by Kathy Terrill | Apr 26, 2017 | eCommerce Selling Tips, Facebook Business Page Tips, Pinterest Tips for online sellers!, Selling on eBay, Social Media Tips
Hundreds of thousands of shoppers are on the internet now. They are looking for that perfect Mother’s Day gift. In short, sellers be ready for this Mother’s Day sale opportunity.
As can be seen, Statista reports Americans spend more than 23 billion dollars on Mother’s Day sale items!
Savvy sellers have their Mother’s Day sales goods ready to go. Prices are researched. Listings are optimized and promoted on social media. Good job!
Some sellers come to me frustrated. They look at their inventory and note they don’t sell lingerie or perfume. Sellers state, ” Kathy, I have nothing to sell for Mother’s Day gifts!”
Mother’s Day Sale gift ideas!
I answer, “Ah, but I think you do.” In the first place, I have three keys essential to success for Mother’s Day sales for all my seller friends. To begin, these three keys work no matter where you sell.
#1 – Equip yourself with my FREE guide What Sells For Mother’s Day. It’s loaded with dozens of products that shoppers want to buy now!
Complimentary guide to what sells for Mother’s Day sale gifts!
#2- With my tips in hand, go through your listed and unlisted inventory.
Sort what items you discover that are best to feature to attract Mother’s Day Shoppers. Are your most attractive Mothers Day items are unlisted? Make it a priority to list those items online now.
#3 – Get busy on social media.
Moreover, who is your ideal customer? In short, do you sell items that a millennial shopping for their Mom would buy? Then, it’s wise to be active on Instagram. Is it a husband in his 40’s or 50’s buying a gift for his wife? By and large you select to post on Twitter and your Facebook Business page.
Get busy on social media with Mother’s Day sale items.
Spend your time wisely.
Use the killer tips in my FREE guide What Sells For Mother’s Day to discover inventory you have that’s perfect for Mom.
To sum it up, your nicest inventory is front and center for shoppers with great listings and social media. To sum it up, welcome Mother’s Day shoppers and sales!
by Kathy Terrill | Mar 14, 2017 | eCommerce Selling Tips, eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay
Sellers come to me daily asking, “Kathy, how do I get more sales?”
We will talk about optimizing their eBay product listings. We will also discuss the many ways sellers can promote their items both on eBay and on social media.
Before we start the essential work of product sourcing and listing , I tell sellers this foundational secret to sales success must be in place. You’re thinking, “What is this crucial secret for sales success?”
I will tell you. It is to think like a buyer.
Sellers will sometimes look at me, not understanding what I mean. So I repeat , ” You must think like a buyer”. This is foundational for sales success anywhere. I will tell you why. Successful product sourcing is about your buyer. Every part of your listing is about your buyer. Successful promotions are about your buyer. Productive social media is about your ideal buyer. In short, it’s all about the buyer.
Even before your list your products, when you are choosing what to sell, you must think like buyer.
What do buyers want to purchase that you can source? Using top notch research tools like Terapeak can help you find what are the hot products to list and sell right now on eBay. When you research what to sell, you want to think like a buyer.
Once you discover a niche or line of products you want to sell, the next step is to source these hot products.
You can source products in thrift stores, consignment shops, auction houses and the sale racks at retail stores and wholesalers. A reputable wholesale liquidation seller like BULQ can be a great source for desirable merchandise. BULQ offers sellers wholesale prices on inventory by the pallet and case.
You have your inventory. Now you’re ready to list. Think about this.
What is your listing title about?
A good listing title is about helping your buyer find your product in search. Successful sellers know that selecting good title keywords includes researching and putting into place the words that buyers use when shopping for that item. Think like a buyer. Look at the item you are listing. What words or phrase would you use if you were shopping for that item? Be sure and include them in the title and or item description. My YouTube video will show you how to use eBay search to select keywords buyers use when shopping.
The photographs you take and upload to your listing are all about the buyer.
Listing photographs need to clearly showcase your item. This allows shoppers to clearly assess your product. Look at your product. What angles and views will help the buyer select your item? Is there a flaw or distinctive mark you want to show them. Your shopper cannot hold your item. Your pictures do that. Think like a buyer.
Next, you will need to fill in the item specifics. Accurate and complete information here gives the eBay and internet search engines structured data they need to display your items to the right buyer.
Now you’re onto the item description. Clearly detail your item in a few sentences. Include information on the brand, UPC, manufacturer’s number or part, color, condition and use for your product. Include size and measurements. Be simple, be clear, and be complete. Think like a buyer.
If you were shopping for this product, what information would you need in making the purchase. Include all of that in your description.
Fill in your payment information and list!
Once listed, take the time to push your products out in social media. Posting effectively on a Facebook Business page can help your products get found by search engines and shoppers. It’s all about the buyer! The Ultimate Guide To A Facebook Business Page For Sellers Mini Course will equip you to optimize your Facebook Business page to welcome buyers. I’ll show you how to think like a buyer on Facebook. Get instant access to Facebook sales power HERE.
