Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween to all you ghosts and goblins. I really love this time of year. The days are crisp and bright and the nights are nippy. Here in Atlanta, autumn finally arrived last weekend and I thought it would never come. The harvest moon has been spectacular and the fall leaves are just beginning to show some color here in the heart of the south. A former mayor of Atlanta referred to October as "the golden month" and he is so right. I can't articulate it, but the sunlight is somehow different - not so harsh and definitely gentler. Halloween, in one form or another, has been celebrated for thousands of years and it reminds us that we are part of a human race that extends so far back in time that we have no records or history. Have a wonderful evening and don't eat too much candy. :-)

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October Special Expires In Only 4 Days

In our last issue we talked about the eBay Secret Interviews course with Armand Morin, Chris Malta, Jim Cockrum, Todd Taylor, Dale Calvert, the 9 member of the Hundred Million Dollar Roundtable, and me.

http://auction-secret-interviews.com

Anybody buying the CD of our Auction Genius Course, complete with bonuses, gets a free copy of eBay Secrets Interview. If you've ever considered buying our CD, now it the time. You can find the details here:

http://auction-genius-course.com/october.shtml

Our $50 off the price of the program for readers of this ezine remain. Use the code below when you are checking out.

sei-ag

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Sign Up For 5 No Cost Teleseminars

Beginning November 8, we are hosting a series of no-cost seminars with names that most of you know. My friends Brad Fallon and Andy Jenkins are two of the biggest names on the Net when it comes to search engine marketing. The first one is only a little over a week away and "stars" my friend Andy Jenkins who is 2.5 million dollars in 2004. Andy has numerous online stores selling everything from swords to tapestries to sports collectibles. Andy has a huge mailing list and this call is sure to fill up quickly so get on the list now if you want to interact with Andy.

Teleseminar schedule:

November 8: Andy Jenkins
November 15: Todd Taylor
November 21: Robin Cowie - partner of Chris Malta
November 29: Sydney Johnston
December 6: Brad Fallon

http://sell-physical-products.com/teleseminar.shtml

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A $0 Online Selling Education From Leading Net Marketers

One of the best talk show radio hosts in America is a friend named Mike Lamb. For years, Mike hosted the incredibly popular "Money Room" radio shows. For various reasons, Mike has been off the air for the past couple of years, but I am thrilled to report that he is back.

I know Mike personally and I have been very impressed with his integrity. Beside which, he has a mellow and pleasing voice - very important on the radio. His new show features leading Internet marketers, many of whom give Mike interviews when they won't talk to anyone else. He has a way of asking tough questions and getting answers, which makes his interviews especially valuable.

Right now, you can hear interviews with:

* Ted Nicholas: known as the "600 Million Dollar Man" because he has sold that many products due to his awesome copy writing skills.

* Rosalind Gardner: she is famous for her book explaining how she made in excess of four hundred thousand dollars in one year selling affiliate products

* Jay Conrad Levinson: known for his "GuerrilaMarketing" books, including Guerrilla Marketing: Secrets for Making Big Profits from Your Small Business; Guerrilla Marketing in 30 Days; Guerrilla Marketing for Free: Dozens of No-Cost Tactics to Promote Your Business and Energize Your Profits.

There are new Moneyroom shows every two days (three programs on-demand every week). There is only ONE way to listen to these shows and that is via the Internet by using your own personal player which can be downloaded here:

http://www.getyouraudioplayer.com

The player costs you nothing - all you have to do is download it and you can listen to Mike and his constant stream of guests.

Why is this fr**? Mike's goal is to build an audience of 500,000 listeners within six months. Then he will be able to sell advertising on the Moneyroom and make a profit for his work. He will almost certainly succeed because he is just that good.

See you on the air. :-)

http://www.getyouraudioplayer.com

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Feature Article: How To Sell Really Expensive Physical Products On eBay

When asked for advice about selling a Lladro collectible on eBay, I took the time to distinguish between expensive items and those that are of more modest cost. Every eBay auction, without exception, needs smart sales copy and outstanding pictures. But buyers think much harder about buying an item costing hundreds of dollars than they do about cheaper ones, so there are extras required. We are using the example of a Lladro collectible, but these observations apply equally well to any expensive collectible.

1. Packing is especially important when the merchandise is breakable, like a Lladro figurine. How, exactly, will you ensure safe transit? Think it through before listing your items and make it crystal clear in your auction. All collectors dread the thought of receiving a package that rattles! A collectibles' buyer is fearful of losing her money and she certainly doesn't want the hassle of collecting insurance from the carrier or fighting with you, the seller. She needs to know that you, the seller, have the knowledge to ensure safe delivery of her collectible.

2. Fraud is rampant on the Net. In fact, the reputation for fraud probably exceeds the reality.

So anything you can do to prove that your Lladro figurine is legitimate will win you increased bids. Do you have the original box? Does it have a marking or label? Can you offer a certificate of authenticity or an appraisal by a well known authority? If so, make certain that you let all buyers know, and pictorial proof is highly desirable.

A Lladro figurine sold on eBay for the amazing (at least to me) price of $6,999.99. Any buyer spending that kind of money a s-e-r-i-o-u-s collector and is naturally very concerned that what she is buying is indeed authentic. The seller wisely offered the kind of proof we are suggesting.

