Yahoo sues facebook for 10 patents.

Yahoo is suing Facebook over patents, weeks before the social-networking heavyweight is due to cash in with its initial public offering of stock.

Yahoo said in a US court filing that Facebook had infringed 10 of its patents covering advertising, privacy controls and social networking.

Yahoo had threatened to sue Facebook last month, insisting that the social network license its patents. Facebook vowed to defend itself vigorously against what it called "puzzling actions" by Yahoo.

"We're disappointed that Yahoo, a long-time business partner of Facebook and a company that has substantially benefited from its association with Facebook, has decided to resort to litigation," Facebook said.

Yahoo ties a lot of its online services to Facebook, which has helped it attract users. As with many patent suits, this one will probably be resolved in a settlement or licensing deal. That said, the patent claims could cast a spotlight on Facebook's vulnerabilities as the company tries to complete an IPO (Intellectual Property Office) this spring.

At the end of 2011, Facebook had just 56 US patents, a relatively small number compared with other big tech companies. Yahoo owns more than 1,000 patents.

That trove of patents may come in handy for Yahoo, which has seen its revenue fall steadily over the past three years. But it could also cast the company as desperate, trying to extract money from soon-to-be-public Facebook.

Yahoo made hundreds of millions from a patent settlement that it reached with Google just before the internet search leader went public in 2004. Facebook's IPO is expected to dwarf Google's, valuing the Menlo Park, California-based social network at as much as £64 billion.

Yahoo defended its lawsuit, saying it has invested "substantial resources in research and development" over the years leading to technology patents that other companies have licensed. Its lawsuit says that without Yahoo's innovations, Facebook and other websites would not enjoy "repeat visitors or substantial advertising revenue."
Sources: The Press Association

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Writing Articles as an Affordable Internet Marketing Method

From Overture, a keyword suggestion tool, you will see the millions of searches done to a certain keyword. When these keywords are typed on search boxes of search engines, indexed websites containing articles with those keywords will be displayed. And this is what leads traffic to websites with keyword-rich articles. Yes, the magic word is articles.

Content is king. You can say that again. That is why writing articles is one of the most utilized Internet marketing media today. Internet surfers just can't get enough of information on various fields. Providing information through these articles is a surefire way to drive hot traffic to your web site.

Why is this so? Here are the benefits that writing articles can give your Internet business.

1. It's absolutely free.

Too good to be true? Not. Okay, you have to pay for your Internet Service Provider. That's it. All you need is your thoughts, your computer, and your hands. If you have those, nothing will stop you from typing words that will make you complete that article for your website. On which aspect of that process did you really shell out any cent? Maybe later when your electric bills come.

2. Your website will be noticed in a short period of time.

Submit that article of yours to article directories that get the most web traffic and in no time your web site will be crawled. That is if you don't forget including your resource box or byline.

3. Obtain back links automatically.

When you submit your articles to directories, surely, other websites will make use of your article too. With the copyright terms of your articles, the URL of your website will still be in tact and will subsequently direct more traffic to your website.

4. Improve your reputation.

As an Internet marketer, if you plainly display your products on your website, you will not gain much conversion rate. Conversion is when your traffic converts to sales. You have to show that you are knowledgeable on your field. And what better way to show that than by writing articles that will allow you some bragging rights, right?

Just make your creative juices flow and jot down or key in those ideas quickly to jumpstart your article writing momentum. With those benefits listed above, a writer's block is the last problem you will ever be able to surmount.

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Travel Tips to European Countries: Switzerland

About the country

Switzerland is blessed with all the bounties of nature. It is the most preferred tourist destination among all the countries in the world. The Alps region has a cold weather most of the times, where as the summers are warmer in the northern area. Visit Saas Fee to ski and snowboard. Dream of living in real life igloo can come true as many resorts, like Zermatt and St Moritz (which is a celebrity resort), had them built for their customers.

Culture

Italian, German and French are the official languages of Switzerland. Many English people can also be found here. Unwrapped flowers must be presented to the host to show appreciation. White asters and chrysanthemums flowers are reserved for funerals, so precaution must be taken when presenting flowers to others, even red roses are better avoided. One can move around in casuals but it is important to dress in warrant jackets and ties when attending social gatherings or when eating out at a fine restaurant. Swiss Franc is the currency used here.

