Hobbies And Interests
Instructions
Create a website for your auctioning business. You can register for one for free using one of the resources provided in this article in the resource section. When you register, you simply need to create a login and a password that you need to use every time you log in to edit, add or change items.
Select a name for your auction website. If you are dealing with a focusing on a type of product, such as household items, you should make your name specific for that theme. If you plan on auctioning anything from handbags to old paintings, you should create a universal name.
Design your website's appearance by choosing a template for the website. Keep in mind that pictures and text will be added to every page of the website, so you should keep the colors and design as professional as possible. If you choose a juvenile design, buyers and sellers may not take your site seriously.
Integrate a virtual check-out system with shopping carts, so users can shop and purchase auctioned items. OSCommerce.com and PayPal.com have simple methods and programs that can integrate easily with your website.
Gather items for your auction website or promote your site to people who want to sell their items through it. The more pieces you have to auction on your website, the more traffic and the larger auction library you can build over time.
Take pictures of each item or request a photo of the item. You need to upload the pictures onto your website using the "Photo Gallery" option on the website template. You also need a description of the item, its value and the estimated auction end-date. Provide users with a "Buy Now" option, in case it is an item for which they are willing to pay full price.
Market and advertise your auction website. You can submit the website to search engines, such as Yahoo and Google and you can add links to the website on social networks and forums, such as Facebook, Twitter and Craigslist.
Maintain and update your website when new items are for sale and when items are sold. You should stay active on the site as it gives users a sense of credibility, knowing that someone is monitoring the activity on the website.