Protect Your Auction Business

by V. Raposo

One thing about eBay that a lot of people don't know is that you can have multiple user id's. Which means you can have more than 1 eBay account. Here is why I feel it's important to have more than one user id. When you're selling on eBay with a certain id, you can focus it to a specific niche. You can keep it to the same products you use on your website. Another reason it's good to have another id is this, eBay can basically suspend your auction account and not tell you why you were suspended (User Agreement, Section 9). They'll not only suspend the account that you are using, but every account that has the same credit card information on it. So back yourself up, and get an eBay id with your name and credit card, and then get your spouse to register with a different credit card. I would also suggest that a different computer be used too. This way you're protected and if eBay does suspend one account, you can still use the other one in the meantime. eBay is pretty good about working with you about getting your account back. They just take some time to email you back. This does come out of experience for me. I had a schedule that was launching a certain product and I didn't stop the schedule in time, and it listed the items again that eBay had warned me about. I can't exactly remember why they suspended my account, I think it was the wording regarding shipping and handling. But they were very willing to work things out with me, and I got my account re-instated pretty quickly. But when you're waiting, don't try to register a new account in your name, because the system won't let you. About the author: Vera Raposo has been making a living with online auctions since 1997. With thousands of completed auctions under her belt, Vera is now sharing some of her best auction strategies in a free 90-minute interview at http://www.auctionstrategists.com/special