Although
there are many Internet Auctions available, this
site page discusses eBay and some of its many areas of
education, general interest and information
sections. Additionally, Tips and Techniques to be
aware of from the seller's and buyer's point of
view.
Learning about eBay will assist you in also knowing more
about other online auctions like Overstock. Yahoo is
discontinuing their auctions in the USA and Canada,
therefore, it will not be mentioned other than its
decision to discontinue their auctions in these
locations.
eBay has more visitors, buyers, sellers and
traffic to its site than any other auction online
service. The statistics are in the millions which
allows the most potential for a buyer and seller of
items to experience positive transactions.
There are many sellers
offering get rich quick schemes that tell all about
how you can become rich in weeks. There probably are
some instances where an eBay seller obtained a great
amount of wealth from specific items that sell very
fast and bidders drive the prices up. However, you
should do your research prior to jumping in all the
way.. I can't quote exact statistics, but I would
bet it is only the 99.9% that 'got rich quick' on
eBay in the last few years.
I believe you can make
a good income if you learn the important
considerations to succeeding on eBay.
For example, it is important for you to know that
eBay and all the other online auctions do not verify
any item a seller offers. You will have to research
the product and the seller to make sure you are
purchasing an item from a person that has a history.
If there is no feedback on the seller, you can
contact them to request the detailed information
that would verify the described item as being
legitimate.
There are fraudsters that prey upon buyers who do
not verify and protect their purchase with a credit
card or even Paypal. If you think the bargain is too
good to be true, 99 times out of 100 times, it will
not be true.
You should also be extra curious in detail when you
are purchasing or bidding on an item outside the
country you live in. Some times across channels
makes it harder to collect any refund even if you
have been defrauded.
Always make sure you
have the details that provide delivery, insurance
and any warranties that may apply. Remember, if you
pay with a credit card, you can dispute the charges
if the item is not what was described and has been
misrepresented. If you never receive the item you
will be protected when using your credit card.
If you are purchasing
a very expensive item. You can use an 'escrow
service'. This is very advantageous if the product
is not what you expected or you do not receive it.
You should check with any escrow services to realize
their fees and if they will act as a mediation if a
dispute should arise.
You can
also visit my
Websites and Advert Video
Please check back and bookmark my
sites for updates with new products or
additions to existing products. And, the
evolution of Digital Medium in its
progression of the exciting products it
produces.
Beware
of “phishing:” emails sent to you! The
email looks exactly like they’ve been sent by an
auction website or payment service and banking
company. These emails are
fishing
for your password and personal information.
These emails are actually being sent by fraudulent
hackers who are seeking entry into your account.
If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for
personal or financial information,
do not
reply.NEVER
click on the link in the message.
Legitimate companies don’t ask for this information
via email. If you are concerned about your account,
contact the organization mentioned in the email
using a telephone number you know to be genuine.
To access the site
make sure
you open a new Internet browser session (window) and
type in the company’s correct Web address yourself.
NEVER,
cut and paste the link from the message into your
Internet browser.
Phishers
often make links look like they go to one site, but
actually send you somewhere else.
Paypal
phishing emails received forward them to spoof@paypal.com
eBay
phishing emails received forward them to spoof@eBay.com
eBay has certain
issues that make a difference when you are buying
versus when you are selling. The availability of the
comparison of products in price and details are a
positive for the buyer, yet it can be negatively effective when you are
selling a product that other sellers also offer at a
less expensive price.
For example, eBay
will provide you with a comparison of products when
you research a particular keyword. This is great for
the buyer. However as a seller you may not find this
very positive. If you are selling the exact same
item for a higher price, you can be sure the
potential buyer will purchase the least expensive
item.
This side by side comparison, decreases your
chances for selling your item and increases the
chances of the other sellers.
This is an accepted
practice on the Internet Shopping Marketplace.
Therefore, it will be best for you to research your
saleable items accordingly. If you are buying an
item that many sellers offer, you have a very good
chance of buying it for much less from one of the
sellers.
In the same
respect, if you are selling the item that other
sellers offer for less, you will have to be
competitive and research your costs versus your
sales price.
It is never easy to
be sure of exact pricing when the auction has
bidding only and there is no availability to
purchase the product with a 'buy it now' method.
