Hot Deals Online

The most amazing thing about online shopping is the range of deals that are now available to anyone who logs on.

Before the advent of the internet, the chance of getting a discount voucher or price reduction on the product that you wanted to buy, at the time you wanted to acquire it, was relatively slim. But now, as the purchasing power of the customer becomes stronger than ever before, deals and discounts are available on almost anything you want to buy.

With access to retailers from almost anywhere in the world, the competition to achieve the final sale has never been higher, and when buying branded goods which can't be differentiated on quality, the only true way of separating one retailer from the other is on price, which means the end buyer can now take advantage of some amazing bargains.

Whether the price comes down or the added extras create value you just can't put a price on, it now seems almost crazy to pay full price for anything online.

The original concept behind the internet was to share information, and in doing so in the retail market buyers are coming together and combining their purchasing power to further drive down prices to almost ridiculous levels. Thanks to the advent of online penny auctions, like minded people can unite across the globe to drive down prices to a level never previously seen and enjoy discounts and offers that would not be available without the indispensable shopping tool that the internet has become.

Though we all want to ensure we obtain a quality product when we make any purchase, there is no need to pay more than you need to, and by shopping around online you can ensure that you get the best possible product at the best possible price.

But when you are a looking at hot deals that you think may be too good to be true, there are a few simple checks you can make to ensure that you are not exposing yourself to any unnecessary risk.

As with shopping on a high street, it is always best to shop with a recognised or known retailer that you can trust. If you are shopping on a site for the first time, check to ensure that the web page is secure and where possible use UK registered sites that are more likely to have payment protection services should something go wrong.

Consider setting up a Paypal account or paying with credit cards that provide further customer protection and always check out online reviews, social networking sites or comments on the site you wish to use to find out whether there has been any feedback from other customers in the past.

Once you are confident that the site you have chosen is genuine then you just have to sit back and enjoy and discover a new way of shopping that can provide access to a range of goods and services that may never have been open to you before at a price that you can easily afford.

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5 Tips For Selling On eBay

With the sudden boom of the virtual shopping mall, you'll need some good, helpful tips for selling on eBay if you really want to get out there and get a head start on selling the items you wish to make a profit on. eBay is the biggest and most-known online market, which is good as it means millions of potential customers for you every day. But it also means more competition from other sellers who have similar items up for bid.

If you want to sell your items and sell them quickly, follow these tips for selling on eBay and you're guaranteed to do well for yourself.

Do your Research

The website itself recommends this as one of the most important tips for selling on eBay. Don't just post your item and put a random price on it. Look through eBay for similar items, how much sellers are asking for each one and if these items are currently selling well. Compare prices for brand-new and used items so you can scrutinize your item's real value. Check on other general shopping websites as well, dig through forums and you can even go to the website of your item's manufacturer if it has one. This will enable you to put a proper price tag on your item.

Use Pictures

The majority of buyers don't really read descriptions on items for sale unless it concerns things they really want or need. So the way to catch attention is visually: this means posting a good, clear and well-lit picture of your item, showing it at the best angle possible. Go for natural lighting instead of a flash as some camera flashes make the item look old or have a different color. If you're selling a used item, photograph it from as many angles as necessary so that buyers can see all of it.

Start Low

Tips for selling on eBay from expert sellers always include the idea to start low on bids. Low starting bids cost less on eBay and this draws more people to your item. After all, who doesn't want a cheap buy? The more likely you think your item is, the lower your starting bid should be. If your item is something that isn't that popular or will only be bought by a select group of people, you can raise your starting point closer to how much you want the item to sell for.

Use Clear, Concise Titles

Aside from photos, the next thing that catches buyers' attention is how you have described the item, and that will immediately be seen in the title you put. Don't mess around - say what the item really is and include all details like brand, condition of the item, author for books and artist for artwork and other relevant features. Titles are one of the most important tips for selling on eBay. The general thought here is to think like a buyer. If you were the one buying your item, what would you want to know right away? Buyers get easily annoyed if they click on products with misleading, wrong or vague information and will remember you for it.

