UK Postal Strike and Selling on eBay
Following the recent announcement from the Commercial Worker's Union that a national strike involving UK postal workers is likely to commence on 18th October 2009, eBay have made the following announcement concerning their Dispatch Time DSR's for the duration of the proposed strike, should it take place.
This announcement from eBay was issued on Thursday 8th October 2009.
"Today the Commercial Worker's Union has issued strike notice to Royal Mail. This means a national strike is possible from 18th October 2009.
We take this notice very seriously, and recognise the negative impact that such action will have for sellers on eBay.co.uk and I want to let you know what we are doing to mitigate the impact.
We're temporarily removing the option for buyers to rate sellers on the Dispatch Time Detailed Seller Rating from the start date of any national strike action.
We've expressed our concerns directly to the business secretary Rt. Hon Lord Mandelson that it is unacceptable many hard working small businesses selling on eBay are victims of a dispute that is beyond their control.
We're working with a number of alternative postal carriers to ensure sellers can provide the levels of service that are critical in the run up to Christmas."
Although this may give eBay sellers a little less to worry about, the fact remains that deliveries will be severely delayed unless other more expensive options are used. Any updates will be posted as soon as possible.
Saturday, 10 October 2009
Friday, 9 October 2009
Be a Safer Seller on eBay
5 Tips to Avoid Online Auction Scams
Sellers, as well as buyers can fall victim to the eBay online auction scammers. As well as the better known phishing and Evil Twin scams, there are those who specifically target eBay sellers, and this is to highlight ways to help you avoid them.
1. Items Not Received. Some buyers will claim not to have received the item(s) sent to them, and demand a refund or replacement. Always use a carrier or service that uses a tracking system such as FedEx, UPS, DHL or similar. Pay a little extra at the Post Office for their tracking service. All these require a signature on delivery.
2. Counterfeit Cheques and Money Orders. More of a problem when dealing with overseas customers. If you receive a Money Order you must cash it BEFORE you dispatch the goods, don't just pay it into your bank. Make sure you have the cash in your hand. This way the responsibility for the authenticity of the Money Order is the Post Office's or whoever cashed it - not yours.
With cheques you can take them to your bank and get them to contact the issuing bank to find out if it's good first. It may take 24 hours or so, but if they say it's OK and it later turns out not to be it's the banks' problem- not yours.
3. Be Choosey Where You Sell. If you sell internationally be careful into which countries you send your goods. Some countries are more prone to fraud than others, Russia, Thailand and Nigeria are three, but there are others. If in doubt don't sell there.
4. Don't Use Your Home Address on eBay. It's only a precaution but if you can, use a PO Box or similar for your Registered Address with eBay. Once you complete a transaction with someone they can find your address through the eBay system if they want. It has been known for a seller to find a previous buyer knocking at their front door to complain! It doesn't happen very often, and it's only a precaution but......
5. Photographs and Insurance. With high value items such as diamonds, watches, cameras, jewelry and the like, it is always advisable to take detailed photographs of the item(s) before taking out adequate insurance. It has been known for buyers to decide they don't really want the item when its been delivered, then deliberately break or scratch it in some way so they can demand a refund. If this happens, and a claim is made for insurance, then the insurance company will most likely investigate before paying out.
If the buyer did break or scratch the item, you will have photographic evidence that the item was fine when you shipped it.
These are just a few of the things to watch out for, and I hope they've been helpful. Thankfully these are not as common as you may think, but worth making note of anyway. The watchwords are common sense, so if you think someone is trying to pull a fast one don't deal with them.
There are many other little tips and tricks to be found in my blogs, so have a look round and see if there's anything else to help you. Good Selling!
Sellers, as well as buyers can fall victim to the eBay online auction scammers. As well as the better known phishing and Evil Twin scams, there are those who specifically target eBay sellers, and this is to highlight ways to help you avoid them.
1. Items Not Received. Some buyers will claim not to have received the item(s) sent to them, and demand a refund or replacement. Always use a carrier or service that uses a tracking system such as FedEx, UPS, DHL or similar. Pay a little extra at the Post Office for their tracking service. All these require a signature on delivery.
2. Counterfeit Cheques and Money Orders. More of a problem when dealing with overseas customers. If you receive a Money Order you must cash it BEFORE you dispatch the goods, don't just pay it into your bank. Make sure you have the cash in your hand. This way the responsibility for the authenticity of the Money Order is the Post Office's or whoever cashed it - not yours.
With cheques you can take them to your bank and get them to contact the issuing bank to find out if it's good first. It may take 24 hours or so, but if they say it's OK and it later turns out not to be it's the banks' problem- not yours.
3. Be Choosey Where You Sell. If you sell internationally be careful into which countries you send your goods. Some countries are more prone to fraud than others, Russia, Thailand and Nigeria are three, but there are others. If in doubt don't sell there.
