The new eBay Pulse page was released today.
It looks cleaner and is easier to navigate.
More popular searches are displayed.
It's also showing popular internet pulse for popular keywords from well read blogs.
You will find the eBay Pulse page at www.pulse.ebay.com
By Ina Steiner
AuctionBytes.com
A new factor in eBay's Best Match search algorithm is "Recent Sales," announced to sellers last month. eBay explained the concept of Recent Sales in a blog post to developers on Friday.
eBay's Best Match algorithm gives more weight to multi-item listings that have experienced some sales, and recommends sellers relist if there are any unsold items left over. However, it appears sellers would not get a relist credit for those items if any of the items had sold. According to the post, "If the listing has ended and ANY quantity remains (and the item has not been relisted before), automatically relist. You will not get a relist credit, but your recent sales score will carry over."
eBay explained to developers that it is encouraging multi-item listings for two reasons: a purchase from a buyer is a great way to measure satisfaction, and because the search experience is cleaner for buyers when there are not duplicate listings. The release date for Recent Sales is targeted for mid-September
A subsequent post informed developers that recent sales will start to factor into Best Match sorting in mid-September, but the tracking begins right away."If you start listing in multi-quantity now and then continue to relist those items when they expire, you'll start accumulating a "recent sales" score reflecting the recent purchases of that item. When the feature is turned on, you start reaping the rewards Forget to relist? Youve got a couple of days to get that item back up on the site and keep your score. Remember, you must do it as a "relist" to have your score carry over. And you can't make major changes to the listing (for example, changes to title, category, condition, increasing price, etc.)."
eBay's Finding team have introduced a new option that allows you to sort by category.
Sorting by category gives buyers a sense of the wide breadth of items available on eBay. You can find this option in the "Sort by" drop-down menu at the top of your search results.
How the "Category" sort works
This sort groups the listings in your search results by the category they were listed in. A header for each category represented will be followed by several listings, along with a link to see all the listings in that category that meet the search criteria.
For example, if you use this sort after searching for "Harry Potter," the first group of listings may be from the DVDs & Movies category, the next group from Books, and the next from Toys, etc.
The categories that are displayed are those that are most relevant to your search terms based on the same logic as our Best Match sort option (click here to learn more about Best Match). Please note, though, that the individual listings shown under each category header are simply those ending soonest from the most relevant subcategories.
A thread on the Search discussion board with a list of Frequently Asked Questions and a screenshot that show you where to find the Category sort.
by Kirsten Hawkins, Market-day.net
It’s surprisingly simple to get started posting your very first auction on eBay. Here’s what you need to do.
Step 1: Open an eBay seller’s account.
If you’ve bought things on eBay, then you already have an account – just log in with it and click ‘Sell’ in the toolbar at the top of the page, then click ‘Create a seller’s account’. If you’ve never used eBay before, then you’ll need to open an account first using the ‘register’ link underneath the toolbar, and then click ‘Sell’ and ‘Create a seller’s account’. The eBay site will then guide you through the process. For security, this may involve giving card details and bank information.
Step 2: Decide what to sell.
For your first little experiment with eBay, it doesn’t really matter what you sell. Take a look around the room you’re in – I’m sure there’s something in there that you’re not all that attached to and could put in the post. Small books and CDs are ideal first items.
Step 3: Submit your item.
Click ‘Sell’, and you’re on your way to listing your item.
The first thing you need to do is choose a category – it’s best to just type in what the item is and let eBay choose for you. Next, write a title and description. Include key words you think people will search for in the title box, and all the information you have about the item in the description box.
Now set a starting price. $0.01 is the best starting price, as it draws people in to bid who otherwise wouldn’t, and items will almost never finish at such a low price. The next thing to set is the duration of the auction: 3, 5, 7 or 10 days. This is up to you: longer sales will usually get more bids, but will also seem to drag on forever. If you’ve taken a picture, add it now – items with pictures always sell for more. Finally, tick the payment methods you will accept (just PayPal is best for now), and where you will post to (limit yourself to your own country to begin with). Submit and you’re done!
Step 4: Wait for it to sell.
This is just a matter of sitting back and letting eBay do its thing – buyers will find your item and leave bids on it. Some bidders might email you with questions about the item, and you should do your best to answer these questions as quickly as you can.
Remember that if your item doesn’t sell then you can list it again for free.
Step 5: Collect payment and post it.
eBay will sent your buyer emails guiding them through the process of sending you payment for the item. Make sure you have the money before you send anything.
