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Defining Characteristics of the eBay Power Seller
Receiving recognition as a Power Seller is quite an accomplishment. There are several criteria that a seller needs to meet before receiving the honor of becoming a Power Seller.
One of the criteria of becoming a Power Seller on eBay is that these sellers are ones who have maintained at least a 98% feedback score on eBay. Additionally, these are sellers who have consistently sold a specific volume of items on a regular basis.
Additional criteria for becoming a Power Seller are that a seller must have been an active eBay member for at least 90 days and they must have averaged a minimum of $1000 worth of sales for three months in a row. Additionally, they must have averaged at any given time at least 100 feedback points, and their eBay account must be in good financial standing.
Those who are interested in becoming a Power Seller can do so for free, and anyone who buys from a Power Seller will know. This is because everyone who qualifies as a Power Seller will have an icon next to his or her eBay username that has an appearance of a small ribbon given out to those who offer the highest level of customer satisfaction.
Benefits given to those who become Power Seller are greater than for the average individual eBay seller as well. For instance, sellers who are recognized, as ones who are Power Sellers, will receive priority phone and customer service support (in many cases, depending upon sales volume). They also receive a Certificate of Achievement along with advanced selling tips from Meg Whitman, who is one of the eBay experts.
Power sellers are also introduced to special offers that are not made known to the general eBay selling and buying population. Furthermore, they are also invited to participate in a special Power Seller discussion board.
Power Seller status is reviewed once a month. In order for sellers to maintain receiving this particular recognition they must do a variety of things. For example, they must follow through on practicing eBay values, such as that of being an honest vendor, showing respect, and responding in a timely manner when necessary.
Additional criteria for maintaining Power seller status include the following: continuing to make sales of at least $1,000 a month, continuing to uphold a 98% feedback rating, still having an eBay account in good standing, and managing a minimum of four monthly listings for three months. Additionally, Power Sellers must continue to abide by all the rules and regulations pertaining to item listing.
The Power Seller level described in this particular article is that of the Bronze Power Seller. Additional levels of Power Seller recognition are also given to the sellers who achieve the appropriate volume of sales. For example, the Silver Power Seller must achieve a monthly sales volume of $3,000, and the Gold Power Seller must reach $10,000 in sales. The Platinum Power Seller must reach $25,000 and the Titanium must reach $100,000.00 worth of sales.
All the criteria need to be met in order to maintain any one of the mentioned levels of Power Seller statuses. The most important of all the criteria that need to be met is most likely that of adhering to all of eBay’s rules. Not only could those who do not follow all of eBay’s selling rules lose t heir Power Seller status but they could also lose eBay selling and buying privileges.
Achieving Power Seller status is meant to be a great honor. Therefore, those who are able to achieve this honor need to do their best not to take it for granted and to try their hardest to do what it takes to uphold this honor. Honesty, integrity, customer satisfaction hard work is what most is usually valued on eBay sites, and what will reap sellers the most rewards. |
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Deciphering the Four Kinds of eBay Auctions
There are four main types of auctions offered by eBay. While traditional auctions are the most popular of the four, there may be times where one of the other three options may be a better match for your needs. To determine which auction will work best for you, it is important to understand the basics of all four auction types.
The most widely used auction is referred to as the traditional auction. This auction requires that the seller set a starting price and then potential buyers place their bids. The bids increase in increments of at least ten cents. A traditional auction can run for one, three, five, seven, or ten days. When the auction is closed, the highest bidder will have secured the purchase.
The second type of eBay auction is a reserved price auction. This method is very similar to the traditional auction except the seller will set an undisclosed price, below which they will not sell the item. This option provides the seller with a safety net for their product. If at the end of the auction no one has bid up to your reserve price, you are not obligated to sell and the highest bidder does not have to make the purchase.
While reserve price auctions greatly benefit the seller, they often make potential buyers nervous. This is because the buyer does not know what the reserve price is. This may lead them to feel like they are playing a guessing game and may be more reserved in their bidding. Buyers will often seek out other listings of similar products without a reserve price. In addition, eBay does charge a minimal fee for adding a reserve price to your auction.
The third eBay auction type is the Dutch, or multiple item auctions. This auction is used to sell multiple units of the same item. The items can be sold to a single bidder or multiple people. This type is popular with the buying and selling of collectibles. It allows sellers to list as many items as they want in one listing. Buyers specify how many items they are bidding on and the per unit price they are willing to pay. Then the group of bidders that win the auction will pay the lowest winning price.
If you do not have enough products to cover all of the bids then purchasers will be eliminated starting with the lowest bidder. Amongst the lowest bidders are the ones who placed their bids most recently will be knocked off first.
