Tips on Avoiding Unpaid Items

We have all had it happen (and if you haven't, you will). The buyer doesn't pay. Then you have to eat the listing fees and start over. But, there are steps you can take to minimize unpaid items. (From eBay HELP center.)

Creating and managing your listing

Represent the items you are selling fairly and accurately.

Clearly state your return policy in your listing.

Respond promptly to buyer questions.

Review your buyer's feedback.

Use extra caution with unknown or new buyers and unusual bidding activity

Avoid Nigerian bidders - they have become famous for "schemes"

Avoiding Unpaid Items

eBay's research has shown that following a few simple tips can significantly reduce the rate of unpaid item

Make it easy for your buyers to pay by offering PayPal. (80% of eBay users have a Paypal account.)

Include detailed shipping and handling information in the item description as well as the shipping details area.

Use eBay's Checkout feature to make it simple for buyers to pay you.

Use Immediate Payments for fixed price listings and listings using the "Buy It Now" option.

After the listing ends

Ship with a tracking number and insurance. This can help resolve disputes in cases where a buyer claims to have never received an item or received a broken item.

Maintain records of shipping receipts as proof that the item was shipped.

Keep copies of any proof of your item's authenticity.

Verify payment before shipping items (including holding checks until the checks clear).

Learn to recognize counterfeit cashier’s schemes.

Only ship items to the verified billing address on the buyer's credit card account (if applicable).

Be proactive in preventing unpaid items, and you will reduce them. Be sure to leave negative feedback for non-payers. If all the sellers do this, we can quickly eliminate non-payers from eBay before they have too many opportunities to inconvenience other sellers.

Happy selling!

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Have your listings critiqued!

Just for Stay-At-Home Moms

If you are a stay-at-home mom who wants to sell on eBay but aren’t sure how to get started, or you want to earn extra cash selling your kids outgrown clothes and toys, but are unfamiliar with eBay, my book is just for you. You'll learn:

How to make thousands of dollars a month using eBay
What to sell
Where to find items to sell
How to use eBay to its fullest potential
How to photograph your items
How to fit eBay into your busy, stay at home mom schedule
All about shipping
How to get started today, with no financial investment

Whether you want to sell 10 or 1,000 items a month, this book will provide valuable information to help you become a successful eBay seller from the comfort of your home, and on a schedule that works for you and your family. I did it, and so can you.

eBay has 220 million users worldwide and millions of dollars worth of merchandise is sold on eBay every day. There is room for you on eBay, too!


Happy selling!

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Watchers and no bids?

When I am doing eBay seller reviews, sellers often ask, "why do I have watchers but no bids?" Here is why:

1) They may not be ready to buy the item yet, so they are just watching the auction to learn about the process.

2) They are afraid to make a commitment and bid. They might be new to eBay and are hesitant to place a bid yet. They just want to see how it works.

3) They are watching several auctions for the same thing and are waiting to decide which one to bid on. They don't want to bid on several of the same thing at once - because they don't want to end up winning several auctions for the same thing. Kind of like price shopping.

4) They are using an auction sniper program and not placing their bid until the last minute - literally.

5) They are just curious to see how high the price will go. Maybe they are thinking of selling a similar item.

6) They are thinking about buying the product and want to add it to their watch list to check on it again later. Like bookmarking something on the internet.

Don't get frustrated or be impatient - watchers are good. They have saved your listing in their watch list. Maybe they will come back and buy the item, or visit your listing again for something else.

Happy selling!

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Improper Use of Key Words

Keyword spamming occurs when members place brand names or other inappropriate keywords in a title or description for the purpose of gaining attention or diverting members to a listing. Keyword spamming in listings is not permitted on eBay. The searchable text sellers place in listings must be directly relevant to the item being sold. (From eBay help center.)

When doing store critiques, I have seen this tactic used many times. For example, one customer was selling handmade beaded earrings. Her title read:

"iPod Nano Wii Playstation 3 earrings LOOK"

This is a waste of your time and the customer's time. Not only is she driving customers to her listings who aren't even interested in earrings, but she isn't even targeting customers who might actually be interested in buying her product. eBay gives you 55 characters for your title - use them wisely to attract potential buyers to your listings. What good does it do you to have hundreds of page views, if the customers are searching for a product that you don't even offer?

