Starting a Business on Ebay.Co.UK for Dummies

by Collier, Marsha; Matthews, Dan

• ISBN13: 9780470026663
• ISBN10: 0470026669
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-01-30
• Publisher: For Dummies

Table of Contents

Introduction	1	(6)
About This Book	1	(1)
What You're Not to Read	2	(1)
Foolish Assumptions	2	(1)
How This Book Is Organised	3	(2)
Part I: Getting Serious About eBay.co.uk	3	(1)
Part II: Setting Up Shop	3	(1)
Part III: Serious Business!	4	(1)
Part IV: Your eBay.co.uk Admin	4	(1)
Part V: The Part of Tens	4	(1)
Icons Used in This Book	5	(1)
Where to Go from Here	5	(2)
Part I: Getting Serious About enay.co.uk	7	(112)
Chapter 1: Using eBay.co.uk to Launch Your Business	9	(20)
Getting Down to Business	9	(4)
Choosing eBay.co.uk as a part-time money maker	10	(2)
Jumping in with both feet: Making eBay.co.uk a full-time job	12	(1)
Deciding What to Sell	13	(6)
Turning your hobby into a business	14	(2)
Including the whole family in the business	16	(2)
Bringing your business to eBay.co.uk	18	(1)
Getting Ready to Sell	19	(5)
Computer hardware	19	(1)
Connecting to the Internet	20	(2)
Choosing your eBay.co.uk user ID	22	(2)
Finding your eBay.co.uk feedback	24	(1)
Making Your Auctions Run More Smoothly	24	(5)
Software you can use	25	(1)
Collecting the cash	26	(1)
Home base: Your Web site	27	(1)
Setting up your shop	28	(1)
Chapter 2: eBay.co.uk Business Basics	29	(22)
Choosing Where to Position Your Stuff	29	(6)
Selling a car? Go eBay Motors UK	31	(3)
Properties: Not quite an auction	34	(1)
Fixed-Price Sales on eBay.co.uk	35	(1)
Types of eBay Auctions	36	(5)
Traditional auctions	36	(1)
Dutch auctions	37	(1)
Reserve price auctions	38	(2)
Private auctions	40	(1)
Running Your Auction	41	(5)
Influencing the bidding	41	(1)
Auction timing	42	(2)
Marketing your auctions	44	(1)
A second chance	45	(1)
Listing Violations	46	(5)
Listing policies	46	(3)
Linking from your auctions	49	(1)
Linking from your About Me page	50	(1)
Chapter 3: Essential eBay.co.uk Tools	51	(28)
My eBay	51	(14)
All Buying	54	(4)
All Selling	58	(3)
All Favourites	61	(2)
My Account	63	(2)
The About Me Page	65	(2)
eBay.co.uk Seller Services	67	(12)
Bidder-management tools	67	(3)
Feedback: Your permanent record	70	(3)
The eBay.co.uk PowerSeller programme	73	(2)
eBay.co.uk auction software	75	(1)
eBay.co.uk fraud protection	75	(1)
eBay.co.uk education	76	(1)
eBay.co.uk Business Centre	76	(1)
eBay.co.uk business registration service	77	(2)
Chapter 4: Practising Safe Selling	79	(24)
Is What You Want to Sell Legal?	80	(6)
Prohibited items	81	(1)
Questionable items	82	(3)
Potentially infringing items	85	(1)
Trading Violations	86	(9)
When the competition doesn't play fair	87	(3)
Baaad bidders	90	(3)
Accessing contact details	93	(2)
Taking Action: What to Do When Someone Breaks the Rules	95	(8)
SquareTrade to the rescue	97	(4)
eBay.co.uk's Safety Centre	101	(2)
Chapter 5: Opening a Shop, Virtually	103	(16)
Online Shops Galore	104	(1)
Choosing Your eBay.co.uk Shop Name	105	(1)
Setting Up Shop	106	(4)
Improving Your Offering	110	(7)
Shop design and marketing	111	(4)
Managing your items	115	(1)
Promotions	116	(1)
Marketing Your Wares	117	(1)
eBay.co.uk Shops versus Auctions	118	(1)
Part II: Setting lip Shop	119	(44)
Chapter 6: Stocking Your Shop	121	(16)
Sourcing on a Budget	122	(5)
Poundstretcher	122	(1)
The Trader	122	(1)
Cash & Carry	123	(1)
Car boot sales	123	(1)
Costco	123	(1)
Garage Sales	124	(1)
Going-Out-of-Business Sales	125	(1)
Auctions	125	(2)
Freebies	127	(1)
Salvage: Liquidation Items, Unclaimed Freight, and Returns	128	(5)
Items by the pallet	130	(2)
Job lots	132	(1)
Wholesale Merchandise by the Case	133	(1)
Resale Items on eBay.co.uk	133	(1)
Consignment Selling	134	(3)
Chapter 7: Knowing Your Merchandise	137	(10)
Benchmarking eBay.co.uk Rivals	138	(5)
Advanced searching commands	139	(2)
Using eBay.co.uk Advanced Search	141	(2)
Useful Publications	143	(1)
Online Sources of Information	144	(1)
Web sites	144	(1)
Online appraisals	145	(1)
Authentication Services	145	(2)
Chapter 8: Establishing a Base: Your Web Site	147	(16)
Free Web Space — a Good Place to Start	148	(2)
Paying for Your Web Space	150	(5)
UKFast.net	153	(1)
Donhost.co.uk	153	(2)
What's in a Web Site Name: Naming Your Baby	155	(1)
Registering Your Domain Name (Before Someone Else Takes It)	156	(2)
Marketing Your Web Site (More Visitors = More Business)	158	(7)
Banner ad exchanges	158	(2)
Getting your URL into a search engine	160	(3)
Part III: Serious Business!	163	(78)
