It’s just out! The eBay Winter Seller Update 2024 was announced on February 21, 2024.
Unlike some previous seller updates, the eBay Winter Seller Update of 2024 has nothing in it that will set your hair on fire. The bottom line is that it’s basically all about the bottom line — that is, driving conversion, i.e., sales.
That said, there’s one thing you need to bear in mind while reviewing the initiatives and changes contained in this update: namely, how they’re going to affect YOUR bottom line. eBay only cares about our sales, not about our profits. It’s up to you to keep a sharp eye on your profit margins.
eBay Winter Seller Update 2024: Reach More Buyers!
eBay is rolling out new and improved tools to help you grow your business. For starters, sellers with a Basic or higher eBay Store subscription will now be able to create markdown sale events directly from the Active Listings page in Seller Hub. Previously, this could only be done from the Seller Hub Marketing tab. This functionality is also coming soon to the eBay Mobile app. Want more tips for your eBay store? Grab our valuable eBay Master Store Tips. They’re free!
Also rolling out are new “Sell it faster” recommendations. These data-backed suggestions will appear on your Active Listings page. For example, eBay already shows recommendations to Send Offer to Buyers for eligible listings. Now you’ll be able to automate offers based on considerations such as category, price, and condition. This is where it pays to know your cost of goods sold (COGS), so you don’t undercut yourself and lose money.
Don’t like eBay’s recommendations? Click “Remind me later” to snooze them.
Sell More Efficiently!
Sellers asked, and eBay listened: Drafts will now stay available longer. In the past, a draft would be saved for 75 days after its creation, even if you revised it. Now making revisions will restart the clock; you’ll have 75 days from when changes are made.
You can save up to 250 drafts through the quick listing tool on eBay.com and the eBay Mobile app, and you can save up to 5,000 draftsvia the single and bulk business listing tools in Seller Hub.
Protect Your Business!
The Winter Seller Update announced that over the past few months, eBay has taken steps toward reducing unpaid item cases for Buy It Now and Best Offer items by requiring would-be buyers to first provide a payment method before they can send their offer.
Based on favorable feedback, the company is now taking the same tactic with seller-initiated offers. Before potential buyers can accept your offer, they will first be taken directly to checkout to make payment. Only then can they complete their purchase. If they abandon the checkout page, the item will remain available to other buyers.
Delegate More Tasks with MUAA!
eBay has enhanced Multi-User Account Access (MUAA). Now you can authorize someone else to handle My Messages as well as to create, modify, and manage advertising campaigns and promotions. The company also has introduced two-step verification with authenticator apps to maximize account security.
Improvements to Shipping and Listing Management!
eBay Standard Envelope has been expanded into more categories; tracking has been upgraded; and the Free Shipping prompt now appears on your main listing draft, making it easier to offer this option.
Another change: As of this update, when you switch categories while listing, the most relevant item specifics will follow you over to the new category.
Running Your Business on the Go!
Now you can sort orders by Custom SKU or by buyer when using eBay Mobile.
Updates to Fees and Financials!
This is the only bad news in the Winter SellerUpdate, and it’s not terrible: Starting March 15, 2024, the per-order fee on orders over $10 will increase to $0.40 across all categories. For orders $10 and under, you’ll still be charged the current rate of $0.30.
Despite fee increases, the eBay Winter Seller Update 2024 is mostly good news for sellers!
eBay Winter Seller Update 2024: What’s the Bottom Line?
All in all, there’s not much to worry about in this year’s eBay Winter Seller Update. It’s mostly about eBay helping you to sell more quickly and efficiently — so you can sell more, quickly and efficiently. Be sure you know your numbers, and don’t shortchange yourself when it comes to staying profitable!
Here’s what you need to know about eBay’s 2023 Summer Seller Update.
For eBay sellers, the most highly anticipated days in any given year are those when eBay releases a seller update — especially since specific dates are never announced in advance!
These updates inform the seller community about upcoming changes (and sometimes explain recent changes as well). They impact all aspects of selling on eBay, from categories and fees to listing and shipping to seller protections and more. For this reason, sellers often tend to view updates with great trepidation.
The site-wide rollout of eBay International Shipping (EIS)
New solutions to the perennial problem of unpaid items (UPIs)
Also announced in this Summer Seller Update is eBay’s dynamic ad rate for Promoted Listings Standard (PLS). This is something you might want to consider trying.
Of course, no seller update is all sunshine and lollipops.
The most challenging (and confusing) part of this particular update is the section that explains the complicated new regulations around selling and shipping to buyers in Europe. I’ve gotten some clarification from various eBay executives and team leaders, which I’ll pass along to you.
When a buyer asks their bank or credit card company to reimburse the amount they paid for something, it’s called a chargeback. eBay has listened to seller feedback and made significant changes to their payment dispute process.
‘Now sellers can provide detailed information documenting a transaction’s validity, enabling them to more effectively challenge a charge-back (and hopefully get to keep the money). The info they provide may also help them qualify for seller protections. Get details and FAQs at https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/resources/seller-updates/2023-summer/business.
Reporting Inappropriate Buyer Messages
eBay was founded on the premise that people are basically good. Which for the most part, they are. But not all of them. Some unscrupulous buyers try to coerce the seller into taking their transaction offline; others attempt to bully their way to a full or partial refund.
New sellers are especially vulnerable to such ploys and may even be specifically targeted. Now eBay is giving sellers the power to report these bad buyers right from My Messages. Sellers can also block unwelcome buyers.