Shopping

Switzerland is famous for its exotic chocolates, finest handmade clocks and luxury watches. Other specialties are embroidered linen, music boxes, wood carvings, Swiss cheese and Swiss army knives. Many shops remain close on Monday, so shopping should be avoided on that day. Since service charge is applied on all services, so tipping is an issue of free-will. 7.6% VAT is charged on all purchases made in Switzerland, which can be reclaimed later by asking for a global refund check, if the purchase crosses 400 CHF.

Electricity

The standard current used is 230 volts (AC) and 50 Hz.

Getting There

Swiss airline is the national airline of Switzerland, which connects to 71 destinations all over the world. Zurich is the most popular airport, located at a distance of 11km from the city. Every 15 minutes, trains shuttles passengers to their destination. Fly-Rail Luggage ticket can be bought if the passengers want to collect their luggage at the railways station rather than the airport. While leaving Switzerland, Fly-Rail Baggage service can be availed that enables passenger to check-in their luggage at the railway station itself. Other facilities provided here are duty free shops, banks, restaurants and car hire. Check out Geneva, Basle and Bern airport for offers.

Since weather conditions are worst during the winters, train is an efficient and cheaper option. They are also great if one wants to enjoy the scenic beauty of Switzerland. Swiss Pass can be purchased to visit most of the tourist attractions in Switzerland.

High quality roads are maintained here. Roads connect to Austria, Germany, Italy and France. But in winters things can get worse, so it is better to carry chains and snow tires. Cars should be kept to the right.

Duty Free Items

a) Visitors from European countries

200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco
2 liter of alcohol (up to 15 per cent) and 1liter of alcohol (over 15 per cent)

(b) Visitors from non-European countries

400 cigarettes or 100 cigars or 500g of tobacco
2liter of alcohol (up to 15 per cent) and 1liter of alcohol (over 15 per cent)

Meat items, narcotics and absinthe are strictly not permitted. Other items that come under the prohibited items list are firearms and animals.

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Travel tips to European Countries: Norway

About the county

Norway, a Nordic country lying on the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula is located in Northern Europe. It also borders Sweden, Finland and Russia. Norway is an outstandingly beautiful country with a long coastline, snowy mountains and breathtaking fjords. Oslo is the capital of Norway and also the largest city. Norway is bestowed with lots of natural beauty encompassing wild forests, historic towns and beautiful fishing villages. The country is very hospitable to the tourists and people are very friendly too. Many tourists are attracted by the famous midnight sun of the Arctic. All three big cities of Norway offer different experiences to visitors. Norway is a place to be for nature lovers and for cultural enthusiasts. Norway is truly one of the greatest tourist destinations of Europe.

Population & Languages

The population of Norway is only 4.6 million and the official languages being spoken are Bokmal Norwegian and Nynorsk Norwegian. Other languages that are also spoken in Norway include Smi and Finnish.

Electricity

The voltage is 230 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. The types of plugs used are Round pin attachment plug and "Schuko" plug and receptacle with side grounding contacts.
Geographic Location

It is a Nordic country lying on the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula and located in Northern Europe. It also borders Sweden, Finland and Russia. About two-third area of the Norway is mountains, has around fifty thousand small islands along its coast. It also has one of the longest coastlines in the world.

Climate

The climate of Norway can be termed as Temperate with hot summers and cold overcast winters. The highlands of interior Norway have an arctic like climate with snow, severe wind chill and frost. Most of the rain is along the coastal areas and comes down in winter quite heavily and frequently. Winters are mild too along the coastal areas.

Local Customs

Like any other country Norway has its own customs too. It is customary not to drink until the host makes a toast. It is customary for guests to offer gifts to the host of a meal. Smoking is prohibited in most public areas. Casual dress is acceptable for everyday wear. Tipping the taxi drivers is not customary. Tipping up to five percent is customary for service in restaurants. Porters at railway stations and airports charge per piece, while porters at hotels generally charge around NOK5-10 depending on the number of pieces of luggage.

