My Secrets to Selling on eBay (internet security software)
No commentsBy Erwin Pope
What are the ebay selling secrets that so many ordinary men and women use to make themselves a full time income (or significantly more) on ebay these days?
It is obvious that you will have to be serious about your business if you are going to make it big on ebay - just like in any other business activity. As such there are a lot of things to consider, like a good business proposition, marketing, customer service etc.
However, for anyone trying to sell anything on ebay there are actually two “secrets” that will make a world of difference.
The ebay selling master knows that…
I remember hearing a Chinese story once, about a master doll maker; His most talented apprentice had become a very skilful doll maker himself. But, although his dolls where technically just as good as the masters, there was still something missing. Something so obvious that anyone could tell the difference, yet no one could put their finger exactly on what made the masters dolls so much more impressive.
Finally, on the masters deathbed, the apprentice asked the master what his big secret was. The master then took one of the dolls that the apprentice had made, gave it’s face a gentle push so that the mouth and eyes lifted into a friendly smile.
This was the whole secret.
Now, like I said there is obviously more to it than this when it comes to selling professionally on ebay. But the two most critical elements to any ebay auction are
- The item description
- A good picture of the item
Getting these right sounds simple enough, but as a customer you will still se a great deal of poorly written descriptions and non-representative images, or no image at all. This will, in most cases, make you as a potential buyer think twice before placing any bids with this particular ebay merchant.
An item description that sells
The most important part of any eBay listing is the description of the item. Get this right as a seller, and you have already won half the battle.
It is easy to understand that the description should “sell” the item for you, but don’t go overboard and write a “shopping channel” style sales pitch. In fact, the most important thing is that the buyer gets as good a picture as is possible about the product, without holding it in his or her own hands.
Think about it for a moment, if you where going to bid a lot of money on something. you would definitely want to know that it’s wort bidding for in the first place - right?
You want to know exactly what model, year, manufacturer etc. the item in question is. Is it used or brand new? Perfect condition or slightly damaged? If it’s some kind of clothing, is it definitely your size etc.?
For whatever you are selling you want to place yourself in the customers shoes and ask yourself: “what would I want to know about this product?”. Then be as thorough and honest as possible about your items peculiarities in your description. And if someone emails you with a follow-up question, be quick to respond. If you are selling a certain type of product on a continuous basis, it is naturally also a good idea to keep track on what additional questions you get, in order to further improve your item descriptions.
A great description will bring you the right kind of customers, who feel comfortable with buying from you. Make a really cryptic or outright deceitful description and you risk end up being regarded as another ebay con artist.
A picture sells more than a thousand words?
As an ebay professional you will definitely want to brush up on your skills in photography. A good picture will by no means cover up for a poor item description, but it will definitely help tip the scales even further in your favour. Leaving the picture out is simply not an option in most scenarios. Trust me, the additional effort spent on this will pay you back in spades.
It is no coincidence that most ebay PowerSellers are also pretty skilled photographers. Buing that shimmering dress or antique vase feels so much better, after having seen a picture of tha actual product.
The only situation where you could use some type of stock photo, is if you are selling some kind of brand new product that will look the same no matter where the customer buys it. Still, if the manufacturer can’t provide you with attractive and detailed photos, you might want to take your own pictures anyway.
Good digital cameras are cheap these days, so every ebay entrepreneur should definitely have one.
If you are aiming for long term success on ebay, there are definitely many other things you will need to learn. But mastering the item description and photo will definitely be one of main the goals on your journey towards ebay selling mastery.
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Notebook or Desktop Computer — Which One Should You Select?
By Erwin Pope
On TV and in the movies, we see a lot of portable computers being used in homes and offices. Does that mean that’s the trend? Is that what you should get?
Portable computers cost more, so unless you really have the need for one, you get a lot more computer for your money with a regular desktop PC. The main thing is portability. If you need a portable computer, get a laptop. (”Laptop,” “portable,” and “notebook” all refer to the same thing, by the way). Otherwise, a desktop computer is a better buy, and better ergonomically.
The Price Difference
You might wonder why laptops cost more than desktop computers with comparable features and power. That is largely because it is more expensive to manufacture laptops and their parts. For portable computer components, factors such as compactness, the amount of heat they generate, their weight, and power consumption are more important than they are for desktops. Those factors add to their manufacturing costs.
