The Pros And Cons In Establishing An Ebay Store

Hmmmmm? I have still not been paid by the eBay/PayPal fiasco of selling my car on ebay on July 3 rd. I am sooo dubious!



Ebay has provided some amazing opportunities for many people to earn online. This widely popular auction site has become the primary destination for users who wish to purchase anything - ranging from tangible products to digital items - hence making eBay a website visited by millions of people every day. Because of the volume of transactions happening in its pages, eBay has also become a virtual market place where thousands, if not millions, of dollars exchange hands on a daily basis as well.

Do you want a piece of that big, big pie?

Then you must first have to establish an eBay store.

Now, this is not a strong recommendation. This article is not meant as a sales pitch for a membership with eBay, rather, it seeks to present the advantages and disadvantages of building your own eBay store. You must remember that eBay isn't the only place where you could peddle your goods. It is a good place where you could sell your items, but there are other alternatives you could consider. Should you settle with eBay? Or should you explore the alternative options? Let's study the matter more closely.

There are most certainly a lot of benefits that could be gained from establishing your own eBay store. Let's take a look at them.

* You'd be able to sell in a hotly visited environment. You'll be able to expose your products to a wide array of prospects.

* Once you have upgraded to a Featured Store, you'd be given $30 worth of PPC keywords per month. This means that your store would appear prominently in the results for the particular keywords that users will search for. Such would most certainly drive more traffic to your auctions.

* A Featured Store would also deliver some advanced reports for your auctions. You could use the statistics delineated therein to improve the way you construct your sales pages, and the way you present your items for better efficiency in your future offers.

* A Featured Store will also allow you more eBay pages, which would mean more exposure for your products. It's still a numbers game. The more auctions you have running, the more earning opportunities you could capitalize on.

* A Featured Store would allow you to reduce the size of the eBay banner appearing in your every auction. This would give you the chance to work on your page and bring the focus of your visitors to the items you will be selling.

* Ebay provides a certain level of seller protection and dispute resolution for potential problems you might encounter with your buyers.

Though these are great advantages for your online business, please bear in mind that they do not come without cost. There are also other disadvantages that are attached to having your own eBay store.

* Ebay stores don't come free. A basic store setup would cost $15.95 per month. A Featured Store status would cost an even higher $49.95 per month. And the king of all kings, an Anchor Store, would require you to spend an onerous $499.95 per month.

* Having your own eBay store would pressure you to perform well when it comes to your sales. Though some may consider this as a benefit since such will motivate the seller to plan his course of action, the dangers will be experienced when you fail to earn enough profit to cover the cost of your subscription.

* People go to eBay expecting the best deals in the online market. You have to compete at this level, otherwise, the moment people would see the going rate for your auction, they'd immediately hop to the next item up for sale.

* You'd be bound by eBay's selling policies. You cannot go around some of these restrictive policies, otherwise, you account can get suspended, or worse, terminated.

Establishing an eBay store is a solid choice for a business model. But you have to determine your goals as well as your marketing plan. Would an eBay store help you accomplish them? Or would selling your own goods in your own website, or through some affiliate automation program like http://www.clickbank.com , http://www.paydotcom.com or http://www.cj.com be better for your online business?

The choice is yours.

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-


About the Author
Nial Robbins owns the work at home directory website located at: http://www.NDR-HomeBiz.com Come by and visit us today! Also, be sure to check out our "top pick" work at home opportunity at: http://www.NDR-HomeBiz.com/pips.html

Strategic vs. Tacticle Marketing

Most people mistakenly assume that when you talk about marketing, you're automatically talking about "Tactical" marketing - placing ads, generating leads, sending out mailers,attending trades shows, creating brochures, implementing a follow-up system, and so forth.

They fail to realize that the "Strategic" side of the coin - what you say, how you say it, and who you say it to - is almost always MORE important than the marketing medium of WHERE you say it.

So, What's The Difference Between Strategic And Tactical Marketing?

The distinction between the two is huge. "Tactical Marketing" is the execution of your marketing plan, such as generating leads, placing media, creating marketing tools, and implementinga follow-up system. In other words, it's the medium in which your message is delivered.

"Strategic Marketing" has to do with what you say, how you say it, and who you say it to. In other words, it's the content of your marketing message.

