How to Make a Living-Without a Job 45 Unusual Ways Folks are Making Money

© 2004-2007 Bruce David

INTRODUCTION

During the past 50 years we’ve seen the cost of living and taxes sky rocket, while wages and benefits have essentially declined. The middle class is shrinking. The average annual income for most households is just around $30,000; yet, to live decently in most areas of the country for a family of four requires about $42,000. That is one of the reasons why it takes two incomes to maintain a decent lifestyle. Since the 1960s government policy has helped to drive our manufacturing sector to set up shop in third world countries; after all, the three key ingredients to capitalism are cheap labor, cheap resources and cheap capital. For the most part, our country produces nothing except in the intellectual property arena and folks who once depended on manufacturing jobs and white collar jobs to maintain middle class lifestyles, have found themselves on the short end of the stick. Having a college degree today is the equivalent of having a high school diploma of 30-50 years ago but still doesn’t guarantee much of anything. If I were starting life over again, I’d probably recommend learning a basic trade such as plumbing or electrician; one can pretty much work anywhere in the country and often, off-the-books. History has shown that the higher taxes get in a society, the more folks will work off the books just to maintain their lifestyle and who can blame anyone? Our tax system is a scourge and it was illegal (the Supreme Court in the late 1800s told Congress it couldn’t tax its citizens twice; so they rammed an amendment through, while promising us it would never affect more than the top one percent of wage earners…so much for government promises). Ironically, a $50 bill today has about $6 worth of purchasing power compared to 1956…seems we get less for our money and a bigger government which again, provides us with less for our money! Enough preaching. I hope the following business ideas will get you started on earning the extra cash you need for retirement, the extras in life or to simply live better.

Making a Living: Without a Job © 2002-2007 Bruce David All Rights Reserved

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The most valuable 100 people to bring into a deteriorating society would not be 100 chemists, or

politicians, or professors, or engineers. But rather 100 entrepreneurs! –Abraham H. Maslow (sociologist)

A fellow named Burke Hedges wrote a book entitled “You Can’t Steal Second With Your Foot on First” or why you should choose to become independent in a job-dependent world. (He also authored “Who Stole the American Dream”) Both titles sum up the state of affairs for average person in America. The government confiscates so much in combined taxes today, it is almost requires for a two-income family to live well. I think there is something wrong with that picture. However, one of the few remaining great tax dodges is owning your business as just about everything can be written off in one fashion or another. When I graduated high school, you could still buy a new auto for less than $2000 (now you can’t buy a good sized lawn tractor) and homes were less than $20,000 – now you can’t build a garage in many parts of America for that price let alone purchase a nice home. With corporate greed, moving middle income jobs to cheaper, offshore locations, high taxes and the high cost of housing, it’s no wonder people work hard just to get by. Having your own business has its drawbacks also. When I owned my own publishing company, there were the “3 P’s” that made business life difficult -- personnel costs, postage and printing. Again, taxes were the single biggest headache. Like most entrepreneurs, I had no outside financing except what I term “Hip National Bank” using plenty of credit cards as my line of credit (along with plenty of creative financing tools). A former wife solved that problem for me by demanding I sell the business; which I did to a fellow who never paid us and then we divorced, and as most prize contestants, she got all the prizes (another recent American concept). My next business venture was successful also. I bought a country inn, restored it and began operating it as a restaurant and 10 guest rooms, and became involved with antiques – both buying and selling and using items to furnish the inn. It was a pretty good deal for the first few years, but like in the Tom Hanks movie, “The Money Pit,” it began to wear out its welcome. I also got

tired of feeling like I had in-laws in the house seven days a week (I didn’t enjoy people banging at my bedroom door at all hours). Circles of Income

A wise and successful business owner once shared a concept with me that was some of the best advice I’ve ever heard. He advocated developing several sources of income, whether through your own business or even while tied to a job…something I’ve always done. He suggested even family members develop some kind of paying hobby, whether it was babysitting to yardwork so that every member would pull in at least $200 profit a month. If any of the main breadwinners lost a job, they still had some income. When I was a teenager, I worked at a golf shop at an exclusive club. On the side, I would sell used clubs and golf balls to friends of my Dad. When I sixteen, I was making as much as $200 or more a week. Another example, along with the publishing end of our business, I wrote how-to marketing books for small businesses and sold them via mail order; we hosted business trade shows and seminars and I taught college marketing part time for several years. With the inn, we incorporated a small pub, did catering, hosted a gift and antique shop and started serving limited menu, upscale dinners on weekends and during holidays (I love to cook). It’s also while playing Bob Newhart, I developed a love of buying and selling antiques and going to auctions. That lesson was especially valuable upon moving to Michigan where I took a job as the marketing director for a statewide newspaper association. Although my job paid well and I was able to travel quite a bit (and it was nice getting a reliable paycheck – something I hadn’t seen in awhile), my love of antiques and auctions continued and my (new) wife and I began buying, selling and trading antiques via auctions and antique shows on weekends. When a downturn in the economy happens, one of the things a lot of business owners cut is their ad budgets – especially national advertisers. As a result, I was out of a job and without severance pay. Fortunately, we had plenty of inventory on hand to begin selling antiques in earnest (another lesson, when times are good, stock up on necessities and pile away some cash or valuables). Just prior to losing this job, I was beginning to dabble with online auctions and had done well. (Don’t think this is another ‘how-to-get-rich-on-ebay report’). Now without ‘gainful’ employment, I began in earnest to list items on ebay and other online auction sites and sold $5000 within the first five weeks. It may surprise you what I sell the most on ebay. I sell books, something I’ve always had a love of. For the most part, these were books I already had or had acquired through

physical auctions, yard sales, thrift shops and flea markets. It took some testing to figure out which books sold best (again, you’ll be surprised – cookbooks were my best sellers). I like selling books and paper, or ephemera as it’s called for several reasons. 1. I had already developed an expertise (but I continue to learn) in this area and know what to look for (condition, edition, author) and had already built up an extensive reference collection, which provide guidelines for pricing.

2. I already had an extensive inventory. 3. They are easy and cheap to ship (our postal service offers a cheaper media rate)

and they don’t break. 4. I can find them cheap enough where I can still offer them at a deal while making

money on each book. 5. I rarely have to include a photo – my descriptions are adequate and it takes time to

shoot & load photos. 6. It’s very easy to include a flier with related titles and other services I offer in

order to generate additional orders. 7. Most books are priced low enough to attract the casual buyer who isn’t worried

about spending $10 to $25 for a book they covet. Yes, I have to sell more, but the turnover is quicker than say for an auto or real estate or expensive antique.

This isn’t to say I haven’t sold other items. I’ve sold antique (old west) guns, a laptop, jewelry, records and other items. In August of ’02, we sold an old Colt pocket pistol with original holster and ivory handles for $5000 – I paid $500 for it at a physical auction. The Thrill of the Hunt

A little government and a little luck are necessary in life, But only a fool trusts either of them. -- PJ O’Rourke

Buying and selling through auction (and at estate sales, flea markets, etc.) is just like any other business. You must buy low and sell high. I’m going to provide some hints to accomplish this along the way in order to guide you. For my wife and I, it is the thrill of the hunt that takes us every week to several area auctions, flea markets, garage sales, and estate sales. We’re not experts on all antiques. My wife specializes in pottery, dishes, glass and toys whereas I specialize in books and paper items, furniture and American 20th century art. This business is something my wife and I can do together as we both enjoy the hunt! Our expertise has been built up over time through trial and error and constant reading of price guides, auction settlements, and industry-specific magazines and newspapers. Keep in mind, I’m not suggesting you have to sell antiques…there are dozens of areas we know of where people are making money. One woman specializes in buying used designer clothes and reselling them online. Another man we know of buys new, close-out items at warehouse stores and liquidation places and sells them online. If you have a

hobby or special interest and/or knowledge, chances are others share your passion and will pay for your items. It also helps to have some proprietary items you can sell. For instance, I also sold a newspaper classified advertising program (data on a disk) and a cookbook that I wrote from my country inn days…each sold well. We have another friend who only sells sports cards and related items online…another sells old comic books. You’re only limited by your imagination. It helps to survey the various categories of what is being sold on ebay and other sites prior to launching your own efforts. Electronics seem to do well, whereas videotapes do not. The idea is to sell items with wide appeal within your niche market. {some great eBay tools such as Market Research Wizard & wholesalers can be found at: http://www.myaffiliateprogram.com/u/worldwid/t.asp?id=11029} http://www.memberstar.com/redir_a.php?LFAId=860 Wondering what sells on eBay – click this link Many brick and mortar establishments use ebay to sell items and to steer potential customers to their website. One comic book dealer we’ve heard about has seven storefronts and a website. The list an average of 25-45 items on ebay each week and use ebay as a marketing channel. They also use ebay to increase their presence to a world market and now routinely sell comics (usually in bundles…something I do with similar book titles) around the globe. Selling online can often mean just offering an extension of your current service or product in order to gain new customers. It’s important to keep in mind that in order to accomplish this, you must maintain a positive feedback rating on ebay. Sellers receive one point for positive feedback, no points for neutral feedback, and they lose a point for negative feedback. If your ratings are bad, odds are unlikely you’ll get new customers on ebay. (Sometimes you have to bend over backward to please people and as a result, I offer a money-back guarantee – even on used merchandise). I normally use the USPS to ship as they offer low rates, specifically, the offer a media rate, which is very reasonable. They also offer free shipping supplies for their priority mail service which will save money. That’s a key to getting good feedback is the condition of your packaging and the timeliness of your shipping. I generally ship the same day an order is received and I use bubble pack envelopes to ensure they arrive in good condition. Overall, I get very few non-paying online customers; but I always give the buyer the benefit of the doubt and will usually contact a person at least three times before rendering a negative feedback. Your focus, as in any form of conducting business, must be pro-customer – all of which boosts customer confidence. You can also use the feedback form to check the ratings of a buyer. If they have a number of negative feedbacks, we send them an email asking how serious they are about their bid.

It is estimated that more than 43 million people use Ebay on a regular basis and it continues to grow AS do their fees. Ebay also has nearly as many rules and regulations as the US government – run afoul and they will cancel your account without notice – even in the middle of bids and they will lock you out of your data. Many folks have become disgruntled with eBay and the following online auction sites might prove valuable to you – each have their strong points so review them. Although there are other auction sites, such as Yahoo, www.auctiongoat.com, www.bid4assets.com, www.overstock.com and others. Indeed, there is a site at: www.bargainandhaggle.com where you can list items at the price you want and then prospects will bargain with you for the final sale price. I’ve had a fair amount of success with this site. The Twist and Auction Pointers

As I indicated earlier, I like to sell books online because of the ease of shipping, however, we do sell larger items including furniture – but we do these at physical auctions. Here’s how we operate. We attend a large variety of auctions within a 50 mile radius (don’t forget your mileage is tax deductible) of our home seeking out bargains. Recently, we picked up a solid oak dresser with mirror for $120 and sold it the following week for $250. There are three local auctioneers we work with on a consignment basis whereby these larger items are given to the auctioneer with the most success for item we’re consigning. For instance, one auctioneer does very well at selling furniture while another we work with does great with glassware. (Take care not to mix up auctioneers – in other words, don’t buy an item and then consign it to the same auctioneer for resale). We also work a third auction firm, which specializes in cowboy stuff (another item we collect and sell). All auctioneers work on a percentage basis with an average consignment fee of 25% of the final selling price. Commission fees may also fluctuate on the type of item being sold; vehicles, coins and jewelry, for instance, usually have a smaller percentage. The auctioneer pays for the advertising and their own staff. It’s important to attend your local auction several times before consigning items in order to learn what items sell well at each. The first time or two that you consign items, you’ll probably have to pay the full commission rate. However, if you become a regular consignee, you’re in a position to negotiate a better rate – say 20%. The trend for many auction firms now (especially in the west) is to charge a buyers premium of 10% to offset their costs and increase profitability. There are pros and cons to this but as a rule, I dislike such premiums. There are many kinds of auctioneers. Most are very honest and hard working (I’ve assisted a few and know how to do the “chant” and have conducted a few dozen, mostly charity, auctions of my own. There are farm auctions, middle of the road and some high end auctioneers. We tend toward the high end group because of the nature of what we

sell. (IF you’re familiar with the Antiques Roadshow and their guest appraisers, you may recognize the name Frank Boos of Bloomfield Hills, MI. We’ve used him to sell an antique print by a famous French artist (we found it in a thrift shop for 50 cents and netted nearly $200 after Boos’ commission). Something we do to enhance the odds of getting good prices and to ensure the auctioneer knows the value of what we’ve consigned to him, I provide an itemized listing with current book value (I’ll get to book value soon). Any history, or what is called ‘provenance’ that I know of the item is included with this sheet. However, this isn’t a guarantee your item will sell for what it would book at as most auction attendees are looking for bargains. We once lost a few hundred dollars on a consignment of old pistols from the late 1800s where the auctioneer didn’t read our descriptions and accidentally included them with several vintage children’s cap guns we had consigned. I darn near had a heart attack and have never used this fellow since (I did chastise him in writing). Which brings me to…terminology. Auctioneers vary on what is called their “reserve” policy. A reserve price, just like on ebay, means you won’t part with the item for less than the reserve price you’ve set. Some auctioneers will allow you to do this while others pride themselves on not having a reserve (which is a boost for the auction -goer who is seeking a bargain). Reserves which begin too high can discourage sales…even online. I often begin items at .99 cents and usually get better results. Buyers Premium – this is a practice where the auctioneer not only collects a commission from his consignees but tacks on a premium to buyers as well. The premium usually ranges from 5-10% of the actual selling price. I personally do not like this kind of auction, though I have attended and purchased items from such fellows. For the most part, this practice seems to be most prevalent among the high end antiques market. In the main, I avoid such auctions as I’m seeking bargains and every extra nickel I spend, reduces my profit upon resale. Auctioneers Chant – most auctioneers attend schooling (as I did) in order to learn the business, their chant and how to evaluate property. Some auctioneers are difficult to understand and many will require that you sit there a while before you pick up on what they’re saying. Others, like myself, are much clearer in how they speak…in the same fashion as the big New York auction houses like Christy’s and Sotheby’s. To me, there is a distinct difference between someone who auctions livestock and farms as opposed to someone experienced with fine antiques and goods. Government Auctions – the government, at virtually all levels, sells off their used equipment, office furnishings, etc. There also auctions where various law enforcement agencies sell of items they have confiscated through various “laws.” We recently attended a State of Michigan auction where 100s of lots (this term refers to the items being auctioned) of jewelry and coins were being sold. The state gets these goods from bank deposit boxes and other unclaimed estates/assets. Banks are required to turn over unclaimed items (after so many years depending on the state) to the government. The

government keeps the cash. You can find some decent deals at such auctions, but I personally prefer to avoid government auctions as I don’t believe in their right to seize property in this manner. To me, it should go to charity. Every state now maintains (as does the federal government) a website detailing their upcoming auctions and any search engine will turn up the web address you need to get details. Some people make a good living from these auctions. Don’t make the mistake of paying someone to tell you about these auctions as everyone from the IRS to the US Marshall’s service posts this information free of charge. Also, many state colleges and local cities regularly auction off surplus property…a simple call to any agency will yield the details and most advertise in your local papers. Finding auctions in your area is usually as simple at perusing your local newspaper. Many have Sunday classified sections devoted specifically to this area. In some areas, like our own, we have a weekly newspaper, to which we subscribe that lists all auctions in Michigan and in several nearby states. Virtually every Sunday, my wife and scour the local papers and our Auction Exchange paper to find area auction that list items we might be interested. We also look for tag sales, estate sales, garage sales and the like to attend. That helps us map out our weekly schedule of the sales we wish to attend. Seldom do we buy from antique shops/malls or shows because we’re bargain hunting. That’s not to say we don’t visit these places – we do in order to see what kinds of prices others are charging and to find the infrequent under-priced item. GOVERNMENT AUCTIONS: For the most part, government auctions aren’t as good as they once were, with the possible exception of big ticket items. This is due to the promotion of these auctions by the get-rich-quick gurus. Yes, deals can still be had. Our government, through its anti-drug and RICO laws now seizes billions of dollars annually from its citizens. (Try driving to an out-of-state fishing hole in your RV and fishing without a permit – the local sheriff can legally seize your RV – no questions asked). You can find these kinds of auctions listed every Wednesday in USA Today. The balance of government auctions are largely under-publicized and you need to go to the source to learn of their auctions. The post office, IRS, sheriff department, Dept. of Defense, the GAO, Customs Bureau, local schools and local governments all frequently hold auctions to rid themselves of surplus items. Your best bet is to contact these departments individually (consult your local government Blue pages in the phone directory) to learn of those sales. It’s always best, in any auction, to preview the goods before bidding…get to know what the items might be worth on the open market and try to stay at least two-thirds below that price. You can also check legal notices in your biggest daily or in local legal newspapers. Check out the Government Accounting Office site for links and information on government auctions at: www.gpoaccess.gov/index.html

Bargain Hunting Tips

As enjoyable as it is to watch the PBS series – the Antiques Roadshow, it has also, in many ways hurt the business. As the most popular series on PBS it has created a monster of sorts. It used to be easy to attend garage sales and the like and find bargains. Now, everyone who tunes into the Roadshow, has become their own expert; making deals harder to come by (but they’re still out there). Many dealers, as a result, no longer frequent garage sales or thrift shoppes. I still find good deals from garage sales, especially on books – when I find them. However, it seems fewer people read quality books and instead, view videos, which are always for sale. Even many so-called antique malls/shops are now selling videos. The best home-based sales to attend seem to be estates from older people (who still read good books) or in more rural areas. One source, which used to be great, thrift stores, are, for the most part, a waste of time. Shops such as Goodwill (which we’ve renamed “Ill-Will” now have professional screeners that weed out anything which might be of antique value and often sell them in separate facilities. We’ve observed that many of the items now displayed at GoodWill come from left overs at weekend garage sales and the prices on this junk is usually more than what you might pay for new items at WalMart of Family Dollar. My wife still likes to go and we do occasionally find a deal, but it’s a rarity. Even good books for re-sale are becoming more difficult to locate at thrift shops. I once found a 1st edition Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged” for 50 cents and sold it on ebay for $100 – but those days are coming to a close. In terms of value, what many forget, especially after they’ve become “experts” from watching the Antiques Roadshow, is the condition of the item they’re selling and it is SOMETHING you need to pay attention to if you’re going to sell antiques online or elsewhere. Actually, this concept applies to almost anything you’re selling. Today’s buyer wants top notch quality at bargain prices whenever possible. Once, we had a woman at a flea market in PA tell us that a plate we were examining “had writing on the bottom of it and therefore must be valuable.” What a joke. For antiques and many other items, customers want to know the condition of the item. It is VERY important. When it comes to antiques, there are two main factors to consider in pricing an item – it’s overall condition and its rarity. The more rare an item, the “less” important its condition. Toys and collectibles (items less than 100 years old) command much higher prices when condition is in mint condition and its value usually increases (by as much as 100% or more) if the original box is included. Of course, life is like the English language in that there is an exception to every rule. However, for instance, I own a rare set of books from Elisha Kent Kane, America’s first arctic explorer during the 1850s. His two-volume book was a best seller in its day commanding about $600 for a mint condition pair. The volumes I own are mis-matched and worth only $150.

