PETIT BATEAU ITEMS TO BUY NOW IN A SHOP - BUT HOW?!

I wanted to write a review on Ebay shops as largely due to recent changes instigated by Ebay (August 2006), they are not easy to understand or find. This is just a basic guide but hopefully its a good start.

In the UK, there are a number of listing formats:-

1. Auction listings = biding ends at a particular time and it can be on Ebay for a max. 10 days - this is what you normally see on Ebay

2.BUT IT NOW (BIN)listings = the item can end at ANY time and it can be on Ebay for a max. 10 days. Items are a set price - there is no bidding involved.

3. BUY IT NOW (BIN) listings in an Ebay shop = the item can end at ANY time and it can be on Ebay for an unlimited time. Items are a set price - there is no bidding involved

4. BUY IT NOW (BIN) listings on Ebay Express which is a separate website due to be launched by Ebay in Autumn 2006. This will only contain BIN items (no auctions) by registered business sellers. Listings are like items in the shop BUT you have to be a registered business seller to sell on Ebay Express.

For people who sell quite afew items an Ebay shop hasa number advantages not least:

- the fees are much, much cheaper than an ordinary BIN listing for 10 days on Ebay

- more than 1 item of the same style, size etc can be listed so if you want to buy 10 of the same thing if they are available then you can

- it can listed for 30 days, 90 days or relisted automatically if not sold so much easier for the seller to manage and less time spent listing items

- Lots of customers like to buy multiple items in one go at fixed prices - they don't want to wait til an auction ends so this style suits them

Although sellers pay a monthly fee to Ebay to 'own' an Ebay shop, new changes mean that if there are a lot of listings under a category already(eg under PETIT BATEAU), then you will NOT see shop items. Try it and see. Its very annoying! This could mean you are missing out on some GREAT bargains as the sellers will be using the shop for the reasons above.

There is a button at the very end of the auction listings to allow you to see 'SHOP ITEMS' but the best way is if the seller has an auctionlisting as well as shops ones (and they mostly do), thenclick on theauction listing and click on the sellers shop (the RED DOOR logo) or the Shop Categories on the left hand side of the listing (hopefully the seller has created some!).

You will be AMAZED at what you will see in shops that you will NOT see if you od a general search. I cannot stress how much easier it is for a seller to list in a shop rather than Ebay auctions, so make sure you check them out. They will often have special offers as well (eg cheap items or buy 6 get 1 FREE).