If it hasn't happened yet, consider this question: Do you have a backup plan for Ebay in place in case you'd face an emergency - a sick relative, a lifethreatening accident or a home fire? If not, try to work out a plan for just such an occasion, so that you can communicate quickly and effectively with your customers or sellers and maintain your Ebay activities as well as possible.

IMPORTANT: THESE TIPS ARE ONLY TO BE USED IN CASE OF TRUE EMERGENCIES. BUYING AND SELLING ON EBAY SHOULD BE HANDLED ETHICALLY AND RESPONSIBLY. WITH THAT IN MIND, iF A TRUE EMERGENCY COMES UP, THIS SHOULD HELP YOU SORT THROUGH OPTIONS.

                                      BASIC TIPS

1. Be prepared for the unexpected. This may seem impossbile but think of it as "insurance" for your business or Ebay activities. If you think it through, you can minimize problems in an emergency.
         If at all possible, have a designated and trustworthy backup person (spouse, adult offspring, friend) who understands how to locate your sales info or look at auctions you have won. Have them keep records and, hopefully, maintain shipping and payment as effectively as possible.

2. Be organized and, if you are a seller,  keep a basic list of where each item is located so that anyone can find that item and ship it. If you are a buyer rather than a seller, let someone know how to find items you've won and pay for them. Tell a trusted person how to find items and fulfill your selling duties. Also, tell them how to end your auctions and put your store on vacation so that your activities are put on hold till you are able to function normally again. You can put your store on vacation by going here: Put store on vacation  and you can get answers about how to put vacation messages in your auction listings by going here:  . For more info use this form to contact Ebay: Contact Ebay

3. If worse comes to worse and you have faced an unexpected financial crisis, contact Ebay. Start with Ebay Live and use their recommendations for who to contact.  You can also contact ebay by going here: f you are a seller and items have NO bids, you may end listings early by going here: End listing early  or put a vacation message in your auction listing: Putting vacation or emergency message in auction listing

4. On the other hand, if your item has bids, you may want to contact the highest bidder at that point and discuss options. If you will NOT be able to see, communicate or follow through on buying and selling in a timely manner, try to reach your buyers or sellers and let them know the situation. You can, of course cancel a bid if you do it early enough by going here: Cancel bid . Be sure and check the restrictions on cancelling bids. If you have passed the normal timeline for doing so, try contacting the seller or buyer. To contact the seller go here: Contact seller /
 Similarly you can get contact info on a buyer by going here: Contact Buyer

5. Although circumstances may be beyond your control, if at all possible find a way to maintain communication, even if you have to find someone to do it for you.