Making eBay Your Business The interview that inspired me to become an eBay seller.

The eBay Diaries: Part 1 My first year as an eBay seller. In this installment, getting started.

What Happens When Buyers Don't Pay? Using the eBay dispute resolution.

Auction Cool

Buying at auctions offline is a lot of fun and a great way to get bargains for yourself and an online eBay store or other business. To maximise your returns, it's important to keep your cool and to be willing to get dirty.

Real world auction houses differ quite a lot from eBay in that they often charge a fee to buyers - and will charge a fee on top of that if you use a credit card. Be clear on the charges your selected auction house charges.

Some will offer previews and even the chance to bid online. If you are planning on attending the auction - NEVER bid online. The web site minimum bid is set by the auctioneer, in the real world you can often set it.

Print out the catalogue, mark the items you MAY be interested in and attend the preview in person.

Come armed with a notepad, pen, measuring tape, and one of each size of your pre-paid satchels or boxes (if you use them).

Some auction houses are clean - others are musty and dusty and can be so busy they don't have time to properly assess each lot.

You may find damaged items on top of a box full of well packaged, intact goods. Or you may find something with a vague description like "miscellaneous clothing" yielding up a treasure trove of designer labels. Get down and dirty - look under tables and in corners. 

If the sample item doesn't give you a clear idea of what is up for bid - ask an employee for more information.

Take note of as many as possible of the following attributes:

• measurements
• weight
• brand and model number
• sizes
• colours
• materials
• date of manufacture and/or expiration date
• condition (new or used)
• whether price tags still attached
• quantity
• fragility.

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