+01:00

Just in case you have been missing my ebay blog ...I am still around although my free time is non-existent . My main role in life apart from being a husband and a Father to three daughters is training for the pastorate in a church in Wem England ..This has consummed all my time over the last few weeks coupled with a number of essays requiring to be completed for my theological studies ...you can get a flavour for all this over on my other blog ..click here ..

Anyway ..the diary eases a little in June ...so I expect to resume my ebay career then ..

Hope you are all well ..especially Mark , Andrea and Linda

Rob

10 tips for writing better advertisements

2006-05-03T14:50:00.000+01:00

I picked up a few useful tips from this website today

Writing good copy for your adds is essential to selling success . these tips will help you do just that ..

"The appearance of your eBay ad text can actually increase or decrease your sales. The size, font, style and color of your text can easily affect your reader's buying decision. Below are ten points to consider when typing text in your ad.

1. Easy To Read- You want to make it easy for your visitors to read your text. You don't want to use a light colored text like yellow on a white background and you don't want to use dark blue text on a black background.

2. Create A Mood- You want to use the color of your text to create a mood for the reader. If you want to create excitement, use some red text. If you want to create greed, use a some green text. Use colors that would put you in a mood to buy your product.

3. Grab Their Attention- You can grab your readers attention by using headlines. Make the headline more noticeable by using a different colored headline than your ad copy. This offsets the headline and pulls the reader into the rest of your ad copy.

4. Highlight Keywords- You can emphasize phrases and keywords that are important to your readers. For instance, use super, deluxe, fast, low price, free, new, etc. You could use bolding, underlining, italics, color changing, etc.

5. Sizing It Up- You don't want to use text that is too small or to large. You want to use larger text for your headlines and subheadings. You want to use smaller text for your ad copy. If your grandparents can't read it, it's too small.

6. Don't Use All CAPS!- You don't want to use all capital letters in your ad copy. It looks unprofessional and is hard to read. You may want to use all CAPS in your headlines to offset it.

7. Font Properly- You want to use a text font that relates to the product or services your selling. You don't want to use a comic type font when your selling business books.

8. Spacing Out- It's important to use spaces properly when typing your text. You should indent and bullet key benefits your product or service will give the reader. Your headlines, subheadings, sentences and paragraphs should be consistently spaced throughout your web site.

9. I Need Sunglasses- Don't use all bright text colors and backgrounds on your web site. It will make your text hard to read and actually bother your readers' eyes to the point they just decide to leave your site.

10. Check The Readability- It's important to check your spelling and grammar before you upload your web page. When writing an ad copy you're allowed to break some of those grammar rules to get your point across."

eBay slump .... motivation

2006-05-03T07:45:00.000+01:00

I love the poem "IF" by Rudyard kipling . I go back to it every now and then when I need to spur myself on , in times when motivation for the task is waining .

I have in the last couple of weeks suffered from a bad case of de-motivation . Primarily because of other family and work commitments but nevertherless I am sure I could have found half an hour here and there to post and to list ...

So I need to pick myself up and dust myself off and start again ....Or as the old Japanese proverb goes , "fall down 7 times stand up 8 ".

April turned out to be a pretty good month on the bay with a profit of @£120 ...the only problem for me was that it consummed too much of my time ...particularly in my listings ..I will have to speed up a little . maybe I'll invest in some software to help .

Anyway today ...despite a million and one other priorities I am determined to get some listings back on ...

Sorry for my lack of postings..

2006-04-26T18:53:00.000+01:00

I haven't been sleeping ..Honest

For those of you who are regular readers of this blog you will have noticed that I haven't been posting as regularly as I had .. I do apologize ..

I have had very little spare time over this last seven days and as my eBay world always has to play second fiddle to family , studies for a degree in Theology , and my job as a student pastor ..Then unfortunately it has suffered ..

Next week the diary looks a little better ...So here's hoping

Blowing an old Whistle on eBay

2006-04-20T12:10:00.000+01:00

I visited my mum and dad over in Liverpool on Monday . Dad knowing that I had become hooked on eBay said why don't you sell this old whistle .

"Your gran found it during the General strike riots of 1926 , a policeman dropped it , she found it and brought it home ! " He said

So I listed it a couple of days ago and have been very surprised by the amount of interest . Obviously there is a market out there for old whistles..

Maybe this is a niche market that might be worth exploring ..

Incidentally I listed it using the new listing tool that eBay are triailing ..it seemed to work quite well until you come to revise your item and then you have problems ...so much so that I have been wanting to change a spelling mistake for two days now and every time I try it boots me out ..

So eBay will have to work on the programme a little before full release ...So beware if use it yourself ..

Blue star Brigade ...

2006-04-18T07:59:00.000+01:00

I have made it .... My Blue Star certificate arrived today ... 50 items with feedback ( all positive ...Although I do have a delivery problem going on at the moment so that might change ...)

I must celebrate ...Anyone got any suggestions on how to commemorate appropriately this major eBay milestone :-)

Selling Books on eBay

2006-04-15T13:28:00.000+01:00

I have been selling off a few of my old books lately . Well not just mine , a few have come from my youngest daughter who hopes to pocket a few pounds [ I havn’t told here about my trading assistant fees yet :-) ]

Second hand books are very popular sellers on ebay and other sites ( particularly amazon)

I was reading Steve Webers blog last night . A site dedicated to the online book seller . He now makes a considerable amount of money from his online business , having started out in the year 2000 selling off some of his old books .

His site is well worth checking out from time to time if you intend to sell books …you might also be tempted to buy his ebook . He gives you a couple of chapters free , both of which are very readable and informative ..

Here is the link to his Story http://weberbooks.com/selling/2005/09/selling-books-with-no-advertising.html

…and here is the link to his blog http://www.weberbooks.com/selling/selling.htm

List of free web based Auction tools

2006-04-13T16:05:00.000+01:00

I have been doing some surfing again and found a number of web based auction tools ..

I havn't had time to review them all ....That is where you come in ...please check some out and leave your comments for others in the comments section below ...

Auction Shadow..
Offers searching, bidding, and auction alerts. Includes misspelling search, accessory filter, and "shadow" feature to find items that others are bidding on.
Auction Mapper
Interactive eBay search tool with advanced search options, breakdown by category, and illustration of item location on a US map
AuctionShark
Searches across multiple auction sites. Includes cross-site watchlist and optional public wish list
AuctionSpeller
Free website which searches eBay for typing and spelling errors, based on a single search wo
Coogy
Flash-based eBay searcher with results in list, gallery and map formats
DealClosetAuction Search and Alerts
Searches across auction sites. Includes option to receive an email notification when a new auction is found matching keyword, price, and time remaining criteria
eBay Google Maps Mashup
Search eBay through Google Maps. This free site will try to guess your zip code and then find items close to you
Internet Bargain Center
Search or browse items on eBay, filtered to your local area
ItemScout
ItemScout is a hosted service which searches eBay.com for new auctions matching your serach terms, at the frequency of your choice - from every 5 minutes to 24 hours, and emails you the results.
MyBaboon
MyBaboon searches across auction sites for the search terms you specify, emailing the results to you when new items are found or at a specified interval
MyBuyerIQ
MyBuyerIQ aims to help buyers find bargains on eBay by finding items that are posted in the wrong category, have spelling errors in the title, do not have a gallery picture, end at inconvenient times, or have no bids
Vivisimo
eBay search with "clustering" technology, which finds common topics to group search results under.

Now that lot should keep you gainfully occupied for an hour or two :-)

I picked these sites up from another great site called Auctionsoftwarereview.com.... another site for you to take a look at

Ebay Is Infectious..and current hot product to sell

2006-04-12T12:07:00.000+01:00

I have been away for a few days over to Derbyshire, staying with good friends . As you can imagine because of my affliction ( ebayitis) the conversation on occasions turned to eBay .

The result of which is that eBay has a new seller ...see I told you it was infectious ...My mate Paul and I { not forgetting Matthew his son who also became infected }...listed a few items yesterday ...you can see the fruit of our labours by clicking here ..

We also discussed current market trends and liked the idea of the latest gadget to hit the UK The Digital Photo Frame... a quick check on completed listings tells me that this is a hot product . So being the entrepreneur's that we are, we fired off a couple of emails to some Chinese suppliers found at alibaba.com ( a great site for sourcing product from the far east)

So will this be the product line that will kick start our eBay business ?..who knows ..but I will certainly keep you posted.

Also thinking about signing up for yahoo adverts [ after google dumped me :-( ] ..if I do this though, my guardian adsense Angels must not be tempted to defect to Yahoo Angels ...because I will get booted out again :-)

Must get on ...I have a sermon to write..an essay to complete ..and tons of items to list ....

Market Research for collectables..

