Reported in The Enquirer on July 17th BOONEVILLE, KY.

An eastern Kentucky woman hopes to fetch at least $750,000 for a Revolutionary War map and a few strands of hair that she says belonged to George Washington.

Christa Allen from Kentucky needs some money right away as her son has been in the hospital recently, and she doesn't have medical insurance.

So she decided to put the hair and map on eBay.

Maybe you haven't got the odd strand of Washington's hair kicking around, but you have probably considered selling that redundant exercise bike or coronation mug.

This is the way so many people start selling on eBay, casually selling an item or two freshly dragged from the loft. A goodly percentage then go on and get the eBay selling bug. Just check out the success stories on Freeauctionscripts.com for confirmation.

But beware! There is a world of difference between selling spare items from the attic and buying and selling profitably as a business.

For a start it is essential to consider eBay listing fees, eBay final value fees, PayPal transaction fees, cost of goods, shipping expenses, refund expenses (damaged/missing shipments), office expenses and packaging.

The advice from seasoned eBay merchants is well worth examination if you are considering trading seriously.

Here are the top tips from a variety of eBay Powersellers.

1. Seek advice and learn as much as you can before you start. Use the eBay Store Sellers Board - a lively forum where you can pick up tips and ask questions.

2. Find a niche. Sell what you like and can get your hands on. Keep in mind shipping and the supplies to ship those items.

3. Keep yourself organized either on paper, online, or with a spreadsheet.

4. When volume picks up, find ways to decrease your workload and streamline your business. How about a USPS pickup instead of a trip to the post office each time?

5. Recognize when you need a solution. As number of products increase you will need management tools such as Turbolister or SpareDollar.

6. Make research a part of your daily routine. It's important to know what changes have been made, get tips on how to improve your business , and know when there are problems.

7. Adapt to change. It's a constant fact that things change. Those that can adapt to changes will survive.

With the right preparation you can certainly enjoy a profitable and convenient way of life.

As Judith Isaacson of Goldman Jewelry eBay Store concludes in her success story on Freeauctionscripts.com:

"So here I am in Israel, promoting and selling jewelry that is in New York, to customers around the world, without leaving the house. The process of building and handling the internet extension of our family business, and combining family, home and business brings me full circle. My cup runneth over."