Go for the Weekends

Your marketing strategy is not the only thing to consider in selling on eBay. Timing makes a huge difference as well. More people go online during the weekends when they're not burdened by school or work, so you can reach a wider customer base if you can run your item for two weekends. Start Thursday and for a 10-day listing, end on a Sunday the weekend after to maximize your item's visibility and bidding power. Also, you'll be able to reach more time zones around the world this way.

Employ these tips for selling on eBay and you'll find yourself navigating through the online marketplace like a pro soon enough!

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Sell Books on Amazon - How to Write Your Description and Crucial Book Terminology

Probably the most important thing you will have control over when you list your used books for sale on Amazon is to add a full, detailed, 'sell-able' description of the condition of your book to the Amazon Seller's listing form.

Since the buyer cannot pick up and look over your book, actually touch and feel it and thumb through the pages, it's your responsibility to faithfully and honestly describe the item. You will need to:

• Put in what the buyer wants to know.

• Put in what the buyer needs to know.

• Put in what the buyer might be surprised to know. (i.e., "Book signed by author")

• Put in a secondary reason to buy. (i.e., "First Edition")

• Tell the buyer he or she can be confident that the book will be packed well and shipped promptly.

• Offer a freebie (i.e., "Free delivery confirmation to ensure accurate delivery to you")

Here is a sample that I've used that seems to work very well. I have this on a template page loaded onto my computer.

I pull up the listings (they are in very basic Notepad text format to avoid having data conversion problems if they were in MS Office or some-such other word processing software program which seems compelled to add strange formatting options to what I type), and all I have to do is copy-and-paste the description which closely matches what I'm selling, insert it into the right spot on the form, then go in and edit it 10-15 seconds to accurately match the book's condition.

Example:

Condition: Used - Good

Comments: Good condition, hardcover, sixth printing 1952. No dust cover. Except for 2 inscriptions inside front cover, there is no writing or highlighting noted on the inside pages. Edges and spine of cover scuffed lightly, spine OK, binding OK. Good copy for reading or research on this topic. In stock and ready to ship today. We ship USPS standard media mail with free delivery confirmation to ensure timely, accurate delivery direct to you.

It makes no sense to list condition of the book as "Like New" if it is truly "Good" condition. Stretching the truth is a sure way to squeeze your profits selling on Amazon!

Lately I've been adding in the fact that my own seller rating is quite high. I do this not to brag; rather, I add this type of remark to set myself apart from other sellers.

Amazon Third-Party Sellers are ranked by feedback received, and the "Star" ratings do indeed influence who buyers will order from.

A seller with a low rating might not ship on time, or might be guilty of not describing the book accurately, or might not even ship the book! Whatever the reasons, regular buyers tend to shy away from sellers who have low ratings, and steer their business to those sellers who get good feedback.

I now add a phrase similar to this to new books I list for sale on Amazon:

"Buy with confidence from 5-Star Amazon Seller!"

Short, simple, and to the point. No bragging. Just the facts. I DO have a 5-Star Rating, and I want to bring their attention to that and set their mind at ease so they won't wonder if they are risking their money buying my book over the other 50 books of the same title bidding for their attention.

Many sellers mention their turnaround times ("We ship same day!") or number of books shipped per day ("Thousands shipped daily!") or some other promise of dependability. My advice is to find your own unique selling proposition that will set you head and shoulders above your competitors.

In the event you don't know how, here is a quick example of how to copy and paste using a Windows computer keyboard:

I've found it's much easier to type up the description of books in Notepad, then copy and paste using old-school keyboard techniques.

Use your mouse or your laptop mouse to highlight the text your want to copy, then hold down the CTRL button (located at the bottom left of your computer keyboard) and press the "C" key. That copies it to your clipboard. Go over to the screen showing your Amazon book listing form, click your cursor onto the "Comments" box, the hold down the CTRL button and press the "V" key. This pastes it into the form. Saves you tons of typing. If you need to make a small change to the copy - say, for instance, the spine on a paperback is creased and torn slightly - then you can scroll to that part of the description, type it in, and click the "Submit" button. All done!

