eBay Back To School Sales Explosion!

by | Aug 17, 2019 | eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay

eBay Back To School shoppers are here sellers!

It may feel as if Summer will never end, but it’s already time for eBay’s Back to School (BTS) retail moment. That’s right: The eBay Back to School selling season is NOW. And it’s going to be HUGE on eBay.

Just how big is eBay Back To School you ask?

eBay Back To School Shopping

So, how big is eBay Back To School Shopping?

For starters, the National Retail Federation (NRF) predicts record spending this year: Families with children in elementary through high school will shell out an average of $697 (up from $685 in 2018), while families with college students are expected to ante up an average of $977 (up from 2018’s $942).

Best of all, those families plan to do roughly half of their shopping online. That includes eBay Back To School shoppers!

Furthermore, 85%-90% of those planning to shop online intend to take advantage of free shipping. (There’s a word to the wise!)

But the potential for profit doesn’t stop there.

Back to School encompasses everything from pre-kindergarten to graduate school. It includes children, teenagers, and adults. It’s kids and teachers, but it’s also parents, who shop for themselves while shopping for their offspring.

How can you attract these eager eBay Back To School customers?

If you think you have nothing to offer Back to School buyers, think again! BTS items go way beyond school supplies like pencils, notebooks, and backpacks. They run the gamut from electronics to apparel to accessories.

My complimentary downloadable Ultimate Guide to Back to School Products will help you discover coveted BTS goodies that you already have on hand — and maybe even already have listed!

You’ll be surprised to find out how much of your available inventory is popular with Back to School shoppers.

Once you’ve got a handle on your best BTS items, if you have an eBay store, now is the time to promote those items.

This is one retail moment during which every major retailer offers deals and savings. You can, too! So get smart, seller: Google some of those major retailers for inspiration. Then use eBay’s Promotions Manager to create deals of your own.

For example, you might offer a percentage or dollar-amount discount for buyers who spend more than $X with you.

Create a Promotion with Promotions Manager. Group you Back To School items together. That way, when your shopper lands on one of your products, they’ll be encouraged to buy more from you. Here are more possibilities that might pay off.

Put certain Back To School items on sale, and make a sale event for them.

Consider bundling products together to attract even more shoppers. Feature those special bundles on your social media. You might even want to make a dedicated store category for Back to School Deals and use eBay’s bulk-editing tool to stock it with selected items from your current listings.

In short, offer savings to get sales!

The Back to School selling season runs through mid-September, but the time to take advantage of this retail moment is NOW. Download your free copy of my Ultimate Guide to Back to School Products today to jump-start your BTS selling and cash in on Back to School!

Here’s How To Attract eBay Back To School Shoppers!

eBay Sellers Harvest Pinterest Sales Power!

by | Apr 12, 2019 | eCommerce Tips, Pinterest Tips for online sellers!, Social Media Tips

eBay sellers turn to Pinterest for it’s sales power.

It is a fruitful and profitable social media platform for eBay sellers. That is because your Pinterest pins live on for a very long time. This means that the time and effort you spend posting there will pay sales dividends for weeks, months, even years to come. Your pins done correctly will continue to direct buyers to your online products for a long, long time. So, your time spent pinning what you sell, is time well spent.

According to digital marketing agency Omnicore , there are more than 250 million Pinterest users worldwide.

There are 250 million pinners worldwide!

Half of them live in the USA, and 2 million of them save shopping pins every day. So, that’s a lot of prospective buyers!

But there’s recently been a big change in how pins work.

Seller used to be able to edit the address (URL) of their pins to direct traffic to a category in their eBay store, or to a search within their eBay store, once a one-off item sold. This was very helpful for sellers of unique items.

But that’s no longer the case.

When you pin to Pinterest with either Pinterest’s browser extension or eBay’s Share button, the address leading to the exact item is displayed to shoppers. That’s great if you’re selling multiple quantities of something, but not so great for sellers who have only one of an item. Here’s why: Once your item sells out, if a Pinterest user clicks on your pin, eBay will redirect them to similar items. For example, if your pin was for a red shirt, eBay shows them other red shirts.

But eBay doesn’t necessarily redirect the Pinterest user to your items; they direct them where eBay thinks best for eBay!

I explain how this works in my video, “What Happened To Pinterest?”

You’ve done the work, but you don’t reap the sales ad traffic benefits.

So what to do? First, build a pin . It takes about 5-10 minutes to learn how to do so; once you get the hang of it, it’s a snap. Basically, you upload your photo, then write a title and description. But for the URL, instead of the listing’s web address, put your nearest eBay store category’s URL or the link to a search in your store. If you don’t have an eBay store, then your best bet is to use the URL for your seller ID.

I give all the details and show you how to do this in my above  YouTube video “What Happened to Pinterest? HUGE Impact for Sellers!”