2006-04-08T12:49:00.000+01:00

Cartoon courtesy of Cartoonstock.com

If you want to buy and sell collectables on eBay then you need to understand the market .

Here is a very simple fact ... buy what will sell .

Well how do I know what will sell ? you may ask .

The answer is in the research . You have to do some digging to see what is selling . This does involve a little of your time but there is help at hand . There are plenty of free online services that cut out some of the leg work .

One such site is smartcollector.com ...on this site you can ..

Search up to 120 days of historical eBay sales data .
Filter out numerous unsuccessful listings .
Track trends in collectible/antique item and category sales .

The site looks fairly comprehensive ..take alook and let me know your thought in the comments section below ..

I am away again from Sunday night through to Wednesday ...a short Easter break with our Best friends ...have a great Easter

Rob

Bad Day at the Office

2006-04-07T23:16:00.000+01:00

Now I have had a few bad days at the office in my time ....this crane driver certainly did ...if he gets fired though there is always eBay to fall back on :-)

What to sell on eBay

2006-04-07T22:39:00.000+01:00

Well I'm back ..And by the looks of my listings I had better knuckle down and do some selling .

At the moment the cupboard is full with items to list , Gill last week trawled through the house and found me plenty of stuff to offer up to the world of eBay .

There is a day looming however when my home based supply chain will dry up ...The day when the house is totally minimalistic because everything has been sold ;-)...On that day I will need a source of product to sell.

Scott Prock has written about this subject for Bellaonline...He like so many other eBay guru's is telling me to find a niche that I like , maybe an old hobby that still tickles my fancy ..Something that I will enjoy selling , something that I have some knowledge of ..

So I'm off to think about such things ....Like when I was younger I was a plane spotter .. Is there much of a market for jet airliners on eBay though , and they would be a right pain to wrap up in brown paper ... Ah well back to the think tank ..

Away till Friday

2006-04-02T21:11:00.000+01:00

I will be away at a conference this week returning Friday ..

So postings will dry up for a few days ...

But I shall return on Friday without any advertisements to annoy you ... :-)

So keep on grinding out those listings eBayers

Rob

Oops I have upset the Adsense people

2006-03-31T22:57:00.000+01:00

I had an email tonight from Adsense saying that they had disabled my account because of the following reason

A publisher's site may not have invalid clicks on any ad(s), including
but not limited to clicks generated by:

- a publisher on his own web pages
- a publisher encouraging others to click on his ads
- automated clicking programs or any other deceptive software
- a publisher altering any portion of the ad code or changing the
layout, behavior, targeting, or delivery of ads for any reason

So the $100 dollars is now back in the hands of the advertisers ...what can I say

I must learn to read the rules :-(

But old Japanese proverb say "Fall down seven times stand up eight " ..I will press on

I would also like to publicly apologies to adsense for unintentionally breaking the rules ..Sorry

Success Stories on eBay

2006-03-31T14:30:00.000+01:00

Success stories are good to read aren't they ?

I came across a story about three ebayers all from very different backgrounds, all of which have have made a success of eBay.

There is Richard who was diagnosed with a brain tumor , who survived and now runs a successful violin restoration business on eBay...click here for his story

There is Crystal and Steven ..Who loved old movies and now sell 3500-5000/month on eBay...click here

And finally Diane an ex -alcoholic who has now built up a multi-million dollar eBay business in antiques ..click here

Their stories should inspire you to keep going ..Especially when you feel like giving up
"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow "

Personal Note of Thanks

2006-03-31T14:09:00.000+01:00

My Adsense account( Google's advertising service) has been running since I started this blog in January this year.Well today it reached the accumulated grand total of $100.

Now I know that somebody out there has been clicking quite regularly on my adds ...So whoever my guardian Adsense Angel is I would like to thank you

Gill ( my wife) , Anna , Katie and Laura ( my three daughters ) will all now be able to have an extra tin of beans for tea next week :-)

Many thanks

Rob

Fairtrade products on eBay

2006-03-30T20:46:00.000+01:00

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to sit on the committee for Fairtrade in my home town of Wem and duly obliging I attended the inaugural meeting tonight .

I am now a fully converted Fairtrade man and part of the community team whose role it is to give Wem town a Fairtrade Town status ..

When it comes to fairtrade products on eBay, like the highstreet market place, eBay is tracking a small but increasing amount of traffic in these products . Something any ethically challenged individual should be pleased about . One such trend is towards ethical clothing ..Read this posting from January's archives .

So is there an opportunity for public spirited eBayers to trade in products that serve the dual purpose of providing a profitable income for yourself whilst ensuring that the producer receives an honest days pay for their labours .

Personally I would love to find a source of supply for these products that would sell . If anyone knows of any then let me know .

The market in Fairtrade products is going to grow , consumer consciences are beginning to be supportive of the underprivileged third world producers . This trend ,thankfully , is set to continue and will inevitably lead to exponential sales growth in the not too distant future.

So go and find some Fairtrade products to sell ...Its highly likely to be win , win all round

Handbags the girls go mad for them on eBay especially Louis Vuitton

2006-03-29T13:49:00.000+01:00

I came across this company yesterday ... click here... they are based in Florida and sell top designer make ladies bags and accessories at wholesale prices .

Now I must admit I am tempted to experiment again ...you see I just can't stop myself ... The prices are very tempting ...but my one niggling doubt is whether they are genuine or not .

I did some research on Louis Vuitton bags and they go like hot cakes ( sorry American readers ..hot cakes is a British expression) ..The UK bidders can't get enough of them ..

So I am tempted to buy a couple ..... What do you think ??..Help me make a decision here cyber friends ..

Yes or no ... let me know in the comments ...or let me know if you are tempted as well :-)

incidentally ...Louis Vuitton..is a great name for the Fat fingers site ..loads of people spell it wrong .

Buying to sell on Ebay

2006-03-29T09:29:00.000+01:00

I have been experimenting again . A couple of week ago I bought this item ..click here..via the fatfingers website . Fatfingers is a site that lists items with spelling mistakes ( read about it here)

Anyway I typed in Caithness ( a famous Scottish glassmaker) and found the listing with its title spelt incorrectly . So I bid and picked it up for a grand total of £7 ( including postage)

Yesterday I offered it back up to eBay ...click here ... I worked on the copy , as preached in other posts , I worked on cleaning the item up and taking a nice Photo ( although if I had better equipment the photo would be a lot better). Most importantly though, I made sure that there were no spelling mistakes in the title ...

<<<<<<..still not fully happy with it ..too dark at the bottom ..but I'll get better :-)

the original photo listed when I bought it.

So I am watching this one closely ( as are two other people according to my eBay)

What do you think ? ...will it be a profit or will it be a loss ...eBay can be really exciting sometimes ...but then again I'm getting old and it doesn't take very much to get me excited these days :-)

Watch it with me

A woman scorned on eBay :-)

2006-03-28T08:31:00.000+01:00

My little metal woman is suffering from depression this morning . You see, she has all her best trendy gear on , she has made a real effort to be attractive and only nine people have stopped by to admire her so far . She is starting to talk about therapy :-)

I think I have a problem with my title . I have written in the past about the importance of having the right key words in your title .Well I think I have failed my little woman and not complimented her with words that would get her noticed . Understandably she is not talking to me now .... a reaction that I am not immune to , after all I have a wife and three daughters who often do the same if husband or dad lets them down ,

So I need help from the dolphins ...what do you think about the title ...here is the link to the listing ... She is such an attractive figurine , it would be a shame to not show her off to the eBay world ..

Creative thinking for eBay

2006-03-27T13:05:00.000+01:00

Are you creative ? Do you use the creative part of your brain ? Scientists tell us that the average man or woman fails to utilise their inbuilt creative potential.

Our world , they say, would be a much more enthralling place to live if we would only tap into our potential . How many Rembrandts and Mozarts have lived and died without ever realising their creative potential? Men and women who have never been encouraged to hold a paint brush or play a few notes on an instrument . Or how much more technologically advanced would we have been if only we had fully realised our creative potential ?

When it comes to eBay then , how do we utilise the creative element of our brains . How will our sales be influenced by our creativity ?

I came across this group of ladies the other day , whose creativity in marketing their product has led to a rapid growth in their business . It may not be an eBay business but we can still learn much from them .

They are in the Taxi business .Nothing unusual about that you might say but the element that sets them apart is that they only have women taxi drivers and only offer taxi rides to women .They offer women a sense of security. Women driving women late at night, free from the concerns about a male driver dropping off an often vulnerable female passenger .

The creative element of this business is their marketing strategy .They are called " Pink Ladies" and they drive around in strikingly pink cabs with pink leather upholstery .They have taken a simple idea and made sure that their brand appeals to their market ...women

For eBay we have a product to sell , we have a targetted customer to sell it to and if we are to reach that customer then we need to spend time thinking creatively about the kind of copy that will attract the buyer .

