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UK
The
newsletter for buyers and bidders on
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This
latest issue is now also available online at
http://www.workwinners.com/newsletter/040318.htm
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In This
Issue
1. Hints
and Tips
2. What
Are You Doing on
3. Which
Category Sells Best?
4. How
to Reduce Your PayPal Costs
5.
Cautionary Tales
6.
Someone's auctioning what? Unusual items currently available
7.
Finally
8. My
Products Catalogue
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Inspirational
quote of the day
"Always
do what you want, and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter,
and those who matter don't mind."
Dr Suess
=============================
Brian
McGregor speaking - you receive the
If you
do not want to receive this newsletter, the only one dedicated to eBay
=============================
1. Hints
and Tips
a) In
recent newsletters I've talked about sniping software which automates your
bidding with a view to winning the auction. An alternative is Proxy bidding.
Here you decide the maximum you are prepared to pay for an item and enter this
as a proxy bid.
With
this in place, the eBay system will bid on your behalf up to your maximum
amount, but only as much as is necessary to maintain your position as the
winning bidder.
You can
find out about proxy bidding here:- http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/buy/proxy-bidding.html
b) I'm
sure it's not down to my newsletter, but - remember me complaining last time
about the unfairness of
I even
emailed eBay.co.uk and pointed out this disparity.
Well, the
good news is that we in the
Make
sure you use them all if you can. If you've read 'The eBay Formula', you'll
know what a difference your auction title can have to your sales success.
c) If
you have a website, did you know eBay provide several means of being able to
cross-promote your website and your auctions?
It may
be worth your while to check these out:-
Link
Buttons http://pages.ebay.co.uk/services/buyandsell/link-buttons.html
Your
eBay auctions page within your website http://www.ebay.com/api/merchantkit.html
Your
eBay auctions on your website on the same page as your information, and
available in a variety of styles to complement your page design http://affiliates.ebay.com/tools/editor-kit/
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2. What
Are You Doing on
At last
it's happening.
On
If you
want to learn how to sell successfully on eBay and other internet auctions,
this could be for you.
On April
24th a one day workshop on internet auctions is being held in
My good
friend Dave Bromley, one of the
This is
a chance to meet and learn from a range of contributors who will be there to
give you the benefit of their expertise.
Incidentally,
Dave invited me to contribute, but I have a wedding to attend on the same day.
If you
aren't busy, I thoroughly recommend you check it out.
http://www.ukauctionline.co.uk/workshop/bm
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3. Which
Category Sells Best?
There is
a stock market tracking company in
They are
Medved Quote Tracker and, amongst other things, they
track auction sell-through rates for eBay's top-level categories. (They define
sell-through rate on their site, but it is basically how many auctions are
successful)
I know
this is eBay.com and not
With
that in mind, eBay.com average sell-through percentages for week ending March
6, 2004 are as follows:-
All
Categories - 41%
Antiques
- 34%
Art -
21%
Books -
39%
Business
& Industrial - 38%
Clothing,
Shoes & Accessories - 43%
Coins -
61%
Collectibles
- 38%
Computers
- 36%
Consumer
Electronics - 29%
Dolls
& Bears - 44%
Entertainment
- 37%
Everything
Else - 40%
Home -
38%
Jewelry
& Watches - 46%
Musical
Instruments - 42%
Pottery
& Glass - 44%
Real
Estate - 49%
Specialty
Services - 17%
Sports -
43%
Stamps -
50%
Tickets
- 51%
Toys
& Hobbies - 47%
Travel -
39%
Medved
also tracks the percentage of eBay auctions which receive bids and provides
these in very useful graph form.
You can
see all this for yourself here:
http://www.medved.net/cgi-bin/cal.exe?SIND
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4. How
to Reduce Your PayPal Costs
If
you're an owner of a PayPal Premier/Business account,
and you have s certain level of business flowing through the account, you may
be able to take advantage of this.
As a PayPal Premium/Business account holder, you are charged a
specific rate for your transactions.
There is
a lower transaction rate, however, which PayPal call
Merchant Pricing rate. Once your PayPal business reaches a particular level, you can apply
for the Merchant Pricing rate. You have to take the initiative, and ask for the
upgrade to Merchant Pricing rate. PayPal doesn't do
it automatically.