When it comes to selling old books, the dustjacket is considered a prize. The better condition it is in, the more it’s worth – especially if signed by the author. You’d be surprised on how many recent books are worth money. Take Stephen King for instance. His 1st edition (signed) books are selling for as much as $100 on ebay. China, pottery and glassware are especially prone to damage, which is why a piece of Depression glass in pristine condition can easily command a thousand dollars or more. I recently found a Depression glass sugar bowl for $4. It was worth $30 but if the lid had been included, it would have been valued at more than $3500! Chips, cracks, crazing and other damage to glass, pottery and dishware reduce the value significantly – oftentimes to zero. So don’t let TV shows or antique guides fool you. Condition is everything for most collectors or dealers. What you think is worth $100 with cracks or a missing lid, could be actually worthless except to someone who has the missing piece. Values fluctuate with changing market conditions and vary from region to region. Side Notes About Working for Others WalMart and other discount retailers continue to grow because they offer basic goods at cheap prices. Items most of us need every week. However, you’ll be surprised to note that only 5% of the US economy feeds and houses each citizen. That means nearly 95% of our economy is made up of non-essential items, many of which didn’t exist 10 years ago! Hence, why we like selling antiques and collectibles – there is always a market for these items. Our overseas rivals are continually seeking items, which will sell in the American marketplace. When you think about it, politicians and union folks are always crying out for more job creation when the reality is, there is plenty of opportunity available without propping up failing industries. Face it, secure jobs are rare (unless you work for the government). Self-employment is the key to growth in this country – not job dependence. Many European countries now offer the option of getting government grants to start a business rather than offering unemployment benefits to laid-off workers – not so in this country; where job and government dependence is fostered instead. Perhaps you’ve seen a billboard in your town, which features an illustration of five crying babies sitting side-by-side. Each baby is pointing a finger at the baby at the right and the caption reads: “That’s Right America: It’s Always Someone Else’s Fault!” The point is we have too many Americans who are volunteer victims. The law industry fosters this notion and as I pointed out in an editorial I wrote 20 years ago (which appeared in dozens of national newspapers) our national motto has become “When in doubt…sue!”. I suspect you already know it is the truth. In this country we now have people who make a living by suing others. Lawsuits now increase the cost of goods we buy by an average of 25%…something isn’t right about that either and another strong reason why I promote self-employment. When I owned my own publishing firm, we had to spend extra money each year to get an umbrella insurance policy (in the $1 million range) to protect ourselves against predators of this nature. Even in this business, I would suggest you consult your property/home owners insurance agent about getting such a

policy. Another good reason: most home owners policies cover very little and if you store valuable antiques and artwork at home, you should get the extra coverage to be safe. I know I digress, but it is important that you realize the nature of owning or operating your own business – even something so simple as what I describe here… as you never know when some flatworm will sue you. Another little hint about saving money when buying. Most states require sales taxes be collected on items sold at auction. Policies vary by state. For instance, in Michigan, if the auction has four a fewer estates contained in the auction, no tax is required…UNLESS, the items have been moved to an auction house. Why the government makes a practice of double dipping, taxing used goods twice, is beyond me. The way to buy without paying a sales tax is to get a resellers tax number from your department of revenue. We make copies of the state supplied certificate and give them to the cashiers for their files so we do not pay sales taxes as our items are intended for resale.

Sources of Goods

In years bygone one could sift through junkyards and landfills. However, the government has stopped that practice (less you should injure yourself). An old friend of mine used to dig the back yards of a ghost town in Colorado to find old stuff (that’s illegal now too). There are those who still “dumpster dive” and it can prove lucrative. Not long ago my wife and I were driving through a small town in PA when she spotted a dumpster with a nice piece of furniture sticking out. We stopped and retrieved it. After some nominal repairs, we sold it for $125. The government has made it difficult to do much anymore without some kind of permit. Yet, there are still some potential sites available for you to explore. The biggest area that I know of are the dumpsters and garbage sites of college kids. Each spring at many a campus, kids toss out tons of stuff before they move back home. Often, they throw away antique furniture their parents gave them and other goodies. Since they’re deemed garbage, you shouldn’t have a problem grabbing these goodies. You can always run ads and fliers at local supermarkets and the like demonstrating to area folks that you’ll do estate liquidations, haul-aways and the like. There are many who pass on with kids who live outside the area who will cherry pick the items they want and are only too happy to get rid of the balance in any fashion possible. You might even consider running ads in your area newspapers offering to clean out estates – without charge (under certain circumstances). To promote our own auctions and sales, we distribute fliers via mail (it’s important to develop a mailing list), run classified ads in area newspapers and we’ve developed an

email mailing list which is the least expensive means of advertising. Signup sheets are placed at each sale so folks can get on our mailing list. Estate/Garage Sales -- These are still enjoyable and can prove lucrative. Most people at garage sales and the like are anxious to get rid of stuff – but not always. What I’ve found best is to ask “what’s the best you can do on this price,” as a means of getting stuff. It doesn’t always work…however, if you leave your phone # and ask that they call you – it sometimes works out as when they get frustrated over items which didn’t sell, they are more likely to deal with you. Just this morning we returned from an estate sale with a variety of items including a Victorian postcard album, which I paid $25 for and sold on ebay for $65. I also have an offer from the owner of the estate, a former librarian, to return and evaluate her book collection for potential sale including volumes from the Civil War. Flea Markets – nearly every vendor at a flea market will wheel and deal and they’re a fun outing to pick up deals & most vendors will bargain with you – if you ask the proverbial question “what’s the best you can do on this item?” Trade Shows – if you wish to purchase new goods for resale; many tradeshows are available where you can visit, see product samples, and place orders. You’d be surprised at how many firms offer wholesale pricing on orders of as little as $100 if prepaid…see below. Online, one can find plenty of wholesale sources of goods; simply do a search on whichever area you’re interested. Here’s a source that lists over 71,000 products you can buy and sell online. www.wholesalecentral.com - don’t fall for those email ads promising you wholesale sources on a paid subscription basis. Wholesalecentral even mails a free monthly catalog filled with business tips, ads, tradeshows, etc. Another source is: www.profitbig.com which will drop ship over 51,000 name brand products and offers most a $5000 guaranteed line of credit with no security deposit. Another source is: www.closeoutnews.com (requires subscription but worth the price). For additional tools you might wish to learn about, click on to http://www.myaffiliateprogram.com/u/worldwid/t.asp?id=11029 or www.auctionbooster.com or as promised, here is a terrific site (you can resell this information) you can use to find thousands of wholesalers; plus links to tons of free merchandise, an Ebay info pak and other tools – http://www.directlube.com/ebaytheeasyway.html You can buy estates outright and resell them. Simply have business cards printed up which state something to the effect “I BUY ESTATES.” I wouldn’t do this until or unless you have a good working knowledge of values. You must be upfront with these folks and tell them you’ll be offering them a wholesale price as you are in this business make money. You’re helping them unload items quickly and for cash…they don’t have to advertise or let tons of strangers troop into their home. We routinely offer to do estate sales and/or auctions for people we meet (I’ve teamed up with auctioneers who pay referral fees for my referrals or I’ll do them myself).

Recently, a landlord of a commercial property asked me to clean out a building he owned. My fee was to keep the goods contained in the store; just so long as it was broom clean before his new tenant moved in. Turns out I was liquidating a consignment shop in which the owner had simply defaulted on the lease and had walked away. Gathering our crew together, everyone chose items they wished to keep for themselves and we sold the rest at a “name-your-own-price” sale over a three-day period. We cleared about $2800 for ourselves, plus kept several furniture items, office supplies and equipment worth another $3000 (some of which will be sold at a future auction). Not bad for less than a week’s work.

LUCRATIVE PARTNERSHIP DEALS

Another Source- If live in just about any urban area you’ll find there are plenty of self storage units around and each month they auction off property from storage units which the renters have left unpaid. Kind of a crap shoot, but there are bargains to be had. Contact the unit managers in your area and ask to be put on their mailing list. A friend of ours has gone in partnership with her friends (each person puts up $100) to purchase these units at auction and they turn around and resell items via auction, garage sales and flea markets. Each partner gets to “buy” an item from the group if they find something they desire. Two other partners decide on the price to keep it fair. The proceeds from the sale of the balance of the goods are split among the partners. This has proven very lucrative and they’ve found gold coins, guns and other valuable items among their buys. We sold an old Winchester rifle for $1400 alone! Another lesson…I routinely purchase box lots of books at auction but can only salvage a few from each box that are worth selling (you have the chance to review auction items prior to the sale so I make notes of which boxes I want and how much I’m willing to bid – knowing how much I’ll ask for the books online). Books that are left over are donated to area libraries and/or the Salvation Army for which we get a nice tax deduction. From what was left-over at the consignment shop we liquidated we filled a 28-foot truck for the St. Vincent de Paul organization – talk about a nice tax write off! (it amazes me –and again, I blame stupid politicians and lawyers- what charities won’t take…items such as wheel chairs, many appliances, show cases, etc., all because of potential liability. The Goodwill no longer picks up items – they lost our donation business because of that). Tips for Buyers

1. Study before you go out and buy; you will get out of the sale only what you into

it. 2. Invest in several antique guides or reference works in your area of interest. (see

resource list) 3. Take courses (I used to teach appraisal methods at local schools and colleges).

4. Get to sales and auctions early and carefully examine items you’re interested in purchasing (don’t be afraid to take a general reference guide along and a paper and pen).

5. Don’t let people scare you off – if you like an item, bid on it. 6. Remember everyone makes mistakes – learn from yours. 7. Don’t get caught up in “auction fever” where someone bids against you and you

return a higher bid out of a sense of competition rather than buying the item at a price that allows you to resell at a profit (I like 50% profit margins or higher as you’re almost always going to wheel and deal with customers and other dealers…NOTE: It’s customary to give another dealer an automatic 20% off)

http://www.memberstar.com/redir_a.php?LFAId=860 Tips for Sellers

1. Get everything appraised before you sell it (or do the research yourself). See

what the same or similar items are selling for on ebay and other auction sites. 2. If you’re in charge of an estate sale, don’t throw anything away; it could have

value to a collector. 3. Don’t be offended if a dealer offers you 40 or 50% of book value as they’re trying

to make a living and will seldom get full book value on any item unless it is in pristine condition, had its original box (which can sometimes double the price on many items). The top prices listed are usually only obtainable in big cities (I swear most of those Roadshow guys have never sold anything outside of NYC).

4. Don’t sell anything unless you have a solid idea what it’s worth. 5. When selling high-end antiques, art, jewelry, etc. your selling efforts will be

rewarded when you include some form of authentication, documentation, appraisal with your item.

6. To see what is selling/resources: http://www.memberstar.com/redir_a.php?LFAId=860

General Tips for Selling Online:

1. provide exceptional customer service – offer a money-back guarantee. 2. deliver quality goods and services 3. use testimonials 4. display a privacy statement 5. use your website to upsell items from online auctions 6. make it easy for your customers to contact you by listing all contact data 7. answer all inquiries within 24 hours 8. confirm via email when orders are sent

Everyone speculates on an item from time to time…usually my hunches pay off, but not always. Keep in prices change and will differ in varying parts of the country. A year or two ago, humpback trunks were going easily for $100; now they barely get $40. Indeed, my wife and I generally buy only items we personally like. That way, if it doesn’t sell, we’re rarely unhappy.

RESOURCES*

McKittrick’s Art Guide (prices on paintings & bronzes sold at auction – easy for the amateur) Rosemary & Michael McKittrick POB 461 Sewickly, PA 15143 Fine Art Identification & Price Guide The Confident Collector/Avon Books 800-238-0658 HuxFords Old Book Value Guide A Division of Schroeder Publishing Co./Collector Books POB 3009 Paducah, KY 42002-3009 www.collectorbooks.com Schroeder’s Antiques Price Guides (values on 50,000 items) See above for address *A great all-round general guide (can be found in bookstores) that we carry everywhere…they also publish one for toys and plenty of other specific categories. Antiques & Collectibles Resource Directory Wallace-Homestead Book Co. Radnor, PA 350 pages of info on buyers, auction services, experts in many fields, repair services, etc. Krause Publications 700 E. State St. Iola, WI 54990 www.krausepublications.com Publishes a variety of collector books on coins and other topics. North-South Trader’s Civil War Price Guide 918 Caroline St. Fredericksburg, VA 22401 The secret source to buying and selling Civil War collectibles. The Paper & Advertising Collector POB 500 Mt. Joy, PA 17522 717-653-1833

Replacements Ltd. China-Crystal-Silver-Collectibles 175K patterns – 9 million pieces Buy-Sell -- Old & New PoB 26029 Greensboro, NC 27420 800-replace (800-737-5223) Government Liquidation – access surplus government property www.govliquidation.com Online price guide of antiques & art auction sales results 617-252-5090 www.artfact.com Software for online auction photos 510-528-6351 www.pixby.com Online Appraisals www.wiw2u.com/history.cfmOnline appraisals (in partnership with the History Channel) Offers buy/sell options. Low fees & certification provided (I belong to this Appraisers Association) Best place for wholesale resources & research tool http://www.myaffiliateprogram.com/u/worldwid/t.asp?id=11029To Learn what is selling/free 15-day resource newsletter go to: http://www.memberstar.com/redir_a.php?LFAId=860 *Note addresses and phone numbers change all the time…use the net to search out these and other resources more pertinent to your needs. And remember, if it’s ugly as sin and none of your friends know what it is , then it’s probably valuable! I share the resources I’ve researched about eBay & work-at-home opportunities. To get periodic bulletins, sign up to get my bulletin at: BruceBulletin-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Finally, you can use both physical and online auctions to improve your bottom line and to boost your standard of living. We routinely purchase items for our household at a fraction of the price you’d pay at retail – and usually, we get better quality – especially in the area of furniture. (I look for slightly beat up furniture, which I can repair and/or refinish easily). We routinely find office supplies and even rolls of postage stamps. Recently we purchased several rolls of the new 37 cent stamps for only $30 a roll – a substantial savings. Nearly everything in our home has been purchased via auction and is worth several times what we paid for it…just ask our insurance agent who loved writing an extra rider to cover its value.

It’s profitable to pick up used furniture; restore it cheaply and then sell it via auction or other means. You’ll find tons of books on restoring furniture on ebay or at your local library. It’s kind of like how my wife and I bought old, run-down homes in PA, fixed them up and either rented or sold them to others for a profit. I did the same thing in high school where I bought run down VW cars; fixed them up cheaply and resold them to the point where the state gov’t sent me a letter that if I sold another vehicle, I would have to get a used car dealers permit. Another example of how American entrepreneurship is squashed by the gov’t – even when it comes to a 17-year old trying to make money.

ESTATE SALES POINTERS

Estate sales are nearly as much work as setting up for an auction, but require fewer helpers and overall, can be more lucrative. For instance, we just finished an estate sale in Arizona, which netted us about $1000 after expenses; plus, we got to visit with some dear friends of ours who referred the business to us. This friend, an insurance agent, referred the business to us from one of his deceased clients. Even though the heirs pretty much cleaned out everything of big value, we still made out…plus they paid us our appraisal fee (which helped them to determine which items they decided on keeping). We generally charge a minimum of $125 per hour for an appraisal; more if it needs to be backed up in court or for the IRS. We often offer a cap on what we charge or offer to eliminate the charge completely, if the sale will yield us enough in profit. Developing contacts among insurance agents, realtors, bank trust officers, bankruptcy court officials and the like will yield referrals for performing estate sales. Our rule of thumb is that there needs to be at least the potential of $3500 in gross sales for us to do a local estate liquidation before we accept the assignment (we charge a 25% commission plus expenses – see contracts below for guidance). If out of our area, we charge expenses to the estate, including fuel, food, advertising, and lodging; although we try to remain flexible on these costs and we keep these costs to a reasonable level. We set up estate sales much as if we were doing an auction. We bundle like-items into box lots (you’ll find especially in an estate sale that it is easier to place similar items into boxes…such as linens, books, household items, etc. and sell them as a group). Of course, we go through the entire estate to determine which items might be of higher value and we price and advertise them accordingly. Our clients are told up front that we’ll wheel and deal on most items up to 25% on the items we price and on higher priced items (say over $150) we’ll ask them first if they wish to accept a lower price. In most cases, the heirs tell us “get what you can and donate the rest to charity.” Estate sales (unless we buy them outright) are normally held at the house and we ask the heirs or lawyer to ensure there is property insurance in force during the sale (an obvious request due to our national motto having become ‘when in doubt…sue). In most cases, we leave the premises broom clean, meaning the place is left neat – but we don’t offer complete cleaning services unless an agreed upon fee is paid; which by the way, can be another profit center. It’s not uncommon to charge at least $350 to clean the

home and haul away remaining items (most often to a charity whereby the family gets the receipt for the charitable donation). Based on our experience and the areas in which we do sales, that will determine how we price items. Many items, especially household goods, go cheap. Most Americans have several TV sets, microwaves and other kitchen items, therefore, unless new or near new, they’re priced rather cheaply. It’s important, however, to price the little items which might escape normal attention, such as pre-1945 kitchen items, accordingly. Knowing your collectibles and antique prices are a big help here as they bring higher prices for the estate and higher commission for you. We settle our estates within a week to ten days; providing written summaries of what was sold and for how much. We use pre-made forms for auctions and estates that we buy or you can create your own. For a variety of forms/contracts/signs, etc., you might research Keifer.com for the offerings they make.

SECURITY

It’s unfortunate, but we’ve noticed over the past few years, more theft taking place at auctions/estate sales. In the last sale we conducted, several items were stolen. Fortunately, in this case, nothing of major value was taken. Yet, it is depressing to see the rise in theft at sales. During an auction in Michigan we attended, a 100 oz. Bar of silver was stolen from a showcase…worth, at the time, more than $500! We’ve experienced thefts of items ranging from stereo systems to Disney collectibles and jewelry. Usually, if the item had been priced, we split the difference with the owners, but it is disheartening to say the least. Perhaps it is the economy or the sliding morals in this country – we don’t know. However, it is important for you to have adequate personnel on hand at any sale you conduct to assist with security. It is customary to have someone stationed in each room of the house to keep a sharp eye. We use locked and unlocked showcases to display items such as jewelry and coins, but it is easy for the person in charge to become distracted when hoards of people come in to buy. Some liquidators use the tag sale method whereby they only allow so many folks (given numbers in advance of the sale) into the property at a time. Although I don’t like this (I’ve spent too much time standing in lines to get into such sales) it may be a good idea for the sales you conduct. There is no easy answer to this aspect of the business. You’ll have to depend on your own experience with how your area of the country works. RULE: the more valuable the items, the more it’s worth having the extra help on hand. NOTE: Sometimes a sale won’t appear to meet our minimum sales goal. Therefore, we reserve the right to include items we’ve gathered from previous sales in order to ‘round-out’ our profit margins. I’ve yet to run into objections. In any event, it is a prudent measure to instruct your staff/friends to keep an open eye for such theft and not hesitate to approach such thieves. Some friends of mine have

actually gone to the extent to alert local police to request additional patrols in the area on the day of the sale…can’t tell you if it works.

CONTRACTS AND FORMS

Contract to Sell Personal Property

Seller: BruceDavidAssociates of Arizona – Serving the greater SW. Owner: Definitions: Seller, does hereby agree to provide the services described below to:_______________________________ Owner, according to the terms and in return for the fee and charges given below.

1. “Owner” includes legal owners, executors and administrators or other persons authorized to represent the estate.

2. “Property” in this sale includes any and all items of personal property except land and structures permanently placed on the land, and such personal property withheld from the sale.

SERVICES:

Seller agrees to prepare for and conduct a sale of property as defined above for Owner(s) benefit, using seller’s skills, knowledge, expertise and best efforts on the date, time and location given.

CONDITIONS OWNER AGREES TO: Owner agrees that if buyer uses credit cards, a 5% charge will be added for each charge to cover costs of

merchant account. -Owner agrees this sale will ONLY be conducted by Seller and owner does not have the authority to conduct the sale once this agreement is entered into. -Owner agrees no item of property will be withdrawn, sold or transferred prior to this sale except by mutual written consent. Without such consent, owner will pay seller full commission rate. -Owner agrees to deliver all goods & control and custody of property to Seller on a given date. -Owner warrants all said goods and rights to sell are free from liens, etc. -Owner agrees to provide suitable insurance against liability for personal injury/damage on said property and owner is responsible for all contents and will hold Seller harmless against all such claims of personal injury or damage arising from or relating to sale of property. -Owner agrees that Seller, in order to sell any item of said property, has discretion to negotiate with buyers and that property is free from all encumbrances. All expenses of this sale including Seller fee and payments shall be deducted from gross receipts (total amount of sale prior to settlement). -Owner is responsible for paying Sellers fee and stated charges on all items sold regardless of results of sale.