Move on to the next book. Copy. Repeat. Rinse. Nothing could be easier!

Now that you know one of the most important things that will help you sell more used books, CDs and DVDs on Amazon, put this know-how into practice to make extra money in your spare time in this easy work-at-home business. By fully and completely describing your items using these simple tips, you're sure to sell more, make more money, and enjoy a respectful seller rating, too!

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The Meaning of ISBN Numbers

Quite a number of sellers of used books want to know the meaning of the ISBN codes used to categorize books, CDs and DVDs in the publishing industry.

The ISBN -- which is short for "International Standard Book Number" -- is a distinct number, usually imprinted right above the UPC bar code on the back cover. It is presented with hyphens throughout.

As a used book seller, this is the number you will use primarily to search for book values online, as well as when you post books for sale online.

The Meaning of the ISBN:

This 10 or 13 digit code will help speed your search for profitable titles to sell, and it is essential to list your products for sale at websites like Amazon.com, Half.com and eBay.com.

Bookstores re-order their book inventory using these numbers. Each publisher orders up large blocks of ISBN's to attach with individual editions of the books that they put out on the market. So the paperback and hardcover versions will be similar, yet distinct, for each publisher.

Without the ISBN there would be chaos. It would be nearly impossible to organize the tens of thousands of new titles and updated versions of previously published works.

The ISBN was introduced about 40 years ago. Initially, ISBN's were 10 digits long for more than 30 years. On January 1, 2007 the ISBN system switched to a 13-digit format. Now all ISBN's are 13-digits long. Currently, the new ISBN-13's start with the numbers "978." Within a few years, those new ISBN's will begin with "979."

The purpose of the ISBN is to establish and identify one title or edition of a title from one specific publisher and is unique to that edition, allowing for more efficient marketing of products by booksellers, libraries, universities, wholesalers and distributors.

The different parts of the ISBN are easy to decipher. Every ISBN consists of ten or thirteen digits and whenever it is printed it is preceded by the letters "ISBN." The ten-digit number is divided into four parts of variable length, and hyphens separate each part. Sometimes the ISBN ends with an "X."

The Four Parts of an ISBN:

1. Group/country identifier - this identifies a national or geographic grouping of publishers.

2. Publisher identifier - identifying a particular publisher within a group.

3. Title identifier - identifies a particular title or unique edition of a title.

4. Check digit - single digit at the end of the ISBN which validates the ISBN.

Every country has its own agency designated which assigns the ISBN's to publishers and self-publishers of that country. According to the Bowker.com website -- Bowker is the company that operates the U.S. ISBN agency -- they are not authorized to generate an ISBN for publishers and self-publishers located outside the United States and its territories.

Bowker claims to be the world's leading provider of bibliographic information and management solutions designed to help publishers, booksellers, and libraries better serve their customers. For more background details, or if you are a self-publisher and you need to order ISBN's for books you are planning to publish, visit http://www.isbn.org for more information.

While the underlying meaning of the ISBN is a recognized official way to keep track of the millions of books on the market, the ISBN affords you an easy, profitable way to check the current values of used books, CDs and DVDs that you could sell on popular online websites. By carefully typing in the 10 or 13 digit number into the search engine at Amazon.com, you'll have instant access to how much the typical book buyer is willing to spend for that particular book, and you will be able to make an informed decision within a matter of seconds how much profit you might be able to gain by reselling that book online. Knowing the meaning of the ISBN will then help you make more money selling books online.

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Seven eBay Selling Tips

Most people know that you can use eBay to sell your unwanted items, but not everyone knows how to sell items for their full potential in order to maximise profits.

If you have got an eBay business and you want to make money on eBay, it is essential you follow these seven selling tips;

1. Market Research

Before listing your item, you need to do your market research. To do this, visit eBay and type your product in the search bar and on the left hand side, click "completed items" You will then see a list of products that have sold. From this, you should be able to gauge how much your product will sell for and how popular it is.

