MoreHi!
As this ezine finds it way to you–I am on vacation! I hope that everything is going smoothly back in eBay Land without me. Yikes! I hope that you have a vacation planned for sometime this year. It is always great to have something to look forward to. My vacation was a super bargain and I will tell you how we did it!
- Special Announcement from Lee: I have highjacked Lynn’s ezine and am putting her entire store on sale! Don’t tell her!
- Feature Article: Mission Fish–The Right Thing to Do
- The Queen’s Update: Our First 100 Best Story from YOU!
- Lynn Recommends: Listening to the Griff Interview from 1/30
This ezine is now published once a week.
February 8, 2007 Volume III, Issue 6
Dear friends,
I try to take as many short weekend trips each year as I can, but for me to be out of the office for a week is really tough. I worked really hard (using the Dralle Method) in the week prior and had all my 100 things listed before I left! Pretty cool. So while I am sitting on a beach in the Caribbean, I am still selling on eBay and making money!
I had always wanted to go to the Cayman Islands and when Peter and I started planning this trip we found out that it was pretty expensive. The hotel I wanted to stay at was $750 a night for a beach front room and because of this we almost didn’t go.
I am a super sleuth (both in my antiques detective work and in getting great travel deals). I immediately called American Express Membership Rewards and found that the two of us could fly first class for the price of one. For $800 each we would be traveling in style.
The next problem on the agenda was the hotel. I got Starwood Preferred on the phone and found that I could get a non-ocean view room at the Westin for 10,000 points a night. I had enough points and we were in business. Peter and I were going to the Caymans for $800 each!
Always be creative in your life and your eBay business and NEVER give up! I think that things always work out for the best if you have a positive attitude. That is one reason I decided to write about Mission Fish this week. Mission Fish is the chosen charitable company that eBay uses. Please read the feature article to learn more.
In the Lynn recommends section, we have a link to the Jim (Griff) Griffin interview from eBay Radio ten days ago. Always a great idea to listen to Griff!
Finally, We have our first 100 Best Things You’ve Sold or Bought on eBay story from one of you all! OK OK it is kind of from one of us all since it is from MO (my former assistant)–but it will give you an idea of what we are looking for!
Here’s to Successful eBaying!
Lynn Dralle,’The Queen of Auctions,’ Creator of the best-selling eBay Boot Camp in a Box.
Hi everyone,
Lynn had written some nonsense–so I just took it out. I am announcing that my secret sale will have to end at midnight this Sunday, February 11th. Lynn is officially back in the office on Monday and I’ve got to have everything back to normal.
If you didn’t see my email announcement that came out on Tuesday, 2/6, here is that info again:
Lynn is out of town and I put the entire website on sale! Everything is 25% off, even Boot Camp in a Box! Don’t miss out on all the special savings. You can find Lynn’s store here.
Remember, it all ends at midnight on Sunday, February 11th! And thanks for not calling her on her cell phone to let her know!
Lee
‘Mission Fish (eBay Giving Works)–The Right Thing to Do!‘
by Lynn A. Dralle, ‘The Queen of Auctions’
eBay Giving Works is the program that is in charge of charity listings on eBay. You may be asking, “Lynn, what are you talking about?” Many of you many not even know about this option although you may have noticed it on the Sell Your Item (SYI) Form.
Mission Fish is the company that handles charitable giving for eBay. Mission Fish provides a very valuable service and support to eBay. This program has been in effect since 2000, and over $81 million has been raised. It is an incredible and powerful tool!
I decided to donate using Mission Fish and eBay Giving Works several years ago. I have only had wonderful experiences with both of them and every time I click that button to donate a portion of my sales price to my favorite charity–I feel great!
Here is when I use Mission Fish. Whenever I get a major SCORE that I know is going to sell for over $100 and I got it for relatively nothing–I click the 10% to charity button. I always choose the same charity, Toys for Tots. But, there are over 8,000 charities listed that you can donate money to. It is such a powerful feature!
Also, for every Boot Camp in a Box that sells on eBay, 10% is donated. It is such a great way to make sure that I don’t forget about giving back. I encourage you to try it sometime.
Check out the bottom of this screen
for the Mission Fish information.
In addition to feeling great for donating to your favorite charity–there are some other benefits also!
- Tax Write-Off (Mission Fish will issue a receipt)
- You Enhance Buyer Trust and Loyalty by aligning with a cause
- Your Item May Sell for a Higher Price
eBay says that Giving Works (Mission Fish) Listings tend to sell for higher final prices because buyers are more willing to purchase and often pay more for items that benefit a non-profit.
