Home
>
Online Auction
>
How To Increase eBay Profits

How To Increase eBay Profits

Some sell on eBay to clean out their garage or attic. Some sell to make a little extra money here and there. But for some, eBay represents a chance to create a second income or start a home business. Product choice is important. But to really increase profit you must know how to increase the number and amount of bids per item. An eBay seller must maximize each product's profit margin. This article describes techniques to make as much profit as possible.

1. Sell like products at the same time. Bidders look to see what else you have for sale they might be interested in. Combined shipping saves postage for the buyer. Packing in the same box saves time and packing costs for the seller.

2. Bundle a less desirable item with a more desirable item increases sales. This is an old offline auction technique. If the bidder wants the better item he has to buy both. If two sellers offer the same item, the buyer bids on the two item auction. Bundling two low cost items together also increases bids. A buyer may not be willing to pay shipping for one item, but would for two.

3. Remember seasonal issues. Don't sell snow skis in July, water skis in January. Be sure to offer seasonal items early enough to allow for shipping. Don't expect to sell many Christmas items that must be shipped during the second week of December.

4. Understand profit margins. Don't buy to resell for only a $5 profit when you can make $20 on a different item. Determine your desired monthly income and choose products appropriately. Want to make 1000 a month? That is $250 a week. That's ten successful actions at $25.00 profit, or five items at $200 a month, or ten items at $100 each. Also packing 10 items takes less time than packing 20 items. Always consider time as a cost.

5. Don't forget back end sales and secondary products. Offer similar products during the payment process or on your auction store/web site. If you sell underground fences for dogs, an up-sell item is a customized collar. A secondary product could be a pet door. Another secondary product could be a ebook on "Travel Safely With Your Pet". A back-end sale to the ebook could be a item that helps your family travel safely with your pet.

6. The List - For many successful online sellers the mailing list is where their money is made. Using a autoresponder, sellers automatically email customers on their list at regular intervals. Including content with announcements of upcoming sales increases back end sales. Once a customer buys, they are more likely to buy again from same person or company.

7. Customer demographics should be considered. Collectors have expectations non-collectors don't. Example, some book buyers that are allergic like to see "book from non-smoking home" in ad. This would earn you a higher bid. What does the customer expect to see in a description?

8. Auction terms and conditions should be included with each auction. What shipping options are available? Do you take questions? Do you ship only certain days? What kind of payments do you take? Type whatever standard terms you offer in a word processor and cut and paste into your auctions. This saves time. For some sellers, typing the content for each auction is one of the most time consuming tasks.

Profit involves keeping costs reasonably low and creating higher bids. We've described some techniques for increasing profit. Sit down and mentally run through the process of auction selling and come up with some of your own ideas. EBay is a great business opportunity but like any business, sellers must be wise in their product choice and sales techniques.

Author info: L. C. Peterson is a writer and web marketing consultant. Her sites include , , and For more information on online marketing, content and ebook creation and online auctions take a look.

In The News:

ABC News (blog)
Reagan blood sample vial for sale, controversy included
Los Angeles Times
(PFC Auctions / May 22, 2012) By Steve Chawkins, Los Angeles Times It's called Lot 160, a 5-inch glass tube that's unremarkable in every way â€” except that it purportedly held blood drawn from President Ronald Reagan as he lay struggling for life after ...
Auction claims it's selling vial with Reagan's bloodMinneapolis Star Tribune
Reagan's son says auction of vial purportedly containing late president's ...Fox News
On-line Auction of Reagan Vial Draws Scorn from DoctorsSan Antonio Express
The Atlantic -ABC News (blog)
all 762 news articles »

CBS News
Disputed dinosaur fossil auctioned for $1M in NYC
BusinessWeek
By JENNIFER PELTZ A dinosaur dispute is brewing between the Mongolian government and an American auction house, which sold a fossil of a fearsome T. Rex relative despite a court order not to. The 8-foot-tall, 24-foot-long skeleton of a Tyannosaurus ...
Dinosaur Auction: Tyrannosaur Skeleton Fetches $1 Million Despite ObjectionsHuffington Post
Dino fossil sold in controversial auctionWTAM.com
Dinosaur Dustup: Auctioneer, Mongolia Battle Over $1M BonesABC News
Bloomberg
all 303 news articles »