Strategic Marketing starts with understanding your customers andthe things that are important to them, understanding "WHY John Smith buys".

"If You Want To Know WHY John Smith Buys What John Smith Buys, You've Got To See The World THROUGH John Smith's Eyes."

Just putting a marketing message in an appropriate medium for John Smith to hear or read is not good enough. The strategy must derive from an understanding of what's important to John Smith. Otherwise, this tactical part of the marketing process will be much less effective, resulting in ads that under-perform.

Many companies try to figure out how to sell more before they find out how to provide a solution to their consumers' needs. The procedure for accomplishing this is exactly the same everysingle time, for every kind of business.

It's The Advertiser's Job To Pay Attention To Human Nature.Buyers Always Want To Make The Best Decision Possible.

Strategically, marketing programs and advertising should get theattention of target market prospects and facilitate their decision-making. This lowers their risk for taking the next step in the buying process.

By understanding what's important to your target market, you can then put together a strategy that gets more qualified prospects to call, reduces your sales cycle, and increases your conversion ratios.

AFTER the strategy is in place, the tactical execution simply consists of testing and implementing your strategic plan.

Get a FREE Comprehensive Tactical Marketing Checklist, simply email your request to mailto:support@mymondemand.com and ensure that you are considering all of the different types oftactical marketing resources you should consider.

May your marketing efforts be profitable.


