Entries Tagged 'eBay Questions and Answers' ↓

Here is an easy way to search across all of eBay's Forums. There are dozens of discussion groups, and eBay gives you no central way to search them all at once. While I was researching my newest book, "Selling on 'the River' - The eBay Seller's Guide to Amazon.com", and I found an easy way to locate eBay sellers, who also sell on Amazon.

Use Google's site-specific search command to search eBay's groups.

• Start at www.Google.com
• type "site:forums.ebay.com" in the search box (no spaces) followed by a space and your search term

Let me know if you find it helpful.

Here's a clickable screenshot:

Popularity: 67% [?]

L@@K!!! I'm the best waster of space on eBay!!! WOW!!!!

Look familiar? You've seen them. Sellers who just cannot think of anything interesting to say about their item. So they try to grab your attention with useless words and lots of exclamation points.

Rather than waste any of the valuable 55 characters you're given, do some research on [tag]eBay[/tag] for the item you're going to list and see which keywords show up in successful listings. Shoppers do not type "L@@K!!" in the search box. Consequently, they won't see your wonderful photos, read your wonderful description, or buy your item.

Most buyers on eBay search for items using keywords. These searchers type exactly what they want to find. Not vague or overused terms that mean nothing. Unfortunately, the terms "Rare", "Antique", (and "Vintage" is close) are so subjective that they are nearly meaningless.

To take advantage of [tag]Best Match[/tag] sorting, make sure your title is "keyword rich" using very specific, solid keywords that buyers will use.

Here are a few words to avoid, click the links to see eBay [tag]search results[/tag] for yourself:

• Antique
• Best
• Rare
• Wow!!

And is this maybe the grandaddy of them all?

You get the idea. Do you have any to add to the list?

[tags]ecommerce,learn ebay[/tags]

Popularity: 6% [?]

In my [tag]eBay classes[/tag], I get some questions every time. Usually as a student gets the auction process for the first time, it dawns on them that they may be able to bid up their own auctions to increase the price. This is called [tag]shill bidding[/tag] and it's a big no-no.

I've written an article on shill bidding on my [tag]Squidoo[/tag] page. It discusses the definition as well as what [tag]eBay[/tag] does to catch shill bidders. It also mentions the punishment when you get caught. (And you will.) Take a look at my article.
photo credit: c0reyann

Popularity: 5% [?]

Choosing a good [tag]password [/tag]for [tag]eBay [/tag]and [tag]PayPal[/tag]

Your [tag]passwords [/tag]are like the keys to your [tag]accounts[/tag]. Whether on eBay, PayPal, or any other secure site, you want a password that will do its job - protect your account from unauthorized access. Hackers and crackers have developed programs that scan thousands of words and commonly known passwords, trying every combination as they automatically try to access your account. They may load an entire dictionary into the program so that any password that is a regular word will eventually be matched and they get a hit. The program records this match and they have access to your account. So never use a simple word or name for your eBay or PayPal (or any) account.

Here are some tips for choosing a great password, and protecting it as well.

1. Make your password easy for you to remember. Don't write it down, if someone finds it they have access to your account.
2. Try to use a combination of at least 6-8 characters including letters, numbers, and special characters. Many systems have a maximum password length of 8 characters. You may add more characters to make it easier to remember, anything after the 8th character will be ignored. An example is: "softwareking" is the same to the system as "software." In that case, make sure the first 6-8 characters do not form a complete normal word.
3. Choose several small words without spaces. Do not use words or phrases that relate to eBay or your favorite hobby, such as "coincollector" or "dvdseller" which may be easy for people to guess.
4. Use the "License Plate Method": try to squeeze a phrase into eight characters, as if you were putting it on a vanity license plate. You can use numbers to make up words such as: OVRR8D, PMS247, UCOMPNS8.
5. Mix letters and numbers. Some people use a small word along with a significant year or number to create a combination that is hard to crack. Putting numbers within words also makes your password more secure.

Protecting your passwords

The number one way to protect your password is never give it to anyone. This includes family members. A few years ago I received an email from an exhausted mother who was trying to clean up a mess her 14 year old son had made. She'd given him her eBay password to allow him to make a purchase. He made that purchase, and then he and his friends bid on dozens of other items - a mess indeed.

Another mistake many people make is using a public computer and forgetting to logout. I've worked dozens of trade shows for eBay with computers in the booths. People routinely check their auctions, and then walk away, leaving themselves logged-in for all the world to bid on whatever they'd like. Computers at work or libraries are risky for this reason. Make sure you log off.