Once you’ve got the payment, all you need to do is pack the item for posting (make sure to use some bubble wrap), take the buyer’s address from the confirmation email eBay sent you, and write it on the parcel. Put some stamps on, post it, and you’re done!
I hope you enjoyed selling your first item. Now that you’re starting to get into it, the next email will give you a checklist of things you need to do to be a successful seller.
strategies to help you reach PowerSeller status on the online auction site.
By Jessica Seid, CNNMoney.com staff writer
August 4 2006: 11:52 AM EDT
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Small-business owners have discovered that they don't need a store to have success.
With more than $45 billion in yearly gross merchandise sales, eBay's virtual marketplace has spawned many lucrative businesses.
Financial analysts estimate that some 600,000 eBay sellers known as PowerSellers run either a full-time or significant part-time eBay business listing millions of items every day, according to Skip McGrath, author of "Titanium eBay: A Tactical Guide to Becoming a Millionaire PowerSeller."
eBay PowerSellers sell anywhere from $1,000 to more than $150,000 monthly on the site and also get a high level of positive feedback - with a 98 percent or better rating by other eBay users.
eBay "is a ready-made business platform," McGrath said, because of its low barrier of entry, high traffic and millions of customers with credit-card information on hand and ready to use.
Jonathon Garriss worked in a small shoe store before he started selling overstock on eBay; now he runs Gotham City Online, a $6 million to $8 million business selling shoes on eBay.
To get your hands on a piece of that $45 billion, McGrath offers these tips that could help you become a PowerSeller.
Learn to buy before you sell. By racking up experience buying, eBay-style, you will learn to bid successfully, how PayPal works, how to post feedback and how buyers and sellers communicate with each other.
One man's junk is another man's treasure. For starters, McGrath suggests finding something in your home that is usable but that you don't want anymore and sell it online. That way, you can establish yourself, get the hang of selling and use the proceeds from those first sales to buy more merchandise.
Sell what you love. If you love to fish, sell fishing equipment. After all, if you know something about the products you are selling, you'll be better at distinguishing between the good and the bad items out there, as well as pricing and writing descriptions. The more specialized your product niche, the better. Customers will begin to know you for your wares and come back to you again and again.
It's not only what you sell, but how you sell. Whether it's with free shipping, or a very high level of customer service, set yourself apart from the masses. Consider adding a picture of yourself or a personal touch to the description. After McGrath added an audio message to many of his listings, he noted a dramatic increase in sales. And be sure to pack and ship your items professionally and in a timely fashion. Including a handwritten card or note is a nice touch.
Hone your headlines. If you don't write good headlines, nobody is going to click on your auction and you're not going to sell anything. Seems pretty obvious right? But it's not quite so simple. When writing headlines, keep the user in mind; try multiple spellings (i.e., hairbrush, hair brush) and be as descriptive as you can (i.e., tortoise shell, made in London, England).
A picture is worth a thousand words. When you photograph your item, capture it in its best light. "Nobody wants to see dirty dishes in the background," said McGrath. Also, include close-ups and details (the underside, the label, the tag etc.).
Get into the description. Don't just list the item's features (size, color, shape, what it does) but also describe the benefits (why it's different, why you like it). Add sentences like "this is the best one of its kind, because..."
Think big. McGrath recommends running 100 or more auctions at the same time. That way, you'll not only get noticed by more people, you will sell more stuff and boost your monthly take, which can then boost your ranking within eBay's PowerSeller tiers.
Bronze sellers bring in average monthly sales of $1,000 a month, silver sellers log $3,000 in monthly sales, gold sellers bring down $10,000, platinum take home $25,000 and titanium sellers, the highest level, bring in $150,000 a month.
For the advanced seller, several auction-management companies - including Vendio, Channel Advisor, Auction Hawk and eBay's own Turbo Lister - can help manage inventory, transactions, post-sale processes and communications with customers.
Almost anyone has what it takes to make it to the upper tiers, although making it in the eBay world does require some diligence and patience. All sellers, at some point, might have trouble unloading a product or dealing with a difficult customer, but with these techniques the serious seller can step up their game.
Now that you have the tools of the trade, get your gavel and go.
Considering using Mpire or eBay Blackthorne for auction management? There are some significant differences between these auction tools. We’ve compared Mpire and eBay Blackthorne below so you can select the best eBay software for you. We also compare Mpire to eBay TurboLister.
Overview
Mpire Launcher offers a fast and free listing tool with richer features than eBay TurboLister.
Mpire Builder has comparable features as eBay Blackthorne.
Mpire Launcher and Builder allow you to earn significant savings on eBay fees. Mpire includes free scheduled listings and image hosting. eBay fees for those services can easily add up to $50-$150 per month depending on volume.
