eBay Advisor
The First Steps of eBay Register, buy and sell - inside!
Win every auction! Once you find something you like, win that bid!
eBay
Become an eBay expert Behind the scenes of the masterclass in eBay Life
Advisor The easy guide to eBay
The unofficial guide to the world's biggest online auction site
Protect yourself online
How to recognise and avoid scams Online Business Everything you need to get started
The unofficial guide to the world's biggest online auction site
Simple tutorials Practical tips & tricks
eBay secrets revealed FIRST STEPS | BUYING | SELLING | SMALL BUSINESS | COMMUNITY
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eBay y
Advisor
HOW TO CONTACT EBAY ADVISOR
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General Enquiries david@ebayadvisormag.co.uk 020 7193 7384
The 100% Unofficial guide to the worlds’biggest auction site
Select Publisher Services PO Box 6337 Bournemouth Dorset BH1 9EH Tel: +44 (0)1202 317557 Web: www.ebayadvisormag.co.uk
Single Copy Sales sales@selectps.com 01202 317557 Questions & Answers help@ebayadvisormag.co.uk We regret that a personal answer is not offered, until the magazine is on sale.
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Magazine Team
Editor David Bradforth david@ebayadvisormag.co.uk Tel: 020 7193 7384 Publisher John Taylor john@ebayadvisormag.co.uk Tel: 01202 317557 Sub Editor Vince Jones Thanks to: David Whittle for the funky illustrations, Nikita Darani for the funky printworks and Ashley Backhouse for the funky doodles. It's all funky, guys...
International Licensing chris@selectps.com Customer Service subs@ebayadvisormag.co.uk 01202 317557
THE EBAY ADVISOR PROMISE TO YOU n ADVICE eBay Advisor is all about helping you to get the most out of eBay. If you're buying, we'll explain how to find the best bargains. If you're selling, we'll provide practical advice on how to make more out of your eBay items. We want you to get more from the eBay experience - just as we'd like to!
Advertising
Advertising Manager The Team adsales@ebayadvisormag.co.uk Tel: 020 7193 7384
Production and Distribution
Production Manager John Beare Tel: 01202 586848 Circulation Manager Tim Harris tim@selectps.com
n EXPERIENCE Our writers know eBay and the technology market inside out. They'lll not blind you with techno babble, but will provide you with more than enough information to use the latest tools available for eBay fanatics.
International Licensing
eBay Advisor is also available for licensing overseas. For details, please contact: International Manager Chris Wig Tel: +44 (0) 1202 586848 Email: chis@selectps.com
Directors
Managing Director John Taylor
n ANSWERS If you've got a problem, we've got the answer. We hope. But where we don't have the answer, we do have an online forum through www.ebayadvisormag.co.uk allowing you to ask others for help. Can't say fairer than that really.
Printed in the UK by BG Print - www.bgprint.co.uk Cover - 200gsm Text - 90gsm Distributed by Seymour Ltd, 1st Floor, 86 Newman Street, London W1P 3LD eBay Advisor Disclaimer
ARTISTS WITHIN EBAY ADVISOR eBay Advisor
The First Steps of eBay Register, buy and sell - inside!
Win every auction! Once you find something you like, win that bid!
eBay
Become an eBay expert Behind the scenes of the masterclass in eBay Life
Advisor The easy guide to eBay
The unofficial guide to the world's biggest online auction site
Protect yourself online
How to recognise and avoid scams Online Business Everything you need to get started
The unofficial guide to the world's biggest online auction site
All original text and layout remains the copyright of Taylor Made Publishing Limited. eBay Advisor is an Alligata Media magazine, published through Taylor Made Publishing Limited. eBay Advisor cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material or transparencies. eBay Advisor is fully independent and its views are not those of any company mentioned herein. All copyrights and trademarks are recognised and all images are used for the purpose of criticism and review only. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. eBay Advisor can accept no responsibility for inaccuracies or complaints arising from adverts featured within. Certain elements of eBay Advisor are adapted from eBuyer & Online Seller magazine, and are published under license from Highbury Entertainment Limited. Regardless of the fact that neither Highbury Entertainment Ltd nor Highbury House Communications PLC is no more, eBay Advisor needs to acknowledge this fact.