-This document and any attached schedules contain all terms agreed to. No other agreements shall be honored. Changes in this agreement must be documented; any disputes arising from such shall be settled via arbitration; Seller will leave premises ‘broom clean’ and Seller shall have access to premises for purposes of pre-sale preparation at least three (3) days before sale date. Schedule for Sale:_Nov 17th_2002____________________________The Fee rate for this sale shall be 25% all inclusive commission except as noted. SPECIAL CONDITIONS:

CONSIGNMENT FORM

Name_______________________Address___________________________ City/State/ZIP__________________________________________________ Phone__________________ Items consigned are placed into our next sale – normally once each month. Our fee is 25% of the final sale

price up to the first $1000; thereafter, it drops to 20% up to $5000 and 15% above that amount. Please describe the item(s) below (including any history if applicable):

Dear Friend: When a spouse, parent or other loved one passes on, the shock can be devastating to the survivors; yet major decisions must be made regarding the disposition of the property. Undoubtedly, one of the most severe tests for family members will be when the heirs gather at the home and decide who gets what from the estate. Often, tempers will flare and real and/or imagined slights will surface adding to the tension and emotionally charged situation. Tact and a professional attitude on the part of the person conducting the estate sale can relieve much of this tension – if the executor has the presence of mind to seek such help at this time.

This is often a common experience for someone in your position. We can help you inventory and sell off the unwanted assets of an estate in a professional manner via tag sale, auction or by outright purchase. We also perform estate appraisals for insurance and tax purposes – and we back our findings in court if necessary. I’m a graduate of the Arizona School of Auctioneering & Appraisal, formerly owned our own antique shop and we maintain an extensive reference library and network of experts in all fields. I’ve also taught classes on appraising antiques. We also liquidate small businesses. You’ll find enclosed several business cards for use in distributing our name to your clients should the need for our service arise. Though Michigan-based, we’ve performed our services in PA, OH and AZ as well. We appreciate any referrals you might provide us. Please let us know if we can be of service. Yours for better business, Bruce & Yvonne David, owners

Sales Procedure

1. Individuals only admitted with a number and/or sales entrance form. 2. Size of home/site will determine quantity initially able to enter. 3. Remember! You’re entering a private home – be respectful. 4. No sold tags honored except those used by the liquidator. 5. No out-of-state checks accepted. 6. No children under 14 allowed. 7. No items sold before the advertised opening time. 8. Liquidator reserves the right to add items from other estates.

REGISTRATION

Buyer Name_________________________________________ No.__________ Address________________________________City/Zip____________________ Phone/(A/C)____________________________DL# (if paying by check)____________ Email Address (if you’d like to be on our mailing list)______________________ __I have property or an estate to sell. Please contact me. Best time to call______

__I have antiques or an estate I’d like appraised. __I have a small business I’d like to liquidate. __Add me to your mailing list. © 1995 COMMENTS:

BruceDavidAssociates bedavid@yahoo.com

Dear Friend: When a spouse, parent or other loved one passes on, the shock can be devastating to the survivors; yet major decisions must be made regarding the disposition of the property. Undoubtedly, one of the most severe tests for family members will be when the heirs gather at the home and decide who gets what from the estate. Often, tempers will flare and real and/or imagined slights will surface adding to the tension and emotionally charged situation. Tact and a professional attitude on the part of the person conducting the estate sale can relieve much of this tension – if the executor has the presence of mind to seek such help at this time. This is often a common experience for someone in your position. We can help you inventory and sell off the unwanted assets of an estate in a professional manner via tag sale, auction or by outright purchase. We also perform estate appraisals for insurance and tax purposes – and we back our findings in court if necessary. I’m a graduate of the Arizona School of Auctioneering & Appraisal, formerly owned our own antique shop and we maintain an extensive reference library and network of experts in all fields. I’ve also taught classes on appraising antiques. We also liquidate small businesses. You’ll find enclosed several business cards for use in distributing our name to your clients should the need for our service arise. . We appreciate any referrals you might provide us. Please let us know if we can be of service. Yours for better business, Bruce & Yvonne David, owners Enc:

SAMPLE FOLLOW UP LETTER Dear Phyllis, Tried calling the number: a dozen or so times between yesterday and today and keep getting a busy signal...perhaps we have an incorrect number? If you like, you can either email or call us at the toll-free number I provided today (we'll be out-of-town the balance of the week doing an estate sale) I'm assuming the location of the sale is in Mesa? It sounds as if Garry will visit there and do an inventory...which will help us determine which is more suitable - an auction or estate sale. Estate sales average better prices than auctions; however, not everything will always sell. In either case, we need a pretty good listing of the items to be sold for advertising purposes. As a for-instance, we're doing a sale this weekend. On Friday we will price everything according to book value (we maintain a huge library of price guides)...however, those prices will represent our "asking price" and we usually negotiate with buyers (an immediate 20% discount is normally what we bargain with). Obviously, since we work on commission, it is to our advantage (and that of our client) to obtain the best price possible. For items remaining at the end of the sale, it is the option of the consignee to either let items go cheaply, retain the items or donate them to charity. In some cases, we buy outright, the remainders. Those options would be your choice. In the case of estate sale, we often hold them over a two-day period and items remaining on the second day are slashed in price. Finally, it is another option for us to take silent, written bids on items and if the item remains at the end of the sale, we contact those individuals and alert them to the availability of the item. On vehicles of any sort, we charge only 10% commission and the purchaser must pay in cash or certified check...otherwise, any checks they tender would have to clear prior to their taking the item. You must have the clear titles available and signed off along with keys and any related paperwork. In order to clear all checks and process the proceeds of the sale, we normally pay you within 7-10 days and

we include a listing of items sold/prices, etc. The consignee pays the first $250 of advertising (taken from the proceeds of the sale) and we pick up any additional expenses. Estate sales are normally held at the home and the home must remain insured for the duration of the sale. If for some reason, it isn't possible to host the sale at the home, there would be a fee for removal of items and rental of another location. An hourly fee for removal of items is $50 per hour (to pay our crew). Please feel free to ask me any other questions. Thank you in advance. NOTE: We offer clients a choice of sales methods based on their need and the amount/quality of items available for sale. 99 Tips for Buying and Selling on eBay

By: Skip McGrath Editor and Publisher, The Auction Seller's News Copyright 2006

Introduction

99 Tips for eBay Buyers and Sellers is a digest of some of the best tips, tricks and secrets used by veteran eBay buyers and sellers. Some of the information is from my newsletter and some is from my books, The Basic Guide to eBay, Selling Antiques and Collectibles on eBay, The eBay Power Seller's Manual, and The Wholesale Buying System. All of these titles are available at our web site, http://www.skipmcgrath.com.

You can also subscribe to our free newsletter for auction sellers - another source for the tips in this book.

There are more tips here for sellers than for buyers. But, even if you only buy on eBay and have no interest in becoming a seller, I suggest you read all of the tips as there is plenty of information that will make you a better buyer. I guess it comes under the heading of "walking in someone else's shoes."

The more you know about the process, the more fun and rewarding eBay can be.

If you are a seller, or interested in becoming a seller, I would encourage you to explore our web site. Even if you decide not to purchase any of our educational manuals, there are tons of free resources and excellent informational pages that

can add to your selling experience. I would especially encourage you to go through back issues of the newsletters.

Let's get on with it. The first tip is probably the most important, and many of the other tips relate to it. Imagine, if you went into a shopping mall and every store had a board near the entrance where customers could post notes about the products and services sold in each store. Do you think that would improve customer service? Well, that is what eBay's feedback system is all about. Achieving and keeping a good feedback rating is essential to your long-term success on eBay.

Tips for Buyers

Almost everyone starts his or her eBay experience as a buyer. Learning how to buy effectively will improve your eBay experience and prepare you for becoming a seller. I recommend you make at least ten successful transactions on eBay before trying to sell. We hope the following tips will make you a better and more successful buyer.

1. Build A Positive Feedback Rating

Give and get good feedback. This is less critical for buyers than for sellers, but having a good feedback rating makes other eBayers comfortable doing business with you. For example, I accept checks for immediate shipment if the buyer has a good feedback rating. If someone has very little feedback (less than 20) or several negative comments, then I hold the checks until they clear before sending an item.

2. How to build feedback quickly?

Here is a quick way to build good feedback: make some purchases for a few lower cost items you use everyday or that you would normally buy at a store. There are plenty of items in the Health & Beauty category that you buy every day such as shampoo and razor blades –often at prices less than you would pay at Wal-Mart.

Pay promptly using PayPal and immediately post feedback for the seller as soon as you get the item. If the seller does not post feedback, send them a short email telling them that you posted feedback for them and you would appreciate them reciprocating.

3. Be generous with your feedback

Post feedback quickly and leave specific comments. Leaving a comment that says: “great seller,” is nice –but it is more helpful to say, “Item arrived quickly in perfect condition, just as described.” Or: “Quick Professional transaction –good email and just what I ordered.” If the seller sells something specific you can mention it such as: “Beautiful Print –I will enjoy for many years.”

This type of feedback is very helpful to future buyers and it tends to get you better feedback comments in return.

4. Use PayPal

Sellers want to be paid quickly and everyone is concerned about fraud. There is no faster or safer way to complete an eBay transaction than PayPal (now owned by eBay). PayPal is now used by over 100 Million users around the world and now processes more debit and credit card payments than Citibank. Over 80% of registered eBay users accept PayPal and eBay has fully integrated PayPal into their systems. Take the time to become a verified seller and always give your verified shipping address. This gets you the fraud protection. Go to www.paypal.com .

Did you know you can also use PayPal as a savings account. According to Money Magazine, PayPal now pays the highest rate on ordinary savings accounts. When I wrote this PayPal was paying 4.3% while my bank, Wells Fargo, was only paying 2.3% 5. Avoid Fraud on Large Purchases

Given the millions of transactions that occur each month, fraud is actually rare on ebay but it does exist. The most common type of fraud on eBay is a seller that offers an expensive item for sale at an unbelievably good price. When you win the item the seller asks to be paid in cash, cashiers check or money order. You send the money and then the seller disappears.

Demanding a cashiers check or a money order only is a red flag. Never bid on a large purchase if the seller will not take Paypal or a credit card. Always check the seller's feedback and how long they have been registered on eBay.

Most fraudesters set up an eBay account, run a few quick expensive auctions, get the money and either disappear or are kicked off of eBay as soon as they are discovered. Be especially careful if the seller is located outside the U.S.

6. Pay sellers quickly

Paying quickly will help you build feedback faster and you will get your item sooner.

7. Be honest – admit your mistakes

If you forgot about the auction and are late getting a payment off, or you forgot to ship something you sold – be up front and honest. Apologize and admit your mistake. People can be very forgiving if they believe you. They can be unforgiving if they think they are being B.S.’ed.

8. Create an About Me page on eBay

EBay allows you to create a page to describe you and your family or even include your pets. You can put a photo on the page, talk about your hobbies, your family – basically anything you like. The About Me page is where a person can get a sense of who you are and if they would like to do business with you. If you have a web site, this is the one place on eBay where it is allowed to direct buyers to your web site.

9. Master the power of searching

According to eBay, about 65% of bidders find their item by searching. Including the exact name of the product you are selling is key to bidders finding your auction. Some sellers place a tilde (~) or a star * next to their auction title to help get attention. Place a space between a tilde (or *) and a word, or the word will not come up in a search.

For example: *Nikon* would not result in any items found, because eBay’s search engine sees the * as part of the word. According to Power Seller News, some of the most searched words on eBay are: DVD, Art, BMW, Gucci, Longaberger, Louis Vuitton, Laptop, Playstation 2 and Paintball.

Use eBay’s powerful search engine to find items and to see what items are selling and how much they are selling for.

10. Be sure to thank people

Send an email to your seller when the item arrives. Thank them and let them know you posted feedback and are happy with the transaction.

11. Search for misspelled items to find bargains

Finding misspelled items is a great sport on eBay. Remember that 65% of eBay buyers find items by searching. If someone spells an item name incorrectly it will not come up in a search. These items usually get very few bids and this is a great place to shop.

Here are a few misspelled words to try: jewlery, strawbery, Ken Griffy, Porsch, beaney, If you want to buy something specific on eBay, think of how the word could be commonly misspelled and type it into the search box. You will often be surprised how many items come up.

12. Use the .02 or .03 rule.

Most people bid in even numbers. If the bid increment is 50 cents, make your bid .52 or .53. This way you will just outbid someone by a few cents instead of a large increment. This is very important when sniping (see next item)

13. Learn to snipe

EBay’s proxy bidding system allows you to set your highest bid and then forget about it. EBay will keep bidding the minimum increment up to your maximum. This is fine if you know exactly how much you want to pay for something. If you are not sure how much you want to bid or if you know an item will be hot, then learn how to snipe at the last minute. Here is how to snipe:

Open one window with the auction description. Open a second window and place the highest amount you will pay for the item and hit “Review Bid.” Now enter your username and password –but don’t hit “Place Bid” yet. Wait until 15 or 20 seconds before the auction ends. (Refresh your first window to see the time left). At the right moment, hit “Place Bid.” With luck your bid will arrive at the perfect time to beat out your competition.

Be sure to synchronize your time with the official eBay time or you could just miss the end of an auction.

You can also purchase a sniping service. I use BidSlammer which is very inexpensive and can snipe the auctions where I am not around.

14. Use Ending Today

When searching eBay listings and categories, it can become very tiresome because there is so much out there. If you’re just browsing for stuff to buy, then select a category, and select Ending Today. Items ending in the next 24 hours will be highlighted in red. Here's a tip to find great bargains. Look for items ending after midnight. There aren't as many people up after midnight and those auctions tend to get fewer bids. If you don't want to stay up that late, use BidSlammer to bid for you.

15. Search Completed items

To find out what a product is worth, it doesn’t do any good to find prices for on-going auctions as this could change minute by minute. Searching Completed Items (from the eBay search box) is the best way to determine an item’s worth or value.

16. Check the seller’s feedback rating --and the comments

Because you are spending your hard-earned money, it pays to check the feedback left by others about the person from whom you’re thinking of buying. When in an item’s auction page, select “view seller’s feedback.” This will list all comments made by others that have dealt with this person in the past. It can be very revealing. If you see a bunch of negative comments, stay away from this seller. If you see positive, then proceed. Don’t let one or two negatives dissuade you if most of the feedback is positive. Everyone makes mistakes, and things do get lost in the mail. Also there are some people out there who are very difficult to please. Be careful buying expensive items from sellers who are newly registered or have a low feedback score.

17. Be careful about leaving negative feedback

You should always try and work things out with the seller. If a seller is a total fraud, then go ahead and leave negative feedback.

EBay is a community and most people are basically good, although all of us screw up once in a while. Unfortunately there are a few “Crazies” out there. If you leave negative feedback on them, they seek revenge, start flaming email wars, send emails to your bidders and so on. Sometimes leaving negative feedback on these people can cause more trouble than it is worth.

18. Check your email at least twice daily

As a buyer, you want to ensure you win the most bids you can– within your price range, of course. Since eBay will email you whenever you’re outbid on an item for which you have an outstanding bid, you want to be sure you know as soon as possible, so you can re-bid if you want to. If you don’t check your email, and you receive an outbid notice, by the time you do check email, the auction may be over for that item. Checking your email regularly will keep you informed of the status of your bids.

Also you want to respond quickly to any emails from buyers or sellers relating to your bids or your auctions.

19. How to narrow your search?

Since using a single word for your search can return many, many ads, you may want to narrow the search even more to get down to a more specific need. For example, suppose you are looking specifically for Timex watches as opposed to just any watches. Then use the AND keyword function in your search. In the search field, you'd enter Timex watch. This would return a list of all ads with both the words Timex and watch in them and exclude all ads that do not contain both words.

20. How to narrow your search even more?

Let's say you are looking for ads that include certain phrases, or words that go together in a specific order. For instance, if you are searching for teddy bears, you can use quotation marks. The command you would use is "teddy bear". This will return a listing of all ads with the words teddy bear in them. The word bear must immediately follow the word teddy for the listing to show.

21. Finding auctions with multiple words

If you are searching for items that have one of multiple words, you can use the OR keyword in your search. For example, if you wanted to find all auctions that have in their title listing the words cat or dog, then you would enter (cat, dog) in the search field. This would return all ads that have either the word cat or the word dog in their listing.

22. Locating auctions with one word, but not another.

If you are looking for watches, but are not interested in Timex watches then you would use the AND NOT keywords. In the search field, you would enter: watch -timex. This would return all auctions whose listings included the word watch, but excluded the word Timex. (Note there is no space between the minus sign and the word timex).

23. Don’t Fall for Spoof email supposedly from eBay or PayPal

Many emails you receive in your email account from PayPal or eBay are really fakes. If eBay sends you an email to your email address –and they sometimes do, don’t open it. Whenever eBay sends you an email they also send it to you’re My Messages box in you’re My eBay Page. Just go to you’re My eBay Page where you will also see the email if it really came from eBay. You can open it there safely. If you receive an email from PayPal, don’t click on any of the links. Instead just log into your PayPal account and you will see any notices on your main account page.

All genuine emails from eBay and/or PayPal will be always be addressed to you by name. If the email says Dear Member --it is a fake!

24. Be careful using a SPAM filter

Unfortunately once you start buying and selling on eBay, your email gets out there and your volume of spam increases. Eudora has a great free email program called Eudora Lite, free at www.eudora.com, which allows you to direct all your eBay related email into a special mailbox where you can filter it. There are also new services available on the Internet to filter out spam –but they are not 100% reliable. They sometimes filter out legitimate messages and still let a lot of spam through. That can be a problem --you might not ge legitimate emails from sellers, bidders or buyers. So get in the habit of checking your spam filter regulary.

25. Know what you are buying

Unless the item you are bidding on is clear and unambiguous, be a little careful. If an item description is not complete, or if you are buying a collectible or something used, take the time to email the seller and ask questions or for clarification. If the seller doesn’t answer quickly and completely, that is a warning flag and you should be careful.

Be especially care when bidding on high-priced items.

Tips For Sellers

Whether you just want to have some fun, use eBay to clear out your attic, make a few extra bucks, or even start and eBay business, you will have to master the “basics” to sell successfully on eBay. The following tips are a good start –but you will need to keep learning to master the secrets of eBay success.

26. Learn to sell on eBay

Even if you don’t need the extra money and have no interest in building an eBay business, try selling things from time-to-time. Why? It’s fun! You will get far more for stuff on eBay than you would from a yard sale.

Also, selling will make you a better buyer. You will understand things from the seller’s point of view and learn other ways to spot bargains.

27. Buy on Overstock.com and other auctions to sell on eBay

eBay is king of the mountain. Overstock.com, and others are good auction sites, but they are not even a close second to eBay. Because Overstock.com auctions do not get as much action, you can often buy good items on Yahoo and resell them on eBay for a profit. The same is true of Amazon, ePier, BidFields and other smaller auction sites.

28. The best types of products to sell on eBay

Everyone wants to sell the latest consumer product –but the truth is there is a lot of competition from established sellers and even big online companies that have discovered eBay. The best item to sell on eBay is something used or a very specialized (niche) product that few others are selling.

You can buy virtually anything used: clothing, books, computers, DVD’s, Stereo equipment, and so on. If you are going to sell new goods, make sure you can buy them cheaply enough to sell and make a profit. One source is the closeout and

liquidation companies that sell overstocks and seasonal items returned by department stores. Here is a link to a Free Wholesale Search Engine. I also offer an inexpensive product called My Top 20 Wholesale Sources for eBay Sellers. This is a great place to find good wholesale sources that will work with eBay sellers.

Another great item is consumables. The idea here is to get repeat business via your web site from customers who buy from you on eBay. One of the best selling products from The Auction Seller’s Resource is the Wholesale Buying System (WBS). This tells you how, what and where to buy products to sell on eBay. The WBS comes with password protected access to a member’s-only web site where you can access thousands of wholesale companies directly. The web site is updated monthly to add new sources.

29. Search Listings on eBay to see what is selling

Go to: http://listings.eBay .com to see what is being listed and sold on eBay. The number in parentheses after the category title is the number of auctions for a given item. In general, the higher the number the more action and sales.

30. Master niche marketing and specialize for success

This is home plate for your success strategy. Find your own niche. Define your market. Then you can know the type of person you’re going to be selling to and the types of product you want to sell. You will also have less competition. Forget trying to sell computers, digital cameras, iPods and plasma TVs. There is no way you can compete with the big guys unless you have tons of money. And those drop ship web sites and programs that claim to have those products are mostly scams. Find a small niche --or several small niches that you can dominate.

