eBay Sellers Summertime Sales!

by | Jun 12, 2020 | eCommerce News, eCommerce Selling Tips, eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay

eBay sellers’ summertime sales typically slow down during the hot summer months of June, July, and August.

eBay Sellers Summertime!

eBay sellers summertime sales are rising!

This year, thanks to the ongoing restrictions imposed by the corona virus pandemic, the typical eBay sales slowdown doesn’t seem to be happening.

As Senior Vice President and General Manager for Americas Jordan Sweetnam recently reported in his eBay announcement Your Business: Our Results, eBay’s GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume) is up. Buyer growth is accelerating. Major categories are growing; and there’s more organic traffic coming to eBay. The company is even launching a brand-new advertising campaign, complete with nationwide TV commercials featuring eBay’s small and medium-sized sellers!

eBay sellers, that’s a whole lot of good news. And it leaves you with two options as a seller. Which of them you choose is entirely up to you.

Option number one is GO FOR IT!

Many eBay sellers are reporting holiday-level sales. If that’s happening for your business, you may want to just keep on keepin’ on. So in other words eBay sellers,  keep sourcing, and keep selling. Check out my popular video eBay Sellers: HOT Sales Niche Discovery for exclusive tips on finding in-demand inventory. These are proven sourcing strategies that can pay off, big time, for your business on eBay.

 

Discover hot eBay products!

 

Taking advantage of the current upturn in eCommerce sales is definitely one way to find a silver lining in the COVID-19 cloud. But remember every business is unique. So what’s happening in your business may not be happening for other businesses, and conversely. If you want to max out on listing and selling, more power to you!

But there is another option that’s equally OK: namely, to cut yourself some summertime slack. So, maybe you’ve got kids at home to spend time with and keep occupied. Or you’ve planned some vacation travel. And perhaps you’re going to get started on home renovations.

Whatever the reason this may be your chance to slow down for awhile.

And that’s fine, too! But if you do decide to take time off from eBay, please don’t forget to turn on your store’s vacation settings. This  includes an email auto response, and/or extend your handling time. Doing this protects you from dings for late shipping.

Just click on “Vacation settings” in the Seller Tools module of your Seller Hub Overview page, or click on “Change Settings” in the upper right-hand corner of your My Messages Inbox page. Then follow the screen prompts.

You can opt to allow purchases of Fixed Price items while you’re away, or you can postpone any sales until after you’ve returned and your store has reopened. Auction-style listings will still run as originally scheduled, which is why you need to extend your handling time. Ditto if you opt for allowing customers to make purchases while you’re away.

Be sure to write a welcoming message for customers who visit while your store is on vacation, encouraging them to come back and buy!

Whichever of these two roads you decide to travel this summer, pursue your chosen path guilt free.

 

Summertime eBay sales that are guilt free!

Everyone’s business is different, and every business owner’s priorities may be different as well. Do whatever is best and right for you, your business, and your family.

Whether you take the eCommerce expressway or Easy Street, enjoy your summer journey!

eBay Seller Protections: Guide To Smart Selling!

by | May 17, 2020 | eCommerce Selling Tips, eCommerce Tips

eBay Seller Protections are good news for eBay sellers.

eBay Seller Protections for smart sellers!

On eBay, buyers are not the only folks eBay protects!  eBay sellers benefit from several layers of very significant seller protections.  Additional protections exist for sellers offering free returns. And eBay offers special consideration for its Top Rated Sellers.

But first, let’s talk about what sellers can do pro-actively to safeguard themselves. This centers on giving buyers a great eBay experience.

To start, create great eBay listings.

Use good clear photos when listing. Write accurate descriptions. Does your item have a mark or flaw? Let buyers know. Take a close-up of it. Call it out in the item condition field too. Then, repeat it in your description. Its also good to include note of a flaw in your eBay title. Pointing out imperfections helps to deter buyers’ claims they didn’t know about flaws.

The vast majority of transactions on eBay go smoothly. Most sales end with buyers and sellers happy. Still, there are times when things go awry. Sometimes you make an honest mistake. For instance, you didn’t notice a tiny chip in a crystal vase. This error then results in a buyer opening an INAD (Item Not As Described) case.

