Thanks to a member of the SAHMs eBay Seller Group on Facebook for sharing this tip about Free eBay Store Templates. If you are looking to jazz up your store pages or give them a facelift, try the free templates.
Four templates are available. To use the templates:
1) Choose from one of the four templates.
2) Download it to your desktop.
3) Follow the directions from the installation file.
4) Log into your store to add the HTML for your customized page.
Fast and easy, and you will be amazed at the difference.
[Image Source: Flickr, eBay Coach Photos]

Hot List Publish Date: November 11, 2008. Discontinued consumer products are a part of eBay and buyers (collectors) will pay top dollar for them. The eBay Coach Hot List contains 14 items that can be found at grocery stores, drug stores, closeout stores, off-price stores, and other common retail establishments. Issue 3 of the eBay Coach Hot List report reveals:
7 Discontinued Drug Store Items
2 Discontinued Grocery Items
3 Discontinued Beauty Items
1 Vintage Item
1 Media Item
The eBay Coach Hot List explains exactly where to find these items, the retail (shelf) price, the average selling price on eBay, and examples of completed …read more

Part of running a business is knowing your expenses, so that you can then track your profit. Do you really know how much you make per item per sale? eBay and Paypal fees are always changing, so you must take these factors into consideration when calculating your profit.
If you look at the numbers regularly, you can make educated business decisions about pricing adjustments and when it is time to stop selling an item and move on. I came across this free spreadsheet on the eBay Groups board. eBay member unclejoeadamson has it all figured out based on listing …read more

Check out Griff’s eBay Radio Show from October 21, where he interviews my friend and fellow seller Laurie DeAgostino. Laurie has been an eBay seller for several years, working at home while caring for her two small children. Laurie’s professional background is in retail buying, which definitely comes in handy as she runs her eBay clothing store, Jordan & Jack.
Laurie is also a member of the SAHM’s eBay Facebook Group, where she helps answer your questions about eBay selling, running a home business, organizational tips, and understanding the eBay market. (She is a tremendous asset to the group and …read more

Times may seem tough with the stock market collapse, high gas prices, and the economy in general. Stay positive. This too shall pass. Thinking negative thoughts creates negative situations. Thinking positive thoughts create positive situations. It is all about The Law of Attraction. You get back what you put out there.

The fundamental rules of customer service apply to eBay sellers as well. When responding to customer inquiries, always keep these tips in mind:
1) Reply quickly and accurately
2) Always be friendly and courteous
3) Never send one word email responses
4) Use “please” and “thank you”
5) Start the reply with “Thank you for contacting us.”
6) At the end of every email, inlcude “if you have any other questions, please contact us again.”
7) If possible, use the buyer’s name
8) Always include your name in the email
For a collection of free eBay business letters, visit the eBay Coach Library on Yahoo Groups.
[Image Source:Flickr]

Today’s post is by guest blogger Kristine A. McKinley, CPA, and CFP® – an accountant who specializes in helping self-employed individuals who work from home and/or on the internet.
Tax tips in September? You may think it’s too early to think about taxes, but the truth is you need to do tax planning year-round so you don’t miss out on any tax benefits that you are entitled to. If you wait until tax season to think about taxes, you could miss out on tax deductions and credits that you would otherwise qualify for.
Here are some quick tips to help …read more

“eBay Secrets” is an oxymoron. There aren’t any. eBay is like anything else – you just have to do your homework, keep your eyes and ears open, and pay attention. Everything you need to know is out there already.
For example, Join eBay groups on social websites like Facebook, MySpace, StumbleUpon, and Yahoo Groups. Network, network, network, and read what other people have to say. You will always learn more by listening (reading) than by talking.
You can also attend free eBay seminars in your community. Look for these at the local library, recreation center, churches, senior citizens center, or YMCA.
Search …read more

My Facebook addiction has moved to a new level! Come join my new group on Facebook, Stay at Home Moms who Sell on eBay. This group offers eBay tips, support, and information about how to make more money selling on eBay from the comfort of home.
This group will replace the eBay Coach Forum, which is being gradually phased out. Let’s face it, Facebook is the place to be. Facebook allows you to get to know other members of the group on a more personal level, and you’ll agree that Facebook is just fun. With over 100 million users now, we …read more

As a continuation of my post titled, “How to Reduce eBay Shipping Costs,” let’s look at some other ways to reduce eBay costs and increase our profit margin. You may have to do some analysis, but you can find ways to trim your expenses and therefore increase your profits.
1) Use caution with listing upgrades such as bold, highlight, gallery plus, and photo enhancements. Do your own research to determine if these upgrades affect your sales. Upgrades are expensive – do you really need them?
2) Pay attention to eBay Insertion Fees and the tiered pricing. Pricing an auction item between $1 …read more