Another example is using inappropriate brand names to describe your item. I see this one often:

"Homemade candle pillar like Yankee Candle gardenia"

This seller is using an established brand name to drive traffic to his counterfeit item. There is nothing wrong with selling homemade candles, but a seller cannot claim they are "like" an established brand name - that description is subjective and the seller's personal opinion. Stick with factual information only. You don't want to manipulate your buyer into purchasing something, and then be dissatisfied and leave you negative feedback.

Abuse of key words can lead to:

Listing cancellation
Limits on account privileges
Account suspension
Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings
Loss of PowerSeller status
Spend a few minutes taking eBay's tutorial on Search and Browse Manipulation

Happy selling!

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How do I start on eBay?

One question I get from alot of people is, "How do I even start on eBay?"

First of all, start small. Set up an eBay account and buy a few things to learn the process and get a feel for how eBay works. eBay and working at home is not for everyone. And it is ok if it isn’t right for you. Sell some of your own things before you invest any money in other products to sell. Understand that eBay is more than taking pictures and working on the computer – you need to be familiar with how to edit photos, shipping, customer service, and Paypal. Take your time and learn about these things before you jump in and go for it full-time.

Once you are comfortable with the whole process, don’t be afraid to take a risk every now and then. I am often asked, “But what if you buy an item and it doesn’t sell?” Well, that’s ok. I can always relist it. I can mark it down and sell it for what I paid for it and move on. You don’t want to buy a truckload of 1,000 items without having tested them out first, but you do want to experiment with different products – you may find something profitable to sell on a regular basis.

Make small investments and try new products to test them out and see what kind of results you’ll get. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new products and try new things. eBay is constantly evolving and no trend will last forever. Experience is the best teacher.

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FREE Marketing Techniques

Here is a FREE creative way to drive bidders to your auction:

Always use your store name when leaving feedback for others. For example, one of our automated feedback responses is, “Fast payment, easy transaction. Thanks from Atlanta Golf Shop.” Why should you do this? It is another way to get your store name in front of a potential customer. Let’s say a shopper is scanning through another member’s feedback. She may see the store name on the feedback and think, “Wow, that sounds interesting. I wonder what this place is.” Out of curiosity she clicks over to your store, and maybe she buys something, or adds you to her FAVORITES and visits you later when she has more time. See how that works?

Also, when sending any email to any person for any reason, cutomers or non-customers, put a link to your eBay store or seller page under your name. You can usually add the link to your signature on your email program under OPTIONS. I can't tell you how many customers I have gotten because my child's teacher clicked the link, the PTA president clicked the link, people who I have bought from on eBay clicked the link, etc. Don't waste an opportunity to promote your store!

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What's your refund policy?

You will not even exist as an eBay seller without customers. Everything you do needs to revolve around outstanding customer service. Offering a fair, generous refund policy shows potential buyers that you are an honest seller and will stand by your products. Customers may never even use the refund policy, but you are giving your customers options just in case they don’t like the item for whatever reason. You are empowering them. If you look at large retailers, they will allow returns on any item for just about any reason.

I see a lot of eBay sellers that have return policies like, “store credit only,” or “returns only allowed if item is grossly misrepresented.” I’ll say as a customer, I don’t buy from these sellers (on or off eBay). As a customer, I want options. I want to know that if clothing doesn’t fit, I can return it. Or if an item doesn’t match my home décor, I can return it. I don’t want to feel stuck with a purchase that can’t be returned. I don’t want to waste my money on a product that may not work for me once I have it in my hands.

My refund policy allows returns within 30 days, for any product, for any reason. I even offer a refund for my eBooks if the customer isn’t happy. Having a fair, generous refund policy will attract more customers to your store and you will make more sales. Even if a customer returns an item and you issue a refund, that customer will know that you are a seller with integrity and they will return to your store. You can always relist the item and sell it again once it is returned.

I sell about 300 items a month, and less than 1% of the items are ever returned. You know how it is, you intend to return an item but never get around to it, or it sits in your car for 2 months waiting to be taken to the post office, and you forget about it. Having a generous refund policy is a powerful marketing tool that any seller can use, and it is totally free.

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