Make Online Auctions a Home Business

Make Online Auctions a Home Business

by: John Lynch

Everyone is aware of online auctions nowadays. We all know someone who has bought or sold something on an Ebay online auction site. But how many people know that this hobby can be turned into a profitable business?

The fact is online auctions are a new kind of home based business created by the Internet with no capital investment and no risk.

An online auctions business has the following advantages:

No startup costs.

No financial risk.

Work whenever you choose.

Targeted customers brought to you by auction sites such as Ebay.

No technical skills required.

Startup in 5 minutes.

How do I start an online auctions business?

First, if you are not familiar with the process of buying and selling, you need to understand how auctions operate. By far the biggest online auction site is Ebay (http://www.ebay.com), boasting millions of users worldwide.

However, this is the tip of the iceberg. Other popular auction sites include:

Yahoo Auctions http://www.auctions.yahoo.com

uBid http://www.ubid.com

OnSale http://www.onsale.com

QXL http://www.qxl.com

Start off by buying an item yourself to get the feel of how it is done. This will give you an overall insight into the process of registering with the auction site, bidding, paying for your goods and the delivery arrangements.

Don’t Feel Forced to Buy

As a buyer you should not feel pressured into buying something that you know is overpriced because you think it is the last item. There are many online auctions and there is a good chance that you will come across the same item at another site.

Leave Your Bid Late

Experienced online buyers will leave their bids until the last few minutes before an auction closes to prevent the price being driven up too high.

Use Automated Bids

If you don’t want to spend a lot of time waiting for an auction to close, you can use an automated bidding service such as eSnipe (http://www.esnipe.com). You can open a free account and type in the auction number and the amount you want to bid. ESnipe can then place a lastminute bid for you just before the close of the auction. If you win the bid, you pay eSnipe a small fee and if you lose you pay nothing.

Search for Misspelt Items

Savvy buyers know that many items listed for sale at Ebay are misspelt. You can use this to your advantage by searching for wrongly spelt items. You will have far less competition as most people search for correctly spelt items.

Once you have bought something and paid for it, you will know how the auction process works from the buyerกs point of view. This is vital as it will give added insight into how you can provide good customer service when you set up your own business.

So now that you have bought and paid for an item on an online auction, you are ready to sell something yourself as a first step to setting up an online business.

At this point, most people look around their own homes to rid themselves of some unwanted items for which they have no use. This is a good way to get started. When you list your item on auction sites, make sure you provide a photograph. This will grab the attention of the buyers.

Description of Goods

A good description of your กfor saleก items is essential. Give all relevant details including technical specifications and dimensions where necessary.

Guaranteed Refund

Give a guaranteed refund to potential buyers to reassure them of your integrity. Most buyers and sellers on the Internet are honest but there are a few rogues, and buyers like to be reassured.

Positive Feedback

Getting positive feedback from your previous customers is the best way to prove you are trustworthy. Always request feedback politely after a successful sale.

Reserve Price

Set a reserve price to ensure that your goods do not sell for less than you want. Make it reasonable. If you set it too high, you will not receive any bids.

Payment Options

The more payment options you offer your buyers, the more likely you will be to make a sale. Ebay auctions offer the online payment transfer system Pay Pal (www.paypal.com) which is free to set up. Credit cards also offer security and are popular.

If you intend to set up an online auctions business, it is best to specialise in a niche which is a little out of the ordinary. Thereby facing less competition and guaranteeing your profitability.

Setting up an online auctions business can become a reality for anyone who is prepared to do the necessary research and put in the effort. The enormous interest in auction sites created by the success of Ebay has provided huge numbers of targeted visitors ready to part with their cash for a great variety of goods.

(C) John Lynch 2003

About The Author

(C) John Lynch 2003

Visit http://www.merchantaccountservice.com/auction_ebay.html for a Free auctions course on how to start a successful online auctions business from home.

This article was posted on October 24, 2003

by John Lynch

Online Auctions: 10 Secrets You Should Know Before

Online Auctions: 10 Secrets You Should Know Before Bidding At An Online Auction

by: Ikey Benney, CEO

You may have heard about ebay and other online auctions.

You may have participated in some of the biddings.

But before you do the next bidding for a product or service, here are some few important online auctions secrets to help you:

1. Know the value of the product before you bid. If the product is brand new, check to see what price retailers are charging for it. If the product is used or reconditioned, you will want to pay way less than the retail value.