Attractions

Bergen Numerous museums, galleries, aquarium, medieval age buildings, cable car to the top of Bergens hills and boat trips to fjords.

Oslo Old medieval buildings, churches, modern architecture, museums like Edvard Munch Museum and the Norwegian Folk Museum, art galleries, Vigeland Park, and Akershus Fortress

Fjordland Geirangerfjorden known for tiny S-shaped fjord,
Sognefjord the longest and the deepest fjord, beautiful villages such as Balestrand and Flam, old stave churches, Nryfjord Narrowest branch of the Sognefjord and Palteau of Jostedalsbreen glacier

Troms Arctic cathedral, Polaria and Troms Museum

Travel

By Air Many airlines operate to Norway like Braathens SAFE (BU) and SAS Scandinavian Airlines (SK), a Scandinavian airline, Air France, British Airways, Finnair, Icelandair, KLM, Lufthansa, Northwest Airlines, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Ryanair and Swiss Airlines. Oslo International Airport (OSL) (Gardermoen) (website: www.osl.no) is the biggest airport of Norway which is located 30 mile north of Oslo.

Sea - The important passenger ports are Bergen, Kristiansand, Larvik, Oslo and Stavanger. The main sea routes from the UK, operated by Fjord Line and DFDS Seaways respectively, are from Newcastle to Bergen and to Kristiansand.

By Rail The country is part of the extensive network of trains connecting the European cities. If you are coming from UK, the connections are from London via Dover/Ostend (via Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands and Sweden) or Harwich/Hook of Holland, or from Newcastle to Bergen via Stavanger. It is also connected to Sweden throught two routes, with daytime and overnight trains from Copenhagen, Malm and Stockholm.

Duty Free Items
1. 200 cigarettes or 250g of tobacco products and 200 leaves of cigarette paper for EU countries.
2. 400 cigarettes or 500g of tobacco products and 200 leaves of cigarette paper for Non-EU countries.
3. 1liter of spirits and 1liter of wine or 2liter of wine and 2liter of beer for EU countries.
4. 1liter of spirits and 1liter of wine or 2liter of wine and 2liter of beer for Non-EU countries.
5. 50g perfume or 500 ml eau de toilette
6. Gifts , Food, fruits, medications and flowers for personal use of value up to 3,500 kr

Prohibited Items

Un-canned goods, meat or dairy products, Narcotics, firearms, ammunition, weapons, eggs, plants, endangered species, fireworks and alcoholic beverages that contain more than sixty per cent alcohol.

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Travel Tips to European Countries: Belgium

About the Country

Belgium is situated in the west of Europe. The land here mostly comprises of flat coastal plains in the northeast, and southeast is occupied by the Ardennes Forest. Dutch, Flemish, French and German are the official languages of Belgium, with Dutch being the widely spoken followed by French. The weather here is pretty predictable. Months from April to September are the warmest. Otherwise the weather is pretty humid and skies are gray, that explains why umbrellas and raincoats are a part of the dressing. So, if the visit is planned for holidays during the rainy season, one must not forget to carry sufficient cover for maximum protection, as this is a coastal region. In case of emergency call 100 or 112.

Culture

Belgians are English-friendly and will make every attempt to speak in English with a foreigner. Always remember to carry a small gift or at least flowers especially when invited over dinner. The dress to wear will be mentioned in the invitation, when invited for a party. Smoking in public is acceptable.

Shopping

Brussels, Antwerp, Bruges, Ostend, Namur, Mons, Lige, Ghent and Mechelen are the main shopping centers. Belgium is famous for ceramics and hand-beaten copperware from Dinant, laces from Bruges, crystals from Val Saint Lambert, woodcarvings from Spa and Belgiums finest chocolates. In jewelry, diamonds from Antwerp are on high demand.