Tips to protect your passwords and accounts on eBay or PayPal include:

1. Do not use the same password for your eBay and PayPal accounts.
2. Do not use single words that can be found in the dictionary.
3. Do not use a password that contains any part of your user ID or email address.
4. Do not use your name, or the name of your spouse or pet, or your birthday. Don't use any personal information in your password that may be easy for others to obtain.
5. Do not write your password down.

If you think someone has gotten your password

If you think someone has gotten your eBay password, immediately go to your My eBay page, under My Account select Personal Information and change the password. Before you do this though, make sure your email address is still current, since eBay will send you a confirmation email when you want to change your password. Once you've done that, review the Account Theft information page. eBay has a great page with info on protecting your eBay account.

If you think your PayPal account has been compromised, you should try to change the password by logging into your account, selecting Profile and then click the Password link in the Profile Summary. Visit the PayPal Security Center for even more information on protecting your account.

If you cannot log in to your eBay account, contact eBay right away via Live help. They can help you right away. You can also call eBay and ask for customer service at: 1-866-322-9266 or eBay's Trust and Safety Department at: 1-408-376-XXXX (this phone number is no longer active -Steve, 4/02/08). If you cannot get into your PayPal account, you can call them at: 1-402-935-2050. You'll need to have the last 4 digits of the credit card or bank account registered with PayPal when you call.

Losing control of your account is frightening. I hope this helps you avoid that problem, or helps you solve the problem if you're a victim. If you have any stories or tips to add, they are most welcome. [tags]online security,trust and safety,identity theft,ecommerce[/tags]

Popularity: 4% [?]

One of the most overlooked areas of [tag]eBay[/tag] is the link to [tag]Advanced Search[/tag] tips near the search box on any eBay page. You'll find valuable [tag]search tips[/tag] here that can help you narrow your search to just what you're looking for. Once you use the tips (see below) and land on the search results page, you can save the search to your [tag]Favorite Searches[/tag] in your My eBay page. That way you won't have to create a complicated search from scratch each time. You can set your favorite searches to email you whenever a new item appears on eBay that matches your search.

Why are these tips necessary?

Lets say you're trying to [tag]source products[/tag] on eBay to buy in large lots and break them up for individual sale. Just search for "case of" or "pallet of" - with the quotation marks as shown - and you'll force eBay to search for those words in that particular order. Try it here.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Yes, and no. If you're just looking for a link to the Mutual Feedback Withdrawal form, go here .

Remember when you were in school and you'd get the heart-stopping threat of something being entered on your "permanent record?" Well, that one didn't really exist, but [tag]eBay[/tag] has come up with a close version.

[tag]Feedback[/tag] comments may be left between two parties involved in a transaction. The comments may be left as Positive, Negative, or Neutral. Once a user leaves a comment, it generally may not be retracted nor may the recipient erase it. There are a few exceptions that would disqualify a comment which I'll list later. What if you and the other party can work out your differences and patch things up? eBay allows you a chance to make it (almost) all better.

[tag]Mutual Feedback Withdrawl[/tag]

If you get a negative comment from someone, don't panic. There is hope that you can work it out and restore your image within the community. eBay allows either party to contact the other user and request both comments be withdrawn. This is called Mutual Feedback Withdrawl and it is pretty easy to do.

How Mutual Feedback Withdrawal works

You can initiate your request within 30 days of either member leaving Feedback, or within 90 days of the transaction end date, whichever is later.

After you and the other eBay user both complete the online process, you will see that your Feedback Scores have been adjusted at the same time. Depending on the type of Feedback rating withdrawn, your score could increase, decrease or remain the same. eBay will add a note to the Feedback comment, which indicates that the Feedback rating was mutually withdrawn.

Note: If you haven't left Feedback for your trading partner and you go through the Mutual Feedback Withdrawal process, you will no longer be able to leave Feedback for that transaction.

Some people complain because even though the bad point is removed, the comment remains "grayed" out so it may still be read. Personally I think they should be happy the point is removed and not whine. It's not likely anyone will decide not to buy from them based on that withdrawn feedback.

There are a few reasons eBay will remove a feedback comment without going through the Mutual Withdrawal process. Those reasons are:

• Use of inappropriate language
• References to an eBay or law enforcement investigation
• Publishing contact information

So if someone puts your name in a comment, you may actually be able to get it removed. However, if that reason is used, every comment using your name will be removed retroactively. In other words, if you tell eBay "I want that comment removed because it uses my name." They have to assume you don't want other comments to include your name either. Just something you should know.

Do you have a feedback question? or a feedback nightmare? Leave a comment below.

[tags]negative feedback,positive feedback,neutral feedback,feedback score,feedback removal[/tags]

Popularity: 4% [?]