What is special about my product ?
Why should the customer buy from me and not somebody else ?
How will my product enhance my customers life ?

The answers to those three questions will help you to write creatively targetted copy(listings) that will appeal to your customers desires.

The Pink Ladies have done that with their taxi business and I believe by spending a few more moments thinking creatively about our listing then we too can increase our chances of selling our listings for much higher returns .

For help with tapping into your creative marketing potential ..then take a look at the wikipedia article on creativity and try out a few of the links at the end of the article ..here is an example of one of the links ..

Go on be creative ...

Strange Tales For Friday from eBay

2006-03-24T09:20:00.000Z

Well its Friday . Have you had a good/bad or just plain ugly week ... For me it's been good , very busy , absolutely manic in places but still good .

If you need cheering up though , and often we do at the end of the week, then let me take you back in time to December 25th last year . Did Father Christmas come to your house ? [and have you sold anything that was given to you on eBay yet :-) ]

Well there is a chap in the States who has the evidence that he did come down his chimney ..And he is selling it on eBay for $5000 ...Interested in his story then click here

Hope it made you smile .

This weekend I am off to speak at a youth conference so no postings for a couple of days ...But I will be back fresh as a daisy on Monday ..

PS Andrea look out for my trendy Figurine going live tonight ..

One final thought before I go. Creativity is key to any business success . We often hear the phrase "think outside of the box " . For eBay it is no different , from what I have read of successful online sellers they are usually people who use their creative skills to transform a simple idea into something compelling ... Take these Bricks for instance ...Ordinary bricks but used in a different attractive way ... A good idea for your garden project this weekend :-)

Have a great weekend

Rob

Key Performance Indicators for eBay ….. Staying Focused .

2006-03-23T16:31:00.000Z

How's the business doing ? Was a question often asked of me when I was General Manager of a £16 million business. I was accountable to a number of people not least of which was the Chief Executive who summoned me down to HQ near London every month for an assessment of the KPI's ( Key Performance indicators)

Having a set of indicators ( or Measures ) certainly kept me focused on the task . Measurement is vital if you are to track your success . Even more vital though is having the right set of indicators , it is pointless measuring something if it has little effect on the Mission of the business .

So I bet you have guessed already where I am going with this . How about a set of KPI's for my eBay business adventure . Over the next few days I will be formulating some indicators , broken down into four quadrants .

Financial Indicators ( Aimed my monetary targets)

Customer Care Indicators ( Is my customer completely satisfied )

Process Indicators ( The efficiency of my eBay processes)

People Indicators ( For me this will be the balance between eBay/work/family...or if you have an eBay business with staff, then it will be about their motivation & development)

I am proposing to publish these indicators on my blog in the first week of every new month ...So you ,the reader will be my Chief Executive ... I will be accountable to you ...

If you like the idea ..and fancy setting up your own set of indicators .Then why not join in the fun and do the same either in the comments section or on your own blog ( Mark/Andrea/ Pamela are you up for it ...Linda I know you don't have a blog but you are welcome to my comments section ...there is no nicer commentator than you :-)

Clearing out your daughters Bedroom on Ebay

2006-03-22T13:32:00.000Z

I have three daughters and over the weekend one of them decided it was time for a clear out ... as they do .Anyway, knowing that I was suffering with ebayitis she gave me this metal hand painted ornament to sell...check out the photo's

My problem is ...I havn't got a clue which category to list it in ...it seems pretty unique , very chic in a girly sort of way . It would attract the teenage market .

So fellow ebayers out there, I need your advice ..It is hand painted , made of metal and stands approx 12 inches ( 30cm ) tall ... Its labelled Baden ...but this is not a well known brand

Feedback please ...then I'll list it and we can all follow its progress ...you see this is the stuff that makes life so exciting :-)

101 tips for ebay

2006-03-22T11:54:00.000Z

In the two months or so that I have been penning this blog I have come across many words of eBay wisdom from people who know what they are talking about .

These are the people with the experience , these are the people who have learnt ( often the hard way) how to turn eBay into a good source of income .

I always listen to them and take note . The team at eBay is full of such people , employed by ebay to help people like you and me make a success of our trading . After all if we are successful then so are they .

These good people at eBay have put together a booklet entitled "101 tips for Starting and Growing your Business on eBay" ....click here.... Its in Pdf format (Or if your prefer here is the html link) . A very useful resource to give out to people who want some insider knowledge of eBay

Take a look.... print it off ...settle back with a good cup of coffee ( made with Marks fantastic range of coffee makers) and spend 30 minutes learning from the experts ....

Tools of the trade for Ebay

2006-03-21T11:43:00.000Z

In school many , many years ago, I always remember the wise words of my woodwork teacher . "Whiteway lad you must always, always use the best tools if you want the best finished product."

Trading on eBay is no different ...the tools maketh the man ( or woman ..depending on your genre)

Last night I started exploring another tool ...its called Auction Sieve ...a free downloadable software package that aims to take some of the time consuming frustrations out of bargain hunting on eBay . If like me, you are serching ebay on the hunt for bargains to sell on at a profit then you need some software tools to help

So far , having only had an hour with this particular package it looks quite promising ...take a look at it yourself ..takes about 2 mins on broadband to download and has a helpful tutorial to guide you through the basics .

The writer of the software claims this about the package... "The best way to find bargains on eBay!"

Let me know what you think ...or even better if you have been using this tool for a while , share your thought below...good or bad

The mission is never impossible on eBay

2006-03-20T09:24:00.000Z

One of my favourite TV shows as a kid was "Mission Impossible " ... The team each week were given a task at the start of the show followed by the classic line "this tape will self destruct in five seconds,good luck " and then they would go off and achieve the impossible ...its amazing they never failed ..

In my business life ( which was my life for 21 years) it was always drummed into me "know where you are going Rob" . "What is it that you want the business to achieve ?"

One of the best ways of summarising your intended destination is in a mission statement ... I remember one example of this which was short and sweet but very telling.... Fuji Flms successful mission statement that simply read " Kill Kodak" ...it certainly had all the folks who worked at Fuji focused .

Gary over at " The Auction Rebel" has written an excellent piece on defining your own personal mission statement for eBay ...read it for yourself ..click here

After having read his article I made an attempt to articulate my own " Mission NOT impossible statement".... and it simply reads as follows ....

" To become self-financing to meet the needs of my Family" .... now being a trainee Pastor all that I do is tied up with scripture ...read about that here .

Anyway ... If you are serious about making some sort of income from eBay you need to be serious about defining your mission ...so with that in mind why don't you share your own personal eBay mission statement with the world in the comments below . ..Go on grab a cup of coffee and think about defining your mission ...

Spelling is important with eBay

2006-03-17T12:39:00.000Z

I made a mistake the other day ...Another one I hear you cry ...

Linda my Dolphin friend very politely pointed out the fact that I had misspelled the word Lladro in my title for this listing ... Instead I had typed in Ladro ...What a duffer I am :-(

Mistakes make a huge difference ...In my example people who are searching for a Lladro piece would not have been directed to my listing because the search engine only looks at the title ..

Fortunately I got away with it and the piece sold for its UK market value ...

It led me to do some digging about spellings on eBay and found this site ...Its called Fat Fingers ..Rather aptly ...Its a free web based tool for eBay bargain hunters who rely on people who misspell in the hope that they will find a bargain ..

Try it out for yourself ...Type in something like "Royal Doulton" and see how many people have listed with the incorrect spellings .... So I am not alone out there ...I think I need to open an eBay spelling bee club :-)

Encouraging stories from eBayers

2006-03-15T20:34:00.000Z

We all like a little encouragement don't we . The odd pat on the back goes a long way .

In our eBay world it is no different. One source of encouragement is the sight of our listings selling for a profit.... And it even happens to me occasionally :-)

Another source of encouragement is other people stories and Mark over at Ebayadventure has been running a few of them lately . Many great tales of eBay tenacity and courage .

Last night whilst doing a little research, I came across a married couple called the Caspers who have a never say die attitude to eBay business success and after many false dawns they are finally now making a significant eBay income ...

Have a read ebayers ..You will be encouraged and you may well pick up a few tips ... Click Here

Attracting the Buyers on eBay

2006-03-14T19:08:00.000Z

I have just listed another one of my Father in laws Treasures ( see previous posting )

Its a very good example of a porcelain plate from a famous Danish maker ...The problem is that it has a very limited market firstly because it's a niche market collectable plate and secondly because it commemorates an Australian university ..

My problem is attracting the type of people who would be interested ...former students of La Trobe University Melbourne would lap it up ...but they have to see it first.

Anyone got any ideas on how to get the Australian ebayers to take a look ???