Along with being in a superior position to take advantage of repeat business, the benefits from becoming specialized are endless. If you know more about your product area, you will be able to buy at better prices and people who sense you specialize in something will be more comfortable buying from you.

My friend James Jackson runs a site called Find Hot Niches that can help you figure this out.

31. Become an expert in your field

Become an authority on what you do in your online auction business. If you sell printer ink cartridges, you want to be thought of before anyone else.

When you become an authority in your field, a whole new universe of business and opportunity is opened up to you. I buy certain types of things on eBay from the same sellers over and over. I wouldn't dare do business with anyone else, not when they have proven themselves and their product.

You want to earn that same type of position in the minds of eBayer’s for your niche. Also continue your auction education. Read books and training manuals, visit the chat and message boards, attend an eBay University when it comes to your town, go to eBay Live, and keep learning all the time.

32. Increase sales by putting audio in your auctions

I began using audio (voice) in my auctions in May of 2004. I saw an immediate increase in sales. For example, I sell expensive fire pit barbeques ($200+). Before using audio, I was selling one or two a week. Once I put audio in my auctions I started selling almost one a day. The same thing happened with my EZ Cube Photo Studios. I was selling about two a week on eBay. When I added audio to my auctions with Seller's Voice, my sales more than doubled. Now I sell at least four and sometimes five or six units a week.

We also sell Starbucks collectibles. I ran a test of identical auctions with and without audio. Every auction with audio got more bidders and sold for a higher price --in some cases as much as 22% higher!

I use a company called Seller's Voice for my audio. It is so easy. I just dial an 800 number, record my message and then go to their web site and copy a short line of code that I paste into my auction. If you launch your auction first, you can also record the message and just type the auction number into the phone and they will paste it in for you.

33. Get a sales tax number

Contact the sales tax authority in your county or state offices to get a sales tax number. This will allow you to buy from many wholesale companies that would not deal with you otherwise.

If you are not sure who to contact in your state, just call your local chamber of commerce and they will advise you or give you the phone number or web site address to register. If you go to the FREE Articles page on our web site there is an article on state sales taxes with a link to all of the state web sites where you can apply on line.

34. Automate your auctions

Automate your auctions with an auction management service. I have tried several companies and have finally settled on Vendio. They provide auction templates where you type in your headlines and text, insert your images, set your price, terms, length of auction and upload your auctions at any time or day you specify.

These services also track your inventory and sales, send automated emails to customers, provide a PayPal or credit card gateway and automatically post feedback once payment is received. Vendio is by far, the best service I have used.

People are often hesitant to pay a monthly fee to an auction management company, but believe me --over time they really save you money and they are far better than eBay's tools such as Turbo Lister and Selling Manager.

You should also invest in software to print labels. www.edicia.com is a good resource. You can get a great deal on label printers and scales that integrate right into your computer.

35. Build credibility

Be trustworthy. Remove every doubt about your credibility. You can do this through presenting yourself positively through your feedback, being passionately devoted to your business and by being an expert. See the section above on creating an About Me page. A photo of yourself will humanize the online experience can bring amazing results. One with your dog or cat in the picture is even better.

36. Your auction headline and item description is where it all begins.

Your headline is your advertising and your item description is your salesperson. On the web, how you're potential buyer perceives you and your product is everything.

Be sure to use power words in your auction title (headline). Rare, Unique, Powerful, New, Unusual, Stunning, Top Notch, First Class, etc. Just be sure not to exaggerate. Don’t call something ‘rare” if it is not.

Copy writing is the art of showing you and what you sell to your buyer in the best possible light. It’s the most important thing you have going for you. A carefully crafted sales letter (item description) can increase you results exponentially without having to spend an extra penny.

37. Use keywords in your auction headline (title) and description

Remember that 65% of eBay bidders find what they are looking for by using the search function. Be sure to use carefully chosen and accurate key words in your title and description. eBay gives you 55 characters in your headline. Be sure to use all of them. This will help you get hits.

38. Stand behind your product and service

We offer an unconditional money-back guarantee on every thing we sell. This has been our practice since our first day on eBay. Now if you are selling cars or houses, or “as-is” used goods that may not be a good idea – but the simple offer of a satisfaction guarantee will dramatically increase your sales.

Even unhappy people rarely go to the trouble of sending something back. The cost of providing the few refunds will be far out weighted by the increased volume of your sales. At the very least offer a guarantee that your items are exactly as described and you will give a full refund if they are not.

39. Set up an eBay Store

eBay Store listing fees are very low (much lower than auctions). This is a great place to park merchandise between auctions, to clear out slow moving merchandise, and a place you can promote in your emails, and with various web site promotion techniques. Place a clickable link in your auction item descriptions that invite people to view your store. I often run promotions where I tell people if they visit my store and buy two items I will give them free shipping. Also, eBay indexes your store listings to search engines such as Froogle. If someone comes to your store from off of eBay (such as from a Google search) and buys something from you, then eBay credits you 75% of the final value fee.

40. Accept personal checks up to $20 for immediate shipment from anyone with good feedback.

Remember it costs about $20 these days in bank fees if you bounce a check. Most people will not write a bad check for this reason. I have performed over 5,000 transactions on eBay over the past 5 years and I have only received one bad check – and it was eventually made good by the buyer. I usually offer immediate shipment on receipt of a personal check if the person has a good feedback rating. (At least 20 feedback postings with no negatives). Also, it used to take 5 to 7 days for a check to clear. Banks are now clearing checks in 1-2 days.

41. Set up a PayPal Shop

PayPal offers a service to all of their users called PayPal Shops. A PayPal shop is nothing more than a link to your eBay store or your web site.

PayPal offers users a search engine where they can search PayPal shops for goods offered by merchants who accept PayPal. Occasionally PayPal may feature your shop on their checkout page. If this happens your shop will get thousands of hits a day as long as it is featured.

42. Use an email signature

One great free way to promote your auction business is by using a signature. Signatures are six to eight line inserts at the end of your email messages. All email programs support them. You signature should include a description of what you sell and a hyper-link to your eBay store or your about me page.

43. Automate your shipping and save time at the post office

If you don’t have much time to spend at the post office, and I'm sure you don't, prepare in advance. You can have all of your mailing supplies sent to you by the USPS and UPS.

Visit http://www.usps.gov and http://ups.com for more details. eBay and PayPal now have an automated shipping system integrated with UPS and USPS right on their site.

If you ship via USPS Priority Mail (a favorite option for eBay sellers) you can use delivery confirmation to track your packages. It is free if you do it on line at http://www.usps.com or it costs 45 cents to do it at the post office window.

44. Building a High Feedback Rating Quickly

Here is a quick way to build good feedback: Sell something at a very low price, such as an inexpensive baseball card for under a dollar. Put up a Dutch auction for 50 of the item you are selling. Don’t worry about making money; just try to break even. Mail the cards out quickly, post great feedback for each buyer and send each buyer an email politely asking each of them to return the favor. Be sure to include the hyperlink to the feedback post in your email.

45. Where to get free shipping supplies?

If you send your items via USPS priority mail the post office will give you free envelopes, tape, and boxes. Think this through. If you pay the priority mail fee, and get free boxes, that is often close to what UPS charges when you add in the cost of a box. See below, however, for ways to get free boxes –and packing materials.

Another source for free supplies is your local gift shop or kitchen shop. These merchants receive merchandise in good boxes everyday with plenty of bubble-pak and Styrofoam peanuts that they simply throw away or pay to have recycled. Get friendly with your local gift shop and you can have access to tons of free shipping suppliers.

46. Sign Up for BuySafe and SquareTrade

If you sell expensive goods, BuySafe is a company that provides fraud insurance to your buyers. It cost a little to sign up, but BuySafe has plenty of evidence that shows that using BuySafe in your auctions will increase your bids and final values much more than the cost of their service. Sign up at www.buysafe.com.

SquareTrade is sort of the Better Business Bureau of eBay. Sign up at www.squaretrade.com. They also provide a dispute resolution service for their members and can get bad feedback removed.

47. Get your news from AuctionBytes.com

www.AuctionBytes.com is a great site with lots of free resources for auction sellers. They have an online auction calendar that lists best times to start and end an auction, a free online tutorial on how to take good photos, a daily and a weekly free newsletter and plenty of additional free resources. Best of all they have a daily news feed of news about eBay and online auctions.

48. Learn how to write great headlines and auction item descriptions

Our premier book, The Complete eBay Marketing System has two chapters on writing auction titles (headlines) and item descriptions designed to help you increase hits and bids. Poor titles and descriptions are one of the largest reasons eBay sellers get poor auction results.

49. Use Google AdWords to drive hits to your auctions, eBay Store or your web site.

Google AdWords can get expensive, but if you look for the obscure keywords no one else is bidding on your can really drive hits from out of eBay to your auctions or eBay Store. If you send someone from outside of eBay directly to your store and they buy, eBay credits you 75% of the store fee. If you join eBay’s affiliate program and this person was a first-time buyer, then eBay will pay you a commission on top of that. There is a service called Wordtracker that is free to try out and very inexpensive to subscribe to. It will help you find those obscure key words that you can buy very cheaply.

50. Learn simple HTML commands to spice up your auctions

Don’t be afraid of HTML. Anyone can do it. For example, you should start all of your eBay auction item description with the command: <font size=+1> This will make your type larger and easier to read. It helps to break your item description into smaller shorter paragraphs to increase readability. Just use this command to create a new paragraph <P>.

You can make your text bold by typing <B> at the beginning of the bold text and </B> where you want it to end.

Go to: http://www.davesite.com for a simple and free online tutorial on how to do HTML.

51. Create attractive backgrounds for your auctions

Go to: http://www.grsites.com/textures to get free background textures for your auction item descriptions. Over 6000 backgrounds are available at no cost.

52. If you are going to be in this business – you need to know the vocabulary.

Net Lingo at http://www.netlingo.com is a free site that teaches you all the terms and lingo of the world wide web and various online services.

53. Get a professional auction education

• Attend eBay Live (The next conference is in Las Vegas in June 2006).

• Watch for announcements of eBay University coming to a city near you. (Usually listed on the eBay community page.)

• Use the various eBay online tutorials • Take the Auction Genius course at http://tinyurl.com/aej4 • Print out the eBay help files and place them in a 3-ring

notebook for easy reference. • Print this document out (99 tips) out and put it in the same

notebook. • Buy some of the great eBay training books from The Auction

Seller’s Resource Bookshop

54. Incorporate to Protect yourself from liability

Not many people get sued selling stuff on eBay, but it can happen. If you incorporate, the corporation can shield you from most lawsuits. In fact once a lawyer learn that you are incorporated and you don't keep assets in the corporation, a lot of times they will not bother suing because they know your assets are protected. There are also lots of tax benefits to incorporating even if your eBay income is fairly small.

I used a company called Click & Inc.Online Business Incorporation Service. They did an excellent job --very personal service and very quick. Best of all they did it right. Some of the online incorporating services are really shoddy and they don't tailor the corporation to what you are doing. Click & Inc. contacts you and works with you to tailor just the solution you need for your situation and your specific state.

55. Learn how to buy at government auctions

Don’t pay for this information. Here is a link to our site where everything you need to bid on government auctions is free: http://www.skipmcgrath.com/auction_sr/gvnmtauctions.shtml

Government auctions can be a great place to find bargains – but proceed with caution. Make sure you thoroughly inspect anything before you buy it.

56. Package your eBay shipments professionally

No one likes to receive his or her “treasure” in a battered shoe box or an old cereal box. Take the time to pack your sales carefully. Invest in bubble pak, peanuts, tissue paper and so on. Re-read tip number 45 for how to save money on these supplies.

57. Sell Designer Clothes and Accessories

Clothing and accessories from top designers such as Gucci, Hermes, Christian Dior, Armani and so on are one of the hottest sellers on eBay and you can make excellent profit margins. These are sold by several liquidation dealers listed on the Wholesale Member’s web site that comes with your purchase of The Wholesale Buying System or The Complete eBay Marketing System.

58. Set your starting bid low to attract hits

Do you have a good item that you KNOW will sell well? Start it off at a very low price. This will get you healthy early bidding. You want a large group around the item; some will be competitive bidders – people who will pay extra just for the thrill of winning.

You'll usually get more for your item than someone who priced their item higher, because your auction has more bidders watching.

59. Write complete auction item descriptions

Make your item description as complete as possible. Include all relevant details: condition, size, weight, age, collectability, any short-comings or defects, etc.

What you think is not important – may be very important to someone else. Describe your item’s condition, talk about its benefits and uses and keep writing until you run out of something to say.

60. Have a written sales, payment and delivery policy to protect yourself and avoid misunderstandings

Spell out everything you do. How much do you charge for shipping? How will you ship the item? What is your policy on insurance? Do you use escrow for expensive items? When do you post feedback? Do you hold checks until they clear?

The more information you give a buyer the better the buying and selling experience will be for both parties –but don’t forget to make it sound friendly. You don’t want your auctions to sound like a bunch of rules written by a junior high school principal.

61. Don’t get greedy and overcharge for shipping

This is one of the more common causes of negative feedback. You should only charge what it normally costs you to pack and ship. Buyers are sensitive in this area. They know when you are making a profit on shipping. You can charge a small premium to cover your cost of handling and shipping materials, but it should be reasonable. Always offer to combine shipping costs if a person buys more than one item. Explain your shipping policy in the item description.

There is a game some sellers play whereby theylist a $5 item for 99-cents but the shipping is $7.99 when it only cost a dollar to ship. eBay will cancel your auction if they catch you doing this as it constitutes fee avoidance.

62. Always include the auction number in your emails

Always include the auction number with the end of auction notice and any request for payment. Place the number in the subject line so you can easily track emails. People often bid on several items and can get confused.

63. Start and end your auctions at the best times

Do you always start and end your auctions at the best times? Start and end your auctions at peak traffic periods when traffic is the heaviest.

I like my auctions to end on Sundayor Monday evenings between 5 and 10 PM (Pacific Time). Saturday and Sunday mornings are also good times. Believe it or not, Mondays during the lunch hour are very good also. Remember there can sometimes be a posting delay of up to two hours on eBay during the busy times. Also --dont forget that eBay uses Pacific Time.

This is one of the best reasons to use an auction management service such as Vendio.com. You can create your auction and schedule it to launch at a specific time or day.

64. What to do when you make a mistake in an auction?

If an auction has not received any bids you can revise it. Click on the link “revise auction” right below your username. If the auction has received bids, you can first cancel the bids and then cancel the auction.

If you go to My Account on you’re My eBay Page there is a link where you can email eBay and ask them to credit the listing fee. Just explain that you cancelled the auction, fixed the mistake and relisted it. Give them the old and the new item number and they will usually –but not always credit you the fee.

65. Why does eBay end auctions?

eBay will only end your auction if you violate the listing guidelines. First of all print out the guidelines and read them carefully. They are written to give eBay

wide latitude. EBay rarely discovers a listing violation. They rely mostly on the community to report violations. (Yes, there are a lot of busybodies with too much time on their hands).

The most common violations are listing in the wrong category, key word spamming, putting a link to an outside web site in your auction description and featuring items that are not qualified for featuring, i.e. information products.

One way to get your auctions examined is to make a complaint about someone else’s auction. Whenever you make a complaint, eBay also examines all the ongoing auctions of the complainer. So unless your auctions are squeaky clean, think again about reporting someone else.

66. What to do when eBay ends an auction?

If you are guilty as sin – just forget it and get on with your life. It’s not the end of the world. If you feel you are wronged, then answer the “auction ended” email with a polite request for an explanation and/or tell your side of the story.

Please understand the eBay enforcement employees receive hundreds of angry emails a day. It is very easy for them to get “pissy” (excuse my language). A polite and sincere inquiry will often uncover valuable information. Your violation may have been a minor technicality, which can be easily corrected. They will rarely tell you this if you send them an angry or rude email.

67. Set up a web site and use eBay to drive business to it.

Every eBay seller should have a web site. Remember sales you make from your web site do not incur eBay fees. EBay has cracked down on sellers using auctions to drive hits to their web sites, but there are still some loopholes and techniques you can use without running afoul of eBay. These are explained in detail in The Complete eBay Marketing System. (I can’t give all my secrets away here!)

68. Learn how to promote your web site and/or eBay store

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techniques you can apply to your eBay business and you will learn ways to develop synergy between your eBay business and a web site.

So if you are interested in starting a business or just increasing your profits from an existing business, Link from our web site or type this URL into your browser http://tinyurl.com/8vbqs to visit The Internet Marketing Center where I have arranged a special offer just for my readers.

Even if you decide it’s not for you –be sure to subscribe to his FREE newsletter. You will be glad you did.

69. How to keep your customers happy and generate lots of positive feedback

Customers want three things: instant gratification, clear, fast communications and to get what they were promised.

• Use PayPal to get payment quickly and then ship quickly. • Answer emails immediately • Reveal any flaws or shortcomings your item has • Never over-promise or over describe an item • Package your items carefully and professionally • If you can, toss in something for free (I recently bought a

collectible beer mug and the seller included a few free beer coasters.)

70. Over-communicate with your buyers

When an auction ends, send your buyers an immediate email congratulating them and providing clear payment instructions. Send them another email when you ship the item (this really impresses buyers). Send them a follow-up email to see if everything went okay. This email should include the link where they can post feedback.

71. Be careful using the Reserve Price Auction (RPA)

No one likes a reserve. Most people understand the necessity for it, but there are a large percentage of users who will simply not bid on RPA. If you know something will sell, then price it slightly lower than the minimum you will take.

If you are selling a very expensive item, certainly place a reserve on it, but let the potential bidders know what the reserve is. It doesn’t have to be a secret. The point of a reserve is to protect you against something selling too cheaply. Being open about your reserve can actually help you get bids.

72. Increase bids by making your auctions readable

Use a short opening paragraph that promises something – and then deliver on the promise. Describe the product – but also write about its benefits and/or how it is used. If you have personally used the product, describe your experience.

Short sentences are more readable than long ones. If you write a long sentence, follow it with a short one. Keep your paragraphs to less than 3 or 4 lines. Boldface important words or phrases. Include attention-getters: questions, news items, a guarantee or a promise. Ask for the bid at the end of the description. Use active verbs and enthusiastic language.

73. Use Bold, and Highlight to increase visibility

These features cost a little so they are not appropriate for low cost items unless you are using a Dutch auction – but it has been proved that they increase both hits and bids.

74. Use a hit counter to track your auction

The most important thing to know about an item that did not sell is: Did it not get hits, or did it get hits and did not get bids? If you are getting hits and not bids, then you know there is demand and interest in the item, but there is something wrong with your price or your description. If you are not getting hits, then there is either no demand or interest in the item or your headline stinks.

Use services such as Honesty.com and Square Trade to help you build trust and credibility.

Go to http://www.honesty.com and http://www.squaretrade.com where you can join their service and get a seal of approval for you web site and your auctions. I won’t explain the services here, they are well described on the web sites – but most professional sellers use them.

75. Always use a regional listing

There are some people who only/prefer to buy from their local regions. When you pick a region, it doesn’t limit your auction to a region, it just tells sellers from that area that you are nearby. There is no charge to use a regional listing.

76. Build a mailing list of your customers

If you followed my advice to specialize, then you will be building a base of customers who buy your type or category of product. Once someone bids on your auction, or sends you an email with a question, then you – not eBay, own that email address and you can communicate with that person in the future.

Whenever you are launching an auction, send your existing customers an email letting them know. (Not every little auction – but for special hard to find items). Because someone actually purchased something from you, you now own that customer so it is not against eBay’s regulations to market to them directly through email or from your web site.

77. Create an Opt-in newsletter

If you are operating in some area of specialty such as art, antiques, collectibles, sports, etc., then create an online newsletter for your customers. Instead of sending the newsletter out, just send out the table of contents with a link to a page on your web site where the newsletter is posted. This drives traffic to your web site, which is the whole point. Your newsletter should also include a link to your active auctions.