But other times, an unscrupulous buyer makes an INAD claim. They look to get free return shipping or a refund without having to return the item.

eBay Seller Protections totally has your back.

eBay shields sellers from abusive buyers with its ‘Abusive Buyer Policy: “If eBay finds a buyer’s behavior is abusive, we will take action on the buyer and remove negative and neutral feedback and defects, including opened cases in service metrics.” This eBay Seller Protections article has all the details.

Basically, eBay protects you from · False INAD claims and abuse of returns.

Additionally sellers are protected against wrongful use of eBay bidding or messaging. Protections include buyer’s misuse of eBay’s Buyer Protections. Also eBay guards sellers from buyer demands for something not included in the original listing.

Sellers can receive help when events are beyond their control.

eBay protects sellers for late delivery of an item that was shipped on time. This includes sellers protection for a late delivery due to severe weather or carrier disruptions .

So, think you’ve got an abusive buyer?

Are eBay sellers protected from abusive buyers?

Read eBay’s Abusive Buyer Policy. Encounter the occasional bad apple buyer? Be sure to report them to eBay. y. Use the “Report buyer” link either from the Overview page in Seller
Hub or from your Manage Orders page. Furthermore, you can also access “Report a buyer” from the Abusive Buyer Policy page.

Don’t just complain about your abusive buyer on the eBay discussion boards and eBay sellers Facebook groups. Report buyer’s bad behavior to eBay. Enable eBay to do something about it!

Offer free returns and get even more eBay seller protections.

Get an item returned after the buyer has used or damaged it?  You can deduct up to 50% of their refund. eBay can also remove any negative or neutral feedback on qualifying returns. Additionally defects, can be erased and/or opened cases in service metrics. So, seller do the math. Are free returns a wise choice for your business on eBay?

Furthermore, Top Rated Sellers also qualify for this particular protection. In addition, eBay reimburses return shipping up to $6 for false INAD claims.

There is one more form of eBay protection to be aware of.

Protection exists for Verified Rights Owners. This is eBay’s VeRO program.

Owners of intellectual property rights and their authorized representatives can report to eBay listings that infringe on those rights.

Intellectual property includes brand names, logos, and content. Be sure that any item you list is authentic. So, if you’re not 100% certain, it’s best not to list it!

Furthermore, don’t use brand names for generic products. Velcro is only Velcro when it’s made by Velcro. When not from Velcro, it’s a hook-and-loop fastening. By the same token, a one-piece infant bodysuit — a.k.a. romper or creeper — isn’t a Onesie, unless it’s from Gerber’s trademarked Onesie line.

Note: When you legitimately can use either of those or similar terms as keywords, be sure to capitalize them!

Under the terms of the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act, eBay is required by law to pull any listing that’s reported as a VeRO violation. There is a  variety of reasons listings can be taken down through the VERO program. These include Unauthorized use of images, copyright, Brand name misuse and Counterfeit. The consequences of a VeRO violation range from a stern warning to account suspensions of varying lengths. When you receive a VERO, the violation  and consequences are cited. If a seller can appeal  and or correct the violation, the steps are laid out.

A list of VeRO participants is available on eBay.com.

In closing, you now know how thoroughly eBay protects you as a seller. eBay protects all it’s sellers.  There are additional layers of security for sellers who offer free returns. And Top Rated Sellers have the highest level of protections, benefiting their achieving and maintaining high standards. All eBay seller can list and sell with confidence.

eBay covers its sellers!

eBay protects all its sellers!

eBay COVID-19 Navigating Challenging Times!

by | Mar 24, 2020 | eCommerce News, eCommerce Selling Tips, Selling on eBay

To start, let’s talk about eBay, COVID-19 and you.

Selling on eBay during the COVID-19 pandemic!

Selling on eBay during the current COVID-19 pandemic. It’s the challenge of our lifetime.

Never before have we as Americans been through a global pandemic like COVID-19. We’ve faced the fallout from 9/11. We’ve weathered numerous hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters. But the coronavirus is a worldwide crisis that is a test  like nothing else in our experience.

What can and should you (and all of us) be doing at this difficult time?

Before even thinking of eBay selling and COVID-19, protect yourself along with your family.