Comments please ... My Father in Law is expecting great things from me :-)

Becoming a Trading Assistant on eBay

2006-03-14T11:34:00.000Z

My Father in law has cottoned on to the fact that I am beginning to shift a few items on eBay . Being the Yorkshire man that he is ( they are renowned for their thriftiness) he has asked me to sell on some of his accumulated treasures ....and he has lots of them ...he did ask me to sell my mother in law but I told him that it was against eBay policy :-)

Anyway , by default I have become my in-laws personal trading assistant and a good 50% of my listings are from their houshold.

Because of this I did a little research on what it takes to become an official eBay trading assistant . I tracked down this article written by Greg Holden entitled " eBay for Friends and Family: Becoming a Trading Assistant " .... give it a click ...it contains some useful pointers ..

Do your Research ...Tips for selling on eBay

2006-03-13T09:51:00.000Z

I have learnt many things over these last couple of months about selling on eBay but there is one useful tip that stands head and shoulders above all of the others and that is ............

DO YOUR RESEARCH ....

Below are a couple of areas that I have found to have been helped by doing a little research:

1. It will help you write the copy for your listings ( looking at what other successful sellers have said about their similar items is like gold dust to your own listings )

2. It will give you a realistic expectation when it comes to the actual market value of your listing . An item that you may think has a value of £100 may only have a market value of £10 . So you set your starting price accordingly..

So how do you do your research ...I'll let Linda ( one of the Dolphins mentioned in the last posting explain ....)

"Try to know as much about your piece as is possible before listing it. Google is a good tool, and checking eBay's completed listings is a good source too. "

"I pay for eBay's Marketplace Research...but, that's not really necessary. Although this is an exceptionally good tool. I think a lot of people forget that the eBay market is not your ordinary auction house, or retail store. Simply put - even though an item may be listed in a book at a certain appraised value, the market at eBay doesn't follow that model for value. eBayers are looking for bargains. Of course, if you have something that is so unique and so precious, then the eBay market can explode in a bidding war that drives the price up unbelievably high. The trick is finding those kinds of pieces."

One other research tool is the one I mentioned in this posting last week "Mpire".. It's free and has been an enormous help to me in my listings .

So knuckle down and do your research if you want to increase your chances of selling on eBay ....If anyone has any other tips for market research then please share them in the comments below ....

Oh and by the way ...another rule for succesful research is not to allow yourself to be disturbed whilst researching :-)

The Cow or the Dolphin ...In the sea called eBay

2006-03-11T19:28:00.000Z

So which one are you in the vast ocean called eBay

The Cow ( like myself) who feels a little out of place .... But is gradually growing a set of fins..

Or the Dolphin ...Totally at home and at ease in his eBay world ..

I have had the priviledge of meeting a few eBay Dolphins in the Comments section of this journal .... I will be highlighting some of their wisdom next week ..

"Ebayitis" a medical condition

2006-03-10T09:17:00.000Z

It's official . I am suffering with ebayitis ( look at previous posts that heralded this new medical phenomena.. )

I know I am suffering with the condition because my youngest daughter had a birthday this week and as she was opening her presents I couldn't stop myself from thinking " mmmm that would sell well on eBay"

Does anyone have a similar story ...Fellow sufferers please leave your comments ... Have they developed any medication for this yet :-)

Anyway I must run ...I have to find more items to list !!

Experiments work on eBay ..Two lessons learnt

2006-03-09T13:09:00.000Z

For those of you who are regular readers of this blog you will know that I am going through an experimental period in my eBaying life .

One experiment was to hit the charity shops in Shrewsbury ..read the " Charity shops and eBay " post . Whilst looking around the shops I came across these two animal prints

A nice looking Cat and Owl at the bargain price of £1.29 each .... for those of you who don't like maths thats £2.58 for the pair.

Anyway as part of my experiment I originaly offered them up to the eBay world at a starting bid price of £4.99 and postage at £2.50 ...... And guess what the result was.. NO BIDS

So not being one to give up...I put them on again but this time I had a starting price of £0.99... And guess what .... They SOLD for £5 ( which was the price I was looking for in the first place )

So in my experiment I have learnt two things ..

1. You can find bargains at charity shops.
2. Start the bidding off at a low price as this attracts the bidders.

So overall I made a profit of £0.89p which would have been £1.39 if I hadn't had to relist ...I know its' not going to break the bank but it still represents a profit of nearly 20%

So it's back to the charity shops for me :-)

Advice Needed for a listing on Ebay..I'm discouraged :-(

2006-03-08T16:57:00.000Z

Over the last few weeks I have been studying eBay description titles . If you want to attract people to look at your item then you have to choose the right set of words in the title.

This coupled with a quality photo and a saleable item should attract the hits ...a little like the goods in the shop window , if you see something you like then into the shop you go.

After people are in then it is all about the copy ( the description) and the price that the item is being offered for .... more about this in a later posting ..

Today though I was a little discouraged by one of my items ( click here to see which one ) . For some reason the title description and the photo are not attracting the hits( to date only five ebayers have taken a look) and its been on for a couple of days ...they are not coming in the shop ..... Why ? . I thought the title was quite catchy.. " Shaftesbury Studio London Stoneware Vase Fine Example " ... I admit the photos is not brilliant ...but only five views:-(

I have been over to "The Discussers "and have asked for the wisdom of the experts ...If you have any views then let me know ...we can all learn together and hopefully I will be able to sell onwhat is a quality vase ...

The Top Ten Selling tips ...For eBay

2006-03-07T16:26:00.000Z

When I go to a football match I invariably become a coach because I always encourage!! the real coach from the stands ....You know how it goes " What did he pick him for " , "He is playing the wrong formation".... And my wife is the same .." I can't believe they didn't colour coordinate the shorts and the socks " :-)

We all like to have our opinion don't we . In the time that I have been eBaying I have come across many opinions on how things should be done and slowly but surely I am beginning to formulate a set of " Must Abide By Rules" ..... The eBay equivalent of the "Ten commandments "

Last night I came across Ron Mansfield who is an eBay seller consultant and instructor ..His top ten are pretty good ...They go like this

1. Be Committed.

2. Have sufficient start up funds.

3. Effective , persistent marketing.

4.Find great stuff to sell.

5.Never sell Junk .

6.Give great customer service.

7.Create an efficient pleasant working facility for yourself .

8 Create polished listings and photographs.

9 Pay attention to detail.

10. Do good recordkeeping

This is just a summary if you want the detail behind his list then click here

So what do you think ??.... Agree with him ... Your the coach now ...You tell us all whether you agree or not ...What are your " Must do's For eBay success" ???...Please share your thoughts in the comments section below ...click on comments and then have a go ...doesn't have to be 10 ..one pearl of wisdom is fine ... Thanks

Knitting and eBay.... whats the link?

2006-03-06T18:20:00.000Z

Mark over on my ebayadventure reminded me recently of the old saying " its like knitting fog" . Often whilst trading on eBay you find yourself utterly frustrated and your quest for a source of income seems as impossible as "Knitting Fog" ..... but as I said to Mark ..THE FOG ALWAYS CLEARS...so keep on listing ...keep on improving ...keep on putting the effort in and you will be rewarded .

This whole knitting thing got me surfing on eBay ....have you seen the amount of listings for knitting related items ...its huge ,particulary in the States . Knitting has become more and more popular and judging by the photo of the woolly knickers above ...I am sure it will become even more popular with the men .... and guess what.... there is actually a trendy looking web site called "knitting fog "..

So if your looking for a niche market ...get into knitting .. oh and I must confess I can knit ..I know it's not very macho to admit ...but if you don't tell anyone I wont :-)

Looking For Bargains On eBay

2006-03-06T10:12:00.000Z

We all like finding bargains don't we . One of my daughters is particularly obsessed with bargain hunting when shopping around town , she will shop for hours until she finds something that is good value for money .. I think she is a future power seller in the making .

To make any sort of profit on eBay the most basic laws of economics must prevail ... Buy cheap and then sell on for a profit ....It's not rocket science I know, but it's not easy to achieve either .

The main problem is finding a good source of goods at the right price that will allow you to sell on for a profit.

My search for a good reliable listing supply chain of wholesale goods hasn't really begun yet . I am still at the stage of selling off my household bric-a-brac.....Having said that the day is fast approaching when I will need to find that supply chain, which is why I am glad to be sharing my eBay experience with Mark over on ebayadventure . He is in the process of setting up his suppliers and is about to launch his eBay business on the world . So make sure you bookmark his site .

Having said all that I think I might have found a few bargains myself . Check out this website called Last minute auctions .com it is brilliant .

The site is set up to list all items that are due to finish listing within the next hour and are going for less than £1 ( or $1 in the American and Australian versions) ... There are some real bargains to be found which ultimately could be sold on for a profit if you market your listing properly

I have tasked myself with buying at least one item from this site this week ...I'll keep you posted ..

