Do Not Worry

"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?" (Matthew 6:25 KJV)

Do not worry? All too often when considering the idea of "taking no thought" in the sense of not worrying, people tend to toughen up, stiffen the lower lip, and become more determined that they are not going to do whatever they have been told not to do. I am not so sure that actions which reflect a hardening reflect an accurate understanding of this command. To not give something a second thought can easily be misrepresented as either a callousness or a laziness. Our delima is that when we hear "take no thought" we draw the straightest line we can to "take no involvement in". We think we need not worry because we think we will escape that which causes the worry. Somehow we will remove ourselves (or be removed) from the turmoil of a situation. This is a natural thought process for people who distance themselves from situations that they cannot manage. A school boy told not to worry about an impending fight with the bully concludes that either the bully will not be there or his dad will be there in time to pick him up. Naturally very few want the work of either brushing up on diplomatic skills or discovering a new found reason to take a self defense class.

There are dozens of very real and present needs that we have. We all want to secure them as best that we can and many want to insure that his neighbor has the chance too. In the process of securing your needs for food, shelter, a friend, etc... is Jesus your first stop in making these requests? No one is denying the realness of the need and no one wants to deaden your sense of touch and sensitivity to an otherwise brushed off toughen up lesson. So what does it really mean to "take no thought for your life"? The first big irony is that the quickest way to meet your needs is to take no thought for them. I am not sure how much that helps the first time hearer, but it begins the suggestion of trust. You are a uniquely important and wonderfully made individual that God cares about very much. Even on the days that you do not feel it.:-) In order to best realize this, you must have an understanding that the closer you are to Him, the more you are going to see what He puts in place for you. This is not to be confused with a prosperity doctrine as that is your attempt to manage your provision by how close you think you are. To be able to not worry about the supplies you have or do not have is a direct function of trust bathed in surrender to your provider. In this case (and all others), Jesus.

A very revealing couple of questions to ask yourself would be, does relying on the Lord's provision make you more or less likely to obey and follow when prompted by His Spirit? Would managing a little more of your sustenance change your ability to obey or would it simply reveal whether obedience was there to begin with or not? These questions can be revealing in the same sense that if much is given much is required (see Luke 12:48). When Jesus provides illustrations of birds and flowers, He is not merely pointing to something smaller than us, but to others who are in the employ of His Father. Similarly David sites God's work in defeating a lion and a bear as evidence of God's potential success with the giant. Jesus is reminding us that God has other successful projects that we can reflect on to know that He is worth working for. The tools that we need to accomplish His work are worth asking for and in so doing they will be provided in His timing. The trick is not to separate yourself from the work because it appears unmanageable, but to surrender and get to it. The rewards are always well worth it in the end!

"Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (John 20:29 KJV)

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Penny Auctions: The Future

What is the future of the penny auction industry? This is a tough question to answer, but let us look at trends and future possibilities. The last few years have seen the rise and subsequent bust of penny auctions. When they started in the United States, they took the online world by storm and had a huge surge in the number of members joining each day. That was the honeymoon phase for the industry. Obviously it didn't last.

A lot of sites began using unethical techniques to advertise. Worse, some were outright scams by employing shady business practices, shell-bidding to drive up prices and deny their members a chance to win or just outright misleading advertising. This gave a bad name to the industry as a whole and didn't do any good to the ones that were legitimate and genuinely run by people who wanted consumers to save while making a profit. Plenty of penny auctions closed shop in this phase.

After this, only the best survived. Today, there is a clear downward trend in terms of number of new bidders. As a result, businesses don't see this as an easy money-making scheme anymore and they are forced to see that penny auctions are a genuine business opportunity and like any business, need initial capital, time and commitment from the owner. This is the only way to attract shoppers who will remain loyal.

This new phase has also given rise to a number of new innovations. For example, the rise of the so called "timerless penny auctions" has been a good sign for bidders who don't like traditional auctions and the concept of timers that are employed. These help cater to another class of bidders who will spend more and be more assured of a win, so that overall they can save money instead of losing.

