Fountain pens and bad spelling equal huge bargains

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Most fountain pen seekers take a stroll through eBay looking for great deals. However, one secret to huge bargains are fountain pens up for an auction that are spelled wrong. There are a lot of people that have no clue what that fancy pen they found at home or inherited is worth, so they put it on eBay.

Many people misspell words. They wonder why there are no bids. Here's why . . . the item does not show up in eBay searches . . . nobody knows it's there. Many times you could be the only bidder.

You can find numerous "eBay Misspelling Tools" available online.

People have no idea what they are actually offering, not only do they misspell the name, they haven't a clue how to describe the fountain pen or take a compelling photo. It's recommended that you email the seller any question you might have.

However, make sure the pen has at least one bid (preferably yours) on it . . . before you tip off the seller that they actually have a fountain pen of substantial worth up for an auction. Once a bid has been made, the seller cannot change the price or description of that item.

You can find many of these pens in great condition, minimal brassing, clean and correct nib, a lever box in great shape, etc.

There is 'safe trading' advice offered by eBay that you should take to heart. By reading this advice you will be able to eliminate the anxiety of buying a product you can't personally check out, while buying it from some stranger.

Warning: there are a lot of fake fountain pens up for an auction on eBay. Do you know how to spot one?


- Does it have a serial number?

- Where should the serial number appear on the pen?

- Is the country of origin spelled correctly?

- Name of a manufacturer spelled correctly?


If you are still unsure on what you are looking for, there are many fountain pen forums online. These experts will be more than happy to answer any question you might have, just type in "Fountain Pen Forums" into any search box and then look around.

Not only should you be aware of fake pens, but be aware of bidder scams. Although rare in fountain pen auctions, it still happens. This type of scam is run by one person in control of two eBay accounts or two people with separate accounts. One eBay account will place a small bid on your fountain pen. Then another eBay account will place a very high bid. Right before your fountain pen auction is about to close, the high bidder will cancel or withdraw their bid, leaving the low bid as the winner. Setting a "reserve price" on your fountain pen will avoid this scam.

Hopefully, this information is beneficial to you in your quest to find a great bargain and not get taken when shopping for fountain pens at the world's largest flea market.

Ebay selling secrets revealed

The first thing you need to do to become a part of the eBay money makng scene, is to start selling on a part time basis. By doing this you can start earning a bit of income whilst you are ingesting all the articles and ebooks that will help you on your way.

It is not going to come to you in a dream, or whilst under the shower, how you can work eBay properly, you are going to have to do a bit of work. Read plenty of articles and websites. Purchase and read the available eBooks. You can learn something from them all!

Anyway, here are the basics but the more you learn the better:

For your Ebay business, you will need internet access and a product to sell. Don't worry If you don't have a product. You can start by selling old or odd items from your home like most people do. Others go to garage sales and pick up great deals, then sell them on Ebay. Some purchase from companies that offer low prices and discount deals.

Here are the top 10 eBay Selling Secrets you should know:

1. Research!

You need to make sure that there is a need for the item that you are selling. Run a search for your item and see how many items turn up from the search. Check other auctions for similar items and note how well and at what price they are selling.

2. List your item in the right category!

There are categories for the items to be put up for sale on eBay. The purpose of this is to have an organized tracking system for the products for sale. It is an eBay selling secret to put your item in exactly the right category where it belongs. If it's not placed correctly, people searching that specific category will not see it.

3. Keywords and descriptions are critical!

It is very important to use appropriate keywords to describe your product. Be genuine and precise in your descriptions. Your descriptions are critical to avoid any future problems or potential returns by buyers.

4. Put photos in your listings

It is an eBay selling secret to always use photos of the products during auctions. Photos lead to more sales than those that don't have photos.

By having a photo of the actual item, more buyers may take up interest. This eBay selling secret also helps to build more trust between you and the buyer.

5. Make the Buying process Easy! Sign up for PayPal!

Signing up for PayPal is another eBay selling secret that will gain you more buyers for your item. By making it easy to pay for, people tend to be inclined to buy on the spur of the moment.

6. List your items during "Hot Time" buying Periods!

It is an eBay selling secret to time your auction so that it ends during peak buying times.

Here's a reference:

Eastern Time Zone, list your auction between 9pm-11pm

Central Time Zone list between 8-10pm

Mountain Time Zone between 7-9pm

Pacific Time Zone list between 6-8pm.

By keeping to these Hot Time buying periods, your products will get much more exposure and you will see more sales.

7. Make an "About Me" Page or better yet, create a Website!

Having an "About Me" page in eBay is an eBay selling secret which let potential buyers get to know you. Having a website is an even better way to promote yourself. The more proffesional looking, the better.

8. Positive Feedback is Important

Having positive feedback is a necessary eBay selling secret. eBay buyers look at your feedback ratings before even thinking about buying from you. To get positive feedback, make sure you give good customer service and always be prompt and friendly.

9. Decrease Postage and Shipping Costs!

Don't underestimate or overestimate your shipping costs. It is an essential eBay selling secret to be prepared and to determine its costs beforehand.

10. Don't put any ad that would scare your potential buyers away!

Never put Reserve Prices and Buy-it-Now in your product listing. Instead of getting buyers, you'll more likely scare them away. These ads can cause you to lose money on an item. It is an eBay selling secret to get buyers who'll keep bidding at your products.

Following these eBay selling secrets will alone help you become a successful eBay seller but don't forget - learn, learn, learn