Simple tutorials Practical tips & tricks
eBay secrets revealed FIRST STEPS | BUYING | SELLING | SMALL BUSINESS | COMMUNITY
eBay Toolbar The rapid way to navigate eBay Make the most of online auctions QuickStart guides lead you into the fun Save time and make money List your auction items in minutes EBAY ADVISOR
£4.99
9 780955 248665 WWW.EBAYADVISORMAG.CO.UK
001 eBay Advisor Cover New non W1 1
4/5/06 17:47:21
Cover: Russell Tate
David Bradforth, Editor
david.bradforth@ebayadvisormag.co.uk
This issue's stunning cover is by Russell Tate. Bringing auction rooms into the computer age, it provided a perfect focal point for our subject matter. David Whittle is an illustrator featured in many magazines and TV shows. He provides the majority of the cartoons in this title.
Copyright © Alligata Media, 2006 eBay Advisor: ISBN 1746-5826
Nikita Darani provided the illustration for our 'eBay Motors' piece. Originally a printwork, we placed it into Illustrator to produce a vector version for printing.
Last word: Always take care when buying through eBay. Caveat Emptor - let the buyer beware - is very true; but it also applies to whom you choose to sell your products too. With due care eBay's a real fun place.
Ashley Backhouse illustrated our The Art of eBay piece. We felt that it was a good example of original digital art. Again it was placed into Illustrator for final print output.
Editorial.indd 1
Over the last couple of years, eBay has grown from a relatively small online auction site into a community with its own form of cash, a telephone system and much more. The concept was so simple. Provide a simple means for people to communicate across to globe with a view to selling their own products. In conjunction with that, the buying side of things needs to be easy to complete to ensure that any sale problems are minimal. The result is an ever-evolving auction experience that adapts to the current trends and essentially grows with you. If you want to sell something, the listing process takes very little to follow (even less with our detailed stepby-step guides); and with many categories available in which to sell it's straightforward enough to ensure your item is visible. When you're looking to buy something, you can either browse through the site or enter a search to see if something matching that description is available. Paying for an item is easy enough, whether by traditional means or through the PayPal site and if you have a query that needs answering you can do so either through the comment forms or via SkyPE. If having read all of that you find yourself confused, turn the page. eBay Advisor will take you through the eBay experience in a hundred pages of practical advice, hints and tips. It all begins on the next page. If you do have any queries, feel free to email me and I'll do my best to answer. Enjoy the issue!
5/5/06 17:39:37
Buy, sell and make money When it comes to making money on eBay, the first thing you need to do is join. We walk you through the process with eBay, PayPal and SkyPE.
page 12
Quick Tips page 40 Buying Art on eBay page 67 Save money on top accounts package! page 95 eBay Motors
Win every auction! Once you find something you like, win that bid!
eBay
Become an eBay expert Behind the scenes of the masterclass in eBay Life
Advisor The easy guide to eBay
The unofficial guide to the world's biggest online auction site
Protect yourself online
How to recognise and avoid scams Online Business Everything you need to get started
Simple tutorials Practical tips & tricks
eBay secrets revealed FIRST STEPS | BUYING | SELLING | SMALL BUSINESS | COMMUNITY
001 eBay Advisor Cover New non W1 1
4
Contents.indd 4
eBay Toolbar The rapid way to navigate eBay Make the most of online auctions QuickStart guides lead you into the fun Save time and make money List your auction items in minutes EBAY ADVISOR
ÂŁ4.99
9 780955 248665 WWW.EBAYADVISORMAG.CO.UK 4/5/06 17:47:21
Artists in this issue Ashley Backhouse, Nikita Darani, Russell Tate and David Whittle with stock photography from iStock & Dreamstime
The unofficial guide to the world's biggest online auction site
COVER ART: RUSSELL TATE/DAVID WHITTLE
eBay Advisor
The First Steps of eBay Register, buy and sell - inside!
