by Kathy Terrill | 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!
by Kathy Terrill | 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.
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.
by Kathy Terrill | Jun 12, 2018 | eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay
Looking for more eBay sales? International sales can increase your business immediately.
So, why say no to more sales?!
To begin, shipping globally on eBay can be accomplished in several ways.
First, sellers can ship themselves. Additionally, businesses can ship international sales with eBay’s Global Shipping Program. For each listing, sellers choose how to handle their non- US sales. It is not an all or nothing proposition. So, sellers can mail product X themselves using eBay shipping labels. Also, shipping product X can be done using products like Stamps.com, Endicia, and ShipStation. Then with product Y they select eBay’s Global Shipping program.
There are several advantages to eBay’s Global Shipping program, commonly called GSP.
First, it takes a lot of stress off the seller. When a GSP item sells, the sellers simply mail to a shipping hub in Kentucky. From there, the item is packed and mailed overseas. The seller is only required to get the item to Kentucky. From Kentucky onwards, it’s eBay’s job. eBay is responsible to have the international shipping product arrive safely in county Q. Should it arrived damaged, eBay refunds the buyer. This keeps more money in the seller’s pockets! Also, eBay screens the GSP listings. If it’s illegal to import your product to country G, it will not be visible to that nation.
Amazon sellers that use FBA to fulfill their eBay orders can use GSP.
Many Amazon eBay sellers are completely unaware of this. eBay’s GSP shipping center is in the US. Savvy FBA sellers opt their eBay inventory into GSP for the sales boost. It’s a fast smart way to make more money.
Listen to international sales tips in my YouTube, Where Did The eBay Customers Go?
http://https://youtu.be/X0joTyMLzwo
Some sellers are nervous to ship overseas. The Global Shipping program reassures sellers with its shipping protections.
That being said, protections are not free. eBay’s Global Shipping program is a premium service. It includes door to door tracking. Customs and import fees are charged up front. The basic rule of thumb for using GSP is this. If an item is under 4lbs, ship it yourself. Should the product be over 4lbs, use the Global Shipping Program. Furthermore, if the product is very valuable and or fragile, consider GSP. You have a built-in insurance policy with GSP.
If your items are light, often shipping yourself is best.
GSP will make lightweight item’s shipping expensive to buyers. You can lose sales. Shipping USPS first class international includes tracking to many countries. Here is the current list of countries with this tracking. It’s called e-Delcon.
It’s wise to edit the custom’s form when shipping to a generic description.
A DKNY dress is a women’s dress. An Under Armour shirt is a men’s shirt. You are not falsifying the document. You’re not changing the price or marking a purchase a gift. You are mailing a dress. You’re shipping a shirt. Using the generic term helps the package not get sidetracked by a handler interested in the contents. Shipping GSP there is no need to do this.
So, still feeling a bit nervous?
It’s fine to start shipping globally in increments. Begin shipping to Canada. Later add UK and Australia. Then consider shipping everywhere. Again, GSP takes any jitters away. But if your items are lightweight, it can make your items expensive. You’ll lose sales to sellers who ship themselves.
Offer GSP and your own shipping.
You must choose one or the other for countries you will ship to. Sellers can ship themselves to some countries that are non-GSP nations. Then use GSP for the eligible countries. HERE is the current list of GSP eligible nations. To do this you would customize shipping under shipping details. You can block countries you don’t want to ship to in your site preferences. If you leave GSP checked in shipping details and include you own shipping for the SAME country, your shipping is shown to buyers. They will not see GSP. For GSP to be offered, it must be the only option to country X.
Almost daily articles speak on the massive increase in online shopping. This recent post by B& T Magazine highlights how Australians are shopping online is just one.
Every day more people everywhere are shopping online!
Online shopping is increasing daily.
No matter the size of your business, you can be an international seller. Shipping everywhere increases your eBay sales. That’s great news in all languages.
Special note – Thanks to Feedspot for recently selecting us as a top blog to read for eBay Seller News!
by Kathy Terrill | Feb 28, 2018 | eCommerce News, eCommerce Selling Tips, eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay
eBay’s Spring Seller Update 2018 is out. Like all of eBay’s updates, there is terrific news for sellers. And, there is also some very painful information.
To begin, under the leadership of CEO Devin Wenig, eBay continues major upgrades.
As announced in 2015, massive structured data and Artificial Intelligence initiatives are unfolding. Product search is now more intuitive. There is a more fluid shopping experience to capture and please internet shoppers.
Shoppers want fast shipping.
Also, consumers want to easily discover products they want to buy. In addition, they want a frictionless returns. eBay is giving it to them.
