E-mail: Name:

November 1 , 2007

In This Issue:

* We Hope You Had A Safe & Happy Halloween!
* Why You Haven't Heard From Us In So Long ... & Why You Need To Care If You Have A Net Biz
* If You Want To Continue To Get This Ezine ...
* Free Video: Acquiring & Storing eBay Products For Resale ...
* How To Block Bidders From Your eBay Auctions ...
* Classroom Humor ...

We hope you had a safe, happy - and scary - Halloween evening

Why You Haven't Heard From Us In So Long ... & Why You Need To Care If You Have A Net Biz

We formerly sent out frequent issues of this Auction Gold ezine, but they've gotten increasingly sparse. In fact, our last issue was August 10. It isn't that we're less active or that we've lost interest. The problem is that email has become increasingly uncertain.

THE PROBLEM: As always, the losers and scumbags spoil it for honest people. The volume of spam has increased astronomically - some analysts claim that 90% of email on the Net is spam. And it's so disgusting, too. So, naturally, in an effort to protect themselves, users have installed tougher and tougher spam controls. This means that even legitimate mail - mail that WE request and want - gets filtered out.

What makes it worse is that there are many folks who simply report email as spam - even when it isn't - because it's easier than unsubscribing. This makes it harder for everyone.

WHY THIS AFFECTS YOU: If you market on the Net - and you most likely do if you're reading this ezine - then your mail is likely getting filtered out, too. If your list isn't huge, it might not be a problem. But as it grows in number, you two will be frustrated by being labelled a spammer - even when you're not.

A SOLUTION ... MAYBE? Your email is more likely to get through if it's certified. There are companies who deal with the big email providers - Yahoo, hot mail, aol, gmail, etc. - and if you are a client they will certify that you are not a spammer and are following certain rules and regulations of legal and fair email. So, the big email systems are willing to deliver your mail to their customers.

This is what we have done. The problems:

1. It costs money.

2. It's incredibly time consuming to become certified. The company we use estimates 3-6 months to get certified. It took us five months. And they are awesomely thorough (they know what we had for dinner last night!)

3. You must have your own server. They will not certify you if you have a shared webhosting account. This makes sense because while you aren't a spammer someone who is on the same server as you very well might be spamming the world.

What If You Don't Have Your Own Server?

In that case, you will need to have your hosting account with a company that certifies your mail.

THE BOTTOM LINE: the days of free email are pretty much over. I don't mean that sending email to family and friends is over - that will likely be free for a long time, and possibly it may always be free.

However, the days of sending out emails to hundreds of thousands of subscribers - AND HAVING THEM DELIVERED! - are mostly gone. Too bad. Once again, the Bad Guys ruin it for everybody else.

Free Video: Acquiring & Storing eBay Products For Resale

Below are concerns from two of my students about two issues:

ISSUE #1: "Does my home have to become a mini-warehouse, storing merchandise for sale on eBay?"

ISSUE #2: "What if I don't have a lot of money to spend on inventory?"

"I may be jumping the gun a bit here but I would appreciate some ideas and direction. Now that my own flood has started, the last thing that I want to do is become a mini-warehouse. I realize that drop shipping is not the best or easiest way to go. Therefore, ordering products and storing them for sale and shipment seems to be the direction that this class is taking us. Problem is I live in a small apartment where space is pretty much at a premium. Making the kind of money that I am shooting for on eBay would fill my place to the rafters. I may even have to tell hubby to sleep in the car! So what I am asking is, how can I minimize the stocking of goods that are to be sold? Since small items like jewelry is a hard niche to compete with and not suggested by Sydney, where do I go from here. Also the cash investment needed to buy larger orders from wholesalers can be quite a chunk and financially for me would be a little difficult right now. Any suggestions will be welcome. This is a great class by the way!"

- - - - - - -

"Great question. I think your asking an extremely valuable question and it is something that should be addressed in class tomorrow. I'm not interested in stocking a mini-warehouse either and I'm sure that Sydney doesn't have a mini-warehouse at her residence and must have the answer to that question. Initially for the process of learning I think we are going to have to buy some relatively inexpense small items and develop good working templates and strategies, but I don't believe that is the ultimate goal that Sydney has in mind for us."

My answers to these two very important eBay selling questions are blunt - and possibly unpopular. But that's OK because only those folks who are willing to face the truth about what's required are going to be successful anyway.

How To Block Bidders From Your eBay Auctions

Yes, eBay allows you to block bidders from your auctions. You might be wondering why you would want to block anybody from one of your auctions or Buy It Nows? There are some really valid reasons as you'll see below.

Where Do I Go To Block Bidders?

Go to your "My eBay" folder. This is available to all eBay account holders and can be accessed from the home page of eBay, as well as most other pages on the site. Look in the upper right hand corner.

WHO Can I Block?

There are strong reasons for blocking certain kinds of buyers - or, should we say, "Pretend" buyers.

#1: Specific IDS

You can block up to 1,000 specific bidders. These are done by eBay IDs and all you need to do is fill in the form, separating each buyer with a comma. These bidders/buyers who will no longer be able to bid on, or purchase, your listings. The list will apply to all your items. You can add or delete bidders/buyers at any time.

#2: Block Specific Countries

When you list any merchandise on eBay, you can specify countries to which you will sell. This, naturally, excludes other countries, so it would seem that blocking bidders from a specific country can be overkill. However, this requirement can help you avoid buyers who agree to purchase your items without realizing you don't ship to their location.

