Every day I get my inbox crammed with eBay questions, so below I’ve listed my top five.

Q: I’ve heard that a lot of people make money on eBay, but is it really true?
A: Yes! In fact, many people actually make a living on eBay. The highest earning sellers on eBay are recognized as PowerSellers. In order to be considered, a seller must maintain a 98% or better positive feedback rating, be an active member for at least 90 days and average a minimum of $1,000.00 in revenue for three consecutive months. In addition, the eBay seller account must be in good standing. The basic PowerSeller status is given to a seller with monthly earnings of $1,000.00, a silver membership is awarded to those with monthly earnings of $3,000.00, gold goes to those who bring in $10,000 per month, platinum for the big time sellers who earn $25,000.00 monthly and the highest level of eBay PowerSellers are awarded titanium membership if they earn an average of $150,000.00 per month. Now that’s a good living!

Q: How can I get more buyers to shop with me? I see some people who seem to have all of the bids while I am struggling to get my business off the ground?
A: The longer an eBay user has been an active seller, the larger their customer base. The truth is that, in time, you too will begin to have repeat customers and garner more attention for your products. When you first begin selling, you shouldn’t expect to do the same volume of business as someone who has been actively selling on eBay for a while. Even if you have the same products, it will take time for you to gain the trust of consumers. But, fear not - if you continue to press on and begin to gather positive feedback, more and more business will come your way.

Q: What steps can I take to promote my eBay store and/or auctions?
A: In addition to the promotion efforts that eBay offers, sellers can go out on their own and begin to market their own online presence. Through the distribution of business cards, word will begin to stir about your eBay presence. In addition, article marketing, press release submission sites and submitting your eBay page to search engines will help to attract more attention.

Q: Why should I accept PayPal as a payment method for my eBay auctions?
A: Many consumers would rather send a payment immediately rather than having to go out and get a money order or mail a check. If they have a credit card, they can instantly send a payment through PayPal. The same is true with a bank account. Buyers can even send instant transfers directly from their bank account, which saves a lot of time for the seller who doesn’t have to wait for a check to clear.

Q: I sometimes get e-mails that look like they are from eBay, but they ask for my personal information and/or password. Is this legitimate?
A: No! It is eBay’s policy that, in any e-mail, they will address you by your first and last name. They also vow to never ask for your password of other account information via e-mail. If you receive an e-mail addressing you as “Dear eBay user” or “Dear (your eBay ID),” do not click on any link or follow any instructions in the e-mail. If you are concerned about an e-mail that you received, go to your browser, type in http://www.ebay.com/ and sign in to your account directly through their website. Never click on a link in any e-mail that does not address you by your first and last name. In addition, if you hold your mouse over the link in many suspicious e-mails without actually clicking on the link, it will reveal that the actual website address is not eBay. You may report any such e-mails to: spoof@ebay.com