Welcome to eBay Training
Some details: eBay was launched in 1995 as an experiment in how equal access to information and opportunities would affect the efficiency of a marketplace, it seems to have worked because: • Today, there are more than 150 million registered members from around the world • 724,000 members make their living entirely on eBay • eBay is the 3rd most visited site on the internet. • eBay has hosted over 6.4 billion auctions since its beginning in 1995. • eBay is global, with eBay sites in 26 separate countries, including China and India. • eBay North America receives over 12 million page views per day. • In 2004, eBay members transacted $26 billion in annualized gross merchandise sales (GMS, the value of goods sold on eBay). • On any given day, there are more than 22 million items listed on eBay across 27,000 categories.
What we will cover: • • • • • • • •
Registering Browsing and Searching Buying Selling Shipping Selling fees My eBay The eBay Community, eBay Help and other resources
Registering on eBay
To Register… • Go to www.ebay.com • Click “Register” • You’ll need: email address contact information • You will create user ID password
Fill in the information and scroll down
Check your Email • After entering your information eBay will send you an email that will have a link to click on to “Activate Your eBay Membership” • This tells eBay that you can access emails from the email address you provided.
eBay and PayPal To Open a PayPal Account: •
You will need… – An email address (preferably the one you used to register on eBay) – A valid bank account – A credit or debit card
• • •
Go to www.paypal.com You will create a password Click the Sign Up link and follow the instructions
And you’re ready to buy!
Browsing & Searching
Browse by Category •
Categories – eBay’s hierarchical classification system – Allows users to “window shop” or “browse” – 32 top categories – 50,000+ sub categories
Let’s browse cameras by clicking on “Cameras & Photo”
Category Pages
You now see subcategories to choose from and subcategories below those.
Category Pages • Browse through pages • Use Finder to filter results
Keyword Searches • Search boxes on every page
Keyword Searches • Use “title & description search” to find more items
To narrow your choices: •
Use * to find any words that start with a group of letters/numbers
•
Use – to exclude words
•
Use parentheses to indicate OR (a,b)
•
Search for phrases by including the query “in quotes”
More Filters
Buying
What is Feedback? • Feedback is important! – Building blocks of every eBay member’s reputation – Buyers want and expect positive feedback
• Who goes first? It’s not official but.. – Sellers usually leave feedback when they receive payment – Buyers usually leave feedback when they receive the item
• Dispute? Try to work it out first! – Feedback is permanent – Always give buyers the benefit of the doubt – Exhaust all options before leaving negative feedback
How to Check Seller Feedback
Reading Feedback You can read feedback: • From people who have bought from the member • From people who have sold to the member • That the member has left for others
Have questions for seller? Click here
Selling
Set up a Seller’s Account •
•
First, register on eBay, then have on hand: – Your eBay User ID & password – A credit card/debit card – A checking account check Then click the Sell link
• •
Click on “Register” Fill in all the information requested on the form that opens You’re ready to sell!
What to sell? • Pick something easy to describe and package and ship for starting • How to sell it? – Compare sold / unsold items – Click “Advanced Search” – Enter Keywords – Check “completed items” – View the most & least successful items – Copy what works
Researching Completed Items • • • • •
•
Title – Which keywords get the most bids Starting Price – Low, reasonable or high? Description – How much information provided? Photos – High or poor quality? No photos? Selling Format – Auction, Buy It Now, or Fixed Price? Reserve? Number of bids – Few, many or none? Payment Options – Provided? No provided? Fixed or calculated? Return / Refund policy – Provided? Not provided? Terms? Category / subcategory – Was the item properly categorized?
•
Hit Counter – How many hits?
