International Sales Mean Cash Flow eBay Sellers!

by | 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!

 

 

 

eBay Spring Seller Update Good News & Some Painful!

by | 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.

What’s A Money Maker On eBay For Online Sellers?

by | 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!

 

Top Way eBay Sellers Lose Money!

by | Feb 9, 2018 | eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay

One area can waste hundreds of dollars for eBay sellers monthly.

This category of spending is something that sellers of all levels make errors in. Can you guess what it is? Is it inventory? Could it storage or travel? No, it’s shipping. That’s right sellers, it is the cost of mailing your packages.

To start, eBay beginner sellers often err by not weighing their items with all the packing materials. Wrapping materials, mailers and or boxes add weight and postage costs. First class shipping in the United States is up to 16 oz. When an item is heavier than that, the costs to the shipper can rise significantly. Here are the current rates as outlined on the Stamps.com blog. So, even when just starting to sell, a shipping scale is an excellent investment. You can purchase a scale that will weigh up to 50 lbs for less than $20. This page has suggestions on two scales.

Experienced entrepreneurs know that shoppers love free shipping.

Shoppers love free shipping!

Marketing Land reports a consumer study where shoppers say their top consideration when buying is free shipping. Free shipping attracts shoppers and sales. With that in mind, eBay sellers need to look carefully at their return rates. So for instance, items that have no little to no returns, free shipping is a very wise choice. However, for inventory with a high return rate, sellers to need to take a close look at profits.

When an item is returned, a full refund is expected, that includes the “free shipping”. You can charge a restocking fee. Realize that when you do so, you may lose customers to sellers who do not charge such fees. Look at your competition. Sellers that get a lot of returns, can build the cost of returns into their listing price and continue with free shipping and full refunds. Top Rated sellers can get a 10% Final Value Fee discount if their items meet the criteria for Top Rated Plus. Keep that in mind when selecting how you ship.

There is an alternative that can increase vendor’s profits. Charge for shipping.

Using this practice, when the item comes back, sellers refund the product price only. For sellers that get dozens of returns a month, this is a significant increase in profits. In addition, for heavy products, a shipping calculator offers a choice where the shipping cost is adjusted to the buyer’s location. Customers save money purchasing from vendors closeby.

This video discusses when to use free shipping and when not to.

In closing, always keep an eye on your sales profits. If you get few returns, free shipping is your perfect choice. However, if you sell in categories that get a lot of returns, charging for shipping can put more cash in your pocket.

Test and see what get you the best sales results!

Sell It On eBay Now!

by | Jan 4, 2018 | eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay

So, it’s January 2018 and the New Year eBay sellers.

What does a seller do now to attract shoppers on eBay?

Here is what to do to make money on eBay right now. First of all, pull out a pen and paper, or your favorite device, and take notes. As outlined in 5 Steps To Move Your Online Business To the Next Level, planning is crucial to sustained success

Look at what sold for you on eBay in November and December of 2017. What were your hot sellers? According to the Washington Post here is a list of some of the most in demand items from Christmas 2017. What were your top sellers? Was it women’s clothing, kid’s toys, sports equipment, housewares or another category?  Where did you buy the products that you are sold out of right now?

Can you get more of the products that are sold out?

Can Your Buy More Of What Sold on eBay?

If the exact item is not be available for you to buy, is there something similar? For instance, the 6 inch brown teddy bears sold out for you on eBay. You cannot buy more from your source. However there are 8 inch bears in the same style available from your supplier. Also, you may have purchased items at a local big box retailer. Now that store is sold out of that hot item. Is there another of the same store within a 30 mile radius that has the item? Another place to check for your product is the big box retailer websites. Wholesale liquidators like BULQ can also be source for in demand items.

Popular items may be sold out locally, but are for sale on the internet.

Sellers often neglect the internet as a source for  purchasing hot selling inventory.

From your research, you know what was popular for you one Bay in November and December. Many of those items will stay in demand. By restocking quickly you can start 2018 off strong!
Here are some more ideas for product sourcing to start 2018 off  with strong sales!

In closing. take notes on what were your popular items from the end of 2017. Plan how to restock them quickly. Don’t overlook using big box retailers locally and online for inventory. List quickly.

Bravo eBay seller, you’re off to a great start for 2018!

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