fmichelle (11000)   

Like Son, Like Father
Barry Sites has been on eBay since 1997, and a lot has changed since then. For one thing, his son, Benjamin, was born. You can see the smiling "owner" of Benjamin's Store on the main page. When Benjamin started getting into GeoTrax trains, Barry found accessories and such on eBay, and soon realized that he could take the step from buying to selling.

"Last year I really got heavily into selling," says Barry. "Through research, I saw what products people were looking for. I looked at the Hot List, but I mainly found out what was in demand from current and past sales [Completed Item Searches ]."

Barry still works full time selling auto parts but has found that eBay selling is also turning into full-time work. "You fool yourself into thinking it's part time," Barry laughs. "My wife helps when she can, and Benjamin--though he's only four--likes putting stuff in shipping boxes."

Around December 2004, Benjamin's Store reached PowerSeller level "We achieved it very quickly, because I was moving product like crazy," says Barry. "Right now, I'm a little slower, but I'm gearing up again." As of this writing, Barry's feedback is at 100% positive with a repeat customer rate of nearly 20%. "I get a lot of contact from people who send me lists of toys they want or offer prices. I take requests for listings. I'll put together the group of items they've requested and list it as an auction."

Keys to Success
"I try to be very honest in listings and make things clear. If anybody has an issue or problem, I work with them." As a retailer, Barry well knows that listening to and serving customers is part of a good strategy. He also gets ideas from customers--and from their kids. "Pay attention to what kids like, and it will lead you in the right direction."

Barry uses Host Way, a service that hosts custom URLs that directs traffic into his eBay Store. "I have www.benjaminstore.com, and also .net and .org. I also get email boxes for Benjamin's Store." Such third-party services to enhance businesses on eBay can be found in eBay's Solutions Directory .

In addition to these strategies for running his business, Barry finds support in the eBay Community .

As a Delaware resident, he belongs to a Stores group called First State eBayers. "We meet once a month at different restaurants. About eight to 15 people come each time. Some members are just learning about eBay. We get together and try to help each other out. I'm good with digital photography and computers, and I've been doing eBay for a while, so I can give people a lot of helpful guidance. I enjoy seeing other people do well."

Though on the surface level, Barry is giving more than he is receiving, he seems well aware of the mutual benefit for everyone involved in community groups like this. The positive feelings that are generated infuse eBay as a whole; and, of course, the more successful eBay Sellers there are, the more vital the site becomes for everyone--buyers and sellers alike.

Best Practices
Since Barry is juggling two full-time jobs, he uses many eBay Tools to help him run the business. For one thing, he has optimized his Featured Store with an attractive front page, customized categories, and a good description, including keywords that help bring Internet searchers to his eBay listings. "I try to keep a professional image," says Barry, "and make my online Store look like a physical store.

"I use Seller's Assistant Pro, and that's a great help as far as automating emails and stuff like that. I also use Selling Manager Pro, Picture Manager, Turbo Lister, and Best Offer... They're all great tools. Each has aspects that I like. I also use PayPal ; It makes my life much easier.

"I always try to use a seasonal theme in the Store," Barry relates, "like holiday lights on listings during Christmas time, or snow designs in winter. I work with a woman who does a lot of that for me. I know a bit of HTML, but I found her on eBay, and now she helps design the Web page. I've built a great friendship with her. If I have questions, she helps me out.
"I keep enough money invested to keep the Store supporting itself," Barry concludes, "and the rest goes to Benjamin's college savings fund."

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