Another instance on
eBay that is viewed negatively for a seller is when
a search is done on the item and the seller of that
item, eBay will also incorporate items from a
different seller that are being offered. This
practice, once again, from the buyer's viewpoint is
positive.
However, it is an extremely negative instance for
the seller. Not only is eBay offering a comparison
on a searched item keyword term or phrase, they also
are displaying other sellers items when a search on
a specific seller occurs.
This practice could be looked upon as a direct
interference and an unfair advantage to a specified
seller. When a particular eBay ID is the specified
search criteria requested, eBay is also providing
additional sellers with the same item.
With that said, the
lesson here is to research your product item which
you intend to sell. Compare others sale price with
yours.
eBay is a
reasonably safe marketplace. Unfortunately,
like other online auctions shopping markets, it is
vulnerable to scams and attempts to take advantage
of buyers. eBay implements many polices and
procedures to
prevent such occurrences, however with so many
millions of members, transacting sales on a daily
basis, this can be a challenging an ongoing
security involvement to prevent scams from
occurring.
If you have or think you have been scammed, there
are steps
you can follow to report the incident in attempts to
resolve your instance and specific circumstance.
If you paid for the item using PayPal, you should
immediately open a dispute for the refund of your
payment.
If you did not use PayPal, you can contact your
credit card company. In many such instances, using
either PayPal or your Credit Card, you can recover
your money. Paying by other means could take longer
and be a bit more difficult to obtain a refund.
You should also use eBay’s dispute process to report
the seller. If you purchased your items and you did
not receive them, or your item was notably different
than the auction item description, eBay has a
dispute protection . Once you open a dispute, if
a settlement cannot be agreed upon, an eBay buyer
purchase protection claim can be completed.
Collectible Photo
You should always
contact eBay with any type transaction that you
believe to be fraudulent or scam like. It will be
important to resolve any issues that abuse the
rights of Buyers and Sellers.
'COMMUNITIES'
A very
popular and educational place to be is
reading and contributing the [Forum Communities]
STOP
Before you
access the forums, you should read and
realize you will have to communicate by
the established rules.
eBay
Community Rules:
^ We believe people are basically
good. ^ We believe everyone has
something to contribute. ^ We believe that an honest, open
environment can bring out the best in
people. ^ We recognize and respect
everyone as a unique individual. ^ We encourage you to treat
others the way you want to be treated.
^ Learn more about eBay
Community Values...
Unfortunately,
many buyers do a very basic search and then
do not follow through with any other type
research or keyword and description terms.
if you are one of those type people who do
not take the time to thoroughly research your
item, you will find these links very
beneficial. In fact, all buyers including
sellers will find this information helpful.
If your online auction sales are the
Internet equivalent of an occasional
garage or yard sale, you
generally do not have to report the
sales. In a garage sale, you
generally sell household items you
purchased over the years and used
personally. If you paid more for the
items than you sell them for, the
sales are not reportable. Losses on
personal use property are not
deductible, either. However, see
Did You Sell Appreciated Assets at
an Online Auction for gain
reporting.
If your online garage sale turned
into a business and/or you have
recurring sales and are purchasing
items for resale with the intention
of making a profit; you may have
started an online auction business.
If you are
operating a viable online
auction seller business, you may
be entitled to deduct
business expenses. Do you have
an established business and you are
augmenting your sales with online
auction sales? Then, remember to
include the online auction sales in
your
business income.
Examples of appreciated assets often
include art, antiques and
collectibles. If you have online
auction sales of property where the
sales price is more than your cost
or
other basis, you usually will
have a reportable gain. These gains
may be
business income or
capital gains.
Some promoters are targeting
home-based businesses including
online auction sellers for
abusive tax schemes.
There are many different types of eBay
Groups that help to connect you with
other eBay members who share common
interests.
You can
choose a group by your zip code and
category. You can also create your own
community.
You have the opportunity to participate
in a variety of discussions.
Additionally, there are newsletters,
polls, calendars, and photo albums that
help buyers and sellers to learn from
each other and grow with their eBay
purchases and sales.
You can
find more information on eBay Groups at
this link:
[eBay Groups].