You can
compare the different rates here:
And you
can see if you qualify here:
https://www.paypal.com/uk/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_fees-rate-about-outside
Even if
you don't qualify yet, please make a note of this as it could be useful later
on in your eBay business.
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5.
Cautionary Tales
Two new
email scams were brought to my attention this week by readers of the
Newsletter. Both are clever, and appeal to that most basic of instincts - greed
- and the prospect of getting something for nothing.
The
first one comes to you in the guise of a "Question for Seller". I am
grateful to Chris for letting me share this with you. This is what he received
as a Question for Seller:-
"Hi!
Your last
buyer recommend you as a good serious seller. We want advise you very good work. We from
Thank
you"
This is
either an illegal money laundering scheme, or
something worse.
By
persuading the target individual that time is of the essence, it is easy to
visualise how they could take them for several thousand pounds. The target
receives a PayPal payment, and immediately withdraws
it to their bank
account. This process takes 5-7 business days. While that is happening, as time
is of the essence, they send off the net amount by wire as requested. Once the
wire payment is received by the fraudster, which is
immediate, they instruct PayPal to reverse the
payment transaction. In which case, the transfer to the bank account is stopped
in its tracks!
It's not
very pleasant is it?
This
second scam has been reported to me by Terry. Let him explain it in his own
words:-
"Hi
Brian,
It is
very time consuming as you know but I have found a 'clever' scam on ebay.com
where this guy(s) in Amsterdam, copies a seller's car, places it for sale
themselves with tons of +ve feedback under their
names (construed or rather, probably, constructed), and after a process which
is lengthy to explain here, he collects peoples deposits, in cash, from a
Western Union office in Holland; of course you see nothing for it whatsoever.
Part of
it is fairly convincing and because he doesn't have English as a first language
and isn't brilliant with our tongue, part of it is pretty amateurish but,
still, greed being what it is, convincing!
I have
tracked down the real owner in the
I have
emailed ebay security (twice now) but what they r
doing about it G only knows- the scam continues meanwhile.
I do
believe my theories on this matter to be correct and I have copies of all the
emails to do with it but.........?
Thought
you might like to know anyway, my concern is to make this as safe a place as we
can - not easy!
Regards
Terry"
As the
lawyers say, "caveat emptor" - let the buyer beware!
Finally,
an example from me...
A friend
of mine rang yesterday and asked if I could help. He was staying in a B&B
in Harrogate, and his landlord had received two angry telephone calls from
people asking why he hadn't delivered the goods they had bought from him on
eBay auctions.
My
friend's landlord was very confused. He didn't know what eBay was, he'd never
heard of it!
This
turned out to be the crudest of deceptions which has netted someone around
£1,200. This is what happened...
A person
set up a User ID on eBay using my friend's landlord's name and address. They
put three electrical items on auction at very low starting prices. The three
items were sold. The buyers were sent an email from the seller asking them to
send payment to a different address than that which was registered against the
User ID. The three people duly sent cheques as requested.
That was
the last each of them heard from the seller. Two of the buyers rang my friend's
landlord, asking where their purchases were!
The police
are now involved, but I suspect the villain is long gone with his loot.
Why did
they choose this person's name and address for their User ID registration. I
would guess it was pure chance.
The
object lesson for everyone who buys on eBay is to make sure you know who your
buyer is. This is particularly true when you're talking high value items. This
seller had zero feedback, and yet buyers were willing to send cheques to the
value of several hundreds pounds. I strongly recommend you check up on your
seller BEFORE you part with any money.
If this
guy had advertised an electrical item for £400 in the local paper, do you think
anyone would hand over their money and wait for the product to be delivered?
Well, that's effectively what these three buyers did! I thoroughly recommend you follow eBay's
advice here:
http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/confidence/ia/knowing_your_seller.html
Lastly
with regard to careful trading, here is an excellent
http://www.millersmiles.co.uk/index.htm
You can
see, whether buying or selling, vigilance is the name of the game.
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6.
