eBay Inventory Sourcing Made Easy!

by | Oct 3, 2018 | eCommerce Selling Tips, eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay

Yes, Virginia, eBay inventory sourcing for 4th quarter can be easy.

However be forewarned, the holidays are coming up fast. If you don’t stock up now on in-demand products, you’ll miss out on the most profitable quarter of the year.

First, sourcing profitable eBay inventory is always a challenge.

But never more so than when it comes to Q4. It’s the time that every seller in every marketplace is looking to score gift-worthy goods. What to do?

Sellers are looking to source great Holiday eBay inventory!

So, some sellers shop the clearance racks at their local retailers. Others scour the shelves at discount retail outlets like Tuesday Morning or Big Lots to find flippable bargains. Still others thrift or hit estate and garage sales (which are hard to find by now in cooler parts of the country). Then there are other savvy sellers that go wholesale.

Wholesale has traditionally been hard for small sellers.

A pallet of merchandise is just more stuff that can easily be handled without a warehouse. Then factor in the expense and logistics. With wholesale, there is arranging for shipping, finding enough storage space, and getting everything listed in a timely fashion. But now you can buy in bulk without being overwhelmed using BULQ. That’s  BULQ with a Q.

BULQ offers liquidation goods by the pallet or the case.

Merchandise is closeouts, overstocks, and returns from leading US retailers and manufacturers. Retailers include Target and Home Depot. A case is a large box that most sellers can comfortably accommodate. Both cases and pallets come with a detailed manifest. It’s guaranteed to show you exactly what you’re getting. So, if that itemized list is not at least 98% accurate, BULQ will refund the difference. And yes there are scores to be had even in the competitive category of toys!

BULQ also takes care of delivering the goods directly to your doorstep, shipping anywhere in the continental USA for a surprisingly low flat rate.

In addition, their all-American customer support is behind you throughout every transaction. Best of all, you can browse and buy from BULQ.com even in your jammies. Then pay via credit card with just one click. Or you can put lots on your Watch list for further consideration.

This is the time of year when major retailers clear out excess inventory quickly.

Knowing this smart sellers act fast and score seasonal and giftable goods. BULQ offers their pallets and cases at auction as well as for fixed prices. They upload fresh merchandise three times a day: 11am PT, 2pm PT, and 5pm PT. Kind of like Dr Pepper’s “10, 2, and 4”, except that the only thing BULQ will fatten up is your profits! If you need to do some quick research of hot products ShelfTrend has answers for you.

Whether you shop clearance sales, discount retailers, thrift shops, or estate sales, NOW is the time to stock up for a successful holiday selling season.  If you’re looking to save travel time to stores and sales, BULQ  is a click away. It offers a great way to source in-demand Holiday eBay inventory.

Remember act fast. If it’s a great case on BULQ it will sell fast.

 Snatch up gift worthy gifts as major retailers regularly clear out goods. Bring on great inventory and bring on the sales!

Win Big On eBay Using Competitor Research

by | Sep 25, 2018 | eCommerce News, eCommerce Selling Tips, eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay

Ecommerce has come of age in the last few years. It’s no longer a novel way of shopping; it’s the norm. As a result, eBay and all sites are becoming increasingly competitive.

This is true in every category. So how do you continue to thrive and prosper in your business on the eBay marketplace?

To begin, the answer is deceptively simple: Sell what shoppers want to buy, and do so in such a way that you stand out from your competition. That’s where marketplace research comes in. For hobby sellers, marketplace research can actually be as simple as using eBay’s Advanced Search to filter results to show only Sold items. My YouTube video explains how to use advanced search this way.

But checking eBay for data on sold items has two limitations: First, the data goes back only a couple of weeks to 30 days at most.

Second, there is no easy way to analyze those sold listings for using best practices pertaining to selling your product.

Fortunately, there are tools available that let you take a deeper dive into marketplace research. One of those is Terapeak, which was recently purchased by eBay. In addition to letting you view average selling prices for as long as two or three years back in time, Terapeak crunches eBay data to help you find the best keywords and categories for your items.