On your smartphone, Just click on “the kebab” button (three vertical dots) in the upper right-hand corner of the conversation to see the drop-down menu options for doing so. On a desktop or laptop computer, click the Actionbutton above the message, then choose “Report message” (you’ll be asked to provide a reason) or “Block this member”.
Unpaid Items: a Never-Ending Story
Unpaid items following a successful auction or accepted Best Offer are a perpetual thorn in the side for sellers. But according to the Summer Seller Update, eBay is testing a new feature that requires buyers to add a payment method before sending a Best Offer. If their offer is accepted, eBay will automatically collect payment from the buyer.
Thanks to recently implemented and very complex legislation, selling and shipping to buyers in Europe — especially France and Germany — is currently somewhat of a hot mess.
Basically, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws makes manufacturers, importers, and eBay sellers responsible for the entire life cycle of the products they sell. It’s all part of a well-intentioned initiative aimed at protecting the environment by preventing, reducing, and managing waste.
For more details plus specific information on selling to France go HERE.
As for Germany, EPRlaws there are especially convoluted when it comes to the Electronics category. In addition, the German Packaging Act (Verpack G) regulates packing materials. Get the full scoop HERE.
Meanwhile, rest assured that in most cases, EIS can fulfill your order while complying with applicable regulations.
If it’s an item that EIS can’t (yet) handle, the listing will be blocked for buyers in those countries. That makes using EIS a no-brainer for sure!
Dynamic Ad Rate for Promoted Listings Standard
Promoted Listings (PL) is a major moneymaker for eBay — especially the pay-per-sale version, Promoted Listings Standard (PLS.) As of the 2023 Summer Seller Update, eBay has added a Dynamic Ad Rate (DAR).
DAR is a system whereby you let eBay automatically adjust your PLS percentage. You can cap this percentage it at any desired amount, which is why you think about testing DAR to see if it works for you. Check out the details and DAR FAQs at https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/resources/seller-updates/2023-summer/listing.
Summing Up eBay’s 2023 Summer Seller Update
eBay’s 2023 Summer Seller Update includes an interesting gamut of changes, most of which should benefit you and your business on eBay. Read the entire update to get the best sense of what’s what.
Summertime on eBay often means a slowdown in sales.
Buyers spend more time outdoors and they go on vacation. They’re busy taking kids to and from camp. In short, they’re is lots to do besides shop on eBay. So what’s a seller to do to beat the eBay summer sales slump? Plenty!
You don’t have to spend the dog days of summer mired in the eBay doldrums.
Facing an eBay summer sales slump? This could be the perfect time to catch up on projects, be they personal or business related.
Summertime projects could include prioritizing more time for yourself or with your family and friends. Maybe it’s your chance to finally tackle those home repairs you keep putting off or do some fashion-forward redecorating. If so, more power to you! Recently, I recently joined Jim “Griff” Griffith, host and editor in chief of the eBay for Business podcast, to share strategies for beating the eBay summer sales slump. Listen to our discussion in here.
On the business front, you might consider the following:
Reorganizing your home office
Fine-tuning your photography station
Streamlining your shipping process
Revamping your inventory management system
Taking a physical inventory of your listed items
Sorting unlisted inventory into batches for easier listing
Of course, if you’re a yard/garage/estate sale aficionado, summer is your best season for sourcing.
Making the most of it should keep you plenty busy! Then when you’re snowed in next winter, you’ll have lots of items to list. Start planning for Q4 and the holidays, too — always the year’s most hectic retail moment.
As for sales-boosting strategies, put on your eBay thinking cap.
What types of products are in demand for summer? Look for items that buyers are shopping for right now:
Patio and/or yard décor
Garden accessories and supplies
Pool toys
Beach gear
Summer clothing (e.g., bathing suits and cover-ups)
Home furnishings with summertime appeal
Just remember the #1 rule of buying inventory: The profit is in the purchase.
For even more ideas to help cure eBay Summer Sales Slump, check out my free guide Top 10 Tips to Ignite eBay Summer Sales! Download your complimentary copy HERE.
Top 10 Tips to Ignite eBay Summer Sales
If you’re facing an eBay summer sales slump, you have lots of options from which to choose. What’s your choice?
By virtually any standard of measurement, women-owned businesses thrive on eBay.In fact the company’s first CEO was a woman, Meg Whitman. She oversaw eBay’s rocket-ride transformation from quirky startup to multi-billion-dollar pioneering ecommerce powerhouse. Along the way, she empowered millions of fledgling businesswomen.
Although subsequent CEOs have been male, 34% of eBay’s global leadership positions are currently filled by women.
Three of the top nine executives on eBayInc.com’s Leaders page are women They’re all senior vice presidents in key positions. They are: Marie Oh Huber, Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel & Secretary; Stefanie Jay, Chief Business and Strategy Officer; and Julie Loeger, Chief Growth Officer.
Who are some of the top female sellersrunning businesseson eBay?
From 2016-2019, eBay’s seller recognition SHINE Awardscelebrated the platform’s small and medium-size businesses. Laurie Ann Wongwas the first seller Grand Prize winner. Her Reflections of Trinity was named eBay’s 2016 Small Business of the Year.