The last type of eBay auction is called the “buy it now” auction. This fixed price option allows sellers to set a price will end the auction. The seller determines a price that will stop the bidding. If a buyer chooses to make the purchase at that price, they do not have to wait for the auction to end, or watch other bidders. They simply click the buy it now button, make the payment and the item will be shipped. This type of auction can be used for Dutch auctions as well.
This option eliminates the normal pressures that are associated with other auctions. Buyers do not have to compete with other members or dedicate a lot of time to the auction It also allows sellers to sell faster and ship sooner, while helping eBay to clear their inventory faster.
Deciphering the differences between the four main types of eBay auctions will help you better determine which one is right for you. Experts suggest that beginners start off with the traditional auction and then move on to another type once they have more experience.
Don Guindon |
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eBay Has Limits – What Things You Will NOT Find to Buy
At eBay’s foundation it was virtually unregulated. Traders could buy and sell practically any product they desired. However, as eBay became more popular, it found it necessary to prohibit or restrict the sale of certain products in its online auctions. Some restrictions apply to all eBay members; while others are regionally mandated, and others are allowed the sale of an item only in special areas of the site.
eBay has classified its restricted items into three categories. Prohibited items cannot be listed on eBay under any circumstances. Questionable items can be listed under certain conditions. Potentially infringing items are not allowed to avoid the violation of copyright or trademark laws.
There are several examples of items that fall under the prohibited category. eBay prohibits the sale of alcohol since they cannot regulate age restrictions. Both prescription and recreational drugs are banned from eBay. In addition, eBay prohibits the listing of any firearms, knives, ammunition, or explosives. Human parts and remains are also strictly forbidden from being listed.
Other examples of items that eBay prohibits are animal and wildlife products, counterfeit items, credit card, fireworks, corrosives, military or police property, stamps, foreign currency, identification cards, lottery tickets, lock picking devices, pesticides, plants, seeds, recalled items, slot machines, stocks, stolen products and tobacco.
Items that eBay considers questionable include autographed items, batteries, food, tickets, contracts, used clothing and medical devices. eBay has unique listing conditions for these items and warns buyers to be particularly cautious when purchasing an item from this list.
eBay bans the sale of items that are potentially infringing. These items include academic software, bootleg recordings, games software, brand misuse, beta software, authenticity disclaimers, keyword spamming, mod chips, faces names and signatures, promotional items and anything that has been reproduced without the appropriate authorization.
Recently eBay has come under criticism for not enforcing their policies on what you can and cannot sell fairly amongst all eBay members. Critics have claimed that they enforce the regulations surrounding pirated items more strictly. The claim is that eBay caters to the copyright concerns of big business but overlooks items that may actually be more dangerous. While the enforcement of its policies may be random at times, eBay stands by it policies.
It is also important to mention that eBay enforces the same policies even if sellers are offering the items for free. You do not have to receive money for a prohibited or restricted item to be considered liable.
eBay not only regulates the items that can be bought in its online marketplace, but has rules concerning how information is displayed as well. It specifically prohibits the use of profanity and vulgar language, including remarks that are racist, hateful, sexist, or obscene. eBay also prohibits members to make threats to other members via email, telephone, or public message boards. It attempts to assure that all members follow these rules, so that eBay can remain an online marketplace that people feel comfortable being a part of.
Before listing you product for sale on eBay, you should check to make sure that it does not fall under any prohibited categories. Also keep in mind that eBay reserves the right to modify or update their list of prohibited and restricted items at any time.
eBay may take action against its members who break the rules concerning prohibited and restricted items. These members will have their auctions cancelled early and may face an account suspension. If your listing is cancelled early because you were in violation of their policy eBay will notify you and all bidders or the reasons behind the cancellation.
Til next time ...
Don Guindon |
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Defining Shill Bidding on eBay and Why It’s Wrong
eBay is an online auction site that allows individuals to both purchase and offer different items for sale within the auction format. However, as with almost all activities concerning money and goods, there are some people that try to exploit the system. Shill bidding is one way in which individuals attempt to cheat the system. Over the course of its existence, there have been many people that have either been users and proponents of shill bidding or who have been victims of the unfair practice. In general, shill bidding is the exploitation of bidding within the online world in order to increase the income an individual will receive for the sale of an item or good.
