Getting the Best Price

You’ve sourced your items and now you’re ready to start selling. You know what you have paid for them but now you want to get the best possible price. Where do you start?

The first thing to do is to check out the eBay completed listings area. This will give you instant information on the prices items similar to yours have made on the site. Check out several listings and make notes of the different prices. Why has one item made a good price and another has sold for less than you’ve paid for yours?

Read through the item descriptions and compare them. Has the better priced item been described in a fuller way, did the seller offer more relevant information? Check out the carriage fees, the way the item was sent out and how soon the buyer expected to receive it. Some of this information may not be listed but check out as much as you can.

Have a look at the images of the items. Are they clear and taken in a good light, showing off the item to full advantage? How many images were used in the listing? On eBay the first image is included in the basic listing price subsequent images are each charged seperately. Did the items with extra images do better than ones with the basic image? Were the extra images necessary? Did they show something important that the original photograph didn’t capture? Sometimes extra images are essential to show the item especially if there is a flaw or some damage that needs to be highlighted.

Check out items still listed. Are there many bids on these items? Which items are doing better; ones with a reserve or with a low starting price? How long are the auctions for these items? What are the images like? Read through the descriptions. Are they relevant and do they give the buyer the maximum information without being too wordy?

Take notes as you go. Keep thinking how you could improve on the listing. Could you make the description more relevant? Could you upload a better photo?

Always remember that you are trying to make the most profit you can from your items. No matter how many items you list, it always pays to do your research. Even if you list the same type of items all the time, it is important to watch what is happening with other sellers.

This is your marketplace and there is a wealth of information on the eBay site to help you achieve your goals. Make good use of this free resource.

article source: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art1663.asp

by: Kim O´Shea

Valuing Your Items

We all make mistakes at times but the way to avoid the biggest ones is to be prepared. When deciding on the start price or reserve for your item, you need to know that you are on the right track.

It helps to do some research before you source your items so that you do not pay too much for them. If you have an idea of the type of items you want to sell it is easy to find out their value. Sites like eBay will be a rich source of information. Most auction houses have catalogues which you can purchase and these will give you an idea of what they expect the pieces to make.

If you have already sourced your items you can again use eBay or for bigger or more expensive items, most auction houses will value your item for free. Make sure you tell them that it is not an insurance valuation as these are considerably higher than the prices you would normally expect to receive in online auctions.

Check your items thoroughly. A bright light shone into a china dish can show up hairline cracks and flaws that need to be mentioned in your listing. Similarly, holding up a cloth item to a bright light will show any flaws or defects. This will affect the price but it is essential that the buyer is aware of these details so make sure you are very careful when checking the items over.

If you plan to sell antiques in online auctions and regularly visit antique fairs, remember that the prices charged are aimed at collectors and end users. If you buy from these sources, unless you get an exceptionally good deal, you probably won’t realise a profit on your item. Use these fairs to learn more about the history of the items you want to list, thereby enhancing your descriptions, and the price you can expect to receive.

Other valuable resources include using google.com or whichever search engine you prefer. Simply type in the item you are interested in and scan through various websites offering these items for sale. These will give you a guide as to what you can expect.

Libraries are a rich and cheap source of information. By learning about the type of items you want to sell, you can become an expert in that field. When you visit car boot sales or come across items you will be able to recognise their potential.

Valuing your items need not be a mystery. There is a lot of information out there. Get checking it out!

article source: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art8316.asp

by: Kim O´Shea

Steps to a Professional Listing

1. Make sure your member i.d. reflects the image you want to portray. The member i.d. jewels1 may give the impression that all you sell is jewellery. If you want to sell professionally, you must look professional. If you intend to specialise in different areas you can have more than 1 member i.d. rather than trying to come up with a name that says it all.

2. Know your market. Research your chosen area thoroughly. Check current trends to make sure that there is a market for your item. Find out what price items like yours are currently making. Refer to eBay completed listings for loads of valuable information.

3. Decide on the minimum price you will accept for your item so that you can set your start price. Check other listings and especially completed listings to find the best start price. You need to generate interest but you also need to make a profit.

4. Photograph your item. Don’t “borrow” photos from other sources. Photographs are subject to copyright and even if you get permission to use them, buyers want to see the item they are bidding on rather than an obvious “stock” photograph. You don’t need professional standard photos; you just need to show the item to its best advantage.

5. Write out your item description. Do not wait to do this until you are listing the item. This will need to be read through and may need to be edited several times until you feel the wording is just right. Try to paint a picture of the item with your words including any features and benefits. Also mention any faults or damage so that the bidder knows what he is bidding on. This will help to reduce any problems after the listing has ended.

