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Avoiding eBay Scams
Read through this checklist and save yourself time and aggravation. A bit of due diligence will help you avoid eBay scams. Only buy items with photos. The photograph is a good way to insure the seller actually has the item. No photo is a...
Hot Tips for Ebay Buyers
Ebay is the world's greatest e-commerce site. With over 147
million registered users from all over the world, it's
definitely here to stay. Whether you're a newbie Ebay buyer or
already an aficionado, you could always make use of the
following...
ONLINE: the eBay Accelerator Toolkit for PHP (PHP-AT) for the PHP IDE Maguma Workbench is available
(Bolzano/Italy) Maguma has published a new add-on, the eBay PHP-AT (Accelerator Toolkit). This new package integrates with the modular PHP IDE, Maguma Workbench. The eBay Accelerator Toolkit for PHP (PHP-AT) allows the integration of data...
Overcoming the most Frustrating Situation on eBay
It's happened to the best of us. You've been watching the auction all week, and finally you're about to claim your prize--a rare bronze statue from the Shang Dy dynasty. Or something just as tantalizing. You log on a few minutes before the...
Sell On eBay: Real Secret to eBay Success: Frequently Asked Questions
Want to Sell on Ebay?
Whether you're a new entrepreneur or established business owner
looking to start an Ebay business, it's helpful to learn the
tricks of the Ebay trade from sellers who have gone before you.
Unlike storefront...
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eBay Issues New Digital Product Rules
Acknowledging higher demand for digitally delivered products,
Mara Holian, from eBay's Product Marketing team said that eBay
is tightening the rules for egoods in an effort to "improve the
way these items are bought and sold on eBay".
Sellers will now be required to identify digital items during
the listing process and provide additional information about
each product.
Listings for digital products will now include:
*System Requirements. *File Size. *File Format. *Details about
any additional software that may be required to use the digital
product, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader for .pdf files.
I know what you're thinking: "Shouldn't the listings already
contain this info?"
Of course. But, have you ever browsed auctions for an ebook?
Some sellers in fact, do not make this basic information
prominent in their listings. Buyers will now find the relevant
info in the same place and format in every listing, instead of
it being scattered about or omitted altogether.
According to eBay's site, sellers of digital goods are now
required to use a "PayPal Verified Premier" or "Verified
Business" account or eBay's "Checkout Redirect functionality" in
order to collect payments.
Does this mean that you can't sell digital products unless you
use PayPal or set up complicated software using eBay's API?
Probably not. Third-party services may still be an option.
An inquiry to one of the largest auction checkout & payment
services, Andale, was not immediately answered. But they, and
others, are likely to make updates which include this new,
required functionality.
eBay also said that buyers will no longer see "unnecessary
information, such as shipping costs". Which leads one to believe
that the days of a 99 cent ebook with $12 in "shipping and
handling" charges are gone.
Some sellers have been known to list
digital items with
unnecessary charges like these, and many buyers, in their
enthusiasm to purchase one of these products, overlook these
fees only to be disappointed upon checkout.
In addition, sellers will now be required to state that they are
"legally authorized" to sell the product.
Research shows that everything downloadable: ebooks, mp3 songs,
whole music CDs, even movies, are being offered as illegal
downloads via online auction services.
While the legitimate online auction marketplaces police these
types of listings and remove them promptly when they are
reported or noticed, occasionally an item may slip through
leaving those involved open to legal action by the copyright
owner.
So, will eBay's new policy have the effect of eliminating piracy
on the auction site?
Don't bet the farm.
Often, sellers mistakenly believe that they have purchased
"resale rights" to the digital products they're offering for
sale. So naturally, they will agree that they have the "legal"
authority to re-sell the product.
Many egoods do not contain a copyright notice or resale
agreement.
An inexperienced or hasty ebook publisher may unintentionally
omit the information or a "pirate" may have removed or edited
the author's copyright/resale notice.
While the new guidelines are certainly not a foolproof solution
to digital piracy, eBay should be commended for taking a step in
the right direction.
For more information on eBay's new digital goods requirements,
see: http://pages.ebay.com/choosingformats/digitalitems/faqs/
About the author:
Mike Nalbone is the publisher of "The Essential eBay Seller's
Guide" which is a FREE, complete e-course that gives those who
wish to sell successfully on eBay a great head-start. For more
information, or to sign-up, visit:
http://www.thewholesaledetective.com/ecourse.html
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