Space Requirements
While laptops are certainly compact, a desktop computer with a flat panel monitor can take up almost as little space. While called a “desktop” computer, the computer itself is most often kept on the floor. That leaves just the monitor, keyboard and mouse on the desk, which is really very similar in footprint to a notebook computer.
A great way to further reduce the space taken up on the desktop computer is get a keyboard drawer to hold the keyboard and mouse. That way, they slide out of the way under the top of the desk when they aren’t needed.
Be Mindful of Ergonomics
Ergonomics is the science of designing and arranging things so that people can interact with them more comfortably and safely. The basic ergonomic principals for computer use tell us that, 1) the keyboard should be as close to your lap level as possible (assuming you touch-type), 2) the monitor should be about arm’s length in front of you, and 3) the top of the monitor should be at about your eye level. Try achieving that with a laptop computer! Two words: im-possible.
It is obvious then, that a desktop computer is much better ergonomically than a laptop is. For prolonged use, especially, you’re much better off with a desktop computer.
And Don’t Forget Usability
Another aspect of ergonomics is usability. Because of size constraints, laptops also are lower on the usability scale than desktop PCs are. For one thing, laptop keyboards lack the separate groupings of the different sets of keys with space between them. For another, there are fewer keys on a laptop’s keyboard, so some of them have to perform double duty. On a standard keyboard, you don’t have to deal with that.
Screen Resolution
Computer monitors — the bulky ones, anyway — can be set at different resolutions. In other words, you can change the fineness of the image on the screen. The range is typically 640×480 — that is 640 pixel across and 480 pixels up and down — to 800×600, 1024×768, or even higher. At 640×480, the icons and such appear quite large; at 1024×768, they are substantially smaller. The most common resolutions today for desktop computers are 800×600 and 1024×768.
Something They Don’t Tell You
Laptop displays, on the other hand, have a fixed, or native, resolution. You can change the setting, but then the images and text don’t look good. While people tend to think that bigger numbers are better, a higher screen resolution may not work as well for you. It may make everything too small to see comfortably.
Remember, the laptop’s screen is smaller that a desktop’s. While a typical desktop computer screen is 17″ or so a laptop’s is usually in the range of 12″ to 15.” That is a big difference. Make sure you can see everything clearly before choosing a high-resolution laptop.
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Are There Ways Around Computer Desk Prices?
By Jimmie Mcdowell
The answer, plain and simple, is no; computer desks do not have to be expensive. With so many different options on the market today and such a large number of retailers to choose from, there is a price range to fit anyone’s budget. And with a variety of styles and materials available, it is not necessary to give up quality for an affordable price.
Shoppers will find computer desks ranging in price from $100 for a basic computer workstation to over $1000 for an executive-style desk with many accessories and amenities. This pricing will primarily be dependent on the materials and craftsmanship of the desk. Desks are now constructed of a wide range of materials from particle board and laminates to solid wood. Glass and metal can also be found in many of the contemporary styles.
The old adage has always been “you get what you pay for”, implying that the more money you spend, the better quality of the product. While this is true to a certain extent (a solid wood desk is of better quality and certainly priced higher than one made of laminates and particle board), the principle does not hold true in all instances. Say a high quality, solid wood computer desk is available at a local retailer for $1000. That exact same desk is also available through an online retailer for $750, with free shipping and a lifetime warranty. Obviously, the $750 desk is the better value and of no lesser quality simply because it was the lower priced option.
The retailer from which a computer desk is bought can add value to your purchase as well. Consumers should look into such items as delivery charges (some will offer free delivery), warranties, and customer loyalty programs (discounts or rewards based on volume of purchases). The reputation and longevity of the retailer should also be considered when making a large purchase. After all, a warranty is only as good as the company that makes it.
Online retailers, commonly referred to as e-tailers, can often offer higher quality furniture at a more reasonable price due to their lower overhead - no storefront to maintain and no salespeople to pay. Some offer free shipping and lifetime warranties on all orders. Another benefit to shopping online is that e-tailers are able to offer a broader variety of products and price ranges. This makes it easier for the consumer to shop and compare a number of products from a single website.
There is no need to give up good quality office furniture in exchange for an affordable price. Smart shopping can land you the computer desk you want and still keep you within the needs of your budget. Furnishing your office with high quality products certainly does not have to be expensive if the consumer is connected with the right retailers.
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Sunday, June 20th, 2010 at 10:00 pm and is filed under internet. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