- Your listing gets additional visibility–There are special search functions reserved exclusively for eBay Giving Works (Mission Fish) Listings
- If you donate at least 90% of the final sales price (and your item sells) eBay refunds your fees!
- Your listing will stand out with the charity icon in the title bar–donation information is also displayed in the item listing.
Your listing appears with the charity ribbon icon:
This is what the banner for Toys for Tots looks like in my listing:
Here are the directions from the eBay site on how to add the Mission Fish (eBay Giving Works) option to a listing:
Start selling for charity
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Go to the Sell Your Item form on eBay. In the “Pictures & Details” section, click the “Add” link in the area titled “Donate percentage of sale.”
Note: Your browser must be JavaScript enabled. Additionally, you cannot create eBay Giving Works listings in the Real Estate ad format or Mature Audiences category. |
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Select a certified organization from the nonprofit directory and designate your donation percentage (10%-100% of the final sale price).
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Select PayPal or a credit card as one of the buyer payment options in the “Enter Payment & Shipping” section.
Note: This is not required for listings in the Motors or Real Estate categories. |
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Complete the remainder of the Sell Your Item form and submit your listing.
Note: Your chosen nonprofit will be notified of your listing. If for some reason it would prefer not to be benefit from your listing, the organization has the right to request the listing be canceled. |
Once your item sells, just wait for payment from your buyer and ship it as normal. Business as usual! MissionFish will email you the exact donation amount due and payment instructions. If you don’t go to their site and input all the information to process the payment, MissionFish will automatically charge your credit card on the second Monday after your listing ends.
I have to admit that I am a bit lazy and never make it to the MissionFish site to pay–I just let them automatically charge my credit card and this has worked out just fine so far!
MissionFish then forwards the gift (minus a small handling fee) to your designated nonprofit on the 20th day of the 2nd month after your listing has closed and issues you a tax receipt. Pretty Slick!
I suggest you try it just once–Your donation could be as small as $5 or as large as you like. But I promise, it will make you feel great! And don’t forget the added benefits!
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEBSITE? Yes, you may – just as long as you include this complete blurb with it: The Queen of Auctions and eBay Power Seller, Lynn Dralle, publishes ‘eBay Tips & Tricks’ a weekly ezine with 8000+ subscribers. If you’re ready to jump start your eBay business, make more money and have more free time, get your FRE E tips now at www.thequeenofauctions.com
I am happy to announce our first story for The 100 Best Things You’ve Bought or Sold on eBay! This week’s story is by Maureen (Mo) my former assistant who many of you remember and have met in person. She is doing amazingly well on eBay and often calls me to thank me and say that “I learned from the master” (I think she is talking about me)–What a sweetie she is!
She called me a few weeks ago and said, “Lynn, did you see my owl that sold for so much on eBay?” I hadn’t and she started to tell me the story and I said, “Stop, Stop! This is perfect for the first story in my ezine. Can you please write it up, get me a photo of you and your sister and all the details by Thursday?” She said “Not by this Thursday, but by next Thursday”! Cool. So here it is.
Click here to read the story…
Please patronize Maureen’s store and make her business this year even better. Here is a link to her store (Mosthisnthat). Thanks!
eBay Power Seller and third generation antiques dealer, Lynn Dralle, is the creator of Boot Camp in a Box, the home-study course where you can learn to implement the Dralle Method to maximize your eBay profits.
If you liked today’s issue, you’ll love this step-by-step course that is guaranteed to be the most complete and enjoyable guide to selling on eBay that MAKES YOU MONEY.
Read all about it here.
The Queen of Auctions also offers free articles, teleseminars, how-to books, tracking guides, DVDs, eBay Boot Camp training and other resources to help entrepreneurs make their eBay business a six-figure sales machine. Click here to learn more.
The Queen of Auctions/All Aboard Inc.
PO Box 14103
Palm Desert, CA 92255
760-340-6622
Lynn@TheQueenofAuctions.com
Once again, I had a great time being interviewed by Griff (Jim Griffin–The Dean of eBay Education) on Tuesday 1/30. He is the bestest host! Here is a link to a recording of that interview in case you missed it (I’m number nine on the page.)
Here is also a link to the Jim Surfer Mug we talked about.
Happy eBaying!!
Lynn
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Lynn is an experienced eBay Power Seller, author and teacher. If you want to know the eBay tips, tricks and tools that Lynn uses for buying and selling at online auction click here.
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