4. Don't Use Your Home Address on eBay. It's only a precaution but if you can, use a PO Box or similar for your Registered Address with eBay. Once you complete a transaction with someone they can find your address through the eBay system if they want. It has been known for a seller to find a previous buyer knocking at their front door to complain! It doesn't happen very often, and it's only a precaution but......
5. Photographs and Insurance. With high value items such as diamonds, watches, cameras, jewelry and the like, it is always advisable to take detailed photographs of the item(s) before taking out adequate insurance. It has been known for buyers to decide they don't really want the item when its been delivered, then deliberately break or scratch it in some way so they can demand a refund. If this happens, and a claim is made for insurance, then the insurance company will most likely investigate before paying out.
If the buyer did break or scratch the item, you will have photographic evidence that the item was fine when you shipped it.
These are just a few of the things to watch out for, and I hope they've been helpful. Thankfully these are not as common as you may think, but worth making note of anyway. The watchwords are common sense, so if you think someone is trying to pull a fast one don't deal with them.
There are many other little tips and tricks to be found in my blogs, so have a look round and see if there's anything else to help you. Good Selling!
Thursday, 8 October 2009
Can I Test a Drop Shipping Supplies Company?
Is it easy to tell the good from the bad?
Before you start using drop shipping supplies companies to send your sold products for you, is there a way of telling a good drop shipper from a bad drop shipper? (try saying that quickly)
Yes there is, but it isn't quick. If you aren't already a member of a pre-selected directory of wholesalers that does this for you, you need to set yourself up as your own customer and test each one out until you find a good one.
You can choose the product you wish to sell, choose a wholesale supplier with drop ship facilities and order from them (a very small quantity) naming yourself as the end customer.
The advantage of this method is that if anything goes wrong, such as the product not turning up, or it's the wrong product, or it's not very good, then the only person who is disappointed or angry is you, and not one of your customers.
The downside of this method is that should you be unlucky and get a number of 'bad' ones in a row, it could be some time before you found a really good one. It's unlikely, but it could happen.
If you'd like to take the guesswork out of finding reliable suppliers, and know that each one has been pre-selected in advance, then go to the LINK HERE where all the work has been done for you, so you don't have to. It makes sense doesn't it?
Before you start using drop shipping supplies companies to send your sold products for you, is there a way of telling a good drop shipper from a bad drop shipper? (try saying that quickly)
Yes there is, but it isn't quick. If you aren't already a member of a pre-selected directory of wholesalers that does this for you, you need to set yourself up as your own customer and test each one out until you find a good one.
You can choose the product you wish to sell, choose a wholesale supplier with drop ship facilities and order from them (a very small quantity) naming yourself as the end customer.
The advantage of this method is that if anything goes wrong, such as the product not turning up, or it's the wrong product, or it's not very good, then the only person who is disappointed or angry is you, and not one of your customers.
The downside of this method is that should you be unlucky and get a number of 'bad' ones in a row, it could be some time before you found a really good one. It's unlikely, but it could happen.
If you'd like to take the guesswork out of finding reliable suppliers, and know that each one has been pre-selected in advance, then go to the LINK HERE where all the work has been done for you, so you don't have to. It makes sense doesn't it?
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
What Sort of Items do you Sell on eBay?
Will selling used products make money on eBay?
If you're starting out as a seller on eBay, you may be wondering which products sell well, and what products you should start with.
If you haven't been selling on eBay before the best advice is to start small and work your way up. Selling used goods, such as antiques, collectibles, books and vintage items is probably the most popular way to start. The market for these types of goods has always been steady, and it's a very good way of 'cutting your teeth'.
The smaller end of the market has always been a difficult one for the larger, more commercial companies, so you should find this much easier. If you have some prior knowledge of art, antiques, collectibles or rare books so much the better, so try and pick something you know.
Most people can find these items to resell in charity shops, boot fairs, thrift shops and markets etc, and there are normally many in each town or city. When hunting for these 'bargains' you must bear in mind the potential postal costs involved, plus the likeyhood of damage in transit (so nothing too heavy or fragile!).
Yes, selling used goods on eBay can make you money, if you do it properly.
If you want to find out how to do it properly, starting at the beginning and working your way up, then you could do a lot worse than look at Amanda O'Brien's book '£2,500 a week eBay PowerSellers Secrets'. This book - yes this is actually a proper book - will take you through everything you will ever need to know. From beginning to end it leaves nothing out, and updates are emailed regularly.
CLICK HERE to see how this book will help you get started.
If you're starting out as a seller on eBay, you may be wondering which products sell well, and what products you should start with.
If you haven't been selling on eBay before the best advice is to start small and work your way up. Selling used goods, such as antiques, collectibles, books and vintage items is probably the most popular way to start. The market for these types of goods has always been steady, and it's a very good way of 'cutting your teeth'.
The smaller end of the market has always been a difficult one for the larger, more commercial companies, so you should find this much easier. If you have some prior knowledge of art, antiques, collectibles or rare books so much the better, so try and pick something you know.