• • •
Write a Description • Compose it with Notepad and SAVE for future use • Complete item details – – – –
Full name Dimensions Color Age / Condition
• Detailed Terms of Service – Payment / Shipping terms – Return / refund policy
• Professional look & feel – Simple, uncluttered layout – Positive tone
Sample Descriptions
Digital Pictures • Digital Camera or Scanner • Watch what you are taking a picture of – Make sure background is not your clutter – Backdrop with light is good – Make sure camera is focused – Stabilize the camera – Items arranged for best aspect / angle – Crop the item for tight picture
Pricing & Formats • Starting Price – Mandatory – Price you set as the “opening bid”
• Reserve Price – Optional – Lowest price at which you are obligated to sell
• Buy it Now – Optional – Your “sell it outright” price – Best for “commodity” items
• Multiple Item Auction – Dutch Auction – For selling identical items in auction format
Sell Your Item Form
Sample auction listing
Shipping
Shipping Companies • • • • •
United States Postal Service (usps.com) UPS.com Fedex.com Endicia.com DHL
Pros & Con review
Selling Fees
How do I pay my eBay fees? • • • •
PayPal Direct Pay Credit Card Check or money order
Types of selling fees • Insertion fees – Applies to auction, fixed price and Dutch (multiple) listings – Amount based on starting or reserve price – Non-refundable
• Listing Enhancement fees (see next slide) • Final Value fees – The Final Value Fee is based on the ending price – No Final Value Fee is charged if the Reserve is not met or the item receives no bids
Listing Enhancement Fees 1st Photo
FREE
With eBay Picture Services
Additional Photos
$0.15
Up to six (nine in Motors)
Gallery
$0.35
Adds Thumbnail photo next to title
Show as Gift
$0.25
Inserts gift icon next to your title
Reserve Price
varies
Sets a "don't sell unless" price
Buy It Now
varies
Sets a "fixed price" for outright purchase
Bold
$1.00
Listing title appears in bold
Andale Counter
FREE
Shows number of page hits
Highlight
$5.00
Places a color band behind your item title
Schedule Listing
$0.10
Allows you to set a future start time
Listing Designer
$0.10
Surrounds description with themed layouts
Home Page Featured
$39.95
Places a copy of title in Featured section
Featured Plus!
$19.95
Places a copy of title on top of category
see eBay for current pricing
My eBay
Your personal “dashboard” for storing and monitoring: • • • • • •
Items for sale & items sold Bids and purchases Favorite searches, categories and sellers Accounts Feedback (received and obligations) Personal information and preferences
Monitoring Your Listing • Check your listing regularly – Search for it (think like a buyer) – Browse for it in its category
• Revise the Listing – Make corrections before first bid – No changes possible after first bid – Add to the item description if necessary
• Cancel the Listing – For major mistakes or item no longer available – My eBay > Selling > Selling Related Links
Monitoring Your Listing • Trends – – – –
A few bids right out of the gate Few or no bids for the duration Many bidders tend to bid in the last moments Track and record hits and bids by number, date and time – Track number of “watchers” using My eBay
• Respond to Bidder’s questions – Check email often – Note buyer questions (add information to future listings) – Maintain a polite & professional demeanor
Two important views • •
All Selling My Account
Beyond the Sale
The eBay Community • • •
•
Announcement Boards – General promotions, announcements, features and system updates Community Chat – Discussion forums on any topic for all eBay members Workshops & Town Hall Meetings – Live discussion of eBay topics hosted by eBay members and senior staff employees eBay Groups – Member initiated groups
eBay Help • • • • •
Click the Help link Enter your question Click an appropriate topic link or… Click “Contact Us” to email Customer Support Find more helpful links on the bottom of “My eBay” pages.
Live Help • Click Live Help on eBay Home Page • Follow instructions • Real time chat with eBay Customer Support
Summary and other things to discuss • • • •
Re-listing if your item is doesn’t sell Second chance offer to item under-bidder Calculate shipping and contact buyer eBay fees – cost less than local classified ads! • PayPal.com is easy to set up and use • Different types of fraud to be careful of
Other Resources • • • • • • • • •
half.com owned by eBay, same userid and password, easy to sell Media items like DVD's, VHS tapes and Books by simply entering the ISBN # and following onscreen prompts. paypal.com for processing $$$ transactions usps.com for shipping rates (see also: fedex.com, ups.com, dhl.com etc...) ecrater.com for free website store, they will process payments through paypal.com or google checkout. Easiest way to get started with your own little website. ureach.com for toll free phone number, inbox, file cabinet endicia.com for professional shipping labels, stealth postage, and avoid waiting in line at post office escrow.com for processing $$$ transactions through a 3rd party, for protection of the buyer craigslist.org - for advertising, free stuff, networking, and sales! Book - Title: How to start and run an eBay consignment business by: Skip McGrath
Welcome to the eBay community!