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.
