Mar 08 2008
4 Special rules for selling software on eBay.
4 Special rules for selling software on eBay.
Computer software is one of the biggest sellers on eBay after all, everyone using eBay has a computer, don’t they? There can be problems, however, if you try to sell certain kinds of software that eBay doesn’t allow. Used software is a minefield, and you could end up buying something dodgy to resell without even realising it.
Here are the various kinds of software that you’re not allowed to sell on eBay, and how to spot them. You should always try installing used software before you sell it, as this might give you a few clues.
1.Pirate Software.
This one is reasonably obvious, but pirate software can be hard to spot. The biggest things to look out for are auctions that don’t have pictures or only have pictures from catalogues, unrealistically low prices, and come with no manuals or documentation. Microsoft software comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, which you should check. Software that is on recordable media such as CD-RWs is usually pirated.
If you see software that offered for download only, it is often pirated but not always. Some small software developers allow download licenses for their software to be resold on sites like eBay. Type the name of the software into a search engine, and go to the manufacturer’s site to check. Remember that software you download is very unlikely to come with resale rights, though.
2.Beta Software.
Beta software is pre-release software, issued by companies for testing purposes. Companies generally do not give permission for their beta software to be sold or redistributed, as it won’t be as good as the final product. Do not buy anything that says it is beta, and return anything you receive that says beta or not for resale or distribution anywhere on the CD or during the install.
3.Academic Software.
Some companies sell special educational edition’s or student license’s for their software, which are designed to make it affordable to students and teachers. You can only sell this software if you are a licensed educational reseller for the company, and your buyers are educational users. Academic software will usually say somewhere on its CD or in its installation what it is.
4.OEM Software.
OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer’ this is software that is only supposed to be distributed with a new computer, as it came pre-installed on the computer. The licences for this software usually stop you from selling it without also selling any hardware. Look out for the message for sale with a new computer only, or similar. Note, though, that it’s usually fine to bundle any OEM software you come across with computers that you sell on eBay.
If you sell any kind of software that isn’t allowed, then eBay might shut down your auction, or your sellers might realise what they’ve bought and leave you bad feedback. It’s not really worth the risk.
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Is Dubli the first portal that is going to beat e-bay?
Dubli is the biggest competitor of e bay this days, with the most professional tradingportal. Marketplace, auctions and webshops all on one portal Dubli opened the doors in October 2006 with a big introduction in Copenhagen (DK). On that evening the big marketing and Internet goeroes meet the new trading place of the century…Dubli. This trading portal shall be the new sensation and at the moment I write this, it’s already huge in countries like Germany, Spain, Denmark and since last weekend the first introduction meeting is held in Holland as well. Dubli has subscribers in 72 countries at the moment! The FIRST network based global portal for e trading, without borders and language problems. The difference with other trading portals is that Dubli is a combination of all sorts of trading in one portal. First option is an online marketplace where people can put their products for sale for absolutely no costs, no advertisement costs or listing fees. Dubli is absolutely free to sign in for every person in the world who wants to buy, sell or trade on the portal. Second option on the portal is an online auction house were people can put their products for sale, for a minimum price and Dubli costumers can bid on the products, also free to offer the products for sale. And last but not least the amazing online shopping centre with online shops from whole over the world were people can trade with other costumers or other businesses. (b2b, b2c and c2c). The first week of opening there were 6000 shops who subscribed and the amount is growing by the day, also because Power Sellers from e bay can put their products for sale on the Dubli portal just by clicking a few buttons, the trick? Dubli bought a part of Hot digital, and they are the biggest and best shop designers in Europe, used by the 1000 biggest power sellers of e bay. Also the competitive prices Dubli offers for the online shops are much lower then on every portal I used to visit before. A basic shop cost you just 9 a month included well designed webpage included own logo and name, ideal to enlarge your costumer base. A professional web shop you can have it for 49 month, this is an amazing price if you see what you get for it, professional shop design, convenient and easily operated back-end, optimal preparation for trusted shops certification, integrated cross-selling functions, user-defined start page product display, integrated inventory management, bonus coupon system, any amount of categories and sub-categories, all the payment methods integrated where you can think of, Connection to prevalent price comparison portals, Integrated tracking system (clicks, sales, conversion) and Marketing regulation at the product and category levels. If you think that’s all? NO, just have a look on the site for more options you get for this little amount of money. http://www.dublifutura.com/6720. I give you a little example about the easy handling they integrated in their system that makes a big difference: If you as a seller (for example from Denmark) want to sell something in Germany, you have to log in on the German e bay site, it’s starts off with a