Bans Store Empire Expands
May 11, 2008
If you are an Ebay seller and have never heard of Build a Niche Store then you are likely living under a rock. I have stopped selling on Ebay due to the expense and hassle of shipping products and dealing with the incessant questions that buyers have. Ebay is a Buyers Paradise, but a Sellers Nightmare.
I have shifted my online activity into Niche Site Creation and specifically using the BANS software. I really like how easy this software is to use, especially the new version. The first couple of Bans scripts were horrible, I hated them so much I wouldn’t use the softare, even after paying 100 dollars for it. They’ve really got it dialed in now and it seems to work great.
I currently have 21 BANS sites up and running. Many of them are fairly new and have yet to be fully indexed and I am still working on the SEO. That’s the way it works when it comes to Search Engine traffic though. I am going to use Adwords campaigns until they start ranking well for their keywords.
My latest site is near and dear to my heart as I am a motorcycle enthusiast. In fact, I am writing this from our beach house in Myrtle Beach where Bike Week 2008 is underway. Anyways…..check out my Discount Harley Davidson Boots store. A little logo work left to be done and some SEO tweaking as well as adding some content but for the most part it’s done.
Iron Man is a Hot Ebay Commodity Right Now
May 9, 2008
Smart Ebayers will continuously look for new product lines and products that are hot. If they can react fast enough then they are sure to reap the benefit of all of the early adopters. Their is an old saying that “First In Wins.”
I went to see the Iron Man movie recently and absolutely loved it. Recognizing that this was the first in what is sure to be a series of movies, I am sure that a number of people will be maneuvering to try and position themselves to take advantage of what is sure to be a great Iron Man Collectibles market that will develop as future movies roll out as well.
Iron Man is sure to be a future Ebay hit but think about what BatMan might bring, or Spider Man or any number of upcoming superhero movies. These seems to be the darling of Hollywood right now, are you in a position to take advantage of that?
First IN Wins!
Even Idiots can be Ebay Power Sellers – Just like me.
December 29, 2007
What exactly is a PowerSeller?
PowerSellers are the eBay members that have demonstrated the ability to be successful in the Ebay marketplace. You can recognize them by the ‘PowerSeller’ badge next to their name. You’ve probably seen these people across eBay as you go about your usual business. If you wan to succeed on eBay then you would be smart to pay attention to how they do busienss.
How do you get Awarded PowerSeller Status? eBay decides who can be a PowerSeller and who can’t, and they have strict rules. To get in at the minimum PowerSeller level, you must have a feedback quantity rating of at least 100 with a minimum 98% positive rating. You must also be able to maintain and average of $1,000 worth of items for the previous three months.
There are different levels of PowerSeller membership as you sell items of greater value:
$1,000 is bronze
$3,000 is silver
$10,000 is gold
$25,000 is platinum
$125,000 is titanium
If PowerSellers ever fail to meet the required amount of sales, or their feedback falls below 98% positive, then they lose their PowerSeller status. Many people look at the PowerSeller status as a benefit of the seller, a badge of honor of sorts, and that is right. Let’s not forget though that as a buyer, you are going to feel much more comfortable dealing with someone with a track record on Ebay than one with zero feedback and has been registered for a week.
This is the real benefity to being a PowerSeller, all things being equal, buyers will select your auction rather than your competitions.
The Marketplace
A PowerSeller doesn’t achieve that status by accident in most cases, they don’t look at Ebay as being a flea market, but rather a huge business opportunity. In many cases they are a corporation and many even own a bricks and mortar business to compliment their online activity.
Most Powersellers started out selling their garage sale items, but they quickly learn that to be successful on Ebay, you will need a renewable supply of inventory. They often sell the same inventory from week to week and replenish via a wholesale supplier. They will have accountants to do their books and they know what they’re going to be selling 6 months ahead from day to day.
The best advice I can give you on thinking like a PowerSeller is this: take your business seriously, don’t treat it like a hobby, don’t neglect your customers, and don’t ever forget how competitive it is on Ebay. If you provide a great product, great service and a great price then your customers will bestow PowerSeller status on you. It doesn’t come from Ebay, it comes from them.
I will leave you with this little tidbit, for every 100 dollars spent online in the USA, 14 dollars of it is on Ebay alone. This is a staggering fact.
Use Ebay Research to Grow Your Profits
December 17, 2007
Are you looking for a way to compete on Ebay? Are you tired of trying to eek out a profit against competitors that must seem to buy this stuff for free? Are you convinced that nobody makes money on Ebay due to the aggressive pricing structures? If these frustrations are yours then I urge you to read on.
Let me tell you something you already know…..Ebay is a VERY competitive market if you are trying to do it as a business. It’s one thing to sell your junk out of your garage but when you are buying product to resell it becomes an entirely different animal. If you are going to compete in this environment then you need to have the same tools available to the more professional sellers. Without them you are going to work 10x times harder to make half the profit.
