Happy December! I can’t believe that tomorrow is December 1st. Yikes! December is typically my very best month on eBay and I am hoping that this is true for you as well.
- Special Announcement: BEWARE OF THE eBay 1 cent Listing Sale-Fake Email!
- Feature Article: How an eBay Store can Smooth out the Rough Spots
- The Queen’s Update: You have asked for IT…and IT is coming!
- Lynn Recommends: Getting an eBay Store BannerDesigned by…!
This ezine is now published once a week.
November 30, 2006 Volume II, Issue 18
Friends,
I hope you and your family had a fantastic Thanksgiving! Houston, Indy, and I had a blast. We actually did the 5K Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. The kids ran almost the entire time and I walked and jogged. We finished the race (about 3 miles) in 44 minutes. We saw a lot of our friends and it was a great start to our day!
After the race, we went to a local deli for breakfast. As a special treat, I let the kids order Belgian Waffles with both whipped cream and ice cream as a topping! Believe me, this is one Thanksgiving that they won’t forget. They loved the 5k so much that they are begging me to do it again next year! If only it didn’t start at 7 am. Hey, what about a 10 am or noon race? Wishful thinking!
I have to share….I am very proud of myself for listing 83 items while watching movies with my kids this Holiday weekend. I took my laptop and parked myself on the couch in our family room for a movie marathon this past Sunday. We watched Serendipity, Mrs. Doubtfire, Message in a Bottle, and The Wedding Planner. I had never done this before and I still can’t believe it… but I listed 83 items while watching movies and hanging with my kids. It was so cool!
Here is a photo of the stack of I Sell Sheets that enabled me to do this. For more info on my I Sell system that is the basis of the Dralle Method Click here.
I got an email this past Tuesday that eBay was having a one-week 1 cent listing sale. I was thrilled until I realized that it was a phishing (fake) email. Please protect yourself–more on this below.
While I was writing my eBay Store Special Report that is going to be released on Friday, December 1st (I am so excited to get this information to all of you who have pre-ordered! Click here to preorder yours), I realized that there was so much valuable info that I should share a glimpse of it here today as my feature article! So, please read “How your eBay Store can smooth out the rough spots.”
Finally, don’t forget to check out my big exciting news about my IT product.
Happy eBaying!
Lynn Dralle,” The Queen of Auctions,” Creator of the best-selling six-week “How to Sell on eBay” eCourse.
I received an announcement this past Tuesday, November 28th, that eBay was having a 1 cent listing sale for an entire week! This news came in an email. The email looked legitimate with a picture of Bill Cobb. When I clicked on the link I was asked “To protect your account, please re-enter your password.” Now, this was a HUGE Red flag. eBay would never ask us to do that.
I forwarded the email to my brother and he said, “I hope you didn’t input your password as it goes to a website in Cuba.” Yikes! Please (and I can’t say this enough) NEVER click on a link from an email and then input sensitive information. ALWAYS go directly to the web page and find what you need from the official site. It is also a good idea to check the address in the window at the top of your web browser to make sure you are really on the website you think you are.
Once again, I get about six fake (phishing) emails a day. Be very careful and NEVER follow the links from an email.
“How an eBay Store can Smooth out the Rough Spots”
by Lynn A. Dralle, “The Queen of Auctions”
I have to tell you, that if it weren’t for my eBay store–I would not be selling $10,000 this November on eBay. It really does smooth out the rough spots. My auction business was quite off this month and I have heard this from several other sellers. Usually, I can sell anything during the holiday season.
Here is what I think is happening. I think that eBay really encouraged sellers to shut down eBay stores and move their business back to the auction format right after eBay Live. What I think we are seeing is that the consumer does not want to wait to see if they win an auction. They want a BUY it NOW either at auction or in an eBay store to guarantee that their gift will arrive in time for Christmas. Just my two cents.
This is why having an eBay store makes more sense than ever. Here is a fun example. On November 26th, I hadn’t sold much of anything at auction. I had 87 auctions end with only six selling for $121.58. Now, that used to make me discouraged–but not anymore! And it is all because of my eBay store….
You see, instead of getting discouraged, I went and checked my emails and in my inbox were seven of those wonderful emails with the subject line that reads, “eBay Store Inventory Sold: Savoir Vivre Florentina JJ034 Floral 4 Salad 8″ Plates (7302631533),” etc. etc. A buyer from Virginia had cleaned me out of seven eBay store dinnerware items.