78. Re-listing Strategies

Did your auction fail? No bids, no hits? You can still re-list for free. Before you hit the re-list button lets look at what happened.

Was the item over-priced? Was it in the correct category? Do you need a better headline or description? Is there any demand for the product you are selling?

You can relist one time for free if an item doesn't sell. If you keep relisting and the item doesn't sell, you are burning up eBay fees. If others are selling your same item, and you are not –go back and reexamine what you are doing.

79. Experiment for success

Don’t be afraid to try something new. Just be careful, you don’t throw a lot of money into something that isn’t yet proven. Try new products, new categories, new sources, new headlines, and so on. eBay is no where near being a mature marketplace. It is still growing and evolving. The rules change weekly. Don’t be afraid to be a pioneer –just use a little caution when it comes to spending large amounts of money.

80. Choosing a category

Ok, you have put a lot of thought into your product and completed the introspective phase of getting started. You are excited about your merchandise and ready to start selling it. The next step is to find your niche market; as applies to online auctions, this refers to the category you will list your item(s) in. Considering eBay has over 7,500 categories to choose from, this should be a relatively easy process. But there is one important strategic trick you should know.

Before listing your item in any category, follow these simple steps: First, browse through the eBay categories and write down the ones you feel are relevant to your product. You should be able to find at least 3-5 possible choices. Next, write down the number of auctions currently online in each of those categories (it will appear next to the category name). An average category has about 4,000, so if there are more than that you may conclude that the category is active, If there are less than 2000 you may consider it inactive. I consider categories with over 5,000 auctions to be popular and those with over 10,000 are most popular. Some categories have over 50,000 auctions going at any one time. Using this ranking system, rate the categories that you have chosen for your product.

I recommend listing in the most active categories only because they get the most traffic. If you put your product in an inactive section of eBay, you may get little or no bids, even if you feature it .Avoid categories with less than 1,000 auctions online unless your product is highly specialized to that category!

81. List in two categories

eBay has a new feature that allows you to list in two categories. There is a small extra fee – but any feature, highlight or bold fees are doubled. Here is an example: If you were selling a collectible, most collectible buyers also buy books and price guides to their collectibles. So list your collectible in the appropriate category and also list it in the Books>Non-fiction>collectibles and Price guides category.

82. Use good photos and images in your auctions

Digital cameras and scanners have become very cheap. My neighbor recently purchased a child’s digital camera at Toys-R-Us for under $50. It takes amazing photos and comes with basic image management software that lets you crop and rotate images, and performs some simple enhancements. If you are going to take a lot of photos, probably the best, all around auction camera is the Nikon 2100 or 3100. As Nikon has come out with newer models, these two models can be bought very inexpensively and they contain all the features an auction seller needs.

Keep your photos small – in a digital sense. Large image files take forever to load and your buyer will click off to another auction instead of getting a cup of coffee while your 300 K file downloads.

83. Take the time to take good photos

Here are some simple tips to take good digital photos:

• Clean up the area around the subject or use a backdrop • Always use a tripod to make your photos sharp • Avoid clutter in the photo

• Shoot outdoors on a cloudy day or in open shade. Don’t shoot in direct sunlight, as the contrast is too high

• Indirect window light is also excellent. I often shoot objects on a table next to a window with a white or gray sheet for a backdrop

• Get reasonably close to the object • Show a close-up of any repairs or defects • If relevant, show the product being used. • If size is an issue, show some thing such as a coin or a ruler to

to indicate dimensions.

My new book, Online Auction Photo Secrets is a complete manual on taking digital photos for auctions. It is available on the our web site under the products tab.

84. Learn the right way to drop ship

Lets face it --most of these drop shipping companies are scams --or if not scams they just don't work. You spend a fortune in eBay listing fees on stuff that either won't sell at the price you need to get or is being sold by others for less.

The only way to drop ship profitably is to work with a direct source such as a manufacturer or master distributor. These drop ship companies are just middlemen who buy from distributors, mark up the product and sell it to you. The markup they are getting is the markup you need to make a profit.

Chris Malta, is the product sourcing editor for eBay Radio. He runs a program called the Drop Ship Source Directory. The key word there is source. His directory on a web site is a list of actual manufacturers that have all been contacted by his staff and they have agreed to drop ship for eBay sellers. You could probably find all of these same companies by going through the Thomas Directory --but that would take days and weeks. Chris has already done the work for you. I have used his directory to find several manufacturers that I now work profitably with.

85. Keep track of your fees

You need to be careful with your fees – it’s easy to overspend and kill your profits. Be very careful about using the special featured fees. Make sure your margin is adequate to still make a profit. ProfitCalc, is an eBay fee calculator that has really saved me a lot of money.

86. Use Dutch auctions to increase your profits

If you are a Low Volume Seller, or if you sell products with a low dollar margin, you may need to run multiple Dutch auctions to make a good living on eBay.

A Dutch Auction is used when you have several identical items for sale. You set the minimum price you are willing to sell for, and specify the quantity for sale. Many bidders will bid on more than one item. The person who bids the lowest for the last available quantity sets the price for all winning bidders.

Here is an example: Recently, I had a dozen of the AFLAC talking plush ducks. I tried selling them for $10 without success. I then ran a Dutch auction with the starting price at $4.95. I got over 30 bids, some people bidding on as many as three ducks and the price was run up to over $14.00 each

87. Learn to sell information products on eBay

People will pay good money for information they can use. If you can write reasonably well, and you have a topic you have some expertise in, you can probably write a reference guide or “how-to” manual and sell it on eBay and even on the web.

I recently saw one called How to Make $30 Hour Sharpening Knives. Another lady wrote a short e-book explaining how she sells children’s clothing on eBay.

You can create an e-book (or a printed book) on almost any topic: Pets, Finance, Bible Studies, Poetry, children’s stories, software, computer tips, making money with XYZ and so on. You can also compile information on antiques, collectibles, computer images, recipes, genealogy, etc. Search the non-fiction books category and the information products category on eBay to see what is selling then try to identify a unique niche for a new product or category.

If you are going to create an e-Book, the best program on the market is eBook Pro. eBook Pro is not only a superior (and user friendly) software for packaging information, it also gives you far more security and control than other programs or packaging options. There's no longer any reason for you to be taking dangerous risks with your business. Now your computer can deliver your products instantly and automatically (with zero cost) over the Internet. eBook Pro can even:

1. Capture your customers' credit card numbers or direct them to PayPal

2. Wire their money directly into your bank account 3. Enter their customer contact information into your own private

database.

With eBook Pro, your eBooks are easy to produce, they're cost-effective, and they have the potential to generate tons of profit with relatively little effort on you part!

88. Buying at Costco, Sam’s Club and Outlet Malls to sell on eBay

I recently went to Costco to buy a calling card (640 minutes for $19.95) and a pair of Avia running shoes, also for $19.95. These shoes normally retail for around $60.

When I got home I decided to go on eBay to see what the calling cards were selling for. I found the same MCI 640 minute calling cards selling on eBay for 24.95 + $3.50 shipping. (You can ship the cards for 52 cents in an oversized envelope). That is a total profit of $8.50 per card, or $850 per week if you sell a hundred cards (less eBay and PayPal fees of course).

I next decided to check out the shoes I bought. Sure enough, there were several pairs selling at prices between $29 and $39 pair on eBay, and yes, they had bids.

Just before Christmas, my wife spotted a Fitz & Floyd Santa cookie jar selling at Costco for 39.95. She had seen the same cookie jar in a high-end mail order catalog for over $100. We bought 10 of them and sold them on eBay for $69.00 each right before Christmas.

We have a friend who does flea markets and sidewalk shows. The day before a weekend market he always drops into the local Sam’s Club and buys anything he sees that might sell at a profit and buys them. A week before Easter he scored 20 beautiful Easter Baskets full of goodies for 19.95 that he got $35 each for at a street fair.

Tools are another good bargain. Costco and Sam’s Club always have great values on sets of tools, fire extinguishers, fire detectors and other like products. Last year Costco was selling a set of Hoffritz Bar-B-Q tools for $17.95. We have sold them repeatedly on eBay in Dutch auctions where they went for over $30 a set.

Another source of goods to sell is Wal-Mart. Watch for their sales where you can often get goods at excellent prices. My wife and I are doing the Atkins Diet program. The Atkins diet bars sell in the supermarket for $2.29 each, but we watch for the sales at Wal-Mart and buy several boxes at a time for about $15 for a box of twelve ($1.25 each). I have also seen people selling these on eBay for as much as $25 box.

If you live near an outlet mall, you should also check there for sales. I was in Jones New York looking for a gift for my mother when they were having a big sale. A Chinese lady from Vancouver , Canada came in and bought over $10,000 worth of clothes. I heard the clerk ask her what she was doing. She said she sells

them on eBay and sells them to her friends in Canada . She was buying high-end blue blazers for $40 that retail in Jones New York stores for over $150.

89. Where to get help with your auction questions

Forums and message posts are one of the quickest and easiest ways to get help answering almost any question that might come up about selling on eBay and other auction sites.

The best – and most used forums on eBay are of course at eBay’s Community section. You can find the discussion boards broken down by subject at: http://pages.eBay.com/community/boards/index.html and there are several category-specific chat rooms at:

http://pages.eBay.com/community/chat/index.html

Another excellent link on eBay is The Answer Center at: http://pages.eBay.com/community/answercenter/index.html

There is an excellent independent forum on Auctionbytes.com at http://www.auctionbytes.com/forum/phpBB/index.php

These forums are moderated by David and Ina Steiner and other experts they recruit. The posts are broken down by subject areas, including an excellent one on fraud.

http://www.AuctionClan.com is a fairly new membership site that offers forums for sellers and also does very low cost image hosting

90. Bookmark these eBay links to save time

Set up a favorites folder marked eBay and place these links in it for easy and quick reference.

• Advanced Search page http://pages.eBay.com/search/items/search_adv.html

• Search eBay stores http://pages.eBay.com/search/items/search_stores.html

• Announcements and news: http://pages.eBay.com/search/items/search_stores.html

• Discussion Boards http://pages.eBay.com/community/boards/index.html

• Leave Feedback

http://cgi2.eBay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?LeaveFeedbackShow

• Rules and policies http://pages.eBay.com/services/tsindex.html

• About Me Page setup http://members.eBay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?AboutMeLogin

91. What to do when someone doesn’t pay?

EBay has a very defined procedure for bidders that don’t pay. Here are the steps:

First send an email requesting payment and warning the buyer you will file a non-payment complaint to eBay if they don’t pay within a specified time. If they still don’t pay, go to your My eBay Page and find the link to the dispute resolution center.

Follow the instructions there to make a cliam and file a final value fee credit (to refund your fees)

EBay will contact the buyer and give them a warning (this often gets the buyer to pay) Any bidder that receives a third warning will be indefinitely suspended from eBay.

There is also another option. In your terms of sale at the end of each auction description, place the statement:

“If you fail to pay within 10 business days, then this auction is cancelled by mutual agreement.” On the eBay Non-payment Bidder page, there is a button you can check that said this auction was cancelled by mutual agreement. If you check this button, then your fee will be immediately refunded without going through all the steps and waiting the full period. (eBay does email the NPB and ask if they agree --but they almost always do so they don't get an unpaid item strike against them).

92. Make money selling things for others.

There are several Power Sellers that specialize in consignment sales. Simply put you find people who have something to sell – but do not have the time or knowledge to sell on eBay. You sell it for them and take a commission. Typically you can earn 10-15% on expensive items and up to 35% on lower cost items.

EBay has a program called Trading Assistant where you register to help other eBayers sell their goods. You can register HERE. My best selling book, How To Start & Run an eBay Consignment Business contains all of the contracts, forms and ads you need to become a successful trading assistant.

93. Turn your inventory over often

How many times you can turn your inventory over is the key to making high profits. Too many sellers get stuck with something that won’t sell at a profit and they keep re-listing and re-listing until some day it eventually sells. In the meantime, they could have sold the dog at cost, and put the money into something that will turn over rapidly. Rapid turnover and re-investing your money back into more products is one of the long-term keys to success on eBay.

94. How to get something for free on eBay

Check out the wholesale lots section on eBay. Often the same people who are selling individual items at auction are selling the same things in wholesale lots for a lot less money each, but you may have to buy 10 items to get the wholesale price. I recently saw an auction for home theater audio systems at $250 each wholesale in lots of 5. The same seller was selling them individually at $375. You could buy a lot of 5, keep one for yourself and sell the rest at $325 and make a small profit.

95. How to buy large wholesale lots with very little money

I often see goods going for incredible low wholesale prices, but you have to buy a very large quantity to get the great price. Here is where you need friends. Get a group of people together to share the cost of a wholesale lot. Once you get the items, put them up in smaller wholesale lots in Dutch auction. Here is an example: Last year the mini RC cars were hot sellers. Today they are all over eBay at $9.95 each. Most wholesale sites will sell you the cars for $4.25 in case lots of 24. But you can go to the importer and buy them for $2.50 each if you buy 10 cases. If you go in with a few friends, you could each buy two or three cases and sell the cars retail at a good markup or at a low wholesale price and turn them over very quickly.

Buying at wholesale and finding wholesalers is very difficult. I know. I had to learn the hard way. Two years ago I wrote a 100 page (printed) book called The Wholesale Buying System that covers almost everything you need to know about how, what and where to buy wholesale to sell on eBay or your web site. The instruction manual comes with password access to a web site that lists hundreds of wholesale sources for eBay sellers and special search engines to help you locate thousands of wholesale products. We have sold over 5,000 copies of the manual to date.

96. Know – and understand, your costs

It is very easy to sell a lot of goods at auction and not have any money left at the end of the month. If you are going to be successful, it is critical that you track and have good visibility into your cost structure.

Here are some of the costs you should be tracking:

• Product cost (including inbound shipping). • Listing and reserve fees • Feature fees • Final Value fee (if the item sells). • Auction Management Service (if you use one). • Credit card or PayPal service fees • Internet service or DSL fees • Shipping costs and materials

Quicken is a very good program for tracking costs and has a sub-set for running a business in the home. As you get more sophisticated, upgrade to Quick Books.

97. More on what to sell and finding a niche market on eBay

In the early days, you could sell just about anything on eBay and make money. Today, major corporations such as J. C. Penny, Bloomingdales, and Disney have moved onto eBay in a big way. It is still possible for small sellers to make big profits. The secret is to specialize, seek out the offbeat and to find used items that are in demand.

While researching another article on eBay, I came across several unusual items for sale. Upon checking, I discovered many of these sellers were power sellers and some were shooting stars (feedback over 5,000).

Here are just a few of the unique items I came across: Used radio tubes, used (vintage) hi-fi equipment and parts, juggling supplies, used music and game CD’s, old board games (Monopoly, Scrabble, etc.), clown equipment and supplies, used tools, old garden tools and decorative items, used college textbooks, small appliances (blenders, pasta machines, irons, etc.) personalized children’s books, collectible fountain pens, new & used magic tricks and magic supplies, used bubble-pak and Styrofoam peanuts – the list goes on.

The point is you don’t have to sell the latest digital camera, Gucci shoes, or expensive diamond jewelry to make money on eBay. Most of the seller’s items listed above buy their goods from garage sales, thrift stores, flea markets, and closeout dealers.

98. More on writing power auction titles (headlines)

This subject, and the next item, is so important, I wanted to give you some further tips and strategies to work with. The auction title is your headline. Newspapers and magazines use headlines to attract readers to the story. Advertisers use headlines to pull readers into the sales copy. Remember your headline and your auction description is your front-line salesperson.

Sixty-five percent of eBay bidders find an item by searching. Make sure the item you are selling is described in the headline using a term someone would search for. Be sure to spell the name correctly.

• Use “Power Words” in your head line (see the article below) • Use all capital letters in your headline to make it stand out • Use the Bold Face and Highlight option if your price-point can

afford the extra fee • Use tildes "~ " to set off your headline. (Caution: Make sure

there is space between your tilde ~ and any searchable word or eBay’s search engine may not recognize it)

• Avoid goofy characters such as “L@@K,” “MUST C” and SAVE $$$$$$

• If you are not using a reserve price, say so with “No Reserve” or “NR”

Most of all, be sure your headline is credible and accurately describes what you are offering.

99. Turning Words Into Dollars: Writing Winning Auction Descriptions

You have all seen the difficult-to-read auction descriptions: Small type, run-on sentences and paragraphs, missing information and so on. If you really want the item, you are forced to email the seller to get more information – or you just give up and go on to the next item.

One day, I spent two hours scanning over 100 auctions. In my opinion, only about 12 out of the 100 were well-written, complete and compelling. I am not talking about lacking professional-level writing skills – many of the auctions I saw would not impress a 5th grade teacher.

My own writing skills are no where near the level of a professional writer or journalist, yet I am successful at getting my ideas across to a wide audience. Here are some rules I follow to write winning auction descriptions:

• Use the HTML command <font-size=+1> at the beginning of your description or If you use eBay’s HTML editor, set it to

Medium font size. This will increase the standard eBay type size to make your words readable on any computer screen

• Clearly state what you are selling in the first paragraph. Make your paragraphs short – no more than two or three sentences. There is plenty of research that shows web page readers like to scan text. If you paragraphs are too long, it makes it harder to scan. Place an extra return between paragraphs to create some white space around them.

• Use bullets to describe features and benefits.

• Write short sentences and/or follow a long sentence with a short sentence.

• Write complete sentences (i.e. subject and a verb). Avoid complex punctuation and long prepositional phrases.

• Don’t worry about your auction description being too long. It is more important to include all the information a buyer needs than to have a short description. If your description is easy-to-read, potential bidders will keep reading until they have all the information they need.

• Describe all relevant details such as age, condition, hallmarks, flaws, packaging, size, manufacturer, and so on.

• Use “power words” to create word pictures and emotional responses. A few examples are: New, Rare, Genuine, Beautiful, Original, Charming, First Class, Lovely, Save Money, Bargain, Guaranteed, and Expensive-Looking. Stress any product benefits such as health, beauty, time-saving, ease-of-use, money-saving, etc. (Caution: When using power words, don’t exaggerate. For example do not describe something as rare if it is not.)

• Personalize the description. Tell the reader how or where you found the item or how you use it.

• Spell out your shipping and payment terms clearly and completely.

99.5 Last, but not least –have fun!!!

I think eBay is just the coolest thing to come along since the Wright Brothers proved powered flight was possible. EBay demonstrates just how powerful the internet can be in bringing people together, finding common interests and yes – you can make a little money.

Dive into the whole eBay experience. Buy, sell, chat, post on the message boards, go to live events, and buy an eBay T-shirt or hat. Most of all, when the bidding gets hot and furious, remember its just a piece of merchandise your are bidding on – it’s not the end of the world if someone beats you out.

What Price Do I Start My Auction At?

One of the more difficult questions I get asked. My suggestion is to begin by researching what the same or similar items have sold for in the past on eBay (click on history of any given item or use one of the online research tools). There are many times I won’t bother listing an item because of low or no bids; I then place that item into one of my other online stores (or put it into my antique store bookcase). I’ve tested many different pricing strategies and rarely use a reserve (it turns many eBayers off)…for a time, I started everything at .99 cents and it didn’t seem to make a difference in that if an item was desirable, it would sell for a good price. However, when the economy (especially in the Great Lakes area) began to tank, I upped my starting bid to at least make more than what I spent for the item Factors which affect starting price include: condition, previous selling history, rarity. I also play the law of averages or, if you will, a spread similar to investing in the stock market. One knows some stocks will do well, while others do not. A recent example…I listed a Hohner accordion made in 1915 – very nice piece- with a starting bid of $99 ($25 less than what I paid for it). There was no previous history on this particular instrument. Unfortunately, I missed my guess that due to its rarity, it would sell for much more and it went for my starting bid. However, the same week I listed two items which cost me $5 and one went for $75 while the other went for $105 – a terrific profit which more than made up for the loss on the accordion. During the summer I list an average of 25 items per week (more during other periods) and also make heavy use of the online storefront I get from eBay (only $14.95 a month for a basic storefront – always pays for itself as the listing fee is only 2 cents [going up at the end of August to a dime, which is still a bargain]. Although my sell-through ratio has decreased (as it has for most ebayers) from an average of 85% to about 60%, I still feel the more unique the item I list, the better it will sell and I still make a nice profit – just not as good as it was when I first started. It’s also ironic how often something will sell in

the storefront that didn’t get a bid during the auction process (and for my full asking price). In your storefront you can list your asking price and you have the option of offering a potential buyer to make an offer. Code of Ethics For Liquidators & Pointers

• Thou shall not cheat anyone for any reason! Over the years, in many parts of the country, auctioneers and liquidators have earned a poor reputation by cheating their customers by mis-representing goods, not advertising where they say, etc. It is vital to maintain a solid reputation among folks you’re dealing with (otherwise, you won’t get referrals). Do what you say and say what you mean when it comes to advertising, accounting for all sales, paying them on time (we pay within 7 days – enough time to allow for checks to clear & we pay with a money order). We include copies of our paid ads along with a listing of items sold with every check we send…and any other expenses we’ve incurred. We generally pre-pay our ads unless we have credit established with the newspapers we work with. We feel it is our responsibility to collect on bad checks as well. Getting a merchant account is an expensive, but sometimes, worthwhile expense. When we accepted credit cards, we charged our customers our merchant fee per item charged – this is up to you, but it usually makes sales somewhat easier. Otherwise, it is check or cash with ID.

