September 1, 2008
eBay Shipping Changes: New Shipping Charges For Those Who Sell On eBay
eBay shipping changes were recently announced and one of the biggest changes is maximum shipping charges in certain categories. If you are going to sell on eBay in these categories you cannot charge more than those fees specified by eBay in:
* Books
* DVDs & Movies
* Music
* Video Games
For example, the maximum eBay shipping fees for individual books is $4 for most categories. Or the charge for DVD, HD DVD & Blu-ray or VHS (doesn't anybody REALLY buy those anymore?) is $3.The maximum for CDs is $3, whereas $4 is the max for video games.
Sigh. Just like the octopus of government that seems to grow daily, eBay rules are the same. Those who want to sell on eBay must tale the new eBay shipping fees into account when selling in this popular entertainment category.
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 12:41 PM
August 25, 2008
A New Focus on Retirement Years?
The US population is aging - this is clear. I have seen estimations that within less than 30 years, there will only be roughly 2 workers contributing to Social Security for every elderly person receiving benefits. By contrast, the ratio in 1950 was 16:1.
Baby boomers have begun to retire. The next 2-3 decades will result in a significant shift of market products and services to address the needs of these people. The focus has already begun to move. Concerns for an increasing percentage of the population now revolve around Roth IRA's, retirement calculators, retirement homes, Medicare and endless other needs for those transitioning into their "autumn" years.
Given this explosive coming demand, I'm having difficulty locating almost any products or services auctioned in eBay that are specifically targeted to this segment of our citizenry. Oh sure, a retired person can search for specific items of interest like anyone else (think golf equipment, hearing aids, retirement homes, and so on). But what about a separate eBay category for those of retirement age? Until eBay itself provides such a specific category (if ever), the savvy eBay seller could do so with an under-the-radar marketing campaign to seniors. What an opportunity to corner a market for a few years while others catch up!
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 12:17 PM
August 20, 2008
No eBay Fees For Listing?
Are eBay fees about to make a dramatic change? Many analysts think that the new CEO of eBay, John Donahoe, is going to do just that. What he is planning to do is eliminate listing fees - meaning it will be free to list an item for sale on eBay. The seller would only pay if the auction/BIN results in a sale. A nd he will possibly make these changes in time for the 2008 holiday season.
Certainly a powerful reason for this change is the dramatic success of Amazon. The famous online store has apparently lured away many eBay sellers because of its policies:
1. No listing fees
2. A sale fee (in eBay terms, a Final Value Fee) of 15%
Personally, I think a 15% fee is beyond outrageous, but Amazon is much like WalMart ... they dictate the terms and if we don't like it, tough! It might be interesting to test demand on Amazon and then offer successful items on eBay. However, if Donahoe changes the eBay fees there won't be any need for that. Stay tuned for further developments.
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 12:35 PM
August 16, 2008
Thrift Store = Thrift Savings = eBay Profits
Thrift savings can easily - although it's not guaranteed - turn into eBay profits. Thrift stores often goodies than might be damaged, worn or otherwise beat up or used, but that is often balanced by uniqueness. There are things to know if you're going to use this business model.
The Goodwill thrift store is a famous example of a source of inexpensive goodies. But shopping there means lots of bulk items. eBay sellers will need to list hundreds of items if they're going to make a profit which means:
1. Lots of auctions to keep track of ...
2. Lots of inventory tracking necessary ...
This makes tools an absolute must ... if you are going to use this model, think this part through carefully. Excel spreadsheets? Online services? Inventory and auction software? Bookkeeping programs?
Personally, I don't like spreadsheets at all, but lots of folks do and you can use them to see what sells over time. You will come to understand which items sell well - and which do not, so that you can begin to specialize and look for certain kinds of merchandise.
Organizing your inventory physically is important, as well. Ask me how I know! In my early eBay days I would auction an item - and then sometimes spend a lot of time locating it. You will want to take the time at the beginning to create a system that works well for you. Wasting time searching isn't the only penalty for disorganization ... you don't want to send the wrong item to a buyer which can definitely occur without a system..
Be certain to be totally honest in your eBay descriptions. Buyers won't be happy, to say the least, if your item isn't as promised. A rating system, whether yours or someone else's, will help to ensure they get exactly what they paid for. Most of us are familiar with the "star" rating systems: 5 star = top quality, which 1 star = the lowest.
eBay offers a bulk listing program at no cost and it's the easy way to get all of that merchandise posted. eBay is currently talking about removing ALL listing fees which will certainly be a boon to sellers.
Thrift stores can be the source of substantial eBay profits, but pay attention to some of the guidelines above to avoid having your thrift savings turn into expensive mistakes on eBay.
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 8:54 PM