Community
contents
RUSSELL TATE
eBay Advisor
03 Welcome
David Bradforth introduces you to eBay Advisor.
82 HelpDesk
eBay & Online commerce questions answered by our resident helpdesk team.
86 Report Auction Fraud
How the report auction fraud website may save you from losing money in a fraudulent eBay transaction.
88 True Life Story: Mark Robinson Buying Samurai art through eBay Mark Robinson 88 True Life Story: Buying Samurai art through eBay
90 True Life Story: Terry Gibbs One reader shares their passion for eBay
92 eBay Success Story
How the Dudley family, upon recognising an opportunity, made the most of it with help from eBay
95 Classifieds
The small ads - the place to go for discount software, printer peripherals and your eCommerce needs
98 Adventures in Auctions How goes life in the eBay lane?
8/5/06 01:40:32
12 Joining eBay
We walk you through the signup process
15 Using SkyPE
eBay’s latest acquisition allows you to ask questions directly of an items seller without them having to give out a home telephone number. Here’s how to use it.
16 Get started with PayPal
With something for buyers and sellers; and the new PayPal mobile service; there’s much to be had at paypal.co.uk.
18 Stay safe online
It’s very easy on eBay to become trapped into a deal where a seller takes your money and leaves you without a product. We explain how to identify fraudulent items.
Seller’s Workshop
It’s the largest online auction set in the world, a global obsession shared by millions. We dive into the world of eBay.
24 Basics of searching on eBay
52 Set up a selling account
If you want to sell on eBay, you’ll need a selling account. Here’s how to set one up.
56 Marketing & Copywriting
Certain elements of eBay Advisor originated within eBuyer & Online Seller magazine and are incorporated under license from Highbury Entertainment Limited.
The secret of listings with impact
58 Photography for eBay Add photographs to your eBay listings
62 Know your buyer
Make sure you’re selling to somebody who will complete the eBay transaction, each and every time.
64 Taxing Questions
Selling loads through eBay? Consider the tax implications.
26 Comparison searching on eBay
eBay Advisor is an unofficial publication, with no links to eBay other than being edited by eBay fanatics and enthusiasts alike. Do let us know what you think of the title
Contacts
Editorial David Bradforth david.bradforth@ebayadvisormag.co.uk Publishing John Taylor john.taylor@ebayadvisormag.co.uk Licensing Chris Wig chris@selectps.com Advertising The Team adsales@ebayadvisormag.co.uk Call 01202 317557 for anything else
68 eBay University: Learn from the experts
How not to get lost as you trawl for top treats
The fast-track route to becoming an eBay Powerseller
Get the best deal on eBay by comparing listings
28 Basics of bidding on eBay Make sure that must-have item is yours!
30 Super bidding with eBay Toolbar With this Internet Explorer plugin you can simplify the process of searching for, and bidding on, eBay items.
34 Save cash with eBay shops
eBay stores provide a quick and easy way for sellers to sell their products; and for buyers to find bargains
42 Secrets of sniping
Secure those must-have items by bidding at the last minute
44 Paying for your win
Pay through PayPal or one of a number of alternatives.
46 Finding sporting memorabilia
If you’re looking for sporting memorabilia, eBay’s a good place to start. We walk you through the process.
Small Business
Buyer’s Workshop Getting Started
06 eBay Inside Out
74 Set up an eBay-based business
Need help?
78 Register a domain name
Our team solve your eBay troubles in a flash!
80 Customer Care
page 82
We take you through the process of setting up an eBay shop, giving practical tips and tricks along the way.
Once you’ve set up your business, a personalised URL (much like www.ebayadvisormag.co.uk) adds a professional touch. The secrets of making your customers feel important.
