The most obvious red flag in identifying the rip-off seller is when you are somehow able to purchase an item for way below the cost it is being sold for everyone else on the web. The scammers will usually place an item at a much lower price since their objective is close the sale and placing it close to the price of other sellers will most likely not produce any sales for them, especially on a different auction site other than eBay. They will usually focus on high-ticket items that are in high demand such as computers, video game systems, and phones. They are less likely to place something up for sale that will take a long time to sell, no matter how valuable. They want the quick buck and they want it now. The more in demand the high-ticket item you are buying is, the more scammers there are trying to pretend they have that item for sale. The wise saying, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is” definitely applies here. You simply are not going to get a computer or some other item for $500 that is selling everywhere else on the web for $1000.

In addition, look at a seller’s other auctions if the site allows you to. Scammers generally tend to have only a few auctions (usually dutch on each one when allowed by the site so they can get more sales on each listing) and these are almost always only for high-ticket items way below the going price. Since they tend to be the laziest bunch in society, you will usually not find more than a few auctions listed. They simply don’t like to do any real work. Of course, there are always exceptions to this, but it is rare.

Often with a scam seller, you will find sloppy and quickly pasted together titles and descriptions that ramble on that show very little skill in how to sell an item, but this in itself doesn’t mean it’s a rip-off seller. Also, they can sometimes have a very good description, but again, since they are usually lazy, they just cut and paste this from some legitimate auction somewhere. This sloppiness should only be considered if it is in conjunction with other signs. One of the most important considerations when dealing with sellers is to look at their feedback provided on the site where they are selling. If there is no feedback, there is of course more risk to you. Seldom will you find a scam seller with feedback on a legitimate auction site, though there are exceptions to this. Even when there is feedback, check the dates of the feedback and see how recent or old the feedback is. If you see a long-term steady stream of feedback over many months to present, that is a good sign that it is probably a legitimate seller. Scammers do sometimes sell a couple of items at a low price to get good feedback or may use another second account to generate fake feedback, so if all the feedback is recent, then the feedback becomes less valuable for determining validity. Having said this, there are a lot of legitimate new sellers who don’t have any feedback yet and feedback alone should not deter you from making a purchase unless you see a lot of the other signs mentioned here.

Another sign often found with scammers is their insistence of urgency in paying for the auction item since they are worried about getting caught or discovered and not getting the money. They may even use the words “immediately” or “as soon as possible” when asking for payment. Sometimes you can see this in their auction listing itself.

It is getting more and more difficult to identify rip-off sellers from the methods of payment they accept since I have seen a trend of more of them using Paypal and Google checkout now. But generally, if a seller will only take Western Union, check and/or money order, that is a red flag. The more options they accept for payment, the more likely they are a legitimate seller since it is more difficult to get setup at more than one payment processing company (say both Google and Paypal) and they are also generally lazy. Yet, be careful of this too since I have seen them offer these forms of payment but then try to push you towards another method of payment if you request the one they really can’t use. For example, they may offer Paypal, but then try to tell you they have problems with that account and try to push you toward one of the other methods they offer. They may also try to push you to use an escrow service or payment processing service you have never heard of before, which often is merely a fraudulent site set up by the rip-off seller to solicit your credit card information.Payment Options for the Buyer We now need to review payment methods the buyer can use and examine the safety and risks of each method.

If you are a buyer, I strongly suggest that you never, ever send cash. In addition, a request for payment through Western Union is a favorite of scammers, and should be avoided. If a seller cannot take any other form of payment, that should raise a red flag. Checks and money orders should never be used for high-ticket items. If you must use a check or money order for any amount, I strongly recommend writing on the back of the instrument “For Deposit Only.” This will make it much more difficult in the case of a scammer since they will need to actually deposit it into a real bank account that can later be traced back to them. We actually require sellers on UpperBid.com who accept checks or money orders on our site to be willing to take them with “For deposit only” on the check.

It is probably best to now bring up the danger of escrow services and payment processing services. Be careful when considering the use of an escrow or payment processing service unknown to you, because there have been hundreds of fake escrow services and payment processing services popping up across the Internet for years now. If you have a seller trying to get you to use a specific escrow service or payment processing company you have never heard or, be very wary. Even if you find one on your own, make sure you do your research to ensure they are a valid legitimate company that you can trust. They will often fraudulently use logos of the Better Business Bureau, Verisign and other such graphics to give them a look of authenticity. If you get conned into using a fake service, then they will charge your card and cause you all kinds of problems once they get that information.

