Sunday, December 24, 2006

 

Auctions: Sold

Auctions: Sold
SOLD! To an auction aficionado, there is no sweeter word. Auctions are fabulous places to find unique items and bag big bargains. But before heading off to that great auction you've been waiting--and saving--for, take the time to follow some auction tips that can make you a better bidder.

Check It Out
Before the bidding starts, it's always a good idea to attend a preview or acquire a catalogue of the items up for bidding. Following this precaution will ensure that the items you are interested in are actually what you want or need. Call the auction house to confirm the time and location of the sale. In some cases, auctions can be abruptly cancelled. Calling before you actually travel saves you time, money and energy, and lets you avoid the disappointment and frustration of arriving to find the auction will not be taking place.

Ask and Inspect
Don't be afraid to ask for a thorough inspection of the items up for bid. Most auctions feature used merchandise, and rarely do these items come with any sort of warranty or guarantee. The most effective way to ensure your satisfaction with the items you purchase is to request an inspection. If the item you're interested in is reported or claimed to be faulty, be sure to verify exactly what the fault consists of. Ask the auctioneer if you can have the item tested. If the item needs to be fixed or modified, you can take the repair costs into account in determining your maximum bid amount. Motor vehicle auctions will usually grant a grace period. The winning bidder is allowed a pre-determined length of time in which the may be returned if it is found to have problems. Ask the auctioneer if warranties or grace periods are in effect.

Set Your Limit and Stay Within It
Auctions can be exciting, competitive, emotional and even aggressive. It's easy to lose yourself in the moment, and be taken in by other people's bids. If the competition gets hot and you can't bear to lose "your" item, you can easily go above and beyond your spending limit. Nothing beats old-fashioned discipline. Set a maximum price for each item, and try to stick to it. If you purchase five items and spend twenty dollars more on each one, you've gone a full one hundred dollars beyond your limit. Some auctions will tack on extra fees on top of the actual bid price, such as premiums or fees for guarantees. Local taxes may also apply. Be sure to check on sale conditions before you begin bidding. Consult with the auctioneer, or refer to the catalogue.

Not Exactly As Illustrated
Understand that catalogues are not written in stone; therefore any items included in them are subject to change. If you have your heart set on a particular item, consult with the auctioneer or preview the piece before you bid.

Watch and Listen
You already know that it's important to preview the items very carefully. It's equally important to hear what the auctioneer is saying. Listen carefully to the auctioneer's description of the items up for bid. There may be changes, defects or exclusions that you were not aware of. For example, that dining room set you've had your eye on may not be sold with the chest of drawers.

Auction sales present a whirlwind of excitement and huge savings opportunities. Take the time to make educated bids, and you may indeed find the bargain of a lifetime.

About the Author: Charles Taylor writes for several popular web sites, on business and technology and small business subjects.


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Auctions: Sold

Auctions: Sold
SOLD! To an auction aficionado, there is no sweeter word. Auctions are fabulous places to find unique items and bag big bargains. But before heading off to that great auction you've been waiting--and saving--for, take the time to follow some auction tips that can make you a better bidder.

Check It Out
Before the bidding starts, it's always a good idea to attend a preview or acquire a catalogue of the items up for bidding. Following this precaution will ensure that the items you are interested in are actually what you want or need. Call the auction house to confirm the time and location of the sale. In some cases, auctions can be abruptly cancelled. Calling before you actually travel saves you time, money and energy, and lets you avoid the disappointment and frustration of arriving to find the auction will not be taking place.

Ask and Inspect
Don't be afraid to ask for a thorough inspection of the items up for bid. Most auctions feature used merchandise, and rarely do these items come with any sort of warranty or guarantee. The most effective way to ensure your satisfaction with the items you purchase is to request an inspection. If the item you're interested in is reported or claimed to be faulty, be sure to verify exactly what the fault consists of. Ask the auctioneer if you can have the item tested. If the item needs to be fixed or modified, you can take the repair costs into account in determining your maximum bid amount. Motor vehicle auctions will usually grant a grace period. The winning bidder is allowed a pre-determined length of time in which the may be returned if it is found to have problems. Ask the auctioneer if warranties or grace periods are in effect.

Set Your Limit and Stay Within It
Auctions can be exciting, competitive, emotional and even aggressive. It's easy to lose yourself in the moment, and be taken in by other people's bids. If the competition gets hot and you can't bear to lose "your" item, you can easily go above and beyond your spending limit. Nothing beats old-fashioned discipline. Set a maximum price for each item, and try to stick to it. If you purchase five items and spend twenty dollars more on each one, you've gone a full one hundred dollars beyond your limit. Some auctions will tack on extra fees on top of the actual bid price, such as premiums or fees for guarantees. Local taxes may also apply. Be sure to check on sale conditions before you begin bidding. Consult with the auctioneer, or refer to the catalogue.