How can I write a description for a boring item, or something I know very little about?

Finding the words to describe your [tag]eBay[/tag] item can be a challenge. You can write a good solid description simply by answering the following questions:

• What is it?
• How big is it?
• How old is it?
• What's it made of?
• How can it be used?

Hopefully you've searched Completed Items to get an idea of the information being provided by other sellers of similar items. You can also use search engines such as Google, Yahoo, MSN Search, or even Wikipedia to get technical details, or other information on your item.

In your [tag]description[/tag], include other details such as [tag]payment methods[/tag] you'll accept, and [tag]shipping [/tag]options and charges.

Save it to your computer in a simple text editor (Notepad) so you can copy and paste it later into the Sell Your Item form. That way, if you lose your place for some reason, you'll have your work saved for later retrieval.

That's basically all you need to write your description. Keep it simple, and friendly. Happy selling!

[tags]PayPal, eBay selling, eBay education, Sell Your Item[/tags]

Popularity: 4% [?]

In my advanced [tag]eBay class[/tag] recently several students asked, "When should I make my eBay listing Private?" In these listings the buyer's ID and bids remain anonymous to everyone except the seller when they view the listing. This includes [tag]Feedback[/tag] left for the item as well. The comment will be visible, but the item will be private.

There are a couple of reasons to do this:

1. High-priced or very rare items - You're listing an expensive or very rare item, such as a diamond studded dog collar autographed by Michael Vick, and your buyer may not want everyone to see that he or she purchased this item. Some people actually fear bad people will discover their whereabouts, assume they have the item in their house, and rob them. These people like [tag]private listings[/tag].
2. [tag]Pharmaceuticals[/tag] - Some buyers would rather not let the whole world know they need certain ointments or cures. So they would rather items in this area remain private.
3. [tag]Adult items[/tag] - [tag]eBay[/tag] does allow some pretty racy items in their Mature Audiences category. Also, you may be surprised to find that odd items such as [tag]used socks[/tag] sell quite well. Who is buying them? Maybe your neighbor, maybe your uncle, or maybe you. In any case, when items that may cause embarrassment are offered a Private Listing is appreciated by the buyer.

How do you make listings private?

When making your way through the [tag]Sell Your Item[/tag] form on eBay, you'll come to a section where you choose the format for your listing. You'll be able to choose [tag]Auction[/tag], [tag]Fixed-Price[/tag], or [tag]Store Inventory[/tag]. At the bottom of that section, you'll see a check-box that allows you to set the item as Private.

If you do not see the Private Listing check-box, you can go to the top of the Sell Your Item form and click Show/Hide Options > Format > "Display the following options: Private Listings". Make sure the box is selected and close the window.

Note: You will not be able to list items in the [tag]Mature Audiences[/tag] category in the Fixed Price format, nor will you be able to use PayPal to accept payment on these items. FYI

Popularity: 4% [?]

Sellers on [tag]eBay[/tag] are quite emotional about their [tag]Feedback[/tag] rating. Rightly so, since it is one of the most important ways for sellers to convince shoppers to trust them with their hard-earned dough. It's not the end of the world to get a negative comment, but it still hurts. In eBay University crowds there is always at least one person that asks how to get an "unfair" comment removed. Sad to say, it's pretty hard to get a comment removed. At least eBay offers [tag]Mutual Feedback Withdrawl[/tag] if a buyer and seller can work out their differences. Sometimes though, the comment remains like a Jägermeister stain on your favorite "Free Paris Hilton!" t-shirt.

If you have a couple blemishes on your otherwise stellar reputation, knocking you down from a solid 100% positive rating, you can recover.

A very cool little tool

If you have received a negative comment, your Feedback will reflect that with a percentage near you user ID as you buy and sell. It may say 99.7% or 99.8%. Can you ever get back to 100% you ask? or at least 99.9%? Yes, you can. eBay removes negative comments that are older than two years old, so those old transactions won't haunt you forever.

Another way though is to build positive Feedback up to counter the [tag]negative comment[/tag](s). For example, if you have 1500 unique positive comments, and 3 negative comments, you'll have a feedback rating of 99.8%. To push that back to 99.9% you'll need to keep your nose clean and get a your positive comments up to 1997. Don't forget you can get positive feedback from sellers if you buy things on eBay.

There is a cool little [tag]Feedback Calculator[/tag] that someone created to see what it takes to get the [tag]percentage[/tag] you really want. The more feedback you have the harder it is to bump it a notch or two. Have fun. You can find it at: http://home.alltel.net/micrep/feedback.html

Popularity: 5% [?]