So where does the future of the penny auction industry lie? I believe it lies in genuine businesses that survive through a reputation of being good for consumers and who are in it for the long run. Look at Quibids, which is now the largest penny auction in the world. It didn't opt for short-cuts at all, and while some times overtook it for a small time, in the end, it was Quibids which reigned supreme. This is how businesses win in the long term.

For smaller sites, they need to consider innovating. How are they different from other similar sites? If your idea is like Quibids, why should I ever go to your site with trust issues when I can do the same at a site I trust more? You need to think in terms of the users, not your own profitability alone.

The positive thing is that a few new penny auctions are indeed innovating, especially the ones that are looking to make the timerless penny auction model become more popular.

From a bidder point of view, you need to understand all the different types of penny auctions that are out there, so that you really know and understand what is best for you. What do you like? What is your bidding preferences? What is your risk tolerance and how much risk do you like to take? These are just some of the questions that you need to answer before going ahead with joining new sites and trying out the waters again. Remember to study the new models as well.

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'Fair Warning' - 7 Legal Risks of the E Auction

Online auctions (or e auctions) are big business and can catapult the regional auction house onto an international stage with access to new and dynamic global markets.

Companies such as eBay have added all kinds of auction capabilities to their websites in order to attract users and add excitement. But running an online auction - an auction which is held over the Internet - raises many legal issues both for the seller and the buyer.

This article looks at ways to mitigate the organisation's risks which come from adding an auction to a company's website. The information does not constitute legal advice and organisations considering an online auction should always seek expert opinion.

1. What kind of auction?

You might think that an auction is a sale where buyers bid the highest price for an item and the fall of the auctioneer's hammer confirms the deal. This English auction is the most common type, but there are others and each carry their own legal risks and responsibilities, including:

Vickrey auctions - the highest bidder obtains the item at the price offered by the second highest bidder;

Dutch and Yankee auctions - auctions formatted to handle a situation in which a seller wishes to sell multiple, identical items;

First-price sealed-bid auction - a single bid is made by all bidding parties and the single highest bidder wins, and pays what they bid. The main difference between this and English auctions is that bids are not openly viewable or announced as apposed to the competitive nature which is generated by public bids;

Reverse auction - where the roles of buyer and seller are reversed. Multiple sellers compete to obtain the buyer's business and prices typically decrease over time as new offers are made. They do not follow the typical auction format in that the buyer can see all the offers and may choose which they would prefer. Reverse auctions are used predominantly in a business context for Procurement.

Bidding fee auction, or penny auction requires customers to pay for bids, which they can increment an auction price one unit of currency at a time

2. Bidder terms and conditions

Sophisticated auction websites such as eBay publish several policies that cover the variety of goods intended for auction. Less sophisticated sites will still need to carry bidder terms and conditions which include:

the method by which bids will be processed; how winning bids will be handled; how winning bidders will be notified; the use of "reserve" prices (a secret price below which no bid is accepted); how disputes between bidders will be addressed; how merchandise and payments will be shipped; refund and return policies; information on fees, membership eligibility requirements, and feedback mechanisms; which country's jurisdiction and laws will apply.

The rules may also include a list of prohibited items due to their potentially hazardous or unlawful nature (e.g., firearms, chemicals, or fireworks). Some countries may also prohibit certain products, such as France's ban on the sale of Nazi memorabilia.

The European Distance Selling Directive does not apply to online auctions so bidders acting in a private (rather than a business) capacity do not have the right to a cooling of period, as consumers generally do when purchasing products 'at a distance'.

3. 'Sale of goods - as seen'

Offline, items are sold in auction 'as seen'. Companies that are auctioning off their own goods (as opposed to merely creating a forum for third party transactions) should be particularly aware of the legal issues that auctioning specific items may pose, such as rare wine which may be subject to pricing or shipping regulations. Similarly, although companies may be tempted to describe their goods for auction with glowing words to encourage bidding, they should bear in mind that all the rules, regulations, and laws which govern the conventional sale of goods still apply.