Let me know what you think of the site in the comments section below ..If you havn't commented before ..Then please do I would love to hear from you ..Thanks

First Aid ...for Ebay

2006-03-03T13:50:00.000Z

I am hoping this WW2 Helmet ( scheduled to go on ebay tonight)will put a plaster on my financial wounds .My three daughters and my wife all have birthdays between Feb and April ....so this is a very expensive time of year for our houshold ...

I often put this tin hat on when the bills start rolling in :-)

We have had the helmet in our family for over forty years . My dad found it in the loft in my home city of Liverpool . In fact a number of houses in our street were bombed in the war so I suppose the hat was well used ...

My postings will dry up for a couple of days as I am off to do my day job this weekend ...I'll be back Monday ....

Top Five Mistakes ...On eBay

2006-03-03T09:51:00.000Z

For those of you who have been on planet earth for a good few years you will know that the old cliche "Learn from your mistakes " is very true ..

Whether those mistakes be in personal relationships , whether they be in business or whether they just be in how you play the game of chess ..It is important that if we want to keep going forward with our lives and achieve that which we would like to achieve then mistakes are an important part of that achievement .

And so it is with eBay. I have listed over 50 items now , some have sold quite well some have barely covered my costs and some have failed to sell at all . It is these failures that interest me ...Why did they fail ??

Dave Bromley has written an article entitled " The 5 Mistakes that lose you Money on eBay "
check it out . The man speaks from experience .....The best school to speak from

If you have made some real clangers on eBay that would like to share with us then why not take a couple of minutes to let us all learn from them in the comments below ...Thanks

You need this ...for eBay

2006-03-02T13:54:00.000Z

I have just been having a look at the Auction Genius blog and was pointed to This web service for eBayers .... amazing site.

It's called Mpire research .... and they provide you with a stack of information about any item you want to sell ......it is a fantastic research tool ...and like Auction Genius says ...

"How would you like to get this information at any time, for no cost? I think the folks running this site must be nuts, because I have paid for information like this but they're giving it away. I don't understand it, but I am happy to take advantage of their generosity and you should be too. "

You must check it out ...takes 30 seconds to register

Watching market trends for eBay

2006-03-02T09:46:00.000Z

In my previous life as a businessman running a medium sized service industry business , I always liked to keep myself briefed on what consumer trends were doing ...

For you eBay entrepreneur's out there it is even more important ...Those of you buying to sell will be more successful if you are selling into markets that are today's must haves ..

One site that helps with this is Marks friend over at Auction Genius ( this site is linked up to it ) . On that site you will find regular updates on current market trends

One other site that I use ...Which looks a little further into the future is " Trendwatching.com".. a site that says this about itself ....

"An independent and opinionated consumer trends firm, relying on a global network of 8,000 spotters, working hard to deliver inspiration and pangs of anxiety to business professionals in 120+ countries worldwide. "

Give it a click you may find it useful ...Oh and by the way apologies for the dodgy photo in its first article ...Very trendy human mannequins wearing very little ..

I have a busy couple of days coming up so postings may dry up for a day or two ...Oh and by the way if you have any other useful information about eBay market trends then why not share it in the comments ... Thanks

Experiment ...it will pay dividends on eBay

2006-03-01T20:36:00.000Z

Being a new kid on the Ebay block I am still finding my feet ..... I have just experimented with a new template on my listings ....

My little cow( which doesn't want to be sold..) has now been joined by Buttons the cat ....but buttons the cat is being marketed differently .... so we shall see

I have used a standard template that is offered when adding your listing ( and its free ....thanks ebay )

I must be careful though............... as sometimes experiments can go wrong ......

Useful information ..... For eBay

2006-03-01T15:47:00.000Z

In the past I have mentioned the discussers and how useful these helpful folk are . Well today I found a particularly good discussion board over in The States .

Its entitled " Building an eBay business" and is full of helpful discussers who true to the nature of eBay try and help each other out with good advice ..

Check it out for yourself ..Linda over at Peachy Things is particulary helpful ...thankyou Linda

I hit the Target

2006-03-01T08:34:00.000Z

Checked out the Paypal account for January and Feb last night ...just over £200...wow ...I'm rich :-)

So I achieved my target of £100 a month , big pat on the back for me ..

I sold.. 2 model trains, fetching £165 between them / 2 puppets for £25/some wartime memorabilia for £7 and a pewter tankard for £7...

I know its not huge sums of money but when you have three daughters every little helps.

Onwards and upwards I go .........

Improve your Photography ......... For eBay

2006-02-28T13:21:00.000Z

I have been studying the art of photography over the last couple of days and have concluded that my meagre point and shoot efforts will have to cease . There is much more too it than that .

Quality photo's matter. The old proverb " a picture is worth a thousand words ", for eBay is very true

So how are your ebay photo's shaping up ?...Below you will find some interesting web articles for you to browse and learn from... click on the titles..

1. An article by Kerry Drager on BetterPhoto.com entitled "How to take better photo's of your products "

2. Peter Horner's top ten tips found on EzineArticles.com. Ths one is entitled : "Taking great product photo's for eBay".

3. David Steiners innovative article on his EZCUBE .... "Taking better photographs with the EZcube"

4. Or if you prefer to sit down with a good book then try this Rod Marsh's " Taking great pictures for ebay auctions and online selling"

If anyone out there has some more advice for better pics then please share it with us all in the comments .....

Music while you trade....

2006-02-27T13:19:00.000Z

If you enjoy listening to music ...and I am sure most of you do . Then check out sky.fm.
It's online, streaming and digital ....all sorts of Music genres for you to chill out to whilst flogging your listings on eBay....

And If you are as old as Mark ...then you might like the sounds from the 70's ...I'm more of an 80's man myself ...

Most expensive ...On eBay

2006-02-27T08:46:00.000Z

Some more fascinating facts for you about eBay ...This time it's how much people are prepared to trade ....The top 5 most expensive listings ever sold .

1. In 2003 , a 340 year old copy of Shakespeare's Pericles , Prince of Tyre, was snapped up for £5million. ( a bargain ...By the way does anyone know what a Pericle is ??)

2. A 12 seater Gulfstream 11 jet went for £3.2 million in 2001. ( pilot not included )

3. A Ferrari Enzo one of only 399 made -sold for £544,000 in 2003. ( boys and their cars ..)

4. In 2002 an 82 acre town Bridgeville in California was sold for £531,250 ( a bargain )

5. A silver VW Golf once owned by the current Pope Benedict fetched a record £128,000 last year ( Holy wheels ....)

But wait a minute ... I have number six .... My Cow ...all you have to do is bid a couple of Million and I will make it on the list :-)

You Know she is worth it ....

Mark's ...My Ebay Adventure ...check it out

2006-02-25T13:41:00.000Z

I have found a cyber friend in Mark ...over at myebayadventure . Uncannily he started his eBay blog at the same time as I did and his aim like mine is to share his ebay knowledge and experience as he explores the world of online auctions ..

His is the site to go to for a real experience of what it is like to build up an online eBay business . So make sure you visit his site you will learn far more over there than here ... The man is destined to be a muscleman in the eBay world ..a real Powerseller

Re-listing your items ...Be persistent

2006-02-24T14:11:00.000Z

Well I finally found a few minutes to add some listings last night . I have to confess though , I took the easy option of relisting some failed offerings ....Persistence is the key they say ..

The Friesian Cow ...Has gone back up ... Read about it here .. I cant believe nobody wanted my little cow ... But never give up I say ... So I have changed the wording and offered her back up to eBay ...

The Charity shop pictures are back on ...My experiment failed ...So I have reduced the price and sent them out again ..

And lastly one for my Father in law ...His hand beaten pewter plate ...That he desperately wants me to sell .... So it's up for grabs again .... Never mess with the Father in law
..Especially if he is from Yorkshire .

Ebay Radio&TV ...did you know it exists

2006-02-23T13:32:00.000Z

eBay is huge, you begin to understand that fact when you spend a little time surfing eBay related web sites and reading news articles .More and more people are becoming interested in the online auction phenomenon . ( it's a disease you know ...called ebayitis ..and if you are reading this you have caught it ..welcome fellow sufferer)

The other day I came across the eBay radio show ...you can access it by clicking here .... Its a great site with much valuable info ..and on the same day I came across Auctionbytes TV .An internet tv channel dedicated to online auctions . I watched one 3 minute programme that gave me some useful advice about setting your background up for the all important eBay photo ....see for yourself ..click here ..