One of the most common questions I get from new [tag]eBay[/tag] users relates to the little stars next to users' names on eBay. They are called [tag]Feedback[/tag] stars. [tag]Feedback stars[/tag] are awarded to eBay members for achieving 10 or more Feedback points. They are displayed next to the member’s User ID.

Members receive:

• +1 point for each positive comment and rating


• 0 points for each neutral comment and rating.
• -1 point for each negative comment and rating.

Here's what the different stars mean:
Yellow star () = 10 to 49 points
Blue star () = 50 to 99 points
Turquoise star () = 100 to 499 points
Purple star () = 500 to 999 points
Red star () = 1,000 to 4,999 points
Green star () = 5,000 to 9,999 points
Yellow shooting star () = 10,000 to 24,999 points
Turquoise shooting star () = 25,000 to 49,999 points
Purple shooting star () = 50,000 to 99,999 points
Red shooting star () = 100,000 points or more

Additionally, there is a newer system for tracking various aspects of an eBay transaction from the buyer's standpoint. It's called
[tag]Detailed Seller Ratings[/tag], and sellers are rated on a 1-5 star system on the following criteria:

• Item as described

  

• Communication
• Shipping time
• Shipping and handling charges

This system has been added to listings since May 2007. The intention is to offer a more granular view into what buyers think of the sellers performance. To understand eBay's Feedback system even better, you can view their eBay Feedback Tutorial here.

Popularity: 4% [?]

"Unable to import data from the file:" ...

At least I know I'm not the only one that has had this problem. Here is one for you to bookmark if you ever use Turbo Lister to create items by importing a .csv (Comma Separated Values) file. It is a wonderful thing to create hundreds of eBay Store listings in minutes, but one little glitch can cause you hours of headaches. If the file has one little mistake, Turbo Lister is unforgiving and will not let you import your data, and it won't give you a clue where to begin to find the problem.

The easiest way to use Turbo Lister to import items using a .csv file is to first export a file containing a few existing listings that are similar to the listings you want to create. You can export to file by highlighting a few items, then selecting:

File > Export Selected Items > Turbo Lister csv file

You can then also choose the fields you wish to export. I just select all of them and export the file to a folder so you can find it easily.

Once you've exported the file you should be able to open it using MS Excel or a similar spreadsheet program. You'll see fields at the top of the sheet which correspond to the SYI form (title, description, photo url, etc.). Since you exported listings from your account, you already have the proper settings for the more unfamiliar fields such as SiteID, etc. Just copy those down the column for each listing as you go. Learn more about Turbo Lister's fields for CSV files and other import/export info here.

Once you get your sheet done with all the information, you will need to save the file and import the info into Turbo Lister. This is simple, but it's also where the big headache can occur if you haven't read this.

I swear, if I had hair I'd pull it out...

There are lots of details to this big csv file spreadsheet you've created. If even one thing is missing or TL doesn't understand how to map the information, it will not work right. But the most frustrating problem is when you try to import the info and you get an error that says: "Unable to import data from the file: C:\Documents and Settings\blah blah blah" -it still makes me mad to see that error. It's even more irritating that I spent hours pouring over my file trying to see what I did wrong. Was it a wrong code? Did I leave something out altogether? What it the wrong format? Turbo Lister give you no clue as to where to begin to fix the problem.

Here's the answer. Close the file. Just close the file in Excel and you'll be able to import it. That's it. You cannot import the file if it's open in another program. Thanks eBay. Other programs tell you that in plain English, but instead of listing items I had to find it out by accident.

I hope this helps someone else. If you're teaching people to use Turbo Lister as an Education Specialist, save them the trouble and pass this along.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Well Sybil, the simple answer is yes. As long as it's not due to a personality disorder...
Many people have an [tag]eBay user ID[/tag] for buying and one for selling on [tag]eBay[/tag]. Some have one for personal transactions and one for business. I recently bought a 'lot' of items which I plan to separate into single items and sell on eBay. I got a relatively good deal on them, and I may go back to the seller for more. I don't want to give away my source too easily, or make buyers feel bad since they could see what I originally paid for these items. (I know if a person is determined they can figure these things out, but why make it super easy for them?)

Purchasing in Private

In my case, I show people what I'm selling in my classes and when I'm coaching individuals. I may not want them to see that I purchased vacuum cleaner bags, new socks and vitamins. So I use the 'family' user ID for those purchases. This is another reason for two IDs, privacy.

Personal and Business

It's a good idea not to co-mingle your business and personal sales and purchases. If you can keep your business purchases within your business account, it makes things easier at tax time. So many people I know have a personal or 'family' ID and their business ID is separate. You'll need a separate email address for each. And for two Sellers accounts you should really have separate banking and credit info. (Although the last I knew you could use a checking account and / or credit card on up to ten accounts before eBay says you've reached the limit.)

