AuctionPal: Your Virtual Vendor

For those who are interested in selling some personal items online, but don't have the time or desire to learn the ins and outs of selling on eBay, auctionPAL is a virtual drop shop that will list and sell the items for you.

To get started, you simply go to the Web site, register and then type in a description of the item you'd like to sell. After submitting the description you are then shown a table that highlights the current average selling price of the item and what your expected earnings should be. If you choose to sell, the next screen prompts you for an item description, a place to specify the condition and other item-specific details, such as warranty information and model numbers, and your contact information. After this, you can upload up to five images of the item you would like to sell through auctionPAL.

Auctions Made Easy
From there, your item is routed to an auction expert at auctionPAL, who generates the online auction. AuctionPAL does everything from listing and monitoring the item, handling auction questions and more. When your item sells successfully online, you simply wait for your shipping kit from auctionPAL. The shipping kit contains everything you need to get the item out, including detailed instructions, the mailing label, the box or ship kit, packaging — even the tape to seal the box. Once you have the item packaged and ready to go, you can call DHL to schedule a pick-up.

Once the auction has been completed and the buyer receives the item successfully, auctionPAL will take its cut, the fees from the sale, and send you the remainder of the money earned from selling the item.

'Tis Better to Give than to Receive
Since auctionPAL is so easy to use, it makes an excellent platform for online fundraising efforts, an area the company recently entered into with the release of its Web-based fundraising tool. Through the service, auctionPAL gives groups and associations the opportunity to offer supporters an additional way to contribute by making it possible for them to turn their unwanted items into charitable tax-deductible donations using its simple online application.

To do this, auctionPAL manages the entire process as it would for an individual auction, and then sends the proceeds directly to the organization on behalf of the donor as a fundraising contribution. For fundraising efforts auctionPAL deducts all marketplace fees and expenses from the final auction value and neither the donor nor recipient will have to pay any upfront costs or fees associated with the transaction.

The fundraising application can be customized and displayed on your own Web site and with a single click will take donors to auctionPAL for an item contribution. Even Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has a "Mitt Market" section on the Mitt Romney Web site that provides details on how you can use auctionPAL's fundraising platform to contribute to the campaign. Through auctionPal you can also contribute items for sale to organizations such as WBUR, Associated Early Care and Education and World Camp. AuctionPAL's fundraising platform gives organizations an easy-to-implement way to encourage donations through means other than a check or credit card.

Vangie Beal is a seasoned eBay seller, frequent contributor to ECommerce-Guide.com and managing editor of Webopedia.com.

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