DAVID WHITTLE
eBay Inside Out Get the full lowdown on the eBay phenomenon - get involved today and start making yourself oodles of cash!
page 6
Protection! Safeguard yourself while on eBay.
page 18 5
Contents.indd 5
8/5/06 01:41:56
Opinion
s e r u t n Adve s n o i t c u in a
John Taylor shares his first eBay experience
John Taylor
M
98
98 Adventures in Auctions.indd 1
y first eBay purchase was an Olympus E10 digital camera. I’d wanted a digital SLR camera for a while, but had not wanted to pay over £1,000. I’d taken a look at eBay but until recently had not taken the plunge and signed up. The sign up process was relatively trouble-free. As a journalist I hear more scare stories than most so, as you can imagine, I was ultra wary. I decided to try for an Olympus E10 or E20. My first mistake was assuming that all items appear on auction through the site constantly. The truth is they don’t; you do have to be patient and wait until the right deal for your needs presents itself. In my case it took over a month; and I’m really not the most patient of people. I quickly learnt that there is a going price for things on eBay, with most auctions finishing around the same price. That’s not to say there are not bargains, but you may have to wait for them. Your economics teacher at school tells you that the laws of supply and demand drive commerce. Whether it’s cost-push, or demand-pull, either factor can push up the price of an item. The best tactic is to wait until several of the items you’re looking for are available at once. In my case the first items were going at around £300, with the fifth in eight hours hitting £200. At that point I figured that the cameras before had supplied the demand and placed my first bid. At £205 I was immediately outbid. I increased my bid twice and the same thing happened. Thinking something funny was going on, I asked my colleagues at work about it and they started laughing. Don’t you know you can get eBay to bid automatically for you? Hence that auction was lost through lack of knowledge. After waiting a week for the next opportunity to arise – an E10 with a start price of £150 – I set eBay bidding for me with a limit of £220. Being in early, and with a reasonable top bid,
I felt sure that I’d win. Wrong again; the winning bid of £221.02 taught me that using round figures could cause you to lose an auction for the sake of a couple of pounds. At this stage I was ready to give up; but another E10 came up almost immediately. I went for it, remembering my earlier experience, and won the item for £226.12. I got such a great buzz from the lead up to the end of the auction, and an even bigger buzz when I received the confirmation email telling me that I’d won. Next I needed to pay. Having heard that PayPal was the safest way to pay, as PayPal offers certain guarantees that you’ll get your money back if things go wrong, I proceeded to sign up. For a long time you had to register to send or receive money through PayPal – now you only need register if you wish to receive payment. With registration complete I quickly paid up, later discovering that this is a good way to receive positive feedback. The sense of achievement lasted about a day, then turning into worry that I may have done the wrong thing. Would I ever see my camera? Turned out that the worry was unnecessary as the next day the camera turned up; and I was pleased as punch when I opened the box. It was in its original boxes, with all components placed back into their original bags. It was like opening a brand new camera, and looked like it – in mint condition with not a single mark on it. I was more than happy. Also included was the original sales receipt from Jessops, giving me the secure feeling that the camera was not stolen. Then I saw the original sales price - £1399; I’d made a saving of nearly £1200! John Taylor
y m d e s rea c n i I . y d i m b t d u e k o s Ia ely . t a d i e d n e e nd m p a , p m t i a i t s h a u ing Iw bo h a 5 t k 0 e r ." 2 . . o £ m g w a n s t i "At a e h s th e ug u a d l g n a d a e e l e t l r c a co bid twi they st 4/5/06 18:02:48
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eBay
Advisor The easy guide to eBay
At the time of its launch, eBay was enjoyed by a relatively small community of people buying products from each other; then selling their own products to earn a little pocket money. While the same basic 'buying and selling' philosophy still applies, eBay has grown into much more than a close knit community of enthusiasts. The eBay experience essentially is a world within a world; and for those new to the experience it can be quite stressful. With eBay Advisor in your hand you need not stress.
We've got friendly step-by-step guides to take you through the first steps, buying, selling, setting up a business site and the eBay Community. With the jargon-free tutorials featured within our pages, you'll be well on your way to mastering eBay without any stress. ÂŁ4.99 UK | ALLIGATA MEDIA 100 Back Cover.indd 1
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