The following year, in 2017, Angie Cardona-Nelson took home the Grand Prize. She was followed by Cori O’Steen in 2018 and Jodie Rosenbaum in 2019 — all woman entrepreneurs.
eBay is attractive to many women starting an online small business because it costs very little or nothing to begin.
Furthermore, sellers can list things they already have on hand. A wide array of items sell well on eBay. Saleable inventory ranges from all kinds of apparel to plush toys to trading cards, TV remotes as well as collectible trading cards. And don’t forget products for pets! In short, by selling on eBay, women can create a business on a shoestring, with minimal start-up costs
By contrast, financial hindrances stymie many women entrepreneurs who want to launch a business of their own.Female billionaire Kendra Scott frequently talks about the gender gap in attracting angel investors for female-owned enterprises. She says, “Getting funding and getting taken seriously were significant roadblocks.”On eBay, there are no such gender roadblocks.
eBay is a natural fit for women-owned businesses.
Whether full-time or part-time selling, eBay allows women flexibility, freedom and a low cost way to start a full time or part time hustle. eBay sellers work at their own pace, control their own schedule, and maintain their preferred work/life balance.
Want to find out how to turn your clutter into cash by selling it on eBay and keeping it out of landfills? You’re on your way with the help of my free guide, ” How to Start Selling on eBay.” Download your complimentary copy HERE.
How to Start Selling on eBay!
In eBay Inc.’s 2022 Small Business Report states that women are 13% more likely than men to say that eBay is essential to their business. And they are 7% more likely to say that eBay played a big role in starting their business.
Women in Small Business-eBay Small Business Report! (Photo: Courtesy of eBay)
According to eBay Main Street, “[On eBay,] small businesses owned by women are not just trade equals; as a group, they generally outperform the rate of eBay small businesses overall.”
Further the study reports, “Women entrepreneurs on eBay are building successful business enterprises for the long haul.”
They’re pretty happy about that, too. In fact, a survey by Inc. magazine found that female entrepreneurs in the US rank their happiness three times higher than that of women who are neither entrepreneurs nor business owners.
And with all that happiness, once up and running on eBay, women step right into exporting around the globe. Here are some of those detailed in eBay Main Street’s 2022 US Women-Owned Small Online Business Export Report:
US Women-Owned Small Online Business Export Report (Photo: Courtesy of eBay)
97% of eBay’s female sellers export to an average of 15 countries, compared to 96% of male sellers.
By contrast, less than 1% of small businesses nationwide export, and then only to an average of 4 countries
55% of women-owned small businesses on eBay export to 10 or more countries, vs 51% of small businesses on eBay overall and 8% of businesses in the USA
“eBay is reducing everyday barriers that have traditionally locked small businesses, including women-owned small businesses, into their local market,” explains Cathy Foster, VP of eBay Government Relations.
“Shoppers across the country and around the world are now available to small women-owned enterprises regardless of where they call home,” she continues. “We are committed to providing women-owned small businesses with the means and opportunities to grow their operations and create wealth in their own communities.”
Kendra Scott shared, “In our world today, there are still so many barriers that women face—whether cultural, financial or self-imposed. My mission as a woman, a founder, and an entrepreneur, is to break down those barriers and clear the path for other female leaders to follow—to empower women to achieve their dreams, whatever that may be, and pass on the wisdom I’ve learned through my own journey.”
eBay welcomes and nurtures its women owned businesses. In short, women owned businesses thrive on eBay!
So, now is the time to get busy listing and selling on eBay!
Spring is springing from coast to coast, and that means it’s time for spring cleaning for eBay sellers!
So grab your virtual feather duster, and let’s get busy brushing up, and spring cleaning your eBay listings!
For spring cleaning for eBay sellers, we start with your listings.
It’s time for clearing cobwebs away from keywords, dusting off descriptions, and polishing up your pictures.
Go your Active Listings page in Seller Hub, and sort by date, oldest first. If an item has been listed for more than six months, ask yourself one simple question: Is it rare, collectible, and/or unusual?
If so, then click REVISE, and cast a critical eye over the entire listing: Did you overlook any juicy keywords when crafting your title? Do your pictures do justice to this wonderful item, showcasing it from all angles against a clean (preferably white) background? Does your description include all of the necessary details? Did you fill out the appropriate item specifics? Is your item listed in the right category?
If an item is NOT rare/collectible/unusual, end the listing.
Then relist it using SELL SIMILAR, reviewing and revising it as needed to improve the title, item specifics, description, and/or photos. This will make eBay’s search engine see your listing as brand new, not that same tired item that sat for six months with nary a nibble.
My YouTube video eBay Listing Smackdown: Relist vs Sell Similar? explains the difference between the two options. Check it out HERE.
While you’re sweeping your shelves clear of stale listings, it’s a good idea to do a little housekeeping around your inventory management as well.
Can you actually put your hands on every single item you’ve got listed? It can’t sell if it isn’t listed. But it can’t ship if you can’t find it! And are your listed items staying pristine while they’re stored and waiting to sell?
While Spring Cleaning for eBay sellers, it’s wise to use the SYI (Sell Your Item) form’s handy Custom Label (SKU) field!
It’s the perfect spot to record the item’s location.
It’s the perfect place for that information. Use it rather than putting it in the title or description. It saves that valuable real estate for keywords and relevant details about the item itself. The Custom Label field is for your eyes only.
You can include other key details in the SKU field, too.