2. Make Your Item Visible

The maximum number of words/characters allowed in an eBay listing title is 55. You need to make the most of these characters. When buyers search, eBay will search for the keywords in the item's title and not the rest of the description so it is essential that you take your time selecting your title. Check out your competitors and remember not to include words like "wow" and "look" as buyers will not search these terms so you are wasting your 55 characters. Please also remember to run your title and description through a spell checker before listing or you may not get as much as you expected as your item won't appear in the search.

3. Selecting Your Picture

If you want to make money on eBay, a good picture is essential to your selling success. Make sure your picture is clear and try not to use stock pictures. eBay allows you to have one free picture but you can add as many pictures as you want to your description. Take advantage of this.

4. Listing Time

Before listing your item, work out when it is going to end. You don't want to list it and then find out that its ending at 4am in the morning when eBay traffic will be at it's lowest. The best time to list is on a Thursday night. Include for a ten day listing and your item will end on Sunday evening where eBay traffic will be at its highest.

5. Low Starting Price

Research has shown that setting a low starting price helps an item sell for more. Why? You will gain more watchers and it will encourage people to bid and you could potentially start a bidding war. eBay listing fees are also reduced if you start your listing at 99p.

6. Accepting Payment

Almost all transactions on eBay are completed through PayPal, so make sure you offer this as one of your payment methods. If you want, you could also accept bank transfer or cheque. This way, you will avoid any PayPal fees.

7. Postage

Try to be as accurate as possible with your postage price. If your price is too low, you will lose money. If it's too high, the buyer may leave bad feedback. To get an idea of prices, check out what price your competitors are using or for a more accurate cost, weigh the item and use Royal Mail's price finder. Before posting, make sure the items are secure and nicely packaged. To add a personal touch, you could include your business card or even write "Thank You For Your Purchase" on a piece of paper. Always remember to post on time and if possible, try and post the day you receive the payment. Remember, nobody likes waiting for their purchases online.

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Storage Auction: A Booming Business

While most industries struggled in the past months under a recessionary period, the storage auction business has emerged from the shadows to become the unlikely boom industry in the American economy. This sunrise industry is growing fast and is expected to become an important money-making activity in the future.

The storage auction field has broad appeal because it requires little seed money but yields an astounding amount of profit. Everyone can also make good at it whether you are a newcomer or an old-timer, a moneyed or penniless would-be investor.

You're looking for a profit-making venture where the playing field is level? This is storage auction, which is worthwhile to go into even under a harsh economic climate.

What puts players on an even keel during an auction is the fact that nobody knows what's in the unit being auctioned off until it has been bought and opened. A typical unit may be up for sale for a minimum of $10 up to a maximum of $600. But the bidding price is of course higher if the auction involves home lots, cars or antique jewelry. The auction is usually held because the owners have outgrown their use of these items, or they are getting rid of these items in favor of new ones.

Whatever the nature of the auction and its costs, it is always guaranteed that you can get your money back and even obtain five times more than what you paid for the auctioned unit if you know where and how to dispatch the items. There was a new player who paid $20 for a unit whose contents were later sold individually and gave a total of $5,500 earnings. The unit contained vintage clocks, cameras and rare vases.

There are storage auctions where the items being sold are announced beforehand and there are self-storage auctions where you have no idea of the items being auctioned off. It is the latter type of auction which promises the biggest reward for the least investment. It's the element of surprise that enables players to get goods worth thousands of dollars at an auction cost of much less. In many auctions, the most valuable items such as antiques and vintage decor are in the box and cannot be seen from the outside.

The secret to making good in storage auction is to know the techniques of making quick calculations on which units will give the highest profit potential based on what your eyes can see. You can't decide according to size because in many cases, it's the smallest units that provide the most profit. As the saying goes, good things come in small packages.

The most profitable goods that come from storage auctions are those that require small boxes such as silverware and signature clothing.

At present, there are more than 60,000 storage facilities worldwide, of which some 95 percent are in the U.S. The rest are in Canada and Australia, with hundreds of chain storage and independent groups being opened every year. This means more and more storage units are going for auction.

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