Ask three sellers on eBay the best length for an eBay auction and you’re likely to get three different answers. EBay author and maverick marketer Andrew Lock knows his stuff when it comes to, well, all things eBay and small business marketing, so it's worth your time to listen up. You'll also get some keen tips on Web tools and marketing principles that you can use in your ecommerce efforts. Just click on the Help! My Business Sucks logo below, and watch the video.

What is going on with the hotels? None of them seem to have a clue about travelers want! I just stayed in one in Los Angeles that recently had a multi-million dollar refurbishment done, and it was a classic case of form over function. It was completely impractical. Nowhere to plug my cell phone in to charge it up, having to get out of bed to turn off the bedside light, and being blinded by bright fluorescent lights in the bathroom.

This week’s question is about the best duration for an eBay listing -- should it be one, five, seven or ten days? What do you think? See if you agree with my recommendation.

Market research is much easier these days than it ever used to be, thanks to the Internet. I’ll tell you about a cool resource that lets you get inside your prospects minds. It’s very handy indeed.

Virgin has a great reputation for outstanding customer service, and their marketing efforts are equally as impressive, especially for a big company. They offer a range of services including broadband, TV, cell phone and home phone. They bundle the services into a sweet deal, and I’ll show you a principle that helps them win many customers via direct mail. You can use the same principle in your small business marketing.

As usual, let me know your opinion about the topics covered in the show this week -- leave your comment below, it’s really easy to do.

Andrew Lock is a self-described maverick marketer and the creator and host of Help! My Business Sucks, a free, weekly Web TV show full of practical marketing tips, advice and resources to help small businesses "get more done and have more fun."

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