Ebay! I need your input please

InflatableMadness

Hi guys,  it`s Kevin from Inflatable Madness here.   I`m working with StartupNation.com to lend some advice for all you Ebay businesses out there.
I need feedback!
Tell me if the Blogs are helpful to you, tell me what you want to see discussed, and ask Ebay questions. 
I`m here to help, so guide me!
-Kevin
You can find the Ebay Blogs here:
http://www.startupnation.com/blog/categ ... EGORY_ID=6</A>
 
 
 
 

Rich

kevin,
thanks for the list of ebay phenomena!!!
we`ve got blog comments capability back up and running with renewed anti-spamware!!! hope it works. would you prefer to have people commenting here or at the blog?
lead and we will follow!
rich

theswaynester

Kevin--I`ve found your blogs helpful.I`m not running a business on eBay or anything, but my wife and I are considering it as a means to "lighten the load" of some of our extra stuff... we`re anticipating a move in a year or so. But it sounds like that`s how a lot of folks got started.So any basic "how-do-I-start" tips would be helpful.
The Swaynester

InflatableMadness

Thanks for the input gang - keep it coming.  I want to make this a very useful area for you here on StartupNation.com.
Rich - no problem doing a Blog with a discussion - that way I can hit both types of readers.  I`ll start a discussion on topics that warrant it.
The Swaynester -  Agreed!  I`ll do a Blog on what you actually need to start an Ebay business for both casual sellers and sellers who want to run a business.
MiteyMite -  dropshipping and shipping in general are both really good topics to discuss - we`ll do it!
 
Thanks!
 
 
 
 

patentandtrademark

For what it is worth, I have represented software vendors who sold [and still sell] original software on e-bay.  You might want to have a look at the e-bay policies on that if you sell software or the like.  I got the impressions there were "robots" out there looking for software seller violations and issuing warnings and suspending accounts without first FULLY investigating what the facts were.

InflatableMadness

James, you are exactly right.  Microsoft, for example, relentlessly shuts down auctions for Microsoft software (as the rights owner, Ebay gives them the authority to end auctions).
I`ve has personal experience with this.  Way back in the beginning, when I was still trying to figure out what to sell on Ebay, I was at a flea market one day and came across a brand new, unopened, fully retail licensed copy of Office 2003.  The seller wanted $5.00, but I`m an Ebayer, so I bought it for $2.00.
Much to my dismay, within hours of posting the auction,  Microsoft took it down.   I actually had to take pictures of the box`s UPC code, and open the box and take pictures of the COA, and send them to Microsoft, who then relented and allowed the auction to continue.   I think it sold for $200.00 - my best ROI ever!
-Kevin
 
 

patentandtrademark

Thanks for the e-bay experience.  I guess I can understand everybody`s point of view in these transactions.  The creator does not want to get copied.  E-bay does not want litigation for selling fake stuff.  E-bay does not want to spends lots of time and money to become an "investigator" or fact finder in lots of cases.  The seller/reseller does not want to get shut out of the opportunity. 

Ling

Hi Kevin,I saw you speak with SuN at eBay Live!  It was inspiring.I sell $8K - 10K each month in women`s suits on eBay.  Shining-Star-Suits   My questions for you:  What is your 2-3 year outlook on eBay sales overall?   Do you see the market becoming more competitve for eBay sellers or will new buyers match seller growth?  Do you see any threats to the health of the eBay ecosystem?Thanks,Michelle

RSchlieper

Hello Kevin,
   The Blogs on eBay are very helpful.  My son has been selling/buying from eBay for several years now and the addition of Blogs, he says, has very much helped him.
    I also agree with MiteyMite.
Thanks.
Ron

InflatableMadness

Hi Michelle,
You`re certainly in a good category - I`ve got to think there`s good demand for your product on Ebay.
My 2-3 year outlook for Ebay is as follows, and comes after seeing firsthand whats going on, and paying attention to ecommerce trends and investor analysis:
Ebay has a maturing market issue at hand - growth is still healthy, but slowing, especially in the US. 
Another troubling issue is the number of registered users on Ebay vs. the number of users that actively bought on Ebay in the past 6 months.  The "active" users are actually shrinking relative to the number of registered users.   I draw the conclusion here that people are having bad buying experiences on the site and not returning.    Ebay Express is hopefully an answer for this problem.
The last issue for Ebay is the 500 pound gorilla in the room - Google.   From my point of view, Ebay has been spending the last 6-12 months developing strategy to cope with Google`s increasing intrusion into Ebay`s turf.  Blogs, wikis, reviews, guides, etc - all anti-Google tactics.   Ebay`s partnership with Yahoo - Google.   Google has now introduced a payment system to compete with PayPal, and has introduced a commerce site of sorts with Google Base.
Ebay has never faced any real competion - several companies have tried to compete - Yahoo, Overstock.com, etc, but they have not succeeded.  Google may prove to be the much needed competition that Ebay needs.
So, the long answer to your question is - the future is much more cloudy for Ebay now than it has been in the past.
-Kevin
 
 
 
 

Tyler

I would like to say i am an ebay specialist. In 2003 I was 19 years old and my friend introduced me to ebay. I fell in love and we found a couple wholesalers to sell us cutlery and fantasy knives. Our business was thriving, we sold over 10,000 a month the first month. After about 7 months of that everyone started selling knives and not knowing enough about marketing, budgeting, business in general we just gave up and figured that if we couldnt import directly not to even try to compete on ebay. There is no easy way of finding great suppliers and I thank god its like that considering if it was easy to find suppliers your competition could find your product and compete with you once again. I am now selling on ebay once again in a couple different catg. but all my suppliers came from calling companies up and researching. If you find a particular product unless its being imported from china, which alot of products are just call the manufacture and ask them, how to get ahold of there product in smaller quantities from a wholesaler. They should be able to help you out considering they want there products to sell.