fee you have to pay for advertise. If you want to sell the same product in for example Holland you have to log in to the Dutch site, pay the advertisement cost again. So that’s quite an exspensive hobby and I didn’t even have to talk about the language problems you have to come over… On Dubli you log in on ONE portal, select just the countries you want to sell to, write your own advertisement text in the languages you prefer and click… The whole world sees it…Imagine what this does to your sales. I have a little question for you…When was the last time you made a worldwide marketing campagne? Probably you didn’t, very few people can afford such a campaign. Just image what it will cost you to send out for example 500,000 catalogs in Europe or on other continents. The visibility you achieve via an online DubLi Shop equals sending out catalogs to customers all over the world in one click. And with your own back office in the shop, you can furthermore adjust your product line and change your information. This is cost-cutting Internet marketing… Imagine that in 2010 there will be more then 2 milliard internet users worldwide, and the e commerce is just in the stone age, their will be a big possibility for Dubli to become a competitor for e bay. A few Big marketeers in Germany saw this chance and swopt to Dubli, names like Oliver M. Bracht (one of persons behind HMI Insurance) and no one less then Hagen Horst (a living Herbalife legend and have earned a fortune with Herbalife). read the interview about those to internet marketeers of the first hour on http://www.dublinetwork.com/Default.aspx?ID=223&M=News&NewsID=81&PID=273 But that’s not all, Dennis Hofman, developer from Europe’s biggest price comperasing portal Ciao, moved to the head office in Berlin, Bettina Eisele founder of Auction masters and Jesper Sj lund, founder of the firm BlueBuy, which, with successful sales in more than 12 countries and more than 240,000 positive eBay evaluations, is one of the largest online shops in Europe those people are moved to Dubli and many more like old employees and managers from e bay. And in my point is that the coming month’s a few big names will follow and lift on the coming success of dubli, because I can’t imagine that all those people don’t have a good view about the situation, and think like myself that it’s possible that Dubli can become one of the mark leaders in trading on the net and e commerce. Every week there are new things happening, like the developing of the b2b portal, where only shop owners can go and buy their products and trade with companies in for example China. (Dubli looks forward and started an office in China). Also one of the plus aspects is that Dubli works with 2 different parts, Dubli.com and Dubli Network, their own network company that give people the possibility to participate in the success. For just 500 (entrance fee) you can become an Ambassador of Dubli and set up your own network of costumers and shops. Your profit: you earn money on all the purchases or selling’s in your network (shops and costumers) by getting a commission paid out. Not only as an Ambassador you get professional feedback and support but also very good training and a professional web shop for one year. (Worth 588). Of course there are also people who don’t want to invest in their selves or simply don’t have the time to start up their own business, for those people Dubli invented a costumers loyalty program together with TLC, what means that every free subscribed customer of Dubli can refer other people and get for every new costumer points. With those points he can “buy” travel tickets or leisure activities around the globe. We can speak about a win-win situation here. On the 30th of June there will be the first world convention of Dubli in Berlin, for all ambassadors who started their own business with Dubli, it was sold out in a few weeks. This will be the event of the year, and this event will make HISTORY in the Network Marketing Industry! To bad if you can’t be there and have not your share in this success but there will be another chance that’s for sure. A little rehearsal: IF you could turn back the time and make money on companies like Google, Skype or e bay..And you know what you know now, should you have taken that chance? Of course…Here is your second chance….Dubli. Example: If you bought shares in e bay, 11 years ago for 1000,- you have made by now 1,6 milj. If you bought shares in Google for 1000 you had made 1,1 milj. by now…. Now a lot of experts say, after they saw the portal of Dubli, Dubli is a professional e-bay and they will grow bigger then e bay… What do you think by now…? There is still a way to participate because Dubli works together with O.I.B. where you can buy shares now (1 share is 1,30). More information about buying shares you find on www.dubli-invest.com. My personal conclusion about Dubli: The trading on this portal is just started, but it shows of that that the ball is rolling, especially in Germany what is the motor of the e trading. The concept of Dubli is so unique that the question is not of it will be big, but when it will be big or the biggest trading portal. Dubli is an open portal; everybody can join, also excising shops that want to join. A trading portal where you decide in which country you want to sell and in which language, the portal will automatically show the language from which country you logging in. (6 different languages). It has the first product price comparising machine in combination with a normal search engine in the world as an extra service on the trading portal; this is totally Unique and a revolution in the trading on Internet. Dubli is THE trading portal of the future with a unique possibility for people who just want to sell or buy something on the net, locally, national or worldwide, Business people who want to expand their network, shop holders who want to expand their business and show their products worldwide or people who are looking for a new opportunity in life and will start their own business from home… Try it… Toine Kuypers
Toine Kuypers Denmark. home page: http://www.opportunity4you.eu
Thinking Of Starting An eBay Business?