The safest way for you to pay at this point on the Internet is through Google Checkout or Paypal if directly using your credit card to pay since they process your transaction from your credit card and the seller never sees the actual credit card information. There are a few others as well that are legitimate and allow you to pay with a credit card, but these are the two most reliable. If you end up getting scammed, you can dispute the transaction with your credit card company as long as you pay directly from your credit card for the product or service.Many readers may think paying from your Paypal account is the safest method, but unfortunately this definitely is not the case. The Paypal Buyer Protection Policy “only applies to items purchased on eBay or to payments funded through your debit card and processed through the ATM debit network.” And it does not cover non-tangible goods, live auctions, or vehicles (even if on eBay) and does not provide protection for non-eBay purchases. Even the coverage for eBay purchases is limited to only $200 of the cost in many cases. They may cover up to $2,000 if strict requirements are met (seller has a feedback rating of at least 50, seller’s feedback is at least 98% positive, seller has a verified premier or business account in good standing, Paypal is listed in the description as an acceptable payment method, and the seller is from a list of specified countries). Also, there are flaws in this protection system even for eBay purchases. For example, if you file a claim for an item not arriving, and then the seller sends the item to you, you will not be able to open up another claim if the product is defective or not as described.

Here is their description of their various Buyer Protection programs from their site:

Buyer Protection Programs. If you buy an item using Paypal and either do not receive the item or receive an item that you believe is Significantly Not as Described by the seller, we encourage you to open a Dispute with the seller in our Resolution Center. By doing so, you will initiate our Online Dispute Resolution Process—a step-by-step system designed to facilitate communication between you and the seller in order to get resolution of the issue. If your dialogue with the seller fails to produce a satisfactory result, you can then escalate the Dispute into a Claim that we will evaluate for reimbursement under one of the following programs: a. Paypal Buyer Complaint Policy – Our best efforts program to reimburse Users for losses only to the extent we are able to recover the funds from sellers. b. Paypal Buyer Protection Policy – Our program to reimburse Users for losses for up to (i) $2,000.00 USD (Top Tier Coverage Amount) for eligible items purchased on eBay and (ii) up to $200.00 USD (Basic Tier Coverage Amount) for all other eligible items purchased on eBay and for eligible items purchased on eBay. Please see section 13.9 to determine whether Top Tier Coverage Amount or Basic Tier Coverage Amount applies to your eBay purchase. c. Buyer Protection for eBay Express – Our program to reimburse Users for the full amount of losses for items purchased on eBay Express. d. Extended Buyer Protection with Paypal Credit – Our program to reimburse Users for the full transactional amount of the items purchased using Paypal Credit. These programs only cover payments for tangible, physical goods. All other payments, such as payments for intangibles, services, airline flight tickets, or licenses and other access to digital content are not covered by any Buyer Protection Program that we offer (but may be covered by Chargeback rights). When using your Paypal account for the purchase of non-eBay goods, you are eligible for the Buyer Complaint Policy process of dispute and then claim, but there is no guarantee that you will recover anything in the case of a fraudulent transaction. Using a credit card to pay through the Paypal system if you are able to is only way to ensure you have control of your protection, since you can dispute any charge with your credit card company if you are ripped off. Paypal tries to discourage this type of payment and if you send a payment request to a Paypal registered email account, you will not see a payment by credit card option when you click through to the Paypal site. On the other hand, if you have the request sent to a non-registered email account, there is a link on the bottom that you can click and pay via your credit card without even using your Paypal account. It is highly advisable to have the seller send a payment request to an email address that is not registered with Paypal so you can pay with your credit card.Summary for Safe Auction Buying We will now summarize the above contents into a number of steps reduce your risk of getting ripped off when considering the purchase of an item for sale at an online auction.1. Compare the final purchased price to that of the same item being sold elsewhere on the web.2. Look at the other items a seller has for sale.3. Review the quality of the listing’s title and description.4. Examine the seller’s feedback.5. Keep an eye out for an unnatural insistence for urgency in payment.6. Evaluate their payment methods they accept.7. Be wary of any changes they try to make regarding payment.8. Pay by credit card only through an established credit card processing company. Most sellers are honest, hardworking individuals who have great products and services. It is only the small minority of dishonest sellers who make these steps necessary. Now that you have this valuable information to assist you in weeding out the scammers, enjoy a wonderful shopping experience as you find the great deals out there at online auctions.

