Auction Way

A good auction listing must not only read well, but  must look professional. Here’s a quick, easy template
anyone to make their listing more professional


Do you know what drives me nuts on eBay? When I view an item up for auction and the listing has no style whatsoever. There’s just a long scroll of text that gives only the briefest explanation of what the product is and why I should buy it.

Writing a good auction listing is a topic for another  article, but I can help those of you who want to spice up
the look of your auction listings with a simple template that will work in the eBay “Sell an Item” system.

First, I want to go over a couple of HTML “tags” so you  know what all the funky little letters in the brackets
(< >) are for. But don’t worry – I’m not going to try and teach you HTML. I just want to show you a little
to keep you from messing up your listing.

First, an HTML TAG is just a quick way for you to let a Web browser know how you want your web page to look like when it is displayed in your Web browser. That’s it.

======================== HTML TAGS =========================

HEADING TAG: This tag designates that the text is a heading and should be larger than the page text. You can designate different sizes of headings (I use heading2 below - ).

FORMAT: Starts with and ends with

PARAGRAPH TAG: This tag lets you format a block of text,complete with a break in between paragraphs. The break is always there, and you cannot start a new paragraph on the very next line.

FORMAT: Starts with and ends with

LINE BREAK TAG: This tag is like a carriage return on your word processor or typewriter. This tag will allow you to start on the very next line. NOTE: You cannot use more than one Line Break Tag in a row – HTML ignores them.

FORMAT: Put a at the end of the line

BULLETTED LIST: This will allow you to create a nice list of items with bullets in front. Great for showing off some features, since people tend to skim pages.

FORMAT: Start the list with and end with

Each list item gets a

in front of it

======================== HTML TAGS =========================

That’s it for the HTML tutorial. That wasn’t so bad, was it? Now, here’s a quick template you can use to spice up your eBay listings. Just cut and paste the text below (in between the “CUT HERE” lines) into the Notepad program on your PC (located under “All Programs > Accessories” in the Start menu) and edit the information in ALL CAPS.

++++++++++++++++++++++++ CUT HERE ++++++++++++++++++++++++

YOUR INTERESTING HEADLINE


AN INTERESTING SUBHEAD

HERE, YOU CAN EXPLAIN THE MAIN BENEFITS OF THE ITEM. MAKE IT A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION (2 – 3 SENTENCES).

ANOTHER BENEFIT PARAGRAPH.

SOME FEATURES IN A BULLETTED LIST:

• FEATURE 1
• FEATURE 2
• FEATURE 3
• FEATURE 4

USE THIS PARAGRAPH TO WRAP-UP. YOU CAN STATE THE PRICE OF THE ITEM IF THEY BOUGHT IT IN THE STORE (I.E. I SAW THIS PRODUCT FOR $97 AT THE LOCAL STORE). YOU CAN ALSO PUT IN SOME CLOSING COMMENTS (I LIKE THIS ITEM, BUT I DON'T
HAVE ANY MORE ROOM IN MY BASEMENT).


PAYMENT TERMS: PUT YOUR PAYMENT METHODS HERE.


P.S. ADD YOUR ABOUT ME PAGE HERE
About Me


Thank you!


++++++++++++++++++++++++ CUT HERE ++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Once you’ve changed the text and saved it from Notepad, just copy all of the text and paste it into the listing
window on eBay. This will be the “Item description” form that comes up after you’ve picked a category. You can preview the description by clicking on the “Preview Page”link below the window. If you’ve done everything correctly,it should look great!

By using this simple template, you can immediately vault the professionalism of your listings above and beyond what a lot of eBay-ers are putting out there right now. And that can result in more sales, at a greater price, for your online auction business

Author
Chuck
www.auctionrookie.com
mailto:csmith@auctionrookie.com

Everyone has wanted to sell a car at some point and in the age of Internet auctions, there are more options than ever when it comes to selling your car whether it's an '05, '78 or a '20. With this ever expanding world of options comes the need to make delivery after you've sold the vehicle and that requires a car transport service.

Depending on the auction service, you can list that shipment of the item is completely up to the buyer's
discretion or offer a method of transportation to fold into the final price.

The first is often more preferable to buyers because it allows them to shop various car transporters themselves to find the one that suits them best. However, if you decide to fold the cost of the shipment along with a hand picked transporter into the auction of your car, there are some things you need to do.

First, you need to narrow down your selection of transporters in some fashion that incorporates not only
their price ranges but also their reliability and service records. Remember, that by folding in the selection of the transporter to the auction, you are in some way taking responsibility for the shipment both before you deliver itnto the transporter and after.

Second, to simplify the matters with regard to the auction, make sure you have all the information about your selected transporter at hand. Include this information in the auction information. When buyers look through potential cars to buy on auctions they are as concerned about the cars they are looking at as to how they might get there.

Some buyers may not want to use the transporter you have selected; you may or may not wish to include that as an option to turn down on the buyer's part.

Finally, when you are ready to list the car as well as the transporter information, be sure to include a series of
price quotes from the transporter from the car's location to major hubs on both coasts, the mid-west and include both upper and lower sides of the coasts, mid-Atlantic and so on.