Unless you’re a hermit tucked away in a cave somewhere and have no contact with the outside world you will know something about eBay - the world wide online auction website.
I love eBay. I can pick up great bargains as a buyer or make some money as a seller without having to get bogged down in all the techno stuff associated with having my own website based business. And as for making money on eBay well, if you get it right then it can be a real income provider. But how do you get it right?
Let’s assume you have done a bit of eBay buying and selling but now you fancy having a bigger slice of the action. You want to start making some real money and grow a profitable eBay business. First thing to ask yourself is ‘Am I capable and committed enough to devote the time and effort to setting up, maintaining and growing an eBay business?’
Too many people are drawn in to believing that you can make a fortune online doing virtually nothing - put in a couple of hours a week and watch the money roll in! Forget it! It isn’t going to happen. If you want to earn a full time income online then you need to be prepared to put in full time hours and more. Sure you can start off slow devoting what time you can to it but somewhere along the line you will need to crank up the hours.
Right your committed, you know it’s going to need a lot of work and you know you have the ability so you dive in and give it all you’ve got and as is often the case you get nowhere! So before you give up your day job or pile a lot of money into an eBay business, sit yourself down and start putting together a robust plan because without one your running on hope and you won’t know you’ve been derailed until its to late!
The first things to get sorted are - How much money do you need to make? How much money can you invest? How much time can you put aside for it? What are you going to sell? You need to be honest with yourself when you are answering these questions as these are key elements of your plan.
When it comes to what your going to sell make sure you’re not trying to be an online department store selling anything and everything - much better to be focused on a particular market.
Now that you know what it is you think you will sell it’s time to do some market research. You need to get a handle on who will be your customers? What level of interest exists for what your going to sell? What level of demand exists? Is demand constant or seasonal? What’s the typical profit margin? Your aim here is to confirm that there is a profitable sustainable business that can be built around what you plan to sell.
Profitable and Sustainable are going to be key things you will need to demonstrate if you plan to get outside investment or financial assistance for your business.
Let’s assume you have your outline plan and it holds water. Now you’re going to need to start detailing it which is all about defining how you’re going to operate. Let’s assume you’re going to be selling physical goods rather than digital ones. You need to determine where you’re going to get your stock? How much stock you need to carry? Where will your stock be stored? How will you package and ship it? What price will you charge? What are your competitors charging? What profit per sale do you need to make? How will you list your products to make what your offering more desirable than your competitors?
You need to start thinking about auction titles which are fundamental to your success - get them wrong and you don’t get sales because no one looks at your listing!
Now it’s time to step back and re-evaluate your plan. Does it work financially? Does it work from a product perspective? Be honest and if you have to rework your plan to make it work then do it. If your plan works then your set to succeed it doesn’t then kiss your eBay business goodbye!
Right we have a viable plan what next? Before you start setting up your auctions make sure you are familiar with eBay (and PayPal) policies, rules and regulations and make sure you are protecting yourself properly from fraud.
This short article should have given you some insights in to how to go about making a success of your future eBay business. If you would like to access more articles on every aspect of eBay then you will find more than enough to keep you busy here -
http://www.need2knowabout.com or http://www.need2knowabout.com/ebay.htm
Good luck
Anne Milne
Looking for free information on a variety of subjects then visit - www.need2knowabout.com
