The Webs Best Online Auction Sites

The best online auction links for buyers and sellers are - not surprisingly - eBay' eBay and eBay. eBay began the entire wacky world of online auctions back on the Labor Day weekend of 1995. By any definition' this is one of the most successful sites in the world' and certainly offers the greatest number and variety of goodies for buyers. Generally' sellers make more money on eBay than elsewhere.

Sometimes' though' we might wonder about the future of eBay' because the sheer volume of goods for sale might bring this giant to a halt. Today' for example' there are 425'641 sports card auctions. Many of these are dutch auctions - meaning the sellers are offering multiple items. So the actual number of cards for sale is even higher than the gigantic list of auctions. If you are a seller trying to auction a few cards' and you aren't really skilled in the business like Auction Genius Course students are' what are your chances of selling? Is it possible that in the future sellers might be looking for other options if they can't sell their goodies?

Here are some of the best online auction links if you're looking for life outside eBay:

Yahoo Auctions: (http.auctions.yahoo.com)
Being Yahoo' this is naturally the biggest competitor to giany eBay.

Amazon Auctions: (http://amazon.com)
Amazon was more serious about their online auctions in the past' but has added many more retail buying features in past years.

ePier Online Auctions: (http://epier.com)
One of the best alternative online auction links is ePier. These folks stuck it out for 2 years before making a profit' but are doing well now. As sellers' we can only cheer about the competition.

Bidville: (http://www.BidVille.com)
This general online auction site is small fry' compared to the giants' but depending on what you're selling' this might be a big advantage.

uBid: (http://www.ubid.com)
uBid is one of the best online auction sites for buying multiple items for resale. Its claim to fame is "bid on brand names starting at $1".

Bidz: (http://web-1.bidz.com)
Bidz is the home of the "2 minute" auctions which are fast and lots of fun. Warning: it's easy to get caught up in the auction fever of the moment and get carried away' so approach with caution.

These are some of the very best online auction links' but it's by no means a complete list. The opportunities for online auction selling are truly staggering and smart sellers neglect no possibilities.

Sydney Johnston' the AUCTION QUEEN' was one of the original sellers on eBay and has been selling on eBay since the winter of 1996. She is the originator and teacher of the famous Auction Genius Course' a powerful 16 hour multi media seminar on the Internet that teaches her students how to sell on ebay.

The Effects of eBay on American Merchandising

With one brilliantly simple idea' eBay was born just a few short years ago.

From its humble beginnings in the Collectibles business' it went on to achieve the lofty heights it enjoys today.

As eBay has continued to grow to over 30 million registered users' it has transformed the ability of individuals (as well as Corporations) to move product of all kinds.

eBay is now a place where virtually any item imaginable is available' for the right price.

With a few clicks of your mouse' the doors to the world marketplace are opened for you.

Similarly' with a few clicks of your mouse' the entire world can be viewing your merchandise for sale.

It is this awesome power that eBay gives to you' for a small fee.

Is it any wonder that large institutional sellers' such as the U.S. Postal Service' J.C. Penneys' various Police Departments and all types of Corporations have discovered the power and efficiencies of selling on eBay?

The drawback for the smaller seller is that' as more and more individual and institutional sellers sign on to sell on eBay' the supply of similar items will increase.

This increase in supply results in a decrease in demand' and with that decreased demand' lower ending bid amounts and lower profits for all sellers.

This has already begun to happen in some categories as ending bids continue their slow trend downward.

As sellers begin to see profits eroding due to too many sellers "playing the game"' the question of the day seems to be' "What is the best thing to sell on eBay?"

The simple (and somewhat facetious-sounding) answer is' "Whatever people are interested in that is not currently selling on eBay in mass quantities".

More often than not' success on eBay results from a seller taking on a niche that they are familiar with and enjoy. Many of the top eBay sellers have built their entire business around a niche that they enjoy' such as a certain type of collectible' or a certain hobby' interest or sport.

If you take this approach' not only will you be happier doing that which you enjoy' but listing items will not become a "chore"' it will be an enjoyable experience.

As eBay continues it's trend-line of massive growth' sellers must be increasingly aware of three things that will ensure opportunities for growth and success:

Opportunities for new products to sell

Alternative venues in which to sell their products

Advanced marketing techniques that can leverage their time and money

Ultimately' it is this extra awareness that will determine who the winners are in the game of Online Auction sales.

About The Author

David Espino is the Author of Beyond eBay and Life In The Dot Com Lane.

To receive a free excerpt from the book - Beyond eBay' visit www.HomeBasedBusinessowner.com

Email: dave@HomeBasedBusinessowner.com