Anyway today I am determined to add a listing ..My eldest daughters unwanted "Converse" training shoes .... She bought them from eBay just before Christmas and then decided she didn't like them when they arrived . I don't expect to make a profit but it would be nice to recoup some of my hard earned cash .... I have three daughters , so I had better get used to this kind of thing :-)

Spring in Australia ..Thanks to Tina

2006-02-22T22:18:00.000Z

Tina ...From the land of Oz and a regular contributor to the " Australian eBay discussers" sent me this Photo to cheer me up ...It's pretty cold here in the UK at the moment and I am certainly looking forward to spring ...reminds me of the poem by Wordsworth..

I've been out again tonight ...another meeting related to my day Job ( see link to shared4u if you want to know more)...so I havn't listed again ...here's hoping tomorrow is more fruitfull ;-)

10 Golden Rules for Ebay

2006-02-21T15:10:00.000Z

I am beginning to formulate a set of rules for my eBay journey ...here are the top 10 Golden rules that I have learnt so far ....they may well change in the future ..let me know if you have others you would like to add ...

1. Make sure your item listing runs over a weekend to capture people who web browse on the weekend .
2. Start with a low price to encourage bidding.
3. Think about including postage and packaging in the price..it may encourage more bids .
4. Always put a picture on the site .
5. If buying make contact with the buyers and ask questions.
6. Study ebay feedback . Find out what other traders think.
7. Protect yourself from scammers by downloading the ebay toolbar which alerts you if your on a bogus site.
8.Use secure payment methods such as paypal .
9. Never give out your ebay password or respond to emails asking to verify your details .
10 Never send an item before receiving the payment.

So there you have it ...some tips for you to ponder

I must go and add some listings ....I am spending too much time blogging and not enough time selling .... My wife is right she says " I'm all mouth and no action " !!

So rule number 11 ... you have to add a listing to be able to sell your product :-)

For some reason my wife liked this one !!!

Auction Shops for eBay ...a growing trend

2006-02-21T11:50:00.000Z

One of the latest trends in the ebay business world is the " Auction Shop " concept .... The principle works a little like an auction room .The difference with the ebay auction shop is that your item is photographed and listed for you on eBay ...and then shiped for you . You pay the ebay fees and a typical commission of 20-40% to the shop.

Its' an interesting concept and one that appears to be working in the States ...it may be that we will start to see such businesses becoming more widespread in the UK as ebay and other online auction sites continue to grow in popularity

Read more about it by clicking this news item that appeared in an American newspaper last weekend

Spoof emails ...beware

2006-02-20T18:04:00.000Z

I recently received a rather dubious looking email about my paypal account demanding some information about my credit card .... It was a spoof email aimed at obtaining my password etc and a subsequent clearing out of my account no doubt !! Sadly the the criminal element of the human race will always be on the prowl to relieve you dishonestly of your hard earned cash

Read this article ...Click here.... Its a useful piece written by a chap who has had some experience of the fraudsters

Mad moments on Ebay

2006-02-20T13:46:00.000Z

Yesterday I came across this article ...click here ..about a man who had listed his mothers ashes on ebay ...he also decided to list his own soul because being an atheist he said it was worthless anyway ....The world is full of interesting people ...most of them are found on eBay .

My wife likes this ...she is a teaching assistant to teenagers !!

The eBay Capital of England Norwich

2006-02-18T10:05:00.000Z

" Norwich Cathedral by night"
I picked up an article in "The Daily Mirror" the other day about the growth of ebay in the UK over the last few years ...

They carried an interesting piece on the top 20 ebay towns in England calculated by the percentage of people who are ebay members in the town

Norwich came out top with a staggering 55% of the total population registered with ebay ...So Norwich is the ebay capital of England ....fame at last for the East Anglian city .

I have been working away from home over tha last few days which is why the postings have dried up this week ( sorry to anyone who has been following this blog ...I promise to do better next week )

My listings haven't been doing too brilliantly either ...three of them bombed out with no bidders ...I'll do the analysis on the blog next week ..

Music to my ears ...On Ebay

2006-02-14T08:30:00.000Z

When looking for a bargain ( which most of us do ) there is no better place to go than our faithful friend ebay .

I did a search this morning in the music section for a "James Blunt CD" and Iwas suprised at how cheaply they go for ...in some cases less than £1 with a couple of quid for postage and packing ..this represents a saving of nearly 700% on high street prices ..

One BIG word of caution however...most of the CD's may well be pirated copies , breaking copyright laws and poor quality ....Check out the buyers reputation before making a purchase ... If you do a little digging you will find the musical bargain you are looking for ...

Has anyone had any experience of buying music via ebay ? Let me know in the comments..

Attacting the buyers to your listing ...on Ebay

2006-02-13T09:30:00.000Z

The ebay Market place is huge ...a few fascinating facts for you ..

1. Ebay members make 79 million targeted searches for items each day

2. There are 35000 categories within which to place items for sale .

3.There are eBay auction sites in 27 countries.

4. ebay has 125 million registered users.

5. 40,000 new members join ebay each day ....wow thats a growing market if ever I saw one !
So with so many users why am I struggling to attract the punters along to view my listings . For instance this listing ..Click here ... has been on for 7 days and has attracted only 22 hits ..8 of which were probably me !

I think it has to be related to the category chosen and the wording in the title ...If it doesn't sell I will re-submit with a few changes ....but if you have any advice for me then I am all ears ..please leave a comment ...

Here is some Advice I picked up from the web on effective titles .......

Use keywords that potential bidders use to search listings

A title that solves a problem

Maker a reader curious to know more

Is simple and easy to read and understand

Exhibits professionalism ..

Tips for Choosing the right book on eBay

2006-02-11T11:23:00.000Z

If you want to learn about anything in life then it takes a little effort and some good books . So as I am trying to learn about the art of ebay buying and selling I thought I would turn to some books .

So I bought this book , and whilst it provided me with the information to do all of the basics on eBay it didn't really go much further . I am beyond the basics now and I need some advise on how to maximise my chances of actually attracting bidders and also advice on good sources of items to sell ...this book failed to help me with this .( having said that ..if you are new to ebay, then this book comes highly recommended.It is book that will take you step by step in setting up accounts , buying and selling items etc ...)

But it didn't suit my requirements and that is entirely my fault ...I rushed in to buying the book without taking a good look around first and maybe asking for advise from "the discussers" ..... typical of me really ..ask my wife ..very impetuous ;-)

So don't be like me ..in your quest for eBay knowledge. Seek out the advise of those who have been there before you , they will normally point you in the right direction ..

Incidentally does anyone know of any good ebay books ? Use the comments to give us all your recommendations ...
ebay

The European Cup & eBay

2006-02-08T19:12:00.000Z

Sometimes in your day job you have days that are special ...very rare I know ...but for me today was one of them . You see I am a lifelong fan of the greatest football team in the world . Liverpool Football club and today I had the tremendous privilege of being able to take the European cup around various school assemblies in Liverpool ...... wonderful .....and the even better news is , is that I'm doing it tomorrow as well ....

I wonder what price the cup would fetch on eBay :-)

Charity shops and eBay

2006-02-07T22:36:00.000Z

I fell victim to "ebayitis" the other day . Whilst walking around Shrewsbury with my wife and one of my daughters I found myself irresistibly drawn towards the charity shops in search of an Ebay bargain . A sure sign that I am now afflicted with the ebay bug !!

I did find a bargain ..or at least I think I did ...click here to see it ...Hopefully it will turn out to be profitable

This is the first time that I have bought something with a view to selling via ebay .If it does turn out to be profitable then look out charity shops here I come :-)

Shredders ...Useful Packaging tips for Ebay

2006-02-06T07:05:00.000Z

One of the problems that I have had when dispatching items is how to package properly and inexpensively . So as usual I put this question to "the discussers" and yet again they came up trumps with a number of good ideas .... And a bigger bonus was that they were environmentally friendly ideas

Firstly, buy yourself a shredder and use the shredded bits of paper to pad out and protect your items. (these days shredders are becoming a vital piece of kit because the criminal element of our society have now started going through our bins looking for bank account numbers etc )

Secondly, all of those throw away plastic bags that you pick up from the supermarket ...well save them and as with the shredded paper use them to pad out and protect your items .. re-cycling makes you feel much greener. You will be able to wear the "I'm environmentally friendly" badge with pride.

Good tips ..especially if you are shipping fragile items.... because as we all know writing "fragile handle with care" is often not fully understood by our beloved post office !!

Time ...There isn't enough of it for eBay

2006-02-04T09:50:00.000Z

One of my biggest problems in my quest for some sort of financial reward from ebay is having the time to actually sit down and learn the system as well as organise my items for listings ..

When you have a family , a job , a degree course that needs studying for and a dog that needs walking ...You inevitably find that spare time becomes a rare commodity .

