Ten Questions About Ebay

From the newbie to the more experienced, everyone has questions regarding Ebay.  Since Ebay took the world by storm people everywhere have been signing up and selling items in an effort to strike it rich.  Though not everyone will earn a million dollars in a year, many will find Ebay to be profitable enough to be a second income or even a full time job.  However, like starting any new endeavor, it is important to do your research, ask questions, and find out the answers before you begin to map out your strategy for success.  The majority of Ebay users share the same questions in common.  So here are ten questions about Ebay, that once answered, will help increase your chance of success selling on Ebay. 
 

1. How Much Does it Cost to join Ebay?

The first and most common question is in regards to how much does it cost to sell on Ebay.  First, you should realize that to get started with Ebay you must register at the site.  It is free to join and the preferred method of exchanging money on Ebay is with Pay Pal.  If you don’t have a Pay Pal account, you will be encouraged to open one. It is also free to open a Pay Pal account.  You may decide to buy an item before you begin selling and it won’t cost you anything to buy.  However, when you join Ebay, you will be invited to learn more about how Ebay works by reviewing their help manuals.  These are posted on the Ebay website and are an excellent way to learn more about the company.  In answer to the question, it is free to join Ebay and Pay Pal. 
 

2.   How do I Buy an Item?

Some people find that once they join Ebay they are overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin.  Ebay understands this and has put all of the information that you need on their site in the form of help manuals.  Before you buy your first item you should familiarize yourself with the website and review their guide specifically designed to answer any questions that you may have in regards to buying.  You will need to understand what bidding is and how it works and also become familiar with the various buying formats.  Ebay offers several ways to buy items and not all include the auction and bidding method.  You may buy items through the Auction, through Second Chance Offer, through Multiple Item Auction, and through Specialty Sites. In addition, you can choose the Buy it Now option that allows you to purchase with a set price or the Best Offer option that includes the purchaser setting the price for a Buy it Now listing. 
 

3.   How do I Sell an Item?

Before selling items on Ebay you will need to spend some time reviewing Ebay’s rules, terms, and guides.  They have a special section available on the website to ensure that all of your questions are answered. Selling an item on Ebay consists of  Creating a Listing,  calculating the Ebay Fees that you will have to pay, Adding Pictures to your listing, Listing Upgrades that will help promote your product and how to manage the listing.  You will also need to understand how a sale is completed on Ebay, how Payment, Checkout, and Shipping works and the different methods used for selling.  These include Auctions, Buy it Now, and Best Price Offers. 
 

4.   What is a Bidder Search?

A Bidder Search can best be described as a search that shows the results of all the bids you’ve placed in the past. If you know someone’s User ID, you can also view their past bidding history as well. 
 

5.   What is the Ebay Community?

The Ebay Community is where both buyers and sellers meet and communicate.  The Ebay Community is a type of networking that includes forums, blogs, chat rooms, neighborhoods, and discussion boards.  You can meet people and find answers to many questions by participating in the Ebay Community. 
 

6.   What is an Insertion Fee?

The Insertion Fee is a fee charged by Ebay for listing an item.  There are different types of listings that a seller can select from and Ebay charges different fees for each type of listing.  The Insertion Fee is non refundable and will be colleted by Ebay.  The Insertion Fee is in addition to the Final Value Fee.  You will be charged an Insertion Fee whether or not your item sells. 
 

7.   What is the Final Value Fee?

When you place an item to sell on Ebay, you are charged an Insertion Fee.  However, just because you place an item on Ebay doesn’t mean it will sell.  In addition to the Insertion Fee, items that sell will be charged a Final Value Fee.  If the item doesn’t sell, there is no Final Value Fee.  If the item sold was between .01 and $25.00 the Final Value Fee will be 5.25% of the closing Value.  These rates increase as the price of the item sold increases and can be found on the Ebay website. 
 

8.   What is Want it Now?

Want it Now is an option that allows the buyer to tell the seller what they want or what they are looking for.  Want it Now is basically a request that buyers put out to sellers when they are wanting to purchase something in particular. 
 

9.   What is Relisting?

When a seller lists an item and it fails to sell, they may decide to list it a second time.  This includes a relisting fee payable to Ebay.  If the item sells, Ebay may waive the Relisting Fee. 
 

10. Where can I get Help?

Ebay wants everyone to succeed, both buyers and sellers.  They have created numerous social networking groups to help people communicate and have their questions answered.  In addition, they have provided numerous resources and guides throughout the website to help users feel more confident creating and placing bid or just buying and selling through Ebay in general.  They have created many resources that can be used as a first point of reference and where you will typically find the answer to your questions.  If you still need help, you can contact Ebay’s Customer Support.  They provide customer support through email as well as live help.  They do not offer phone support.