| Over the years, eBay has introduced all sorts | | | | This lets you avoid all the complications of |
| of different auction types, in an effort to | | | | the auction format and simply list your items |
| give people more options when they buy and | | | | for how much you want them to sell for. |
| sell their things on eBay. | | | | |
| | | | Recently, eBay added a twist to fixed price |
| For every seller who doesn't like the idea | | | | auctions: the 'best offer'. This means that |
| that their item might sell for a far lower | | | | buyers can contact you to negotiate a price, |
| price than they intend, there's another who | | | | which could be a good way to get sell some |
| wants to shift hundreds of the same item | | | | extra stock at a small discount. The only |
| quickly. eBay tries to cater to all tastes. | | | | downside to reserve and fixed price auctions |
| This email gives you an overview of the | | | | is that you pay a small extra fee to use |
| different kinds of auctions and their | | | | these formats. In general, it is more worth |
| advantages for you. | | | | using reserve auctions for higher-priced |
| | | | items and fixed price auctions for |
| Normal Auctions. | | | | lower-priced ones - but remember that you can |
| | | | combine the two formats. |
| These are the bread-and-butter of eBay, the | | | | |
| auctions everyone knows: buyers bid, others | | | | Multiple Item ('Dutch') Auctions. |
| outbid them, they bid again, and the winner | | | | |
| gets the item. Simple. | | | | These are auctions where you can sell more |
| | | | than one of a certain item. Dutch auctions |
| Reserve Auctions. | | | | can be done by bidding. Buyers bid a price |
| | | | and say how many items they want, and then |
| Reserve auctions are for sellers who don't | | | | everyone pays the lowest price that was bid |
| want their items to sell for less than a | | | | by one of the winning bidders. If you have |
| certain price - a concept you'll know about | | | | trouble getting your head around that, then |
| if you're familiar with real auctions. They | | | | don't worry - everyone else does too! These |
| work just like normal auctions on eBay, | | | | auctions are very rare. |
| except that the buyer will be told if their | | | | |
| bid does not meet the reserve price you set, | | | | What is more common is when a seller has a |
| and they'll need to bid again if they want | | | | lot of one item, and lists it using a |
| the item. If no-one is willing to meet your | | | | combination of two auction types: a |
| price, then the auction is cancelled, and you | | | | multiple-item fixed price auction. This just |
| keep the item. | | | | means that you can just say how many of the |
| | | | item you they have, and offer them at a fixed |
| Fixed Price ('Buy it Now') Auctions. | | | | price per unit. Buyers can enter how many |
| | | | they want and then just click Buy it Now to |
| Buy it Now auctions can work in one of two | | | | get them. |
| ways. You can add a Buy it Now button to a | | | | |
| normal auction, meaning that buyers can | | | | Now that you know about the different types |
| choose either to bid normally or to simply | | | | of auctions, you should make sure that the |
| pay the asking price and avoid the whole | | | | items you plan to sell don't violate eBay's |
| bidding process. Some sellers, though, now | | | | listing policies. Send an email to thnet.gr, |
| cut out the auction process altogether and | | | | to receive the complete list of eBay's full |
| simply list all their items at fixed price. | | | | list of prohibited or questionable items. |