Sellers, you deserve the sales from your social media work. Check out my YouTube, so you don’t lose sales because of this new change to Pinterest. Then get busy pinning!

eBay Jail Alert Selling Rules Have Drastically Changed!

by | Jan 26, 2019 | eCommerce News, eCommerce Selling Tips, eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay

Heads up sellers. This is an eBay jail alert for you.

First, eBay has made a major change to its regulations governing what you can and cannot sell on eBay. Simply, it’s all about how you source and ship your items. Violating this new rule can land you in eBay jail. So here’s an eBay jail alert for you with the straight dope to keep you out of trouble.

Some eBay sellers “scrape” (import) listings from other marketplace sites and list those products on eBay.

There are even third-party tools and applications that help them do so. So, the seller does not own the item or have it in hand, nor are they listing a product from a legitimate drop shipper.

When an item sells, the eBay seller goes to the website from which he or she scraped the listing and buys the product. Then, the item is shipped directly to his or her buyer. In short, the seller is using that other marketplace to fulfill their eBay orders.

THIS IS NO LONGER ALLOWED!!! Here’s what IS allowed…  

eBay’s new rules do not affect sellers whose business model includes drop shipping from legitimate wholesale suppliers or manufacturers. In effect, it is totally eBay-legal to sell an item on eBay whose orders you fulfill through a legitimate third-party drop shipper. Drop shipping means you buy the product from a wholesale source, which then ships it to your customer. My complimentary guide, Stay Out Of eBay Jail! lays it all out for you.

Furthermore, it is also eBay-legal to use Amazon’s Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) service.

With MCF, sellers use Amazon as their warehouse and fulfill all orders through their Amazon account. It’s equally eBay-legal to use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA). With FBA  sellers have Amazon store their inventory, and Amazon ships the stored item from their own warehouse when it sells.

So, it’s eBay-legal as well to use other fulfillment services that ship your stored inventory.

What’s key here is that the inventory belongs to you, the seller.

With eBay’s new drop shipping rules, know what is allowed.

Simply, the inventory does not belong to the owner of the warehouse. You are only storing your own merchandise. So, it’s not the warehouse owner’s products being sold and shipped.

What’s NOT eBay-legal as of this month is the practice of taking a listing from Amazon (or some other retail website) and listing that item on eBay.

When it sells, the seller then buys it on Amazon (or that other retail website) and has it shipped to the buyer. Currently, this business model is banned. So, if you get caught doing this, you are endangering your eBay selling status and could even find yourself suspended! Read the entire policy here.

There are potentially severe consequences if you break the new drop shipping rule. eBay states, ” we may remove your listings from search, display them lower in search results, or remove them completely from the site. We may also limit, restrict or suspend your ability to buy, sell, or use site features on eBay..”

To ensure that you understand the new rules, and for more information, watch my YouTube video “eBay Selling Rules Just Changed!”. 

 

Some sellers who are NOT guilty of this now-illegal practice are being caught by an eBay bot (automated robot scanning the site’s listings).

It flags their account as suspicious and removes their Top Rated Seller status. If you’re  caught in this net, reach out to eBay Customer Service right away. If you’re a US or Canadian seller messaging them through eBay for Business’ Facebook page is one quick way to get a US-based CS rep. Otherwise contact customer service through the eBay site.

In closing , consider this your eBay jail alert. eBay’s product sourcing and listing rules have dramatically changed.

If you drop ship, adhere to the new strict criteria, so you don’t end up in jail!

eBay Sellers Merry Christmas Doesn’t Mean Sales Meltdown!

by | Dec 19, 2018 | eCommerce News, eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay

eBay sellers, Merry Christmas is just one week away.

If you’ve been watching the calendar, this shouldn’t come as a shock to you. But you still might need to sit down before I spell it out to you: Christmas is just one short week away.  

What does that mean for you and your business on eBay? Does it mean a sales meltdown?

Before we get started, take a few deep breaths. There are tried-and-true strategies to help you make the most of this very limited once-a-year time. I’m going to share them with you.

First, be smart about where you get eBay listing and inventory information.

Sadly there is much bad information on social media that can harm your eBay business.  Avoid losing sales with inaccurate tips. I talk about  this in my YouTube, eBay Sellers You May Not Want To Hear This..

Second, make sure you offer paid expedited shipping options. This includes ALL of your listings. If not, bulk-edit them into your listings right now using eBay’s bulk edit tool. You can also use eBay business policies to accomplish this. There, that was easy-peasy!

Third, quickly review your holiday-appropriate inventory. If it’s not selling, then now is definitely the time to figure out why. Is it priced too high? Are your photos less than stellar, or are there just too few of them? Is your item one of many that may have glutted the market for them? Or is it just not getting found in search?

