How to Start and Run an Ebay Consignment Business

By: Skip McGrath

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Paperback | 17 February 2006 | Edition Number 1

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322 Pages

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23.5 x 19.05 x 1.7

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Make big profits on eBay with no upfront investment!

Make thousands of dollars per week--with little or no financial risk--selling other people’s stuff on eBay. How to Start and Run an eBay Consignment Business explains how to locate and work with consignors and successfully deal in the goods they want to sell, including collectibles, retail store closeouts, estate items, corporate merchandise, and much more.

Find out how to get started selling on consignment, decide what kinds of items will be the most profitable, and set up your business. You’ll get sample contracts, forms, and flyers, as well as tips on creating a web site, marketing your business, and automating day-to-day tasks. Whether you want to supplement your income or become a registered eBay Trading Assistant, you’ll find everything you need in this helpful, step-by-step guide.

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Non-Fiction Business & Management Sales & Marketing Business Aspects of E-Commerce Entrepreneurship / Start-ups Computing & I.T.Digital Lifestyle & Online World: Consumer & User Guides Internet Guides & Online Services Engineering & Technology Mechanical Engineering & Materials Engineering Skills & Trades Computer Hardware

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Acknowledgments	p. xiii
Introduction	p. xv
Setting Up Your Consignment Business
Why Start a Consignment Business on eBay?	p. 3
What Are the Benefits of Becoming a Trading Assistant?	p. 4
Are There Successful Consignment Businesses Operating Now?	p. 5
How Big Can an eBay Consignment Business Grow?	p. 7
Get Started	p. 9
Setting Up Your Business	p. 10
Naming Your Business	p. 10
Business Types	p. 11
Business Licenses	p. 12
Business Telephone	p. 13
Letterhead and Business Cards	p. 14
Computer and Software Resources	p. 14
Insurance	p. 15
Reference Material	p. 16
Record Keeping	p. 16
Taxes	p. 16
Legal Issues	p. 17
Getting Help	p. 18
How Much Should I Charge?	p. 19
Consignment Math	p. 20
Suggested Commission Schedule	p. 21
Flat Fees	p. 22
Your Unique Selling Proposition	p. 22
Find Consignment Customers	p. 27
Marketing Your Business	p. 29
Advertising	p. 29
Cold Calling	p. 32
Charities	p. 32
Estate Sales and Garage Sales	p. 32
Networking	p. 33
Presenting Yourself	p. 33
Creating a Presentation Book	p. 34
Public Relations	p. 35
The eBay Co-Op Advertising Program	p. 35
What Sells on eBay?	p. 37
What Sells on eBay	p. 38
Should I Specialize?	p. 41
Business and Industrial Category	p. 42
Go for Quality	p. 42
Other Considerations	p. 43
Marketing Your Business
Sell Retail Store Closeouts	p. 47
What Types of Retailers Should I Approach?	p. 48
What Fees Should I Charge Retailers?	p. 51
Merchandise to Avoid	p. 52
Raise Money for Nonprofit Organizations	p. 53
Local Charities	p. 54
Working with Large Charities and Nonprofits	p. 56
The eBay Giving Works Program	p. 58
Conduct Estate Auctions	p. 59
Unofficial Estate Sales	p. 60
How Do I Contact These People?	p. 61
Official Estate Sales	p. 62
How Do I Contact Estate Attorneys?	p. 62
Marketing to Attorneys	p. 63
Other Considerations	p. 64
Conduct Bankruptcy and Repossession Sales	p. 65
Bankruptcy Auction Overview	p. 66
Marketing Your Bankruptcy Auction Business	p. 68
Police and Sheriffs' Auctions	p. 69
Distressed Companies and Corporate Downsizing	p. 70
Corporate Consignment Sales	p. 73
How to Find Big-Ticket Merchandise to Sell on eBay	p. 76
Construction Equipment	p. 76
Agricultural Equipment	p. 76
Medical Equipment	p. 77
Corporate Equipment Sales	p. 78
Other Considerations	p. 79
Running Your Business for Maximum Profits
Set Up for Mass Production	p. 83
Increasing Your Selling Price	p. 85
Launching More Auctions and Launching Them Faster	p. 86
Charging Higher Fees	p. 87
Lowering Your Costs	p. 88
Automate Your Auctions	p. 91
The Need for Automation	p. 92
Auction Software	p. 93
Liberty4 Trading Assistants	p. 93
MarketBlast	p. 94
Acution Management Services	p. 98
Mpire	p. 100
AuctionWagon	p. 101
Auction Photography and the Photo Studio	p. 105
Taking Good Photos	p. 106
Camera Selection	p. 106
Take Sharp Photos	p. 107
Composition	p. 107
Get Close to Your Subject	p. 108
Lighting	p. 108
White Balance	p. 108
Your Studio	p. 109
Image Management	p. 111
Photo Selection	p. 111
Set Up a Consignment Storefront	p. 113
What Are the Advantages of a Storefront?	p. 114
What Are the Disadvantages of a Storefront?	p. 114
What Kind of Store Should I Open?	p. 115
Store Layout	p. 116