6. Carefully consider the duration of the listing. This can have a huge impact on the amount of interest generated in the item. 10 Day listings are suitable for most items and you have the benefit of having up to 2 weekends to attract bidders. Some items however, are time sensitive and may require shorter durations for e.g. event tickets close to the event date.

7. Decide on any enhancements you want for your listing. Basic listings are fine but you may want yours to stand out more. Bold text, highlighted text, featured listings and photo galleries are just some of the ways you can make your listing more noticeable. All of these cost extra money and may not be feasible for every listing. Don’t forget you can add an extra photograph in the body of your description for free.

8. Put all the information together and upload your listing!

article source: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art4170.asp

by: Kim O´Shea

Business Plan

A business plan is crucial to ensuring that your business gets the best possible start. Money is often wasted on non essential items and a good business plan helps to focus attention on the important aspects.

The first page of the plan should include business details, name (if any), contact details, type of business to be carried out, proposed type of items to be sold, address the business is to be carried on in and any other relevant information.

The next page should be an index to the plan to enable you or any interested person to quickly find the information they are seeking and to give a general overview of the scope of the plan.

Your vision statement or mission statement should come next. Take time to really think about what you want to achieve from your business. This can be updated as time goes by so just go with what feels right at the moment.

Next you need to detail your products and services. What you intend to sell and how. This only needs to be a rough guideline but focusing on it will help to concentrate your mind.

Now detail your educational background and practical background. If you worked in a store this could mean that you are used to dealing with customers and could be a big asset to your business. You may be very well qualified to start your own business without even realizing it!

The next section deals with your motivation and goals. Think about this carefully as this could be very important to your success. If you are starting the business because someone told you to you will not have the same motivation and drive as someone who wants the business for personal reasons. 

The time has come to think about your personal qualities. Do you like haggling over prices? Do you enjoy emailing people? Are you up for a challenge? These and many more similar questions will help you feel more confident about taking that first step.

Examine your market strategy and detail the research you have done or intend to do. Your marketing strategy could be as simple as taking great pictures or writing excellent descriptions. It may be that you decide to offer free postage. Think about what you can offer to make your business stand out from the rest.

Document your main competitors and how you will compete with them. The more you know about your business the more successful it will be.

Think about the other details. Do you need extra insurance if you are planning to store goods at home? Who will do your accounts? Do you have a tax advisor?

The final step is to sit down and do out a set of projected accounts. These need not be precise but you need to ensure that you remember to include all expenses. Light, heat, stationery, internet charges, eBay fees and postage are just some of the expenses you should include.

When you are finished, tidy up the document - spell check, read through and edit where necessary. When you are happy with it, print it off and put it into a binder where you can refer to it from time to time. This will help you to stay on track and don’t forget to update it as you go.

A good business plan is a plan for success.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art8375.asp

by: Kim O´Shea

Tips to Making Money on Ebay

1. Choose your products wisely. The most cost effective way of sourcing products to sell is to raid your cupboards and garages. Any of your unwanted items can be offered for sale from the comfort of your own home. All you will need to purchase up front are some packaging items. The cost of the packaging can also be recouped so you are straight into profit!

2. Photograph your item in daylight if possible. Strong sunlight tends to cast shadows and can reflect off the item making it dificult to see properly. Photographs taken in the morning or early evening can capture the light without dazzling.

3. Write great descriptions. Even if you hate the item, try to think of something positive to say about it. Explain what it has been or can be used for and detail any marks or flaws.

4. Set your opening price low to attract interest. If the item is valuable use a reserve to make sure it does not sell for peanuts. Lower prices attract more attention and could lead to a bidding war.

5. Use the auction format to its best advantage by including two weekends in your auction duration. People often have more time at weekends to shop around so make sure you are there!

6. Offer extra value where possible. Free postage is a great way to attract extra bidders as they can search eBay for listings with free postage. Free instructions or a small token like a handmade bookmark in a book can also be useful to make your auction stand out.

7. Use a basic listing as the more expensive ones will probably end up costing you money unless the item is valuable. Add extra photographs in the body of the description not in the gallery as this will increase your exposure without costing any extra money. Rely on really great words to sell your product instead of fancy fonts and expensive photos.

8. When writing your description try to focus on the benefits of the product. List the features eg, grey, round, old, but write about the benefits, eg, great for keeping the kids quiet, will provide many hours of enjoyment etc.