3. Consider offering an escrow service to the buyer. An escrow is a neutral third party that holds the money until both parties are satisfied. Such a service is very reassuring to a nervous buyer. You know you're not a cheat, but a prospective buyer doesn't. Your buyer might not use the escrow service but she won't feel as worried if it is available.

In almost all cases the buyer pays for escrow. Be certain you are specific about this before the sale.

4. Have your opening price absurdly low. Yes, absurdly! What is the smallest amount you will accept for each figurine or other collectible? Use that price as your reserve.

If you must have $700 to make the auction worthwhile, make your opening bid $20 (this is an example only). You aren't at risk as the seller because you don't have to sell unless the price reaches your pre-determined $700.

If you open the bidding at $700 won't will not attract nearly as many buyers as an opening bid of $20. Oddly enough, most often the lower opening bid items end their auctions with higher prices than bids that opened much higher. Logical? No, but it's the way of life on eBay.

5. When figuring shipping cost, include enough for insurance. Do not under any circumstances make this optional with expensive am item like a Lladro figurine. You do not want the liability of a broken figurine and a litigious customer. Any genuine collector will be as eager as you to protect her investment.

6. Some sellers are willing to sell and ship worldwide, while others are not. If you are willing to send your Lladro figurine across the world, realize that your chances of being cheated increase outside the US. We have the Address Verification System (AVS) which is somewhat protective, but outside the country your chances of fraud, especially in 3rd world countries is much higher. This isn't discrimination - it's fact. Make sure you have received genuine fund before mailing abroad and inform international buyers beforehand that there will be a delay. It's not only 'Caveat Emptor' - it's also 'Seller Beware'.

7. The only necessary guarantee is that of fraud protection. A genuine collector knows what she is buying and there is no reason for a return. Besides, are you confident that if a buyer returns your Lladro collectible that it will arrive undamaged? Getting into a hassle over broken merchandise should be avoided at all costs.

And of course there is a high potential loss of listing fees with eBay, in the event of a refund.

Remember and follow these special 'rules' for selling a Lladro figurine - and all other such expensive collectibles - for your protection and increased profits.

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Really Ignorant Thieves

Some of the thieves that are trying to get my account information are really idiots. Case in point the following emails.

I count 12 errors in this monstrosity - more if you include the fact that it should be "a maximum of". Would eBay really send out something like this?

"Dear eBay member:
It has come to our attenton that your eBay billing informations are
out of order. Please folow the insturctions to update your billing records you will not run
into any futur probelms with the online service afther this update. However, failure
to update your records will result in acccount terminatin. Please
update your records in maximum 48 hours"

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Another ignorant email asked me to "Please update your records by the 28th of September" (email received on October 25)

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A new scam is an email reporting that I won an auction and somebody is sending me a fairly expensive goodie.

"Title: Your eBay item has been shipper

I have shipped the following item to you. You should be receiving it shortly.

Item title: (man's ring)
Web Address: (expired auction)
Item number: (false number)
Seller User ID: (no such person)
Total: seventy nine dollars

Once your item arrives in satisfactory condition, please leave feedback for me. I will do the same for you.
Thank you again!

In the event that there has been a mistake, please correct it here"

Naturally, there is a link where I can "correct" this mistake and ... surprise, surprise ... it wants all my eBay information.

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eBay Buyers & Sellers Police Each Other

This is a legitimate email. It is an attempt by eBay buyers and sellers to get rid of someone they claim is dishonest. It's an encouraging trend if eBay users will police each other rather than relying on eBay to do so.

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"Hello,You Are on my mail list because you may have bought some seeds or bamboo poles from me in the past. There is a guy his ebay ID is ADAMHERST. He is ripping off a lot of people on ebabay. I`m one of them. Just in the past 30 days he has gotten over 500 neg feedback. There is a petition going around to have him booted off ebay. You don`t have to be a victim of his to sign. Check out his feedback. If you think he needs to get the boot please sign.
Thank you
Tom Petition Spot - Remove Adam Hersh From Ebay
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/AntiAdam"

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eBay MISInformation Is Everywhere!

eBay is (today) the #4 most-trafficked website in the world. So naturally, there are all kinds of so-called experts roaming the web claiming to understand eBay. And some of the ... garbage ... that is published is astonishing. For instance, I found this in a recent article. The topic of this absurdity was about how to get one-way links to your website from eBay:

“After you have successfully registered with the website, you can start placing the products for auction. This would include a link to your website with the product. You can go for multiple links to your websites for even a single product.”

Nonsense!

eBay couldn't be more specific than this:

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Question: May I link to my Web site or Home page from the View Item page?

eBay: No, you may not link to your Home page or Web site from the View Item page.

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There's lots more on the subject, of course, but that one sentence will suffice to make the point. And the penalties for disobeying these rules are as follows:

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Violations of this policy may result in a range of actions, including:

Listing cancellation
Limits on account privileges
Account suspension
Forfeit of eBay fees on canceled listings
Loss of PowerSeller status

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Yes, you can break the rules and stay one step ahead of the eBay police. That is a colossal waste of energy, though. It's exhausting and the amount of time spent could be more profitably used getting real links.

But here's the real point ... what use is it to get a link from a page that will last, at most, for only 10 days?

Yes, there are ways to use eBay to build your online business and we teach those in our Auction Genius Course but this surely isn't one of them. It's ridiculous advice.