For many small eBay businesses these processes will not be documented at all and is usually held as knowledge by the seller. This knowledge is passed from the seller to any individual he decides to employ if the business expands and if that individual leaves, the seller will ensure any new recruit has the knowledge passed to them in order to carry out the role. For larger eBay stores, this knowledge is not only held in the people of the business; it is also documented in procedures and instructions. This formalization makes certain continuity is achieved within the business and documents the knowledge gained. In addition, it ensures that clear instruction is provided into how to carry out the many processes that are part of the day to day operating of any business. It also reduces the likelihood of deviations in product quality due to people carrying a process out 'their own way'.



EBay itself have documented procedures and policies in place to ensure us the customers feel satisfied. For example, eBay has its own mission statement which sets out the objective of the company. They also carry out satisfaction surveys at regular intervals. They have numerous procedures which you follow on a daily basis (e.g. the feedback system). Your business is no different.

If you dispatch a product and the customer does not receive it, you will chase the courier up. If your eBay business is only just starting out, this will be easily done as you are likely to have a small quantity of dispatches per day. If however you are dispatching dozens of items every day you may need a system in place that deals with dispatch errors. Again if your customer has received goods that have been damaged in transit, you may need a system in place that ensures your customers complaint is logged and dealt with in a timely manner. If on the other hand you are a seller of goods that require calibration prior to your customer receiving it, you are likely to need a calibration system in place to ensure all goods are calibrated prior to dispatch. There are a number of processes that your eBay business will need to have in place to ensure it is sustainable and can turnover a profit which will allow you to grow.

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