| 1 |
When it comes to online auctions, a picture
(or sound) really is worth a thousand words! Make sure that you provide
a photo of your item, along with any other relevant media such as an audio
sound byte in order to let users know what your record or equipment sounds
like. For more information, consult our Audio
Support section.
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| 2 |
Know your HTML!
HTML is the standard programming language on the web. In order to make your
auction listings look professional, you need to learn a few very simple
tricks which can help add value to your listing. Consult our HTML
Primer section for more details. |
| 3 |
Remember: Online auctions are built on
a principle of trust between members of the VinylBid community. In
order to earn the trust of your fellow members, you should:
- Always state your shipping & Handling
costs in the item description.
This way, you avoid any possible misunderstandings with bidders.
- Include whether or not you accept
personal checks from members. You can even have a policy whereby
you only accept personal checks from those members with a certain rating.
- Try NOT to remain completely anonymous.
If you come in contact with potential bidders through emails, etc. speak
to them on a first-name basis.
- Always include the full auction terms
in your listing, with specific
reference to whether or not you are willing to use an escrow service
or other third party agency to facilitate your auctions.
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| 4 |
To maintain an even higher
level of credibility beyond VinylBid's rating system, you can join the
Online Auction Users Association,
abide by their code of ethics, and display their membership logo on your
auctions. |
| 5 |
To reduce the risk of a bidder claiming
that you never sent the goods, and for peace of mind, use the US Postal
Service's Delivery Confirmation service, or a valid form of registered mail
that has a tracking number. |
| 6 |
Always provide an alternate
e-mail address for your bidder to contact you in case technical problems
prevent them from sending e-mails to your primary address. It's important
to always maintain a good level of communication with your bidders throughout
the auction process. |
| 7 |
If you've just started out with VinylBid's
auctions, and have yet to amass many ratings, consider bidding on and
buying a few items on VinylBid in order to build up your Feedback Profile.
This will not only get you a great bargain, but also give you a few initial
positive feedback points to get you started. |
| 8 |
Consider alternate spellings
of your item in your product description and title. Sometimes, more
than one spelling of a word may be applicable, and since you wish to draw
the most amount of attention to your listing, you should include both. |
| 9 |
Avoid setting a reserve price on your
auction listings. Reserve-pricing figures are kept hidden from bidders,
and therefore tend to harm the trust between buyer & seller. Most people
are hesitant about participating in reserve auctions. |
| 10 |
Accepting credit cards
for purchases of your auctioned items is a great way to boost sales.
Buyers love the convenience that comes with buying an item with a credit
card, since it does away with the need for sending money orders and personal
checks. This also makes the transaction go by much faster, and means that
the money will be in your hands sooner rather than later. We recommend the
use of www.paypal.com. |
| 11 |
Make sure to include any relevant
details and keywords in your auction title and description. Remember,
bidders want to know about your product, so be sure to mention everything
you feel is relevant about its value. |
| 12 |
you can order FREE
priority mail shipping supplies on-line at http://supplies.usps.gov
(must be a U.S. resident). |
| 13 |
Check the WishList to find out what's
in demand!. Be sure to browse the WishList regularly to gain a sense
of the items buyers in the VinylBid community are currently seeking. |
| 14 |
Make sure that your
auction title catches the attention of buyers. Add a boldface
feature to make your auction listing's title stand out from the rest. Also
be sure to add any special icons, like the WishList Response icon
(if applicable) to let bidders know that your
item is posted in response to a WishList request. You can also add our Sound
Clip icon 
if you have included a sound clip with your
description, or our Record Crate icon 
if you are selling a bunch of records as a set. |
| 15 |
List your item as a 'Featured Item'.
Putting your listing in this section will showcase your item at the top
of auction listings within a particular category, and will therefore give
your item the maximum level of exposure possible. Use this feature to let
us all know about any rare gems or collectors items you may have, as well
as any items you feel are a great buy. |