But professional eBay marketplace sellers want more from their research! They want data on their competition! Also, sellers looked for a tool with real-time data.

eBay marketplace sellers need real-time competition research.

Enter the robust seller tool ShelfTrend , created just two years ago by longtime eBay employees Lisa Wong and Anojan Abel.

ShelfTrend is super easy to use and provides their data in real time. That can be a huge advantage in letting you spot emerging trends early on, which is especially important during the holidays.

For example, if it looks like Raggedy Anns are going to make a comeback as this year’s hottest Christmas gift, you can run to your local outlet store and stock up right away. You can also source goods on the wholesale site BULQ. They sell inventory by the case and/or pallet with manifests. On the other hand, if it seems that the market for Acme Widget-Go-Rounds is starting to cool off, you might want to hold off buying that shelf of them at your local thrift shop.

ShelfTrend also enables you to keep an eye on your competition.

First, it shows you the top listings in Best Match search results by category or keyword. Then it helps you analyze those listings to glean insights into what’s making them convert so effectively: what keywords are those sellers using; what do they include in their descriptions; which item specifics are they using; how do their pictures look; and more.

This video from ShelfTrend explains how this works.

Knowing what works to sell your product is key to growing your business.

But it’s not enough to merely copy your competition’s successful strategies. Being the 10th seller to offer a product doesn’t add value to the marketplace; instead, take it one step further and figure out ways to stand out from your competition. Maybe it’s offering free returns, or setting a 60-day return window instead of just 30 days. Do your marketplace research homework, then put on your thinking cap.

For starters, ShelfTrend’s New Listings report can help you spot new competitors.

That’s invaluable all by itself because eBay is too dynamic a marketplace for you to just sit back and relax, thinking you’ve got a lock on your niche. What’s more, ShelfTrend’s Supply Demand report reveals areas where competition is low and/or where in-demand products are in short supply. That gives you the chance to pioneer a new niche — or maybe even develop a private-label product.

ShelfTrend offers a free version for basic research.

But with helping you find new hot items and saving you money on those that are cooling off, at $14.99/month for the full monty, ShelfTrend should more than pay for itself each month. Using a more sophisticated, yet easy to use tool like ShelfTrend, you’ll find that marketplace research literally pays off. Additionally, it’s kind to sellers’ bank accounts with no need to opt into a costly yearly commitment.

The bottom line is that in today’s uber-competitive marketplace, you can’t afford not to have this kind of information at your fingertips — especially when it’s so readily available.

You can bet that at least some of your competitors are taking advantage of it, and you should, too!

 

eBay Search Juice Sellers Look For!

by | Sep 12, 2018 | eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay, Social Media Tips

Sellers are looking for eBay search juice as we head into the fourth quarter of 2018.

Absolutely expect retail Holiday selling to be more competitive than ever. Two of the year’s most spendy retail moments, Halloween and Christmas, fall during Q4. So now’s the time to plan your strategy for getting buyers to spend with you. Feast your eyes on the following statistics:

To begin, in 2017, Halloween shoppers spent a record $9.1 billion.

So, that’s up from just $8.4 billion in 2016. That’s an average of $86.13 per buyer! Halloween gives shoppers a lot of bang for their buck. Typically customers spend about $30 per shopper on holiday décor. Other items most often purchased: candy and costumes (for men, women, children, and/or pets). Enjoy my complimentary Hot Halloween Product tips sheet with dozens of items that sell right now.

Strong Halloween sales are a good omen for sales during the all-important holiday season.

About 20% of the entire year’s sales take place during this key season. In 2017, holiday spending was up 5.5% year over year to $691.9 billion. More importantly for your business on eBay, e-commerce sales hit a record high of $108.2 billion — a 14.4% increase from 2016 — with 1/3 of those dollars spent via mobile device.

So how can you get your slice of the Q4 pumpkin pie?

