When you have a good idea you probably feel like you need to put it into action immediately.  You probably know in theory that any business takes 12-18 months to be established, somehow you still hope you can get there in 2!

One mistake entrepeneurs make is to throw their savings into buying lots of stock before they are aware of how ebay works.  Its easy to be lulled into a false sense of security on eBay after buying a few items.  For buyers, eBay is supposed to be user friendly.  For seller, things get a little more complicated.  Powersellers agree that there are new things to be learned all the time and you gain a lot of experience after selling small, inexpensive items.

You should begin by buying and selling many inexpensive items that can be purchased easily. Try to keep track of what is selling the best and try to narrow down the possibilities of a stronger product.

2. Respond to questions as fast as possible

Most of your customers are using the internet because they like how fast they get thier information, contacts, gifts, advice, et.  I cant stress enough how important it is to check your emails and reply to questions as quickly as possible.

3. Try to organize your time

If you are working a full time job and selling online after hours to get your business going, you will benefit from making a list of what you need to do and stick to it.  once you are working on eBay full time it becomes even more important!

4.  Take professional photographs from the beginning

A picture really does speak a thousand words.

5.  Dont put all your eggs in one basket – find other ways to sell apart from eBay

eBay is not the be all and end all of selling online.  It is one of the best ways to start but try thinking of other ways you can increase your web presence.  There are plenty of easy and cheap ways to build your online profile.

6.  Keep a constant outlook for other products to sell, while monitoring your current products.

Make sure to keep looking for emerging trends.  There may be another opportunity just waiting for you.

7.  Keep in contact with your wholesale supplier regularly to ensure you are aware of any stock issues.

Backorders can create a lot of extra work.

8.  Do carry out regular keyword and market research

Keyword research is the way to make sure your potential customers find you easily.  Set aside some time each day for research to ensure you are keeping on top of the game.

Here are some websites to give you market data:

http://www.google.com/insights/search/# — This will tell you what the current trend is in your market

http://tools.seobook.com/keyword-tools/seobook/ — This will show you how many times a day a certain keyword is searched.

http://whats-hot-weekly.com — This will show you the most popular items on eBay by showing how many are watching

http://whats-hot-weekly.com/MostSearched.php — This will show you what the most popular keywords are on eBay

9.  Use software if you need to help you organize your sales.

If you are selling more than 15 items you can lose money with mistakes like forgetting to ship an item and restocking your inventory.

10.  Dont offer free shipping unless you can afford it

Free shipping is a very effective way of attracting more people to your listings.  However, before you consider it, think about your profit margins, how much your item weighs, and the fact that shipping will vary by distance.  It could quickly become crippling if you apply it to a lot of different sized items.