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Sell on eBay with a Registered Trading Assistant
While Registered eBay Trading Assistants are always advertising their services both online and in the ‘real world', many people still are not completely sure what it is that a Trading Assistant actually DOES for a client.
Trading Assistants provide a valuable service to third-parties wishing to sell on eBay. A Trading Assistant can save a Seller valuable time involved in properly setting up an eBay listing. However, as you read further, you'll discover that that's not the whole of it: Trading Assistants often bring a level of experience and competence that is valuable in and of itself.
The goal is to find a buyer for the Seller's item, and to garner the highest profits possible for said item. This is accomplished by creating an effective eBay advertisement, which must address the following design elements:
-Clear Photographs: Images that are blurry or from a poor angle as useless, in terms of what information a buyer may glean from perusing the photo gallery.
-Ample Photos: Buyers like to see what they're going to be bidding on, and potentially buying, so more images are usually better thsn fewer.
-Descriptive Copy: Detailed and clear, concise yet information-dense, interesting copy makes for an interesting read.
Further, not a design element, yet equally important...
-Good Reputation (eBay Feedback Profile) This is all-important and demonstrates the type of eBay Seller the Trading Assistant is. A high feedback score, with many positive anecdotal comments suggests a Trading Assistant is fair, sincere, and professional. It also tells a buyer about whether the Trading Assistant ships carefully, yet quickly...or slowly and/or carelessly.
What's involved in what a Trading Assistant does?
-Careful Research: For finer items with higher intrinsic value, thorough research is a must! Without this first crucial step, no eBay listing will ever succeed. Period.
-Provide an Accurate Appraisal: After the background and provenance of the item has been explored and noted, a fair value for the item should be established. Any Trading Assistant neglecting to execute this crucial step jeopardizes the fate of the auction, in terms of the item's ultimate potential on eBay.
-Create an Ad: The following steps are involved in getting this information into a usable form..
-Devise an Ad Strategy: A decision is made as to what sort of eBay listing would be best. Should a Buy-It-Now with Best Offer be employed? What about a classic Auction-style listing? And what about the Reserve? When would be the best day and time to begin the auction? How shall the advertisement be approached? The Trading Assistant is creating a unique advertisement, designed to draw Internet used to your eBay listing.
-Take the Photos: Good photos must be taken with a quality camera and adequate lighting.
-Edit the Photos: Even with excellent photography, photos must be cropped, resized, rotated, and magnified.
-Write the Copy: Drawing on the notes taken during the research phase of investigating the item, the advertisement's copy is created. Care should be taken with regard to the market demographics of potential buyers, if an ad is to be of success. Having an team of advertising professionals taking care of your eBay listing is a real advantage!
-Set Up the Ad: The various elements of the ad, including photos and finished copy, must be uploaded to eBay. The various other settings and parameters for each auction must be set up, including weight, shipping options, and payment methods.
-Answer Questions From eBay Members, Bidders, and Buyers: Once the item is listed, the Trading Assistant should promptly answer questions left by interested eBay members.
-Arrange For Payment and Shipping: Correspond with buyer as to what payment method shall be used, if not PayPal. Also discussion of shipment method may be in order, if there is more than one option.
-Ship Item: Using USPS, UPS, or Freight Service, the Trading Assistant must quickly get the item out to the buyer. As Trading Assistants care to keep their feedback ratings high, one should expect to find that shipping is a priority with most Trading Assistants. As soon as payment clears from the eBay buyer, the Trading Assistant must return to the Seller with a bank check or money order and pick up the item, if the item was left with the Seller.
-Follow Up with Buyer E-Mail/Feedback: A quality Trading Assistant will always e-mail and/or phone a buyer, to find out if everything went perfectly. And finally, feedback must be left for the buyer. (Changes to eBay's feedback system seem to suggest that this is no longer going to be possible, and that buyers ONLY may leave feedback for sellers)
Whether you are an eBay user or not, if you wish to sell your items with us, please send me an eBay message or e-mail! Serving NYC - Metro NJ - Upstate NJ & NY Regions for on-site service.
'Distance Consignment' by insured mail also an option. Please e-mail for details.
Please visit my Trading Assistant HomePage - IslandAuctionAssist.Info
Entire text © Copyright H Miller 2oo8, All Rights Reserved.
Guide created: 02/10/08 (updated 05/08/08)
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