How do you carry out this mandate to protect yourself and your family from the coronavirus? By knowing what is recommended right now — and staying up to the minute with information you can be sure is 100% accurate and reliable.

To do so, go directly to the COVID-19 page on the Center for Disease Control website (CDC.gov). There’s a clickable banner right at the top of the CDC home page. Don’t trust media reports or what you see on Facebook; get your COVID-19 info straight from the source!

Next, watch for eBay announcements about COVID-19.

The Announcements page can be reached from the Selling Announcements module on your Seller Hub Overview page or via the Announcements link at the bottom of any page on eBay.com.

By the way: Some of you will see right on eBay’s home page one way eBay has your back at this time; click on the Shop Small button to see more. If you don’t see the “Open right now and here for you” banner on the home page, just go directly to eBay’s new Small. Mighty. Open for Business page. It’s highly reassuring — even inspirational!

eBay has already announced that they will defer fees to support small and medium-size businesses through COVID-19. If you’re an eBay Store subscriber, watch your My Messages and regular email inboxes on March 25 for details on how to request support, or check the Announcements page.

Additionally eBay Government Relations eBay Main Street has information for sellers. Unsure of actions your state is taking? The page on COVID-19  that eBay Government Relations is maintaining has up to date information for sellers.

With eBay shipping and CO-VID 19, take advantage of USPS’ scheduled pickups.

It’s hard to get to the post office when you’re sheltering in place. Luckily, you don’t have to go there; USPS will come to you. Every day except Sundays and holidays.. Because that’s how they roll. Schedule your package pickups via the USPS website (USPS.com) in just 4 easy steps.

It used to be that you had to have at least one Priority Mail package going out in order to schedule a pickup, but now USPS will pick up any class of package. It’s best to schedule package pickup no later than the night before the day you need it. Often if asked nicely, many carriers will  take and scan your package(s) on the spur of the moment.

Now that you know what you need to do right now, let’s talk about what’s selling right now!

Folks are home. What do they need?

Some eBay sellers are doing very well, while others are struggling. Furthermore, many part-time sellers who have been laid off or are on hiatus from their full-time jobs are expanding their business on eBay and need to stock their virtual shelves.

So think about it: People are staying home.

In fact, many are stuck at home by local government order. Topping the list of products these folks need are household essentials and food. Ponder pantry items. Also think over-the-counter medications and vitamins.

Educational and entertainment items for kids are also in high demand. Look at books, DVDs, games, puzzles, and crafts items of all kinds.These in demand craft items includes lots of egg cartons, wine corks, clean and empty glass jars, plastic pill bottles, and the cardboard tubes from rolls of paper towels and toilet paper. 

Adults need to entertain themselves as well. Jigsaw puzzles and many games are fun for all ages, as are the full gamut of crafting options. Think sewing patterns and fabric; knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, embroidery, and other needlework supplies. Also think about adult coloring books, perhaps bundled with a set of colored pencils or markers (especially the new glittery versions); and model anything kits.

And don’t forget scrapbooking. This is a perfect time for millions of hunkered-down Americans to get caught up on printing out and showcasing their photo libraries.

In addition, lots of folks are using this time as an opportunity to learn new skills or try new hobbies.

They need books and DVDs that teach crafting, DIY home improvement, auto mechanics, languages, and more.

I share even more ideas with you , along with some thoughts regarding the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic in my recent YouTube video Sales Success On eBay Despite Coronavirus Outbreak!

In sum, today more than ever, you need to think like a buyer.

Look through your unlisted inventory. Look around your house or apartment. Do you have something on hand that other people need and/or that’s in high demand right now for whatever reason? Get it listed ASAP! My free tip sheet Dominate eBay Search will help those listing stand out to shoppers and get sold!

Take care…stay well…and sell on, fellow seller!!!

eBay Spring Seller Update 2020 Has Arrived!

by | Mar 2, 2020 | eCommerce Selling Tips, Selling on eBay

The eBay Spring Seller Update of 2020 is here!

eBay released its Spring Seller Update of 2020!

You should have received email about the eBay Spring Seller Update via My Messages in your eBay account. You also should have noticed eBay’s announcement of it. And here’s another “should” for you: By now, you should have read the entire update. If you haven’t done so yet, what are you waiting for?