I note the month and year I bought the item, where I bought it (“SA” for Salvation Army, “GW” for Goodwill, etc.), and the price. This way I can tell at a glance how long I’ve had the item and how much it cost. This is essential information if I receive an offer or when I’m marking down items for a sale.
Once you’re got your listings squared away, it’s time to refresh yourself as well.
Selling online can be a lonely endeavor. Furthermore, the daily grind of listing, selling, and shipping can wear us down. You know what they say about all work and no play!
Why not treat yourself to a day at eBay Seller Camp?
It’s 90 minutes of fun and info-packed minutes with me as your Head Counselor. It’s absolutely FREE. In Camp, learn the swim of what’s scoring sales on eBay right now. Come hike through the latest social selling tactics. And explore the art of crafting listings that get your items sold fast, for top dollar; and leave you wanting s’more.
It’s all happening LIVE in the eBay Seller Camp pop-up Facebook group on Monday, May 1, at 2:30pm ET (1:30pm CT; 12:30pm MT; 11:30am PT).
I’ll be recording the entire hour and a half, so you can watch the replay for several days afterwards and soak up all the Seller Camp goodness and camaraderie.
Once you’re on the bus, you’ll get your Welcome to Seller Camp workbook. You’ll also receive a link to join the private Facebook group, and even a nifty eBay Seller Camp badge. I can’t wait to see you around the campfire!
Yes to signing up for the free eBay Seller Summer Camp!
Do you have to spend money on Promoted Listings to
succeed on eBay?
In short, yes. Here’s why. As eBay CEO Jamie Iannone acknowledged during eBay’s recent Q4 earnings call, eBay’s active buyer base has declined by 9% year over year.
Ecommerce sites across all platforms are in the same buyer-leaking boat. With COVID mostly in the rear view mirror at long last, shoppers are flocking back to newly reopened brick-and-mortar stores.
Meanwhile, Promoted Listings (PL for short) is bringing in big bucks for eBay.
It’s the primary driver among the company’s first-party advertising programs, which collectively brought in an impressive $276 million in revenue during Q4. Most of that is thanks to Promoted Listings Standard (PLS), eBay’s pay- per-sale ad program for eBay sellers. Those numbers tell the story: Nowadays, most sellers promote their listings.
So what does mean for you and your business on eBay?
It boils down to this: Use PLS (if you aren’t already). But be sure you use it wisely and well. Here’s what you need to know in order to do so.
Using eBay’s Promoted Listings costs money, but you need it to stay competitive.
Because you can bet that your competition is promoting their listings! As ecommerce marketing guru Neal Patel states in his excellent article The Keys to Success with Amazon Advertising, “People don’t have the time to search through pages two, three, and four of Amazon’s results. They expect to find the best results at the top of page one, and, if your product isn’t there, then your sales are going to suffer.” The same is true on eBay. So how can you get the maximum bang for your PLS buck?
First, create a great listing.
Start by knowingand following eBay best practices for crafting an effective title: eBay gives you 80 characters for your title; use at least 75-80 of them. Make your title keyword rich (don’t waste characters on punctuation, emojis, or unnecessary verbiage) and be sure to front-load “the noun” — i.e., what your item is, be it a shirt, a vase, or a hubcap
eBay’s search engine, Cassini, uses those keywords to rank your listing in search results. Furthermore, your title is what gets buyers to click on your listing; it’s what they see first and foremost, especially in the eBay Mobile app. And more than 80% of all eBay buyers shop via their mobile device!
Second, remember that PLS is PPS (pay per sale), not PPC (pay per click).
Set your ad rate (the percentage of the sale price that you’re willing to pay eBay when your item sells), and then review the data in your Advertising Dashboard. It’s located under the Marketing tab on your Seller Hub Overview page. Starting on March 30, 2023, eBay is changing the way your PLS fees are calculated by expanding their definition of what counts as a sale via PLS. In addition to direct clicks — where the buyer clicks on a promoted listing, then buys that item within 30 days — eBay will now also include what it calls “halo sales”, wherein a buyer clicks on your promoted listing, then buys any of your promoted items within 30 days.
Thanks to this redefinition, you’re probably going to pay more in PLS fees.
So keep a keen eye on your dashboard to keep up with how much PLS is costing you! Bear in mind, too, that eBay’s recommended ad rates for various categories and items go up and down. It pays to be aware of these fluctuations so that you can adjust your own rates accordingly.
What are your Promoted Listings costs adding up to?
Check your sales, then crunch the numbers. Is spending, say, $120 in PL fees (in addition to your FVFs — final values fees) worth $3000 in sales?
How can you pay for PLS and still make money?
My free guide Winning with Promoted Listingsspells out the smartest strategies to stay profitable despite these escalating fees. In my free guide, discover a bonus 4 pageaddendum on how best to deal with these upcoming March 2023 changes to PLS.
Download your free guide Winning with Promoted Listings!
The Bottom Line for You and Your Business
eBay sellers have reached a tipping point with regard to Promoted Listings. They’re no longer just a good idea; they’ve become standard operating procedure. So factor in ad rates as part of your COGS (cost of goods sold) and sell, sell, sell!
eBay’s Winter Seller Update of 2023, as with anything involving change, isgreeted with great trepidation.
Relax, dear seller! eBay’s Winter Seller Update 2023 is live, and eBay’s sky is not falling.
Winter 2023 Seller Update, a Mixed Bag!
