Your Auction Business & Taxes

by V. Raposo

Taxes is an issue when running an Auction Business. But is there a grey line when it comes to declaring it? It's really within reason if you're going to do a huge amount of it, a small amount is negligible. Some people want to have a small business for write-offs, you might want to consider taking it to the next level and be able to write off some of your expenses like your computer, office space, supplies, etc. Each state and each province has their own amount of sales you can do without declaring, & charging taxes. Check with your state to see what amount you have to do before you start taking taxes. The BC goverment (where I live) gives you an allowance of $30,000 before you have to charge for sales tax, that's for someone who legally has a business. There's definate advantages of having a business license, declaring your income and being able to have write-offs. That being said, legally you have to declare taxes if you're profiting from it. Are You Holding Onto Too Much Product? We all love to make money but after a while when you get too much product built up, you can start losing money. Why would we do that? What happens is we get in a mindset on the value we feel our items are worth verses, what we can get for them. That's why when purchasing items it's important to keep in mind that you make money when you buy, Not - When you Sell. But we also get into the territory where you feel you should get a certain price for something. And that's what we need to shake.... immediately. You need to be watching your products and if something isn't pulling in the money anymore, you need to blow it out. Product on the shelves is not money in your pocket.... it's out of your pocket. When we relate this to your eBay business, the same goes for what you have in your eBay store. Keep it fresh and alive. Have special offers, only for those who are buying an auction AND a store item. Make it something that they want and give them a deal. Blowout product that you've had for too long. This will give you money up right away and gets you product you can actually do well with. So, get out of the mind frame that to you need to make "X" amount from certain products, if they're not pulling it in, then "X" them out and move onto newer hotter products! About the author: Vera Raposo has been making a living with online auctions since 1997. With thousands of completed auctions under her belt, Vera is now sharing some of her best auction strategies in a free 90-minute interview at http://www.auctionstrategists.com/special

From Seller to Buyer: Shipping Details for eBay Auctions

by Nicky Pilkington

Shipping details for purchases over eBay is actually a misnomer. eBay is not responsible for the shipping details of an item. First of all, it should be duly noted that eBay is an online market/transaction facilitator. It merely becomes a means for the buyer and the seller to meet. It is also a regulating body that helps develop fairness of trades among parties. However, the terms and details of the trade are subject to the agreement of both buying and selling parties. For most cases, the details of a trade - the payment modes, conditions, and shipping details are specified by the selling party. Taking note of, and understanding such is important to avoiding disputes over shipping details between buyer and seller. If the buyer does not pay attention to the terms stated here, he may find himself on the losing end of a trade. He must, therefore, be vigilant in studying the terms before agreeing to a trade. The buyer should also note that shipping is usually exclusive of the bid price he may have agreed to on the auction. He should weigh in the costs of shipping and handling when considering trades. Sellers on the other hand should ensure that the mode of delivery he specifies is convenient, cost-efficient, and attractive to most buyers. Buyers should review the shipping details for an item listing. He must specifically take note of insurance, shipping and handling charges, sales tax and return policy. In the case of insurance, if the seller does not specify any details for such, the buyer should discuss the possibility of including one in the purchase. One walks on the safe side if he does not assume that all will go well on the delivery. The buyer should also inquire about the return policy - the rights available to a buyer if desires to return an item for whatever reason may it be dissatisfaction, damage, etc. Depending on the size of the item and its location, shipping costs can add significantly to the total cost of the item. The buyer should make sure the shipping details are clear and fair before agreeing to them. The buyer should also take advantage of the safety mechanisms available to him. The buyer and seller should agree upon such and contact their shipping company of choice to request measures to address their delivery concerns. Again, the key component to considering the shipping details of an item over eBay is good communication. In the end, one could say that shipping plans over eBay items can be safe - as long as one takes great pains and meticulous methods to ensure a hassle free delivery. About the author: Find out more about ebay and online auctions at http://auctionhelper.info

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