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Selling Smart in 2007

auctionfun — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 16:38:50 -0700

For most of us, the first time we sell anything online is through eBay. What a great world! How cool is that? You clean your closet and find 12 things to list on eBay, and ten days later you’ve got $100 in your PayPal account!

One of my resolutions for 2007 is to sell first, buy later. I always feel like I’ve got a lot of auction savvy when I can pay for any eBay purchase with money already in my PayPal account as a result of my eBay sales.

In the coming year, I plan to make a big move – across the country. Before I do that I’m going to sell, sell, sell! Whether you are moving or just keeping up with your resolution to get organized, this is your year to make a small fortune on eBay.

Ten Tips for Buying Smart in 2007

auctionfun — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 16:10:42 -0700

It’s a brand new year, and there’s a world of shopping at your fingertips.

This is the year for you to buy smart on eBay and other online auction sites. You’ve learned your lessons (I know that I have!) about getting into bidding frenzies or going overboard on collectibles. Now it’s time to make some resolutions about buying on eBay. Remember: it’s all about finding great bargains, making good choices, and sharing the wealth!

Here are 10 tips for buying smart in 2007:

1. Use your watch list. This is one of eBay’s best features: use your watch list to help “curb your enthusiasm” and make smart buying choices. When you decide that it’s time to search for a particular item – for example, that sterling silver money clip for your business-savvy younger brother – use your watch list first, before you place your bid. Once you’ve been shopping for a specific item for a while, you can get a sense of what’s available and what you like. Take your time; most items on eBay will show up again.

Get Really Crafty: Sell Your Extras in “Craft Lots”

auctionfun — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 10:59:27 -0700

Right about now, and in the coming days, all the crafters out there will be finishing up hand-made gifts for the holidays. From beaded jewelry to stained glass, handmade gifts are almost always a hit (I say “almost” because of some of the things I made in my early crafting days!).

Once you tie off the fringe on your handmade scarf, or place the crowning embellishment on your scrapbook pages, you will very likely have some extra supplies. My advice to you: put them on eBay and ring in your new year with some extra cash.

There’s a big world of crafters out there. It seems like during the past few years, bead stores have sprung up everywhere. Mega-stores like Wal-Mart and Target now have scrapbook aisles; according to Wikipedia.org, one in three American households include someone involved in scrap booking. And the books on knitting! Even the Harvard College bookstore sells knitting and crocheting supplies.

Honestly, These are Some Great Deals

auctionfun — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 10:56:36 -0700

Do you ever wish that you had a personal shopper? You know – someone to do all the leg work for you: search for what you would like best, find out where the deals are, and get back to you with a list of what’s available and for how long? And with pictures, too?

And wouldn’t it be great if all of this were free?

Consider this your lucky day. I’ve got a personal shopper for all your eBay buying.

Honesty.com is an easy-to-use and free auction tool that will make shopping on eBay more efficient and even more fun.

It’s a Wrap!

auctionfun — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 16:50:36 -0700

Bless my grandmother’s heart. She had almost 20 grandchildren, and somehow managed to bring us all perfectly wrapped Christmas presents every year. These gifts weren’t just wrapped – they were made into mini-sculptures of holiday cheer: shiny, crimson-red paper tied with gold ribbons and multi-tiered bows, topped with embellishments like little sprigs of holly or tiny ornaments. It was almost a shame to open them – but we did, every year ripping open the gifts to find our surprises inside.

Oh, if only I’d saved all that paper for my eBay sales! This year, think twice before you throw away tissue, ribbons and boxes. As an eBay seller, you can recycle every bit of it for the items you’ll be selling in the coming year.

One-Two Punch: Save Money, Make Money

auctionfun — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 16:47:36 -0700

If you’re like me – human, that is – you’ve still got some holiday shopping to do. Where did the time go? Blame it on global warming… in most places it doesn’t even seem cold enough for Christmas to be right around the corner.

Trouble is, money’s tight, and there are still quite a few names on your list without checkmarks next to them. What to do?

You’ve heard the adage “You’ve got to spend money to make money.” Here’s a modern twist: “You can save money first, and make money 10 days later.” On eBay, that is. Take a trip to your local warehouse store – Costco, Sam’s, BJ’s, Smart & Final – and get shopping! If you’ve been to a warehouse store, you know the kinds of deals that you can find. (By the way, most of these stores require a membership fee; ask around and see if your friends or neighbors have a membership and will take you along. If not, you can use the same wholesale buying principles at Wal-Mart.)

Who Else Wants to Find the Perfect Gift on eBay, Part II

auctionfun — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 21:22:24 -0700

I want to find the perfect gifts, and I know that you do, too!

In an earlier column I talked about finding the perfect gift for the history buff in your life. In this column I’d like to focus on selecting the perfect gift for the hobbyist on your list.

With eBay, it’s really so easy. My family – bless their hearts, they are eBay newbies – is constantly amazed that I can find just about anything at a moment’s notice. When Mom’s friend joined the Red Hat Society, there I was with cards, jewelry, craft items … you name it, all about the Red Hats. When our little West Highland Terrier pup joined the family, I had my hands on calendars, ornaments and t-shirts that would take a brick-and-mortar shopper weeks to track down. The fact is eBay has it all.

Who Else Wants to Find the Perfect Gift on eBay, Part I

auctionfun — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 21:07:03 -0700

Ah, the perfect gift… Is that what you’re looking for? Well, forget that nasty music at the mall and those over-perfected ladies at 5-star department stores. It’s all so passé!

Today’s perfect gifts can be found online. Sit back, enjoy the music that you like, and start shopping.

Coming from a family of 12 (yes, 12!), I have lots of experience buying and receiving gifts. In our family there are six boys, six girls. I like to buy for the girls because they are so expressive: “Oh, wow! I’ve always wanted this!” But the fellows, they are just a bit of a mystery.

If you are looking for the “perfect gift,” I have a great suggestion for you: find your gift recipient’s connection to history. eBay offers probably the most amazing selection in the world for a vintage or history-related gifts.

Here’s a Quick Way to Choose What to Sell

auctionfun — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 20:56:03 -0700

If you are like me, you’ve got a whole bunch of items that you could sell – a closet here, a closet there, a box in the garage… but where to start? Maybe there’s something you are just too embarrassed to list: the Aha CD, perhaps? Hey, I bought one of those, too – it was the 80s!

Start with “Want it Now.” This is another brilliant marketing idea by eBay. Take a look at
this page and take it from there.

As a seller, “Want it Now” is your good friend. First, you can search for buyers who are looking for that Aha CD, or a vintage Easy Bake Oven, or 10 pounds of buttons.

Take Auction Listing Photos Like a Pro

auctionfun — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 19:39:36 -0700

The #1 reason that potential buyers pass by a great listing is poor photo quality. It’s time to change that. If you want to make your auctions sizzle, let’s learn how to make, take and edit great photos.

Make it count. First, how to make a great photo: clean background, lots of light, and please, for the love of eBay, no blurry photos. Here’s a secret for a professional-looking background: buy a “beading mat” for just a few dollars (you can find one on eBay!). These are velvet-like mats that are used by jewelry makers to stop beads from rolling all over the place. These mats also make perfect backgrounds for photos of small items. Use a lint brush to keep them pristine. If you have a bigger item, you can use a large piece of cloth material, but keep it monotone and if necessary, iron it! I cannot even begin to count the number of auctions I have passed by because the items were photographed on wrinkled sheets (only cute if you are putting a kitten up for adoption and not on eBay) or wooden floors (hello: student desperate for money!).