If you sell items on eBay or other auction sites, using picture hosts to include photos on your auction can significantly increase your sales. Without a hosted picture, it is all too easy to get lost in a sea of bland text online. Or as one old adage so eloquently puts it, “people won’t buy what they can’t see.”
Millions of people around the world are selling on auction sites, and without a doubt, eBay is the granddaddy of all online auction portals. In fact, selling items on eBay is so profitable that many people try it out as a hobby, and eventually form a full-time business from online auctions.
It is not uncommon for individuals to make a very respectable living by selling on eBay, and the site has even produced a few “millionaire sellers.” But it doesn’t matter if you’re aiming for a full-time business, or just interested in making a little pocket cash here and there, one thing is for certain: using picture hosts to include a photo on your auction page has been proven time and time again to increase both bids and successful sales. And that’s really the name of the game, isn’t it?
With this in mind, we will present a brief overview of two of the most useful picture hosting web sites online, and the features offered by each. Now, let’s get started.
VisualVia is not exactly a well-known name online. In fact, it is a little-known photo hosting site that offers more auction-friendly features than you might expect. For example, VisualVia allows the user to create an account and manage their stored online images and photos, complete with a variety of editing features. Users can host images, of course, but also videos and other media files.
In addition, you can create online slideshows, and share photographs with friends or family. The site allows multiple image upload, and unlimited bandwidth, and the ability to create custom image portfolios and auction image galleries that are perfect for eBay sellers.
VisualVia offers five different plans, including a free picture host service that includes 2 MB of disk space and 100 MB per month of user bandwidth. For as little as $.99 per month, users can get 50 MB of disk space, with unlimited bandwidth and the ability to create 360° photos spins, auction Galleries, image portfolios, and many more exciting features guaranteed to attract attention to your online auctions.
Another online image host is imagehostplus. This hosting site allows the user to create slideshows and galleries they can be used on eBay as well as any other auction site. In addition, image hosting for web sites, message boards and forms is included, and their multiple-upload feature allows you to upload as many as 15 different pictures at one time.
Other features include unlimited monthly bandwidth, the ability to share images easily with others, image capture statistics that track views for each of your pictures that is hosted, and unlimited folders, in which to organize your photos.
There is also an optional image protection feature, which adds a watermark to prevent your photos from being copied online, and a free image manager software application that can perform most basic picture editing tasks. Imagehostplus has a free trial account, and low monthly rates from $1.95.
Both of these picture hosts provide great value for the money, and a wide range of features to help you sell your products on eBay, through online classified ads, or other auction sites.