About The Author:
~~~~~
James Bell, the author, teaches business owners, entrepreneurs,and professionals how to acheive bigger, bottom line results from their advertising & marketing efforts without spending moretime, effort, or money. Learn marketing strategies and tactics to separate yourself from your competition and become the obvious choice to do business with. To learn more about how to improve your own Marketing Efforts and Achieve Better Results, visit: http://www.MYMOnDemand.com. Email: mailto:jbell@mymondemand.com


Read more articles by: James Bell

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

Retail...Worker Exploitation?

Wow, it sure is difficult to make the switch from a benevolent major financial services company to the world of retail in a mall.

No overtime, no benefits, no complimentary food or parties or luncheons. Harry Potter book release was a disgusting view of greed........"up sell this, up sell that"..........yet can't even give people free water?? Oh snacks for the employees working until 3:00 AM. Wow.

At the financial services companies, we had team outings to the ball park, bowling, plays, lunch at nice resturants, like "Ruth Chrisis' Steak House", huge Christmas Parties at upscale restaurants and or hotels and cool entertainment. Not to mention thousands of dollars in bonuses and incentive pay!

Wow.

Becoming an Expert

I wanted to change careers back in the 1980's from retail management to construction.

At first I looked at going back to college for either an Associates Degree in Architecture, or a second Bachelors Degree. Both were very time consuming and costly. I kept reading about building construction, energy conservation, solar applications, etc.

I had already been involved in the Glass and Plastics industry for over five years as a manufacturer's rep, standardizing glazing systems and materials. I also had an opportunity to work with solar pioneer Steve Baer, of NM. I looked into getting back into that also. Then I spied an ad for an internship in a solar construction firm in Vermont. I packed up the family and one winter day drove for an interview.

I explained where I was coming from and where I wanted to go. The owner said to me, "Just do it".....yeah corny but that's what he said! (also the "internship" turned out to be unpaid....uh huh)

So I became an "Expert" in Solar Energy, and Energy conservation in Central NY. I designed and built a unique framing system for two passive solar homes and a classroom building at the community college, in addition built several large solar hot water heating systems and a hot air heating system. I taught courses at the community college and at an alternative high school. That was from 1982-1985. The houses and classroom building are still functioning and saving money from heating and cooling!

The Expert Advantage: Why It Pays to Establish Yourself as an Expert

Have you ever felt a jolt of envy to see a competitor – or even a friend – grinning up at you from a newspaper or trade publication?

It kills you, doesn't it?

And you know why: you need to become that authority. Prospects will gravitate to the authority on a subject they are interested in.

If you can establish yourself as an expert in your industry, qualified prospects will be attracted to you. Why?

Everybody wants to do business with an expert.

As an entrepreneur, a majority of your focus is always on securing new customers. While it is true that your repeat clients are the backbone of your success, you need to add new clients to your existing client base if you want your business to grow.

You must learn to sell yourself as an expert. When potential buyers see you as a knowledgeable professional whose opinions and guidance truly matter, they are more likely to hand over their hard-earned money.

There are several ways to position yourself as an expert in the eyes of the public. The first thing you have to do is:

Be Confident in Your Expertise

Stop taking your skills for granted. You know a lot more than you think you know.

It's self-confidence that plays a large part in determining your happiness through life.

And self-confidence is a necessary ingredient for success because it sells. It's something you can sense about a person upon entering a room. It's evident through body language and speech. If your confidence is lacking, try these tips:

Set goals and create a plan to achieve them Use powerful affirmations such as “I am the expert;’ “My information is valuable;’ and “People desire to work with me.’ Practice confidence by emulating others. Take a look at the people who you think are the most confident. Try to find things they do in their body language and tone of voice to mimic until you find your own style. Be prepared. Create a Powerful Brand

In an overcrowded marketplace, if you're not standing out, then you're invisible.

The best way to captivate your audience is with an authentic and powerful personal brand. The benefits of a strong personal branding will give you an edge over your competition and enhance your value in the global marketplace.

Branding identifies and differentiates you, your business and your products and services so you stand out from the crowd and get noticed.

Once you have a powerful personal brand, the next step is to consistently communicate it through your brand identity: logo, business cards, letterhead, web site, invoices and any other outward communications you have.

Put it in Writing

We have all heard the saying, “If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around, does it make a sound?’ If you are sharing your expertise and no one hears it or reads it, does it make a difference?

There are several ways to build your reputation just by writing about what you know best.

Articles

Whether you're telling readers how to grow gargantuan tomatoes or how to stay out of trouble with the IRS, “how to’ articles are an excellent way to call attention to your talents and establish yourself as an expert. They give you dozens of column inches that you might not be able to afford if you had to pay for an ad. They draw traffic to your web site. And if your articles are compelling and convincing, they can lead to thousands of dollars in sales for your products or services.

People love solutions so try to start with quick tips sheets. For example, I wrote an article titled “5 Tips to Quickly and Easily Improve Your Brand Identity’. Then as you become more comfortable with writing, try a positioning piece where you comment on an industry trend with your thoughts. Provide your expert opinion.

