Been looking around for this album for years - and thank goodness there's eBay.
What fascinates me about this virtual bazaar is that almost all the hard-to-find things that you can think of are all there. From (believe it or not) vinyl records of the forties to the latest digital players all at invitingly bargain prices. I have no doubt this is the biggest "ukay-ukay" going on in the planet.
Unlike other eCommerce sites where you are mostly barraged with all the products that you don't even need, eBay lets you switch roles anytime you want. You can be the seller now or choose to become a buyer a minute later - anything goes.
The online bidding, which is the core of the eBay business model, is what makes the site extra exciting. Apart from opening the doors to global trade, it levels off prices of sold goods in the site. For example, if you're collecting rare Elvis Presley stuff, another seller may offer for sale Jerry Lewis-signed underwear at bargain prices.
And contrary to what most people think, eBay is not just only a bid portal for second-hand stuff but it is a trade portal for everyone no matter who you are, where you are or what you offer. In fact, it can be a very good venue to present products to your markets for free.
Worth noting is that big companies leverage on eBay to promote and do business safely online.
"Increasing numbers of small businesses are using eBay to sell their products. In some cases, the entire business is focused on selling on eBay." according to Susan Ward one of the leading authorities in online trade of About.com
But is it easy to get started selling on eBay and is using eBay an effective way to reach your market? The answer is yes. Come to think of it, eBay wouldn't have reached this "zillion" big if traders and buyers didn't find it useful. "Perhaps the most important lesson is that selling on eBay is really easy, and gets results." adds Ward.
To get started, you need to sign up an account just as you would in Yahoo! That easy! But take note, you may need to register your credit card information. This is to ensure the authenticity and seriousness of people to do business there.
That should not worry you. Like many trusted sites in the web, eBay assures your credit card information is safer a thousand times than handing your card over to a waiter in a restaurant.
Also, selling at eBay doesn't really cost you big. eBay only gets negligibly a little percentage for every successful transaction that a seller makes.
The hard part I guess is the shipping where you need to be competitive in terms of pricing. Packaging and shipping can bring down your margins, thus, this is an area to watch. You may need to arrange with a logistics company to give you better rates for eBay-related shipments.
If you're seriously considering to sell on eBay, they have thousands of information that you can read to help you start or even sell strategically.
Finally, with eBay Philippines just getting started two years ago, I've noticed the impressive patronage of very young enterprising Pinoys using the portal for business. I can only guess that the eBayers now have probably doubled or tripled since then. You can start and learn from there - and who knows, you could be selling globally in a year or two.
Send emails to trade.forumph@gmail.com