EBay Consignments: The Giant Opportunity hiding on eBay (Part I)

More and more people are becoming aware that they have potential cash sitting in their closets, attics and cellars. But not everyone has the time or the know-how to tap into it, so these items remain where they are or are sold. Or worse, they are thrown out with the garbage. eBay is going to change that.

The games are a growing opportunity for eBay sellers and eBay experts an advantage for consumers who want to download their "stuff"

Heres a common scenario:

Renee has a basement full of record albums from 1940, which he inherited from his uncle's property. She has no interest in them, and I'd see what he could get for them on eBay. The trouble is, Renee is not only familiar with how eBay works, but it is also a "technophobe". She breaks out in a rash every time she sees a computer or a digital camera. But, Renee has heard something on eBay shipments.

So, Renee asks her neighbor Anne, the magician eBay, to help her. Anne does a quick check of eBay recently closed auctions to see what similar items are selling for. Renee is adjusted expectations with this information, and the next day Renee drops her full cartons of records.

Ann takes a couple of digital photos, write a general description for the pool, and launch your eBay auction. Invites potential bidders to e-mail her with any questions.

Things go smoothly, and a week after the lot was sold. Renee is satisfied with his earnings and extremely grateful to Anne. Asks Anne what she needs for her hard work. Anne, good neighbor that is, accepting only enough to cover its costs and eBay says that Renee can take her out to lunch some time.

An Opportunity Seized

This type of informal agreement is underway between members and nonmembers of the eBay community for several years. Auctions Many say that "I'm selling this item to a friend", or "a woman in my neighborhood they found in her attic and asked me to sell on eBay."

eBay, which has a talent to keep an ear to the ground, spotting trends, saw a golden opportunity in this type of agreement. In 2002, they launched "eBay Trading Assistant" program.

The program runs on the same basic principle eBay shipments, only more formalized. Sellers can now heralded as Trading Assistants on eBay, and people with items to sell can use the eBay Trading Assistant Directory to find someone in their area.

Because of eBay's minimum requirements to become a "TA", only sellers with experience and a good reputation (or high scores on positive feedback, in "ebay language") have the privilege to sell items for others.

Benefits for all

The system favors the Trading Assistant and expanding their reach well beyond the next door neighbor. When a seller joins the Trading Assistant, he or she is telling the world that they are willing to sell to others.

For those looking for lots of eBay as a way to cash in their "stuff", the system offers a source of "official" eBay sellers and experts about how things
job.

And of course this brings more business to eBay. As always, eBay is simply the portal for the sale of ships, not an employer in the Trading Assistant. So every individual "TA" is its own rules on how they intend to structure their business on eBay shipments.

How it works

Trading Assistants are experienced eBay sellers who have expressed their willingness to sell items for others for a fee. People who want to hire a Trading Assistant can search the Trading Assistant Directory to find someone to sell to them. All terms of how services are negotiated between Trading Assistants and their clients. You can become a Trading Assistant if you meet some basic requirements (1 for sale in the past 30 days and a feedback rating of at least 50 points with less than 2% of negative feedback).

Costs and Requirements

Currently, it costs nothing to become a Trading Assistant and be listed in the eBay Trading Assistant Directory shipments. eBay has not expressed any intention of charging for it, but they do reserve the right to change their policies.

To become a Trading Assistant, you must meet the following requirements:

-You've sold at least 4 articles in the last 30 days.

-Have a feedback score of 50 or higher.

-97% Or more of your answers are positive.

-Your eBay account is in good standing.

Note: The ability to merge the directory is a privilege, not a right, and eBay can remove the ability of CT to send to the directory if you receive complaints and / or find evidence of unprofessional behavior.

Get Interestng

According to Walt Duflock, director of eBay's Trading Assistant program, the sales game has really taken off since the launch of the program:

The TA-program began in February 2002

-There are over 50,000 registered trading assistants worldwide as of August 2004

- "Collectibles" category is a very active customers and TA TAS

How to Find or Become a Trading Assistant

To find a "TA" At eBay, you will be asked to enter your ZIP code to find a Trading Assistant near you, you can manage your shipments ebay. To find someone who specializes in particular products or services, you can select a category of items or use their "Advanced Search" link.

Provided you meet the above requirements, you can fill the online application to become a TA eBay and start your eBay business quickly matches. Although you can run your business however you choose, and you are not employed by eBay, they do provide some assistance:

eBay provides substantial resources for the program, Trading Assistant, Trading Assistant Worshops each other like the recent one titled "Getting the Most Out of the new Trading Assistant directory." The "Trading Assistant Toolkit" is a comprehensive directory of tools and training to help Trading Assistants market their services better and find more customers.

eBay also offers a reimbursement program, Advertising, which helps PowerSellers market their products and services offline subsidizing a percentage of their

advertising campaigns. And eBay has produced at least two training manuals outlining Best Practices for Marketing, Sales, fincance, efficiency and work with clients.

With all these resources at hand, anyone interested in shipping eBay, is to draw "the money in the attic", or to facilitate their success of eBay, is not likely to be disappointed.

Be sure to look for Part II, where eBay has a program to the next level with the Trading Post .......