Like most updates, the Q1 release is a mixed bag of good and not so good news. So, the bad news is that as of February 15, Final Value Fees (FVFs) are going up in numerous categories. Fortunately, the good news far outweighs the relatively minor fee increases. Let’s look at the facts.
Got No Store or a Starter Store?
For non-store subscribes and Starter Store subscribers, FVFs in most categories will increase from 12.9% to 13.25%. This is an increase of .35%.
Don’t be caught offguard by these fee increases! If you decide to raise your prices by a dollar amount or percentage so the higher fees don’t cut into your profit margin, you can do so using Bulk Edit.
Fees are Up!
Store subscribers from Basic through Anchor also face an average FVF (Final value fee) increase of .35%. Fees in Books & Magazines, Movies & TV , and Music (except Vinyl Records) will likewise go up from 14.6% to 14.95%. Categories with no changes include Heavy Equipment, Cameras & Photography, Cell Phones, and Computers, Tablets & Networking.
In addition, keep a sharp eye on your cost of goods and shipping expenses. An FVF increase of .35% may sound small, but it adds up fast.
eBay Seller Fees are up!
eBay’s Winter Seller Update: Good News!
As it is now, eBay only gives you back the 30¢ transaction fee when a buyer asks to cancel an order before the item is shipped. However, eBay is now going to also credit sellers for that 30¢ fee if an item is returned and you voluntarily refund the buyer’s payment. That applies to returns for the following reasons:
Ordered by mistake
Don’t like it
Changed my mind
Doesn’t fit
Found a better price
n other words, you’ll get the 30¢ back as long as the return is not due to seller error (INAD). You must refund the buyer through eBay in order to receive this fee credit. Like the FVF increases, this new policy kicks in on February 15.
Like higher FVFs, those 30¢ transaction fees add up faster than you might think, so this is excellent news for sellers.
No More Best Offer UPIs!
Ever accepted a Best Offer only to have the buyer then fail to pay for their purchase? eBay feels your pain. Both eBay sellers and eBay lose money on unpaid items (UPI.)
The eBay powers that be have also heard sellers’ frustration with this ongoing issue, and in this update, they announced the rollout of a long-awaited solution: Buyers will have to supply payment information prior to making a Best Offer. Read up on all the details at https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/resources/seller-updates/2023-winter/business.
More Changes for the Better: Listing Upgrades and Scheduling!
eBay Seller Good News in the eBay Winter Seller Update 2023!
The Winter 2023 Seller Update also impacts listing upgrades and scheduling for sellers’ benefit. Two especially positive changes expand perks that non-store subscribers have enjoyed for years:
eBay Store subscribers can list auctions and offer a Buy It Now option for no additional fee.
Store subscribers also can schedule the start date of both auction and fixed price listings for free.
This is terrific, especially if you list in batches. You can create a bunch of listings at one time, then strategically spread out their start dates and time.
EIS eBay International Shipping!
eBay continues to roll out its new eBay International Shipping program, demonstrating their commitment to facilitating cross-border trade.
List More, Sell More!
In this post-pandemic world, ecommerce sites are losing buyersto brick-and-mortar stores. eBay’s answer to this problem is to increase inventory on the platform. That’s why they’re workingto improve the listing flow, especially via the eBay Mobile app.
Furthermore, eBay also has invested in marketplace research tool Terapeak, making it even more useful.
What Does It All Mean?
The Winter 2023 Seller Update reflects eBay’s emphasis on increasing conversion (sell-through) rates. In other words,it’s geared toward helping sellers sell more and better, thereby making more money for themselves and eBay. So what’s in it for you?
That remains to be seen. Add up your last few invoices. How much did you pay in FVFs last month? Last year? Do you want or need to make any changes at this point in order to absorb the soon-to-be-additional costs? Or would you rather wait to see what future invoices look like?
eBay invests heavily in Google ads that bring us buyers. We also have robust seller protections. It’s a profitable platform on which to sell. So do the math as it applies to your business, then decide how to respond to the changes announced in the Winter 2023 Seller Update, and keep on selling!
As an eBay seller, you’re always looking for ways to save on the costs of selling on eBay!
Here are three very simple and easy ways to reduce your eBay selling fees — and for two out of three, you don’t even need to have an eBay store!
First way to save on eBay selling fees is become a Top Rated Seller (eTRS).
There are many benefits to achieving and maintaining Top Rated Seller status, including enhanced visibility in eBay search results and increased seller protections. You can read up on the details in eBay’s Seller Center as well as in eBay’s Help pages.
Best of all, once you’re Top Rated, your listings become eligible for the Top Rated Plus seal.
This coveted seal earns you a 10% discount on Final Value Fees (FVFs). Here’s what it takes to become a Top Rated Seller: An eBay account that’s been active for at least 90 days 100 or more transactions and $1,000 in sales with US buyersduring the last 12 months
A defect rate less than or equal to 0.5%, with 3 or less defects from transactions with unique buyers. Cases closed without seller resolution less than or equal to 0.3% and2 or fewer cases. A late shipment rate less thanor equal to 3%and no more than5 late shipments. Tracking uploaded within your stated handling time and carrier validation for 95% of transactions with US buyers.
It’s really not all that difficult to meet these requirements.
If you follow eBay’s recommended best practices and provide top-notch customer service, than you’re probably already almost there. You can view a detailed breakdown of your seller performance in your Seller Dashboard.