This will allow the buyer to guess based on their proximity to one of those locations what the cost will likely be.Always be sure to list that the quotes are not exact and are not final until the buyer's shipping information is
received.

It may seem like more work than it's worth to go through all of this prior to listing the car that you want to sell,
it will pay off at the auction's closing. As the seller,you simply wait to confirm where the car is being
transported to and confirm a final quote from the transportation company.

Once the seller receives the payment from the buyer they can get the car to the transportation company of their choice and not have to worry if the buyer chooses a transporter that will be a hassle for you the seller.

While most buyers and sellers work in fairly cooperative relations in order to receive the item sold and the payment for the item, sometimes having the game plan set will save a lot of time.

When its time to clean-up around the house, some people have a hard time deciding what to keep and what to throw out. What they need is an incentive.How about collecting cash from stuff that was collectingdust?

You can do this by auctioning-off your unwanted or no longer needed items on eBay. eBay is the largest online market place of its kind. If you are considering this, then you need to gain some basic knowledge of the listing process.

Here is a 10-item checklist to go over before you begin selling:

1. Look at Other Seller Listings

Do a search for your item. See how other sellers list the same or similar item. Take mental note of the category, the title, the description, the photo and the pricing.

2. Choose the Most Appropriate Category

Make sure your item is in the most appropriate category. Avoid placing it in a category where it doesn't belong. List your item in the wrong category, and people looking for your item will not find it. Let eBay suggest the category for you, if you are unsure which category your item belongs.

3. Write an Accurate Title for Your Listing

Make it easy for buyers to find your item in a search by writing a precise title of it. Be as exact and detailed as
possible so your item can show up in broad keyword searches too. Avoid using hype words like "Best," "Great," or "Fantastic." Putting these words in the title will not help buyers find your item because they don't type in these types of words in their searches.

4. Set Your Price Low

Entice your buyers by starting at a low price. Set a reserve price in your listings so you don't have to sell it
when the auction ends at too low of a price for you to make a profit.

5. Give Plenty of Time for Your Auction

Let as many people as possible see your auction. Set the duration for five or seven days so weekend buyers will have a chance to bid on your item too.

6. Show a Photo of Your Item

Take a digital photo of your item and post it with your listing. Let your buyers see what they are bidding on.
Allow the photo to help you sell it. Having to see something first before you buy it is only natural. Apply
this same principle to online auctions. Buying a digital camera is a good investment these days and instructions on loading pictures up to the eBay site are simple enough that there really is no excuse not to have a picture.

7. Give Buyers Plenty of Payment Options

Make it easy for the buyer to pay. Providing as many payment options as available is better. Place in your item listing your own merchant account or credit card processor information. Sign up with Paypal if you don't have your own merchant account. Let buyers pay by check or money order if you don't provide payment through Paypal or credit cards. Including all payment options leaves no buyers behind.

8. Be Clear on Shipping and Handling Information

Avoid troubles or negative seller feedback by stating upfront your shipping costs. Mention this clearly in your
listing. Include your return policy.

9. Give Contact Information

Gain the buyer's trust by freely stating your contact information. List your email, phone number or mailing
address.

10. Keep on Testing

Review the auctions that have ended. Learn from the wins and losses. Try changing the category, title, description or price if it didn't sell. Testing the individual elements in the auction process is critical to your goal of becoming a successful auction seller.

An auction is basically a public sale wherein any object is sold to the highest bidder. It can be defined as a process of purchasing and selling things by offering them up for bid, taking bids and selling the things out to the highest bidder. This is what is generally the case. However, a sale to the lowest bidder may also take place, in cases where land is sold for non-payment of taxes to anyone willing to take it for the shortest term; or where a contract is offered to an individual or party willing to take it for the shortest term; or where a contract is offered to an individual or party willing to perform it at the lowest price. Such cases too seem to fairly come under the purview of the term ‘auction’.

In case of auction the seller presents the products on a public platform. The selling price of the products are determined by the bids or offers of buyers interested in buying them based on their individual estimation of value of and need of the products. The person offering the highest bid at closing of auction receives the right to purchase the products at the bid price. The winner of the bid is normally legally bound to buy the item auctioned. In recent times auctions have been conducted online.

The benefits of auction are many. Some of the significant advantages are:

a)The auctioned item fetches the highest price in the given situation. Thus, in a way there is the maximization or optimization of profit.

b)At an auction the goods are almost certainly disposed off after bidding by their sale to the highest bidder. Hence, this serves as the right podium for disposing or selling out
of accumulated goods. Otherwise, business could have become stagnant due to the stocking of these goods. Certain items could also have perished (in case of perishable goods) or expired if not sold out in time.

c)In case of auctioning a variety of articles may come up for sale, which may not be otherwise available in the market. The buyer can get quite urprised by looking at a treasure trove of antique articles available at an auction.

d)An auction can also be considered as a method for estimating the value of certain commodities which have hitherto undetermined or variable prices.