Web sites are nice to have because you can add a link to your auction that can show customers other items you have for sale. Also, depending on where you site is hosted, you can use a web site to store your graphics and then link them onto your auction. Space is a priority at most auctions, so you normally need to find your own spot on the Internet to store the pictures of your merchandise.
Originally, I was using my Tripod site to store my graphics files. This worked out well for me since a number of items I had more than one of so I could show the picture both on my site and on an auction. Then Tripod did something very rude. Without any warning, they blocked all linking to Ebay. So my graphics no longer worked. Many Ebay sellers were scrambling for a new solution. That’s when I heard about sites that offer free image hosting - in other words - a place to just store your graphics! They are designed to allow users to store images on their servers and link to various auctions. Many of them also have other services such as counters and auction tools. For their free services, some ask that you include a link to their site or that you click on their advertisers from time to time to help keep them in business. Though there are tons of sites that offer this service, here are a few to get you started:
I personally use Auction Watch, but I have found that most of them offer similar service and are fairly user friendly. So, no, you don’t have to have a web site. In fact, you may not want to use the space on your web page to host your graphics. So, why not get it for free?
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