Once you’re eTRS, in order to qualify for the Top Rated Plus seal, you must offer same- or one-day handling. Also you’ll need a 30-day or longer free return period with a money-back option. You can choose to offer these services on a listing-by-listing basis. You don’t have to do so for every listing. However, only listings that include them will get the Top Rated Plus seal and 10% FVF discount.
But wait, there’s more!
Here’s how to maximize your eTR+ savings: Consider free shipping. Why? Because an item’s FVF is based on the item’s price. If you charge for shipping, then the discount doesn’t apply to the shipping charge. But if you offer free shipping — meaning that the shipping cost is rolled into the price of your item — then your eTR+ discount will score you 10% off the whole shebang! Furthermore, eBay’s search algorithm LOVES free shipping.
Remember: You don’t have to offer free shipping and/or free returns on every item you list. But consider at least testing either or both for certain items. I talk more about the considerations involved in my recent video This Lowers Your eBay Selling Fees! Check the video for more useful information on this topic.
Second, join the eBay Partner Network and use EPN links.
The eBay Partner Network (EPN) is eBay’s own affiliate marketing program. Affiliate marketing is a time-tested way to make money online. Again, you don’t need an eBay store. You just have to become a member of EPN. Once you join, share eBay listings using links generated via the EPN Link Generator.
Sharing your own listing can score you a free FVF, while sharing another seller’s listing can earn you a commission. All it takes is for a buyer to purchase the item on eBay within 24 hours of clicking on your EPN link.
This can add up to a significant additional revenue stream.
Learn more about this eBay seller moneymaker in my recent blog post, eBay Seller Moneymaker eBay Partner Network EPN!
Also my YouTube video,” Improve Your eBay Profits Using These Powerful Links!”, offers you more great ideas on using the eBay Affiliate Marketing EPN program.
Then when you’re ready to take the plunge and give EPN a try, invest in a copy of my EPN guide.
Third, open an eBay store with a Basic or higher level subscription.
Without an eBay store, you get 250 free listings per month, after which you pay a nonrefundable insertion fee of 30¢ per listing. But when you have an eBay store, you also get access to a robust suite of free marketing and promotional tools, including Promotions Manager and a store newsletter, plus a storefront that enables you to brand and promote your business.
And that’s just for starters, literally: that is, when you sign up for a Starter store.
However, with a Basic or higher level store subscription, you alsoget more free listings, lower insertion fees, lower FVFs, and a quarterly coupon for eBay-branded shipping supplies. For a Basic store owner, that means 1000 free listings, 25¢ insertion fees, and a $25 coupon as well as lower FVFs — up to 50% lower in some categories!
In addition, insertion fees for auction-style listings that end in a sale will be credited back to your account.
With so much value added along with the savings you’ll realize, there’s practically no reason not to have an eBay store.
So there you have it: three ways to lower your eBay selling fees.
Lower selling fees = higher profit margins = more money for you. Put these tips to work for you in your business on eBay, and those cha-chings will sound sweeter than ever!
In a world where bad weather strikes somewhere every day, your business on eBay needs to be prepared to ride out any storms that may come your way.
It pays to plan ahead. Here are five tips for battening down the hatches. Read on for your eBay seller’s bad weather preparedness checklist!
Your first action for your eBay seller’s extreme weather preparedness is to use Time Away.
Put your business on Time Away, and set up an autoresponder message as well. You can opt to allow sales for up to 15 days or shut down your store altogether, putting purchasing on pause for up to 30 days. If you’re facing uncertain times, you don’t need the stress of having to ship sold items.
Time Away is available to all eBay sellers, whether or not you have a store.
It’s also included in the eBay Mobile app.If you have an eBay store, go to Time Away under the Store tab on your Seller Hub Overview Page. Or you can go to My Messages and click “Change settings” in the upper right-hand corner. Either way, you’ll end up at Time Away. here’s what eBay says about this tool.
It’s better to overestimate how much Time Away you’ll need. You can always end it early.It may take a few hours for your Fixed Price listings to be hidden when Time Away starts and to reappear when it ends. I’ve used Time Away with great success. HERE is my video reporting my results and sharing some bonus tips.
Note that Time Away does not adjust delivery dates for accepted Best Offers, Second Chance Offers, accepted seller-initiated offers, athletic shoes eligible for eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee, or items with local pickup or GSP set as shipping options. You’ll need to change the handling time and/or shipping option for those listings.
Next, protect your inventory.
How is it stored? Cardboard boxes don’t provide much protection at the best of times. Consider upgrading to plastic bins ASAP, before disaster strikes. Get your items up off the floor, too, preferably onto sturdy metal shelves. Raise the bottom shelf if you’re worried about flooding.
Step three is back up your data to the cloud.
That way you can access it from wherever you happen to be, and nothing will be lost. You might also want to give your most essential passwords to a trusted family member, employee, or friend so that they can check customer messages for you if you’re unable to do so.
Step four is visit the ATM so you have ample cash on hand.
Make sure you’ve refilled any prescriptions for necessary medications. Fill up the gas tank of your vehicle (or vehicles). Charge up your devices along with whatever you have in the way of power bars or other portable chargers. If the electricity goes out in your area, your smartphone will become an essential lifeline.
Be ready when bad weather strikes eBay seller with this 5 point check list!
And finally, stay safe!
Your personal safety — and your family’s safety — are more important than any sale. The Red Cross has an abundance of emergency tips for different weather situations that can be helpful. Keep up with news bulletins (including eBay announcements, if possible), follow the authorities’ recommendations, execute your business preparedness plan, and focus on safety first.