How Much Space Will I Need for All of This?	p. 116
Commercial Lease Checklist	p. 116
Fees and Costs	p. 121
Costs of Doing Business	p. 122
Cost Control	p. 123
Advertising	p. 124
eBay Fees	p. 124
Employment and Employee Costs	p. 125
Employee Leasing	p. 126
Independent Contractors	p. 127
Organization and Record Keeping	p. 129
Getting Organized	p. 130
Consignor Records	p. 131
Financial Record Keeping	p. 132
Write Your Business Plan	p. 135
Your Business Plan	p. 136
Business Plan Basics	p. 136
Your Financial Plan	p. 138
Invest in Your Business	p. 141
What Sort of Investments Should You Make?	p. 142
Raising Money for Your Business	p. 142
Types of Capital	p. 143
Retained Earnings	p. 143
Debt Capital	p. 143
Investment Capital	p. 144
Where to Find Capital	p. 144
How to Find Venture Capitalists	p. 145
eBay Consignment Franchises	p. 147
Franchising Basics	p. 148
Franchise Checklist	p. 150
A Franchise Alternative	p. 151
eBay Stores and Web Sites	p. 153
eBay Stores	p. 154
eBay ProStores	p. 155
ProStores Express	p. 156
ProStores Business	p. 156
ProStores Advanced	p. 156
ProStores Enterprise	p. 156
Web Sites	p. 156
Reduce and Control Your eBay Fees	p. 159
eBay Listing Fees	p. 160
Reserve Price Auction Fees	p. 160
Final Value (Selling Fees)	p. 161
Optional Feature Fees	p. 161
Controlling Your eBay Fees	p. 162
Which Optional Fees Are a Good Value?	p. 162
Become an Auction Master	p. 165
Standard Auction	p. 166
Reserve Price Auction	p. 167
Dutch Auctions	p. 167
Fixed Price Listings and BIN	p. 169
Private Auctions	p. 169
Listing and Pricing Strategies	p. 169
Reserve Price Auctions	p. 170
The $1 No Reserve Strategy	p. 171
List at Cost	p. 172
Fixed Price Listing	p. 172
Best Time to Launch Auctions	p. 173
Other Considerations	p. 174
Scheduling Your Auctions	p. 175
International Auctions	p. 176
Research: The Key to Profits	p. 177
Ask the Seller	p. 178
Searching Online	p. 178
The eBay Search Engine	p. 179
Searching More Effectively	p. 179
Locating Auctions That Include a Specific Word	p. 180
Narrowing Your Search	p. 180
Narrowing Your Search Even More	p. 180
Finding Listings with One of Multiple Words	p. 180
Locating Listings with One Word, But Not Another	p. 180
Third-Party Online Services	p. 181
Andale	p. 181
Terapeak	p. 181
Offline Research Tools	p. 181
Building Your Sales on eBay
Create Killer Listings	p. 185
Writing Dynamic Headlines	p. 186
Keyword-Rich Headlines	p. 188
Checklist for Headlines	p. 189
Selecting the Right Category	p. 189
List in Two Categories	p. 190
eBay Specifics	p. 191
Write Winning Auction Descriptions	p. 193
Features Describe; Benefits Sell	p. 194
Power Words and Emotional Appeal	p. 198
White Space and Boldface	p. 199
Increasing Sales with a Call to Action	p. 201
How to Kill Bids	p. 202
Build Your Credibility to Build Your Business	p. 205
Keep Your Auctions Clean	p. 206
Building Trust and Safety	p. 208
eBay Trust and Safety Tools	p. 210
Third-Party Trust and Safety Tools	p. 211
Give Superior Customer Service	p. 215
Consignor Service	p. 216
eBay Bidders	p. 218
Business Policies to Build Your Business	p. 221
Shipping Policy	p. 222
Payment Policy	p. 224
Return Policy	p. 225
Promote Your Auctions with Special Features	p. 227
Keyword-Rich Titles	p. 228
eBay Subtitles	p. 228
Bold, Highlight, and Border	p. 229
The eBay Gallery	p. 230
Featured Plus	p. 231
Super (Home Page) Featured	p. 231
Other Features	p. 231
The Consignment Seller's Web Site	p. 233
Do-It-Yourself Web Site	p. 234
Marketing: If You Build It, Will They Come?	p. 238
What Should I Put on My Web Site?	p. 239
Bring It All Together	p. 243
What Are the Keys to Success in the Online Consignment Business?	p. 244
Can You Give Me a Step-by-Step Plan for Success?	p. 246
What Are the Real Secrets to Success on eBay?	p. 247
Appendixes
Sample Agreements, Forms, and Letters	p. 253
Consignment Agreement	p. 255
Consignor Inventory Form	p. 258
Alternate Non-Consignment Contract	p. 260
Sample Auction Report	p. 264
Sample Sales Letters to Prospective Consignors	p. 265
Letter to an Estate and/or Bankruptcy Attorney	p. 266
Letter to Local Business Owners Outlining Your Services	p. 267
Letter to a Retail Storeowner	p. 268
Letter to a Charity	p. 269
Advertising Posters	p. 271
Resources and References	p. 279
eBay and Consignment Selling Online Resources	p. 280
News and Information	p. 280
Escrow Services	p. 281
Authentication and Grading Services	p. 281
Business Plans	p. 281
Consulting	p. 283
Legal and Tax Advice	p. 283
Online Fraud Resources	p. 284
Suggested Reading	p. 284
Consignment Startup Checklist	p. 285
Glossary	p. 289
Index	p. 297
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

How to Start and Run an Ebay Consignment Business

At a Glance

Paperback

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

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