On the eBay auction website, there are different products that an individual can purchase. Some of these items are new, and others are used. However, the point of the auctions is to provide the consumer with a good at a discounted price while enabling the seller to make some sort of income, either surplus or enough to break even. These are the goals of the auction site. Obviously, this cannot be performed to the satisfaction of everyone involved one hundred percent of the time. There are instances in which an individual purchases the wrong item by mistake, or purchases a used item that they thought was new. Some instances of problems also would include a seller not making enough money to cover the cost of the sold item, or a seller being stiffed by the winning bidder. However, instead of using legitimate and successful ways to solve these problems, some people have resorted to less admirable and moral means.
When individuals perform shill bidding on eBay, they are bidding on their own item in order to inflate the price that they are owed in the sale of the item. If there is interest in a particular item, the seller may create a separate account or they may use a separate account that they already have created in order to get into a bidding war with the individual or individuals that are legitimately interested in the item. In the end, if the seller’s alter-ego wins the bid, there is not any damage to them since they will not have to actually ship out the item. Instead, they can offer the losing bidder a second chance offer. This occurs when the seller sends a message to the other bidder or bidders in which the item is offered to them for the highest price that they bid during the auction. Sometimes there are legitimate reasons for second chance offers to be given to other bidders, but other times this process, too, is exploited by greedy individuals. If this is the case, then the bidder may end up paying much more than they would have originally paid for the item if the seller did not try to inflate the price.
Officially, eBay’s stance on shill bidding is that it is reprehensible and will not be tolerated within the online community. However, as with most scams, it can be difficult to enforce this all of the time. There have been some high profile instances where individuals were exposed to have taken part in this behavior. It can be prosecuted in a court of law, since shill bidding is illegal in most areas in the United States and in some areas worldwide. It is important that individuals make themselves educated and aware about shill bidding in order to make sure that they stay within the confines of the law as well as to be able to avoid scams on eBay. On the whole, eBay is a great and functional site, and it is important not to let the minority ruin the good times for those who stay within the limits of jurisdictional and moral allowances.
Happy ebaying folks!
Don Guindon |
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Are You Happy In Your Business?
If you are working from home, it's sometimes hard to approach your business as...well....a business. After all, when your daily commute is simply walking across the room it's hard to change your mindset from "home" to "office" so quickly and in your home surroundings.
To be successful working from home, though, you must have an "office" mindset that takes you from personal to business activities effectively. A great way to do this is to find a resource that reminds you of the importance of a business approach and that contains the information you need to make your business more successful than ever.
Where can you find a resource that can do all of this? Introducing Ebay Profits 2007, an amazing,
comprehensive book that shows you exactly how to build and operate your Ebay selling business right from your own home.
Of course, being your own boss means putting in the time and effort to be successful, so don't expect Ebay Profits 2007 to be a get rich quick scheme. You'll have to do your part, too.
But no other book has the potential to help you expand your business so smartly and generate huge profits so quickly. Ebay Profits 2007 is specially designed to cover everything you need to know about becoming an insanely successful Ebay seller.
You'll get much more than the basic "how to" information, though. Ebay Profits 2007 is packed with proven strategies and insider secrets that will help you rise to the highest levels of success you want.
If you care about your home business and making a good income, you need Ebay Profits 2007. Just click below to learn the insider secrets that can literally change your life:
If reselling this great package interests you please click here: Resell Ebay Profits 2007. The first 20 people who purchase this resell package will receive the renowned "Meeting of the Masters DVD" Absolutely free. It's a movie length DVD capturing 13 of the internet's best marketers caught in one room together. They were asked: "With $500, can you make 30 grand in one months time" The answer is yes, so you can find out how they did it!
Grab it while you can, it's a limited time offer or whoever grabs them first.
That's all for today :)
Don Guindon |
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Don’t Hook those eBay Phish!
Phishing is an illegal activity that pulls a person from a legitimate eBay site to one that is involved in scamming people for money. Phishing is also often referred to as spoofing, or sending spoof e-mails.
This happens quite often and honest buyers and sellers need to be aware of this practice-and to know how to avoid being hooked by it, or hooking someone else in this way. There are ways to be sure not to be tricked by one of these evil schemes.
eBay phishers will present themselves as an authentic-looking eBay site, and will even send e-mails to members that look as though they are legitimate. However, many of these supposedly legitimate-looking e-mails are really fake.
There are warning signs you need to be aware of to be able to spot e-mails that are being sent to you as ones that are fake or spoofs. For example, phishers will often send generic notices with a greeting such as “Attention eBay Member” or similar phrase.
Usually the spoof e-mails mentioned in the previous paragraph will contain threats of eBay account suspension, invitations to become a Power Seller, and so forth. These actions in themselves could happen, but spoofers send these during times when these events or situations could not possibly take place. Furthermore, spoofing (phishing) emails also usually require a person to take immediate action, and to offer personal information such as a social security number, eBay password, and so on.