Considering using Mpire or Vendio for auction management? There are some significant differences between these auction tools. We’ve compared Mpire and Vendio below so you can select the best eBay software for you.
Overview
For listing creation alone, Mpire Launcher is free. Vendio offers no free listing service.
Vendio and both Mpire Builder and Launcher have full listing creation capabilities.
Vendio charges additional fees of $14.95 for full financial reporting and an additional $14.95 for customer tracking and management. Mpire includes basic financial reporting and customer tracking in Mpire Builder with no additional charges.
Mpire has full consignment management features. Vendio does not support consignment.
If off eBay checkout or support for marketplaces other than eBay are a requirement, Vendio will be the better choice.
Considering using Mpire or Auctiva for auction management? There are some significant differences between these auction tools. We’ve compared Mpire and Auctiva below so you can select the best eBay software for you.
Overview
Both MPire Launcher and Auctiva are free web based tools with great features that make listing a snap.
Want your listings to look great? Launcher and Builder include one simple link to Mpire while Auctiva sprinkles your listing with several required links and ads.
Looking for full auction management rather than just a listing tool like Auctiva? Mpire Builder offers customer communication, financial tracking, consignment management and more that Auctiva doesn’t have.
Mpire supports only eBay sales. Is off-eBay checkout a must have? If so, Mpire may not be the best choice for you.
The eBay Tool Bar Includes:
Account Guard Protection
Timely Alerts for Buying and Selling
Handy Search Box
http://pages.ebay.com/ebay%5Ftoolbar/
What is it?
eBay Toolbar is a free tool download that allows you to link quickly to your preferred eBay locations. You choose the settings and links - eBay Toolbar does all the rest.
Colorful icons let you click to the areas of interest or search for items you want on eBay:
Account Guard protection against fake web sites
Timely desktop alerts
Customizable features
Handy search box
Convenient buying and selling status
One-click access to My eBay, Favorites, PayPal and more!
Take the eBay Toolbar tour for more details
The latest version of eBay Toolbar now includes these helpful enhancements:
Item pictures in the desktop alerts
A more convenient button for items you're selling
New alerts for when you've won or didn't win
New alerts for when a buyer has asked you a question
New alerts for when you have sold or not sold an item
Is there Additional Information That I Should Be Aware Of?
The eBay Toolbar is not Spyware!
eBay Toolbar is only downloaded with your consent and does not collect any personal information. The only time eBay Toolbar sends information to eBay about your off-eBay Internet experiences is when you explicitly report potential spoof Web sites to us. We encourage all eBay Toolbar users to review the specific ways eBay uses and protects your personal information by reading eBay's Privacy Policy.
Are there Requirements to Download?
Download size of eBay toolbar is: 2.6MB.
System Requirements
Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 or greater
Get a Bargain on eBay ( both for resale and for your own needs )
There are some great eBay strategies you can use to your advantage to get a better bargain on eBay.
Shop in eBay Stores for many items which don't usually appear in the standard searches and are often priced to sell.
Buy seasonal items in the off-season such as a new swim suit in the winter when most buyers aren't looking for that item.
Shop for deals on major holidays and obscure hours such as middle of the night as not many people shopping so you will be able to get cheaper. You don't have to be up to do this ( see sniping below )
As tempting as it is, do not bid right away as you could get into a bidding war with other potential buyers. Instead wait till as close to the end of the auction as possible to place your max bid. Better yet use a Sniping program or service which will automatically place your maximum proxy bid during the last seconds of the auction. You can also use the eBay Toolbar and Your Watched Items to alert you as the auction is nearing it's end.
Buy in Quantity and Save - depending on what you buy you can stock up for the future or keep what you need and re-sell the rest on eBay. Try using the word Lot in your search or Browse Wholesale Sections.
There are sites on the internet that will automatically search on eBay for mis-spelled keywords - if buyers can't find the item of course they won't be bidding so advantage you !
Use the eBay sorting feature and advanced searches to sort by things like lowest priced, buy it now, set price ranges etc.
Browse the categories instead of just keywords as the seller may be using words in their title which are uncommon search terms.
Use Advanced Search Tips when you get too many results so you can narrow down your search.
It is important to know your pricing - what is the retail value / how much have past auctions sold for / what is a good price ?
Do your research ( on and off eBay ) or you could get burned. What is the msrp? What is the avg sold price?
Social Networking Is the Key to your Success - At least that is what my mom taught me growing up. Its not what you do or how you do it that matters ... its who you know. The same can be applied as eBay sellers! Its not what your selling or how you sell it that matters ... its who you know that can source it for you!