4. Privacy

Most auction sites require that users, both bidders and sellers, register before participating. The registration process usually involves collecting some user information, including name, address, phone number, etc. The auction site owner should publish and adhere to a "privacy policy" regarding how it collects and utilizes user information online. This includes compliance with the EU cookies rules in EU member states as well as Data Protection.

Auction rules do vary significantly in other countries, so companies may wish to limit participation to their own country. However, if you do allow those in other countries to participate in online auctions, you must be aware of international privacy laws and regulations.

5. User feedback

Following the lead from eBay, many auction sites now provide a feedback mechanism through which registrants can provide post-transaction commentary about other users. This user "feedback" is meant to keep the bidding process open and honest, and to allow customers to communicate their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the seller and its goods. However, user feedback has already become the basis of at least one libel lawsuit, in which one car retailer sued another, alleging that the defendant had posted false and defamatory feedback.

Companies should incorporate rules concerning the content of user communications in their web site terms and conditions (not the same as bidder terms and conditions) as well as expressly disclaim all responsibility and liability for user-provided content.

6. Website terms and conditions

Website terms and conditions govern visitors' use of your website. It covers issues such as legal notices, ownership of intellectual property, use of hyperlinks and disclaimers.

A "clickwrap" agreement requires the users to view the agreement and click "I Agree" or some similar wording before gaining access to the site or a feature. Terms and conditions are usually accessible through a link at the bottom of the home page of the site and do not require viewing or consent. Although many companies opt to have terms and conditions rather than clickwraps because of their more user-friendly nature, as between the two, clickwraps are more likely to be found to be enforceable in court.

7. Money laundering

In a cash high business, you have to take a zero tolerance attitude towards money laundering. Not only will the regulators come down heavy on an organisation that doesn't have sufficient controls in place to prevent money laundering, but it also doesn't look good from a commercial and professional standing.

And finally...

Auction companies tend to outsource the online part of their operations to hosting companies such as i-bidder. Not only does this ensure that expertise and service is consistent, but the auction company will also get access to a wider market as well as Internet savvy customers. All in all, professional auction houses will always ensure that customers have a safe and enjoyable browsing experience when bidding online.

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Buying Items On eBay

Before buying anything on eBay, here are a few simple things to be aware of:

1. Check Feedback score

2. Check Postage details

3. 'Auctions Only' Tab

4. Saved Searches

The feedback score is a gauge of how frequent a person uses eBay and how satisfied his customers are.

It is a risk buying from somebody who has a score say below 30 as this person hasn't had much eBay experience and doesn't know the eBay etiquette and protocols.

If the item you want to buy is of low value, this is less of an issue. You have less to lose if the item is not as described, or goes missing, or you don't get any email response from the seller when prompted with a question.

If the item you want is available from more than one person or supplier, then this first step of checking feedback is probably the best bet to decide who to buy from.

Other considerations are where the item is coming from:

The postage details give you a wealth of information. Where the item is located - can you easily go and pick it up if it is a large or heavy item?

If the item is in Land's End and you are in Scotland or abroad, then you will want it to be carefully wrapped and you may require some tracking information especially if it has cost a lot to buy. The buyer decides how the item is going to be posted, so you may not have a choice, although a postage suggestion to the buyer can always be made via email.

The days when most eBay sellers made a profit on charging ridiculous postage charges are gone, but check the charges against the cost of the item and decide whether it is worth it to buy, as another listing may include or have lower postage costs

Always remember that clicking on the 'Auctions only' tab at the top of the listing tends to remove all the traders selling new stuff. This is for those of us who want to browse at what used items other people are selling, a bit like a proper auction.

If you are not in a hurry, you can always wait until a particular item becomes available on eBay by using the 'save search' feature where you will be emailed as new listings matching your search come up. (The 'Save search' link is right at the top, on the same line as your search description).

These days, it is a buyers' market on eBay and you can really get some bargains, but be careful!

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What You Need to Know About Auction Sites

In these hard economic times, there are two reasons that auction sites have become popular. These sites allow you to both buy things at a cheaper price than you can get in a store and to sell things that you own to add a bit to your income. There are a few things you need to know before you choose what auction site to use, though.