I used to struggle with making a profit on Ebay. I would sell a lot of stuff…but when it boiled down to it I wasn’t making profit. You aren’t selling on Ebay to simply move product, you are selling on Ebay to Make Money! My profits soared and my workload decreased dramatically once I started using a real Ebay research tool. My tool of choice is Terapeak.
Terapeak brings a lot to the table and you will never have to buy a product and guess what it will sell for on Ebay. With Terapeak you can search on items and find out the basics of whether a product will be viable on Ebay. You can tell in an instant how many were listed, sold, what price, etc and I know my frustration level dropped a bunch. I stopped buying the latest “deal of the century” and started buying product that SELLS. In fact using the research I was able to find a nice little niche market and continue to service that market today.
You can click on this picture to show you the detail that the free trial from Terapeak showsWow…after checking out all the data that you have available here then I don’t know of anyone that wouldn’t agree that this is at least worth trying if you are serious about your Ebay endeavor.Terapeak offers a watered down version for free or you can sign up for the “caffeineated” version that will allow you to completely dominate the Ebay marketplace free for 14 days….you don’t like it then you don’t pay. You would be a fool not to at least give it a try.
If you combine Terapeak with a wholesaler like Worldwide Brands then you will see your profit soar and your workload decrease. No more chasing down unprofitable items.
I would definitely recommend you sign up for the 14 day free trial for the paying version….if you’re going to try it then try it ALL and if you don’t like it then it costs you nothing and you can explore the full suite of what terapeak has to offer you.
Both of these have free trials….you have nothing to lose.
The difference between those who succeed and those who fail…is usually the amount of effort they put into it. Get started today.
Great Pictures Mean Ebay Cash – Build Your Own Light Box
December 16, 2007
I think everyone can agree that when it comes to selling product on Ebay, the picture is KING. A great set of pictures allow the buyer to clearly understand what they are bidding on in your auction. Certain items such as jewelry or coins are very difficult to photograph well and ANY item can benefit from a great set of pictures.
A very common item that those “in the know” use to take great pictures is a light box…which is essentially a small lighting studio. I know that sounds intimidaing but it really isn’t and if you keep reading you will see how you can build your own home “lighting studio” for about 10 bucks.
Follow these instrutions to build a light box.
You will need the following items:
Hacksaw
File or some 80 or 100 grit sandpaper.
Velcro
2 – 1/2 x 10ft. CPVC pipe.
4 – 1/2 CPVC Tees
4 – 1/2 CPVC Street Elbows.
4 – 1/2 CPVC Caps
1 – Twin bed sheet.
All of this is available at your local hardware store, Lowes or Home Depot and should run you around 8 bucks give or take a few sheckels.
Ok…if you follow along with the pictures and the description then this should be pretty easy to follow….if it’s not then you likely aren’t smart enough to post auctions on Ebay anyways. :=)
This is a picture of your component list after the pipe has been cut.
2 – 23″ pieces are your front and rear frame pieces.
2 – 16″ pieces are the left and right frame pieces.
4 – 14″ pieces are your four legs.
4 – 1/2 inch T’s will make the top frame.
4 – 1/2 inch street elbows will attach the legs.
4 – 1/2 inch caps will finish off the legs at the bottom.
You can tailor the lengths however you like depending on the size of the objects that you are shooting. I would consider the box that I am making a “medium” size.
Step by Step instructions to follow. This should go together pretty simply. Trial fit everything with NO glue of any kind first and then you can glue together as you see fit. I personally did not use any glue as the PVC fits together snugly enough for me and I fold mine up to store when not using.
Step 1: Attach the 23″ pieces to the T as shown.
Step 2: Attach the 2 16″ side pieces into the T as shown. You should have the “top” of the photo box completed. Again I would use no glue at this point…Simply trial fit it together and then if you feel glue is necessary then feel free.
Step 3: Build the legs. Take each of the 4 legs that you have remaining and place 1 of the caps on one end and a street elbow on the other end.
Your completed leg should look like the one above.
Step 4: If you insert each leg into the open port left on your top frame then you should have a contraption that resembles this one to the left. You’re getting closer.
Step 5: Attach 3 squares of velcro the rear rail of the light box as shown in the photo to the left. We will use these to attach posterboard to the box as backing.
Step 6: Almost home. You can see the posterboard in place and the way you position the lights.
I am using white posterboard in the example but you can change it up to customize your pictures. Blue, Red and Black are common choices. Depends on your preference and you will have to experiment.
Step 7: Lay your white sheet out over the frame rail and pull taut. Place your lights on the sides and top as you see fit. A lightweight cotton sheet works best for my tastes and is readily available to anyone in any town.
I keep my lighting simple and picked these up at Wal Mart. You will have to experiment with the placement of the lights to find your preference. I often place the lights in front looking “into” the box.