A similar phishing experience that has affected some eBay members in the past that you need to be aware about is that regarding PayPal. Numerous attempts have been made by people sending out fake e-mails that look authentic and even have PayPal addresses in the “From” line. The object usually is to get you to surrender to them your PayPal password so they can use it to steal the funds out of your PayPal account.
You know a little about what a fake e-mail would contain if it were sent to you by a phisher. However, you may also want to know what an eBay e-mail or a PayPal e-mail will or will not contain. For example, authentic e-mails from eBay or PayPal usually do not have any files attached to them, nor do they ask for passwords or other personal information (i.e. credit card numbers or SSN).
In order to further protect yourself, you may want to copy and paste any links that you get in an e-mail into your web browser. This will help ensure that you are going to the right site page. However, you also may need to take other action to be able to recognize a true eBay site from a false one.
One way to know if you are visiting a genuine eBay site is to take a look at the URL of the page that a link leads you to after you click it or paste it into your Web browser. If you notice that the link contains no other characters before the first forward slash of the eBay URL it is most likely genuine. It will also not contain any additional characters after the forward slash of a particular page, other than that which usually would name a specific eBay page.
If you have any doubt at all regarding a particular eBay e-mail and whether or not it is really eBay you can also report it and check out the situation. For example, if you notice that you have receive an e-mail saying that your eBay account is in danger of suspension you may consider not responding to that e-mail, and typing in the URL of the eBay home page and then signing in to your account. Usually you will have received a notice in your eBay e-mail message system.
If you see that your account appears to be okay, you should be able to still buy, sell, and make bids. If you can do one or more of these things then you know that your eBay account has not been suspended. Therefore, be careful, and report any suspicious e-mails to the proper authorities, such as to eBay or PayPal sites. Authorities from either one of these sites will look further into the situation.
Don Guindon |
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Scam Artists are Alive and Well on eBay – How to Avoid Them
As with virtually any venture, there are always people out and about trying to exploit and take advantage of honest, hard workers that are using legitimate means to make income or otherwise improve the quality of their lives. The eBay company was established in the 1990’s and is an online auction website that is used by individuals in order to sell and purchase different new and used items for the personalize use of the individual. However, there are certain scam artists that are trying to, and who have been able to, use the system to their own benefit. Still, there are ways in which an individual can avoid being taken advantage of by the scam artists which may be using eBay in order to meet their own malicious needs involving money or reputable goods that the individual wants.
It is very important that individuals not take part in Buy It Now purchases through individual emails. Because the process takes place outside of the eBay community, if a person does not receive their item, there is no way to leave negative feedback about the experience. As a result, other consumers are not warned and an individual can be taken advantage of if they do take part in this procedure with a less than reputable partner. Also advisable to consumers is that they not use Western Union or other wire money transfers. Western Union expresses themselves as a third party in the proceedings, and therefore they assume no liability for any fraud that may come as a result.
Additionally, using Western Union or another wiring service can be expensive as compared to other payment methods that are available to the individual. eBay also has an approved escrow service to use in order to make sure that the trading partner or seller is legitimate. The online auction site eBay also encourages individuals who are involved in a transaction in which the individual insists that the potential consumer use a specific escrow service to do a check decline the purchase with that individual and report that seller to eBay to investigate. This is because there are many fake escrow services out there, which will not give the individual a truly accurate portrayal of the seller.
There are sometimes emails sent that say they are from eBay, but these are emails that are actually from scam artists who are trying to get your billing or bank account information in order to use the funds in the bank account belonging to the unsuspecting recipient. It is important to go to eBay.com and investigate the likelihood of the email being legitimate. If it is, there will be corresponding information on the eBay home page. An individual can also contact eBay and forward the email to them in order to assert the validity of the email. Do not give out personal bank information, eBay will not ask for this information. Some emails also claim to sell auction items at incredibly low prices, and it is important not to fall for this scam, whose purpose is to lure individuals into sending money outside of the eBay community.
It can also be beneficial to be wary of short 24 or 48-hour auctions for expensive items. This is because certain scam artists hijack other users’ accounts and use them in order to exploit money from unsuspecting consumers with no penalty to deal with on their own accounts and personas after the fact.
While the FBI has noted that 62% of all Internet crimes are made up from false and fraudulent online auction scams, there are many legitimate individuals that are involved in the online auction scene. Individuals simply need to be aware of popular scams and how to stay away from them. They are not impossible to avoid, it simply necessitates that the consumer be educated and responsible.
Don Guindon |
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| About Me |
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Name: Don Guindon
Home: Malakwa, British Columbia, Canada
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