Most people can find these items to resell in charity shops, boot fairs, thrift shops and markets etc, and there are normally many in each town or city. When hunting for these 'bargains' you must bear in mind the potential postal costs involved, plus the likeyhood of damage in transit (so nothing too heavy or fragile!).
Yes, selling used goods on eBay can make you money, if you do it properly.
If you want to find out how to do it properly, starting at the beginning and working your way up, then you could do a lot worse than look at Amanda O'Brien's book '£2,500 a week eBay PowerSellers Secrets'. This book - yes this is actually a proper book - will take you through everything you will ever need to know. From beginning to end it leaves nothing out, and updates are emailed regularly.
CLICK HERE to see how this book will help you get started.
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Where Can I Buy Wholesale Products to Sell on eBay?
SaleHoo: A Product Perspective
So you've decided to be a seller on eBay.
You've purchased a few eBooks on how to get set up. You've done all your research. You've selected a couple of products you think will sell well. Now all you have to do is find out where you can source these items cheaply. But where? Are there any wholesale tips as such?
How can you be sure the supplier you have chosen is reliable and trustworthy? There are so many scare stories about scams on the internet. About people paying over good, hard earned money to wholesale suppliers, and never seeing hide nor hair of any product. Can you be sure this won't happen to you?
The good news is YES, you can!
SaleHoo is a leading Directory of Wholesalers, and for a very modest lifetime membership fee, offers exclusive access to a huge comprehensive directory of Manufacturers, Drop Shippers, Wholesale Suppliers and Liquidators. The companies listed in the directory have all been pre-selected too, which means they've all been 'checked' out.
SaleHoo is split into two sections, with the suppliers' database on one side and a very active Private Members forum on the other. It appears that the forum is used extensively by the members to keep each other informed of the best suppliers for certain products, and a section for members seeking specific products.
The information shared between members of SaleHoo is quite open it would appear, and I suppose this is because it is a closed site, not open to the general public, so feelings and thoughts can be freely aired!
The wholesale suppliers' database lists thousands of companies all over the world, and is broken down into categories for easy navigation. With so many to choose from there is every likelyhood a supplier could be found not far away to supply the items you want.
Each member is able to write a review on a company when they've used them, so as well as the forum you can have access to written 'evidence' of the suitability. Many of the reviews are written by eBay PowerSellers and SaleHoo company staff when they have ordered different products to test the companies out. The idea has been to vet as many suppliers as possible, so that members can be confident they are dealing with bona fide companies.
The general opinion is that the up to date information supplied by SaleHoo is well worth the membership fee, which as mentioned earlier, is for life. Once you have joined and been on the forum, you will get a mountain of very useful information, and in no time at all you'll be able to source the products you want and get started on eBay.
You can access SaleHoo here, or elsewhere on this blog, so have a good look over the site before making a decision. If you're serious about sourcing good quality items to sell on eBay, you couldn't be in better hands.
So you've decided to be a seller on eBay.
You've purchased a few eBooks on how to get set up. You've done all your research. You've selected a couple of products you think will sell well. Now all you have to do is find out where you can source these items cheaply. But where? Are there any wholesale tips as such?
How can you be sure the supplier you have chosen is reliable and trustworthy? There are so many scare stories about scams on the internet. About people paying over good, hard earned money to wholesale suppliers, and never seeing hide nor hair of any product. Can you be sure this won't happen to you?
The good news is YES, you can!
SaleHoo is a leading Directory of Wholesalers, and for a very modest lifetime membership fee, offers exclusive access to a huge comprehensive directory of Manufacturers, Drop Shippers, Wholesale Suppliers and Liquidators. The companies listed in the directory have all been pre-selected too, which means they've all been 'checked' out.
SaleHoo is split into two sections, with the suppliers' database on one side and a very active Private Members forum on the other. It appears that the forum is used extensively by the members to keep each other informed of the best suppliers for certain products, and a section for members seeking specific products.
The information shared between members of SaleHoo is quite open it would appear, and I suppose this is because it is a closed site, not open to the general public, so feelings and thoughts can be freely aired!
The wholesale suppliers' database lists thousands of companies all over the world, and is broken down into categories for easy navigation. With so many to choose from there is every likelyhood a supplier could be found not far away to supply the items you want.
Each member is able to write a review on a company when they've used them, so as well as the forum you can have access to written 'evidence' of the suitability. Many of the reviews are written by eBay PowerSellers and SaleHoo company staff when they have ordered different products to test the companies out. The idea has been to vet as many suppliers as possible, so that members can be confident they are dealing with bona fide companies.
The general opinion is that the up to date information supplied by SaleHoo is well worth the membership fee, which as mentioned earlier, is for life. Once you have joined and been on the forum, you will get a mountain of very useful information, and in no time at all you'll be able to source the products you want and get started on eBay.
You can access SaleHoo here, or elsewhere on this blog, so have a good look over the site before making a decision. If you're serious about sourcing good quality items to sell on eBay, you couldn't be in better hands.
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