As you can see you can achieve extraordinary results with a minimal amount of money and effort and if you are taking your Ebay endeavour seriously then 10 dollars and an hour or so of your time is well worth the results that you will be able to achieve.
If you’ve been on Ebay for any length of time then you know that it’s a SUPER competitive marketplace and any little thing to get ahead of the other sellers is worth it.
The difference between those who rise to the top and those who spend all their time thinking about it is the amount of effort and dedication that they put into the task. Contrary to what anyone tells you it won’t come easy, especially at first. When you are building your Ebay empire it takes extra effort to succeed. If you’re willing to put the time and effort in then you’ll be successful, if not then you won’t. Simple as that.
I’m a Powerseller and you can be too.
Don’t Get Taken by a Fake Supplier!
December 14, 2007
|
Don’t Get Taken by a Fake Supplier! by Chris Malta & Robin Cowie
|
|
If you want to start your Home-based Internet Business for very little money, you need Wholesale Suppliers who Drop Ship. Why? Because working with drop shippers eliminates the need for you to carry expensive inventories. You don’t have to rent a warehouse, hire employees, establish accounts with UPS and FedEx, etc. You can sell the best brand names on earth from your home computer, and make good money at it. Wholesale Suppliers who drop ship send the products you sell directly from their warehouse to your customer, with your business name on it. All you do it take the order from your customer and pass it to the distributor. You keep the difference between the wholesale price the distributor charges you, and the retail price you sell to your customer for. Of course, there are a lot of places out there that want you to THINK they are wholesale drop shippers. They’ll set up accounts with, say, 10 real drop ship suppliers. Then they’ll call themselves something like “GetYerStuffHere.com”, and claim that THEY are the wholesale drop ship supplier. Then it’ll go like this: 1. GetYerStuffHere.com will place advertising all over the Internet proclaiming to be the greatest source that ever existed for all kinds of great products, and they’ll drop ship all those products to your customer. 2. You’ll get all excited because YOU can actually place everything from Sony electronics to Coleman Camping gear on your web site and sell it. 3. GetYerStuffHere.com will charge you an account setup fee, to cover their “processing”. (Note: REAL Wholesale Suppliers almost NEVER charge you an account setup fee). 4. GetYerStuffHere.com will send you a nice, shiny list of products and show you where to get the product images and descriptions to place on your web site. 5. You’ll get all excited, and put all this great stuff on your site, set your prices so that you can make a profit over what GetYerStuffHere.com. 6. You’ll launch your site, and you hardly sell a thing. Huh? What happened? Nobody’s buying! You can’t survive on just a few orders a month! Disappointed and discouraged, you start to go out and check other web sites that carry the same products. Maybe they have better images. Maybe they have cooler descriptions. Maybe their pages look nicer. You find that it’s none of those things. So what DO you find? The other sites’ PRICES are lower. A LOT lower. You just got nailed by one of the most popular scams on the Internet. GetYerStuffHere.com took you for a couple of hundred dollars in exchange for a CD full of product images. They may have even locked you into a contract where you have to pay them every month to be a “member” of their “distributorship”. In order for YOU to make a profit, you naturally have to mark up the prices you get from GetYerStuffHere.com. By the time you do that, you can’t compete on the ‘Net. Your prices are just too high. At this point, you can do one of two things: 1. You can lower your prices to the point where you’re making mere pennies on your products in order to compete. 2. You can bypass these jokers and go to the REAL sources. I’ve been in Systems Engineering for 19 years. I’ve been involved in ECommerce since it began. In that time, I’ve seen this scenario played out over and over with companies I’ve done work for. The real sources can be hard to find. They don’t market themselves as Internet Wholesale Supplier. They are established wholesale companies who have been supplying big chains like Sears and Kmart for a very long time. Many of them are now realizing that a good part of their future lies in Internet sales, and they are establishing drop ship and light bulk wholesale programs. There are even a few big name manufacturers who are beginning to supply Home-based Internet Businesses right from their factories. That’s where YOU need to be. In direct contact with the actual Wholesale Supplier or factory source. When you’re looking for a drop shipper, here are a couple of things to be careful of: 1. Any company that tells you that they’ll set up your entire web site AND PROVIDE THE PRODUCTS FOR YOU will NOT make you rich. They’ll make THEMSELVES rich on your setup and hosting fees, and you’ll piddle along with thousands of other small sites all selling exactly the same things at the same prices. (NOTE: Don’t confuse this with companies who just offer to set up your ECommerce web site. There are a lot of great places out there that will build and host sites for you. It’s when they tell you that you HAVE to sell the products that THEY provide that you should run for cover.) 2. Any distributor who wants you to pay a “membership” or “setup” fee is probably not a true Wholesale Supplier. 3. If it sounds too good to be true, it’s too good to be true. |