Eating Out

The specialty of most of the restaurants is horse and rabbit meat dishes. Although visitors can find a wide range of ethnic foods, but the most famous are frites and mayonnaise and mitraillette; mitraillette is a large bun filled with fries, donair meat and garlic sauce, the vegetarians can ask for a veg. substitute for the donair meat. While eating at a restaurant, tipping is considered customary along with the value-added tax. At the cinemas, leave a 0.50 tip for the attendant and 0.25 after using the public toilets.

Electricity

Voltage is 230 V and frequency is 50 Hz.

Travel

Delta Air Transport has inaugurated its new European airline SN Brussels Airlines recently. It flies to more than 58 destinations in Europe and as well as worldwide. The Brussels Zayentem airport is twelve km from the city and it takes 35 minutes to reach the city from the airport. The airport has facilities like duty free shops, car parking, taxi booking, car hiring, banks, post office, restaurants, and medical help. Internet and fax services are provided for the passengers. The Airport City Express train transports passengers to three main railway stations - Brussels North, Central and South. One can avail a bus which runs regularly from the airport, taxis can also be hired which wait outside the arrival hall. Tipping the taxi drivers is considered customary. Train runs every 15 minutes.

Another airport, Brussels South Charleroi, is 5 km away from Charleroi and 46 km from Brussels. Ryan air serves as the local airline here and has cheap deals for several European destinations to and from Charleroi. The facilities provided here are bus and train services, caf, car hire, and duty free shops.

Ostend airport is 5 km away from the city and car parking, car hire, duty free shops, and restaurants are provided here.

Antwerp airport is just 2 km away from the city. Buses run to the Brussels Central Station every few minutes.

Liege is situated at a distance of 5 km away from the city. Buses run at regular interval here.

The departure tax at Brussels Zayentem is 20.93, Brussels South Charleroi is 3.49, Ostend and Antwerp is 10, and at Liege is 7.

There is a network of high-speed trains, which are operated by Thalys, from Belgium to France, connecting Brussels with other destinations like Bordeaux, Chambry, Cannes, Marseille, Lyon, Nice, Valence Perpignan, and Rennes. Booking should be made in advance for these trains. The national railway operates through out the day providing service every few minutes to destinations such as Andorra, Austria, France, Czech, Germany, Italy, Poland, Luxembourg, Switzerland, the UK and the Netherlands. Insiders can avail the Inter-Rail pass which allows visitors to travel almost 29 European Countries. This service is valid for residents who have been settled there for more than 6 months.

Duty Free Items

Visitors can carry alcohol, tobacco, cigarettes, coffee and tea without getting customs duty levied on them, but only the goods should be limited. Check out for the limits before carrying such goods. Food items that are not preserved are better avoided.

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Travel Tips to European Countries: Austria

About the Country

Located in central Europe, Austria celebrates worlds best music festivals like the Salzburg Festival, Haydn Festival in Vienna, and the International Chamber Music Festival. Vienna is the capital of Austria as well as the musical capital of Europe. Music and art are in full flare here after centuries of hardship and innovation. That explains Vienna being the birthplace of Mozart. Horse dances are also part of these festivals. Since it snows in winter, the snow covered Alps is a must be visited place during the winter. Austria experiences a moderate summer. Rains can be expected year round. Incase of emergency call 120 or 123.

Site seeing

The romantic castles simply leave you astounded. The Schloss Durnstein provides a magnificent view besides the River Danube. A 10% tip should be paid to the taxi drivers, which is customary here.

Culture

German, Hungarian, Slovene, and Croatian are the languages spoken by the locals. To greet the locals, a handshake will do. When meeting someone for the first time, its better to refer them by their last name, but once better known they can be addressed by the first name. When out in the public, say Guten Tag or Gruss Gott to greet people and while leaving say Auf Wiedersehen. Carry along flowers when going over to someones house. The locals here have a passion for horse riding. The worlds best art of horsemanship can be found here which is as old as 400 years and to watch the horses perform at these schools; tickets must be booked in advance. Although service charge is levied on restaurant bills, an extra 5% should be paid as tip.

