Did You Receive this FAKE Suspension Email from eBay?

I received this email from eBay today. (It only APPEARS to be from eBay.) It is a phishing scam to get my personal login and other information. Here is how you can tell that these emails are fake.

First of all, this email came to an address that is not even in the eBay system. I use a hotmail account for that. Second, look at the "from" address - it is obviously not from eBay.

Next, if you mouse over the link they provided, (don't EVER click these!!) and look at the bottom of the screen in the left corner, the url is a bunch of nonsense. It doesn't go to eBay.

When you get one of these, or suspect it is fake or a spoof, report it to eBay immediately. Click here for a tutorial on how to identify and handle these spoof emails. Trust your instincts and never, ever click the links in these emails.

If you want to check out your eBay account to see if there is really a problem, open another window in your browser and log into eBay the regular way. If you have been suspended, you will see a message there.

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Niche eBay Product - Geocaching Supplies

Geocaching is a popular game that is played around the world. It’s pronounced geo-cashing, and is similar to a treasure hunt. The player (called a geocacher), hides something (called a geocache), and uses a GPS to determine its exact location. Then they post the location online for other people to search for. The player can also be the one searching – you can find locations online and use your GPS to search for the geocache.

Geocaching is a great sport/hobby/game for outdoorsy people. The great thing is that you don’t need a lot of equipment – just a GPS. Geocaching can be a really fun adventure!

A great niche for eBay is geocaching gear. The typical beginning retail price for a GPS (in the U.S.) is $80. However, it is possible to find a great deal that can then be resold. GPSs are like most technology – they can be simple or very complicated. The majority of geocachers just want a simple version. Some GPSs also have the ability to connect to a computer.

Trail equipment is good to sell as well. Geocachers need similar items to hikers or campers – flashlights, pocket knives, insulated water bottles, hiking boots, guide books, etc. Even a how-to guide for geocaching may do well.

And of course, don’t forget items to fill the cache. All caches have log books so that everyone who finds it can sign their name and leave a little bit of information. Any type of notebook can work for this. Geocachers also need items to leave in caches. It’s normal for players to take an item and leave one of their own when they find a cache. Items range from toys and dollar store items to a CD, book, or handmade item.

Click here for a list of 395 eBay friendly wholesalers along with 5 important facts for choosing profitable wholesale products to sell on eBay.

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Changing Buyer Requirements on eBay

One of the major problems and frustrations on eBay is dealing with buyers who don't pay, or buyers who are slow to pay. Your eBay Selling Manager allows you to change buyer requirements. Here is how to access and change those settings:




For more tips on how to sell on eBay, download my free eBay Reference Guide.



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Vintage Fishing Lures

Many fishermen collect vintage fishing lures. Collecting lures is a hobby that has a lot of nostalgia and encourages appreciation of handcrafted work and creativity. A lot of fishermen enjoy collecting vintage lures because it helps them remember “the good old days” and learning to fish.

Lure collectors use various criteria for their collections – some focus on design, others on materials used or the company that produced the lures. Some even collect based on color. In some cases, collectors are able to find the lures in their original package.

Vintage fishing lures were made predominantly by small manufacturers. Because mass marketing didn’t really exist at that point in time, it was easy for the creator to design unique lures that smaller stores in the area would feature. This unique charm is a lot of the reason that vintage lures are a popular collectible for fishermen and others. The uniqueness of vintage lures has also impacted their value – because there is a limited supply, the value has stayed fairly consistent.

Because fishing technology was not very advanced, the majority of vintage lures are much larger than modern lures. If you’re looking for true vintage lures, keep an eye out for wooden plugs made by South Bend, Arbogast, Heddon, and Creek Chub. You can even sometimes find these lures in a family member’s old tackle box.

Fishing tackle may be shinier and more advanced now, but it can’t compete with the charm of vintage lures. Vintage lures are gaining value as collectibles, and will always be sought after.

For more information on selling niche products like this on eBay, check this resource.

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Melaleuca Threatens eBay Seller

There was an interesting discussion on my Facebook group last week regarding selling Melaleuca products on eBay. One seller had listed some items for a consignment client on eBay and received the following email from eBay user 2010Melaleucacorporate1 (who by the way, has zero feedback):

"This email is to let you know that your auction violates Melaleuca’s policies against selling Melaleuca products on the Internet and may violate eBay’s listing policies and various laws. We realize you may not have known about the policies, but we must ask that you please remove this listing immediately, along with any other listings of Melaleuca products you may have on eBay or any other Internet locations. We understand you may not be constantly monitoring this listing but if, for some reason, it is not removed within the hour we will need to report this to eBay and to our Policy Administration Department so that they may follow up with you and take appropriate action if needed.

