Tuesday, August 24, 2010

10 Things You Didn't Know About eBay

eBay has changed a lot since the days when anything listed would sell (yes, there was such a time), and the media prowled the site for listings involving Brittney Spears’ gum, grilled cheese sandwiches with messages from above, and kids selling their foreheads as advertising space.

Here are some surprising things (I think, anyway) about eBay nowadays:

  1. Fixed price listings (where the price is set and non-negotiable) are more prevalent than ever, and are overtaking auction-style listings. eBay is starting to resemble Amazon in some ways.
  2. You can list items for sale FOR FREE along as you use an auction-style listing and the starting price is less than a dollar. However, the "final value fee" (what you pay eBay if the item sells) is higher than it used to be.
  3. Smart sellers know they can list desirable items for .99 or so and they're still likely to sell the item at a reasonable price once the bidding is over. It's a scary premise, but it works. It's referred to as "Price it Low and Let it Go."
  4. PowerSellers have all but been replaced by Top-rated sellers who must meet even higher standards to carry the designation. But buyers can sort search results by Top-rated sellers only, to reduce their risk of dealing with unprofessional sellers.
  5. You need to carefully read listings that seem too good to be true. Not long ago, it wasn't unusual for some sellers to list items at ridiculous prices (say used cell phones for a dollar) and then charge very high prices for shipping (like $50). This allowed them to save money on the fees they paid eBay, as they're based on an item's final selling price. eBay is policing the site more closely now for this sort of thing but it still happens.
  6. While you can readily start a business on eBay there's more competition than ever. Still, lots of people do it. The key, as always, is great customer service and fast shipping.
  7. eBay offers Daily Deals now. There's even a separate website for these one-day only items. Shipping on these is free .
  8. You can design your own diamond ring on eBay with its new Diamond Ring Designer.
  9. When you search for something on eBay your results are presented according to an algorithm known as "Best Match." eBay has been less than forthcoming about what goes into this algorithm, but it has to do with the seller's feedback rating, proximity to where you live, etc. But most buyers expect to see the results sorted to when listings are ending (soonest first). While you can still sort results that way it's not the default--Best Match is.
  10. eBay is one of the largest retailers of clothing/shoes/accessories on the web and even has a special "fashion portal."

Friday, April 30, 2010

On LinkedIn: Follow Companies for Insider Info


       
A brand-new LinkedIn feature is one of its best. LinkedIn now gives you the ability to “follow” companies that interest you. By following a company you get updates every time an employee in the LinkedIn database is hired, promoted, or leaves the company. 

If the company revises its customized Linkedin profile you’re notified of that as well. Finally, if it has new job openings you’ll get that bit of news too.While job openings are available through many different websites, that other data on new hires, departures, and so on isn’t readily available. 

To start following companies, just go to the Companies link (mouse over to the More link on LinkedIn’s Home page and it will drop down), enter some keywords that describe companies you’re interested in, and go right to the company profile. 

Along the right you’ll see a new option “follow company.” Click on that and you’re on your way to getting this unique information.

To recap, following companies on LinkedIn provides the following information:

1)    News on personnel changes that you can use to get a feel for the types of openings available at the company right now, and its strategic direction.

2)    Job opportunities

3)    Updated company profiles--excellent for interview prep

With 65 million members LinkedIn is hands-down the most important social networking site for job hunters. For how to get the most from LinkedIn see How to Find a Job on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and other Social Networks.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

10 Reasons Why You Should Write Articles about 10 Top Anything

1) Tweeple love them; you'll be tweeted numerous times
2) ADD types (everyone on the Internet) like them
3) They're easy to write
4) They're easy to research
5) Sometimes you don't even need 10 tips, reasons, etc.; 5 will do