Guaranteed Shipping will be rolling out to many sellers in March. It is popular with consumers looking to know exactly when their purchase will arrive. Qualifying seller’s listings are displayed under different arrival date filters. It costs sellers nothing to be included. Consumers love it. It’s a win-win. In addition, there will be a robust shipping area for sellers. Graphics and shipping options will be clearer. This looks to streamline shipping, saving users precious time.
eBay’s Promoted Listings will appear on the homepage!
Promoted Listings appear many places on the eBay site. What’s exciting to sellers is that there will now be a placement on the main eBay landing page. Now more than ever Promoted Listings is essential to qualifying Top Rated sellers and all store owners. Use my complimentary guide, to ignite your sales with Promoted Listings.
The catalog is evolving. This is no surprise to anyone following Devin Wenig’s numerous speeches speaking to upgrades to the shopping experience on the platform. 14 categories are now mandated to use the catalog.
So, with the changes in categories, sellers can look to improved item specifics.
As you see shifts in impacted eBay selling categories, take advantage. If eBay is adding item specifics, it’s because shoppers are using those in search. Fill them in and reap the search benefits,
Look for a makeover in eBay stores. As of May 1, a Starter level store will be offered below the Basic Store. Very large vendors can select an Enterprise store. Sellers can downgrade to a Starter Store with no penalties if they do so during the month of May 2018. Fee increases are planned for Basic stores and sellers with no stores, All store levels are promised a new more mobile friendly look soon. The new look will somewhat mirror the buyer experience on the home page. All of this offers sellers more choices for their businesses. My video breaks it all down for you.
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWdRoZjzJUw
Yes, the pain is real.
eBay return policies are updated. Gone are numerous choices for returns. As of May 2018, there are five choices for sellers. Of the five, only two will qualify to receive the Top Rated Plus discount. Those are 30 day free returns and 60 day free returns. The restocking fee option is gone. My complimentary guide Spring Seller Update 2108 breaks all this down for you. I have several solutions for sellers who use restocking fees. Included are Pro Tips to maximize sales with changes the update brings.
Sellers are hit in their wallets.
If they want their Top rated Plus discount, they must pay for returns. So, to minimize the pain, sellers can select different return policies for different items. There is no need to offer free returns on all items. If you have very few returns, offering free returns has no impact. So, why not do it? If you sell products with a high return rate, consider if the discount outweighs the cost to your business. Chose what works for you.
Implement multiple return policies, if that’s the wisest choice for you.
In conclusion, the shopping experience on eBay is more intuitive and mobile friendly. Shipping is having awesome upgrades. Promoted listings get the coveted landing page placement. Stores get a makeover and include new levels. Fees increase. Returns are simplified. With new return policies, sellers make the difficult choice of whether to offer free returns.
eBay’s Spring Seller Update of 2018 is packed with good news of exciting upgrades. It also comes the real pain of free returns. This is an update for businesses to crunch their numbers and test. Use the data my Spring Seller Update Guide offers.
Each seller is wise to watch their sales numbers and returns. Looking at this key data, savvy sellers can have their online sales soar.
by Kathy Terrill | Feb 16, 2018 | eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay
Sellers of all levels ask the same critical question. “What’s a money maker on eBay?”
No matter if you thrift, do retail arbitrage or buy wholesale, eBay sellers want to know, ” What will sell and make me good money now?” Immediately after discovering popular products, the next question is “How do I get some?” Offering in-demand inventory is important to selling success. Equally vital is having a relationship with good inventory sources. Sellers shop thrift shops, yard sales, traditional brick and mortar stores and buy wholesale. Having more than one source of inventory is wise.
To start, successful sellers discover and then sell in-demand items. They stay on top of the trends, watching pop culture, social media, and retail trends. Most online entrepreneurs develop expertise in several areas. So, sellers become adept at men’s, women’s and kid’s clothing, sporting goods, toys, video games and much much more.
According to DMR, there are over 25 million eBay sellers with over a billion items listed.
There are millions of sellers on eBay!
With the millions of vendors and a vast array of products on eBay, often entrepreneurs will stick to one or two tested inventory categories. While it’s important to develop areas of expertise, to remain successful, it’s good to stretch. Find and test new product lines constantly.
Oftentimes, it’s smart to add categories that relate to listings that are good money makers for you.
For instance, if women’s clothing does well for you, add women’s hats. Are your car accessories popular? If yes, then include motorcycle accessories etc.
Even experienced sellers can walk by unfamiliar hot products. Don’t make the mistake I describe in this video.
In closing, spend time on social media to be aware of popular trends. Develop relationships with reliable sources of inventory. Having more than one source of goods is smart.
Be alert, to new opportunities for product lines you may not have considered.
As much as it’s good business to develop an expertise, don’t neglect to consider all product lines you come across. A few minutes of research can reveal an overlooked gold mine.
Be alert to new product lines that can be big sellers on eBay!
