CBS reported on June 11, 2003 that as many as 150,000 people have literally given up their jobs to create their own businesses selling on eBay.  When I started buying and selling on eBay in 1999 I sold items along side with many "moms and pops" trying to make extra money.  Today there are so many business and retailers offering their goods that we sellers need to make sure of one thing: we need to do our homework to make sure the buyer sees more value in our items than the next guy’s.

Let me give you an example:

Recently, I purchased a Polaroid Land Camera.  It was the Swinger model (no, not that kind of swinger).  The auction simply said, "Working Polaroid Swinger Camera.  As Is, no returns."  Vague on the description and crystal clear on his return policy.

I sent a message asking the seller what kind of film the camera used.  His response was, at the time, surprising, "I don’t know.  Do a search on the Internet."  What?!?!  "Do a search"…who’s selling here?  Like many items that require =Extra= stuff like cameras, purchasing the initial item can be risky especially when there is a "No Return Policy."

I often sell on the eBay and enjoy making sure the buyer knows just what he or she is getting.

REMEMBER SELLERS: You may be selling one "VINTAGE STANDARD GATLING 72 CAMERA 1961, Rico.”  The buyer may have run across your auction when doing a totally different search.  Yours may be the ONLY ONE that he or she is “watching.”  Give the potential buyer a return message like:

Dear sulaearts,

i realy dont know, maybe you can look on line ?

- m---r

And that potential buyer will do a search for that item and find that there are 109,000 hits and walk away from your auction like a bad apple.  Who knows; eBay is pretty good about getting those top 10 hits on Google and Yahoo and your potential buyer will probably find another seller who knows what kind of film the camera takes and buy from them.

Okay, back to the Swinger.  So I did my research.  The result was not clear at all, but many sites reported that the Swinger Model Polaroid required Polaroid Land Roll Film Type 47.  I know, I know (now) that this is NOT the correct film.  I did my research.  I found my information.  But, it was wrong.  The guy at the camera store let me know the correct type right off when he was able to hold the camera and give it a once-over.  Like many, I wanted to “play” with my toy as soon as I got it.  A camera with no film is like a car with no gas.  Additionally, there was only ONE seller at the time selling the Type 47 film and it was due to close BEFORE the end of the Polaroid Swinger auction.  Yep, you guessed what I did.  My own fault?  Sure…but…

Anyway.  Since then I always email the buyer for the film type and never bid or buy an item without the seller at least trying to do the research first and offering his or her knowledge.  As a matter of fact, many cameras simply have to be opened and a quick glance within will reveal the film type.  You can’t get that specific on any Internet search.

BUYERS:

If you do the research and find the information you are looking for, you have two choices.  1. You can email the seller and let him or her know that you found the tid-bit of information which will, in turn, delight the seller who, at this point, will post your message on his or her auction.  What do you think this do to the bidding?  You said it; I didn’t. 

2. The other option is to keep it to your self and let the seller shew off other buyers with the same “do you own research.”  What will this do for the bidding?  Yep, you guessed it.

SELLERS:

If a buyer asks a question, you can bet the farm and all the cows that others have the same question.  If you do the research and email the seller you can also post the message on your auction page.  Imagine what this will do for the bidding. SWEET!

LAST THOUGHT: This guide is not meant to bash the seller (I am a seller) or the buyer (yep, I do that too).  It is an observation of a member who has been buying and selling on eBay for nearly 9 years.  It is meant to enhance the buyer’s understanding of the item they are bidding on and, in effect, to “digitally” hold the item they are interested by having as much information as possible AND (AND), to help the seller get as much money as possible for his or her item.  WIN – WIN!

Have fun,

SULAE--