Resources: Tips for Starting an eBay Business
June 29th, 2005 by Laurie BarakSource: MSNBC
Thinking about starting an eBay business? MSNBC has an article by Cliff Ennico of Entrepreneur.com that gives you some basic steps but very important guidelines.
Here’s a brief overview:
1. Register your business with state and local tax authorities. eBay businesses are retail businesses, so remember your state’s sales tax.
2. What will you sell? Think about products, prices, shipping costs, where to store your inventory and research shipping and packing options so your auction items arrive to their Buyers safely.
3. Learn how to manage your auctions. You can use an online auction management service or do it yourself or use the “Buy it Now” option.
4. Always provide superior customer service. If Buyers ask you questions and you don’t respond promptly, they may not want to bid or buy. Make sure you leave your Buyer positive feedback if their payment arrived in a timely manner. Remember eBay’s Square Trade service - it’s definitely a help.
5. Start an eBay “About Me” page. It’s free and your Buyers will feel like they know something about you as well as your business. And there’s always eBay stores, which you can build yourself or use software to assist you.
Ennico’s article also includes information about tax laws for retail businesses and adding sales tax information to your auctions. It’s a great article that’s easy to follow even for the new eBay businessperson.
Link to the complete article on MSNBC by clicking here.
