Auction Power Guide

There a several ways that you can send traffic to your website from eBay. Before using any of these ways, be sure to check eBay’s policy for changes so you do not violate their policy.

One way to obtain traffic to your website through eBay is by using graphics or images hosted on your server. There are many commercial and free services you can use. You can also upload your graphics or images to eBay’s servers. However, visibility from the search engines will be greatly increased by using your own servers. The search engines can follow the links in your eBay listing to your website. Some search engines will also display messages in their status bar as to where the images are being loaded from. For example it might say “Loading Image From http://www.ABCDEF.com” or “Waiting For http://www.ABCDEF.com”. This is great exposure for your website.

When you register your account with eBay, use an email address that is associated with your website. For example, if your website is “http://www.ABCDEF.com”, you could use “sales@www.ABCDEF.com” as the email address associated with your eBay account. You can list this email address in the text of your listing only if it is the same one you used to register your account. This is in addition to the “Ask The Seller A Question” link.

The user id associated with your eBay account can also be a great way to direct traffic to your website. Even though eBay policy does not allow you to use your website address as your eBay id or user name, you can use a form of the website address. If your website is “http://www.ABCDEF.com”, you could use ABCDEF as your eBay user name.

Probably, one of the best ways to drive traffic to your website or internet store from eBay is by using an About Me Page. While you cannot offer non-eBay listings or merchandise on the About Me page, you can add a link to your website or internet store. eBay’s policy states that you cannot have the same identical item in your auctions as you have on your website either at the same price or at a different price. You can also not link to trading sites or other auction sites, or offer merchandise or information not permitted on eBay, or a website that offers items from several sellers. What you may do is link to your own website or internet store where you have items to trade, sell or purchase. Again, used correctly, this is a great way to use eBay to drive traffic to your website or internet store.

Trying one of these methods is sure to help drive traffic to your website or internet store. Remember to following eBay’s policy. Read their policy very carefully and check on it periodically for changes. Ignorance of their policy is not an excuse eBay accepts. If you violate their policy repeatedly, you will be banned from eBay.

Loretta Miller
http://www.articlesbase.com/online-promotion-articles/use-ebay-to-send-traffic-to-your-website-52929.html

Purchasing a genuine diamond or gemstone – not a “faux” or “simulated” stone – on eBay can be a scary prospect. Unlike going to a jeweler, you can’t examine it in person and assess how it looks on your ring finger before you shell out your hard-earned cash. There’s the very real risk that you’re not going to get what you paid for.

But these concerns can be addressed by being a smart eBay shopper. After all, when you buy on eBay, the savings can be huge and you can find really unique jewelry items!

Before bidding on any diamond or precious gem (such as emerald, ruby or sapphire), make sure you understand how value is determined for that particular stone. There’s no excuse for not being an educated shopper. If eBay sellers don’t address these characteristics in their auction listings, click on the “Ask seller a question” link and get answers before you bid!

Determining Value

For diamonds, that means evaluating the four Cs: clarity, color, carat and cut.

Clarity is the term used to describe the size and number of inclusions (minute traces of non-crystallized carbon) in a diamond. Most are invisible to the naked eye; the larger and more numerous the inclusions are, the less valuable the diamond.

Diamond color grades start at D and go up through the alphabet. Truly colorless stones, graded D, are extremely rare and very valuable. The closer a diamond is to being colorless, the rarer and more valuable it is and the more it will shine.

Carat is how the weight of a diamond is measured. The larger the diamond (the rarer) the more expensive per carat it will be. Carat refers to weight, not size or diameter, although diamonds of identical weight can look larger or smaller depending on the cut.

The cut of a diamond determines how it refracts and reflects the light; a well-cut diamond will seem brighter and properly cut.

To find the best diamond that fits within your price range it essentially comes down to a compromise between the 4Cs and your consideration of which factors are most important to you.

There is a “fifth” C, or Certificate. A certificate diamond has a “report card” that grades the four traits mentioned above, including listing specific items about that particular diamond that are unique to it. A certificate goes a long way towards establishing the trustworthiness of an online diamond seller.

Gemstones such as rubies, emeralds, and sapphires usually undergo treatments to enhance color and fill cracks. The jewelry industry considers treatment of these three gemstones standard practice. Such treatments include oil and resin treatments; heat treatment, and chemical or “diffusion treatment.”

Most eBay sellers will provide details about any treatment applied to their gemstones. If they don’t, request the details before bidding on the item.

As you can see, what to look for specifically depends on the type of stone you’re looking for – and it’s not possible to explain all that in one article – but this is the type of info to look for, especially if you intend to spend very much money.

Finding Deals

Finding a deal on a diamond or expensive gemstone requires some counter-intuitive thinking. You’re looking for listings that won’t attract a lot of bids. Lots of bids mean lots of competitors and a higher final price.

How to find these less-popular listings? Try searching for misspelled words (e.g. “dimond” instead of “diamond”). Look for items that end at odd times (say, 3:00 AM), when most bidders are in bed. And listings without pictures don’t attract as much attention, either – you may find a real “gem” by taking the time to look.

Who to Trust and What to Look For

As with any eBay auction, the seller’s rating is extremely important. This is an aggregate score based on how other customers have rated them. Look for sellers with a very high rating (I suggest over 98%) and look at the customer feedback they’ve gotten. Sellers with lots of happy customers are pretty reliable.

Second, check for any return or exchange policies. A reputable seller wants repeat business and repeat business means happy customers who leave positive ratings. Getting that means they need to bend over backwards on returns and exchanges to avoid getting negative ratings on eBay’s services.

Third, see if the seller has an “About Me” page (look for the word me in blue and red letters in the “Meet the Seller” section) or an eBay store (there will be a link that says “Visit seller’s store”) or an “About Me” page.

Many times, the store or About Me page includes further information on the eBay seller. Often you’ll find addresses or phone numbers of a physical brick-and-mortar store, which can be very reassuring. Don’t hesitate to call and ask questions!

Protecting Yourself When Paying

Figure delivery costs into your final price – and look for suspiciously high shipping costs (a sign of an unscrupulous seller). If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

When paying, use a credit card – preferably through PayPal. PayPal allows you to pay securely with your credit card and it’s owned by eBay, which makes it the preferred payment mechanism for eBay sales. And there’s additional protection when buying through PayPal, up to $1,000 in value.

Following the steps above should help ensure a hassle-free diamond or gemstone buying experience on eBay. Good luck!

Diana Ratliff
http://www.articlesbase.com/women’s-issues-articles/how-to-buy-genuine-diamonds-and-gemstones-on-ebay-99566.html