Getting there

Three national airlines operate in Austria, Austrian Arrows, Austrian Airlines and Lausda Air, which work in collaboration with the Austrian Airlines Group. The Vienna airport is 18 km away from the city. Airport buses transport passengers to the South Train and West Train Station. Railway, chauffeur-driven car and taxi service is also provided at the airport. Duty free shops, post office, bank, eateries, left luggage, tourism information, conference hall, nursery, car hiring and car parking facilities are provided to the passengers at the airport.
Salzburg airport is 4 km away from the city and buses, trains, taxis and hotel coach shuttle passengers to and from the airport. Facilities such as duty free shops, post office, currency exchange, left luggage, conference hall, restaurants and car hire exist at the airport. Check out the other airports such as Klagenfurt airport, Graz airport and Linz airport for more details. All the airports charge a fixed rate for porter service.

International tourists can get to Austria by Austrian Federal railways, if planning to travel by train. It has a large network which connects the major cities within Austria and also outside Austria. Travelers can find connections to/from Germany, Russia, Greece, Romania, Turkey Brussels, Paris and Italy. International rail passes or Eurail pass can be bought to travel around Austria as they provide unlimited travel and other offers too.

A good network of roads here provides an interesting journey. Take Eurotunnel when crossing the Channel Tunnel while traveling by car. Bookings should be made in advance. The cars can be hired at the airports and railway stations and if driving own car carry documentations like UK driving license or national driving license and car registration papers. Toll booths are installed on the motorways and S roads, so if change is carried in advance it will ensure no delays in the journey. Registration documents should be carried along all the time while driving. The lights should be turned on while driving, in the city or outside, all the time. There are strict laws for seat belts and drinking while driving. If using the motorbike, high visibility jacket and helmet must be worn, its a compulsion for both the passenger and the driver. Many federal, private companies and local authorities provide bus service. Coaches are provided for moving around within the cities.

Wurm and Kock provide cruise passenger service. Along with the cruise trip, packages include stay at a hotel. Check out, before hand, for offer. There are many Ferry service providers too.

Duty Free Items

1. 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g tobacco or a proportional mix of these products
2. 1l of spirits over 22 per cent or 2l of fortified wine or spirits up to 22 per cent or 2l of sparkling wine or liqueur and 2l of still wine
3. 500g of coffee or 200g of extracts, essences or concentrates of coffee, and 100g of tea or 40g of tea extracts
4. medicinal products sufficient for the journey
5. 50g of perfume or eau de toilette
6. All the above mentioned goods should be carried by a person over 17 years of age.

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Travel Tips to European Countries: Albania

Albania is a mountainous country and the one of the smallest countries of Europe. The residents supposedly descended from ancient Illyrians.

Culture

The culture of Albania is majorly influenced by that of the mainland Greeks especially in the urban locality; nodding ones head means no where as shaking the head means yes. To greet someone, handshaking is preferred, though Shoku (Comrade) was used before, which has been long forgotten now. People dress informally here. Swim suits are meant for the beaches, otherwise women are expected not to dress in a revealing outfit. When addressing someone prefix Zoti(Mr) or Zonja(Mrs) before the name and always remember to carry some gifts when visiting someone, although flowers arent much acceptable. The guests are served with coffee, raki or sweets. Smokers dont have to worry much, but they should avoid it where they see a sign of Ndalohet Duhani or Ndalohet pirja e duhanit.

Travelling within the country

Buses with relatively cheap fares operate in the main cities of the country or taxis are another choice which provided service for some main hotels.
Visit Dajti Mountain and experience Dajti Ekspres Cable car for an unforgettable 15 minute ride passing through Dajt Oark to reach Tirana. The route is about 4.2 km long and the ride costs 6.5.Alpha Yachting provides crewed yacht which is a luxury in itself. Tirana Bank is the best place for withdrawing money as it allows access to Visa cards.

Eating Out

Restaurants are not always sufficiently heated, so always wear warm clothes if out in the night during winters. Foreigners are charged more than the locals. Both the entry fees as well as any merchandise will be on a higher scale, so its better not to reveal the fact that you are a foreigner when out on the streets.

Site Seeing

If you enjoy canoeing, this is the right place to be. There are places right outside Tirana which is an amazing site for not just canoeing, but also rock climbing, hiking, and camping.