Once the weather changes for the better, you can reopen your store, welcome shoppers, and get back to business as usual.
It’s that time of year again, eBay seller: Shoppers are searching for the perfect gift to put under the holiday tree for their special someone.
Now it’s up to you to make it more likely that YOUR item is the one they find — and choose to buy. But how? The answer are these eBay seller best Holiday moneymaking tips!
For starters on the topic of eBay seller best Holiday moneymaking tips, remember: It can’t sell if it isn’t listed.
Look through your unlisted inventory. Is there anything holiday themed? Or in holiday colors (i.e., red and green, blue and silver or white, etc.)? If so, then list it NOW!
Furthermore, consider adding that newly listed item to a Promoted Listings Standard campaign.
According to eBay, a listing in Promoted Listing Standard Campaign is twice as likely to sell. You can set your PL standard fee as low as 2%, and you only pay if the item sells. You can even boost the price a bit to cover the PL standard fee.
The option to promote a listing in a Promoted Listing Standard Campaign — and specify your desired percentage — isin the final section of the SYI (Sell Your Item) form. Also you can create a Promoted Listing Standard campaign and add items in bulk from the Promotions tab of your Seller Hub Overview page.
Speaking of price, it’s a good idea to include enough wiggle roomthat you can add Best Offer to your listing.
Best Offer is another good way to increase the likelihood that your item will sell, and sell quickly! You can still make a profit and also get the benefit of quick turnover.
Next, scan the titles of your active listings. eBay gives you 80 characters altogether. You should be using 75-80 of them. If any of your titles fall short, revise them to add more keywords. Not sure what keywords to add? Do a search on eBay for similar items, then filter by Sold to see what keywords have worked for other sellers.
Another eBay seller best Holiday tip is to check Terapeak.
It’s under the Research tab on the Overview page in Seller Hub. Put a couple of keywords describing your item into the text field, then search to find comparable sold items.
Be sure to follow other best practices for eBay titles as well: Front-load the most important keywords, because eBay’s mobile app truncates titles, and don’t forget “the noun” (what the item is). Think “Keyword KeywordKeyword”, in title case — never ALL CAPS.
There’s no need for punctuation; titles don’t have to read like a sentence.
And for goodness’ sake, don’t waste characters on nonsense like L@@K, Wow, special characters, or emojis!
Pro tip: If you include the word Christmas in your title, be aware that Cassini (eBay’s search engine) considers Christmas and Xmas to be the same keyword. Using Xmasfrees up five characters, and your listing will still pop up when shoppers search for Christmas.
eBay Seller Best Holiday Moneymaking Tips!
An eBay seller best Holiday tip is find fresh inventory!
Be sure to shop holiday clearance events both locally and online. Don’t overlook pop-up stores, church bazaars, and flea markets. Then list your newly acquired inventory ASAP. Again, consider promoting those new listings and/or adding Best Offer.
In addition, if you have multiple quantities of an item, consider adding a Volume Discount to encourage multi-quantity purchases: Save x% on 2, y% on 3, z% on 4 or more. (You set the percentage of the discount.)
Both Volume Discount and Promoted Listings can be added to your listing from the very last module of the SYI (Sell Your Item) form on your desktop or mobile device.
These proven, actionable strategies will literally pay off for you right now in your business on eBay.
Your free 12 Days of Christmas eBay Money Making Tips!
Be sure to include things in your plans tat make the Holiday season meaningful to you. Is that a Christmas service, neighborhood caroling or volunteering at a local no kill shelter or food bank?
Here’s to you having a fruitful and meaningful Holidays!
A very important eBay seller super power is consistency. As actor/filmmaker Denzel Washington has famously said, “Goals on the road to achievement cannot be achieved without discipline and consistency.” The same is true of eBay selling. You’ve got to be both disciplined and consistent your business. Let’s talk about three crucial areas for eBay sellers to be consistent in.
#1- Your eBay seller super power, list, list list!
First and foremost, in using your eBay sell super power of consistency, you want to list regularly. eBay emphasizes over and over again the importance of doing so. Keep those new listings coming! It will enhance your items’ ranking in search results and help to drive traffic and sales.
One eBay tool that makes it easier to list every day is Draft listings. Always keep some listings in Draft, ready to be finished and go live. Draft listings can be created via your phone or computer, and they are available to all sellers. I speak about this in my video, Get Consistent eBay Sales This Way!
Get consistent eBay sales this way!
In fact, many sellers find it convenient to take photos via their smartphone camera and upload them directly to eBay.
Then they fill in a few of the blanks on the SYI (Sell Your Item) form, save the listing as a draft and finish it later on their desktop or laptop computer.
If you have a few partially completed listings stashed away in Drafts, you can list anytime you have a few spare moments. This enables you to list pretty much every day, which is ideal. Use my free guide. eBay Listings That Sell, to craft winning eBay listings
I hear sellers brag about posting a dozen listings in one day, but then they may not list anything else for a week — or even longer. You’re better off listing even just one or two items as long as you do so on a daily basis. Cassini (eBay’s search engine) likes fresh content and rewards sellers who create it by ranking their offerings higher in search results. So discipline yourself to be consistent about listing.
#2- Send offers to buyers!
