Auction Power Guide

Everyone would like to get the best possible price for everything they sell on eBay, but not many people really understand what people are actually looking for when they are trying to buy things. You have to put yourself into the buyer’s place. What do you look for?

First and foremost, you need photographs. It has been proven many times that auctions that are equal in almost every other way will sell better when good photos are included. People who shop on auction sites are very visually oriented. When you think about it, this makes sense. When you go to a clothing store, would you be comfortable just reading a list of descriptions of their clothing items, and then ordering your clothing from that list? Of course not. You want to see each item. Internet shoppers are no different, The nicer your photos look, the more excited your potential buyers will become about the item.

You should also be very descriptive in the text. Photos alone will not sell them item. You need to be careful with your description. Be accurate, describe any flaws in detail, and try to paint a picture of the condition of the item with your words. Consider the following descriptions for the same item.

“This is a navy blue blazer. It has a small rip in the seam under the right arm. It is not really visible. It is a size 40. It has a navy blue silk lining. It’s a really nice blazer and it has only been worn three times.”

To see a video from Kim and Charles on their Virtual Real Estate Investing systems click below: http://www.audioacrobat.com/playv/Wjk1ZC6f

“Here we have a gorgeous, navy blue, tailored, single-breasted blazer from Blazer’s International. This blazer is a size 40 and is beautifully tailored to fit just right. The lining is made of a very high quality navy blue silk. It has two lovely silver-colored buttons in the front. The buttons are in perfect condition, with no cracks or peeling. This blazer was purchased new for over $250, and has only been worn three times. It comes from a smoke-free, pet-free home, and has been cared for very well. This item does have a small rip in the seam under the right arm. The rip is not visible under general wear, but should be able to be fixed very easily since it is in the seam.”

As you can see, the second description not only offers much more information, but it paints a much more detailed picture of the item. The second description actually tells you that the item is tailored, high quality, and has silver-colored buttons. Remember, the photos may not tell the whole story, so the description is just as important!

Offering a good return policy is another way to ensure better selling prices. When a seller sees that he or she can return an item if they feel it is not as described or does not fit will make them feel more comfortable with buying from you. Your return policy should be tailored to your own needs, but the more flexible you can make it, the better people will feel about spending their money with you.

One final thing to consider is your feedback rating. The higher your feedback is when you start selling, the more people will feel that they can trust you. You should always do your best to ensure that every single person that you buy from or sell to is satisfied with the transaction. You might also consider buying several inexpensive items in order to raise your feedback quickly before you start selling items.

Charles and Kim Petty

There are a number of places to find things to sell on eBay. The most obvious is, of course, buying items wholesale through the manufacturer, or through a middleman or distributor. Of course, it’s a little bit harder to make a good profit doing things this way, because so many other people will probably be selling the same things. All that competition is going to drive prices down so low on most items that the profits are little to nothing, and only the people who can get their products in large quantities and receive discounts, or who do a massive volume, will be making enough for the ordeal to be worth the effort.

eBay itself is a popular choice. You may find this a bit odd, considering that if an item is available on eBay, others have a chance to get it at the same price you do. You might wonder why they would pay a higher price to you. Well, it’s simple. You want to buy “lots” of items, or you want to buy misspelled items. If you find a pair of shoes that normally sell on eBay for $100, and the title has the brand name misspelled, you might get lucky and be the only person who finds the auction. If the starting bid is $9.99 and there is no reserve, you might get this $100 pair of shoes for $20 or less including shipping. That leaves you the opportunity to make a nice profit!

To see a video from Kim and Charles on their Virtual Real Estate Investing systems click below: http://www.audioacrobat.com/playv/Wjk1ZC6f

You might also buy lots of items and break them up. A lot is a group of similar items that are sold together, in a group. You might find a store owner who is closing their store and selling out the inventory on eBay just to get rid of it. You could run across 500 pairs of sunglasses or 20 pairs of shoes in one lot. The average eBay user is not going to purchase a large lot of items this way, so you have a good chance to get the lot at a decent price. You can then break this lot up and sell the items one at a time for a good profit.

One of the most popular ways of finding items to sell on eBay is through places like garage sales, flea markets, and thrift stores. You can find great items at these places, but you need to be prepared to do this very regularly. Some people visit their favorite thrift stores every week, or even every single day! You never know when they are going to put out a rare piece of pottery, or an antique chair, or a suit that might sell for over $100! And garage sales and flea markets are treasure troves, but you need to be prepared to spend a lot of time sifting through useless junk to find some items that will sell well on eBay.

Another resource that is often overlooked is Craig’s List. This website has free classified listings for nearly every major city in the US, and many others around the world. You can find good items very cheap, and sometimes even free! If you want to spend a little time and effort going to pick up the items, you can very often find great items to sell on eBay in the free section of your city’s listings there.

There are many other ways of finding items to sell on eBay. Consider your local newspapers and thrifty ad magazines, swap meets, live auctions, estate sales, and stores that are going out of business or have surplus inventory. With a little research and a bit of leg work, you’ll find plenty of items to sell that can make you good money!

Charles and Kim Petty