1000bestebay_fullcover 1/3/07 9:44 AM Page 1 11000000 SECRETS FROM 11 00 best A POWERSELLER 00 00 eBay PowerSeller Greg Holden best shows readers how to: eBay *Identify hot items for sale *Create descriptions that attract buyers e *Strategically research to maximize B success profitability a *Deal with buyer questions y s secrets *Make the payment process run es smoothly cu r *Confront problems after the sale ends c e c *Boost customer satisfaction through t e packing and shipping s s *And much more s Tips, strategies and prescriptions for making SECRETS FROM A POWERSELLER any eBay business healthier, wealthier and wiser Business/ Small Business * Identify eBay-friendly merchandise $12.95U.S. UPC holden Greg $16.95 CAN * Reach a worldwide market £5.99 UK Holden ISBN-13: 978-1-4022-0805-8 * Increase productivity ISBN-10: 1-4022-0805-7 * Boost profits N EA * Make eBay a full-time business www.sourcebooks.com 1000ebayFINAL_INT 10/2/06 10:20 AM Page i 1000 Best eBay Success Secrets GREG HOLDEN 1000ebayFINAL_INT 10/2/06 10:20 AM Page ii Copyright © 2007 by Greg Holden Cover and internal design © 2007 by Sourcebooks,Inc. Cover photo © Getty Images Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks,Inc. All rights reserved.No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher,Source- books,Inc. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered.It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal,accounting,or other profes- sional service.If legal advice or other expert assistance is required,the services of a competent professional person should be sought.—From a Declaration of Principles Jointly Adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Com- mittee of Publishers and Associations All brand names and product names used in this book are trademarks,regis- tered trademarks,or trade names of their respective holders.Sourcebooks,Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor in this book. Published by Sourcebooks,Inc. P.O.Box 4410,Naperville,Illinois 60567-4410 (630) 961-3900 Fax: (630) 961-2168 www.sourcebooks.com Libraryof Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Holden,Greg. 1000 best eBay success secrets / Greg Holden. p.cm. Includes index. ISBN-13: 978-1-4022-1700-5 978-1-4022-0805-8 ISBN-10: 1-4022-1700-5 1-4022-0805-7 1. eBay (Firm) 2. Internet auctions. I.Title.II.Title: One thousand best eBaysuccess secrets. HF5478.H644 2006 658.8'7--dc22 2006020834 Printed and bound in the United States of America. WC 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1000ebayFINAL_INT 10/2/06 10:20 AM Page iii Dedication To the members of the eBay community,who havenever failed to give me a boost when I needed it and a helping hand when I asked for it. 1000ebayFINAL_INT 10/2/06 10:20 AM Page iv 1000ebayFINAL_INT 10/2/06 10:20 AM Page v Acknowledgments It might look like everything in this book came from me alone. Indeed, nearly all of these tips came out of what I have learned by selling on eBay.But I could never have started the project in the first place,much less have seen it through to fruition, on my own. I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to a multitude of people, including my agent Lynn Haller of Studio B,who has guided me to a variety of new opportunities in the past few years; Bethany Brown of Sourcebooks for being veryeasy to work with; myassistant Ann Lindner; and myeBayfriend and mentor Paula Amato,who has helped me learn bydoing. 1000ebayFINAL_INT 10/2/06 10:20 AM Page vi 1000ebayFINAL_INT 10/2/06 10:20 AM Page vii Contents Part I: Before the Sale Chapter One: Deciding What to Sell on eBay......3 Chapter Two: Wholesale Suppliers and Other Sourcing Resources...........................................19 Chapter Three: Selling on Consignment............35 Chapter Four: Capturing Clear Digital Images....................................................49 Chapter Five: Creating Descriptions That Attract Buyers.................................................................65 Chapter Six: Reaching a Worldwide Market......87 Part II: During the Sale Chapter Seven: Fielding Questions from Customers........................................................103 Chapter Eight: Revising and Improving Your Descriptions.....................................................119 Chapter Nine: Tracking Your Sales and Navigating eBay...................................................................133 Part III: After the Sale Chapter Ten: Ins and Outs of Online Payments..........................................................147 Chapter Eleven: Packing.....................................161 Chapter Twelve: Postage and Shipping Charges.............................................................173 Chapter Thirteen: Shipping Domestically and Internationally.........................................187 Chapter Fourteen: Returns and Other Problems...........................................................199 1000ebayFINAL_INT 10/16/06 4:23 PM Page viii Chapter Fifteen: Communicating with Customers and Other eBay Members..........213 Chapter Sixteen: Increasing Your Productivity......................................................223 Chapter Seventeen: eBay Stores.......................235 Part IV: Opening E-Commerce Stores Chapter Eighteen: Weaving Your Own Website.............................................................251 Chapter Nineteen: Working with an Auction Service Provider...............................................265 Chapter Twenty: Boosting Profits......................277 Chapter Twenty-One: Strategic Purchasing for Your eBay Business...................................287 Chapter Twenty-Two: Miscellaneous Tips and Strategies..........................................................305 Appendix A: Resources for Sellers....................319 Appendix B: Discussion Groups and Sources of Support........................................................327 Index.....................................................................333 About the Author................................................359 1000ebayFINAL_INT 10/2/06 10:20 AM Page 1 Part One: Before the Sale