| Writing a business plan is important for every business. | | | | If you auction items then you will not be able to |
| It is the key to the business, identifying what you want | | | | determine the prices but you may be able to predict |
| to do, what you predict your profits to be and sorting | | | | them and you can certainly calculate what your |
| out your customer service. | | | | minimum selling price will be as this will be your starting |
| You may think that if you are writing a business plan | | | | price for your auction. |
| for your eBay business that you will have to write | | | | Order processing and fulfilment should be quite simple. |
| something quite different. | | | | You will need to comply with eBay's guidelines as to |
| However, an eBay business plan is really very much | | | | timescales but as with any other business you will |
| the same, if not a little simpler. For example your eBay | | | | want to ship items as soon as you can. |
| business plan, like any business plan should include | | | | Customer service is probably the last main area that |
| information on product selection, inventory | | | | you will need to include in your business plan for your |
| management, and purchasing, pricing, order processing | | | | eBay business. |
| and customer service. | | | | This is very important as there is likely to be a lot of |
| Product selection will be pretty much the same as with | | | | competition on eBay and the better a service you can |
| any other business except that eBay does not allow | | | | provide, the more likely you are to get repeat business. |
| few products, this is not likely to limit your choice too | | | | This is the same in any other business. So you can |
| much. | | | | use a template for any business plan to help you set |
| Inventory management can be done with software as | | | | up your business plan, which will help to make the |
| it would be done in any other business but you could | | | | process a great deal easier. |
| use eBay's specially designed software if you wish to. | | | | If you are still concerned about writing a business plan |
| Purchasing will be the same as with any other | | | | for your eBay business venture, you will find that there |
| business. | | | | are lots of information online about it. |
| Pricing may be slightly different as you have the option | | | | There are so many sellers on eBay now... that a whole |
| with eBay to auction items as well as selling them at a | | | | lot of people will have written eBay business plans and |
| fixed price. | | | | you are sure to find the information that you need. |