Kent Ong
Malaysia
Best Practices from
Kent Ong
- Be patient – eBay is huge opportunity and market for any individual seller.
- Keep doing research on the items you want to sell.
- Always update yourself with information from eBay. eBay e-newletters are a good source of information.
- Provide good customer service.
- Research on competition.
What is your occupational background?
Before I started selling on eBay, I was a web designer and created websites for many companies in Malaysia.
How did you get started on eBay?
I sold items that are of no use to me such as books, CDs, DVDs, etc.
How long have you been buying and selling on eBay?
4 years.
What are you currently selling on eBay, and on which eBay sites?
I am selling jewellery internationally to the US, UK and domestically in Malaysia at the following sites - eBay.com, eBay.co.uk and eBay.com.my.
Is there a reason why you chose to sell these products?
It all started when I befriended veteran jeweller William Yap in church about a year ago. At that time, I had already clocked in a year on eBay selling a range of things, from unwanted items such as my first violin, old books and unused stationery, to local hotel vouchers. I had buyers from Singapore, Australia and the UK.
Meanwhile, William has over 30 years of experience in the jewellery trade. We decided to collaborate and formed Daiming Jewellery on eBay in July 2007. I now work full-time on the online store while Yap gives his full backing in terms of other resources.
Where do you source your products from?
From my partner, William.
How much do you earn per month?
More than RM 5,000 (USD1,500) per month.
Are you satisfied with the amount you are earning?
We still want to earn more and are aiming for bigger sales!
How do you set competitive pricing for your products?
I always conduct research on various eBay sites that I am currently selling on. I find out more about competitors by reading their product descriptions and learning about their pricing for similar items. I also compare prices by doing a search on the internet.
Any advice for entrepreneurs who are keen to start an eBay online business?
There are a lot of gimmicks out there that promise a quick buck doing online business. I have to tell you that there is no difference between an online and an offline business.
Patience, strong communication skills and good customer service are important to become successful on eBay. Have a positive attitude and continue to research on competition and learn how to be more successful in eBay through the various tools available.
In your opinion, what are the benefits of selling on eBay as compared to other e-commerce sites?
- It’s a global online marketplace with over 88 million active users worldwide.
- It never sleeps and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- High traffic unlike any other e-commerce site.
- User-friendly navigation and e features.
- Good customer support team
- Clear policies which ensure a safe and fun trading environment
- eBay adapts to the ever-changing needs of buyers and sellers.