Chapter 9: Software Built for Online Auctions	165	(16)
Considering Tasks for Automation	166	(9)
Setting up images for automatic FTP upload	166	(2)
Setting up an auction photo gallery	168	(1)
Sorting auction e-mail	169	(1)
Automating end-of-auction e-mail	170	(1)
Keeping inventory	170	(1)
Generating HTML	170	(1)
One-click re-listing and selling similar items	171	(1)
Scheduling your listings for bulk upload	172	(1)
Researching your statistics	172	(2)
Photohosting	174	(1)
Automating other tasks	174	(1)
Managing Your Business with Online Resources and Software	175	(6)
Online auction management sites	177	(3)
Auction management software - Tarbo Lister	180	(1)
Chapter 10: Money and Sense: Budgeting and Marketing Your Auctions	181	(14)
Listing Your Items	182	(1)
eBay.co.uk's Optional Listing Features	183	(9)
Home-page featured auctions	184	(2)
Featured Plus	186	(1)
Subtitle	186	(1)
Highlight option	187	(1)
Listing Designer	187	(1)
Boldface option	188	(1)
View counter	188	(1)
The gallery	189	(2)
Buy It Now	191	(1)
eBay.co.uk's Cut of the Action	192	(3)
Insertion (listing) fees	192	(2)
eBay.co.uk Final Value Fees	194	(1)
Chapter 11: Jazzing Up Your Auctions	195	(16)
Writing Winning Text	195	(1)
Setting Up Your eBay.co.uk Photo Studio	196	(8)
Digital camera	197	(1)
Other studio equipment	198	(2)
Props	200	(4)
Taking Good Pictures	204	(1)
Using a Scanner	205	(1)
Image-Editing Software	206	(1)
A Home for Your Images	206	(4)
Free ISP space	207	(1)
Auction management sites	207	(1)
eBay.co.uk Picture Services	207	(3)
HTML Made Easy	210	(1)
Chapter 12: Providing Excellent Customer Service	211	(8)
Providing a Homely Touch	211	(2)
Communicating with Your Customers	213	(6)
The initial inquiry	214	(1)
The winner's notification letter	215	(1)
The payment reminder	216	(1)
The payment received and shipping notice	217	(1)
The 'Your item is on its way' e-mail	218	(1)
Chapter 13: Money Matters	219	(14)
Big Deals Only: Banker's Draft	219	(1)
Sign on the Line: Cheque and Postal Order	220	(1)
Hold This for Me: Escrow Service	221	(2)
I Take Plastic: Credit Cards	223	(2)
Credit card payment services	223	(2)
An Easy Way to Pay: PayPal	225	(8)
Your very own merchant account	230	(2)
The VeriSign Payment Services	232	(1)
Chapter 14: Delivering on Your Promise	233	(8)
Finding the Perfect Shipping Carrier	233	(10)
Royal Mail	235	(2)
DHL Parcel2go	237	(4)
Part IV: Your eBay.co.uk Admin	241	(34)
Chapter 15: Going Legit	243	(6)
Types of Businesses	244	(3)
Sole trader	244	(1)
Partnership	245	(1)
Limited company	245	(1)
Corporation	246	(1)
Taking Care of Regulatory Details	247	(2)
Health & Safety	247	(1)
Privacy laws	247	(1)
Product descriptions	248	(1)
Online contracts	248	(1)
Chapter 16: Practising Safe and Smart Record-Keeping	249	(18)
Keeping the Books: Basics That Get You Started	249	(2)
Records Her Majesty May Want to See	251	(3)
Supporting information	252	(2)
How long should you keep your records?	254	(1)
Bookkeeping Software	254	(1)
QuickBooks: Making Bookkeeping Simple	255	(12)
QuickBooks Pro	256	(1)
QuickBooks EasyStep Interview	257	(2)
QuickBooks chart of accounts	259	(8)
Chapter 17: Building an eBay.co.uk Back Office	267	(8)
The Warehouse: Organising Your Space	267	(2)
Shelving your profits	268	(1)
Box 'em or bag 'em?	268	(1)
Inventory: Keeping Track of What You Have and Where You Keep it	269	(1)
The Shipping Department: Packin' It Up	270	(3)
Packaging clean up	270	(1)
Packing materials	271	(2)
Packaging - the heart of the matter	273	(1)
The Post Room: Sendin' It Out	273	(2)
Part V: The Part of Tens	275	(24)
Chapter 18: Ten Successful (and Happy) eBay Sellers and Their Stories	277	(14)
Rockem Music	277	(2)
Abovethemall	279	(1)
Incentive	280	(1)
Bubblefast	281	(2)
iPosters	283	(1)
McMedia DVD	284	(1)
Melrose_Stamp	285	(1)
Noblespirit	286	(2)
PreservationPublishing	288	(1)
Vinyl Tap	289	(2)
Chapter 19: Ten Strategies to Sell Your Stuff Successfully	291	(12)
Take Great Pictures	291	(2)
Assessing Your Market — Will It Sell?	293	(1)
Assessing Yourself (Can You Do It?)	293	(1)
Setting Perfect Pricing	294	(1)
Describing Your Items	294	(1)
Anything to Add?	295	(1)
Making 'em Pay Up	296	(1)
Packaging Precious Products	296	(1)
Keep Communicating	297	(1)
Sell Everything for £1	297	(2)
Appendix A: Glossary	299	(4)
Appendix B: The Hows and Whys of a Home Network	303	(10)
Variations of a Home Network	304	(7)
Powerline network	305	(1)
Home phoneline	306	(3)
Hooking up with wireless	309	(2)
Internet Security and Your Home Network	311	(2)
Firewall software	312	(1)
Antivirus software	312	(1)
Index	313