First (and always), create great listings that get found in search.  But to really bring home the figgy pudding, you need to go the extra mile and promote your listings via social media.

Be sure to set yourself up to get your slice of 4th quarter sales!

That doesn’t mean spamming your followers with endless product posts.

No one listens to or wants to follow someone who’s constantly selling to them. So what should you do instead? To use social media effectively, post lots of engaging content. This can be as simple as a “Good Morning” post or photos of your pet or garden. Scroll through the social media feeds of big brands that sell products like yours. What do they post? Go and do likewise!

What works on social media changes fast.

It takes time to learn and stay abreast of the ins and outs of the various platforms: Facebook and Facebook Ads, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. How can you keep up with it all? I do that for you when you join my Social Media Insiders group.

With your membership get access to an exclusive website. Included are easy-to-follow tutorials on how to do social media that get sales results. As a member of my private Social Media Insiders group on Facebook, you also get hands-on help from me and my team. In addition, members-only webinars feature top social media experts.

Social Media Insiders has doable information that gets you sales!

Social Media Insiders will be open to new members for a few days only starting on September 17, 2018. Don’t miss out! Mark your calendar now, and get ready to master social media in time for an ultra-profitable fourth quarter.

Use my complimentary Halloween Hot Products list to know what shoppers want now. Save time and score sales with the benefits of Social Media Insiders.

Here’s to an amazing 4th quarter coming your way!

Retail Global Las Vegas Powering Your Business on eBay

by | Aug 28, 2018 | eCommerce Tips

So, why go to a conference like Retail Global Las Vegas?

First, of all, nothing beats talking one on one with eBay and e-commerce experts. Conversations and workshops with specialists empower both you and your business.

So, that’s why it’s important to attend live events. One knock out Fall seller event is, Retail Global Las Vegas (October 9-11).  Furthermore, live events offer attendees opportunities to soak up knowledge and enjoy unique networking opportunities.

Retail Global Las Vegas is not to be missed.

It’s a truly global event. Retail Global features 50+ speakers from around the world.  Additionally, there is a worldwide roster of attendees. So, this is THE conference for multi-channel sellers grossing six figures annually. If you’re one of them or seeking to scale your business to six figures, you want to attend.

Retail Global is spearheaded by Phil Leahy.  Phil created Retail Global for online retailers using online retailers. Furthermore, he was eBay Australia’s #1 seller in 2007 and 2008. Then, Phil went on to found PeSA (Professional eBay Sellers Alliance) Australia. 2018’s conference is the fourth annual Retail Global Las Vegas. Furthermore, it’s nearly doubled in size since it began in 2015. This year’s list of speakers, sponsors, and retailers reads like a Who’s Who of online commerce. In short, Phil brings unique speakers together for an unforgettable three days,

I’m very excited to partner at Retail Global Las Vegas with Tim Davies.

There are a lot of eBay updates in 2018!

Tim is an online Retail Strategist at Zellis. Additionally, he is the current president of PeSA Australia. He’s known Down Under as Mr. eBay. While serving as eBay Australia’s Manager, Seller Education & Engagement, he launched their Seller Centre and Seller Academy. In short, Tim knows his eBay. Tim and I are excited to pool our extensive knowledge of eBay to create a one of a kind seller event. Tim know eBay AU thoroughly. I have the in-depth know-how of eBay US. Together, we are an eBay “Dream Team”.

For the first time ever, Tim and I are pairing up for a pre-conference eBay Masterclass on October 9!

Tim and I explain in my YouTube video Grow a Solid Business on eBay, about this upcoming joint presentation.

Hands down it’s a must-attend workshop for sellers. It’s filled with content for entrepreneurs of all levels. Our presentation is geared to help sellers navigate the huge recent selling changes on eBay. Recent shifts on eBay include payments, service metrics, marketing and search initiatives. Together, we provide the needed know-how to meet the challenges of scaling a business on eBay worldwide. Use code LOVE100 and save $100 on registration for the entire event on the Retail Global website.