Over the last week I haven't been able to put one listing on, even though I have a queue of items waiting .Today , however, is Saturday so in between walking the dog , washing the car , ferrying the kids here there and everywhere, I should find 10 minutes to place a few items .... I guess the time -management gurus would say to me "prioritise Rob prioritise" ..Spend less time on your journal and more time on your listings ...Sound advise which of course I will ignore because I like writing this journal even though very few are reading it ...But for the few who do, I hope you enjoy ..

Study for eBay success....

2006-02-03T09:53:00.000Z

Do you like to study ? If you are like me it doesn't come easy . Especially when you have a large family and your normal daily workload to contend with . The reason I say this is that I came across a number of eBay books today ( click here to see them yourself) . All of which look interesting and all of which will no doubt give a boost to my miniscule ebay knowledge but all of which will require some investment in time to understand what they are saying ..

I think I will probably buy one and see how I get on ...The old saying is true you know ..." Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained "...Just don't tell my wife will you :-)

Feeling the Chill .....Help is at hand from eBay

2006-02-02T08:30:00.000Z

It's cold again today in the UK . Last night I went to the match ( Liverpool FC vs Birmingham city .A 1-1 draw,but that's another story ) . Anyway I was freezing sat in the stands with sub zero temperatures . What's the solution to my dilemma I thought ... "I wonder if ebay can help.."

And like a faithful friend eBay came up trumps again with a magnificent range of " Themal Underwear" . Check out the range for yourself . I was thinking about buying a pair for my wife for Valentines day ...What do you think

The cold weather that we are having in the UK is amusing the "Australian Discussers" . They delighted last night in telling me about their extremely hot summer...Read about it here
I guess they won't be bidding for the thermals then .

Obsessive behaviour ....It's all eBays Fault!

2006-02-01T07:20:00.000Z

When you become hooked on eBay it often leads to some alarming obsessional behaviour . For instance , I have been spending some time this week working away from home in the city that I grew up in, Liverpool and as a result have been able to spend a few hours with my parents .

However I have found that when walking into the ancestral family home ( 4 bed end of terrace in Garston) I start casing the joint for potential eBay listings . Not only that, my conversation inevitably turns to eBay ... "Have you got anything you want me to sell for you on eBay dad ??"

I'm afflicted .....Anyway I did come away with my old 1970's TV console game ...an item that will be coming to eBay soon :-)

Back to School ....with eBay

2006-01-31T07:16:00.000Z

The university of life with all of its experience is often the best teacher and its no different on eBay . As you progress with buying and selling more items your experience and knowledge of eBay grows .You learn what sells and why it sells , you experiment with different marketing techniques , you learn from other people and their listings . Your increasing knowledge and experience does prevent mistakes .

So it's important to learn from you own personal experience but it's also good to benefit from the experience of others, which is why eBay have such a thing as the " eBay university " .In the UK this university is in the form of one day events and I notice that in the coming months there are a number of teaching events being held around the country . Click here for more details .

For me, time does not allow me to check them out this side of spring. So I will be looking to enroll in May or June .... They are relatively cheap for one day seminars and I believe you have nothing to lose and much knowledge to gain by attending ...So it will be back to school later in the year .. and maybe I will see you there .

What about you ...Has anyone had any experience at the eBay university that they would like to share in the comments ??....

Being Trendy on eBay .....

2006-01-30T09:23:00.000Z

One of the aspects of ebay selling that I have noticed over the last few weeks is how readily the eBay market follows current trends . In a previous posting I talked about Bird Flu ( see January archives ) and today I am predicting a trend towards ethical clothing sales .

Ethical clothing ...What's all that about you might be asking ? Its selling clothes that have been manufactured by reputable companies who don't use child labour and don't exploit their employees with ridiculously long hours for very little reward . You can read more about it by clicking here, click on the links that will take you to some of the companies that are now promoting these "fair trade" goods.

So what has this to do with eBay . Well according to the news today , ethical goods sales are growing faster than conventional goods . So now is the time to seek out the suppliers and start listing ...Entrepreneurs now is the time to move on this market. ( to date there is only one listing on eBay in the UK ...Watch it grow ..)

It's an addiction !! ..... ebayitis

2006-01-28T08:32:00.000Z

I think I have a mild case of eBayitis ....I am becoming addicted to the thing !! How do I know that . Well I will be away for a couple of days and I am worried that I might miss something related to my trades or some new exiting idea that I can share with the blogging world .... I think its called addiction ..

Does anyone else out there have a problem with eBayitis ? .....In fact is there anyone else out there ???? Please leave me a comment or two and let me know whether or not you are reading this blog and what you think of it ...and if there is anything else you would like me to add to it etc ..

So please post a comment and cheer me up when I get back ...thanks

Rob

Experimenting with a Friesian Cow....on Ebay

2006-01-27T17:11:00.000Z

Over time, I would imagine, you get a feel for what sells and what doesn't . I have heard that anything cute and animal like is a sure fire winner .

So tonight I did "The Sell Something In The Room You Are In Challenge "...the idea is that you look around the room, pick an item and then go for it ....provided of course you don't sell off the family's treasured possessions ...

Hence my latest offering , to all the cow friendly ebayers ....lets see how it does ...you can monitor the experiment with me ....

Even better ...if you are an ebayer, take up the challenge at home and let me know how you do ...

People sell the Weirdest things on eBay ....

2006-01-27T11:33:00.000Z

On my eBay and internet travels I have discovered some strange goings on !

People will sell some very odd items . Below you will find a list of some of the most weird that I have come across . Click on the highlighted text to see them for yourselves ...

A sponsored tattoo
A haunted Box ...If you are easily scared then give this one a miss !

Trawling for eBay related information...

2006-01-26T16:21:00.000Z

For those of you who have been keeping me company on my eBay journey you will know that I have been spending a number of hours trawling the web for helpful eBay information.

Today I found a very useful site called "Online Auction Trader ". They advertise the site with the banner headline "Ebay Selling made easy with Online Auction Trader"

With sections on eBay templates/eBay articles/eBay forum/adsense income/building a website..

From what I have read so far I am impressed .Take a look for yourself and let me know what you think.

7 Tips For Selling Clothing on eBay

2006-01-26T12:15:00.000Z

In previous posts I have referred to the usefulness of the group of people who I call "The Discussers"...the people who regularly contribute on the eBay discussion boards. ( found in the community section in ebay)

Yesterday I asked for advice on selling second hand clothes ( at this point you should refer to a previous post entitled "Clothes off your Back". ..in January archives)

The Discussers did a fine job with the advice which I have summarised in a list below . Next week I will be listing some of my wife's unwanted ( and unworn ! ) clothing and I will try to keep to these guidelines

Here Are the top 7 tips:-

1. Don't sell anything you wouldn't be happy receiving .
2. Put ALL the measurements in the description. ( not just size ..include arm/leg/chest measurements..)
3. Be realistic about your starting prices . If it is not a well known label then start it low ...0.99p
4. Be specific when describing colours ....the way it looks on your photo may be different on someone else's computer.
5. Buy a mannequin to display your clothes ...they photograph better ( plenty of mannequins for sale on eBay)
6. If you are a smoker wash your clothes then seal them in an airtight bag until they sell.
7. A good source for recognised clothing labels are your local charity shops ...so go hunting

The Hills ARE alive ...

2006-01-25T22:27:00.000Z

Sorry Folks this has absolutely nothing to do with eBay ....Its just funny

Requiem To a Whale ....eBay style

2006-01-25T09:48:00.000Z

eBay made the mainstream news today in the UK . We had a bottle Nose Whale that swam up the Thames and then sadly died ...read about it here

They tried to revive the whale by pouring cold water over it with a red watering can ....Anyway someone with an entrepreneurial spirit and a kind heart thought it would be a good idea to auction the watering can for the British Divers Marine Life Rescue ..

Click here to see the auction

Brilliant idea ...Well done whoever thought of it

To date the bid is running up at £111,000 !!And the auction has had over 84,000 hits..

Anti-ageing with eBay !

2006-01-25T08:04:00.000Z

Looked in the mirror this morning and thought " I wonder if eBay can help". So I conducted a little survey of anti-ageing products aimed at revitalising tired faces like mine ...

Here is the result of the UK search ..Click here .. I was surprised to see only 190 products listed . Maybe there is an opportunity there eBayers ...

And did you know you can perform your own surgery on your lips these days ...According to this product you can ...Click

On reflection (excuse the pun ...Back on the mirror again) it is far better to age gracefully accepting the ravages of time with a typical British stiff upper lip ...And I don't mean Botox !

Anyway go and find your rejuvenating solutions and get them listed .....

Love,valentines......eBay style

2006-01-24T17:19:00.000Z

Cupid's arrows ...Exclusively on eBay...

Do they have Valentines Day in the States or Australia? Let me know in the comments..

Over here in the UK, every February 14th, the nation overdoses on romance .Men and women buy their loved ones romantic gifts.The most popular purchase for men being sexy lingerie which, whilst being appreciated I am sure by their lover , would be appreciated even more if accompanied by a glass of champagne and a bunch of red roses ...Am I right ladies ...comment please.....

