Posted on 25 April 2006 by Gary H
The mystery auction has been around for a while now but here’s an an interesting twist I feel is a good example of an innovative seller.
Others may have been using some of these techniques but this is the first time I’ve come across an auction similar to this.
Popularity: 4% [?]
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Posted on 20 April 2006 by Gary H
I’m leaving later today for Minneapolis so things may be quiet here for the next few days.
Thursday morning dealers start setting up for the first Minnesota Antiques Spectacular flea market of the year and, along with numerous other people, I’ll be at the gates at 8:00 in the morning ready to pay $20 for early shopping rights.
This flea market, one of the largest in the Midwest, takes place three times a year at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds and attracts well over a thousand dealers. In the past it’s always been an excellent source of merchandise for eBay, so I’m hoping to spend lots of money and have the Explore filled when I get back home.
I’ll also be spending some time with my oldest son and my daughter and their families - hopefully some of that time on the golf course - and won’t be back home until Sunday evening, so there may not be much activity here until then.
Popularity: 5% [?]
Posted on 20 April 2006 by Gary H
A couple times in the past I’ve briefly mentioned using a blog to establish yourself as the recognized authority in an eBay niche.
While DogCo.com doesn’t use a blog format, it’s one of the best examples I’ve seen of branding yourself and your eBay business I’ve seen.
Erin sells a lot of antique/collectible related items on eBay and through her web site and the wide range of information about dog-related collectibles she provides goes a long ways toward establishing her as an expert in this niche.
Pretty much everything Erin does with DogCo.com you could do with a blog and you can learn a lot about how to establish yourself as the recognized authority in an eBay niche by spending an hour or so checking out her site.
Popularity: 4% [?]
Posted on 19 April 2006 by Gary H
A little over a week ago a rare early Remington Paragon typewriter ribbon tin sold on eBay without a lot of fanfare. The tin, shown below, attracted only five bidders and brought $113.50.
These rectangular shaped ribbon tins were among the very first examples of tin packaging being used for typewriter ribbons and they very rarely appear on the market today.
The earliest examples of lithographed tin packaging are called two-color tins by collectors because they consisted of one background color - usually red, greed, blue, orange, or yellow - with black lettering and designs. The addition of the red seal on this particular tin indicates it was produced during the period when manufacturers were just beginning to experiment with using additional colors.
Popularity: 7% [?]
Posted on 19 April 2006 by Gary H
Have you ever heard the term “Northern Soul“?
If you have, you’re a step or two ahead of me, because I’d never heard the term until less than twenty-four hours ago when an I ran into an acquaintance who sells part-time on eBay. She asked me the same question - “have you ever heard the term Northern Soul?” When I replied no I hadn’t, she just got a smile on her face and said I should check it out when I got the chance.
It turns out that Northern Soul is a genre of the 60’s & 70’s music business that currently has a huge world-wide following, but particularly in the United Kingdom where it all began.
Popularity: 16% [?]
Posted on 17 April 2006 by Gary H
When you read several auction related forums daily, you start to see a pattern emerge.
The same people who are trying to find the latest eBay “hot product” today have been asking the same question on a weekly basis for the last four months.
Other’s are continually complaining about being ripped off because they purchased an “everything there is to know about on-line auctions” product they saw advertised on TV at 4 AM in the morning.
Simply put, everyone seems to be looking for the pie in the sky easy way to auction success. Take my word for it – there is no such thing!
Popularity: 6% [?]
Posted on 17 April 2006 by Gary H
Twenty-seven auctions ended last night on eBay with sixteen selling for a total of $975.29 and a sell-through rate of 59%.
All twenty-seven items that ended last night were purchased in Milwaukee while I was there for the NCAA Frozen Four hockey tournament. There were hockey games on Thursday and Saturday, so I visited a few antiques malls on Friday and these items were what I’d purchased. My total investment in the twenty-seven items was $155.50.
The obvious high-point of the night was the book “Sigma Alpha Epsilon In The World War” that ended up bringing a high bid of $705.00. I paid $27 for this book. Inside I found the “Knights Of Columbus Theater Program” so my $27 investment actually brought a $714.99 return.
Popularity: 12% [?]
Posted on 15 April 2006 by Gary H
I find it interesting how many people continue to promote the eBay course “The Insider Secrets Of An eBay Millionaire” since the announcement that the course’s author filed for bankruptcy about a month ago.
To a certain degree, I understand why the Internet Marketing Center is still promoting it. It’s their product and I’m sure they have a good sized chunk of cash invested in it’s production and promotion.
What I don’t understand is why so many people with eBay related sites and other big-name Internet marketers continue to have affiliate links, reviews, banners, etc. on their sites when recent circumstances call into question the validity of the information the course contains.
Popularity: 5% [?]
Posted on 13 April 2006 by Gary H
Over the years I’ve subscribed to a lot of eBay related newsletters. So, like tens, or hundreds, of thousands of others, two days ago my email box was flooded with emails telling me about the release of a new eBay product.
Then yesterday, it was filled with nearly as many “Sorry if you couldn’t get the new product. The response was so overwhelming the servers crashed….” emails.
Of course the servers crashed - The ‘Herd’ was stampeding once again.
Over the last few years, through hundreds of forum threads, email exchanges, phone calls, and face to face conversations with people trying to establish profitable businesses on eBay, I’ve come on the conclusion that a large majority of those people suffer from the ‘herd mentality’.
What’s the ‘herd mentality?”
Popularity: 5% [?]
Posted on 12 April 2006 by Gary H
Today Elaine Krieg Smith provides some food-for-thought with her eBay Stores Bring Top Book Prices.
I opened an eBay store a little over a month ago and, while it’s only been open a short time, I’ve noticed the same thing Elaine talks about.
Many of the magazines I buy are somewhat obscure and don’t have a large group of people looking for them. If I list them on eBay in the auction format they often either sell for the opening bid (usually $9.99) or get no bids at all.
Popularity: 5% [?]