Many business people have created a completely self-contained eBay / PayPal environment for their business. They have one user ID, a distinct checking account, and a debit card associated with that account. All of these are exclusively used for business buying and selling. With a PayPal business account you may also get a PayPal debit card and use that to pay eBay fees. I am no tax expert, but I know keeping your business separate from your personal finances is fundamental.

Using Multiple [tag]PayPal [/tag]IDs

Your [tag]PayPal user ID [/tag]is your email address. If you have a Premier or Business account, you may have multiple users. In this case, you may add the email address from both eBay accounts to your PayPal account and not have to deal with maintaining two PayPal accounts. Again though, if you are doing business on the account, it would be best to keep them separated - business and personal.
[tags]eBay Username,PayPal account,separate eBay accounts[/tags]

Popularity: 5% [?]

[tag]Changing the name on your PayPal account [/tag]is not something you do often, so it's one of those 'easily forgotten' procedures which can baffle even an experienced user. There are several reasons for changing a name:

• marriage, or divorce
• changing a business name
• changing the contact person on a business account
• joining the Witness Protection Program (okay, I made that one up)

In these days of phishing scams and identity theft, [tag]PayPal[/tag] has made it understandably difficult to make a name change on an account. Personally I'm glad, I feel my account is a little better protected. But still we need to know how to make a change when necessary.

When you want to change your business name, you can do so online by following the steps below. No extra steps are necessary. But if you need to change your whole last name, or change the contact name for your business, you are going to have to fax some information to PayPal. That is for your security. Just suck it up and do it. Further, if you only want to change 1 - 2 letters because your name is slightly mispelled, you can just follow the steps below and change it online.

The easy way and the difficult way to get to the name change page...

I've done the work. So if you don't really want to know how to get to the page, scroll to the bottom of this post. Otherwise, I'm going to give you the step-by-step guide on finding the name-change page.

Step 1: When logged-in to your PayPal account. Click "Help" at the top of the page.

Step 2: Under the left menu column you'll see "Still Having Trouble?" then a link which says: "Contact Us" - click that link. (See screenshot below)

Step 3: After clicking the "Contact Us" link, you'll be at a page that asks how you want your help. Even though you want to do this yourself, choose "Help by Email". Trust me you're getting closer. I've added a screenshot so you know where to click.

Step 4: At this point you'll be at a screen which seems to direct you to the type of email inquiry you're about to make. Ahhh but they're going to fool you! Just pretend to go along with their plan. Non-chalantly choose "My Account Profile > Name Change" then, "Continue"...

Step 5: Now you have reached the point where you choose which type of change you'll make. I have a business account, your screen may look slightly different. You must choose one of the options (screenshot below) and press "Continue"...

Step 6: Now, if you want to change your Business Name or make a minor change to your name you will be able to make the change at a screen like this (the minor name change screen is similar), click Continue and you're done...

The other Step 6: Unfortunately, if you need to really change your name, or change the Contact Person for a business account, you'll need to do a little old-fashioned faxing of actual documents. PayPal wants a valid photo ID, and one of several other identifying documentation. (See below)

If you're just changing your name due to a marriage or divorce, you only need to fax a copy of a photo ID and a copy of the marriage license or divorce decree. And that is it! Change your PayPal name in approximately six easy steps.

You can fax readable copies of your ID by making a slight enlargement on a copy machine, or scanner at home, and faxing the copy.

If you chose to skip all the amazing and interesting descriptions and screenshots - well, I probably would have too.

Here's your link:

https://www.paypal.com/us/wf/f=ap_namechg

[tags]PayPal change name,business name,PayPal business account,eBay[/tags]

Popularity: 6% [?]

[tag]Designing eBay Listings[/tag], About Me Pages, Stores and Blogs

With millions of people "designing" [tag]About Me page[/tag]s, Listings, [tag]eBay Blogs[/tag], and [tag]eBay Stores[/tag] lets face it - there are some ugly ones. Really ugly ones out there. Not only ugly but annoying. I don't mean to be mean, but just because you can use 15 colors in one [tag]eBay listing[/tag] doesn't mean you should. At the end of this post I'll give you a couple of pretty good ways to [tag]choose a color scheme[/tag] for your pages on eBay.

One thing I try to teach in my eBay classes is to present yourself professionally if you want people to buy from you. What does professional mean to you? Well, somehow it has become this to a lot of people:

Continue reading →

Popularity: 13% [?]