Keeping your eye clearly on your buyer, keeps your online business successful. Forget your buyer and you will see your business lose it’s purpose and profitability.
Think like a buyer and watch your sales soar!
by Kathy Terrill | Feb 24, 2017 | eCommerce Tips
Sellers come to almost daily and say, “Kathy my eBay item isn’t showing up well in search, what can I do?”
My answer is simple, “Let’s get to work”
#1 way to get better search results on eBay is write a great title.
Whether your shopper is on mobile or desktop, your eBay item’s title is one of the first thing your potential buyer sees. Your title is important to your buyer and important for good eBay and Google search results. Have you chosen the best keywords for your product? The best keywords clearly identify what you’re selling. The words that matter here are your brand. color, size, distinctive patterns and the like. Take a minute and look at your item. If you wanted to buy this item, what words would you be using in searching the internet to find it? Use those words. This video will show you how to use eBay search to quickly write eBay titles.
#2 way to improve your search results on eBay is fill in the item specifics.
Fill the item specifics in to the best of your ability. Fill in the MPNs, UPCs, brand, color, size , country of manufacture, leading role etc depending on the item you are selling and the category you are selling in. If you have the UPC for your item and you leave it blank or use the drop down menu does not apply, the seller that does fill in the UPC has given eBay search more structured data information than you. Is there a place to chose the color of your item? If yes, chose the best color, blue, pink etc. Again the seller that takes the time to fully fill in item specifics is giving more search data to eBay. Filling in the item specifics gives eBay and Google search vital information to help your item in search.
#3 way to improve your search results on eBay is take clear, crisp pictures.
Your customer cannot hold and touch the item you’re selling. Your pictures literally put your item in your customer’s hand. Show them every angle of your product. Include pictures of any flaws on the item. You do not need to buy expensive photography equipment to take clear pictures that are in focus. Most smartphones have great cameras. Pictures are important now for the shopping experience on eBay and will grow as an essential part of eBay search. eBay‘s CEO Devin Wenig spoke to this in a recent article for CNET. “We’re doing a lot of work on image recognition. Computers are getting really good at recognizing things. We’re not that far away from a future where you’ll just do this. [Wenig picks up his phone and acts out taking photos of a pen in front of him.] You’ll just take a picture of that and we’ll match it through AI to our catalogue, we’ll know exactly what that pen is. And we’ll say, do you wanna sell it? We can get you five bucks right now for that pen.” In short, pictures matter.
#4 way to improve in search is to use eBay’s paid search service Promoted Listings.
eBay offers it’s eBay store owners an effective way to promote qualifying listings through it’s paid Promoted Listings program. Through Promoted Listings sellers create Promoted Listing campaigns and chose the advertising rate they will pay eBay IF the product sells directly through Promoted Listings. A seller ONLY pays eBay the Promotion fee is the item sells from a click through Promoted Listings campaigns. Sellers do not pay for clicks with no sales. Nor do sellers pay for listing impressions. Many sellers note an increase in sales to the overall category in their eBay store that has Promoted Listings, and increased sales store wide. Promoted Listings can have the effect of increasing overall traffic to an eBay‘s sellers store. Currently Promoted Listings are only available to eBay store owners with multi quantity items. There is a Beta test going on for unique one of a kind items. To be considered for this Beta test go to Promoted Listings under the Marketing Tab in your eBay Seller Hub dashboard. You must apply to be considered. To apply go to Promoted Listings in Seller Hub. It’s under your Marketing tab
CLICK it . Find “Give us feedback”.
Give Us Feedback in Promoted Listings Dashboard
It’s all the way to right of the page in Promoted Listings. Click it. Say something like ” Hi I’d like to be in your beta test for one of a kind items.”
According to my eBay contact, ” from the time the seller sends us the request to be considered for the beta group, it may take up to a week to get added to beta. We will confirm via email once they are accepted. They can share this info with their friends/colleague. However, we cannot guarantee that everyone will be accepted.”
#5 way to improve in search is to research.
eBay is a competitive market place. When you first listed your item a month ago or a year ago the prevailing price may have been XXX but now its Z. You can wait and see if prices change, or you can change your listing for the current market and get the sale. eBay’s advanced search can give you short term sales data. For more in depth and detailed information professional sellers look to Terapeak.
Cleaning up your title and/or pictures can get your better search results on eBay. If an item qualifies using eBay‘s Promoted Listings is a great way to get a boost for your listings and your eBay store. Make sure to stay abreast of marketplace changes in prices with Terapeak.
I’ve made a special FREE How To Dominate eBay Search Tip Sheet for you to use. It has powerful eBay search tips you can use with or without an eBay store.Gain instant access by clicking HERE.
NOW is the time for YOU to stand out in eBay search!
by Kathy Terrill | Jan 23, 2017 | eCommerce Selling Tips, Selling on eBay
Do you ever struggle wondering, “Where are my eBay sales?” This can happen to any online seller, not just eBay sellers. You may wonder where are my Etsy, Amazon or my website sales?
You pop into Facebook seller groups and it seems everyone but you is scoring sales. So what is a seller to do?