EZines

Electronic newsletters are one of the most profitable ways to build your credibility to establish yourself as an expert. More commonly known as eZines, they let you offer helpful advice, market to a global audience, communicate easily with thousands of people as often as you wish, and promote what you're selling. All that without expensive postage or printing costs, an advertising budget, keeping track of subscription renewals, or other tasks associated with print newsletters.

Your eZine, distributed 1-4 times per month, will become a portfolio of your work and showcase your expertise.

I highly recommend using an email contact program like www.emailbrain.com . They are inexpensive, look professional, and can help you track what works in your campaigns and what doesn't.

Books

Catapult your business to a higher level by writing a book. Speakers, consultants, coaches, therapists and other small business owners are learning that publishing a book is one of the most powerful marketing strategies available. A book has the greatest potential to open doors.

There are two routes to go with book writing. The first is the traditional publishing route. This is a long and arduous process, however, being published by a well-known publishing house is like the “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.'

The other avenue is to self publish with a company like iUniverse. If you don't feel like you have the time and energy to take on a whole book yourself, you can also create an anthology of works from a combination of authors.

This year I launched my own publishing company Inspiration Place Publishing ä which published my latest book, an anthology, “ Visionary Women Inspiring the World: 12 Paths to Personal Power.’

Get on Your Soapbox

You may never see your name in lights or dazzle the crowd at Carnegie Hall. Yet there's no doubt that you can achieve celebrity status among the people who matter most to your target market when you start presenting.

This kind of "stardom" means prospects recognize your name as soon as they hear or read it, you are looked upon as an expert in a particular area, and your business is 100% referral-based. The benefits of this kind of business are obvious: extraordinary credibility that leads to countless introductions and natural, easy prospecting conversations plus the bonus of knowing you are truly outstanding in your field.

And doing presentations is lucrative. According to the Internal Revenue Service, “Those who speak about their industry earn an average of 50% more than those who don't.’

Public speaking

Public speaking enhances your credibility and your reputation as an expert while providing important information to your target audience. It is important that your speech does not turn into "sales pitches." Keep references to your company's products and services low-key while personally projecting your desired image. The key to successful speaking is making sure that you are in front of the right audience and then provide value to them.

When you are giving a speech make sure you do the following:

Inform your audience on your subject. Establish yourself as an expert and a resource for further information. Encourage your audience to take action. Create a compelling leave behind with information about your product or service offerings. Perhaps include an article you have written. Collect their information through business cards or a raffle for a free hour of consulting or a product. Ideas for getting the word out that you are available as a speaker:

Create a speaking resume that includes your bio and three compelling talks that you can give. You can see a copy of my speaking resume at www.journeyavenue.com. Send your speaking resume to professional trade organizations, civic groups or non-profit organizations. Send announcement letters or network to let groups know that you are available and which topics you can address. Hold Your Own Seminar or Tele-Seminar

Another venue to speak publicly is by holding your own seminar or tele-seminar. Create a program based upon your expertise and promote it heavily.

While giving the seminar, make sure that you use a system like Dan Janal's Great Teleseminars ( http://www.greatteleseminars.com/ ) to record the program so you can turn it into an audio product for passive revenue.

Become a Media Magnet

I worked in publicity for more than ten years and first hand saw the power of the media. Publicity is mention in the media. Organizations usually have little control over the message in the media, at least, not as they do in advertising. Regarding publicity, reporters and writers decide what will be said. This can be a little scary, however, this is exactly what leads to your credibility. And, PR is free, unlike advertising.

When you are quoted in the media it is another expert seal of approval. Each time you have a story to share or an announcement to make, consider which of the following media relations vehicles would be most helpful:

News Release Pitches Bylined Articles Special Events Contests, Quizzes Seminars/conferences Fundraisers Ribbon-cuttings/groundbreakings, open houses, etc. New product launches A news release is your most important publicity tool for securing story placements. It serves to assist an editor or reporter in writing a story and should tell your story in a simple, factual, straight-forward and informative manner (infusing your personality, as long as it doesn't take away from communicating your key points and product features).

It's important to pay attention to details when preparing a news release. In my e-book Profitable Public Relations I detail how to write an effective news release and pitch it to the journalist.

Another excellent way of attracting the attention of reporters and editors is to write a pitch letter. A pitch letter is a brief letter outlining a particular story angle, or sometimes several related story angles, for a reporter.

This kind of letter can be sent as a cover letter with a news release or media kit, but often it is sent alone. The idea is to grab the reporter's attention by providing a story idea and the important facts surrounding the story (often bullet points are used to present information so that the letter is easy to read). After mailing a pitch letter, it is important to follow up with the reporter to determine his/her interest and provide further information.

Working with the media on a regular basis is key to keeping your name in front of your customers' and prospects' eyes and being at the top of their mind when it comes to awareness.