Accommodation

If you want a 5-Star ambience, try The Sheraton Tirana Hotel and Towers, which is situated in the middle of a shopping and entertainment center. There are about 151 rooms and 56 suites. So, along with the comfort, one can shop at once convenience here. Another hotel which provides all modern facilities is Hotel Mondial. It is located 1000 m away from the city and is also a good example of traditional architecture.

Getting There

One of the best and the easiest means is to go by air. Albanian Airlines is the national airline which works in collaboration with Tyrolean Airways, and provides service to almost all the big European cities. The airport, Mother Teresa, is 16 miles or 26 km away from the capital. A tourist bus is available every 3 hrs to get to the city center and takes about 30 minutes to get there. Taxis are available round the clock. While waiting for any transport service, tourists can check out the duty free shops, bank, eateries and car hire at the airport. A departure tax of $10 USD is imposed on all foreign nationals. Check out www.flyalbanian .com for flight times and offers.

If trying to get there by sea, try the ferry services which are provided by Adriatic Line and Agoudimos. The main ports are Durres (has ferry connection to Italy, Bari, Brindisi, Trieste, and Ancona), Vlora (has ferry connection to Bari, and Brindisi), Saranda (has connection to Corfu), Shen Gjini (has ferry connection to Bari). Check out www.adriatica.it and www.aqoudimos-lines.com for more information.

Bus is another option. Buses start from Istanbul, Athens and Sofia. Internal passengers have lots of options with bus services provided. If traveling by road in a private car, there is road network to the Kosovo region, but they are too dangerous to use because of the political tensions within the region. Crossings at Hani I Hotit, Bllata, Oafa e Thaes, Tushemisht, Gorica, Kapshtica, and kakavija can be taken. If tired one can take halts at hotels or other designated areas. There is a network of 18,000 km, out of which only 7450 km are main roads, for local travelers. About 2138km stretch of these roads is in poor condition and has pot holes, and utmost safety precautions should be taken when driving on such roads. Speed limit should be strictly followed on highways as well as within towns. Driving at night should be better avoided because of the absence of street lights on the road except for urban areas. Traffic should drive on the right-hand. There is a shortage of gas stations in the countryside, so filling the gas tank completely when passing through urban area is recommended and since there is lack of national recovery system; travelers should be prepared for an emergency or breakdown before hand. One should carry necessary documents like International Driving Permit and national driving license.

Duty Free Items

Following are the items that can be carried without customs duty being levied on them:
1. 1liter of spirits or 2liter of wine
2. 250ml of eau de toilette
3. 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco
4. 50ml of perfume.

Prohibited Items

Things that are prohibited to carry are firearms, narcotics and ammunitions. Special export permission should be taken for precious metals, books, antiques, work of art, or material of national or historic value.

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The Best Kept Secrets of Ebay Merchants

Ebay has spawned some wild stories of rags-to-riches wealth. Some of those tales are true, but instant Ebay millionaires are far outweighed by the legions of Ebayers who make a decent living doing something they enjoy. (And isn’t that good enough?) Still, so many of us can’t help but look at these top power sellers and wonder what they know that we don’t. What’s the secret to their success?

Some foundations of success aren’t secret at all; it still takes good old fashioned hard work and customer service to become a top seller on Ebay. That being the case, there are still a few tips and tricks that separate casual hobbyists from serious Ebay merchants.

#1. Keyword Managers. Keywords are all the rage these days. Web pages with plenty of relevant words will show up on web searches. Likewise, auctions with relevant, highly searched terms will show up in Ebay searches. How do you know which terms buyers are searching for? There are subscription programs such as Keyword Pro and Ebay Pulse that generate lists of the most frequently searched terms in any given category. Add some of these terms to your own listings to increase views. (Just be sure that the words are relevant to the actual item. Nobody likes a keyword spammer, least of all Ebay.)

