| Acknowledgments |
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xiii | |
| Introduction |
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xv | |
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PART I Setting Up Your Consignment Business |
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Why Start a Consignment Business on eBay? |
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3 | (6) |
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What Are the Benefits of Becoming a Trading Assistant? |
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4 | (1) |
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Are There Successful Consignment Businesses Operating Now? |
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5 | (2) |
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How Big Can an eBay Consignment Business Grow? |
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7 | (2) |
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9 | (10) |
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10 | (1) |
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10 | (1) |
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11 | (1) |
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12 | (1) |
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13 | (1) |
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Letterhead and Business Cards |
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14 | (1) |
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Computer and Software Resources |
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14 | (1) |
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15 | (1) |
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16 | (1) |
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16 | (1) |
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16 | (1) |
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17 | (1) |
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18 | (1) |
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How Much Should I Charge? |
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19 | (8) |
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20 | (2) |
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Suggested Commission Schedule |
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21 | (1) |
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22 | (1) |
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Your Unique Selling Proposition |
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22 | (5) |
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Find Consignment Customers |
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27 | (10) |
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29 | (4) |
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29 | (3) |
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32 | (1) |
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32 | (1) |
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Estate Sales and Garage Sales |
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32 | (1) |
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33 | (2) |
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33 | (1) |
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Creating a Presentation Book |
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34 | (1) |
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35 | (1) |
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The eBay Co-Op Advertising Program |
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35 | (2) |
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37 | (10) |
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38 | (3) |
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41 | (1) |
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Business and Industrial Category |
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42 | (1) |
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42 | (1) |
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43 | (4) |
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PART II Marketing Your Business |
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Sell Retail Store Closeouts |
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47 | (6) |
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What Types of Retailers Should I Approach? |
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48 | (3) |
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What Fees Should I Charge Retailers? |
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51 | (1) |
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52 | (1) |
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Raise Money for Nonprofit Organizations |
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53 | (6) |
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54 | (2) |
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Working with Large Charities and Nonprofits |
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56 | (2) |
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The eBay Giving Works Program |
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58 | (1) |
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59 | (6) |
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60 | (2) |
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How Do I Contact These People? |
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61 | (1) |
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62 | (2) |
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How Do I Contact Estate Attorneys? |
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62 | (1) |
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63 | (1) |
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64 | (1) |
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Conduct Bankruptcy and Repossession Sales |
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65 | (8) |
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Bankruptcy Auction Overview |
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66 | (2) |
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Marketing Your Bankruptcy Auction Business |
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68 | (1) |
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Police and Sheriffs' Auctions |
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69 | (1) |
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Distressed Companies and Corporate Downsizing |
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70 | (3) |
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Corporate Consignment Sales |
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73 | (10) |
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How to Find Big-Ticket Merchandise to Sell on eBay |
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76 | (3) |
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76 | (1) |
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76 | (1) |
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77 | (1) |
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Corporate Equipment Sales |
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78 | (1) |
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79 | (4) |
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PART III Running Your Business for Maximum Profits |
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Set Up for Mass Production |
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83 | (8) |
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Increasing Your Selling Price |
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85 | (1) |
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Launching More Auctions and Launching Them Faster |
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86 | (1) |
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87 | (1) |
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88 | (3) |
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91 | (14) |
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92 | (1) |
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93 | (5) |
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Liberty4 Trading Assistants |
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93 | (1) |
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94 | (4) |
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Auction Management Services |
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98 | (7) |
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100 | (1) |
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101 | (4) |
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Auction Photography and the Photo Studio |
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105 | (8) |
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106 | (3) |
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106 | (1) |
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107 | (1) |
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107 | (1) |
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Get Close to Your Subject |
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108 | (1) |
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108 | (1) |
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108 | (1) |
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109 | (2) |
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111 | (1) |
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111 | (2) |
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Set Up a Consignment Storefront |
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113 | (8) |
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What Are the Advantages of a Storefront? |
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114 | (1) |
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What Are the Disadvantages of a Storefront? |
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114 | (1) |
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What Kind of Store Should I Open? |
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115 | (1) |
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116 | (5) |
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How Much Space Will I Need for All of This? |
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116 | (1) |
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Commercial Lease Checklist |
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116 | (5) |
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121 | (8) |
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122 | (1) |
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123 | (1) |
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124 | (1) |
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124 | (1) |
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Employment and Employee Costs |
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125 | (4) |
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126 | (1) |
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127 | (2) |
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Organization and Record Keeping |
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129 | (6) |
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130 | (1) |
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131 | (1) |
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132 | (3) |
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135 | (6) |
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136 | (2) |
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136 | (2) |
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138 | (3) |
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141 | (6) |
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What Sort of Investments Should You Make? |
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142 | (1) |
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Raising Money for Your Business |
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142 | (1) |
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143 | (1) |
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143 | (1) |