Create Promotional Campaigns and Info Products Awards

Awards provide an opportunity to strengthen your reputation and credibility. If you do not feel comfortable nominating yourself, ask fellow entrepreneurs, your advisors, your friends or your family to nominate you.

Special Events

Special events such as charitable fund-raisers and public celebrations of your company milestones allow you to communicate your message in an active, participatory manner.

InfoProducts

What is your secret to success? How have you become a subject matter expert? Success sells, and if you have your own personal method to getting there, others will pay to hear it. InfoProducts include e-Books, Audio and Video Projects, Special reports and books. Did you know that e-books on how to succeed are topping the sales charts? Put together an InfoProduct and start collecting revenue while you sleep. I have several examples of InfoProducts on my site. Check it out.

Are you ready?

When you become known as an expert in your field, whatever your field, you will find that the world will beat a path to your door. The tips in this article have merely scratched the surface of the strategies and tactics you can use.

By being the expert:

You immediately distinguish yourself from the competition You offer your clients something of value that competitors can't—and don't—offer You can charge more for your services You become the first choice Now it is time for you to plan your road to becoming known as an expert. What actions will you commit to each month to achieve this? How much time will you devote? Use the ideas I've given to help you devise a plan that works for you and become the star in your field!


Business & Marketing guru Kelly O'Neil is passionate about helping entrepreneurs succeed in business through her Business Mastery Success System™. For more information, or to subscribe to O'Neil's Arrive! E-newsletter filled with countless tips and resources for creating more profit in your business, visit http://www.uplevelstrategies.com .

eBay/PayPal Scam.....Part III

Ok, I went to the police yesterday to file a report. I showed them all the information I had found out about the "thieves", including her court date for theft, names and addresses, etc. Mr Police Man said it was all irrelevent to my car sale. Huh?

Told me to pursue it in court.....small claims court......and go after eBay. PayPal, and then the "bidder/thief". Uh huh.

Real life is not a TV movie!

Ebay Scam....Part II

OK, thanks to being brighter than the average bear, I found the "Thieves".

I called AAA to find out where they towed the car! I have the boyfriends name address, and thanks to Mapquest a photo of his house! I also found the girl who is supposedly the "winning bidder". Seems she also showed up in the Castle Rock, Colorado courts on June 25, 2007 for THEFT! Uh huh. She has lived in about 15 places in the last ten years. She was only a member of eBay for less than a month, buying a bunch of small, auto parts related crap. She is 31, and obviously a professional thief. Probably a meth addict too, because that seems to be the number one motivator in Colorado for crime. This place is worse than Detroit!

I went to the police before I had all this new information. They were pretty useless. If I had another vehicle, I'd go to the house where my car is and get it back!

Stay tuned for updates. Oh, I sent several emails , called and attempted to contact PayPal and
eBay about all this new information........they have not bothered to reply! I still have no money.

Making Money on eBay.....Yes, For Crooks!

Get rich on eBay ? I don't think so.

I have sold aquariums, laptop computers, etc. and most recently my 1996 Monte Carlo.....for about 25% of its Kelly Blue Book value.

The "auction" ended June 18th.............I didn't get "paid" until July 2, and please take that with tongue-in-cheek. You see, my car has been stolen!

The party paid with a stolen/bogus/expired credit card to my PayPal account. PayPal smelled a "rat" and froze my funds. Now they have been reversed altogether and PayPal/eBay is investigating. Oh did I mention they picked up the car on July 2, and now have my car and my money! Uh Huh!

I called PayPal Security, wrote many emails to eBay Security, and several eMails to the winning bidder..or more aptly, the THIEF. I promised to turn this whole case over to the Colorado State Police. Which I plan to do tomorrow July 5th.

After some basic research, I guess the FBI can be involved also. The THIEF is guilty of:

Grand Theft Auto, Wire Fraud, Credit/Debit Card fraud, Computer Crime, and since a "boyfriend" was involved.....Conspiracy!

Supposedly PayPal "protects" sellers, me, against lost. I've followed all the rules and did nothing young, yet I am screwed. They claim the "investigation" may take up to 10 business days. Uh Huh. I have sent in copies of all related emails. My cell phone provider can verify all the calls I made to the buyers phone......all to voicemail. Oooooopppppssss, then her number suddenly "changed" and the buyer is no longer registered with eBay!

Today I fired off several emails demanding that she send all monies owed to my via Western Union. It hasn't happened.

Stay tuned for updates.

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Marketing of Harry Potter "7"

Geeeeee, you think there was "hype" about the iPhone? That was nothing compared to the last and newest "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" book!

Security is high, books must be sealed and secured. No talking to the press....no really!

Parties at major & minor book stores abound. Will people "camp out" for the book? Who the hell knows? It's crazy. The local public library claims a 6-12 month wait on reserve.....uh huh. I have a copy reserved, maybe I'll sell it on EBay for $500...haha!

OMG, the web sites devoted to this and the secondary marketing of toys, the movies, they even publish "Harry Potter" in brail! All types of media including, print, web, video, etc. are in play. Thanks to the internet, fan fanaticism, much of the "hype" and coverage is free marketing...........the real reason she allows "unofficial" books, etc.
Here are just two sites:

http://www.mugglenet.com/

http://www.jkrowling.com/en/

Can there be any doubt on why the author is a "Billionaire"? I am surprised though at all the "un-official" products and books out there. Unlike Microsoft who sues anyone who remotely uses their trademarks or ones that are similar, Rowling, appears to just "feed the beast", and allow copycats. Strange but true.