Archive for September, 2007
Recycled Items Will Sell on eBay
September 21st, 2007 | 
Author:
Dear eBay Queen;
I’ve been traveling all over Missouri and Kansas selling hand painted items I have recycled to make new again. Some of my best sellers are old ceiling fans I have painted and added roses or sports themes, or painted them up in school colors. I’ve been doing very well with it, but I am tired of going from festival, to craft show, to church bizarre selling my items. I never thought about selling my items on eBay. It wasn’t until the other day, when I was passing through Ottawa, Kansas I saw your eBay article in the newspaper, and it hit me! I should try to go worldwide with my items.
I really don’t know the first thing about selling on eBay, but I thought it would be a good idea to open an eBay store. Is this the best way to publish my products on eBay? How much will this cost me?
Willy; Joplin, MO
Dear Willy;
eBay would be a great way for you to sell your hand painted, recycled items. Recycling has really come into fashion in the last few years, and I’m sure could be a boost to your sales.
eBay stores are a great way to sell your items, but I would suggest you sell your items at auction first. That way you can test out the market before diving into the monthly expense of an eBay store. If after 3 or 4 months you have successfully met your selling goals, then I would open a store.
eBay listings fees are anywhere from .20 cents up to $4.80. It all depends on your starting fee. http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/fees.html. It’s a good idea to research your item before you list it on eBay. That way you’ll be sure to have good keywords to draw the buyers in to your handmade recyclables.
When your item does sells, eBay will charge you a FVF or Final Value Fee. FVF’s are the commission you pay eBay when the item sells. For more information on FVF fees go here: http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/fvf.html
Good luck with selling your handmade items. If you find eBay is not the right place for you, there is another popular place to showcase your items, try www.etsy.com
Dear eBay Queen;
I am interested in selling e-Books and other digital products online or on eBay. Have you ever sold an e-Book? Do you have any idea where I can buy the copyright to these types of product so I can re-sell them?
I know with some e-books people write their own. I’m not sure I’m really interested doing that. I’m curious how to set this whole thing up, and where I need to find a service that will host my digital products.
Tony
Dear Tony;
I’ve never sold an e-Book but I do know they are gaining popularity on eBay. I did a search on e-Books on eBay and there were over 12,000 currently listed. I have an eBay friend in Colorado who was set up to sell e-Books, and she had nothing but problems with trying to gain the proper copyright information. I cannot stress enough to make sure you "own" the right to resell any e-Books. In my opinion, it is best to have written the e-book yourself. This way you will not be subject to any copyright infringement.
When I did a "Google" search of e-Books to sell, there were many outlets to purchase e-Books from. I would research e-Books and digital download products to make sure you will not get in trouble with eBay for not having all the information.
Good luck in your search for the perfect eBay item!
Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item 2500164328317 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page). With all the talk about OJ Simpson in the news, his stuff is still selling on eBay! Perhaps if he would have waited and bought some of his collectibles on eBay, he wouldn’t be in trouble now. OJ Simpson signed USC Trojans Jersey SOLD $183.50 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2500164328317
Suzie Eads is a nationally known eBay marketer and eBay trained Education Specialist. She lives in Rantoul. Do you have a question for the eBay Queen? E-mail: questions@asktheebayqueen.com.
What to do with eBay & Feedback Extortion
Dear eBay Queen;
My husband and I are in our 50′s and we run a very small eBay business called ZIP_N_SHIP selling DVDs & CDs from our home. We currently have 100% feedback from over 1,000 customers after several years at eBay. We don’t make much money, but we are honest and very hard-workers.
I recently auctioned about 15 DVD’s and suddenly have become a victim of Feedback Extortion, which is apparently a severe violation of eBay policy. I contacted Live Help, and sent an email to eBay. Live Help told me to report it, and I did, but I haven’t heard back from anyone at eBay. There is simply no viable means to report this incident anywhere on eBay, even though I have tried several times. All responses are impersonal, computer-generated mumbo-jumbo, and I can’t believe for a moment that there is not a single live human being anywhere to help me with this serious extortion violation.
Here’s what happened: a big time buyer, who’s feedback is PRIVATE, with several negatives attached, purchased roughly 15 DVD auction items. After he won the items, he demanded that I combine shipping costs (which was not an offered option as my shipping costs were more than fair) "or else" he will leave negative feedback for each and every transaction.
He has since written again and has further threatened that, unless we pay him real money for shipping costs, then he will leave 15 negative feedbacks on our account.
If he does this, and it seems that he will, then our small business will be ruined.
As you can see, this is clearly FEEDBACK EXTORTION, which will destroy our hard-earned feedback rating just because this man is blackmailing us for money, which was never offered to him or anyone.
He can’t get away with this, can he? Do you suppose he has done this to other sellers, which is why he keeps his feedback private? Can eBay remove the feedback availability on this man’s account so that he cannot leave undeserved, extortion-generated negative feedback on our eBay account?
Does eBay actually have an Investigations Team? If you can help us with some good advice or let us in on where the REAL customer service help is, we would be most appreciative, to say the least.
Kathy G. ZIP_N_SHIP
Dear Kathy;
You are right Feedback extortion is against eBay rules, and is a pretty serious violation. eBay does have an Investigations department called “Trust and Safety”. Since you are an eBay PowerSeller, you will be able to receive priority email support and phone support. To get your PowerSeller support phone number go to: http://pages.ebay.com/services/buyandsell/welcome.html Log in, and you will be given the phone number and also the priority email support link.
I have had a similar problem happen to me a few years ago. I did report it via the PowerSeller phone number but I had to follow up the information with an email. eBay will want proof of the extortion. You will need to send the headers of the email and the email (hopefully sent via email messaging system) to eBay for them to follow up with it. Keep in mind if this buyer gives you 15 negatives only 1 negative will count towards your score. You will also be able to respond to each negative and leave him 15 negative feedback in return. As for this ruining your business, I do not see how it would. Most buyers out there are savvy enough to see through someone who is as disingenuous, as your buyer. His negative feedback will certainly not mean anything if he has his own feedback as “private”.
Let me know how this turns out. I completely understand your frustration and anxiety with this transaction. eBay will not be able to remove his ability to give feedback, but they can remove the negatives if they find it to be feedback extortion.
Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item 250156080764 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page). If you saw this at a garage sale would you buy it? I bet the seller would have had higher bids if her terms were nicer too! Rare Creel Reyes Lightship Nantucket Basket Purse SOLD $3929.89 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250156080764
Suzie Eads is a nationally known eBay marketer and eBay trained Education Specialist. She lives in Rantoul. Do you have a question for the eBay Queen? E-mail: questions@asktheebayqueen.com.
Posted in Auction, feedback, General eBay Help, Negative Feedback | 
Tags: dvd sales, eBay, extortion, feedback, help, live help, zip_N_ship | 
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