Automate with Auction Software

There are software programs that are specially made for auctions. These programs will store all your listings in a database along with titles, descriptions, photos, pricing and shipping details. Some programs have a feature where you can save templates for certain categories. For example, if you sell household products, you might use the same template for all household items. Then, you might use a completely dissimilar template for your wholesale products. Therefore, you can save each template and have them available when you need them.

How it Works

A great benefit of using auction software is you can list more items in less amount of time. Here’s how it works:

a) Type in your listings and accompanying details.b) Upload photos or banners for your listings.c) Submit the items to the auction site for listing.

It’s that simple. Without this software, you will likely have to submit each item by hand through an online form with some screens. This could take several minutes or longer per listing. To get this software, check with your one stop online auction shop first. They might offer the software as a free tool. Use the search engines to search for “auction software” or “auction listing automation.”

Automate Emails

Once items have been sold, you should have some email templates ready to go for “thank you” messages, up-sell messages, etc. Create several “thank you” emails for the types of goods you offer, each being customized for those customers. Also, create several “special offer” emails to send buyers throughout the year. Some one stop online auction shops provide automated email systems for you. It’s free and easy to set up a system like this, and the rewards are tremendous!

Automate the Shipping Process

Keep shipping supplies on-hand at all times. Prepare envelopes, boxes or bags ahead of time with labels, packaging materials, etc. Develop a system that you will use every time you receive an order so you won’t get disorganized. Take advantage of shipping “tools” supplied by your one stop online auction shop or sum processing company. Some auction sites or payment processors will provide packing slips for every order with the customer’s buy details already printed for you.

Automate Listing and Ending Times

Schedule your items to end around the same time so you can easily deal with them once the auctions end. If you schedule auctions to end on weekends, you can concentrate on shipping the items at the beginning of the week. Those who run auctions weekly usually go through a cycle of listing, ending and shipping about the same times every week.

Saving Time and Money

Automation will help you save time and money. You can list and deal with more items through automation. Also, you’ll have a better chance at getting repeat business by sending regular mailings or e-mails to buyers. The more money you can save the superior bargains your customers will receive

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There are numerous advantages of holding an Online real estate auction.

1.Reach: One of the biggest advantages in an online auction. Through Online real estate auctions you attract buyers from across the world. So you are assured that your property is sold at the best price that you can get.

2.You decide the date and time of auction. The prospects can look at the details of the real estate like photographs etc. and can participate in the auction.

3.You will get a better pricing with auctions. It is a known fact that auctions usually drive up prices. Online real estate auctions are no different. They get a better price for the property owner with minimal effort. Sooner or later the property owner will be out looking for a new house, maybe in a better neighborhood.

4.You get the right prospects in an online real estate auction. Invariably, the prospects will be people who are interested in buying the property and with the required credit line or funds.

Irrespective of the state of the property market, online real estate auctions provides a great way to sell your properties for a better price. It is really a quicker way of disposing properties without the usual hassles. In real estate auctions it is said, the buyers as well as seller, benefits, a lot. The Seller has the advantage of getting the properties disposed off faster and the Buyer has the advantage of getting the property into his hands quicker.

As said earlier, the very nature of online selling ensures that you have a wide qualified audience, which the traditional methods rarely offer. Also you can be assured of the people who are bidding for your properties as the site/portal where the auction is to be held would have already, if you have a property and are looking to sell of the property, but were scared about the hassles involved in it, Online Real estate auctions are the way out for you. You decide the time, place and date of the auction. You are more or less assured of a better price. You can be assured of a quicker disposal of your property.

Be an Auction Lurker

Before listing your items, observe the auctions for a while. See what’s hot and what’s not. Every auction site will have its own unique audience. Some will attract more of certain types of buyers than other auction sites. The auction company might publicize more to certain groups of people using banners or paid search engine listings. If you’re selling wholesale products, then you will naturally want to list with an auction shop that attracts wholesale buyers who are looking for great bargains. If selling household items, you’ll want an audience of people who buy household auction items.

