Success or failure can be determined on ebay by the kind of feedback that you get. What is feedback? It’s the kind of comments your customers give about you after you have made and delivered a sale. In order to be a top seller you need to have have large quantities of positive feedback. Too much negative feedback can give you a bad reputation and scare potential customers away.

The feedback system is intended to be a collection of impartial reviews of the performance of buyers and sellers. If a buyer pays quickly, their seller will leave positive feedback. If a seller ships quickly, their buyer will leave positive feedback. This way, future buyers and sellers can get the scoop on who to buy from and who to avoid, from people who have been there.

Negative feedback will have an enormous impact on sellers. If your feedback score falls into the nineties, or even lower, buyers might take their business elsewhere. But what if you feel like the negative feedback was unjustified? Maybe the buyer was just unpleasant to work with, or had unrealistic demands. As a seller, you do have a recourse.

But it’s not easy. The best strategy is to avoid negative feedback in the first place. But if that’s not possible, turn to a mediation service like Square Trade. With a mediation service, you’re able to file a case regarding your negative feedback. Explain why you think the charge is unjustified. The other party will have two weeks to respond.

Square Trade says that most cases are resolved for free without having to turn to a mediator. But if a mediator’s services are used, case resolution will cost between twenty and thirty dollars. There are certainly times when amicable resolution is worth the price. As a seller, it’s up to you to decide when to pay up, and when to leave things as they are.

Never make the mistake of arguing with or harassing customers who leave you negative feedback, whether it is deserved or not. Nothing looks more unprofessional than a seller and buyer fighting back and forth over feedback comments. It’s understandable that you might be angry or emotional when hit with negative feedback, especially if you don’t feel that you did anything wrong. But for the sake of your professional reputation, learn to overcome those emotions before responding. Employ the 24 Hour Rule; that is, don’t make a reply until you’ve had a day to cool down.

When you do respond to unfair negative feedback, stick to the facts. If the buyer claims that the item was not as described, point out that every defect was carefully documented in the item’s description. (It was, wasn’t it?) If they complain about slow shipping, post the shipping dates as well as the shipping policy that they agreed to when they purchased the item. Never use personal attacks, only facts.

If you did make a mistake that earned you negative feedback, respond with courtesy. Apologize for the honest mistake you made, and mention that you were not given a chance to rectify the situation before feedback was left. This type of follow-up can make buyers more sympathetic to your situation.

There are right ways and wrong ways to deal with negative feedback on Ebay. As long as you respond with class and professionalism, you can minimize the damage to your reputation.

The main thing, is to not let the fear of negative feedback scare you away from what could be a very profitable undertaking for you. Remember no matter how hard you try or how good you take care of your customers, there will always be the malcontents that can never be completely satisfied. Just do the best you can and give everyone a square deal!

I don’t think there is a better way to make money from home than Ebay. It’s easy to use and has millions of buyers everyday. Many people use it as their sole source of income and they do not have anymore business experience or know how than you. Some of them make much more than an average income. Many get rich! So the question is- if they can do it why not you?

The answer is you can! But if you want to make money on Ebay, you need to ask yourself some questions.

What do you want to sell on Ebay? Some people make a fine income reselling items they found at yard or estate sales. Other Ebay sellers list their items again and again but they just don’t seem to be in demand. Why the discrepancy? Successful Ebay resellers are very familiar with their items.

They know how much each item is worth, and they know how much competition they can expect from other sellers listing similar items. They also know whether or not there is a market for a given item, and they pass up items that might prove difficult to sell.

One top Ebay seller follows a simple rule of thumb: she never pays more than $5 for an item when she’s not sure what it’s worth. This has brought her great success while minimizing her losses.

If a $5 item turns out to be a hot seller, she gladly pockets the extra money. If the item bombs instead, she hasn’t lost much of her initial investment. Like other Ebay power sellers, she also knows that the really big sales come sporadically. They should be enjoyed, but never counted on.

How do you assess the competition for a given item? Do an Ebay search for similar items and see what comes up. If it looks like the market is saturated, find something else to list. You can always list your item later, when competition isn’t so stiff.

Doing an Ebay search is a great idea because it also lets you see how much others are charging for items like yours. If you can undercut the competition without going broke, do it. If not, wait.

While vintage furniture and other bulky items often find enthusiastic new homes, you should be familiar with shipping prices and procedures before you list the big stuff. You don’t want to spend $100 dollars shipping an item that just sold for $150. Consult your local post office to learn vital shipping details.

Finally, ask yourself if you want to sell general merchandise or cater to a niche market. Having a wide selection of diverse items can mean a larger market for your wares. But it also means a pretty hefty initial investment of time and money while you build up your stock.

If you’re experienced with a certain type of merchandise, like designer clothing or toys, why not specialize in that niche? With the advent of Ebay stores, you can create a low-cost, permanent showcase for your items. Niche stores tend to do very well, because customers will visit them when they need a specific type of item.

Some specialize in gothic jewelry, while others focus on collectible figurines. There is a niche market for just about everything, so choose items that you’re familiar with and display them in your Ebay store.

Making money on Ebay is easy to do. Sellers who research their items and their markets beforehand lead the pack in Ebay success stories. Take a page out of their book. Before you build your inventory, know what you want to sell, to whom, and for how much. A little research now will save you a lot of unpleasant surprises later.