Anyway, now is the time to search the house and find all those romantic items that are gathering dust ! I had a look and came across a heart shaped piece of glass, given as a gift to me by my wife a couple of years ago .... I thought ..Should I or shouldn't I ...In the end self-preservation won the day ! So it's staying on the shelf .....

Knowledge at your fingertips ...but don't burn them !

2006-01-24T08:11:00.000Z

Watch out for the sharks when you go surfing !!

Feeling a wee bit bleary eyed this morning having spent a couple of hours last night surfing the web for eBay information .

The internet is a marvelous resource that is often under utilized but not last night much to my wife's disgust !

anyway enough of by babbling ..What did I find ??

Well there are many web sites out there offering to help you become the best eBay seller that ever walked the earth ...There is a snag however ..It often costs ...And if you are like me and you struggle to part with money then these sites are not for you ..

There are however many freebies ( this is one of them ...Or will be when I build up a knowledge base) another couple of sites worth a look at I have listed below.

"Mark Kenny's blog" ..Click the link its called Trading Web Solutions and has many articles for you to study

And the "eBay-portal" a small but increasingly popular site, aimed at being a key web resource and forum for eBayers.

There is plenty to read and think about on these two sites alone .....So it looks like another late night tonight with my reading glasses on ...Don't tell the wife !

War Memorabilia ....And eBay

2006-01-23T20:24:00.000Z

Don't know what the eBay market is like for wartime memorabilia...I suppose I will test it out with my latest offering ...click here

Me and the kids found this when we stayed at Ypres in Belgium a couple of years ago ( we have two so losing one wont hurt... I think I have convinced the kids ...After they negotiated 50% of the profits that is :-) )

Anyway we visited the Commonwealth War Graves whilst staying on a Farm in Ypres ...Like most people in the UK we had relatives who fell in the Great War ...It was very moving

Every night under the Menin Gate, since 1927, they play the last post as a tribute to those who lost their lives

Australia ...They have a good sense of Humour over there:-)

2006-01-23T17:01:00.000Z

Picked this up from the Australian "discussers" its brilliant

You will have to be an eBayer to appreciate it

This is the link to the song

This is the link to the Video that goes with it

Hope it makes you chuckle ...email it on if you like

Strategy ...Have a plan ...Or so the Guru's say

2006-01-23T13:43:00.000Z

In a previous life I was a businessman ... I went on the usual goal setting training sessions ...And some of them where actually quite useful ( except for the one where they had me doing an assault course 30ft up in the trees !! But that's another story)

Anyway from all of this imparted wisdom I learnt how to plan (and incidentally I found this book very useful ..Click the link)

So part of my master plan to hit my meager £100 a month target is to add an item a day ( 6 days because on the seventh day we rest)..

I have chosen today's offering ..Some world war 1 memorabilia which will be the subject of a future posting....

Its good to talk ...... A tribute to Discussion

2006-01-23T10:28:00.000Z

I discovered ebays community of discussers today ....brilliant ...If you have a problem you can be sure that someone else has had it before you ...and the advice comes flying back at you..

Good stuff ...Thanks to all who helped me with My Anglo/French relations this morning ...I was given some good advice ..

1. Buy a little book from the post office that details all their charges and services
2. Get a set of weighing scales
3. think about using ebays approved carriers ...list here

many thanks ....I hope you keep checking in on the blog ...post us a comment or two from time to time

Anyway I must get on with my day job !

A Yorkshireman a Frenchman and The Royal Mail !

2006-01-23T09:18:00.000Z

I had my very first delivery problem this weekend ....It's a long story but the shortened version goes like this .

I sold a train on behalf of my Father in law ( the Yorkshireman) to a Frenchman .I told him( the Yorkshireman that is) to post it by airmail to France ....But upon arrival at the post office the Yorkshireman decided to cut costs by a whole £2 !!!And sent it over land instead .Even though the nice lady behind the counter had told him that it could take up to eight weeks :-(

So understandably MrFrenchmann is getting his onions in a twist now wondering where his beloved train is ....I'll let you know how the saga pans out

Clothes Off Your Back !

2006-01-21T16:36:00.000Z

Gill( my wife) suprised me today ...She said "Rob why don't you sell some of my old clothes!"

Now for my wife that is a major milestone , you see like most women she loves her clothes and for me to be allowed near her wardrobe ...well... I am gobsmacked as we say in the UK..married for 18 years and i thought i knew her ;-)

So watch out for the fur lined knickers appearing on an eBay listing near you ;-)

Puppet on a string

2006-01-21T13:02:00.000Z

Referring to a previous post about my Puppet ( or rather my wifes puppet)

Someone sent me the video clip of a street puppet ...click here ...its hilarious

is anyone reading this blog yet ....post me a comment ...please ..please

Ta

For Train Spotters .. Got my train on

2006-01-21T12:16:00.000Z

Just offered up my little Hornby train on eBay ...Its called " Liverpool" ...Which is where I was born ...No don't panic ...You can still trust me :-)

Anyway I am following a few of my new found rules and listed it to start tomorrow night finishing between 5 and 6

I have targeted Mr train collector ...Who should be male ( sorry ladies if you collect) ..Probably upwards of 30 years old who surfs the net on a Sunday night before going down to the pub..

That's my theory anyway ...

Not happy with my photo though ...May need to invest in a new camera ..Or learn how to use this one properly !!

Whale in the river Thames ...And eBay

2006-01-21T09:11:00.000Z

The big news in the UK this morning is the story of the Whale that has managed to swim up the Thames and has been spotted in London...A very rare event

Read about form the BBC by clicking here

Referring back to an earlier post on eBay entrepreneur's ...I will guarantee today that anything to do with whales will sell in the UK..

So dig out your old copy of "Free Willy" and get selling :-)

Making Money on eBay .. My way

2006-01-21T08:39:00.000Z

"My way" one of Frank Sinatra's best songs ...Well having read a few thoughts in the web jungle ( see last two posts) I have decided I better set myself some personal targets .

eBay is never going to be my main source of income ( or at least I think not ...Check back in two years time and see if I have made power seller status ! ) No, for me it is about supplementing the family income and having some fun whilst doing it and keeping the blog is all part of the Fun for me .

Anyway enough waffle . What are my money making targets .....

I would like initially to clear Â£100 a month in profit ...ie with all the eBay and paypal costs subtracted ..

This means that I will have to sell at least two or three items a week !

Now I have worked out that with the amount of odds and ends that I have around the house ,I will have enough stuff to sell through to March ...After that it is going to get a little more difficult . I will have to find something to sell !

So if you have any bright ideas then please leave your comments ....

More on making money from eBay

2006-01-20T23:45:00.000Z

The web is littered with get rich quick schemes ..... I have however come across this site been on one site www.auctioncavern.com that lists a series of books and online tutorials that may be of help ..

There is so much information out there..

Has anyone come across a book or a web site that they would recommend ?

Please comment

"making money on eBay"

2006-01-20T23:28:00.000Z

I came across another web site tonight , with some very interesting infornation from the "Entrepreneur Magazine " on its site it has an audio file series entitled "Making Money on eBay"..click here and explore for yourself

Entrepreneur

2006-01-20T16:26:00.000Z

Bird Flu has been in the news lately ...And will be with increasing regularity I fear

Fellow ebayers have jumped on this and a number of Bird flu product are available ..Do a search for yourself and see

One lesson that can be drawn from this is that the ambitious eBayer should stay on top of current trends and look for products that will sell in these markets

One site that might help with your search for trends is here www.trendwatching.com

Frustrated

2006-01-20T15:06:00.000Z

To get ahead of the game in eBay ( and in blogging for that matter) I think it is useful if you understand HTML code ( which basically means the stuff that you type in to make your web pages look cool )

I found an online tutorial here ...So I suppose I best invest some time ..And hopefully you will see the fruits of my labours in the coming days and weeks ..

here's hoping

oh and if anyone knows of a better tutorial site then post it in the comments section for all the world to see ...Thanks

A puppet for a dress !!

2006-01-20T12:30:00.000Z

This is a for instance ... referring again to my previous post

Today I have a had a bid on Noddy the puppet ....My wife's childhood toy ..And yes she was willing to let him go ...It just took a little gentle persuasion ...Like "think of all the extra clothes you could buy from the next catalogue if I started making some money on eBay "

Anyway I have had a bid so it is off to a new home ..Tomorrow I will be putting up an old Hornby train ...I will be careful to abide by"J's " advice about timings ..

You can go too Far !!

2006-01-20T10:08:00.000Z

Came across this funny today ...thought it linked in with my previous post on the House Clearance

Hope it makes you chuckle as well :-)