There are a few little known benefits of becoming a PowerSeller that only those who have experienced them can tell you about. One of these benefits, for example, is that you can become qualified for discounted healthcare coverage through the programs that eBay is involved in. Another little known benefit is getting preferred customer service and email support from eBay's staff. If you reach a Platinum level of PowerSeller status you will even receive your own eBay account representative whose job will be to get familiarized with your account, help you troubleshoot problems, and help you tweak your selling strategies for optimal sales.

In order to become a Bronze PowerSeller (which is the lowest level of PowerSeller and a great goal to shoot for!) you must average over $1,000 per month in sales over the course of a 90 day period. This may sound like a lot, but once you realize that you only need to do $1,000 in gross sales it becomes very realistic. Just think, if you sell $1,000 worth of goods per month and only make $100 profit you'll still be hitting the mark! The monthly goal has nothing to do with your bottomline profits, only your gross sales - making it much easier to acheive PowerSeller status than you might think! Other requirements include at least a 98% overrall customer feedback satisfaction rating, and no violations of eBay policies or guidelines. You must also have your seller account fees paid up to date and average at least four transactions per month.

A few more benefits include the appearance of an eBay PowerSeller icon next to your username and in the "Meet The Seller" section of all of your auction listings. (This icon's appearance can be turned off if you wish). The appearance of this simple icon can actually boost your sales when other eBay members see that you're a reputable and well respected PowerSeller who abides by eBay rules and regulations. So what are you waiting for? I suggest taping a note to your monitor that says "I will be a PowerSeller in 90 days!" You'll be surprised how easy it is to reach your goals once you have set them.

Aside from the few few benefits mentioned here, take a few minutes to check out the more information on the eBay auction site itself. Here are some very useful links containing more free information in regards to not only benefits of the PowerSeller program, but also detailing the same requirements that I mentioned in this article.

PowerSeller's Portal & Sign-In Page:

http://pages.ebay.com/services/buyandsell/welcome.html

PowerSeller Program Benefits Page:

http://pages.ebay.com/services/buyandsell/powerseller/benefits.html

Additional PowerSeller Criteria & Guidelines:

http://pages.ebay.com/services/buyandsell/powerseller/criteria.html

PowerSeller FAQ Page:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/basics/faq.html

If you take the time to familiarize yourself with the benefits and criteria of PowerSeller status you will be taking a huge step in the right direction. By seriously examining this information you're setting yourself up for success not only in the PowerSeller program, but also as an eBay seller in general.