This could be part of the reason eBay has invested $2 Million in a company called Meetup.
http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/04/12/ebay/index.php
It will be interesting to see how eBay chooses to apply this to their business model!
Remember the old saying " a picture's worth a thousand words "
To sell successfully you product you should have a good picture to:
Create Credibility by showing actual item
Give Easy Visual Reference Points
Reduce Questions
Save on Detailed Description
Test your listing to determine how many pictures are needed to show as much detail as necessary - don't go overboard if not necessary as can cause the listings to take too long to load.
"Matt Frame couldn't believe what he was seeing when he found a red 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS with white striping on eBay last week." - Daily Mail
Lost in 2002 Matt recognized his 1967 Camaro for sale on eBay. This isnt the 1st time something stolen has been recognized by the owner for sale on eBay. I hope more stories like this turn up and the theif is captured. The more stories like this turn up the more thieves will know that they cant simply offload hot items on eBay.
This is just a good story and I am glad Matt and his family have been reunited with their missing family member.
Big bids can't get you to bed Carmen Electra
Monday December 19 2005 17:05 IST
ANI
WASHINGTON: The fears of sleeping with a stranger have finally been alleviated for actress Carmen Electra, as the man, whose offer was one of the highest in an online bidding for a date with the sexy beauty, has been disqualified.
The former Baywatch star, who is married to rocker Dave Navarro, recently offered her fans to buy the chance to take her out, on the internet auction site eBay.com, but she now regrets being so crazy, as the huge amounts of cash that were bid for a date with her, left her highly concerned.
"They were bidding for a date with me on eBay, which was kind of weird, but the money went to charity, so I thought it would be a nice thing to do," Contactmusic quoted her, as saying.
"It went up to some crazy number and I actually felt obligated to, like, sleep with the guy. But I didn't, because they were disqualified," she added.
Comments -
I really dont have anything more to say about this ... I just thought it was funny :). Happy Holidays!
Geldof Incensed at eBay
By Debbie McGoldrick
Bob Geldof is furious that Live 8 tickets are being offered for sale on eBay, and he has called for a worldwide boycott of the online auction site, describing it as “an electronic pimp.”
Tickets are already attracting bids of up to $1,500, a figure Geldof says is “sick profiteering.” The Live 8 organizer said he was appalled, and accused the sellers of the tickets of “disgusting greed.”
Comments -
eBay is estimated to earn $49 BILLION in revenue per year (and this is only getting higher). I don’t know about anyone else but that is one BIG income for an electronic pimp.
Let’s go out on a limb here and assume eBay really doesn’t need the extra money generated from the sales of Live 8 tickets. eBay then become a venue that reflects the moral integrity of the masses (all 147 million of them) and this isn’t just for sellers! If everyone was more incensed about the sale of the tickets, as Mr. Geldof claims he is, than there wouldn’t be bidders willing to pay for those tickets at such exorbitant prices.
I am equally appalled that tickets to charity events are being sold for profit, just as I was appalled at people who would sell the ask from the 9/11 disaster, or from pieces of the Berlin Wall. I will not bid on such items. But I must say I am more disappointed by the reflection eBay garnishes of our society when sellers feel such items are fair game to be profited on. Who will you hold accountable? eBay? Or the sellers profiting from the misfortune of others?
CHINA VIEW:Alibaba Takes On EBay; Online Game Woes Worsen
Tuesday December 6, 2:11 AM
By Sage Brennan
A Dow Jones Column
SHANGHAI (Dow Jones)--Consumer-to-consumer ecommerce company Alibaba.Com Corp., of which Yahoo Inc. (YHOO) assumed 40% ownership in August, will continue to consolidate control of YahooChina's search, portal and other assets in the coming weeks.
Alibaba is also focusing on expanding the market share of its core ecommerce business, anchored by the popular Taobao auction site.
Taobao doesn't currently charge customers to list or buy items through its ecommerce platform, while its primary competitor, eBay Inc.'s (EBAY) eBay Eachnet unit, charges fees to users. Taobao has taken advantage of its fee-free status, attacking eBay's previously unassailable market share. Insiders assert that a surprising portion of eBay users, in fact, frequently complete ecommerce transactions using Taobao and its associated epayment platform, AliPay, after initially locating products for sale on eBay.
Comments -
Anytime eBay increases fees there is a huge whiplash in its online community. To date most sellers have had to just accept the additional fees as a part of doing business on eBay because there really hasn’t been anywhere else to go. Essentially you have to stay where the consumers are ... no one would expect Best Buy to open a store in Podunk Alaska (not a real location) simply because they wouldn’t have to pay as much sales tax.
