Feeling slow summertime eBay sales blues?
Contrary to what the old song says, there IS a cure for any eBay sales summertime blues. I’ll list the ingredients; then it’s up to you to concoct the mixture that works best for your business.
The first step towards stirring up eBay sales is to check prices.
Keep an eye on prices for your listings on eBay!
Market values can change over time…demand for your item may increase or decrease…new competitors may undercut you; there are lots of reasons why it’s important to stay current on pricing.
Check out my “Advanced Search” YouTube video to learn how to quickly research SOLD prices on eBay so that you know what your item is selling for. If necessary, adjust your pricing. Don’t forget to note whether sold items offered free or paid shipping, so you can take that into consideration. In addition, be sure to check the size and condition of sold items to ensure they’re truly comparable to what you’re selling.
Also, consider shipping. If you’re not yet selling internationally, you’re missing out on millions of potential customers.
Open your business up to that world of possibilities by going global. For heavier items, expensive items, and items shipping to countries that do not yet offer USPS First Class International’s Electronic Delivery Confirmation (eDelCon), opt into eBay’s Global Shipping Program at ebay.com/GSP. GSP users have seen their sales increase by up to 15%!
And it’s easy: With GSP, you create a shipping label through eBay as usual to generate a global tracking number. It’s automatically uploaded to your and your buyer’s My eBay page. Then you ship the item to eBay’s Global Shipping Center in Kentucky. eBay does the rest, including filling out customs forms, paying import fees, and providing international shipping to your buyer.
Small and/or lightweight and/or inexpensive items may be shipped directly via USPS First Class International with eDelCon. eBay Labels and third-party providers automatically generate and fill out customs forms. For more details enjoy my blog post International Sales Mean Cash
Selling internationally increases eBay sales!
So you’ve checked your pricing and are shipping worldwide. Now let’s check your listings’ formats.
It’s best to have a mix of fixed price and auction listings because while some shoppers love to bid, others prefer to Buy It Now.
For fixed price listings, add the Best Offer option. Best Offer lets the buyer know that you’re willing to haggle a bit. If you get an unacceptable offer, always counteroffer, with a note thanking the buyer and telling them how much of a discount you’re offering and why your item is worth it. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how many lowball offers can be turned into sales!
You can also send Private Offers in response to questions received through My Messages.
Just click “Reply with an offer” in the upper right-hand corner of the message. Again, add a note explaining your offer is for $X, which is Y% off.
Finally, promote your items via Promotions Manager and/or Promoted Listings.
Promotions Manager is free to eBay Store subscribers; use it to create special offers, discounts, and sale events. Store subscribers and Top Rated Sellers can also use Promoted Listings to boost item visibility by 30%.
Pull ahead in sales with eBay Promotions!
With Promoted Listings, you choose an ad rate: a percentage you’re willing to pay if your item sells from its promoted listing. You only pay if a buyer clicks on your ad AND purchases the item within 30 days. Top Rated Sellers receive a quarterly $30 Promotions Listing credit, while Anchor and Enterprise Store subscribers receive a $25 credit. Top-Rated Anchor and Enterprise Store subscribers receive both.
So go ahead and cure those slow summer sales blues.
Now that you know the ingredients — check pricing; sell internationally; vary your listing formats; use Best Offer and Private Offer; try Promotions Manager and Promoted Listings — you’re sure to be able to cook up a recipe for success!
P.S. For even more summer sales success tips, listen to my recent interview on eBay Radio.