• When taking checks from buyers, always get their photo drivers ID and phone number and record that data.

• When doing an estate sale, our prices reflect an automatic 20% negotiable price – anything beyond that 20% and it is best to check with the owner before selling the item…unless you have a prior OK.

• Always price items before the sale and double check with the owner to be certain these prices are in line with what they have in mind – don’t forget the price guides and condition of the item you’re selling when pricing.

• Always have plenty of signs posted around the area you are selling in – in addition to your newspaper ads & posters.

• In larger estates, make sure you have plenty of people to cover the exits along with the check-out area to ensure no walk-offs…indeed, we try to create a circle of where people enter and exit to keep track of them. It’s unfortunate, but people do steal.

• You should also contact all of the folks in your town who deal with estates (via flier or in-person visit) including real estate folks, bankers, lawyers, insurance agents, mortuary owners, retired citizen homes, storage rental units, etc Some areas will prove fruitful in this regard; others will fail. You never know, but it’s worth your while to try. It’s been our experience that most small communities do not respond to these types of fliers. Don’t ask us why – just seems most small community groups are not interested in promoting themselves.

• Make sure your clients are aware of the different ways you can liquidate their estate – including auction or estate sale and how each might prove best for them. You might tell them about checking with their lawyer to make sure they are protected in an estate sale situation (taxes, government, insurance,etc)

• At your checkout table have a tablet available so people can sign up to receive mailings and/or email address about future sales.

• In order to succeed at anything, keep your word. Integrity is a powerful trait.

12 Items Needed for Success

The Gallup folks did a poll a few years ago which appeared in their The Great American Success Story…when asked to name the characteristics of successful people, the respondents provided these answers, in order of frequency.

1. Common sense 2. Special knowledge 3. General intelligence 4. Ability to get things done 5. Leadership 6. General intelligence 7. Knowing right from wrong 8. Creativity & inventiveness 9. Self-confidence 10. Oral expression 11. Concern for others 12. Luck

With time, you’ll gain experience and confidence. Each sale prepares you for the next one. Learning to list or highlight the good stuff in your ads and fliers, developing an online mailing list and learning to “wheel n deal’ with folks will help you develop following of repeat buyers. Keep in mind too, the market is always changing…what is a hot seller this year, may not prove the case next year. Finally, don’t be afraid to broker business through other channels. Recently, we were approached by a family who had inherited 1000 Madame Alexander dolls plus accessories…worth at least $100,000. We brokered the deal with the New York auction house, Christies. One more thing…would you like to partner with me? We bring in goods from all over – Ohio, Texas, California and more. If you have an inventory you’d like to convert to cash, antiques and collectibles, guns, jewelry, vehicles…an estate sale you’d like conducted, appraisal…whatever; just let me know by contacting me at the email address below.

As a for instance…I came across a bookstore owner who was going out of business. He didn’t have enough merchandise left to host a full fledged auction and he didn’t want to load everything up and bring it down for consignment. Within three calls, I managed to sell the entire lot for him to a buyer of such goods.

Additional Resource in case you want info on starting a business after age 50 & more.

http://www.bizstarters.com/pages/free_resources.html

BruceBulletin-subscribe@yahoogroups.com For tons more related material, go this website.

http://directlube.com

Cleaning & Caring for Your Antiques © 2004-2005 Bruce David

Contrary to what you may have hear, there are some antiques which should be cleaned. Cleaning will not destroy value – but there are exceptions. There is, for instance, a difference between cleaning and ruining an item; especially furniture, brass and bronze pieces and others.

1. Furniture can be cleaned and restored without stripping. There are several products which can work wonders to restore the look. For instance, on dark wood I use Old English dark furniture polish and scratch darkener. To simply clean furniture, I often use GoJo. Its ingredients not only clean, but leave a nice sheen to wood (including old picture frames). I’ve also used vitamin-E cream to clean frames (and on oil paintings – always test a spot first). Gillespie’s Wood Re-Nuzit (sold at many WalMart and hardware stores) will work wonders on restoring the look of old furniture or you can use mineral oil, which is great for removing wax, grease and gum from glass, furniture and carpets.

2. Old books often have mold or foxing on the pages and covers. The simplest means of ridding mold is to take the book into the sunlight and fan the pages. Let the book sit for awhile in the sun and it will remove most of the odor as well as the mold. Sometimes, I will use a hint of ammonia to remove mold and mildew as well. Simply apply to a clean cloth and wipe away gently. Be sure to go over the same spot with a clean dry towel immediately afterward to remove the moisture left behind.

3. On old crystal and glass…fill your sink with warm water and a hint of dishwashing detergent and a cup of ammonia. Place a towel or rubber mat on the bottom of the sink so as not to damage the glass. Let the glass soak until dirt begins to clear away. Use a gentle brush to get inside of hard to reach spots. Remove and rinse and let air dry. Using an automatic dishwasher is not recommended. To remove cloudy mineral deposits from glass, put a tablespoon of lemon juice in each glass and fill with hot water. Let stand for several hours then rinse clean. For discolored or stained bottles and jars, fill with a solution of salt and white vinegar. Shake well and rinse.

4. On cloth, which is stained with blood, wine, etc. I’ve found hydrogen peroxide applied sparingly will usually do the trick. Sometimes, a short soak in the above mentioned solution of ammonia, water and dish detergent will brighten dulled material. (peroxide, mixed with nine parts water is also the cheapest and best germ killer for your kitchen countertops, cutting boards, etc.).

5. For silver and silver plated items – DO NOT USE DIPs. Use Wright’s Silver Polish. It’s OK to clean and polish old silver – you will not destroy its value unless you wear off the silver (which dips will do).

6. For chrome – clean off soap and stains with a mixture of 1 tsp. Salt and two tablespoons of white vinegar. To shine and remove spots, rub with a piece of lemon rind, then wash & dry with soft cloth. Works on stainless steel also. Generally, I leave copper and brass as is so as not to destroy the finish or patina. However, you can rub it with lemon juice, or for heavy corrosion, a paste of lemon juice and salt; wash and rinse dry.

7. Painted and varnished surfaces. To clean , use a solution of one gallon warm water, 1 cup ammonia, ½ cup white vinegar, and ¼ cup baking soda. There is no need to rinse or dry the surface. The solution will not dull finishes. To clean dirty wood, make a mixture of equal parts turpentine, white vinegar, and mineral oil. Shake well before and during use. Apply with a soft cloth and rub vigorously.

8. For mahogany furniture, mix 3 tablespoons white vinegar with 1 quart water. Dip a sponge in this solution, wring out well, and polish the furniture.

9. For wicker-scrub with a stiff brush that has been moistened with warm salt water. Salt keeps the wicker from yellowing and you should vacuum wicker often and use furniture polish to enhance stained or natural pieces.

10. Leather. Clean leather (frames, bookbindings, etc.) by combining equal parts lemon juice and warm water, Apply to leather, then wipe clean with a dry cloth.

11. Marble. Rub with a half a lemon or a paste of salt and lemon juice. Wipe dry. You can also use a mixture of 1 cup boiled linseed oil and 1 cup white vinegar. Wipe with clean cloth. To polish, use chalk moistened with water.

Additional Tips

• Don’t soak old dishes in bleach or products such as lime-away to remove stains as it will also damage the glaze.

• Tea & Coffee stains can be removed by soaking in denture-cleanser tablets.

• Another way to clean leather is with a moist towel and Dove hand soap – no need to rinse afterward.

• Chrome can be polished with aluminum foil. • Permanent marker stains can be removed from most wood or textiles by wiping

them with a cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol. • If a cork has fallen into a bottle, pour some ammonia inside and let it set for a few

days – most of the cork should dissolve and can then be removed. • Never use rubber bands on sterling silver – it can tarnish permanently • Do not store paper items or photos in sealed plastic bags as they need to breathe –

use acid-free paper to mount or store. • Do not store ceramic dishes or figurines in newspaper for long periods of time as

it can become stained forever. • Store fabrics in well-washed white pillow cases as they need to breath – plastic

holds moisture.

PART TWO The average American will hold nine jobs by the time they’re 32! Picker/Finder This little business/job can be done by nearly anyone with virtually zero out of pocket cost. Having a phone and computer/internet make it easier to operate. Also, a ‘love of the deal or hunt,’ is helpful. There are two kinds of pickers. One is geared toward antique dealers and the other is geared toward finding and matching a willing buyer and seller together for any number of items (industrial goods, vehicles, excess inventory, etc.). Jim Straw, long time successful entrepreneur and publisher, got his start toward riches as a finder/broker. He publishes a full report on his strategies and other money making plans at: www.businesslyceum.com. Be sure to sign up for his free newsletter.

Antique dealers can attend only so many garages sales, auctions and estate sales in order to locate items for resale. Many dealers rely on pickers, often retired folks who are out and about attending such sales, to locate items of interest. Pickers will develop a rapport with buyers in order to learn what kinds of items they buy and the prices they will spend. The average purchase price most dealers will spend is 20-35% of the estimated retail value of an item. (Retail value on antiques are set via a myriad of methods including…what the current market will bear, condition of the item, book value, previous sales, prices realized on eBay, etc.). A dealer rarely knows just how long the item will sit on their shelf and always has money tied up in inventory; so don’t expect much more than this unless the item is scarce or rare. Prices also vary from region to region with New York and San Francisco always running higher. Obviously, having a good eye for antiques, a well rounded home reference library or access to a good public library and the ability to bargain and haggle for prices are the three main essential traits one must have. Make the rounds of antique malls and introduce yourself to dealers. Check Yellow Page listings for antique dealers – many advertise precisely what they look for. Create and distribute a business card and/or flier with your services (include your email address) as you may get an ‘assignment’ of what someone is particularly interested in. Also, make sure you tell your family, friends and neighbors what you’re doing in case they have items to sell. Buy low and sell higher is always the rule! Here’s a sample of a letter I use to let folks know what I buy.

What I Buy Bruce David

bedavid@yahoo.com Several Factors which I consider in an item that I purchase…

1. BOOKS: edition (mostly 1st edition hardbound), condition, author, publisher, genre 2. POSTCARDS: WWII or older; subjects include: fire, police, military, sports, advertising, etc. 3. MAGAZINES: 1959 or older (exception: first year of Mother Earth News); mens magazines,

occult, sci-fi, are some examples. 4. PHOTOS: movie stars, natural disasters, Black Americana, erotic, pin-ups, Civil War, police, fire,

cowboy & Indian. I’m open to many areas or topics, just let me know. There are always exceptions. For instance, I buy few children’s books or Book of the Month issues, or Bibles. I also do not buy : Readers Digest, Life, Look, McCalls, Nat’l Geographic, etc. (Note: the exception might be certain covers or very early issues). Reference and how-to books are always good but I avoid newer ‘crafty’ books such as quilting, soapmaking, embroidery and the like. Off-the-wall or unusual topics always interest me. (Example: 1929 edition of the Law of Cadavers – pre-1900 medical books are good but very few encyclopedias are desired).

I also buy few novels unless they’re older and from authors/topics as cowboy & Indian, Black Americana, Ayn Rand, Robert Heinlein, Poul Anderson, old Sci-Fi, etc. Signed copies of anything are always worth more. Few copies of anything published by Grosset & Dunlap, Cupples, AL Burt are desired. Classics are often misread by folks and machine made/faux signatures are common, for instance, in Mark Twain books. Just because a book is old, doesn’t mean it has value. Market tastes and prices fluctuate (almost weekly anymore) and as a dealer, I pay about the same price as halfpricebooks.com – about 10-25% of cover price but it is best to let me look first rather than quote over the phone. TOPICS: Occult, Masonic, Knights Templar (pre-1920) Black Americana (pre-1950) Science Fiction (pre-1960) Western Americana Erotica (let me know what you have-X-rated too) Civil War (preferably pre-1915) WWII Military items – German, Japanese, American

&&&

It’s a good idea to set up a paypal account to receive payment from dealers, though in many parts of the country, they still pay cash. Visit www.paypal.com to set your own account up; it’s an easy way to send and receive money via email. Consider too setting an online bulletin in which to alert buyers of your finds. One useful and free way to do this is through Yahoo Groups (click on Groups on their home page to set up an email blast system of your own). MAKING MONEY WITH A CAMERA

How You Can Succeed With Your Own Home Based Portrait Studio!

A simple home based portrait studio can be started for little money and could be your ticket to living a lifestyle most people only dream about! Think about it. What other business can be started for such a low investment in tools (camera, lights, background and props) and produce almost instant profits of $500 to $1,000 per day?

A thousand dollars per weekend is not very difficult to achieve if you know how to drum up business and many portrait photographers earn over $1,000 per day working part time hours.

If you want to make your living as a self-employed portrait photographer all you need to get started making money is a 35mm film or digital camera and one good strobe light. You could set up a portable portrait studio on location in the comfort of your own living room or that of your customers and because you won't have the high overhead expenses of most of your competitors you can offer your clients fair prices and still make a really good part time or full time income.

Here is what most professional photographers do to get business. They print up and distribute their business cards and brochures. They put up portrait displays in shopping malls and restaurants.

They advertise in the yellow pages and local newspapers. They sponsor photo contests and they do direct mail. They hold portrait parties and canvass public and private schools, dance studios, pre-school day care centers and they offer to do portrait fundraisers for clubs, churches and other non profit organizations. They put up websites to showcase their best images. They send out a monthly newsletter to anyone who has expressed an interest in their business and they attend seminars and workshops to better their skills every chance they get.

Great photographers like many great artists often fail in business because they fail to drum up clients. They know how to capture beautiful expressions and create very artistic prints but they do not know how to market a photography business. They love photography; they practice their craft and sharpen their picture taking skills but neglect to fall in love with learning how to effectively market their photographic skills.

Many good photographers end up working as department store baby photographers who just keep clicking away working for peanuts while dreaming of a better lifestyle. All a photographer really needs to live his or hers dream and enjoy a better lifestyle earning full time pay working part time hours is to invest in some tools of the trade and learn how to inexpensively market and sell their home based photo studio.

This content is provided by Steve Shulenski and may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more info on making money with photography, please visit http://www.moneymakingphotography.com/

Big Profits In Legal Photography!

Here's a very profitable, little-known, simple and in demand photography service specializing in taking photographs of accident scenes and injuries of victims for personal injury attorneys and insurance companies.

All necessary equipment can be stored in one camera bag that you carry which you at all times. You will need a 35mm film or digital camera with wide angle and zoom lenses, a good flash unit, a 12 inch ruler to be held next to body bruises to gain a perspective of the size and scope of injuries. And a 150 ft. tape measure to document skid marks along with a police scanner and mobile phone.

When you happen onto an accident scene or your police scanner announces an accident call; you go and take photos of everything at the scene. You then give the police and each party involved a card that states: “Photographs of your accident scene have been taken by a professional photographer and expert witness (your name and number). Your attorney or insurance company can obtain a CD of the images and prints of all photographs for $___ by referring to file#_____.”

Direct Mail letters printed onto your professional letterhead and sent to all the attorneys in your area along with a small three line classified ad in the legal column of your local newspaper can get you up and running very quickly. And once you are established referrals from one lawyer to another can keep you busy for years to come. In addition to charging for your photographic documentations you will also be able to bill attorneys $350 per hour for you to appear in court as an Expert Witness!

NOTE: Portraits of humans, including ‘glamor shots (where one creates a sexy photo for a man or woman to give as a gift) are only one area to generate profits. Taking pet photos, especially at shows (horse shows are very popular for this endeavor), is another tremendous profit center. Consider too, taking photos of businesses and products for your local business owner for use in their brochures, advertising and other marketing pieces.

Copyrighted 2006 by Steve Shulenski

PRIVATE DANCER Longer ago than I care to admit, a good friend of mine put herself through college by dancing topless at a local club and at private parties. She averaged $700-$1000 per weekend, which was absolutely fantastic money back then. Obviously, this avenue of making money isn’t for meek or faint hearted and it helps too if one is nice looking.

For some reason, most women can dance and with a bit of instruction, one can learn to dance provocatively. Most clubs will teach you the basic techniques. Working at a club offers a higher level of personal security as opposed to going solo and even those who work bachelor parties, for instance, always travel with a ‘bodyguard.’ A former musician from California now sells stripper poles for ‘exercise’ and practice and his site has a listing of places where you can find lessons (videos to come). Check it out at: www.stripperpole.com TOPLESS SERVICES I swear these examples are true, but again, they’re not for the shy. --in Atlanta, there is a hotel where topless women will shine your shoes. --in Michigan, there is an adult drive-in theatre where topless women clean your windshield --in Cleveland, Detroit and other cities, men can get haircuts at salons by topless female barbers. Needless to say, tips are better than average. Americans are considered rather prude by European and Canadian standards (yet, we offer the most violent forms of entertainment which is OK). In Canada, it’s legal for a woman to go topless in public. CONTINUING ED INSTRUCTOR Throughout the 80s and 90s I made about $50,000 annually teaching a variety of continuing education classes throughout the greater Cleveland area. These programs were taught at the high school, junior college and college level. I had self published a small business manual called Mercenary Marketing: how to promote your business for less than a $1000; a 350-page how-to guide for retailers and service businesses which sold about 10,000 copies each year. This became the main topic I taught at continuing ed classes. Other topics I created and taught included How to Develop a 16-Cylinder Brain; How to Self Publish Your Own Best Seller; Secrets of Maintaining Your Privacy & Assets in a Digital Age, and others. For each program I wrote a how-to manual and course syllabus which I presented to the directors of continuing ed programs. Given my track record, nearly all programs were packaged and presented and included in quarterly catalogs. The courses I offered were successful enough that other schools invited me to teach them (eventually throughout the country) and most of them were repeated throughout the year. Additionally, I provided my students with a catalog of the various books and manuals I

had written along with manuals other professional friends had written (I received a commission on each one sold) and created what is known as ‘back of the room sales,’ which provided a nice steady income. The advantage in starting off with continuing education programs through local schools is they have a built-in audience, they print and mail the catalogue, and they offer good teaching facilities. Eventually, I also conducted my own seminars through chambers of commerce and other business organizations. Everyone has a topic or two (or more) inside them which can be developed into a course. Currently, I teach classes on how to sell on eBay, Know Your Antiques and the Essentials of Appraising Antiques…the classes are repeated twice each year which provides extra cash for me to play with. Develop your program, course outline and present it to area educational deans. If you’re not a polished public speaker…practice, practice, practice! Early on I learned to record my presentations so I can play them back and make improvements. I seldom speak from notes and these recordings helped me to know and polish my presentations. Go to your library and search for the books written by Dr. Jeffrey Lant. Lant, a PhD and successful author and seminar presenter (we’ve been on the same circuit together) offers some of the best how-to material for writing, packaging and promoting your programs and know-how. HOME ELECTRONICS INSTALLER When VCRs first came on the market, most folks didn’t know how to set them up beyond setting the time and placing a cassette into it. Guess what? Most people still don’t know how to do this (myself included) and with the advent of even more complex home electronics, retailers such as Best Buy are capitalizing on the added service of home installation and set up. If you’re handy at these technological products, this is a natural way to cash in. The possibilities include: -computers and software installation -cell phones -home entertainment centers -car audio systems -home burglar alarm systems Beyond simple installations and set up another profit center lies in providing basic tutorials on how to use these products. Most people cannot wade through technical manuals with any clear understanding and it you can put it into plain English for them, they’ll be happy to pay you to save them the time and frustration.

