EBay allows you to write guides for your products and to share your knowledge with other eBayers, providing an opportunity to explain and describe your products to potential customer who might not be familiar with them. Each guide you write provides you with free advertising. it is also a way for buyer to find your store in this huge website, as there are over half a million stores on eBay.

Reviews are also helpful. When an eBay customer reads your review, similar items are listed next ot it. If there are not many similar items available to list, your items might be listed there. This provides another opportunity for you to promote sales.

Writing a guide or review is simple. It need only be text, though a picture or links inside eBay will improve your promotions. Please make sure to read the guidelines so you do not violate eBay policy. For Example:

1. You are not allowed to list your email address or store location inside the guide.

2. While guides are not limited in size, reviews are. I would suggest that read some other guides and reviews first to get an idea of how to present your items.

Right now, eBay is having a contest to encourage people to write guides and reviews. There are hundreds of winners in this contest so far. I have received cash certificates prizes in the last four time periods. At the same time, I now have reviews and guides to direct people to my items for sale on eBay. EBay had other contests in the past to encourage people to write guides and reviews. A surprisingly small number of people enter these contests when you consider that millions could enter. So, both in terms of cash reward and opportunity to promote your sales, I encourage you to write review and guides on eBay.

The advantage to having a store is that you can list items for a low fee for thirty days, giving potential customers time to find your items. When you get enough helpful review votes. you will get a reviewer icon next to your name id. it can help people find your store like the little red door. There is, however, a disadvantage to having inventory items as well, for eBay will not list your merchandise in search results if there are more than 30 auction items available for sale on eBay. If you decide to open an eBay store, you need to give potential customers trails to find your items. In addition to guides and reviews, you can list auction items as a lure to enter your store. Also, when you write a guide you will have a link to your store and a list with a couple of items (auction or inventory) if they fit the key words for your guide.

Having a store allows you to insert frames into your auction ad. This frame lists your categories in your store. If a potential buyer looks ar your ad in the frame, the customers will likely find other items back at your store. Earlier this year, I had several hundred books listed. I noticed an increase in sales when I listed them by authors in sub-categories. Using the frames, potential customers could look by author to find their books quickly and easily. This would work for other categories of items. I would suggest that you click on one of my ads to see an example of framing.

Offering shipping discounts encourages people to buy several items at once. It really does not cost you extra to ship several items instead of one. I offer shipping discounts on books. Sometimes people will buy two or more books at the same time. I try to charge only enough to cover shipping and handling costs on my books. Also slightly more expensive items sell because they are more reasonable when the shipping costs is  lower per item. Flat rate boxes might save you and your customer money. There is a flat rate box that is only $8.95 with up 75 pounds. You do not have worry about weight and still are able to ship by priority mail.