Hamden police auction rids department of old items while adding to town's ...
New Haven Register
By Ann DeMatteo, Register Staff HAMDEN â€” Some chairs and desks, three coat racks, six doors, three telephones, a chalk board and an electric pencil sharpener are no longer town property as a result of an auction held at the old detective bureau ...
NHR: Old Hamden PD Stuff to be Auctioned TuesdayPatch.com

all 3 news articles »

Bloomberg
Treasurys fall as stocks gain; auction on tap
MarketWatch
Last month's auction came at a yield of 0.27%. Yields on shorter-dated securities haven't fallen as much as longer-dated ones in recent weeks because they are more closely connected to interest-rate expectations â€” and the Federal Reserve has given no ...
Treasuries Fall Third Day Before European Summit, Note AuctionsSan Francisco Chronicle
Treasury Auctions Set for This WeekNew York Times
TREASURIES-Prices fall on profit-taking in new debt salesReuters
Bloomberg -BusinessWeek -Investor's Business Daily
all 92 news articles »

Spanish, Dutch Funding Costs Move Opposite At Auctions
Wall Street Journal
By Emese Bartha Spain's borrowing costs rose further at Tuesday's Treasury bill auction, underlying the market's unease with the country's funding sustainability as bank recapitalization needs, frail finances in some of its regions and an upwardly ...

and more »

New York Daily News
Babe Ruth jersey fetches a 'Ruthian' $4.4 million at auction
Chicago Sun-Times
By MIKE FITZPATRICK AP Sports Writer May 21, 2012 9:58AM This undated photo provided by SCP Auctions shows a circa 1920 New York Yankees baseball jersey worn by Babe Ruth that sold for more than $4.4 million at auction, Sunday, May 20, 2012.
Babe Ruth's jersey sold at auction: Piece of Yankees' history has mighty price tagnewjerseynewsroom.com
Babe Ruth's Yankees jersey sells for record-setting $4.4M at auction; Lawrence ...New York Daily News
Babe Ruth jersey sells for a record $4.4 million at auctionFox News
USA TODAY (blog)
all 424 news articles »

Pocklington to auction off Edmonton Oilers' Stanley Cup rings
Edmonton Journal
EDMONTON â€” Peter Pocklington, former owner of the Edmonton Oilers, is once again putting his Stanley Cup rings up for online auction, meaning some deep-pocketed fans get another shot at buying the last remnants of the Oilers' glory days.

and more »

Brazil Central Bank Calls Foreign Exchange Swap Auction
Wall Street Journal
SAO PAULO (Dow Jones)--The Central Bank of Brazil on Tuesday called a foreign exchange swap auction, offering contracts valued at the equivalent of $2.47 billion. The auction offers investors the opportunity to exchange paper linked to interest rates ...
Brazil Rate Futures Yields Rise on Stimulus; Real Extends DropBloomberg

all 9 news articles »

Guitar World Magazine
Beatles' 'Backwards' Abbey Road Photo Fetches Thousands at Auction
Spinner
A photograph of the Beatles walking "backwards" across the Abbey Road pedestrian crosswalk has just sold for Â£16000 (about $25000 US) at auction. The photo shown above was not used for the band's Abbey Road album cover and was therefore unseen by many ...
Backwards Abbey Road Image sells for $25000NBC Bay Area
Rare Photo of The Beatles Walking "Backwards" on Abbey Road Sells for $25000Guitar World Magazine
Crossing with The Beatlesbrand-e.biz

all 30 news articles »

Music Center sells time with Gehry and Domingo in online auction
Los Angeles Times
Its first-ever online auction is going on right now, with 36 items up for bid. They range from what you might expect â€” living it up at the Los Angeles Opera's opening night gala on Sept. 15, then capping the evening by getting to hobnob briefly with ...

Google News

How To Increase eBay Profits

Online Auction