With eBay monopolizing the online auction place its no wonder that other companies are looking to grab a piece of the cake ... and are in a position to do so offering minimal or no costs to sellers and buyers. eBay will want to keep an eye on Alibaba, Google, and Microsoft as they plan to compete on the same platform as eBay ... they may also want to rethink increasing fees ... and to keep sellers on their site they may actually want to consider LOWERING costs for a change.
What this means for the savvy seller is that there are many OTHER sites to sell product on! While eBay is currently the best site at the moment sellers may want to investigate some of the other sites out there to see what they have to offer and see if, perhaps, it might already be in their best interest to jump ship!
Market Scan
EBay Listings Continue To Surge
Maya Roney, 11.29.05, 10:48 AM ET
Goldman Sachs research analyst Anthony Noto maintained an "outperform" rating on eBay (nasdaq: EBAY - news - people ) as listings continued to trend above estimates in week eight of the fourth quarter.
Worried eBay is not going to be around for long? Don't ... eBay is in it for the long haul and has thus far been monopolizing the online auction market (expect for one small incident in Japan where eBay had to pull out to Yahoo). But with all such lucrative markets there will be competition coming.
I would expect the biggest challenge to come from Google and every consumer should be encouraging them on! Nothing breeds a better consumer market than competition. eBay has recently made increasing fees a way of life for most sellers slowly eating away at profit margins. You can expect a competitor to take advantage of the additional costs eBay charges a nickel and dime for!
eBay touts itself as a global economic democracy ... but its hard to vote for anyone else when they’re the only ones running!
Brits spurn high street for eBay at Xmas By Staff
28-11-2005 11:18 AM
Related: Research Retail
Nearly nine in ten (89%) of UK shoppers are preparing to flock online in search of Christmas presents, with 44% planning to scoop bargains on eBay, according to new research.
So much emphasis has been placed on www.ebay.com that one can often forget that eBay operates in over 26 countries! Some sellers are discouraged thinking that they can only make good money selling on the US site. The whole appeal to eBay is a global marketplace. With 44% for UK shoppers planning on looking into eBay the real question is what are you willing to do to offer them a great deal?
For more tips on how to sell on eBay check out www.auctiontips.com
Topic: eBay Workshop: Marketplace Research
Host: eBay Staff
Date: Thursday 11/17
Time: 11:00 - 12:00 PST
Location: Workshop Board
Description: Whether you are a buyer or seller, eBay Marketplace Research has something for you. Offering up to 90 days of completed items history, sold price trends, bidding trends, feature use research, top search information and more! Come join eBay’s Marketplace Research team to learn more about this exciting new product.
Hope you can join us!!!
Deirdre
eBay Community Development
For those of you interested in Marketplace research I definitely recommend participating in this workshop. I have participated in workshops before and it is invaluable to have an eBay expert walk you through the program whether you be a new user or expert. Especially with a program like this that will contain vast amount of information this workshop should be very promising.
For more tips on how to sell on eBay go to www.auctiontips.com
Kauneonga Lake – Did you hear the story about the guy who buys a $60 hand plane tool on eBay and with it comes a diamond wedding ring?
Have you ever wondered why eBay is so big? Why the appeal? Other than the obvious reasons of a worldwide market, being able to buy and sell anything and all the other reasons why eBay has been so financially successful, it is stories like this that add a personal touch. Avid eBayers will tell you eBay is not just a place to buy and sell items. They will tell you it is a community, a place where like minded collectors can chat with each other about the things they are passionate about! To top it all off, there is (usually) a great deal of respect and I am sure there are many other stories just like this one that make eBay so much more than an international marketplace.
What is Marketplace Research?
Marketplace Research enables buyers and sellers to gather critical intelligence on buying and selling trends in the eBay marketplace. View and analyze top searches, average start prices, average sold prices and much more. This easy-to-use product makes getting to the data you need quick and efficient.
I am an avid user of Terapeak and Hammertap and can’t emphasize enough the importance of these tools. While they may not be as applicable for buyers, for serious sellers this is a must have. How would you like to know what your item will sell for on average? When to sell it to make to most money? How much success you can expect to have? How saturated your market is? These are but a few of the questions research tools can provide.
For more information on how to sell on eBay using research tools I recommend www.auctiontips.com
Have you ever dreamed of having your own store ?
With eBay Stores it is simple and inexpensive.
An eBay Store is a cost-effective way to build and grow your business online.
Gain valuable exposure,. repeat customers and maximize your profits.
Sell Multiple items at a fixed price.