2. If the productกs description or picture isn’t detailed enough for you, contact the merchant to get more information before you bid. You don’t want to take a chance to waste your hard earned money.

3. Know the highest price you will bid for the product and stick with it. Don’t get caught up in a bidding war; you may end up paying more than the productกs worth. Don’t forget to add in the shipping price with your bid.

4. Visit a few online auctions before bidding because some merchants auction the same product in many auctions. You usually can purchase the product for a lower price in a unpopular auction because there are less bidders.

5. Know the time the auction begins and ends. You also want to know how long it will take to ship. If you need the product by a certain date, youกll want to estimate the time it will take to receive it.

6. Know the payment options the merchant accepts before you bid on their product. If they only accept checks or money orders, it may take even longer to get the product because the payment has to clear. If they accept credit cards make sure they have a secure server.

7. Know if the merchant offers a warranty or money back guarantee or before bidding on a product. You don’t want to get stuck with a product that does not work or you’re not satisfied with.

8. Online auctions will, sometimes, allow you to check the merchants history with their auction. Check to see if people have complained about the their products or business practices before you decide to bid.

9. Itกs important to place a bid early in the auction to show other bidders you are interested in the product. If someone does out bid you, don’t be afraid to out bid them. Remember not to go over your maximum bid price.

10. Another reason to know when the auction ends; you can place a last minute bid. The other bidders may not be keeping track of when the auction ends or may not have the time to bid again.

May these online auctions secrets help you to make a lot of money.

Warmly,

Ikey Benney, CEO

About The Author

Ikey, a Millionaire CEO from New York City is the creator of กMscsrrr: Millionaire Secret Cash Systemก, (internet income opportunity) which has helped thousands of ordinary people from all over the world to attain financial security and shining success during the past 2 yrs.

Mscsrrr Millionaire Secret Cash System helps you to generate $1,500+/Week for life, from home or office, part time or full time. No large investment or hassles. Win $1000$2000 free ขcashข…

mscsrrr.com

[email protected]

This article was posted on March 21

by Ikey Benney, CEO

Make All Your Mailing Lists Double OptIn

Make All Your Mailing Lists Double OptIn

by: John Lynch

Accusations of spam can be so harmful to your business that every effort should be made to prevent it.

However, simply requesting a surfer to enter an email address into an online form on your website is not a guarantee of not being accused of spam.

Here’s what could happen

One of your competitors could visit your website and enter the name of a wellknown antispammer. When your autoresponder sends out the latest copy of your newsletter or minicourse to this person, he will become very angry.

It is no good protesting your innocence. Since he didn’t ask to subscribe to your newsletter, he will claim that you are spamming him. While you are arguing your case with your Web host, your competitor will be taking your profits!

Here’s how Double OptIn works

When a subscriber signs up for your newsletter online, he or she receives a confirmation email to which they must respond if they are to be added to your list.

The confirmation usually involves simply clicking a link or hitting the replyto button.

Taking these precautions can prevent a lot of trouble and ensure that your optin subscribers really want your information.

© 2003 John Lynch

For Free courses on how to succeed in Internet Marketing, Affiliate Programs, Online Auctions go to: http://www.merchantaccountservice.com/free_courses_online.html

About The Author

For Free courses on how to succeed in Internet Marketing, Affiliate Programs, Online Auctions go to: http://www.merchantaccountservice.com/free_courses_online.html

This article was posted on December 14, 2003

by John Lynch

Ebay Secrets Revealed

Ebay Secrets Revealed

by: David B. Ledoux

It is rumored that the top affiliate at eBay made over $1 million dollars in January 2004. Who wouldn’t like to know his eBay secrets? In fact, it is estimated that the top 10 eBay affiliates all earn over $100,000 per month.
In a world where average men and women commute to jobs they hate, knowing eBay secrets to generating extra income is of major interest. If at least 75% of people hate waking up to an alarm clock and commuting to work, then learning to make extra income parttime from home with online auctions is a big deal.
Can you really make extra income learning eBay secrets? Over 25,000 people make their FULL TIME LIVING with online auctions like eBay, Google, Yahoo and more. A whisper number of part timers is over 250,000! Imagine, a quarter of a million people are putting extra income in their pockets with online auctions.
Raise your hand if youกd like to join the ranks of the thousands of smart people making extra income in their own homebased business thanks to online auctions!

About The Author

David Ledoux is a freelance writer for http://www.bestonlineauctionlinks.com and http://www.freepalmprograms.com

This article was posted on July 31, 2004

by David B. Ledoux