The Site Map is a link on eBay that directs users to a page that displays the entire contents of eBay. Every page will have a link to Site Map if you ever get lost. It's usually on the lower right after you've scrolled down to the bottom of the page.
With the eBay site being as large as it is, you can avoid countless hours of fruitless search by using the Site Map to locate the information you need.
Here are examples of the links that the Site Map contains:
Promote Your Item. This feature allows you to further enhance your auction’s potential by using eBay tools.
Block Bidder/Buying List. Prevent fraudulent and deadbeat bidders from ruining your auctions. You can increase your auction success ratio by eliminating bidders who are not serious.
Answer Center. What eBay seller doesn’t have questions that need to be answered? Take the guess work out of your business, by participating in the Answer Center. You can save time (translate this: money) by quickly finding the answers to your auction related questions.
Chat Rooms. Communicate with other eBay members who can share their experiences and knowledge with you. Information is the name of the game. What better way is there to gather information, than to get it from your fellow eBay members.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Be Careful!
A few notes of caution:
• Be cautious of email that claims to come from eBay. Any messages from eBay OR PayPal will also be available on the sites themselves.
• eBay involves money and making smart financial choices. You are responsible for making sure you understand these transactions before you participate in them. If you have questions, please ask!
• DO NOT EVER give your login, password or any banking information in response to an email or to a site that you did not go to on your own.
• Be cautious of email that claims to come from eBay. Any messages from eBay OR PayPal will also be available on the sites themselves.
• eBay involves money and making smart financial choices. You are responsible for making sure you understand these transactions before you participate in them. If you have questions, please ask!
• DO NOT EVER give your login, password or any banking information in response to an email or to a site that you did not go to on your own.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Shipping it out to your customer
Sometimes it's a good idea to overestimate your shipping time.
Tell your buyers (in your listings, invoice and payment confirmations) the estimated shipping time for the shipping methods you offer. But don't use the U.S. postal service or eBay estimates - especially around Christmas. If the post office says that media rate or parcel post shipping time averages 5 days then indicate 10 days, or 10-14 days.
You are NOT responsible for the speed of the US Post office or UPS but buyers' will frequently praise or criticize you in their feedback because the shipping time was more or less than they expected. Let them be pleasantly surprised that they received the item sooner than you told them it would arrive.
Package your items carefully, in many cases sealing them in protective wrap before placing them in a padded mailers or boxes, with enough breathing room so that they can survive rough treatment. Remember that postal employees often throw packages around, drop heavy packages on top of smaller ones, and leave packages out in the rain or snow.
Don't attempt to save 50 cents on packaging materials by insecurely packaging your items, and letting your customers decide whether or not to buy insurance. Usually they won't, but if items are damaged, customers will blame you, want a refund from you, and may give you negative feedback, whether or not they insured their items.
You can save money on postage costs for priority mail by using the free materials the U.S.P.S. provides. You can save packaging materials that you receive for your own orders, or pick up materials for free from local stores who recycle theirs.
Personal recommendations: I recommend joining your local Freecycle.org list and posting a notice for packing peanuts. Many people have bags of styrofoam peanuts that they no longer need. Also, an excellent low-cost online store for purchasing shipping supplies in bulk is Uline.
Tell your buyers (in your listings, invoice and payment confirmations) the estimated shipping time for the shipping methods you offer. But don't use the U.S. postal service or eBay estimates - especially around Christmas. If the post office says that media rate or parcel post shipping time averages 5 days then indicate 10 days, or 10-14 days.
Package your items carefully, in many cases sealing them in protective wrap before placing them in a padded mailers or boxes, with enough breathing room so that they can survive rough treatment. Remember that postal employees often throw packages around, drop heavy packages on top of smaller ones, and leave packages out in the rain or snow.
Don't attempt to save 50 cents on packaging materials by insecurely packaging your items, and letting your customers decide whether or not to buy insurance. Usually they won't, but if items are damaged, customers will blame you, want a refund from you, and may give you negative feedback, whether or not they insured their items.
You can save money on postage costs for priority mail by using the free materials the U.S.P.S. provides. You can save packaging materials that you receive for your own orders, or pick up materials for free from local stores who recycle theirs.
Personal recommendations: I recommend joining your local Freecycle.org list and posting a notice for packing peanuts. Many people have bags of styrofoam peanuts that they no longer need. Also, an excellent low-cost online store for purchasing shipping supplies in bulk is Uline.
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