If you have dabbled at all in the world of Internet advertising, you may have heard the term "unique selling proposition" or USP. USP is a technique that Internet marketers utilize to set themselves apart from the competition. Internet selling is highly competitive and highly saturated. In order to overcome , it is vital that the Internet marketer present himself as being unique and different from his competitors especially when many of them are selling the identical products.

It is also just as vital to have a unique selling proposition on Ebay. I am amazed at the number of Ebay sellers that are either unaware or just dont care about the importance of having a unique selling position. A matter of fact: A while back, I was researching some products on Ebay from a wholesale company called B&F System. B&F System is a wholesale only business that carries a variety of brand title products. One of the brands they carry is called Maxam. I came across several Maxam leather jackets on Ebay while searching ended auctions. Now heres the kicker. About a dozen or so of these leather jacket auctions we are exactly the same. They all used the same image of a guy modeling the jacket that was captured from the B&F web site. They even used the exact advertisement copy used by B&F!

What was the result? Only one of the sellers was able sell any jackets. The top bid was only $26. And since he purchased the jackets from B&F for $20, he made about $5.00 profit after Ebay fees. Thats a slim profit for an merchandise that normally retails for $95.

Always keep in mind that the amount of effort you put fourth on you auctions will be in direct proportion to the amount of return you get from your auctions. The sellers who put up the jacket auctions put fourth little effort by using stock photos and ad copy from the B&F internet page , and therefore received little or no sales from their auctions. The sellers in this case might think that using stock photos makes their auctions look more professional. Its just the opposite. These auctions look very amateurish. Using a photo of someone modeling a garment will not entice people to bid on your auction. Using three or four high quality pictures of the actual merchandise along with a detailed description will entice people to bid. Remember that buying apparel off the internet is not like buying music CDs or software. You do not need to worry if a CD will fit. You do not positive need to see multiple pictures of a box of software to understand what youll be getting. However, when selling apparel, sizeably good quality pictures and a detailed description are vital. You should utilize a dazzling quality digital camera to take pictures of the item from different angles. If youre selling jackets or coats, include a photo of the lining as well. In your description, dont just say its a large size. Give measurements of the garment including overall length, sleeve length and chest size. If youre going to specialize in apparel, it would be a great idea to purchase a form or clothing dummy to model your apparel. Doing these things will go a long way in setting you apart from the competition and establishing a "unique selling proposition."

What ever youre thinking about selling, always look at your competition and ponder how to set yourself apart. Remember that unless youre selling antiques on Ebay, theres always someone else whos trying to sell the same thing youre selling. Establishing your USP will put you on the road to Ebay success.