eBay Auction Life-Cycle: Anatomy of a Sale

Most people consider starting a business of their ownwords will help a perspective buyer find a seller's items
at some point during their lives. With all of theduring the search..
opportunities there are for making money online these3. Buyer enters a bid large enough to beat out other
days, it easy to get started. Regardless of whetherbidders and win sellers item. Since eBay has a proxy
you want to sell products or provide services, eBay isbidding system a bidder can enter the highest bid they
a great place to test the online retail waters.feel comfortable placing right at the start of the bidding
There is a casual, almost garage-sale-like, atmosphereprocess. Note that the highest bid a buyer places will
to eBay, but don't let that fool you, eBay is bigonly be used if there is competition with other bidders
business. There are over 750,000 people making theirthat forces the bid up, if there is no competition for the
fulltime living on eBay. If you are considering becomeitem the bid will not increase, regardless of the highest
one of them, then you have to enter into this arena,proxy bid entered.
fully prepared to win. The first step in getting started4. The buyer initiates payment to the seller through
with an eBay business is to become familiar with thePaypal, check or money order. eBay owns Paypal and
eBay website.as such Paypal is the easiest way to make payments
Spend some time getting to know the environment. Ifonline. Over 85% of all eBay transactions use Paypal.
you don't already have an eBay account, open one up.5. Seller packs the item and ships. Breakage in shipping
Once you have a registered account you can begin tois one of the biggest reason for returns on eBay. It
make small purchases. By purchasing small items youpays to spend the extra time and expense for bubble
minimize your risk while learning how this ecommercewrap, strong boxes, and packing tape, to ensure that
giant operates, while at the same time building up youran item arrives intact.
positive feedback.6. Buyer receives package. Delivery confirmation and
Whether you ultimately want to be a seller or justpackage tracking allow both buyer and seller to be
mainly a buyer, going through the entire life-cycle of anaware of when the package arrives.
auction will help you see all the various facets of7. Positive feedback left by both parties. If the seller
planning, initiating and following through with a sale onaccurately describes the item, listing the item with lots
eBay.of pictures, charges actual shipping costs, packages
There are eight steps in the eBay auction life cycle.the item, and ships promptly, they will more than likely
have a happy buyer. If the buyer pays promptly, uses
1. Prospective buyer registers to sell. Before a sellerPaypal, and leaves the seller positive feedback, the
can begin selling items on eBay they must register. Thebuyer will more than likely make the seller happy.
registration process is easy and only requires you toWhen both parties are happy they usually trade
put in basic information about yourself.positive feedback. As you can see the process of
2. Registered buyer searches for and finds seller'sunderstanding ecommerce on eBay is easy, you just
item. A good title with appropriate, descriptive keyhave to be familiar with the rules of the game.