As a reminder, you may be able to return your products directly to Melaleuca for a refund. Please contact Policy Administration at 208-522-0700 or reply to this email to discuss this option.

Thank you for your cooperation."

Shocked and scared, the user removed the listing and asked for help regarding if Melaleuca products could actually be sold on eBay, as there are many listings for them. Group member Lisa C. so eloquently replied,

"This method of contacting directly you was entirely inappropriate; eBay has certain requirements (VERO program) for handling such "listing legality" issues.

Self-appointed policeman contacting eBay sellers directly willy-nilly like that, demanding removal of items, can lead to very capricious and arbitrary behavior. Any manufacturer who wants to control the market could make a practice of this even if they had no legal leg to stand on. And -- how do you know the member who contacted you is who s/he claims? With zero feedback, this eBay member could be a competitor trying to intimidate other sellers.

It's one thing for a company to regulate counterfeits in the market It's quite another to try to regulate how products legitimately obtained are resold. I would relist and let your listing stand. I would also forward that (and any subsequent) e-mails to eBay and let them deal with it."

In other words, it is understood by Melaleuca reps and distributors that they may not sell their products on eBay as an agreement between that individual and Melaleuca. This is a case where Melaleuca is using bullying tactics to try and control the secondary market. Anyone can sell Melaleuca products on eBay, even Melaleuca reps if they CHOOSE to do so, of course, at the risk of being dismissed by Melaleuca. Once a person has possession of the items, they are that person's personal property and can be used, given away, or sold if that person chooses to do so. Furthermore, Melaleuca is not on eBay's prohibited items list, so anyone is free to sell them.

(Conversation shared with permission given by all participants of original discussion.)

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eBay Seller Success Story - Hot List Item

Ken sent in his success story:

"I just wanted to send you a quick note with a HUGE THANK YOU for your recent HOT LIST. You did it again, I only found one of the items on the list but found enough of it that it is going to pay my mortgage this month. I swear I am amazed how $200 worth of a discontinued drug store product can turn into over $1000. LOVE IT! Thank You."

This product was has also been mentioned in several national newspapers. There is a shortage in some areas. The company that makes the product claims that this is a "temporary supply interruption." Many stores are out of stock and consumers are turning to eBay and Amazon to purchase them. The product normally sells for around $9 in drug stores, Walmart, Target, and grocery stores, and is selling on eBay for up to $38 per item. The item sells on Amazon for $49 per item. The good news is that you may be able to find this item in your area and sell it on eBay for nice profit.

If you have not purchased your hot list yet, it is not too late!

Click here to get it now.

If you have purchased the hot list, the product Ken is referring to is #2 on the list. Good luck!

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How $5 Can Help Your eBay Business

Fiverr is a new website that brings together people looking for someone to do a simple task and people willing to work, with one requirement - it all has to cost $5. You can find people willing to do (and looking for!) a variety of different things, from silly to legitimate services. Fiverr can be a great place to find help with small things, or to post your own service. All you have to do is sign up for a free account and then search the site. Fiverr even offers the option to post a request if you can’t find anyone that can help you. If you’re offering a service, you can also post that for free. Fiverr will get $1 from each service that you’re paid for, so you’ll make $4.

Fiverr can be especially helpful if you’re starting a business. It can be expensive to hire someone to set up a website or teach you how to do various technological things. Using Fiverr, you can outsource tasks for only $5 each - saving you time and money.

Here are a few things that you can outsource through Fiverr:

•Tweet about an item in your eBay store to their massive following
•Add 500 more followers to your Twitter account
•Post a status update on their Facebook wall that includes a link to your store
•Write and post an article on an article website that links to your blog, eBay store, etc.
•Drive hundreds of fans to your Facebook page

There’s only one potential problem with Fiverr - there’s no way to know how good the person you’re hiring is. You can view ratings by other users, which will help in some cases. But even if you aren’t pleased, the good thing is you’re only out $5! Using Fiverr is definitely something to consider, and you may even be able to make a little money yourself!

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