Book Report

For this book report I chose a subject that I felt comfortable with. Selling on eBay has something I have done for years and probably many have as well. The book describes eBay’s selling model and their user demographic. EBay was created to be a place where people could buy and sell used and collectable merchandise. It quickly grew and fees were eventually added to the site. The fees did not bother people and the site became the EBay, as we know it today. EBay began as a site that was virtually a fun experience. Being able to bid auction style brought a little bit of excitement to the buying experience.  Though it was not the most efficient way to buy items it still kept people’s interest when looking for rare or collectable items. Soon after eBay introduced the Buy it Now option, which basically put a fixed price on items. If the buyers decided that the item was worth the price then they could end the auction quickly. There were many other changes that came down the road, which effectively made buying and selling easier and safer. They also brought policies that supported sellers that protected not only sellers but buyers as well.

The once “garage seller” friendly eBay has now started to shy away from the smaller sellers. With these changes people have to find new options to sell their product. Being able to merge to other web selling applications is a must. As a seller, you have to realize that there are other options out there. You may be able to use Amazon, Craigslist, or even create your own website. These options may be more profitable that eBay, and just as easy to use.

Craigslist is a local website in major cities that anyone can post classified ads in. The best part about Craigslist is that it is absolutely free. If you can manage to get past the spam of ads that maybe on the website then Craigslist is a great site to promote your product. When compared to eBay, I personally would rather sell on Craigslist. Dealing with cash in hand and no middleman is a plus.  Prices on Craigslist might be a little lower than eBay because there is no need to ship, and you as a seller are not charged a selling fee. Premium items will still demand premium price and this will drive prices up. If the item you have is in demand then you will profit using Craigslist. People would rather have the item in their hand the same day than buy on eBay for a little less and would have to wait a few days to receive an item. Using Craigslist is great for local casual sellers, but might not be enough to have a growing business.

If you do realize that Craigslist is not for your business, then you have to look at your next option. Amazon is the next site one would look at to help their business grow outside of eBay. Amazon was founded as the world’s largest bookstore. It then became the world’s online largest retailer. The site has 47 million visitors each month, so you know that your products are being widely promoted. Amazon does not care whether they sell their own product or a third party product because they will make the same profit.  There are different levels of selling on Amazon in which each seller can choose. Each level has a price point of fees. As a seller you may choose to sell per item sold, or pay a type of membership fee to be able to sell as much items as you want. Amazon also has a program to help sellers create their own site. No matter what a seller might choose, they would have to pay Amazon a commission or final value fee. The biggest upside to Amazon is that the traffic it delivers to your product. You can rest assure that your product will be seen by buyers.

The next option would be to start your own site. Having your own site is every sellers dream. Being able to have your store the way you want it does come with a cost. There is a lot of work that has to be done to make your website blossom and become profitable. Shying away from eBay, Amazon, and Craigslist means that you have to create your own traffic. If you have a solid amount of product that moves often then you may not have to worry about traffic. Creating a domain name that is easy to remember is also very important. Things like product pages must be frequently refreshed; things like product reviews, payment systems, shipping and also customer service must be managed. If this seems like something you are willing to tackle then having your website is very good for profit.

Overall you must decide what type of seller you are. Do you want to do this full-time? Would your rather have someone handle the customers and the website traffic? These are questions that you must answer to create your profitable e-business. For many, eBay is enough to sell their items now and again. Amazon seems like a better option for sellers that sell more than 40 items a month. Running your own store might be a better option for someone who has a solid product line and have experience running the whole operation. Just remember one thing, what once began with eBay does not mean it has to end with eBay.