9. Package your item in the cheapest but most suitable packaging. Books can be packed in lightly padded envelopes which are both cheap to buy and to mail. Glassware on the other hand needs to be wrapped in tissue and then double packed in cardboard boxes with plenty of cushioning material. Save packaging from your own shopping and reuse this to save money. The item must arrive in good condition or you will lose money sorting out the problems.

10. The best tip of all for making money on eBay is to just get started!
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art4047.asp
by: Kim O´Shea

eBay Pricing changes March 2010

If you are new to eBay you may not realise how big an impact the fees can have on your business. As with all costs these have to be taken into account when calculating your profit. The high level of fees can make it difficult to earn a profit when you are a newbie and this can lead to below cost selling i.e. making a loss. While building feedback is very important, making a profit is also crucial. 

eBay have recently announced changes to their fee structure which should help to reduce costs. 

eBay Everyday Standard Rates – Under this new scheme you can list up to 100 auction items per month and pay only if the items sell.
• Listings must start under $1.
• For other start prices over a dollar reduced insertion fees apply.
• Pay 9% final value fee only if the item sells. This applies to listings both under and over a dollar.
• Pay no more than $50 for final value fees.
• List as Fixed Price for 50c and pay same final value fees as are currently being charged.

eBay Stores Subscription Packages – Fixed price from 3c with full search exposure and reduced rated for auctions.
• For 50 or more items listed per month.
• Final fees to remain similar to current fees.
• Free pictures – up to 12 per listing.
• Current store inventory listings will automatically become fixed price listings and will renew at the new rate. 
• Will appear in search results with all other listings.
• Basic package with 20c insertion fees starts at $15.95 per month. There are three packages to choose from, Basic, Premium and Anchor depending on your level of sales. 
• The current 5c listing fee promotion for books, music, movies, dvds and video games will continue until December 31st 2010. 

Use the eBay fee illustrator to decide which system suits you best. Go to ebay.com, seller information, news and then click on the fee illustrator link. You will be asked to fill out a simple form with details of the types of categories you usually use, number of monthly listings, number of monthly sales, average selling price, number of pictures you usually use and if you are entitled to a discount. Hit the calculate button and check the fees you can expect to pay. 

Whether you sell for business or pleasure these changes will help to make your Online Auction experience even easier and more user friendly. 
Check it out and start selling! 
article source: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art50118.asp
by: Kim O´Shea

Things To Consider When Designing Your Brochures

If you want to have brochure printing that really works to your advantage, you might want to consider a few suggestions:

Include a summary of what’s inside your pages on the cover.
Highlight what you have inside your collateral’s pages when designing and printing brochures. Include one-liner headlines that grab attention. This allows your target clients to see what you have in store for them in your print brochures. Remember to write it in a way that piques their interests; enough to make them want to stop, pick up your color brochure and read more.

Include a clear and precise call-to-action.
Not only should you write a clear message, but your target readers should also be able to understand what you expect them to do after they read your collateral. A visible call-to-action, as well as a clear one can get your target clients to act accordingly and to your advantage. Consider putting it in every page. That way, your target clients would have no doubt whatsoever of what you expect from them.

Include a photo of a real person on the cover.
Don’t just entice your readers with great headlines; include a photo of a person when printing brochures. Someone who can vouch for the benefits you provide. It can be of the manufacturer’s, the owner, a loyal client or even an expert in your field. The principle behind it is that your target readers will be drawn to your brochure printing because they know that there are real people behind your company.

Consider doing a Q & A.
Studies have shown that people in general likes to read answers to questions no matter what topic you have.

Design your format just like a magazine.
Magazines are proven materials that people often read and keep. Just like a magazine, design your brochure printing in the same layout and format. Put plenty of pictures, color, and interesting stories. And remember to use glossy paper to attract the attention of your readers.

Display your contact information prominently.
In order for your target readers to respond to your call-to-action right away, don’t make it difficult for them to get in touch with you. Put your contact information where you target clients can see them. In fact, make it a point to have your contact information displayed in every page if possible.

Include photos and images that are essential to your message.
Graphic images are not only for aesthetic purposes. They do serve a purpose. They are necessary to emphasize your message, hence, making it easier for your target clients to understand what you want to say.

The bottom line is to have brochure that work to achieve your goals. Printing brochures is a challenging task. And it takes a lot of careful planning to come up with great brochure printing that effectively gets the attention of your target clients.

Niche Article Directory:http://www.thatsmyniche.com/Article/Things-To-Consider-When-Designing-Your-Brochures/128925
By: Kaitlyn Miller