Someone suggested I copy this post to a new thread for any EBAY exciles considering sertting up a store here- add your tips too
I came from EBAY just over a year ago- and made a point of bringing some old customers with me.
I'm not a big seller on an EBID power seller scale, however i do have over 2000 items listed here on EBID.
If I were a large power seller considering a move from EBAY just now, here's what i would do:
1. Purchase EBID lifetime Gold membership for £45- you'll never pay a (non featured) listing fee again after that- including FVF (you can purchase shorter Gold memberships too- the lifetime being best value)
2. Set up an EBID store (free). use the same name as Ebay for continuity
3. Either Download the EBID excel file listing file ( it's not perfect by any means, but ok if you're good with excel) OR set up some default listing templates on EBID, so that most of your info is populated automatically for each new listing.- remember to add your listing to your EBID store
4. List your items a little cheaper than you do on EBAY to encourage buyers
5. Email all your old EBAY and Paypal customers a link to your EBID store and tell them you are doing a promotion on items bought on EBID. send these customers the 'join ebid' link which gains you 'buddy points' when they join (read up on buddy points later!)
6. Set your listings to auto report ten times- then just leave them running. Relisting after the tenth time is easy, you can tick a whole page of completed listinsg at a time and they will all relist at the click of a button.
7. Make usre you complete your 'about me' page on EBID, and ideally try to gain a litle bit of feedback (as a buyer) to start you off here. EBID buyers have learned to be suspicious of brand new zero feedback sellers posting up expensive auctions- then disappearing!
It's only fair to flag up EBIDs faults in advance, so you can avoid some of them!:
1. Pppay sems to make it as difficult as possible for buyers to sign up. I do use it, but with reservation!
2. Read EBIDs rules on what you can or cannot list here- unlike EBay, EBID respond rapidly to listing infringements.
3. Do not list duplicate items- EBID prefers you to use the dutch auction system.
4. There was a site 'upgrade' recently which is only partially completed - there are quite a few 'snags' users are waiting for EBID to fix. EBID admin have acknowledged some of them - but it's taking a while for the fixes to come through!
5. Issue your own invoices, don't depend on EBIDs notice of sale- it plugs pppay and doesn't include the sellers chosen methods.
6. Don't try to put links or emails in your listings, they won't work. you'll be able to contact buyers once the auctions are finished.(or see how I get round this using .jpg files!)
To end on a positive
EBID buyers are very loyal. I have dozens of regular returning customers. EBID is very much a community, it does have faults but there is still a feeling that we the users can influence how the site developes