The second aspect of selling on eBay wherein it literally pays to be consistent is sending offers to buyers. For this, you’ll need to keep an eye on Seller Hub via your desktop or laptop computer. The information you need is not shown by eBay’s mobile app.
Check your Seller Hub Overview page several times throughout the day so as to be able to send out offers ASAP. Look in the Tasks module for “Listings eligible to send offers”. Just click on the number of items. From there you’ll be taken to an Active Listings page filtered by listings for which you can send offers.
Don’t be stingy about your discounts if you want to make sales! When you send out an offer, you’re basically creating incentive for the buyer to make the purchase. Maybe it’s in their cart, or they put it on their Watch list.
Either way, it tells eBay that this shopper is interested.
Now it’s up to you to close the sale. A mere 5% or 10% off may not be enough to seal the deal, unless the item is priced very low. Try offering 15%-25% off. You can even offer more, especially if the listing is stale and/or the item is not generating much interest.
Furthermore, unless you are just too totally slammed to respond to offers manually, allow counteroffers. If you don’t, you’ve shut down any chance of a sale. Counteroffers give your buyer the chance to respond. This allows you to negotiate with them.
By the same token, if you set up your listings to automatically decline offers under X amount of dollars, you may be turning away business. That’s never a good thing!
So check your Seller Hub Overview page several times a day.
It will enable you to greet newly interested buyers with your special offer within 24 hours. Additionally, be sure to include an enticing message with your offer. You can say, “Thank you for your interest. I hope you’ll please take advantage of this exclusive limited time offer: X% off!”
#3- Know your numbers!
Be consistently aware of the financial metrics you’ll need to report for tax purposes: i.e., what you pay for inventory, shipping expenses, and eBay fees. Many times, sellers struggle to pull together these costs at the last minute. You also need to be aware of your gross income versus your net profit from your eBay sales.
My Reseller Genie (my affiliate link) can help. It’s the seller-created solution for eBay accounting and analytics. If you formerly used GoDaddy Online Bookkeeping, you’ll LOVE My Reseller Genie. It offers comparable accounting and analytics capabilities, then goes beyond them to do even more. MRG (as it’s known for short) will crunch your numbers for you so that you can concentrate on sourcing, selling, and shipping — and it can do so for multiple platforms.
To have proper accounting the team at My Reseller Genie advises checking and importing your numbers at least once a week.
Daily is best and does not need to be overly time consuming. It can take only a few minutes to double check your numbers, expenses and categories. Being consistent on checking your numbers saves you hours and hours at tax time. Try My Reseller Genie with my affiliate link, and use code KATHY15 to save 15% on your first month.
The eBay Seller Super Power of Consistency!
So there you have it:
List consistently.
Keep sending out offers to buyers.
Do the math (or better yet, let My Reseller Genie do it for you).
See? Successfully selling on eBay really is as easy as 1 -2 – 3…as long as you’re disciplined and consistent.
The good news is that both of those traits get easier with practice. Think of it as your eBay workout
There is essential holiday prep for eBay sellers to be done now!
The holidays are coming, the holidays are coming sellers! To maximize holiday sales, now is the right time for essential holiday prep for eBay sellers to be done. As it’s thecraziest, busiest, and (hopefully) most profitableseason of the year for both you and your business — and it’s just around the corner. Here’s what you need to do right now to get ready. The most important tip for successful eBay Holiday selling, is prepare!
First, let’s talk about Holiday prep for eBay sellers and shipping.
Quick shipping is important all year ‘round, but it’s mission critical during the holidays, so you’d best be prepared to deliver. That includes having a backup plan in case eBay Labels goes down. So if you don’t already have a free Stamps.com eBay seller account, now is the time to open one! Just go HERE.
Essential eBay Holiday shipping tips!
Once your package is labeled and ready to go, how do you launch it on its journey to your buyer? If you’re not utilizing USPS’ free pickup service, why not?
Again, now is the time to start, because you may need extra mail help during the holidays. Schedule a few pickups to see what time of day your USPS carrier shows up. Justgo to usps.com, then under the Send tab, select Schedule a Pickup, and fill out the online form.
Using carrier pickup instead of going to the post office is a great timesaver.
Saving time is always a good thing — and during the holidays, it becomes downright essential. After all, you’ve got halls to deck, cookies to bake, and family and friends to visit with. Holidays are all about enjoying the moment, so you’ve got to make every minute count!
Start by reviewing your listing process and looking for places you can shave off a few seconds. Could you batch tasks such as photography? Use your smartphone instead of a digital camera and upload photos directly to eBay via the mobile app, editing them along the way.
There are lots of ways to save time by using eBay Mobile.
Use the mobile app to create draft listings that you can finish later on your computer. Or you can even list directly from the app. You can also reply to customer queries, respond to open cases, field Best Offers, and more. Don’t be afraid to go mobile, especially when time is of the essence!
Next, double-check your shipping procedures.
Is there any way to streamline them? Might there be a more efficient way to organize your shipping station?
Even if you can save only a minute or two per listing or package, it matters, because those minutes add up faster than you might think. Imagine what you could do with an extra 30 minutes a day! That’s a whole half an hour — long enough to get a few more items listed, pack and ship a couple more parcels, quaff a cup of eggnog with a friend, read the next chapter of a good book, or just put your feet up and chillax.
Want more terrific tips and savvy strategies for Q4? Sign up for my one-day, one-hour free workshop on October 3, 2022 eBay Holiday Sales Accelerator Master Class. Hope to see you there!
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