Not Exactly As Illustrated
Understand that catalogues are not written in stone; therefore any items included in them are subject to change. If you have your heart set on a particular item, consult with the auctioneer or preview the piece before you bid.

Watch and Listen
You already know that it's important to preview the items very carefully. It's equally important to hear what the auctioneer is saying. Listen carefully to the auctioneer's description of the items up for bid. There may be changes, defects or exclusions that you were not aware of. For example, that dining room set you've had your eye on may not be sold with the chest of drawers.

Auction sales present a whirlwind of excitement and huge savings opportunities. Take the time to make educated bids, and you may indeed find the bargain of a lifetime.

About the Author: Charles Taylor writes for several popular web sites, on business and technology and small business subjects.


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Don't Panic Its Not The End Of 1 Cent Auctions!!

Don't Panic Its Not The End Of 1 Cent Auctions!!
In January 2007 eBay will be getting rid of the Pre Approved bidding system. Which means 1 cent auctions in the auctions listings linking to your eBay store will be a thing of the past.

How am I going to get feedback quickly to get a store or use the Featured Items or Buy it Now options in selling goods?

Or how am I supposed to become a Powerseller now? Lots of people have become Powersellers using this technique but how are we going to do it now?

Well we can still have 1 cent buy it now products in our eBay stores. But they are not listed in auction listings I hear you say.

How well do you know the Advanced Search function of eBay? Or more importantly how well do your customers know it?

You can get all the 1 cent listings from store's inventories by using the Advanced Search function a little creatively.

How will your customers know about it?

Well you can educate them and yourself, if you not too familar with the Advanced Search, by referring to this article, and believe me they will thank you for it.

I used this search technique to build my feedback up to enough to open a store as well as buying a few Christmas pressies so that all my feedback was not from 1 cent auctions. Some buyers will look at what your feedback contains so its good to have a few non 1 centers in there!!

Okay so here is how to use the Advanced search to find 1 cent store listings on the main http://eBay.com site. I'm sure the same logic applies to your localised eBay site.

1. Go to the eBay home page and select Advanced Search

2. Leave Enter Keyword or Item Number blank and select Everything Else for In this Category.

3. Leave everything else blank and ticked as default settings until the Show Only Section.

4. In the Show Only Section tick Buy it Now Items and Store Inventory items only.

5. Select Price: Lowest First in Sort By.

6. Press the search button.

7. You may get an error page or you have thousands of items to scroll through so click on information products from Categories list on the left so that you get mainly digitally delivered products.

8. Now by this point eBay probably doesn't remember that it's supposed to be searching byPrice Lowest First so make sure this is selected in the Sort by: Box.

9. Search through the 1 cent listings and pick out the interesting ones or whatever takes your fancy, buy and start building up your feedback.

10. Always check the postage cost when the listing says 1 cent as there are a few people who will put a high price on the postage and packaging even though it is a digital item.

Okay you now have in your hands a way to keep using the 1 cent auction. Use it wisely and make your customers love you and your feedback astounding!

About the Author: Helen Farmer as The Auction Reporter compiles a great monthly newsletter summarizing the best eBay techniques, strategies and news. Her own eBay successes and failures are also documented. Read all About The Auction Reporter


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Tuesday, December 19, 2006

 

All About Online Auctions

All About Online Auctions
How to make Auctioning a Profitable Business
It wouldn't be exaggeration to say that hundreds of thousands of people from across the world visit buy and sell myriad products on auction sites. One popular site has a market share of 76%, reports 42.7 million users recording a growth rate of 100% every year!
What are these auction buyers looking for?
A poll conducted by Harris Interactive on 2,196 people shows that online auctions appeal to people for the following reasons.

- Bargains (43 percent)
- Hard to find items (23 percent)
- Collectibles (21 percent)
Not just that, a record 83% people have actually bought something!
Buying What?

People visiting auction sites buy all sorts of products from different categories, but it simply doesn't mean that everything and anything sells. What is critical, in this context is Targeted Marketing, more so, since auctions, as days went by has become a serious business line. The buying on auction is no longer restricted to sales only, most of the firms are using the auction sites to generate business and traffic to their own sites with added offers.
In a nutshell:
It all boils down to the point that if you have what the buyer is looking for and your listing is found you get bids ad sales subsequently. The real test for the seller is figuring out what the buyer is looking for.

Online Auction - Ideal Marketing Tool
The buyers flock to auction sites for innumerable number of myriad items provided on them, therefore the issue of how to attract the buyers is solved. Different customers arrive at the site with different perceptions and different frame of mind. The auctions are all about enjoying the bids of different products and item available along with the pictures.
Then How to Make Most of it.

The advantages can be properly utilized by using the targeted strategies in line with the habits and patterns of online auction buyers with built-in categories found on the auction site.
One of the most popular site boasts of more than 3,000 categories of auction items. The idea is to make the transaction fast by categorizing the items helping them narrow down on items thick and fast. This makes self-targeting easy for sellers to find buyers easy.

