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