EBay 101

Regardless of what you sell, there's plenty your business can borrow from eBay, says Debra Ellis of Barnardsville, NC-based Wilson & Ellis Consulting. For instance:

"Start by understanding human nature and believing that people are basically good," Ellis says. If you want customers and prospects to trust you, you need to trust them.

"Create a community. Every aspect of eBay reinforces a community mentality," according to Ellis. "There are forums, meetings, and chat rooms all designed to enhance the community environment. All participants are members, part of the 'in' group, instead of customers."

Encourage feedback and--assuming you offer stellar service--post it for all to see. "The eBay community is training folks to look for feedback," says Ellis, but "it must be realistic to have credibility." And don't neglect to make shopping fun. "Despite the tedious nature of listing and searching for items, eBay is simply fun," Ellis says. "Find ways to increase the fun meter with shopping experience."