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by
Bob Maschi
So, you're
heading off to the waved-splashed beach or the slopes of a
mogul-dotted mountain. Summer is vacation time for many. Even
the most stalwart online auctioneer must give into family
pressure and leave the business alone for a time.
But will it still be
there when you return? Or will your stock lay in waste, account
receivables soar, and negatives pile up in your feedback rating?
It can be hard to
schedule a vacation from the online world of auctions. You might
have all of your auctions close a comfortable period of time
before you leave, and take it all up again when you return.
Unfortunately, late payers abound and trends can come or go
faster than the typical family's visit to Disneyland. Also, what
about all the deals you'll miss? The Internet doesn't just shut
down while you aren't on it.
Planning is key for the
vacationer.
Protecting
Your Valuable Stock
All the basics apply. If you can't get a reliable person to pick
up your mail, a simple post office form will hold your
deliveries until you return. Ensure that all your valuable stock
is safe. Small items, such as jewelry, can go to friends or into
a safety deposit box. Larger items, such as computers, can go
into rental storage. These often can be found for a fair price,
one month at a time. Be especially thoughtful of the computer(s)
that you use for business. Imagine all the irreplaceable files
and information that would be gone if the hardware were damaged
or stolen. If you don't feel comfortable with moving the
equipment, at least make back-up files and store them someplace
other than your home.
It gets trickier if you
don't plan on shutting down your operation while you're gone.
Vendio's Auction Manager service allows the scheduling of
unlimited listings up to about a week in advance. It might feel
odd to have your auctions opening and closing while you are
exploring a national park, but this is a reliable
option--perhaps, even more reliable than the power supply.
If you choose this
route, be sure to note in your auction description that you will
be unable to answer questions regarding the auction. If needed,
you might also mention when you will be able to contact winning
bidders. Be careful of how you word this. Security is an issue
here. Most sellers have payment sent to their home address. So
be careful not to announce to the world that you are going on
vacation. Chances are slim that a thief local enough to you
could pick up on it, but it is possible. You might simply say
that you will be unavailable for a short time.
Heading
Off Misunderstandings
Taking a break is more difficult if you prefer hands-on contact
with winning bidders. Again, the easiest (and most defensible)
way to avoid any misunderstanding and negative feedback is to
make some mention of the circumstances in your auction
description.
Of course, you can
avoid much of this by going mobile with your operations. Laptops
and other smaller computers are portable. Unless you're planning
a trip to the remote mountains of Tibet, a power supply and a
phone line are available almost everywhere. And that's all you
need to access the Internet and emails.
If you're stuck with a
larger computer system, you might have to borrow another. Before
you book your hotel room, you may want to inquire if Internet
access is available. But forget that at a $40 a night motel.
Other free or low-cost Internet options include libraries, copy
or print shops, and even schools. Once online, it still can be a
pain to reprogram all of your user information, passwords, and
dial-up numbers. One remedy is temporarily switching your online
emails to a Web-accessed service, such as Yahoo or Hotmail
(which are free). With these, all you have to do is get
online--using any Internet service you can find--to access your
email.
Making
Buying Arrangements
Using the techniques above, you can track your auctions and keep
in contact with bidders who have questions or buyers who have
problems. But what about buying? How can you ensure that all the
great deals don't bid you by while you're driving your RV
through 12 states?
When buying, it is all the more
crucial to have access to your email account. This way, you can
make all your bids and contacts and, for auctions that accept
online purchases, even pay. If a seller does not accept online
payments, you should contact him before you bid--if you will not
be able to make payment arrangements within the three-day
contact period after the auction will close. Tell the seller
your anticipated time of return, when you will be able to make
further contact, when you will be able to send payment, and ask
permission to bid on the auction. If you can point to a positive
feedback rating, most sellers will oblige.
There are also numerous
snipe programs available. These allow you to pre-select the
auctions on which you want to bid, the price you will bid, and
the time you will bid. Not only can you launch items for sale
while you are away, but you can snipe other items as well!
But what about all
those yard sale, flea market, and thrift shop deals you'll miss
while you're gone? You can't very well scour your favorite
buying spots from a thousand miles away. Well, that's just the
price of a good suntan nowadays. Besides, yard sales are just
about everywhere. Probably even in Tibet.
Back to Auction tips &
tactics
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