Is Selling on EBay Still Profitable in 2008?

Thank you for reading this article! Let me first say thatmany people have jumped on the eBay band wagon
this article is written as of September 2008. As you alland eBay is now overcrowded.
know, America is suffering from the largest economicLet's talk a little about Dave Espino's "auctions for
crisis in decades. According to CNN news, overincome" system.
159,000 jobs were cut this year and internet spendingYou may have seen the 2am infomercial on TV but
is clearly down at the moment. With that being said ourdoes it work? I have reviewed his system and 90% of
focus today is on the auction giant "eBay". With overwhat I read and watched on his dvd's were realistic
147 million members worldwide eBay is currently theand informative but not geared toward eBay's present
largest and most popular auction site in the world. Ipolicies. His student's claim that they earn $100,000,
myself was once a member of this auction site,$200,000 and one claims that she made $1.2 million. I
however, escalating fees and unreasonable newwonder if they are talking profits or just total overall
policies have drove me and thousands more awaysales! Dave's students tell you how much money they
from eBay. It seems that more and more people aremade, but not when they made it. From experience I
becoming aware of eBay's shortcomings, but theknow that they must have started selling on eBay
question is:before eBay became so oversaturated with sellers.
Is selling on eBay still profitable in our current economyKeep this in mind, if you are a new seller, eBay now
where retail and even internet spending is declining?limits the amount of items you can sell as well as what
Well, to answer that question you have to ask yourselftypes of payments you can accept. Dave's course
a question! Are you prepared to pay eBay's feeswould have you to believe that you can read his book,
whether your items sell or not? eBay charges a hostwatch his dvd and just start making piles of money on
of fees including, insertion fees, starting price fees, "buyeBay. This is not true! eBay fully regulates the amount
it now" fees as well as fees for special features likeof money you can make and eBay has actually
highlighted borders and featured gallery. If your iteminstituted a new policy in which the money you make is
does not sell, you are still responsible to pay theseheld for up to 21 days after the end of your sale(For
charges. A poll conducted by revealed that 54% ofnew members). eBay is also instituting a new policy in
auction items listed on eBay receive no bids and thusNovember that will no longer allow sellers to accept
do not sell. According to Auctiva.com(A partner site ofchecks or money orders as a form of payment for
ebay), 60% of fixed price(Buy it now) items don't selltheir items. This means that you will have to use
either.PayPal which is owned by eBay or some other
This doesn't mean that you have no chance of makingelectronic type of payment. eBay claims that this policy
a great income on eBay, it just means that it will not beis to promote safety but savvy sellers know that this
easy. There are many sellers who make a great 5just means more money for PayPal and ultimately
and even 6 figure income from selling on eBay. Thesemore money for eBay. I recommend that anyone
sellers are called "powersellers". Many of theselooking to join eBay as a seller check out This is a site
powersellers will tell you that they began their eBaycreated by some of eBay's top powersellers to
journey when eBay first opened it's doors in 1995.discuss their displeasure with what eBay has become.
Ebay was a very different place in those days. In theIn summary, eBay has become very crowded with
nineties you were free to sell whatever you wantedsellers(This means that you will have a lot of
with very few restrictions. There was also greatcompetition!) and the amount of items you can sell is
customer service then due to the fact that eBayregulated by eBay's policies. Before you will make any
hadn't grown so large yet. All in all, eBay has changedreal money on eBay, you also have to build a good
and the site has become over-saturated with sellers. Ifreputation of positive feedback. This will take take time
you browse the collectibles section you will find over 2seeing that eBay has new policies on this aspect of
million listings. If you're looking for an Ipod in electronics,their site as well. As a former eBay seller I suggest
you have your choice of over 94 thousand listings. Thethat sellers do their research and try their hands at
idea of being able to make a great income from thebuilding a website of their own. It will take time and you
comfort of your home was too good for the commonwill experience trial and error as you go along but it's
dreamer to resist. eBay offered just that, a great wayworth it. Thank you for taking the time to read my
to make extra money from home. Over the years,article, my next article will be "5 alternatives to eBay".