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly In The eBay Spring Seller Update!

As is typical of eBay’s updates, there is some fuzzy language. But there are also sizeable chunks of good stuff for sellers; it’s just that you practically need a road map in order to find them. That’s why I created my free downloadable guide Spring Seller Update 2020: Tips to Win the Scavenger Hunt.

Once again, listing optimization and sell-through rate are eBay’s primary concern in the eBay Spring Seller Update. That should give you some insight into what’s on the mind of eBay execs! There also are some interesting changes to Returns as well as to Seller Protections.

The biggest thing for you to check out is category changes, which also mean item specific changes. The latter are a work in progress, and they can be problematic. However, item specifics have an tremendous impact on your listings — and on how they rank in search results.

A Full Bucket of Changes, Mostly For the Better

The Spring Seller Update’s category changes will take effect in May 2020 in the following categories:

  • Business & Industrial
  • Jewelry & Watches
  • Home & Garden
  • Sporting Goods

If you have listings in any of those categories, revise them to have a full complement of their new item specifics! Tedious? Yes, especially if you’ve added custom item specifics. But oh, so necessary!

My YouTube eBay Spring Seller Update 2020 Find The Gold! has all the details for you!

Other new initiatives contained in the eBay Spring Seller Update include:

  • Expanded functionality for Terapeak (included free with all Store subscriptions from Basic on up.)
  • Multi-User Account Access (MUAA) also is expanding to offer read-only shipping data.
  • Volume Pricing — available to all sellers with multi-quantity items, not just to eBay Store subscribers; it’s extremely popular with buyers, which means it’s good for your sell-through rate. Give it a try!
  • New photo-editing tool turns your pictures’ background white; it’s only available in your smartphone’s eBay Mobile app, but a desktop version is in the works.
  • eBay International Shipping, a cheaper (albeit currently slower) option for sending packages to overseas customers.
  • Expansions to Send Offer to Buyers — now you can send up to 40 at once. This highly successful tool from eBay is a sales maker!
  • New Seller Help, accessible right from your Seller Hub’s Overview page; sellers in the beta group for this are reportedly loving it!

In closing, For details and clarifications regarding eBay’s 2020 Spring Seller Update, download my free tip sheet.  There is treasure in eBay’s newest seller update, but it takes a bit of digging to find it all.

But dig in, because I don’t miss out on all the goodies in this eBay scavenger hunt!

eBay Seller Events Continue Across USA!

by | Feb 15, 2020 | eCommerce Selling Tips, eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay

eBay continues its long history of live eBay seller events in 2020.

eBay Seller Conference Events In 2020!

Rather than one large eBay Open event this year, eBay is rolling out a series of smaller, local Upfront events. This news is met with mixed feelings from the eBay seller community. Sellers are grateful to have live eBay events for sellers across the United States. But many sellers bemoan eBay not offering one big “blow out” event.

If you don’t know the history of eBay live conference events, let me enlighten you.

Once upon a time, from 2003-2008, there was an annual eBay event known as eBay Live! At its height, this legendary city-hopping conference attracted thousands of fervent eBay sellers. eBay Live! conferences occurred several times in one calendar year at key locations across the United States.

eBay Live! was a large conference that attracted hundreds if not thousands of sellers and staff. A key feature was workshops  running on multiple tracks. One could  also hang out with eBay staffers in the Pinks Lounge, named for eBay employees’ pink-lined discussion board posts. There were always “added attractions” at eBay Lives. At one, attendees could line up to have a book signed by then CEO Meg Whitman.

In the Expo Hall sellers discover useful third-party tools and services while collecting vast quantities of swag.

Attendees proudly sport eBay-branded apparel, eBay-colored hair, headgear, and accessories. A sudden burst of “pin music” alerts you to find the nearest eBay employee and claim another of that year’s series of collectible pins. Also eNotes, eBay’s own all-employee a cappella singing group, might turn up next to you in the Expo Hall.

Keynote addresses typically commence with a performance by eBay’s all-employee house band. The band originally was known as Negative Feedback and later as Twisted Lister. Sometimes Griff joined them on piano. So let’s just say, music was everywhere at eBay Live! events.

eBay Live! culminates with a gala with a red carpet entrance for all!