Membership Sites and Payment Guarantees

About half the sites that offer auction products require that you register and pay a membership fee. Sites that do this charge lower listing fees to the sellers. While this sounds like an equitable distribution of costs, it is known that most people who buy a product at one of these sites use the site only two or three times during a year. Some of the memberships are quite costly.

Many sites that provide bidding services for products require that the person making the bid place a specified minimum amount of cash in an account with the site. This is to guarantee that the person bidding has the money to pay for the item and any other costs assigned to the buyer. On the surface, this appears to be a fair request especially if you are the seller.

However, the amount deposited is often considerably more than the price you are willing to pay for an item and the site is not required to return the unused amount in your account. On some sites, this unused balance becomes property of the site after a period of time specified in a contract, which can be as short as 3 months.

If you decide to sell an item on a site, be sure to understand completely all the fees that you will be charged. For example, one site charges a listing fee for a certain number of days. Then, they add additional fees for relisting, for insurance that you will sell the product at the reserve price and a percentage of the price that you do sell the item at. In the end, you could end up with less than half of the money that you expected. Some sites require that you pay any taxes that are to be paid and any shipping charges from your own pocket.

Services Offered by Sites

Auctioning sites can be very profitable and trustworthy as long as you are assured that the site has services for any glitches or unexpected events. When auction sites advertise that they have customer service, it is suggested that you attempt to contact that department prior to listing any items on the site. Often there are customer service representatives but they cannot or do not contact their clients or customers in a timely manner. When you are bidding or selling on their site, timing is everything.

For example, if your item doesn't show up or it goes down earlier than the listing period, you will need to contact customer service immediately or forfeit any claim to reimbursement of free relisting services. If you are bidding on an item and you accidentally hit too many zeros, you need to be able to contact someone in customer service for assistance at notifying the seller right away. Try to find an online auctions website that has plenty of traffic, many items but not so many that you get lost in the mix.

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Repackaging For Extra eBay Profits

This is one of those things that usually escapes us. It's subtle in nature and the end product seems like such a value, we buy it. It has less to do with the value of the individual items in the package than the value we perceive because of the convenience of the packaging. Confused yet?

Think groceries. Take the Lunchables brand by Oscar Meyer. Imagine the enterprising product development team that brought this package out. At first it probably sounded ridiculous. "We want to take a few pieces of cheese, a few pieces of meat and some crackers and sell it as a kids meal". I'm sure it was hotly debated in the board room before it was ramped up for production. The first response was probably, "why would anyone pay that for one meal when they could assemble it themselves for a fraction of what we will charge?" Fast forward a few years and lunchables are everywhere! They even did it with the peanut butter jelly sandwich. Who would have thought folks would buy premade PBJs. Yet we do, to the tune of millions of dollars per year. Why? It's all about the packaging.

We want it easy. We're America dammit! We innovate and improvise. We invent and create. We can turn a profit on practically anything. If we can't, we repackage it and try again. We want the new TV to be delivered and in instant hook up condition. If it doesn't, we will gladly pay more for the one that does. That's how we roll! We want our new radio to come out of the box with batteries taped to the back and our favorite stations preprogrammed.

So what does all this mean when it comes to eBay? It's pretty simple. Repackage. If you can buy something for a decent price and make a little profit. Repackage it. Add some bells and whistles to the deal. If you're selling a digital camera, add a tripod and a memory card. Selling an iPod, throw in an iTunes gift card and a case. Throw in an extended warranty at no charge. You get the idea. It's a competition for bidders and buyers. Your items don't necessarily have to be the best price. Just the best perceived value. Primary products have small markups. Accessories have HUGE markups! Package them with your primary product to drive up the perceived value.

You can do this with practically anything you sell. Anything seems more valuable when there are freebies included with it. Remember value has more to do with perception of value than actual value. If your item makes my life more convenient because of the added value items. I will gladly pay you more for it. Don't believe me. Ask the Lunchable factory!

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