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143 | (1) |
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144 | (1) |
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144 | (1) |
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How to Find Venture Capitalists |
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145 | (2) |
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eBay Consignment Franchises |
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147 | (6) |
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148 | (2) |
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150 | (1) |
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151 | (2) |
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eBay Stores and Web Sites |
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153 | (6) |
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154 | (1) |
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155 | (1) |
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156 | (1) |
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156 | (1) |
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156 | (1) |
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156 | (1) |
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156 | (3) |
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Reduce and Control Your eBay Fees |
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159 | (6) |
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160 | (1) |
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Reserve Price Auction Fees |
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160 | (1) |
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Final Value (Selling Fees) |
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161 | (1) |
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161 | (1) |
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Controlling Your eBay Fees |
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162 | (1) |
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Which Optional Fees Are a Good Value? |
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162 | (3) |
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165 | (12) |
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166 | (1) |
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167 | (1) |
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167 | (2) |
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Fixed Price Listings and BIN |
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169 | (1) |
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169 | (1) |
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Listing and Pricing Strategies |
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169 | (4) |
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170 | (1) |
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The $1 No Reserve Strategy |
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171 | (1) |
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172 | (1) |
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172 | (1) |
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Best Time to Launch Auctions |
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173 | (4) |
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174 | (1) |
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175 | (1) |
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176 | (1) |
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Research: The Key to Profits |
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177 | (8) |
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178 | (1) |
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178 | (1) |
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179 | (2) |
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Searching More Effectively |
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179 | (1) |
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Locating Auctions That Include a Specific Word |
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180 | (1) |
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180 | (1) |
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Narrowing Your Search Even More |
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180 | (1) |
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Finding Listings with One of Multiple Words |
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180 | (1) |
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Locating Listings with One Word, But Not Another |
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180 | (1) |
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Third-Party Online Services |
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181 | (1) |
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181 | (1) |
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181 | (1) |
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181 | (4) |
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PART IV Building Your Sales on eBay |
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185 | (8) |
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Writing Dynamic Headlines |
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186 | (3) |
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188 | (1) |
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189 | (1) |
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Selecting the Right Category |
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189 | (4) |
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190 | (1) |
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191 | (2) |
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Write Winning Auction Descriptions |
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193 | (12) |
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Features Describe; Benefits Sell |
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194 | (4) |
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Power Words and Emotional Appeal |
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198 | (1) |
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199 | (2) |
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Increasing Sales with a Call to Action |
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201 | (1) |
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202 | (3) |
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Build Your Credibility to Build Your Business |
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205 | (10) |
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206 | (2) |
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Building Trust and Safety |
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208 | (7) |
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eBay Trust and Safety Tools |
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210 | (1) |
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Third-Party Trust and Safety Tools |
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211 | (4) |
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Give Superior Customer Service |
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215 | (6) |
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216 | (2) |
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218 | (3) |
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Business Policies to Build Your Business |
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221 | (6) |
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222 | (2) |
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224 | (1) |
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225 | (2) |
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Promote Your Auctions with Special Features |
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227 | (6) |
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228 | (1) |
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228 | (1) |
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Bold, Highlight, and Border |
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229 | (1) |
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230 | (1) |
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231 | (1) |
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Super (Home Page) Featured |
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231 | (1) |
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231 | (2) |
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The Consignment Seller's Web Site |
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233 | (10) |
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234 | (4) |
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Marketing: If You Build It, Will They Come? |
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238 | (1) |
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What Should I Put on My Web Site? |
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239 | (4) |
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243 | (10) |
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What Are the Keys to Success in the Online Consignment Business? |
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244 | (2) |
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Can You Give Me a Step-by-Step Plan for Success? |
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246 | (1) |
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What Are the Real Secrets to Success on eBay? |
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247 | (6) |
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APPENDIX A Sample Agreements, Forms, and Letters |
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253 | (18) |
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255 | (3) |
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258 | (2) |
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Alternate Non-Consignment Contract |
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260 | (4) |
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264 | (1) |
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Sample Sales Letters to Prospective Consignors |
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265 | (6) |
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Letter to an Estate and/or Bankruptcy Attorney |
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266 | (1) |
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Letter to Local Business Owners Outlining Your Services |
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267 | (1) |
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Letter to a Retail Storeowner |
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268 | (1) |
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269 | (2) |
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APPENDIX B Advertising Posters |
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271 | (8) |
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APPENDIX C Resources and References |
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279 | (6) |
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eBay and Consignment Selling Online Resources |
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280 | (4) |
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280 | (1) |
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281 | (1) |
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Authentication and Grading Services |
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281 | (1) |
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281 | (2) |
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283 | (1) |
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283 | (1) |
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284 | (1) |
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284 | (1) |
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APPENDIX D Consignment Startup Checklist |
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285 | (4) |
| Glossary |
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289 | (8) |
| Index |
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297 | |
Other versions by this Author