Sellers walk the eBay Live! red carpet through a vociferous clapping tunnel of applauding eBay employees. After an amazing dinner, sellers dance the night away to big-name musical entertainment. Entertainers like Kool and the Gang, the B-52s, or Weird Al Yankovich  perform at eBay Lives. Weird Al’s hit parody “What I Bought on eBay” was greeted with thunderous applause complete with an audience singalong. All of this was at the 2003 eBay Live! gala in Orlando.

Sadly, these mega-conferences ultimately became unsustainable for the company.

The last eBay Live! events happened in 2008. But the following year, a call-in to eBay Radio lamenting the demise of eBay Live! sparked the founding of the inaugural  eBay Radio Party & Conference (eRPC). And a new era  of eBay seller conferences was born with the eBay Radio Party & Conference!

eBay Radio Party & Conference with eBay Radio’s producer Lee Mirabal at the helm, kept the spirit of eBay Live burning brightly.

So while eBay turned from organizing and running the mega conferences of eBay Live!, eBay Radio Party & Conference picked up the torch! Though a smaller conference, eBay Radio Party & conference brought together awesome eCommerce speaker line ups. It also showcased such fun features as a Best eBay Outfits contest. I myself was honored to be first a Mentor as part of eRPC’s informative Mentors Corner, and later for two years a presenter. Other eRPC innovations included networking lunches. At these lunches attendees shared Dutch treat repasts with speakers, sponsors, and eBay employees.

Nothing beats the learning of sellers talking to sellers!

The eBay Radio Party & Conference ran from 2009-2015. During those years, eBay did experiment with smaller regional conferences known as eBay: On Location. These took place in cities across the country. Sellers were grateful for the events albeit on a much smaller scale compared to eBay Lives of days gone by.

In September 2015, eBay celebrated the company’s 20th anniversary with We Are Twenty!

Held in eBay’s home town of San Jose, It was attended by some 1000 sellers. We Are Twenty had much of the energy of eBay Live! events from the past. It was wildly successful. Handing out $100 eBay gift cards to all registrants was a great way to kick off the event! It included a large array of eBay staff speakers speaking to eBay’s past and eBay’s future. Of course it included a great event party.

So in 2016, eBay brought back a series of large conferences with eBay Open.

Held in Las Vegas during the third week of July from 2016 through 2019, this annual seller celebration incorporated key eBay Live! traditions such as the beloved clapping tunnel. Presentations by key eBay executives anchored eBay Opens. Plenty of workshops of hot seller topics were available. 3rd party vendors and teams of eBay staff were readily available in the event’s Expo Hall. eBay Radio was on hand broadcasting live!

Though not offered across the country as eBay Live! had been, sellers greeted the annual eBay Open mega events with great enthusiasm. It was great to have an outstanding venue, speakers, workshops and expo hall with vendors. And sellers loved the closing event party!

2019 also saw the introduction of eBay UpFront. Intimate local events in a smattering of cities nationwide. eBay UpFront features a presentation by key eBay team leaders. After the executive presentations, there is  round-table discussions with various key eBay teams, and lots of yummy treats.

Like eBay Live! before it, eBay Open fell victim to its own success and became unsustainable for the company.

So there will be no eBay Open in 2020. But, eBay will continue its seller outreach by doubling down on one-evening eBay UpFronts.

Twice as many are scheduled for 2020. 10 Upfronts are in cities from coast to coast. Check out the entire schedule at ebay.com/SellerEvents. If there’s an eBay UpFront anyway near you, I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity to get face time with eBay team members.

Though not the same as the large eBay Open and eBay Live events, eBay Upfronts are packed with great content. Attending sellers gain access to top level eBay executives and staff. And nothing beats the energy of several hundred eBay sellers under 1 roof!

We’ll miss the glitz and glamour of eBay Open, which was wonderful while it lasted.

On the upside, sellers don’t have to take several days off from business to travel to a large conference.  Nor will sellers incur the expenses of a business trip to Las Vegas. As for how we’ll celebrate the quarter-century milestone of eBay’s 25th anniversary, we will just have to wait and see!

In closing, I’ll be at eBay UpFront in both Tampa and Weehawken.

Are you coming to eBay upfront?

