How to Put an Auction on My Website Not Using eBay
When people hear the phrase "online auction," they often tend to think first of eBay, now a company worth over $6 billion. However, there are many other auction websites online. Some cater to niche markets, servicing the needs of a small but devoted group. Others focus on raising money for charity and good causes through online silent auctions. With some careful planning and the right software, you can set up your own auction website online.
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Instructions
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Choose a small segment of the auction marketplace as your unique specialty or niche. Maybe it's 1960s Barbie dolls or French books from the 1940s. It could be something you love, something you're an expert in or something you see a need for in the marketplace. Your niche could also be a community wanting to raise money for a school or charity.
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Become familiar with the way online auctions work. Pay attention to the way eBay handles certain operations, including "Buy It Now" and reserve prices, since that's what many online shoppers have become accustomed to. Learn how to place a bid and what happens when no bid succeeds.
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Create a unique domain name that will help your customers find and remember you. Register your domain name with a site like Register.com, NetworkSolutions.com or GoDaddy.com.
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Choose a web hoster. Auction sites need an enormous amount of storage. Even if you start small, you should plan on at least 5 GB to begin with. Set up your web site with the web hosting company.
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Research and choose auction software, or what is commonly known as an auction script. Auction scripts allow you to control bidding, organize categories, upload images and video, sell advertising, set reserve prices, enable user feedback, navigate auctions underway, set times for auctions and maintain the auction database. Good auction software can be customized to meet your precise needs. Some online auction software is free. You can also contract with an auction hosting service, which will upload items for auction and keep track of all pending sales for you; often, this is the best choice if you are holding a charity auction that will run for only a few months and then be disbanded.
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Make arrangements to handle credit card and electronic banking transactions. Make sure the rules for these transactions, as well as all shipping information and buyer/seller rule,s are clearly stated on your website.
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Add meta tags to your website to optimize online searching. Get your auction website listed on Google by adding it to Google or The Open Directory, or by arranging for links with websites that are listed on Google.
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Cultivate your niche market to attract sellers to your site. Build traffic on your site by advertising and promoting it through as many appropriate online links as you can, as well as using offline sources of promotion.
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References
- Photo Credit gavel image by Cora Reed from Fotolia.com
