7.1 Hacks #72-81

No two people or companies do business in exactly the same way, but there is always common ground when it comes to saving money and time. This chapter illustrates some of the tools ? available both for free and at extra cost ? that sellers have at their disposal for increasing automation in their businesses, and shows how these tools can be hacked to better suit your needs.

7.1.1 A Word About PowerSellers

eBay recognizes sellers who meet certain sales quotas as "PowerSellers" and awards them a few extra perks, most relating to enhanced technical and customer support. Whether or not they're the "pillars of our community" as eBay claims (pages.ebay.com/services/buyandsell/powersellers.html) is a matter left to the pundits. But for many sellers running businesses on eBay, the PowerSellers program is a benchmark worth achieving.

Give it some thought before placing the PowerSeller logo in your auctions as eBay suggests. Although the program as a whole can be valuable to sellers, the logo itself can send a message to bidders that you're a big, faceless organization, and they'll be lucky if they receive any personal attention from you at all. The personal touch, after all, is what attracts many bidders to eBay.

It's worth noting that the hacks in this chapter are suitable for all sellers, whether they're Titanium-level PowerSellers moving $150,000 worth of merchandise every month, or hobbyists trading a few low-cost items every couple of weeks.