They bought:
- 2 bread plates at $9.99
- 2 more bread plates at $9.99
- 2 dinner plates for $19.99
- 2 more dinner plates for $19.99
- 1 creamer for $9.99
- 4 salad plates for $9.99 and
- 1 Round Chop Plate for $19.99
Grand total was $99.93 plus shipping/handling/insurance. They paid immediately with Paypal. Right on!
Here is the partial set of China that sold from
my eBay store for $99.93 waiting to be shipped.
I ended up selling two more things out of my eBay store that Sunday for a grand eBay store total of $124.87. My eBay store beat my auction sales that day! As you can see, an eBay store does help to smooth over the hit-and-miss weeks at auction. And we know all about those!
What we can learn from this store example is very important. Those dishes were originally listed at auction in January of 2005. Oh my gosh–If I am correct, that was almost two years ago! The auctions did not sell at a $9.99 starting price, so I relisted them at either $2.99, $3.99 or $4.99. Still, they did not sell, so we moved them into my eBay store at $9.99 to $19.99. We have sold many pieces over those two years–it was a huge set.
I used to have a rule that I would leave items in my eBay store for two years, but with the new store rate increases, my rule has changed to one year (as long as it has gone through a holiday season). Since the new rates went into effect this past August, I made the decision to leave everything as is until after December. I am going to clean the house in January. Lucky for me, these dishes sold this November, because they would have been taken out!
Speaking of eBay stores, watch for my new special report–“15 things you must know and DO to run a successful eBay Store” to be released on December 1st. The price goes up at midnight tonight, November 30th so click here.
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Something big is about to launch!
So many of you have been asking me about this that I have finally decided to do IT!
My brother and I have been working like crazy on this amazing project that is about to launch right before Christmas. Don’t worry–you will be one of the first to know about it. A little hint–It has something to do with an eBay Boot Camp that is more accessible to everyone. Oops! Enough said. Please keep checking my emails!
eBay Power Seller and third-generation antique dealer, Lynn Dralle, is the creator of the online e-course “How to be up and selling successfully on eBay in less than 6 weeks”.
If you liked today’s issue, you’ll love this step-by-step course that is guaranteed to be the most complete and enjoyable guide to selling on eBay that MAKES YOU MONEY.
Read what students are saying about it here.
The Queen of Auctions also offers free articles, free teleseminars, how-to-books, tracking guides, DVDs, eBay Boot Camps, and other resources to help entrepreneurs make their eBay business a six-figure sales machine. Click here to learn more.
The Queen of Auctions/All Aboard Inc.
PO Box 14103
Palm Desert, CA 92255
760-340-6622
Lynn@TheQueenofAuctions.com
There is nothing that brands your eBay store better in your customers’ minds than an eye-catching banner. My brother, Lee, is a wonderful photographer and graphic artist. He has worked for me for years and during our last eBay Boot Camp, he FINALLY agreed to design other people’s banners. Thank Goodness! Click here to learn more.
For a nominal fee (much less than I would charge) he will work with you personally to get your banner just right! Click here to order now. What are you waiting for? For the price of a bottle of perfume, you could be making AND keeping customers for life. Now, that is a smart investment.
My friend, Jim Kamnikar, owner of GoAntiques.com and PriceMiner–my favorite research site–has just released a really neat DVD called “An Insiders Guide to Antiques and Collectibles.”
I watched it the other night and it is really interesting and informative. I encourage you to check it out. For more information click here.
The DVD features dealer experts on a variety of Art, Antiques, and Collectibles topics. Host Jim Kamnikar takes you straight to the source to learn what to look for in each specialty discussed. Learn how to use cutting-edge technology to assist in the process, keeping you one step ahead when buying – whether adding to your collection or sourcing to sell.
Featured Dealers and Topics:
- David Crockett, Artifacts – Tips when buying Paintings
- Ray Kisber, Ray Kisber Designs – Modernism and Art Deco
- Alan Grodsky, Adele and Alan Grodsky – Tiffany, Pairpoint and Handel Lamps
- Michael McClintock, Artful Eye – American paintings featuring New Hope artists
- Jack McAuliffe, Fancy That Antiques – American Art Pottery and Art Glass
- Aurora Dugan, Toulouse Antique Gallery – Fine Antiques including Linke furniture, Dresden and Royal Vienna
- Michael James, The Silver Fund – Georg Jensen Silver
Happy Buying & Selling!
Lynn
Visit my eBay Store.
Visit my eBay auctions.
For more great eBay tips and stories, visit my website at:
Lynn is an experienced eBay Power Seller, author, and teacher. If you want to know the eBay tips, tricks, and tools that Lynn uses for buying and selling at an online auction click here.