Everybody complains about eBay's fees - well here's how to do something about them ebay-legally.

1.  The fee chart gives the break points on the prices - refer to it when listing.  What does that mean?  Don't start something for $10.00 - you get 1 cent more on a final bid but you pay more $ in listing fees.  What should you do?  Start it at $9.99 and pay the $.35 listing fee. 

2. Yeah! the gallery picture fee is once again FREE. So, USE IT! - it used to be free. 

3. Don't pay to add extra pictures.  Ebay gives you 1 free.  Then charges you $.15 for each additional one.  Well, your ISP, . probably give you free "storage" space for your pictures.  I know for a fact both my ISPs do One of them gives me so much space I've never had to use my other space.  So why are you paying eBay and others to store your pictures?  Save that $8 or $9 and buy something on ebay.  (don't forget to use Picture show if you insist on paying ebay for more than 1 picture.) 6-7-08.  They took away Picture Show in TL - probably on the SYI form too. So I use either Auctiva or Photobucket to host MORE pictures and add them ot my listings for Free.  We'll have to see how that works after the links policy changes in July. BUT you can host on your ISP even after July 1, 2008

Hunt around on your ISP's webspace for your FTP place, upload this week's pictures and then get busy listing.  When listing you add the extra pictures into the description.  Use this format:

<> Put those around this next sentence IMG SRC="http://www.yourispname.net/yourfilename/yourpicturename.jpg

Change yourispname to www. YOUR ISP's Name.XXX

mine would be http://  member  slash aol dot come

next your file name efc999/

then your picture name mypicture.jpg

4. Don't add bold to your auction - or make it a featured auction unless you know for dead certain it will sell for thousands  of dollars. Both of these are a waste of money for most of the common stuff we all sell.

5. Don't use subtitle - unless it happens to be a listing sale offering that feature for free or it's a store item - subtitle only costs $.02 a month.

6. Don't use more than 1 category - 9 times out of 10 it's a waste of money - and don't ask me how I learned that.  Somethings are too painful to retell

7. Don't buy a featured store.  The only reason for them used to be to get the free eBay Keyword credit of $90 a quarter.  Now that they did away with that, why bother.

8. DO use Reserve prices.  Everyone says buyers don't like them.  That's true.  If you insist on making it a stinkin' secret of what your reserve price is.  If you want to start something at $9.99 with say a $200 reserve, at least put the reserve price in your description so people don't have to waste their time guessing what they are going to have to bid to get past the reserve.  THEN when you do use the reserve price, and the item sells, you get the Reserve Price Fee refunded.  6-7-08 THIS PART IS NOT LONGER TRUE. They changed the Reserve Fee when they raised the fees in Feb. It's now $4 and doesn't get refunded.  SO NOW I SAY - start your auction at the minimum price you can accept for it. For instance, if I pay $20 for something, then consider the listing fees and the Paypal % when it's paid thru them, I would list it for $29.99.  That's the minimum I'll Accept $20 cost + fees.

9. Take advantage of FREE marketing - net groups,  classified ad places, shopping mals etc.  to contribute information. 

10. Use a tagline/signature line that has the referral code for your ebay store so you will get the Referral credit if someone comes in and buys something by using your link.

11. Don't pay to schedule auctions.  Either stay up, stay on and upload them during the proper timeframe (for whatever your category is) or use a FREE service.  There's at least one free service (AUCTIVA) and another (?) where you pay them to host your pictures and consequently they give you free scheduling.

6-7-08

UPDate  - at this time, the best "buy" on ebay is a store. It's $16.95 a month for the "store front" and you get to put as many lisitngs as you want in there for $.02 each. Gallery pictures in stores are another $.01.  So if I have 1000 items listed (i actually have more than that, come see! ) it would cost me. $.0017  each for the store and $.003 for a listing and gallery picture for a grand total of $.0047 (less than 5 cents each) 1000 x $.0047 cents will cost you exactly $47.00 a month if you never sell a thing.

Now here's the thing, from experience, I have found that for every 100 items you add, your sales increase.  (All other things being equal as in your DSRS, your status in search and your ability to fine-tune titles for Best Match Exposure).

Is there a better bargain on eBay? I haven't found it.

Ok, stay tuned for more brilliant ideas  - I didn't say they would be my brilliant ideas but I'm sure someone will have some soon!