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.

Millions of sellers on eBay sell billions of products!

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!

Social Media Holiday Planner 2017 For eBay Sellers!

by | Nov 22, 2017 | eCommerce News, Facebook Business Page Tips, Selling on eBay, Social Media Tips

The Holidays are here. Social media campaigns are in full swing to attract shoppers. eBay sellers turn to me and ask,

“How can I stand out to shoppers on social media this Holiday season?”

The answer is keywords.

Ground your Holiday Planner for 2017 with awesome keywords.

Without good keywords, it’s as if you are taking your items and throwing them in a heap on the floor. You are daring shoppers and search engines to find your products. Keywords enable search engines and customers to discover your listing.

Sellers can forget to think like a buyer. When listing a plush teddy bear toy think, “What words would I be using to find this?” I would search, plush toy, plush teddy bear, teddy bear, small teddy bear, big teddy bear, boy teddy bear, pink teddy bear etc.

Keywords are words that detail and describe your item. They are brands, colors, styles, period and the size of the product. Terms like Nike, Under Armour, Mid Century Modern, lace, 100% cotton and more.

This blog post What Are Keywords from Moz, explains keywords.

Keywords are words that detail and describe your item.

Terapeak’s keyword research tool SEO Pro gives eBay sellers effective choices for their listings and social media.

With my affiliate link HERE, test the awesome results from this professional tool.

This Facebook live I did explains selecting Holiday keywords for your eBay listings and social media.

It pays to think like a buyer when listing and doing social media. Good keywords get you found in search. They get you sales.

Combine Holiday keywords with the tips in my Essential Social Media Cheat Sheet and you’re ready for your best Christmas sales season ever.

 

Stand Out On eBay This Holiday Season!

by | Nov 4, 2017 | eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay, Social Media Tips

This will the most competitive sales season ever on eBay! There are more eBay sellers and more inventory online than ever before. How can small and medium sellers compete and win in this ferocious online environment?

Smaller sellers can score their share of sales now and all through the Holidays. Here are the top three ways to do it!

#1 – CHECK PRICES ON EBAY AND THE WEB!

First of all, prices change on the internet.  Hot products prices change during the shopping season depending on availability. So, if you sell in demand Holiday products, monitor prices carefully. Take advantage of these fluctuations.  Small – medium sellers can pivot, changing their  prices. Also, small sellers can get often source popular items far faster than larger online retailers.  Use the eBay saved search feature to monitor new listings and competition online.

There are numerous hot categories right now.

Trendy clothes, party clothes, electronics, home decor, sporting goods, sports memorabilia, and crafts are all hot categories. For in depth research use Terapeak’s (ad) Hot Product Research. If you’re analyzing seasonal trends nothing beats Terapeak’s  (ad)three years of sold data!

#2-  REACH YOUR EBAY SHOPPERS WHERE THEY ARE!

81% of Americans have social media profiles.

Statista reports that 81% of Americans have a social media profile! Facebook leads the way in social media with a reported 2 billion monthly users as of July 2017.

Social media is not just for big brands.

Smaller sellers can use social media to their advantage and win! What’s key with social media  is to laser focus on your potential customer is. With that in mind, post social content mixed in with products. My Top Ten Social Media Holiday Success Tips shows you clearly how use social media to your advantage. So, you can reach your customers with social media and score sales.

By answering within minutes of getting the query, you the smaller seller will score the sale.


#3- ANSWER CUSTOMER QUESTIONS FAST!

Many large online sellers answer customer service questions with an auto responder. A customer will ask about color or fit and they get a message that the seller will get back to them within one business day. Monitor your customer service and shopper inquiries closely. By answering within minutes of getting the query, you the smaller seller will score the sale.

Shoppers don’t want to wait. They want answers. They want to buy.

YOU, the quick to respond seller scores sales. I’ve gotten numerous messages from happy customers saying ” Thank you for answering my questions. Wow that was fast. I bought from you because your replied so quickly etc”  Answering questions promptly works to get you sales during the hectic Holiday period and all year long!

Being a smaller seller can has it advantages! By closely monitoring prices, posting great engaging content on social media and being super responsive to customer service question, you gain the sales edge online!

Here’s to sales coming your way sellers!

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