DEAR FELLOW E-BAYERS,

 THIS ISN'T REALLY A GUIDE BUT A PLEA TO MORE EXPERIENCED E-BAYERS TO ASK FOR ADVICE WITH REGARDS TO OPENING A SHOP ( BUT FOR NEWCOMERS TO E-BAY, I DO GIVE SOME TIPS IN THIS "SO CALLED GUIDE" AS WELL )

 I HAVE BEEN TRADING FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS AND NOW HAVE A 100% POSITIVE RATING OF APPROX 210 ( NB: OVER 2 MONTHS OF THE 6 I WAS VIRTUALLY OFF-LINE DUE TO TECHNICAL BROADBAND PROBLEMS). I AM NOW PLACING ON AVERAGE A MINIMUM PER MONTH OF APPROX. 50 ITEMS. ABOUT 60% SELL AND THE OTHERS; I EITHER RE-LIST COSTING ME FURTHER EXPENSE OR I CHANGE THE LOT IN QUESTION BY ADDING MORE PRODUCT TO IT AND THEN DECIDE WHAT TO DO FOR THE BEST !

I ALWAYS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SPECIAL LISTING DAYS EACH MONTH  WHERE YOU CAN LIST ITEMS A LOT CHEAPER ( ANY NEW E-BAYERS READING THIS; IF YOU SUBSCRIBE TO E-BAYS INFORMATION E-MAILS YOU WILL RECEIVE INFO ON SPECIAL LISTING DAYS ETC  " VERY HELPFUL") AND THE REST OF THE MONTH I TRY AND KEEP A MINIMUM OF 10-20 VARIOUS ITEMS OF INTEREST ON OFFER; SO THAT ANYONE VISITING MY SITE WILL HOPEFULLY BID OR AT THE VERY LEAST THINK THAT MY SITE IS INTERESTING &  WORTH KEEPING IN THIER FAVOURITES !

OVER THE LAST WEEKS, SOME OF THE ITEMS WHICH DIDN'T SELL THE FIRST TIME LISTED DID SELL WHEN I RE-LISTED THEM AGAIN, HOWEVER, I HAD TO PAY MORE FEES ! IF I COULD HAVE LISTED THEM FOR A MONTH OR SO THEY WOULD HAVE SOLD "I'M SURE"

THE THING IS, HOW MANY PEOPLE PERCENTAGEWISE, WHEN SEARCHING FOR AN ITEM LOOK AT SHOPS, AS MOST E-BAYERS, LIKE MYSELF WANT TO BUY THINGS AS CHEAP AS POSSIBLE AND SELL FOR THE MOST THEY CAN ACHIEVE !   I SAY THIS BECAUSE MOST SHOP ITEMS SEEM TO BE PRICED QUITE HIGH !

I WANT TO,  OR SHOULD I SAY I AM TRYING TO BUILD UP A SERIOUS STAMP BUSINESS; SO I CAN EARN A LIVING FROM HOME; THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AS I AM DISABLED AND UNABLE TO DO A NORMAL JOB DUE TO THE FACT I SUFFER WITH CHRONIC PAIN AND AM UNABLE TO SIT DOWN PROPERLY ! SO WILL OPENING A SHOP IMPROVE MY SALES/PROFIT. I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND LIKE THE IDEA ( THE THOUGHT OF A SHOP SEEMS TO ME TO REPRESENT A MORE EXTABLISHED TRADER "PROFESSIONAL DEALER") BUT WILL IT MAKE ME MORE MONEY OR WILL IT JUST COST ME MORE TO LIST ITEMS ON A MONTHLY BASIS ? I HAVE STUDIED A FEW OTHER DEALERS SHOPS AND WHEN I LOOK AT THEIR "BUY IOT NOW ITEMS" LISTS TOGETHER WITH WHAT ITEMS THEY HAVE ON AUCTION; THERE ARE ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF BUY IT NOW ITEMS THAT SEEM TO SELL, BUT MAYBE I AM JUST LOOKING AT THE WRONG SITES !

I  HOPE, WITHIN THE NEXT 2 MONTHS TO BE LISTING AT LEAST 50-100 ITEMS PER MONTH, SO IF ANYONE CAN ADVISE WHAT THEY WOULD DO IF THEY WERE IN MY POSITION; ANY ADVICE WOULD BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED ! ALSO, IF YOU CAN INFORM  ME IN LAYMANS TERMS ABOUT THE ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF OPENING A SHOP AS WELL I WILL DEFINATELY OWE YOU A DRINK; ESPECIALLY AS THE ADVICE I HAVE RECIEVED SO FAR IS ABOUT 50/50 EITHER WAY WHICH IS CAUSING ME HEADACHES !

( I'M NOT SURE IF THIS SORT OF GUIDE IS OK TO PLACE ON E-BAY AS I DON'T WANT TO BREAK ANY OF E-BAYS RULES AND REGULATIONS, BUT I COULDN'T THINK OF A BETTER PLACE TO INFORM OTHERS OF MY " OPENING A SHOP"  DILEMMA ! )

  I HAVE ALREADY ASKED E-BAY SUPPORT FOR ADVICE BUT EVEN THOUGH,  THE INFO RECEIVED WAS USEFULL, HEARING FROM A FELLOW UNDERSTANDING E-BAYER WOULD BE OF MUCH MORE HELP. UP UNTIL NOW,  IF I  NEEDED ADVICE ABOUT  ANY  E-BAY RELATED ITEM, I HAVE USUALLY   ASKED  ONE OF MY CUSTOMERS AS THERE REPLIES ARE NON BIAS; ESPECIALLY AS THEY HAVE NOTHING TO GAIN UNLIKE E-BAY SUPPORT !

  THIS IS THE SECOND ITEM I HAVE WRITTEN UNDER GUIDES AND HAVE FOUND THAT THE LAST TIME I WROTE AN ITEM I HAD SEVERAL E-MAILS FROM  WISER/KIND E-BAYERS WHO GAVE ME SOME GOOD ADVICE; THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS I AM WRITING THIS PLEA UNDER GUIDES ! SO IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM OR NEED SOME SORT OF ADVICE RE E-BAY; WHY NOT USE THIS FACILITY LIKE I HAVE TO GET HELP FROM OTHER E-BAYERS 1 ( THERE ARE 1000'S OF PEOPLE ON E-BAY WHO LIKE HELPING OTHERS LIKE I DO)

WELL I'D BETTER STOP RAMBLING ON, HOPE TO HEAR FROM SOME FELLOW E-BAYERS SOON

BEST REGARDS AND HAPPY E-BAYING