[Hidden-tech] eBay Newbie Questions

[dehahn at charter.net]

> Hi:
> I've opened an eBay account and I want to begin selling some things, but 
> I'm not clear how to go about it and the eBay Getting Started pages are 
> less than helpful.

eBay seller since 1998.

> Specifically I want to know:
> 
> * If I put an item out to auction, can I set a minimum price?

Yes. There are several ways.

Set the starting bid high. This will cost you more in listing fees, and will turn off those looking for a bargain.

Set a reserve. There is a reserve fee on top of the listing fee. Many bidders will not bid on reserve auctions.

Use a fixed price listing. This is not an auction, more like a classified ad. If you price your item fairly, it will sell.

> * Do I set a time limit on an auction or does eBay impose this on me as 
> a seller?

Typically it's 3, 5, 7 or 10 day listings. The 10 day listing has an additional fee.

> * If I reach the end of an auction, and I'm not happy with the highest 
> bid, am obligated to sell anyway? If I don't, would this affect my 
> rating as a seller?

If you did this to me, I would give you 24 hours to reconsider before I reported you to eBay and posted negative feedback. Don't do this. If you are reported more than once, eBay will ban you.

I highly recommend the book eBay for Dummies. All of the answers to these questions could be easily found within 10 minutes.

Good luck