| Auctions have long been a staple in the | | | | |
| toolkit of nonprofit development | | | | ************************************ |
| professionals. The emergence of ubiquitous | | | | |
| online access have made online auctions an | | | | In addition to eBay, other vendors offer |
| excellent vehicle for nonprofits and | | | | vehicles for nonprofits to run fundraising |
| charities to raise funds while engaging | | | | auctions. CMarket - offers services |
| stakeholders and other consituencies in their | | | | emphasizing the importance of bidders, donors |
| causes. eBay, the leader platform for online | | | | and sponsors, and their respective roles in a |
| auctions also provides a number of offerings | | | | successful auction. Their Website is a |
| for running nonprofit auctions. Running a | | | | valuable source of fundraising auction tips. |
| charity auction on eBay is simple, but | | | | |
| getting the most from your efforts involves | | | | ************************************ |
| developing a strategy and understanding the | | | | |
| ins and outs of eBay. Luckily eBay provides | | | | Questionable items are those that are not |
| lots of information on how to be successful | | | | prohibited, but are not necessarily |
| using their services. | | | | infringing. Adult material falls under the |
| | | | ?questionable? category. Tickets of any type |
| Because eBay is such a huge marketplace, with | | | | may also be questionable. Law enforcement |
| members from all walks of life, in almost | | | | related equipment, as well as guns, knives, |
| every single country around the world, it is | | | | and other weapons are questionable items. |
| no wonder that there are many scammers | | | | Artifacts, food items, batteries, all |
| lurking about. In order to better protect the | | | | hazardous chemicals and materials are also on |
| buyers, eBay has specific rules concerning | | | | the list of questionable items. You can |
| the items that can be auctioned off on the | | | | auction questionable items at eBay, as long |
| site. These rules must be followed, or the | | | | as those items meet certain conditions. |
| person posting the item for auction can be | | | | |
| banned from the site. | | | | Potentially Infringing items are those that |
| | | | violate copyrights, trademarks, and other |
| Even though there are numerous categories, | | | | legal rights. These items are almost always |
| items that are put up for auction really only | | | | some type of media, such as software, DVDs, |
| fall into one of four categories at eBay: | | | | and CDs, but the list contains other items as |
| Prohibited, Questionable, Potentially | | | | well, such as counterfeit items and illegal |
| Infringing, and Approved. Approved is the | | | | recordings. You can find out more about |
| simplest category to define and understand. | | | | 'potentially infringing' items at the eBay |
| An approved item is any item that does not | | | | website as well. |
| fall into one of the other three categories. | | | | |
| That is fairly simple, right? | | | | If you are unsure as to which category your |
| | | | item falls into, you should contact eBay with |
| After the 'approved' category, however, it | | | | this question before setting up the auction. |
| starts to get a little harder to understand ? | | | | As a buyer, you should carefully consider the |
| with the exception of prohibited items. A | | | | consequences of purchasing items that fall |
| prohibited item may not be auctioned on eBay | | | | under one of the three categories above. In |
| for any reason, under any circumstances. | | | | some cases, it may be very illegal to have |
| Prohibited items include alcohol, drugs, | | | | some of those items in your possession ? no |
| animals, tobacco, human remains or body parts | | | | matter how they were obtained. Before making |
| of any type, lottery tickets, and | | | | such a purchase, or bidding on such an item, |
| governmental property. There is quite a bit | | | | you should find out more details about the |
| more on the list, and that list can be viewed | | | | item in question, and then get some legal |
| at the eBay website. | | | | advice. |