As an online auction merchant, you've got to go beyond just putting up an auction ad and crossing your fingers that it will work.

Like any good business model, you want to test and track. One of the best ways to help put the selling odds in your favor is through timing and feedback.

In this article, you'll discover how to capitalize on the power of timing, how to use feedback to your advantage, and what to avoid from less-than-ethical sellers.

Timing the buy is very important Buying products off season is a big plus. If you can buy products in large quantities off-season do it. A lot of things you see being sold during the holiday season are slashed in price during the summer months of the year. It has to do with supply and demand.

Certain products especially clothing items and collectibles are cyclical in nature - in other words they'll sell more of one product during a particular time of the year as compared to another.

Try and time the buy of these products with the off-season pricing and you can surprise yourself and really make a lot of money if you do that effectively.

What can an audience member do to ensure that they are truly getting the best buy for our money? Well, like I said a couple variables you need to look at - if your looking at a seller selling online take a look at that seller's history.

 

The last thing you want to do is buy a high dollar item from a seller who has zero or little feedback. I'm sure you've seen in the news and we've certainly seen it here and heard on the radio about people buying products on eBay and getting we'll use the word scammed or deceived by sellers.

Let me give you I think some valuable insights into buying to make sure you avoid any type of risk that you may encounter:

* Warning: Do not send money via wire transfer with tthe firms you see on television. That is a huge mistake.

* Do not buy off of a seller who has little or no feedback, especially with high ticket items. It has been my experience in talking with people who have bought real estate online through online auction sites that you're taking a big risk.

So be very careful too when you're buying real estate and other high ticket items. You can really put yourself in jeopardy if you're not smart when it comes to buying those high ticket items.

For those buyers who do a lot of buying online what should the buyers be looking for when they buy products online?

Its been my experience in talking to literally hundreds of buyers and dozens of powers sellers, that buyers need to look outside of eBay to buy products.

As strange as that sounds, there are other venues that you can approach to make price comparisons to what you would get on eBay.

So we can look online and we can take a look at what's out there by searching and doing search queries.

* Remember, do not buy products that tell you where to get products from the person who is selling those products. Let me say that again. Don't buy products that tell you where to get products from people who are selling those products.

Its really important but many people don't realize that eBay has virtually stopped wholesale list selling on eBay and its because they know other people who are selling those wholesale lists are really just selling you a referral to themselves to come back to them and buy more products.

Following these simple strategies can save you a lot of headache.

Michael G. Perry is the author of "The Book Power Sellers Hate 5th Edition". He helps new and intermediate eBay uses build business models that leverage the eBay brand. To learn more visit http://www.advancedmarketing101.com/ Michael G. Perry works with small business owners and corporations to improve their ROI and reduce risks when using eBay or transitioning to online marketing. He can be reached online at http://www.advancedmarketing101.com or phoned directly at 702-982-1228.