Auction-It Today on eBay
by Bill Ernst

If you've been thinking about selling your stuff on eBay but don't have the time (or a home computer!), Auction-It Today on eBay is your answer. This franchise business can help you find a new home for unwanted items in your house and garage—and help you make a profit.

You know eBay: it's the premier online auction site that lets individuals and companies sell just about anything to the highest bidder. eBay has 150,000,000 registered users in more than 150 countries who buy and sell the millions of things—appliances, computers, CDs, toys, furniture, collectibles and even cars—that are listed daily. Mike and Erin Tenney, owners of this unique shop in Apopka, report that eBay claimed 14,100,000 items listed, with 915,000 listings in eBay Motors (including 62 Rolls Royces!), that day.

Married for 36 years and living in College Park, the Tenneys got into the Auction-It Today franchise because of their friendship with Linda Sabocik, the Florida district sales manager. The Tenneys' store is the first Auction-It Today franchise in Florida.

With so many items up for sale, how will yours stand out? And how do you list them? And how do you set the starting price? How much does it cost? What about shipping? And who has the time to do all of this? That's where Auction-It Today on eBay, and the Tenneys, come in.

Hassle-free
When you bring in an item to be auctioned on eBay, the Tenneys research the price from current and ended auctions to see what similar items sold for, and then develop a marketing plan for your item. They take photos of the item (typically five shots), write a description of it, and then list it on eBay.

What kind of items will the store take? Anything that's likely to sell at their minimum target price is between $30 to $50 dollars per item. For larger items such as furniture, cars and even homes, the Tenneys will come to your location to photograph and catalog it. If a large item sells, they will facilitate the transaction by securing receipts, title documents and payment.

The Tenneys have training in writing effective listings that sell. How a listing is worded—how an item is described—is critical to capturing buyers' attention and bids. Size, weight, full description are always included, and other particulars, such as the item's origin and history, can highlight the item's uniqueness or identify it as rare, and therefore more valuable. They also use software that makes a listing conform to eBay's guidelines, and helps ensure that the item will be positioned "higher" by means of options available through eBay. In short, the Tenneys know what works and what doesn't to get your items sold. Of course, success also depends on whether there's a market for a particular item, and whether the timing is good (for example, listing a Christmas wreath in March may not be the best time).

It's widely acknowledged that eBay revolutionized the collectibles market by bringing buyers and sellers to an ongoing online auction first (and famously) with Pez and Beanie Babies. Today every kind of collectible is up for sale on eBay—first- edition books, vintage records, dolls and figurines, licensed products such as Disney and NASCAR memorabilia (the list is endless), and the Tenneys have had experience with these and others that sell well. Other strong sellers on eBay include electronics: radios, cell phones and PDAs, etc.

Car and motorcycle parts and accessories also do very well. The Tenneys once listed a motorcycle muffler that sold in seven minutes for $130. Auctions last from three to ten days—but a sale in just seven minutes is possible because eBay has a "Buy It Now" fixed-price option, which Auction-It Today extends to their customers.

Then again, there are some spectacular exceptions. "Right now we have a 1993 black Rolls Royce with 16,000 miles on eBay," says Mike, and "the Buy It Now price is $47,500." Much goes into selling a car or boat online. Because it's an expensive purchase, people want to see what they're getting. The Tenneys will take as many as 35 photos of the vehicle from many angles to document how it looks and its condition (including any dings or scratches).

Jewelry sells well, but the Tenneys recommend getting an official appraisal first; otherwise, buyers are leery, and the seller won't get as good a price. Art sells, too. The Tenneys have listings of several paintings by Harold Nelson, a former Orange County teacher who lives in College Park. Another artist whose work they list is David Blondell, whom NASA has commissioned to produce limited-edition prints of his painting of the Challenger crew: the first print will go on display at Cape Canaveral, some will be given to the crew's families, and one will be auctioned on eBay.

The deal
Auction-It Today on eBay charges customers a commission of 38 percent for items that sell for less than $500; 30 percent for items that sell for more than $500; and items with top-end prices carry a lower rate. All of the store's charges include eBay and PayPal fees, which vary according to the listing price of an item, and the store cost of listing and photographing the item. Auction-It Today offers reduced-rate commissions for charitable groups—making it a great way to raise money for groups or organization. (For more about the store's fees and commissions, check with Auction-It Today on eBay; for more about eBay's fees, go to ebay.com.)

The store is open six days a week, and the Tenneys also try to accommodate customers' schedules with special hours by appointment. And they're happy to help customers with special needs or limited mobility get their items online.

The Tenneys' venture is a cost-effective way to turn unwanted items into cash—sometimes quite a bit of cash. But the main reason customers bring items to Auction-It Today is that they find it's easier and much faster than taking pictures, writing descriptions, listing and shipping the items themselves. And for anyone who isn't Internet-savvy—or has no computer at home—Auction-It Today is the answer.

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Auction-It Today on eBay
3030 E. Semoran Blvd., Ste. 184, Apopka
407.772.3229
auctionittodaycfl.com.