Business Online 101
IMAGE magazine Issue 6 2007
Learn how to buy and sell on the Net from an expert
By Debbie L. Skylar
Ever get tired of vying for a parking place at the mall? Dodging commission-driven salespeople? Fighting the crowds during a sale?
You’re not alone. Many consumers have found a way to get the goods they want minus the hassle of shopping in a store. Millions of people around the world have ditched carrying shopping bags for the convenience of clicking a mouse.
But if your thinking that Internet shopping means logging on to yur favorite storefront’s Web site and filling your virtual shopping cart, you’re only crawling around half of the Web. With sites like eBay and Ruby Lane, you can find exactly what you’re looking for – like that last piece of china to complete your antique collection or that rare Miles Davis recording you’ve been searching for. But eBay isn’t just for buyers – it’s an international marketplace where buyers, sellers, small businesses and even enterprises converge in the good spirit of commerce.
Buying and selling online has become the “it” thing mostly because it’s relatively easy and you can do it from home. “It doesn’t take long to become an eBay online ‘junkie’” says eBay-trained Education Specialist Carolyn CJ Jacinto. “Once you have done it, you realize that in record-breaking time, in the comfort of your own home, in your PJs, you have been able to purchase items that might have taken days to find in traditional brick and mortar stores. If you find it and you like it, you buy it. If you don’t, you just click and you are onto another site.”
Where IT’s At
“Whatever IT is, you can find it on eBay” is the latest promotional campaign from the Internet marketplace. You can find everything from vintage cars to modern furniture sets. Electronics, jewelry, books and even your favorite wines are just a click away. “More and more people use it to get whatever they are looking for – from the newest Oprah’s Book Club selection, to another pair of their favorite blue jeans,” says Jacinto. “In recent years, the automotive industry has exploded and classic cars, car parts, and accessories have become huge.”
Not only does eBay bring haves and have-nots together, but it offers a place where like-minded people can gather. “Chances are, if you love something, there are more [people] out there who love the same thing. eBay has provided the platform for those people to find each other to buy and sell what they love and enjoy,” she says. In fact, collectibles are the most popular items she’s noticed exchanging hands. Items that once took years to searching in antique stores or specialty shops to find can now be located on eBay in seconds. People have been able to complete their collections online and improve their collections by selling off lesser quality pieces when they have replaced them with items of greater value.
Learning the Ropes on the Net
Before making the switch to the virtual mall, Jacinto spent 32 years working in storefront retailing. “eBay and the Internet have afforded me an opportunity now to do what I like best – selling items that interest me, learning more about the stuff I love and teaching people how to do what they love. It just doesn’t get any better.” She says.
It all started for Jacinto when she attended a class at an eBay convention. Every year eBay puts on a three-day event, called “eBay Live,” which celebrates the community of buyers and sellers – the lifeblood of eBay. Organizers of the event wanted to establish a tradition of bring people who work in the virtural world face-to-face with each other. “I attended the first eBay Live in Anaheim in 2002, and will never miss another event.” Says Jacinto. “You learn what is happening in the world of eBay, as well as how to improve your eBay business.” Attendees also get to see the latest technology and have a chance to network with their eBay peers.
At the convention, she learned about classes eBay offers in conjunction with Power U that teach people how to educate others about selling on eBay. Jacinto got involved in the eBay Education Specialist classes hoping to get clients for eBay Trading Assistant Business. “I began teaching classes in a local Internet Café in 2005,” she says. “But the bigger surprise was how much I really love giving the classes and helping people start their own Internet business using eBay.”
She teaches three main classes: “The Basics of Buying on eBay,” “ The Basics of Selling on eBay” and “Beyond the Basics.”
The “Basics of Buying” class teaches how to find what you’re looking for, how to buy safely and how to get the best deal. “The classes take the ‘scare’ out of using the site, and offer insight into how to be successful,” she explains. “Often the best buyers make the best sellers.”
The “Basics of Selling” course focuses on the best practices for creating a winning listing, pricing strategies, the importance of keywords and how to research on eBay. It teaches you how open and use a PayPal account, monitor your listings, and complete transactions. “Once you have learned how to buy, you have the insight as to what categories or keywords you want to use to be a successful seller. Then, learning more about how to take photos, download them into eBay, write detailed descriptions, and explain your refund and payment policies, arms [people] with the information they need to go back and create listings right from the start.”
“Beyond the Basics” is for those who want to create a business on eBay. It explains the listing tools, tracking tools and eBay store strategies. Students learn about format and marketing tactics, and pick up pointers on packing and shipping inventory properly.
Each Education Specialist works independently of eBay, so schedules and fees vary per class. Jacinto’s classes typically last between four to six hours. “The knowledge you gain from one class takes you from kindergarten to being a high school graduate in the world of creating an eBay listing.” She says. Private classes at higher rates are also available, and go beyond the standard material to target specific needs.
Jacinto has helped many people learn to make a living selling merchandise on eBay. “Becoming successful at any job takes motivation, time, training, and hard work. eBay has made it easy enough for anyone to offer an item for sale, but to really be successful, you need some basic online and sales skills.” She says.
Virtual Security ?
Despite eBay’s allegiance to core values, which includes the beliefs that everyone ahs something to contribute and an honest, open environment can bring out the best in people, the fact remains that some people are just out there to make a fast buck. “While it is true that people are basically good and 99.9 percent of all transactions on eBay or online happen with total customer satisfaction, people need to be aware that there are bad guys out there trying to scam them,” Jacinto says.
Her classes teach how to identify and report possible fraudulent emails and requests, and how to avoid them. “It is usually pretty simple; if someone is asking for personal information or money via a wire transaction, be cautious,” she explains. She also supports using eBay’s feedback system to check out a seller’s reputation. The higher the feedback number and the higher the percentage of positives, the better you can feel about making a deal with someone who has satisfied other buyers.
Her classes also explain how to make the most of PayPal, and eBay company that enables any individual or business with an email address to securely, easily, and quickly send and receive payments online. There is no exchange of personal account information. The service is free for buyers, and seller pay a minimal fee per transaction. “It keeps you safe by transferring money from one account to another using only email addresses, not exchanging bank account numbers, “ Jacinto explains. “It also offers the buyer protection against seller fraud.”
Making IT work for you
According to Jacinto, there are currently more than 750,000 people making a full- or part-time living on eBay.
“Yes, you can make as much or as little as you want. There are many people making millions on the Internet. It’s all about sticking with your idea, and making it happen.” She says. IM | 
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