Needless to say, this work isn’t for the technologically challenged and it helps if you are able to read and understand the manuals which accompany these electronic wonders. Some tech wizards are also offering a phone help line for an added charge. Employers have a 100% increased risk of heart attack in the week after firing an employee! BECOME A PROCESS SERVER Below is an example of what Arizona requires. Check your own county courthouse to determine your local rules and requirements. Become an Arizona Process Server NOTE: The requirements to become a process server change from time to time. You should contact your local county clerk or recorder to make sure the following information regarding becoming a process server in your state is still accurate.

Requirements to Become a Process Server in Arizona

• Arizona has statewide registration of process servers in compliance with procedures set forth by the Arizona Supreme Court.

• Process servers are licensed by the Arizona Commissioner of Public Safety. You may contact The State of Arizona Department of Public Safety via phone at (602) 223-2000 or e-mail licensing@azdps.gov.

• A $15,000 surety bond is required to be posted by each process server. The bond applies primarily to theft that may arise out of levies and executions. Applicants must pass a written examination.

• A private process server or specially appointed person shall be not less than twenty-one (21) years of age and shall not be a party, an attorney, or the employee of an attorney in the action whose process is being served.

We don't prefer new or inexperienced process servers to join this organization. Instead we suggest reading the following.

• Find the state laws regarding the service of process and who may serve process in your state. From our main page you can go to our "quick connect" drop down box and find your state. On that State page you will find a synopsis of the State rules as to who may effect service of process. That same page has another drop down box with resources for your state. Click "civil procedures" from the box and find the specific rule.

• Once you've established that your state does allow for private process servers, (licensed or not) you need to decide how you want to start. Do you start your own company ? Well, this is America and you have every right to do so. However, knowledge of specific laws will be the difference between success and failure. The best way to establish this

knowledge is work for an established company who need reliable people. People are a dime a dozen, but reliable ones are gold.

• Who would hire someone with no experience? I would, as well as many other companies. The reason for this is that everyone has their own method of serving process. I prefer someone I can mold to my specifications. Those who have served process before sometimes tend to want to do things their own way.

• What is the most important thing about working for someone? In my opinion, reliability. Someone you can count on to get the job done, who has common sense and a natural ability to gather information on the road. Most process servers that have been in the business for several years, know that this business requires dedication, sacrifice and a little nerve. Here a some things I have done many times in the past. 1. Served someone getting off an airplane (2x) 2. Served a professional Hockey player coming off the ice. 3. Served someone in her wedding dress an hour before she got married. (in my defense, I didn't know she was getting married) 4. I've had to get up in the middle of the night many times to serve someone. 5. I've served my own relatives. 6. I actually sat under someone tree in their front yard for 3 hours waiting for them to return home to. (this was an evasive serve) 7. Subpoenaed mistresses in front of their husbands. (and vice versa) 8. I once had to serve a man for unpaid medical bills. When I arrived to serve him, his wife told me he had just passed away (in the house) 10 minutes before my arrival. The visiting nurse was there too. I verified a couple of day later in the obituaries. (I felt bad on this one) 9. and much more.... I will soon have a place on this site where people can post their "road stories"

• What traits make a good process server? Is it knowing Kung Fu ? Is it being 6'4 and weighing 250 lbs ? Is it having a big gun ? Noooooooo. It's simple...hard work & courtesy I've been serving process since 1985 and have never had an altercation beyond a verbal one. This is because I prefer to approach the recipient as a gentleman. I don't approach as an adversary or have a "me against you" attitude. Of course there are many instances where this approach doesn't matter. There is always someone out there who will verbally abusive or will refuse to take the paper and you must drop the paper at their feet. (This is where the nerve part comes in). These are generally the cases that can get verbally hostile. This is also your exit point.

Leave your ego at home and get back to your car (which is always nearby). You dropped the paper and therefore your job is done.

Check this site for information on all 50 states including links.

http://www.serve-now.com/marketplace/become-process-server/ BECOME A DOCENT A former girlfriend of mine was a docent at Lakeview Cemetary in Cleveland, OH. Lakeview is a wonderfully landscaped final resting spot for many famous people including John Rockefeller, the 1st Native American pro baseball player, President James Garfield and the beautiful Wade Memorial, designed by Tiffany Studios. She conducted historical tours of the cemetery and got paid for doing so. Often, patrons would tip her as well. If you enjoy history, this can be a fun job. Institutions that use docents include: --museums --historical societies --parks --cemetaries Obviously, public speaking skills are a must for this type of job. INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER DELIVERY Major daily newspapers in virtually every city now use independent contractors for home delivery of their subscriptions. Friends of mine have done this and report making a minimum of $1000 per month, more depending on the size of the route(s). In most instances, the newspaper does all the collection work on your behalf. Some contractors deliver more than one route, increasing the size of their income and some report performing the same service for area weekly newspapers for additional revenue. The downside of course, is the wear and tear on your vehicle (as an independent contractor, you can write all of this off on your taxes). Early morning deliveries allow you the rest of the day to spend however you wish.

Contact the newspapers in your area for information or contact your statewide newspaper association via the web for a complete listing of all newspapers. For instance, in Michigan, look at: www.michiganpress.org - they offer links to the other statewide newspaper associations. INDEPENDENT SUBSCRIPTION AGENT Being an independent subscription agent for magazines is an excellent source of income for the retiree. A variety of magazines use such agents to promote subscriptions and as a fundraiser for non-profit groups such as Kiwanis, Rotary, Lion’s Clubs, schools and others. Publishers offer a variety of proven scripts, training, and marketing aids to assist you in this effort. Ogden Publications, publishers of GRIT, Mother Earth News, UTNE Reader, and other national magazines, offer this program. For information, pick up a copy and search their classified ads or call 866-803-7096 or visit: www.ogdenpubs.com FREELANCE TALENT-DEMONSTRATORS I’M lumping several areas under this category due to their similiarity.

1. In nearly every supermarket, Costco, Walmart and the like, you’ll find folks ready to serve you free samples of new products, usually food. They work part time, and are usually independent contractors who are contracted via various employment agencies. You may also see such individuals at street fairs, festivals, downtown areas, etc. distributing free samples of new products.

2. Promotional talent at business and trade shows, private corporate meetings and expos.

3. Movie extras. What each of these has in common is the person must feel comfortable at dealing with the public. Second, and it may surprise you that you don’t have to be a Hollywood model to get these jobs! Using Hollywood as an example, commercials and movie productions require ALL kinds and types of people; not just the Tom Cruise’s and Pamela Anderson’s of the world. If you search your Yellow Page listings under promotional, talent, modeling agencies, you’ll find many that advertise what they seek. Next time you’re in a supermarket, ask one of the people serving samples to give you the name of their company. All of these companies advertise frequently in Sunday newspaper help wanted sections and on:

www.craigslist.com (available in nearly all major cities throughout the US and Canada). Friends of mine have made an average of $150 per day as a movie extra here in the Phoenix area for non-speaking roles (speaking roles pay more) and you don’t have to immediately join the actors guild to qualify (unless you plan to make a career of it and dues are steep). Pay for food demonstrators in this area average $9 per hour. (I once did an in-store survey for the Carhart Company, which netted me an average $100 for each 5 hour day plus mileage and expenses). Once you’ve established yourself as a reliable work source, agencies will call you for the openings they have and you can dictate which geographic areas you’d like to work in. NOTE: Beware of those modeling agencies that advertise openings, but ask for a $500 or more fee for photos and portfolio costs. Unless you plan to become the next supermodel, it’s not worth it. MEDICAL TEST SUBJECT Probably not for the feint-hearted, however there is a large demand for medical test subjects. (since we don’t test on animals anymore, why not humans instead?) Every week in the Sunday classified section there are ads listed seeking test subjects for various kinds of medical tests. In Phoenix, they even air such ads on TV and radio. In a quick search through craigslist.com, I found ads for: --cold sores --diabetes --osteoarthritis --high cholesterol --high blood pressure --obesity These medical groups will pay your transportation costs, medical and drug costs and a stipend for the research project usually averaging $1000. Each test group has its individual criteria such as age, weight, gender, etc. You will also have to sign a legal waiver promising not to sue them! WATER TESTER A friend of mine was seriously injured in a construction accident and could no longer perform those tasks so he set himself up as a water tester in rural Michigan. Creating

business cards and fliers he personally visited real estate agents, developers and home owners and ran classified ads in his area newspapers. Well water is a popular means of supply in his area but one never knows what impurities might be present. Tests for lead, arsenic, pesticides, chloride levels, nitrates, Ph, hardness and E. Coli are the most common. Homeowners can purchase do-it-yourself kits but they’re not as complete as the testing performed by my friend. He charges an average of $75 to $150 per home (depending on number of wells and other water sources). He orders the kits online and the manufacturer gets results back to him within three days or so. For more information go to: www.water-research.net/watertesting.htm TRAILER SOAP There’s a woman in Arizona who makes her living by manufacturing her own shampoo bars and soaps which she calls, Trailer Soap (she lives in a manufactured home park) and she does quite well at it. Selling through her website, personal visits, referrals from friends and area publicity, her product, when used with water, decreases surface tension so as to loosen unwanted particles, emulsify grease, and absorb dirt. Her line of products also includes shaving soap, with mugs and refills. She offers gift certificates and special orders. The ingredients used are much better than commercial products that she garners a lot of repeat business. A visit to the library will yield dozens of books on formulas for making a variety of soaps and other potions. www.trailersoap.com PET PRODUCTS Upscale, designer, user-specific and high end pet products are among the fastest growing segments of the retail business world. Most people report their pet is a member of the family and even holiday greeting cards for pets is a fast growing segment. Pet sitting is another area which is growing; especially for horses and other large animals.

For instance, five years ago Mary Camargo, a graphic artist and interior designer, began making one-of-a-kind pieces from mosaic tiles and bits of stained glass to create 9-foot long mosaics of pets for customers. Her custom work includes what she calls “petraits,” inspired by her own pets. To see her work, go to: www.newstoneagemosaics.com --Personalized, framed photo pet birth certificates. Created for dogs, cats and horses, these framed certificates feature a photo of the pet, pet owner information, information about the pet on high quality paper and make a very unique gift. Go to: www.oldbooknook.com for samples and prices. Become a pet detective…even though microchipping pets is becoming more popular, there are folks who will assist you in locating your missing pet. Costs vary around the country but average $300 to $1000 per day. Contact www.lostapet.org for referrals or for a free download called How to Find Your Lost Cat, go to: www.homeagain.comChecking these sites will provide you with an overview of how this business works.

CLASSIFIED AD BROKER There’s a fellow in Texas who has made a very lucrative living from this for more than 20 years. He brokers classified ads in magazines and newspapers throughout the country – offering an easy, one-stop-shopping service for his clients. Although newspaper classified ads have taken a hit in recent years for the employment and auto categories (due to online resources); they’re still extremely viable for many other categories, especially lead generation. As a broker, you place ads either statewide or nationwide into newspapers for your clients and tack on a surcharge or fee for the service. A computer, fax and phone are about all you need for this service. Most folks aren’t aware of this, but every state in the country has a newspaper association which, offers this service. For instance, the Michigan Press Association charges an average of $240 for a 25-word classified ad, which will appear in about 190 newspapers throughout the state of Michigan. That’s one heck of a deal! Further, the press association can place that same ad into other statewide classified ad networks for you as well (a real time saver). Fees and the number of newspapers, which carry the ad will vary in each state. www.michiganpress.org Online, there is a service which will perform this same service as well for you and it offers the same convenience but is priced a bit higher. Go to: www.nationwideclassifieds.com Finally, you can order a software package which contains nearly 4000 newspapers, contact data, pricing, etc. (I believe they now include 100 Canadian newspapers now as well). Their site is: http://businesstoolbox.com/pages/newspapers/newspapers.html The average markup is 20% and some charge extra to write the ad. LEAD GENERATOR LIST BROKER You may have seen the television ads featuring happy folks exclaiming how much money they’re making working from home. All you have to do is visit their website and you too will be on your way to making a small fortune ‘working from home.’

Those ads are produced by list brokers who sell the names and contact information to various multi-level-marketing firms, and others selling distributorships and franchises. I know because I created some of those ads and key word marketing strategies for a Canadian owned firm. The owner of the firm I performed the services for was making nearly two million dollars a year, net! In addition to TV ads, the firm spends a bundle placing ads on job sites such as Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com which dollar for dollar, generates more leads than TV. Once a person responds to an ad, he is automatically directed to a ‘landing page,’ where they complete a form with their personal information. Nearly everything this fellow does is completely automated via the internet from generating the ads and lead information to the transfer of data to customers. A programmer by trade, he created his own software programs to track his advertising, lead generation, ad copy, sales and client base. His monthly advertising expenditures average $10,000 but it pays off. MLM firms, by their very nature, churn over a lot of people. When the average MLM’r runs out of family and friends to pitch the business to, he or she rents mailing lists with contact names and phone numbers (done automatically by zip and area code). He started by working from his home for two years, developing his programs, customer base and marketing techniques. Eventually, he rented office space and hired programmers and a nationwide 800# to service phone inquiries. Selling or renting ‘hot’ leads/mailing lists has always been a lucrative business. Several years ago, while I published a small business newsletter, I engaged the services of a man who bought full page ads at ‘distressed’ prices in business magazines and newspapers. His ads featured a variety of publications for which the reader could get a free trial subscription. He would turn the leads over to us for fulfillment (in the hopes the reader would like our newsletter enough to pay the subscription fee) and would rent the lists out as well to other marketers…very lucrative. LOCKSMITHING My uncle once told me that “locked doors only keep honest people out.” Of course, he grew up in a small town where locking ones doors was a rarity! I spoke at length with a locksmith who was changing locks on a showcase which held expensive antiques and he told me a go-getter locksmith could make $1000-$1500 per week. Divorces, where the spouse changes locks on the family home, account for about 20% of his business. Other business comes from businesses, people who lock themselves out of cars and security-oriented work.

There are tons of how-to books and correspondence schools which offer locksmithing courses. For a FAQ and resource guide, try: http://www.indra.com/archives/alt-locksmithing/http://www.assuredlocksmithtraining.com/?OVRAW=locksmithing&OVKEY=locksmithing&OVMTC=standard Laws and requirements vary by state and in some cases, by city. TOLE WARE PAINTING I have a friend who majored in art and makes a very nice living (averages $2500 monthly net) doing custom tole painting for clients and selling her own items at an antique mall.

Tole painting is the folk art of decorative painting on tin and wooden utensils, objects and furniture. Typical metal objects include utensils, coffeepots, and similar household items. Wooden objects include tables, chairs, and chests, including hope chests, toyboxes and jewelry boxes.

The practice began in 18th century New England, and was also extensively carried on among German immigrants in Pennsylvania. A separate, related tradition occurs among Scandinavian countries and immigrants, including Norwegians, Danes and Swedes. German tole painting may concentrate more on metal and tin objects, while Scandinavian may concentrate more on wooden objects and furniture. Patterns in the two traditions vary slightly as well.

Modern tole painting typically uses inexpensive, long-lasting and sturdy acrylic paints. Good quality wooden work is sealed, primed and sanded before the decorative paint is applied. Metal objects, especially tinwork, should be quality galvanized tinplate, not terneplate (lead solder plated), and should be primed with rust-fighting metal primer, and then painted with a background-color coat to prevent rust.

Many beginners purchase patterns from craft stores on inexpensive imported wooden "craft objects", but these should be a stop-gap. The most beloved family objects tend to be high quality utensils or furniture, painted freehand with favorite patterns, colors or flowers, humorous themes, family in-jokes, or illustrations of favorite or family stories. The perceived value of a tolled utensil increases with its quality as a utensil, the quality of the art, and the personalization, the story, of the work.

One of the great blessings of tole painting as a craft is that a bad painting can be sanded off and repainted. One of the signs of such repaintings is a black-backgrounded tole-painted object. Very often such objects are repainted, especially if the furniture or utensil is valuable and the painter is inexperienced.

If you have the knack for this kind of art, you can have fun and make money at the same time. FISHING GUIDE-EQUIPMENT REPAIR To supplement his retirement income, an avid fisherman in NE Pennsylvania provides guided fishing trips to his ‘secret’ trout streams. He’s also a master at tying flies and repairing rods and reels. His daughter finds old or odd pieces of fishing equipment for him at garage sales, which he refurbishes and sells mainly to his fishing buddies at the various clubs he belongs to such as the Moose, Elks and VFW. It’s more a labor of love and puts cash into his pocket. CAR PORTER-DETAILER Another retiree we know of drives cars and trucks for local auto dealers. Many dealers purchase cars at auction or from other dealers and they need to be driven to various lots. He also performs detailing services on these used cars to bring them up to saleable condition. He performs the same service for a local boat dealer too. He simply visited the auto dealers in his small community and offered his services. He’s paid under the table and has made as much as an extra $1000 per month. TAXI DRIVER After being rear ended in a car accident and taken to the hospital, my wife and I found ourselves in need of a taxi to get home after our examination. We had to wait nearly an hour before the driver arrived. I learned from the driver that he makes a pretty good living from this service and there is a shortage of drivers in most cities. He’s an independent contractor who leases his cab from the firm. The company pays the insurance and maintenance of the vehicle. With tips, this driver was making an average of $500 weekly. If you enjoy driving and know your way around town, this is an excellent means of generating extra income or for making a full time living. PERSONAL PROPERTY APPRAISER

I actually took a week’s vacation and attended a school for appraising in order to learn the auction business better and to develop another income circle. Unlike real estate appraising, which requires certification and licensing in many states, so far as I know, there is no licensing requirement for this in any state. Who uses these appraisals? --insurance companies --bankruptcy courts --estate attorneys --Internal Revenue Service The IRS requires written appraisals for donations exceeding $500 (art, vehicles, buildings, etc.) and the appraiser must sign off on a special form and include the appraisal method used. Homeowners need itemized inventories of household goods, collectibles, art and antiques to secure adequate insurance coverage (the average policy only covers $20,000 of household items, far less than what is needed by most homeowners). Bankruptcy courts auction property from businesses and individuals and need to have approximate values. The same applies to estate attorneys who mainly require the information for tax purposes and for heirs. Knowing fair market value, (what a willing buyer is will give for an item), auction value, replacement value (most often used for insurance and IRS), condition of item, etc. are all ingredients for successful appraisals. Average fees range from $75-$125 per hour and that doesn’t always include research time. In most cases, the process breaks down to about 10% identification, and 90% research for prices (usually provided as a range of prices). Needless to say, a keen awareness of current values, antique values and the research process (which the internet has speeded up greatly) is essential. To learn more visit your local library or use the following online resources: http://www.appraisalfoundation.org/s_appraisal/bin.asp?CID=85&DID=383&DOC=FILE.PDFhttp://appraisalschools.com/www.collegeforappraisers.org BUSTED AND BEAUTIFUL FURNITURE RESTORERS