In closing, Retail Global Las Vegas takes place October 9-11, 2018, at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, NV. See you in Vegas, baby!

 

eBay Fall Seller Update 2018 – Watch Service Metrics!

by | Aug 11, 2018 | eCommerce News, eCommerce Selling Tips, eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay

The eBay Fall Seller Update 2018 is out. It’s fairly painless — except for the new Service Metrics and increased media final value fees. I’ll explain later why they are so critical. The eBay Fall Seller Update is in 3 sections:

  1. Marketplace Updates
  2. Inventory Optimization
  3. Service Metrics & Shipping

FIRST: eBay Fall Seller Update Marketplace Updates

If you want to let customers call with questions, you can now share a phone number through My Messages. Opt-in via “Manage Communications With Buyers” in your account settings.

Marketplace Updates include changes to payments. Read about them at ebay.com/payments. Some sellers are participating in the beta program now. So, if you’re interested, fill out the survey linked from that page. Note: If you opt in, you won’t be able to use PayPal or the Global Shipping Program (GSP), and there is no opt-out.

It’s time to update HTTP URLs to HTTPS! Starting September 15, 2018, sellers with HTTP content in their listings will not be able to submit or relist them until they meet the more secure HTTPS criteria.

The eBay Fall Seller Update reminds sellers to have no links with HTTP in listings

 

Fee increases primarily affect media sellers. The Final Value Fee for Books, DVDs, & Movies goes from 10% to 12% for non-store subscribers. Additionally, store subscribers Final Value Fees for media also increases. Store sellers media Final Value Fees go up from 9.15% to 12 %. This is a relatively substantial increase. Consider raising prices and/or bundling items into lots to save on shipping. Also, Reserve and Subtitle fees will increase, too.

SECOND: eBay Fall Seller Update Inventory Optimization

This relates to eBay’s new product-based shopping experience. It refers to listing within the eBay catalog. The 2018 Fall Seller Update states which categories must be listed with the catalog as of September 15, 2018. More will become mandated from mid-October to February 2019.

Sellers listing in these categories can now submit information and new products to the catalog. For details, go to eBay.com/StructuredData.

As of October 15, 2018, there will be updates to Condition in Electronics, Home & Garden; Health & Beauty; Musical Instruments; and Business & Industrial. The revised terminology will help sellers better describe their items and make it clearer to buyers exactly what they’re purchasing.

My complimentary Fall Seller Update tip sheet walks you through all the details. Grab yours HERE.

THIRD: Service Metrics & Shipping

Here comes the tricky part! This new initiative means keeping a keen eye on your Item Not as Described (SNAD) returns and Item Not Received (INR) cases. Find these under the Service Metrics tab under Performance in your Seller Hub. According to eBay, this dashboard shows how your customer service compares to that of sellers with a similar selling profile.

The idea behind Service Metrics is to help ensure buyers have a good experience. If they don’t, many of them leave eBay and never come back. As of October 1, 2018, if eBay finds you have a very high SNAD rate compared to your seller peers, you may be charged an additional 4% final value fee on each item sold.

My YouTube, eBay Fall Seller Update 2019- Seller Beware details this.

Starting November 1, 2018, if you have a very high INR rate, eBay may extend the estimated delivery time shown in your listings. This will impact your ranking in search, so be sure to upload tracking numbers to eBay. As long as tracking shows an item as “Delivered”, eBay will protect you.

Updates to eBay Labels roll out next month (September 2018).

That’s it: the 2018 Fall Seller Update in a nutshell. By and large it’s good news for sellers. The fee increases for media hurt. The big concern is the Service Metrics. Watch your metrics closely. If you spot an uptick in SNAD returns, revise listings accordingly. Watch for glitches or errors in your data, and report inaccuracies to eBay ASAP.

The final takeaway from the Fall Update is, sellers, know your numbers!

 

 

Beat Slow Summertime eBay Sales Blues!

by | Jul 20, 2018 | eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay

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.

 

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