Also, observe how the site operates on a day-to-day basis. Do the auctions seem to end with more bids on certain days of the week or a certain time of the day? For occurrence, auctions that end on late Saturday night get more bids than those ending on a Tuesday night. Lurking at different auction sites will help you find a one-stop online auction shop that’s right for you.

Test Your Auction Items

When searching for your one stop online auction shop, try several test auctions with some of your items. Monitor the reply as well as the amount of traffic the listings receive during the auction’s running time. Many auction sites allow you to place a visitor counter on your auction pages so you can know how many people view your auction. If you sell many types of products, advertise several items from a few categories.

Minimize Auction Expenses

There are many online auction shops that offer free or low-cost listing capabilities. Some auction sites only take a percentage of each sale while others may charge a fee for each listing whether you sell or not. Those auction sites that offer free listings and/or only take a percentage of each sale are very helpful to you as a seller. You only pay when you sell items instead of paying high fees just to advertise your products, so you are taking no risk when listing your items. Though these auction sites may have smaller amounts of traffic than the larger bidding sites, you might find the savings will make it worth your while. After all, auctions are supposed to be “bargain” sites, right?

Some auctions charge a fee AND take a profit of each sale. These may have more traffic, but the charges add up in a hurry and every listing can become a financial risk when you’re just starting out.

With so many options, you can easily find a one-stop online auction shop that fits your financial statement and listing needs. Use these tips to find that wonderful online auction shop and sell those unwanted items today!

Earn Profits

There are several ways to earn profits through online auctions. You can build  whole business through online auctions or use auctions to attract new customers to your existing website. And, you can use online auctions occasionally to sell some of your old household items. You can even advertise wholesale products through auctions. Some online “auctioneers” are earning thousands of dollars each month!

Either way, there are a few simple techniques you can apply to maximize your auction profits. Choosing your one stop online auction shop is only the first step to success. Next, you’ll need to start building your business.

Here are six ways you can maximize your auction profits:

1. Include Photos

One way to maximize auction profits is to include photos with your listings. Most auction sites allow one photo to be displayed next to listing titles. It’s very important that you include a photo to catch the shopper’s eye. People naturally look at pictures and then read the nearby caption. Newspapers and magazines have trained us that way. So, it’s explicable why an auction shopper will look at photos and then read the titles beside the photos. Unfortunately, listing titles without photos can be easily missed.

Another reason to include photos is because auction buyers want to see what they are buying. They are more willing to trust a new seller if a photo of the item is available. If you are selling a luxurious item, include several photos at different angles if necessary. For printed materials such as reports or e-books, you might try creating a few colorful banners and even a mini banner for the photo that will appear next to your listing titles. Banners will have the same eye-catching effect as a photo!

2. Write Compelling Listing Titles and Copy

Don’t be afraid to apply proven marketing techniques to your auction titles and copy. You’re a seller, so don’t vacillate to sell! Use key phrases that will get the buyer’s attention. Words like “free,” “no reserve,” “low or free shipping,” or “like new” always get the buyer’s attention.

3. Use Banners at Your Website

If you own a website and are using auctions to attract more customers, don’t forget to place some banners at your website that link to your auction store as well. Some customers who reach your site by other means might love auctions. They might buy from you both ways!

4. Don’t Under-price your Items

Not many sellers have a problem with over-pricing, but under-pricing seems to be a huge problem with auctions. Don’t sell yourself short. Price your items reasonably, but be sure to include a little profit for yourself. Remember, your time is valuable. If you ship items, you must take time to package and mail them. If the items you are selling offer very little profit, try to find popular items with higher profits that are also unique. The more sparse the supply of a popular item, the higher bids you will receive.

5. Keep Contact with Customers

Be sure to keep in contact with your auction customers after they buy. Send them a personal “thank you” email and include an email signature to get them back to your auction site or to your regular website. An email signature is actually a “P.S.” after your thank you message.

Here’s an example…

P.S. Be sure to visit our auction site again. Some new items have been added recently, and you will receive FREE SHIPPING with your next purchase. (Your auction site address here.)

6. Ask for Feedback

Be sure to ask for feedback after someone makes a purchase. Good feedback helps other buyers to trust you. Some buyers will not buy from a new seller if no feedback is available. The more positive feedback you receive, the more your business will grow.

Keep these tips in mind as you list items at your one stop online auction shop. You’ll see profits increase in no time!