#2. Typo Searches. It’s a sad truth that there are some poor spellers on the Internet. When they become online merchants, they lose business because their misspelled items never turn up in Ebay searches. Luckily, Fatfingers.Com is a free web site that lets you search for common misspellings on Ebay. For example, I searched for the term “scarf”. I was then sent to Ebay’s web site, where a search was run for “sacrf”, “sxarf”, and several other typos of “scarf”. It’s amazing how many items you can find at low prices just because they were listed with incorrect spelling. Many sellers capitalize on these misspelled items, buying them low and selling them high. Let this be a lesson to prospective Ebay merchants: proofread your listings. Twice.

#3. Data Analyzers. Offline businesses use data analysis before making their decisions, so why shouldn’t you? Imagine knowing which items are selling like hot cakes and which ones aren’t really taking off. You could minimize your risk by avoiding slow sellers and snapping up soon-to-be-hot items at a discount. There are software packages that actually analyze Ebay’s data to see what’s really selling and what’s not. Hot Item Finder (www.hotitemfinder.com) is one such program. Experts agree that they can save many hours of research each week by using data analyzers. There is also a program called Auction Yen which runs analysis for Want It Now listings. It pays to know what customers really want, so these programs come highly recommended.

#4. Selling Managers. It’s vitally important to keep track of your inventory and auction listings. Ebay offers a selling manager for a low monthly cost. This online tool helps sellers track and customize their listings, print shipping labels, and more. Sellers tout this one as another great time saver.

It’s no secret that you can make a lot of money on Ebay. With these tips from the top Ebay sellers, you’ll be smiling all the way to the bank.

Read more...

The Best Kept Secrets of Ebay Merchants

Ebay has spawned some wild stories of rags-to-riches wealth. Some of those tales are true, but instant Ebay millionaires are far outweighed by the legions of Ebayers who make a decent living doing something they enjoy. (And isn’t that good enough?) Still, so many of us can’t help but look at these top power sellers and wonder what they know that we don’t. What’s the secret to their success?

Some foundations of success aren’t secret at all; it still takes good old fashioned hard work and customer service to become a top seller on Ebay. That being the case, there are still a few tips and tricks that separate casual hobbyists from serious Ebay merchants.

#1. Keyword Managers. Keywords are all the rage these days. Web pages with plenty of relevant words will show up on web searches. Likewise, auctions with relevant, highly searched terms will show up in Ebay searches. How do you know which terms buyers are searching for? There are subscription programs such as Keyword Pro and Ebay Pulse that generate lists of the most frequently searched terms in any given category. Add some of these terms to your own listings to increase views. (Just be sure that the words are relevant to the actual item. Nobody likes a keyword spammer, least of all Ebay.)

#2. Typo Searches. It’s a sad truth that there are some poor spellers on the Internet. When they become online merchants, they lose business because their misspelled items never turn up in Ebay searches. Luckily, Fatfingers.Com is a free web site that lets you search for common misspellings on Ebay. For example, I searched for the term “scarf”. I was then sent to Ebay’s web site, where a search was run for “sacrf”, “sxarf”, and several other typos of “scarf”. It’s amazing how many items you can find at low prices just because they were listed with incorrect spelling. Many sellers capitalize on these misspelled items, buying them low and selling them high. Let this be a lesson to prospective Ebay merchants: proofread your listings. Twice.

#3. Data Analyzers. Offline businesses use data analysis before making their decisions, so why shouldn’t you? Imagine knowing which items are selling like hot cakes and which ones aren’t really taking off. You could minimize your risk by avoiding slow sellers and snapping up soon-to-be-hot items at a discount. There are software packages that actually analyze Ebay’s data to see what’s really selling and what’s not. Hot Item Finder (www.hotitemfinder.com) is one such program. Experts agree that they can save many hours of research each week by using data analyzers. There is also a program called Auction Yen which runs analysis for Want It Now listings. It pays to know what customers really want, so these programs come highly recommended.

#4. Selling Managers. It’s vitally important to keep track of your inventory and auction listings. Ebay offers a selling manager for a low monthly cost. This online tool helps sellers track and customize their listings, print shipping labels, and more. Sellers tout this one as another great time saver.

It’s no secret that you can make a lot of money on Ebay. With these tips from the top Ebay sellers, you’ll be smiling all the way to the bank.

Read more...