Someone's auctioning what? Unusual items currently available
Nothing
surprises me when it comes to internet auctions. Amuse yourself with some of
these beauties ...
If
you're copying and pasting the links, just make sure you get the whole address
into your browser.
I've
often wondered how the other half lives? This perhaps
gives a glimpse of it .
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2994576953&category=324
And you
thought Superman was fiction!!!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2994568778&category=324
Well,
the description might bring a smile to your face - it did mine.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2994560743&category=324
I just
wish I had room in the garage. A must for all DIYers!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2994551604&category=324
I'm sure
this must break an eBay rule or policy; I'm just not sure which one!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2994495619&category=324
Disclaimer
- I have no association with any of the sellers of the above items.
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7.
Finally
If you
are changing email addresses soon please put a note on your calendar to send a
blank email to:
newsletter@workwinners.com
after you
get your new email address.
I don't
want to lose touch with you!
If a
friend sent you this newsletter, you need to send a blank email to:
newsletter@workwinners.com
That way
you can get your own copy next time!
Increasingly,
email filters are preventing genuine email communications such as this
newsletter from reaching subscribers.
If you
use any method of checking on your email, and you wish to continue receiving
the newsletter you may need to include my email address in your safe list, whitelist or address book.
Thank
you for continuing to take my newsletter - I hope it gives you as much
enjoyment to read, as it does me to write.
Regards
Brian
McGregor
Editor -
"
====================================
7. My
Products Catalogue
All the
following are original products, services and opportunities written and created
by myself.
"The
eBay Formula"
How to sell successfully on
http://www.workwinners.com/ebf/nloffer.htm
NB Save £5 with this Special Offer price for Newsletter readers.
"
Twelve genuine
http://www.workwinners.com/UK_Dropshipping.htm
"Sourcing
DVDs, CDs and Videos at Trade Prices"
Where and how to buy DVDs, CDs and Videos at trade prices, and how to
sell for profit.
http://www.workwinners.com/DVD_CD_Video_at_Trade_Prices.htm
"Sourcing
and Selling Electrical Products for Big Profits"
Where and how to buy Widescreen TVs, DVD players and VCR players at
trade prices, and how to sell for profit.
http://www.workwinners.com/Electrical_wholesale.htm
"Sourcing Maternity Clothing and Baby
Needs at Trade Prices"
Where and how to buy at
trade prices.
http://www.workwinners.com/Maternity_baby_nursery_at_Trade_Prices.htm
"Sourcing
and Selling Jewellery for Big Profits"
Where and how to buy jewellery at trade prices, and how to sell for
profit.
http://www.workwinners.com/Jewellery_wholesale.htm
"Sourcing
Mobile Phone Accessories at Trade Prices"
Where and how to buy mobile phone accessories at trade prices, and how
to sell for profit.
http://www.workwinners.com/Mobile_Phone_Accessories_wholesale.htm
"The
Streetwise Buyer's Guide to Radar Detectors"
Don't
buy a Radar Detector system until you read this.
http://www.workwinners.com/Streetwise_Radar_Detectors.htm
Oil
Painting Marketing Business
Become
my partner in this pleasant money-making venture.
http://www.workwinners.com/oil_paintings.htm
Reseller
Programme - Limited number of places available.
Join my
Reseller scheme and sell my eBooks and Special
Reports for profit.
http://www.workwinners.com/rs15.htm
See the
whole catalogue here:
=============================
"
In each
issue you'll get ideas on how to make the most of buying and selling on eBay
sites from a
If you
would like to unsubscribe please use the link at the bottom of this email.
Finally,
be assured that your email address will never be shared or sold - ever!
=============================
Copyright
Information
Copyright © 2006 Brian McGregor. All rights reserved.
No part
of this newsletter may be copied or published without prior permission, but do
please forward it to your friends and colleagues as long as you keep it in its
entirety. Brian McGregor, as publisher, disclaims any liability for the use of
any information contained herein. We further claim no responsibility for the
legality or accuracy of any advertisements or articles. It is the reader's
responsibility to practice due diligence in any product or service acquired
based on information contained in this newsletter.
To
unsubscribe, send a blank email to remove@workwinners.com
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