Fine furniture restorers and partners Chris Ekstrom and Dan Oldejans will be sharing their expertise at furniture restoration this fall on HGTV; their show is called ‘Busted and Beautiful.’ Both were former rock musicians who found they could make more money restoring furniture. The pair will tackle a new piece in each show and demonstrate the ‘how-to’s’ of such work. They’ll make house calls as they deal with quirky clients and near impossible time demands. There are tons of videos and how-to books on the market which outline the secrets of furniture restoration and refinishing…these two have capitalized on their ability and knowledge to find fame on TV. SCRAP GOLD AND SILVER BUYERS There are ads on TV and in local newspapers from folks who and sell scrap silver and gold. They buy it from you and resell it to smelters at a profit. Gold and silver prices fluctuate daily but currently, they’re pretty darn high. There are plenty of websites which will buy from you – your aim is buy it a lower price from your family, friends, neighbors and work associates. WE BUY GOLD The Gold Buyer will buy any quantity of Gold Scrap, Jewelry, 10k, 14k, 18k, Pure, Dental, Gold Filled, Gold Plated, Electronic Recycling Materials or Other Precious Metals Materials. 10k 14k 18k Any Karat Gold, Gold Scrap, Coins, Bar, Findings, Sheet and Wire Stock, Old Gold, Gold Coins, Silver Coins, sterling, Sterling silverware, Bullion, Casting Grain, Gold Filled, Dental Gold, Jewelry Store Inventories, Jewelry, Jeweler's Scrap and Inventories, Gold Filings, Gold Buffings, Watches, Watch Parts, Gold Filled Eyeglasses, Silver Flake, Electronic Scrap, Computer Scrap, Circuit Boards, Connectors, Gold Plated Pins, Military Spec., Integrated Circuits ICs, Relays, Over Runs, Out Dated Stock, Inventories, Cell Phone Stock and Parts, Telephone Systems and Equipment, Switching Stations, Electronic Recycling Material, Mining and Placer Gold, Nuggets, Platinum, Palladium. http://www.thegoldbuyer.com/http://www.kitco.com/charts/livesilver.htmlUse the above site to find current spot gold and silver prices (along with other precious metals). Even copper prices have become so high that area builders are finding a rash of burglaries from thieves stealing their copper pipe. Having a variety of gram and troy scales is the main tool you’ll need along with a couple of good jeweler’s loupes. ARMY RESERVIST RUNS BIZ ON LAPTOP

Tough to run a business while you’re on deployment…1st Lt. Rich Rivaux of Texas owns a successful online business called INTERSEC Tactical, a military and police equipment supply company. When he began his tour of duty he learned of a firm called Innoport whose technology enabled him to grow his business 400% via the web and an eBay storefront. The firm forwarded all calls to him or generated voice emails. Rivaux would have his orders drop shipped from the supplier (meaning he doesn’t have to stock items, the manufacturer does the shipping). Having an online business makes remote selling much easier and a list of drop shipping wholesalers can be found in the eBay section of this report. PRIVATE TUTOR Whether it’s because of time-crunched parents or weak school standards, too many of our nation’s children seem to have been ‘dummied down.’ American students consistently do not fare well academically compared to Japanese or European children. A time-honored way of earning extra money has been through private tutoring. Witness the growth in such firms as Sylvan Learning Centers, Computer Tutor and others. Aside from academic subjects, tutoring can cover the gamut from music lessons to computers and software to arts and crafts. For a dozen years my mother taught ceramics and painting in her basement studio. Hourly fees vary by subject and by which part of the country you reside in. One firm, Clubztutoring.com, offers a franchise system you may wish to investigate. One requirement is that you must have a degree from an accredited university to teach for their franchisees. CONTRACT POSTAL EMPLOYEE Our postal delivery fellow is a contract employee; meaning he doesn’t get benefits. However, the post office pays pretty well, about $14-18 per hour plus about 85 cents per mile. The post office also uses contract labor during holiday peak periods to sort mail. We live in a high growth area and there seems to be a non-stop demand for such contractors. Check with your post office for current openings. HELPING PEOPLE OVER 50

Most countries value their seniors, not so in the USA. Marketers and businesses tend to shun the over-50 age group (despite this group having the most disposable income). Count on Jeff Williams for rescue. An over-50 entrepreneur, he quickly discovered a solid market niche catering to this demographic group. Jeff provides a web site with links to blogs, discussion groups, and resources for those who wish to start a business or find employment. Take advantage of his expertise by visiting: www.bizstarters.com CRAZY DEALS FOR MOMS As of this writing, this is a new site and it’s already successful primarily due to word of mouth advertising. Each day the site runs a special deal geared toward Moms…could be jewelry, household appliance, chocolate – you name it. Quantities of each item are limited and they sell out quickly. There are also links to blogs, comments and other resources. www.crazymomdeals.com LUNCH CLUB ONLINE Soon to be franchised in other cities, this Phoenix-based firm does all of their business via email and internet. Free to sign up for consumers, the company sends out a daily email blast with discount coupons to area restaurants that consumers print out and use. They also sell annual discount books on area restaurants and attractions. There is a daily drawing for free lunches and most of their marketing is viral in nature; meaning happy customers tell their friends who also sign up for the free coupons. Advertisers must be happy as most are repeat customers. The setup for this business is fairly easy, the money and work lies in contacting advertisers which is done mainly by phone. Initially, they worked with area chambers of commerce to develop a customer base but now, word of mouth among restaurant owners has helped boost their business. www.lunchclub.net BIZPAK COUPON MAILERS

Just about everyone is familiar with ValPak and the consumer-oriented discount coupons they mail out each month. BizPak was created as a monthly business-to-business mailer from a publisher of business journals in NE Ohio. Since they already owned an established mailing list of business owners in several counties, they capitalized on this asset by selling coupons to their advertisers as a means of targeted advertising. Only one of each type of business was allowed to advertise (exclusivity helped sell the program). The program was so successful they made a profit from the very start and eventually sold that end of the business to the ‘physically challenged’ facility they used to sort and stuff the coupons. Using this concept and that of the online consumer oriented lunch club coupons, it’s quite possible for an entrepreneur to create an online version of this concept. Mailing lists can be created from chamber of commerce member lists. EXPIRED PATENTS AND COPYRIGHTS Patents and copyrights expire and become public domain property – meaning anyone can use the material without paying for it…and many have done that and made money. Few know too that publications published by the government are copyright-free. Several entrepreneurs, for instance, have taken Social Security manuals and have reprinted them in the form of “how you can collect Social Security at any age,” formats and have made a lot of money. Taking out of copyright publications and rewriting or reprinting them is perfectly legal and presents a terrific income opportunity.

WHEN U.S. WORKS PASS INTO THE PUBLIC DOMAIN

By Lolly Gasaway University of North Carolina

Definition: A public domain work is a creative work that is not protected by copyright and which may be freely used by everyone. The reasons that the work is not protected include: (1) the term of copyright for the work has expired; (2) the author failed to satisfy statutory formalities to perfect the copyright or (3) the work is a work of the U.S. Government.

DATE OF WORK PROTECTED FROM TERM

Created 1-1-78 or after

When work is fixed in tangible medium of expression

Life + 70 years1(or if work of corporate authorship, the shorter of 95 years from publication, or 120 years from creation2

Published before 1923 In public domain None

Published from 1923 - 63

When published with notice3

28 years + could be renewed for 47 years, now extended by 20 years for a total renewal of 67 years. If not so renewed, now in public domain

Published from 1964 - 77

When published with notice

28 years for first term; now automatic extension of 67 years for second term

Created before 1-1-78 but not published

1-1-78, the effective date of the 1976 Act which eliminated common law copyright

Life + 70 years or 12-31-2002, whichever is greater

Created before 1-1-78 but published between then and 12-31-2002

1-1-78, the effective date of the 1976 Act which eliminated common law copyright

Life + 70 years or 12-31-2047 whichever is greater

1 Term of joint works is measured by life of the longest-lived author. 2 Works for hire, anonymous and pseudonymous works also have this term. 17 U.S.C. § 302(c). 3 Under the 1909 Act, works published without notice went into the public domain upon publication. Works published without notice between 1-1-78 and 3-1-89, effective date of the Berne Convention Implementation Act, retained copyright only if efforts to correct the accidental omission of notice was made within five years, such as by placing notice on unsold copies. 17 U.S.C. § 405. (Notes courtesy of Professor Tom Field, Franklin Pierce Law Center and Lolly Gasaway)

Patents expire when the patent holder doesn’t keep up with government fees. This happened recently to the LEGO company where a Canadian court ruled against them and now there are plenty of competitors in the field. To find expired patents (big business for high tech companies) visit:

www.uspto.gov/main/patents.htm

www.latepatents.net

FARRIER

In many parts of the country, horses are a popular pet and require regular care of their hooves. Our farrier shoes horses and trims their hooves every six to eight weeks and charges $50 per horse (30-minute average per horse) for a simple trim; more if they require shoeing.

This fellow did an apprenticeship in order to learn the trade but there are schools and video/book programs available as well. Other opportunities to earn money in this lie in horse race tracks, breeding farms and the like.

There are plenty of schools and correspondence courses available as a quick read through Western Horseman magazine classified section will suggest…www.westernhorseman.com

www.tusconhorseshoeing.com

There are also schools for equine massage, horse management, breeding and a ton of other stuff. If horses are your passion, there are dozens of ways to make a living and/or learn a related trade.

20% of Americans would like to fire their boss! (only 20?)

An Old Sew and Sew

Americans have become a nation of voracious gormandizers (meaning we eat too much and exercise too little), which has helped Charlene of Colorado make a lucrative living as

a home-based seamstress. Her largest (no pun intended) source of customers has been those who have gained weight and need their clothes adjusted. It’s far cheaper to alter them rather than to purchase a new wardrobe. She does other alterations and makes custom children’s clothes from scratch too.

Due to reoccurring medical challenges, which prevent her from holding down a normal job, she took her skill at sewing and makes a good living from it. Lots of word-of-mouth and the fact fewer people today are interested in learning sewing skills of their own have all helped her succeed.

The title “An Old Sew & Sew” is on the business card that she distributes.

CUSTOM CANDY MAKING

One thing for certain is that Americans have a sweet tooth. We consume tons of sugary treats every year. It’s been reported that chocolate has certain health properties and was long considered to be an aphrodisiac. Plenty of folks make a living by creating and selling old family favorites. There is a family-owned candy company on Mackinac Island in Michigan that is world famous for its salt water taffy which it ships worldwide.

A former subscriber to my newsletter sells Cajun Candy out of his home in outside New Orleans. The son of an associate sells his home made chocolates worldwide via the internet.

There are plenty of books and recipe guides for creating such candy delights or maybe you have some family favorites that your friends already enjoy. Though many people use their home kitchen, large scale operations would require the use of a commercial kitchen (you’ll find some schools, churches and commercial kitchens will rent their facilities).

Though now out of print, an especially handy guide is a book called History and Secrets of Professional Candy Making by George Herter & Russell Hofmeister.

UNCLAIMED MONEY AND ASSET LOCATOR

You may have heard that each state maintains an unclaimed money and asset fund. Those funds and assets are from retail refunds, stocks and bonds, insurance payments, property transfers and so on. Folks either move and forget about the assets or they pass away and the heirs never think of checking. Recently, a woman who appeared on Dateline found $800,000 for a fellow who had purchased stock in a firm he worked for but forgot about it!

Because of the internet, locating these funds have become very easy. In some cases, the states may have sold off the assets (valuable coins, antiques, art, etc…many are selling them on eBay) but the proceeds are kept in trust just waiting for the proper person to claim them.

Most locators charge 10-20% of the monies or property found. An easy, centralized source for all 50 states can be found at:

www.unclaimed.org

LUNCH HOUR RECYCLING TYCOON

In my area, scrap yards are paying as much as .75 cents per pound for aluminum cans, thieves are stealing copper tubing from new construction projects, and the price of all metals continues to increase…this means opportunity and some report making $1500 a month during their lunch hour.

It’s not just aluminum that is in demand. All kinds of metals are being recycled and this means profit for the taking. If you have a pick up all you need do is visit areas where folks pitch their metals. Some advertise for scrap.

For the skinny on all the ways you can cash in on junk, go to:

www.recyclebiz.com

TIME TRAVELER

I sell a fair amount of antique time pieces on eBay and ones which actually work, bring more money. That’s where Bob comes in handy. Starting out as a hobbyist, Bob worked weekends learning the intricacies of watch and clock repair, mainly through trial and error aided with a healthy reference library of how-to materials. Now, people from all over the valley seek out his expertise as in some respects, repairing old clocks and watches is somewhat of a dying art…plenty of jewelers work on newer timepieces, but the antiques are somewhat of a specialty.

This is a labor of love which has created a nice niche and steady income stream for Bob and its exacting nature isn’t for everyone. Becoming an apprentice is the easiest means of starting along with trial and error and a good library of repair manuals is essential.

HELPING THE LOVELORN

It would appear many Americans are lonely, discouraged or uncertain where to go for help with everyday problems and at least one woman is helping to the tune of $2500 a month.

Some might call her a modern day Gypsy, but Yolanda, a woman in Delaware, posts classified ads in national weekly supermarket tabloids offering her assistance in helping the lovelorn and others with problems. Instead of asking a fee, she asks for a donation to help with postage. Being partially disabled and homebound herself, she answers tons of mail each week – all respondents get personal, handwritten replies to their problem or question.

Most of the letters she receives revolve around lost or unrequited love issues. She takes the time to read each letter thoroughly and responds accordingly. Since her English isn’t the best, she enlists the aid of others to perform some of the writing tasks. (I’ve helped her out now and then).

Nearly everyone includes a donation averaging $10. It’s rather amazing at the repeat responses she gets and has carried on correspondence with some people for several years.

KNIFE SHARPENING BUSINESS

Some friends of mine started a knife sharpening business a few years ago, did well and ultimately sold it for a substantial all cash profit. When I was a kid there was an old man who walked our streets twice a month carrying a portable sharpening stone wheel. He’d stop at each house along our block and the housewives would bring out their scissors and household knives to get sharpened…I know I date myself here and things have come a long way since then but one thing remains true, especially for kitchen staff who have a real need for a sharp knife.

This pair would rent the knives to the restaurant owner and rotate the knives bi-weekly for newly sharpened ones. Where they made their real money however, was in selling the restaurant owner related supplies such as cut proof gloves, and other kitchen equipment. As long as people eat out, there will probably always be a need for this service. Attention to customer service is what paid off for these folks. Here are a few sources for you to get started but remember, it is always a good idea to shop around.

http://www.connectworld.net/restaurant/

http://www.restockit.com/restaurant-supply.html

PIANO TUNER TURNED JUNK KING

Mr. Watts had a successful piano tuning business for 20 years. He also restored and sold old pianos and organs. Living in rural Pennsylvania he didn’t have much competition for his service and anytime someone needed to get rid of a piano, he was called.

In many instances, he was called by heirs of an estate who simply wanted to dump the piano, often just giving it to Mr. Watts. Soon, many heirs wound up giving or selling Mr. Watts the entire contents of the house in order to clear out the home in order to sell the property.

Soon, Watts became the area liquidator and began selling off these goods in his warehouse via weekend sales. Valuable antiques and household items, books and photos became his mainstay and plenty of antique dealers made his location a regular stop.

Eventually, this endeavor replaced his piano business. His two sons and several other people began a joint venture whereby they would pool their money to buy storage lockers at auction (nearly every city has storage units for rent and hold auctions to unload items from people who don’t pay their fees). If someone in the investment pool desired an item from a storage unit, the others would come up with a fair price for it and that money was placed back into the investment pool.

This is an easy way to generate income in most parts of the country…in essence, a glorified garage sale every other weekend.

When director Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me) fell asleep on the movie set where he was an intern, the producer asked him to leave. “I’m not paying you to sleep,” he said. Spurlock’s reply: “You’re not paying me at all.”

T SHIRT BUSINESS

The national uniform of the day for many Americans is the T-Shirt and plenty of people are making money from this. A Tempe, AZ fellow works from his basement creating and selling T-shirts to area sports teams, bars and businesses.

After seeing a need for custom shirt for his son’s soccer team, he started asking around for sources of wholesale T-shirts, which he found in the Yellow Pages and online. Buying a used screen printer and some software and a scanner, he was in business and word of mouth has helped his cottage business take off.

There are plenty of online wholesalers of shirts and related gear you can investigate but don’t overlook local suppliers as shipping costs will dampen profits. Creating custom shirts for young audiences (usually of the ‘rude and crude’ nature) is another profit center and ads in high school and college newspapers will generate orders. (If you need a list of ‘pithy and clever’ T-shirt slogans, email me for details).

www.damselworld.com

READING BOOKS FOR PAY

Believe it or not, you can get paid to read and/or listen to audiobooks. Areas which this encompass include:

-proofreading -indexing -fact checker -book reviewer -researcher

-copyediting -writing blurbs and flap copy -proof ‘listening’ audio books

Having worked for and owning my own publishing company, I paid many freelancers for editing, proofreading and for articles. All of the folks I used were treated as independent contractors, meaning they could perform the same task for other publishers.

Many of these contractors earned in excess of $25,000 annually working primarily from home part time. Having a solid command of good English and punctuation are essential for most of these positions.

An excellent how-to guide on the subject is Reading Books for Pay by Rebecca Harris, published by Clarendon House. Used copies can be found on Yahoo, eBay, Amazon and other sites. The book provides top-notch information on how to get started, how to get your own work published or self-published, resources and more.

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MY TWO CENTS WORTH The government is the only growth industry left in the United States, which is unfortunate, as the government does not produce anything. There has been a distinct decline in middle class jobs and wages and the quality of life due to government policies. You’ll never hear a politician use the phrase ‘paying your fair share of taxes,’ anymore as they know, our tax policies are anything but fair. In fact, the income tax on individuals was illegal under our Constitution and blocked by the Supreme Court in the 1890s. It took an amendment and a lot of lies to ram the income tax through Congress – AND they promised it would never affect more than the top one percent of income earners! Once the income tax was forced upon us, it didn’t take long for state and local governments to jump on the bandwagon in creating new ways to pick our pocket. It’s my opinion there should be no income tax on the first $25,000 of income as it takes that much to simply ‘get by.’ Further, everyone, from corporations to non-profits to foreign corporations doing business in the United States, should pay taxes in order to be truly fair and to spread the ‘pain’ and thus lessen the need to tax the middle class so much. Will it ever happen? Only if enough people become angry enough and begin to shout “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.” In the meantime, people will do what they need to do to supplement their income in order to live a better life. The examples I’ve included in this paper represent ‘jobs’ that don’t require a lot of startup cost, if any, or heavy government regulation. Our government discourages entrepreneurs. Just getting a hot dog cart in Arizona, for instance, requires nearly $1000 in government fees! When the great insurance man and co-author of “Think and Grow Rich,” W. Clement Stone was a young man, he awoke early every morning, made and sold sandwiches to his classmates to earn extra money. Without $1000 in permits and the proper kitchen, he couldn’t do that today. When a 16-year-old go-getter in Tempe, AZ started a part time service of ridding his neighbor’s homes of roof rats, the local government made him stop until he got a pest exterminator permit (another $1200) – until his community protested enough to get city hall to back off!

The United States has more laws, rules and regulations on the books than any other country – more than 200 million! Lawsuits and government red tape increase the price we pay for goods by an average of 25%. Our national motto should be “less government, more middle class!” Additional Resources www.wahm.comExcellent site for mothers (and others) who wish to work from home; offers a variety of reports and resources and sources for working from home. www.internetbasedmoms.comAnother valuable online resource of ideas and resources for networking, work-at-home strategies and more. http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/invest/homewrk.shtmGood advice from the government on what work-at-home scams to avoid. http://jobsearch.about.com/od/workfromhome/a/workathome.htmGreat newsletter offering contact information, resources (they publish newsletters on a variety of topics including antiques) http://www.epinions.com/The_Work_At_Home_Sourcebook_by_Lynie_Arden/display_~latest_prices?linkin_id=3017924I interviewed Lynie years ago when I was the co-publisher of Home Business News. She had just published her first book on legitimate work at home companies. I’m not sure if she’s updated it recently, but worth a read. http://www.aarp.org/money/?CMP=KNC-MBRThe Association of Retired People provides a number of interesting resources and if you’re over 50 you should review their offerings. Finally, job boards and volunteer positions are often posted at area colleges, senior citizen centers and community centers. Very often, a volunteer position can lead to a paid position either as an employee or freelancer. My mother volunteered at the hospice center of her local hospital and it led to a paid part time position that she has found great satisfaction from. If you run across an unusual way to make a living without a job, drop me a note providing the details. We may include it in a future update of this guide. Send it to Bruce David at: bedavid@yahoo.com (please put WAH in the subject line)

All Contents © 2007 by Bruce David

BAKERS DOZEN-BONUS IDEA

If you have talent as an artist, plenty of people have made extra money creating caricatures for use in advertising programs (see below); some are doing it for pets too. This enterprise is also popular at flea markets, tourist areas and other high traffic areas.