For instance, I don't ship to France because their customs process is horrendous! Lost merchandise, partial merchandise, delays of weeks are all, sadly, common in France. Having French residents bid on my items is a waste, so eliminating this problem by blocking that country saves both them, and me, some stress.

#3: Block Buyers With A Negative Feedback Score

We can block buyers who have a feedback score of -1, -2 or -3. This requirement can help you avoid buyers who have received more negative than positive feedback from other eBay members bidding on your item. Chances are if the buyer has negative feedback, there are good reasons and our encounter with them will most likely be unpleasant, too.


#4: Block Buyers With "Unpaid Item" Strikes

We can block buyers who have received 2 Unpaid Item strikes in the last 30 days. This requirement can help you avoid buyers with a history of not paying for items they have agreed to purchase. The advantages of this are obvious. In fact, eBay only allows this block under the conditions stated above which are far too generous, in my opinion. I think that two strikes at any time would be more reasonable.

#5: Block Buyers Who May Bid On Several Of My Items & Not Pay For Them

For some mysterious reason, bidders sometimes seem to have a vendetta against a particular seller. These losers delight in bidding on most or every auction of a particular seller - and then refusing to pay. Fortunately, I haven't suffered this kind of attack but I know two people who have and it's very unpleasant - and expensive - to deal with. Obviously it happens more than we're normally aware or eBay wouldn't have a rule specifically for this problem.

This rule allows us to b lock buyers who are currently winning or have bought 1-10, 25, 59, 75 or 100 of my items in the last 10 days.

In addition, there is an option of only applying this block to buyers who have a feedback score of 0-5. How does this work in real life? Here are some eBay examples.

Example 1
You select “Block buyers who are currently winning or have bought ‘10' of my items in the last 10 days.” You also select “Only apply this block to buyers who have a feedback score of ‘5' or lower.” Two eBay members, eBaydaisy (feedback score of 7), and johneBay (feedback score of 3), are currently winning or have bought some of your items and are interested in bidding on or buying more.

eBaydaisy (feedback score of 7) is currently winning or has bought 10 of your items in the last 10 days. When eBaydaisy tries to bid on or buy another of your items, she will not be blocked. Although you are blocking buyers who are currently winning or have bought more than 10 of your items in the last 10 days, eBaydaisy has a feedback score of 7, which is higher than the 5 you set as part of the requirement. johneBay (feedback score of 3) is currently winning or has bought 10 of your items in the last 10 days. When johneBay tries to bid on or buy another of your items, he will be blocked. johneBay’s feedback score is 3, which is lower than the 5 you set as part of the block.Example 2
You select “Block buyers who are currently winning or have bought ‘10’ of my items in the last 10 days.” You do not select “Only apply this block to buyers who have a feedback score of ‘0-5’ or lower.” eBaydaisy (feedback score of 7) will be blocked when she tries to bid on or buy another of your items. This is because you are blocking buyers who are currently winning or have bought 10 items from you in the last 10 days, and you have chosen not to apply the block only to buyers who have a feedback score of ‘0-5’ or lower. In this situation, eBaydaisy will be blocked regardless of her feedback score.

johneBay (feedback score of 3) will still be blocked, since you have chosen not to apply the block only to buyers who have a feedback score of ‘0-5’ or lower. In this situation, johneBay will be blocked regardless of his feedback score. In fact, any buyer who is currently winning or has bought the maximum-allowed number of your items in the last 10 days will be blocked, regardless of their feedback score.

#6: Buyers Without A PayPal Account

eBay claims that PayPal account holders have up to an 80% lower "Unpaid Item" rate, therefore we are able to b lock buyers who don't have a PayPal account.

What If I Currently Have Listings Posted?

Whenever you decide to apply some of these blocks, all open listings will be affected. However, all existing bids will be unaffected, meaning that if someone with negative feedback is ALREADY bidding on one of your listings, that bid will remain.

The "Buyer Requirements Exemption List"

To allow specific eBay members to bid on or purchase your items regardless of any requirement(s) you select, add them to your buyer requirements exemption list. This means that they can bid, even if they are affected by one of the conditions above that you have already blocked.

Clearly, there are occasions in which the 'bidder blocking' features can be highly desirable. Use restraint, though, since you're potentially reducing the number of bidders for your listings.

Classroom Humor

A first grade teacher had twenty-five students in her class. She presented each child in her class the first half of a well known proverb and asked them to come up with the remainder of the proverb. The insight of first graders may surprise you. Keep in mind that these are 6-year-olds and therefore innocent & honest. How soon they learn - and they learn from us.

1. Don't change horses ... until they stop running.

2. Strike while the ... bug is close.

3. It's always darkest before ... Daylight Saving Time.

4. Never underestimate the power of ... termites.

5. You can lead a horse to water but ... how?

6. Don't bite the hand that ... looks dirty.

7. No news is ... impossible.

8. A miss is as good as a ... Mr.

9. You can't teach an old dog new ... math

10. If you lie down with dogs you'll ... stink in the morning.

11. Love all, trust ... me.

12. The pen is mightier than the ... pig.

13. An idle mind is ... the best way to relax.

14. Where there's smoke there's ... pollution.

15. Happy the bride who ... gets all the presents.

16. A penny saved is ... not much.

17. Two's company, three's ... the Musketeers.

18. Don't put off till tomorrow what ... you put on to go to bed.

19. Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry ... and you have to blow your nose.

20. There are none so blind as ... Stevie Wonder.

21. Children should be seen and not ... spanked or grounded.

22. If at first you don't succeed ... get new batteries.

23. You get out of something only what you ... see in the picture on the picture box.

24. Better late ... than pregnant!