It’s probably too late to do much about your photos (unless you’re super fast with a camera), but you can definitely do something about the other reasons an item may not yet have sold or is selling very slowly. Here are some options:

  1. If you have an eBay store, Rrun a deeply discounted flash sale using Markdown Manager. Promote your sale on social media with a link to your store. Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are your best choices for getting traction — and traffic! — ASAP. You can even run multiple flash sales throughout this final shopping week.
  2. eBay store owners, use Promotions Manager to set up a BOGO (buy one, get one free) or other volume-based discount. Here’s my YouTube Ignite Your eBay Sales With Promotions Manager. 
  3. With an eBay store, create some Promoted Listings, and consider setting your ad rate slightly higher than the trending percentage.
  4. With or without an eBay store, try bundling your holiday items. For example, could you put together a selection of inexpensive items and call it a “Secret Santa Gift Lot”? My hit guide Secret Sauce For eBay Sales transforms slow moving inventory into hot bundles.

Secret Spice for Online Sales turns slow listings into hot bundles!

Yes, ‘tis the week before Christmas, and you’re going to be busy-busy-busy…but don’t let the next seven days be all business and no pleasure.

Whatever doesn’t sell this Q4 can have its listing tweaked in the new year. Those items still be there on your store shelves, but each day of this week will only happen once.

In closing, put these profit-maximizing strategies to work. But don’t shortchange yourself on spending time enjoying family, friends, and all the joys of the season. Best of luck with your last-minute selling.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas eBay sellers.

 

 

eBay Top December Sales Tips!

by | Dec 5, 2018 | eCommerce Selling Tips, eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay

December is upon us. That means it’s time for eBay top December sales tips. Sellers put your pedal to the metal!

eBay top December sales tips for sellers

Most important of the eBay top December sales tips, is keep adding fresh merchandise to your store shelves. So, of course don’t stop listing altogether. But do concentrate now on selling and shipping what’s already listed.

In fact, at this point, SHIPPING is your most important activity. And it’s crucial to do it right.

Big-volume multi-channel sellers cite shipping as one of their top concerns for successful sales and happy customers, especially repeat buyers. Why?

The answer to that question is as easy as 1-2-3: because if their item does not arrive (1) fast; (2) in one piece; and (3) appropriately packaged — including being dry! — your customer is NOT going to be happy.

And an unhappy customer is the last thing you want!

Top eBay sales tip to keep customers happy!

Luckily, in most cases, making customers happy doesn’t have to be difficult. It just takes some thought, care, and attention to detail. Here are top tips for successful holiday shipping.

‘By now you should have reviewed your shipping workflow and revised it if necessary. But if you’ve been putting that off, or just want a quick refresher course, read my recent blog post. Remember, saving 5 minutes of packing time per item adds up quickly!

You also should be offering paid shipping upgrades, including overnight express delivery.

Again, if you’ve been procrastinating, sit down at your computer — desktop or laptop — and bulk edit your listings to add those additional shipping options.

Most importantly, pack each item appropriately AND attractively so that it arrives in one piece, dry, and looking its best!

Remember, ‘tis the season for snow, sleet, and just plain rain. Boxes are highly susceptible to moisture, and even polyvinyl mailing envelopes rip or may leak.

So pack your items for shipping with wet weather in mind.

eBay top sales tips includes think of the weather when packing!

For example, clothing should be sealed in plastic bags; if you typically wrap apparel items in tissue, do that first, then seal the wrapped garment in a plastic bag. Ziplock bags work particularly well for this, and store brands are typically not expensive. You should also put clear tape over the addresses on your shipping label (just don’t tape over the bar code).

As for other items, don’t expect even the biggest, reddest FRAGILE sticker ever to protect your goods. Because it won’t; by some accounts, packages bearing FRAGILE stickers may even be treated MORE roughly than other packages!

Instead, pack everything so that it can be dropped 4 feet without breaking.

(Hint: Test this with a generic item you don’t mind destroying, NOT your sold item!) That means lots of bubble wrap, packing peanuts, and possibly using a box within a box for super-breakable stuff. When in doubt, add more bubble wrap and another layer of peanuts! If the bubble wrap doesn’t seal the item away from moisture sufficiently, put the bubble-wrapped item into a plastic bag before placing it in its nest of packing peanuts.

Speaking of bubble wrap, it’s made with different sizes of bubbles for a reason. Multiple layers of the small bubbles protect differently than do the large bubbles, and it doesn’t necessarily correspond to the size of the item. Some items will ship most safely swathed in small bubbles with an outer layer of large bubbles. Experiment to figure out what works best. Very delicate items may even need to be carefully swathed in soft cotton batting rather than bubble wrapped.

Air pillows are another type of what shipping professionals call “void fill solutions”. Certain types of corrugated boxes are more protective than others, too. All of these packing materials (and much more) are available from Bubblefast.com.  Use code esnbes and save 10% on your entire order.

Now you’ve got your marching orders…pa-rumpa-pum-pum…and a recipe for happy customers:

  1. Keep streamlining your workflow to make shipping faster and easier

  2. Offer paid shipping upgrades, including overnight express delivery

  3. Pack each item appropriately, and make sure it’s weatherproof

So put the shipping pedal to the metal, and get those sold items flying out the door!

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