Making items available on auction sites is easy!
Although serious auction sellers have a website, it is not necessary to own a website and generate traffic with advertising. You can join a reputed auction site by registering with them, which is fast and easy. And for immediate returns and to generate income with little registration fee, this a much better approach to e-commerce.
The fundamental formula for online selling:
Provide something the buyer is looking. Having a target and product in mind is important.
Make a list and put them in order
The list should be attractive.

The process is simple, costs low and formula easy. Perhaps this is precisely the reason why millions of people flock to these sites for instant gains.
Bottom line

List items that attract potential buyers from time to time.

Provide unique offering that are different from others
Classify your products effectively.

Different items in different categories with help generate multiple incomes from different quarters.

Take advantage of huge number of people looking for multiple products, learn and understand from other sellers.

About The Authorby: Pradeep Aggarwal

Pradeep Aggarwal is the creator of the Auction Spectrum. This site is dedicated to helping people start and run a successful online auction business. Visit his site to get a free report and articles on "Tips & Tricks on Online Auction.

auctionspectrum.com.


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Saturday, December 09, 2006

 
Auto Auctions How to Bid.

For the regular auction attendee, biding on a car that is one the auction block is second nature. However for the first time auto auction attendee, it can be a nervous experience that you might not be looking forward to. Below you will find a few tips take can help you keep you cool, and just maybe you can get a great deal.

At most auto auctions they will have a preview time before the auction is schedule to start. It's in your best interest to attend, so you can look over the vehicles at your own pace. This is a good time for you to inspect any cars that you might want to bid on. Look over each vehicle carefully as most auto auctions carry no warrantees on vehicle sold. This can help filter out the cars and trucks that fall below the acceptable mark.

Once the biding starts make sure you keep you cool. Know ahead of time how high you are willing to bid on a particular vehicle. Make sure you stick to that number, and don't go over. It's a good idea to bring a friend with you to keep you in check. Try not to get carried away with all the excitement going on.

If you win the bid on a car, make sure you know and have to form of payment ready. Most auto auctions require you to remove the vehicle within a certain amount of time. Make sure you familiar with there policy on payment and removal of won autos.

About the Author

Perry Gibson is a long time auto auctions attendee, you can get more information at: http://www.usautoreview.com/


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Saturday, December 02, 2006

 
Car Auctions 101

Car auctions are a good place to get good a bargain on cars. But buying cars from auctions can be very complicated. This is particularly true for the uninitiated. Of course the cars in auctions are generally cheaper. But they are cheap because they lack the guarantees that come with cars bought from dealers. The rules in auctions are simple, you bid an item, you pay for it, and you own it.

There are basically two kinds of car auctions, local car auctions and online car auctions. Each of the auctions works differently. Each has a different set of rules so you must study them very carefully if you are planning to buy a car from either kind of auction.

If you want to buy a vehicle in a car auction you must first pre-register with the local auction you want to join. The pre-registration process won't take much of your time and will provide you all the essential information that you will need in order to buy a car. An auction site will often have an auction staff who will explain to you the rules of their auction site and the procedures and instruction on how to participate and bid on the cars.

It is wise to inspect the cars before the actual bidding begins. Ask the auction organizer or staff if they can allow you to take a closer look at the cars before the start of the actual auction. Another wise decision is to set your payment limit before the actual sale. This way, you won't fall victim to the trap of overbidding.

As in other auctions, it is very important that you signal your bids carefully to the car auctioneer to avoid confusion. Settle your transaction as soon as the auction ends. Look for the block clerk and settle your accounts with him. A car auction staff will usually be available to assist you when you are ready to pay for the vehicle you have won. He should also be able to guarantee you a good title for the vehicle.

Most auction sites would accept check or credit card if you cannot pay the car with cash. An auction staff will also usually give you a third party financing offer. It is advisable though to have your own finances ready before entering a car auction. Outside financing is usually cheaper than most in-house financing of auction sites.

Ask for an invoice copy from the auction staff. This will enable you to drive or ship your newly bought car to your location. Most car auction managers will give you good deals on shipping arrangements so inquire about this.

There really are no significant differences between a local auction and an online auction. Online car auctions work more or less the same way as local ones. The only disadvantage of online auction sites is that you won't be able to inspect the car as you would in an actual car auction. In participating in online car auctions be sure that you will be provided with all the necessary information about the car upfront and that there is an actual photograph of the vehicle.

Cars bought from an online auction are usually shipped to the buyer for a minimal fee. Inspect the car immediately upon arrival at your location to minimize risks.

You are now ready for your first car auction. Happy bidding!

About The Author
Gregory Ashton, your resident automobile enthusiast, bringing to you over 20 years of vehicular passion, and expertise; presents for your approval his insider secrets on selecting, buying, and maintianing the car that is ideal for you. http://www.best-car-buying-tips.com.


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