If you’re there, please come on over and say hello. I can’t wait to hear the great eBay staff speakers. The presentations are sure to be loaded with choice nuggets of information. As is always the best part of any eBay event, I look forward to meeting up with old friends and making new ones!

I applaud eBay for continuing live seller events. I encourage sellers to support eBay in its Upfront evenings.

Who knows, if each eBay Upfront sells out, perhaps we’ll see bigger events in the near future?!

 

 

 

eBay 2020 Sales Full Speed Ahead!

by | Jan 5, 2020 | eCommerce Selling Tips, eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay

eBay 2020 has arrived.

eBay 2020 is here!

The new decade is here.  We’re celebrating the beginning of not just a new year, but a new decade! As a seller, what are your top resolutions for eBay 2020? Reorganize your office/workspace or inventory? Finally get those death piles listed? Attend eBay Open in July?

Those worthwhile goals for eBay 2020 are all fine and dandy, but without consistent sales, you won’t have a business to organize. Healthy cash flow is the lifeblood of any commercial enterprise, especially your business on eBay.

In the hit reality series Shark Tank, what’s one of the first questions the sharks ask each would-be entrepreneur? 

They ask the business owner,” What are your sales?” Now I’m asking you the same question, and you’d better know the answer. If you don’t, you’ve got some homework to do. Because as a seller, it’s essential that you know your numbers — including not only how much you’re selling, but also how fast you’re selling it (sales velocity). In other words, how long are items listed before they sell?

The answer to this question will vary by category and even by item.

For example, cell phone accessories have a different sell-through rate than Mid-Century Modern candleholders. Furthermore, MCM candleholders may have a different sell-through rate than Art Deco candlesticks.

Once you have some idea of your sales history, consider this: If a certain type of product typically takes four months to sell, what would it mean for your bottom line if it sold in three months? Or two? It could mean the difference between a business that stagnates (or even fails) and a business that flourishes.

Here’s why.

“Sell-through rate” (how fast your items sell) is also known as “conversion rate”, because it represents the process of turning an item into cash — i.e., converting it to dollars and cents. The faster you can recoup your initial investment, reap your profit, and get that money into your bank account, the better. Many sellers get into trouble because they have too much cash tied up in inventory that isn’t selling.

Don’t be that seller in eBay 2020!

I can help you to get cash flowing (and/or flowing faster). What you need — what every eBay seller needs — is to accelerate sales. And I’ve got some proven tips for doing that. You can grab them right here. eBay Sales Accelerator tips are my gift to you when you add yourself to the wait list for my exclusive membership group Social Media Insider.

Now, when evaluating your business look at what IS selling. It’s important to note your best selling products and categories. While doing this be sure to do the following.

First, check prices! The value of an item will fluctuate over time. You may be asking too much, or you may be leaving cash on the table by asking too little. Use Advanced Search to check sold prices on eBay. My YouTube Watch This Before You List On eBay!, will show you how to use eBay’s Advanced search feature.

If you have an eBay Store subscription, check Terapeak as well (under the Research Tab in Seller Hub).

Second, include 4 or more pictures in each listing. You can have up to 12, so take photos of all the sides of each item as well as closeups of details and/or any flaws. Showcase each item to its best advantage, because shoppers make their purchase decision based on your photos and description. Show them what they’re getting, preferably on a plain white background! More pictures can add up to more as well as faster sales plus a boost in eBay search.

Third, offer a robust return policy. Most customers want what they’re buying. But they’ll feel a lot more comfortable about buying from you if they know they can return an item that doesn’t work out.

Think like a buyer in eBay 2020!

It pays to think like your buyer!

Let’s say a buyer needs a widget. Two identical sellers have widgets listed at the same price with free shipping. One seller offers no returns, while the other offers 30-day returns. Which widget would you buy?

Look at your competitors’ return policies. How can you make yours better than theirs? If they offer 30-day returns, maybe you could offer 60-day returns. Or free returns. Or both! Check the number of returns you get in any given category to know what’s best for your business.

To score a free copy of my eBay Sales Accelerator with even more tips, add yourself to the waiting list for Social Media Insider, my VIP sellers group.

Here’s to a new year full of more eBay sales than ever, faster than ever!

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