First thing to do is breathe.
There is an ebb and flow to eCommerce and retail sales.
Ever walk into a retail store and no one is shopping but you? Then 10 minutes later there are 20 shoppers surrounding you! You just witnessed the ebb and flow to retail sales.
If it’s not a temporary lull but a downward spiral of days with no sales, then it’s time to take action.
The next step is research is make sure that you are selling products that people want.
Sellers will come to and say ” Kathy I don’t have any sales.” I will look at their listings and check sales for the brands and types of items they are selling. I will discover that a large portion of their listings are items that show no sales on eBay for weeks. If shoppers are not looking to buy what you have, it’s not about doing or not doing social media, it’s about listing products that are in demand.
I will ask the seller why XX product is listed. I get a variety of answers. The answers range from “I’m cleaning out my closet, to ” it was only one dollar at the thrift store.”
It is far wiser to spend $30 on an item that sells for $100, than to spend $1 several times over on inventory that doesn’t sell.
Research is key. When you’re shopping check solds on your smart phone with eBay‘s advanced search or a professional research tool like Terapeak.
Let’s say your item IS in demand BUT you have a lot of competition. To do well in eBay search you’ll want to gain and maintain Top Rated Seller status on eBay. A good handling time of 1 day or less will help your listings, as will a 30 day or better return policy. Ship your inventory internationally through eBay‘s Global Shipping Program, or ship internationally yourself. Add to this check list, an optimized listing title, 4 or more pictures, filled in item specifics and a clear and concise description. My hit guide, Secret To eBay Search For Sellers will walk you line by through your eBay listing to make sure you’re optimized for every nuance of eBay search.
Now here comes the icing on the cake. If you have more than 1 of the item that you’re selling, use eBay’s paid Promoted Listing program available only to eBay store owners. Not only does it help to get your item sold, it will increase traffic to your listings. Learn more about Promoted Listings in my blog post The Secret To Boosting Sales On eBay.
So, when sales are slow after taking a deep breath, successful sellers take action and they R.E.A.P.
R is review. Review prices. E is evaluate. Is your listing optimized for search? A is alter. Make necessary changes to to your listings and inventory to be optimized and positioned to sell. P is promote. Use Promoted Listings, eBay collections and social media to stand out and get found in eBay and Google search by potential shoppers.
R.E.A.P. and get sales!
by Kathy Terrill | Mar 3, 2016 | eCommerce News, eCommerce Selling Tips, Selling on eBay
Since January 1 I’ve been sharing very practical tips with you to build and strengthen your eBay business this year.
To grow an online business it’s essential for sellers to plan.
During January, I wrote about the importance of eBay sellers creating a business plan. A business plan is fundamental to your achieving and sustaining business success. I wrote extensively explaining how your eBay business plan supports your online selling success in my blog post #1 Reason For Business Failure.
Did you take a few moments during your busy day in January to flesh out a business plan? Good for you if you did! Now is the time to take it out, take a look at it and gauge your progress.
Do you have a business plan?
Do You Have A Business Plan?
We’re almost through the 1st quarter of 2016. If you haven’t written out how you’d like to grow your eBay business you’ll find it’s easy for you to lose focus. Without a business plan it’s harder to chose what tasks you want to spend time on to build a stronger eBay online business for yourself.
Now is the perfect time to review your business.
How are your new eBay products selling? What do your customer’s say about you in customer feedback? Is your inventory system efficient? Are you getting likes, comments, shares and repins in social media?
Are Your Social Media Posts Getting Engagement?
Is the answer yes to all the above?
If it is yes, GREAT! Carry on and continue to gauge your progress. If it’s no, pause and grab a pen and paper.
What are the weaknesses you see in your eBay business?
Do you need to develop more inventory sources? Do you need better office organization? Would it be good to list more regularly? Is it time to update old listings? Do you want to learn more keys to search engine optimization? All eBay sellers want better search results for their listings! I’ve written a FREE tip sheet for you “How To Stand Out In eBay Search“.
Whatever you decide still needs work, pick 1 or 2 things to focus on.
Don’t allow yourself to get side tracked. Many eBay sellers sabotage their progress by trying to do and learn all things at once. It’s impossible and it hurts true growth.
When I was first learning social media I focused on 1 outlet at a time for 3 months. After the initial 3 months I moved to the next platform, then the next. Now years later I have a skill level in social media because I took the time to learn the fundamentals.
To grow your business you’ll find yourself chosing to attend webinars, read books and great information on SEO like my FREE ebay search tips, listening attentively in Facebook groups and working on your business with eBay consultants. Focused step by focused step you’ll build yourself a stronger and more vibrant eBay business!
With Focus You’ll Build A Strong eBay Business!
It all starts with a plan!
Take the time now to make your eBay business plan.
With your plan in mind, it’s time to step out!
R is review. Review prices. E is evaluate. Is your listing optimized for search? A is alter. Make necessary changes to to your listings and inventory to be optimized and positioned to sell. P is promote. Use Promoted Listings, eBay collections and social media to stand out and get found in eBay and Google search by potential shoppers.
