by Kathy Terrill | Jan 30, 2021 | eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay
It’s 2021 and a brand-new eBay selling year.
Tips for 2021 and successful eBay selling!
But many of 2020’s same old challenges linger on. So how do you prepare your business on eBay for the unknowns that lie ahead??
Let’s break down eBay selling into two manageable concerns:
First, we’ll talk about inventory. Because without inventory, you’re basically out of business. Second, we’ll look at ways to get sold items safely to your buyer. Because if you can’t do that, then again, you’re basically out of business.
But here’s the good news: As an online retailer, you’re always open on eBay! And I’m going to share with you my proven, actionable strategies for addressing your concerns about inventory and shipping, so you may rest assured that your business can indeed not only stay afloat, but thrive this year!
Let’s talk product sourcing in 2021.
How and where can you find new merchandise with which to stock your eBay store’s virtual shelves?
Sure, many brick-and-mortar retailers have closed up shop. That doesn’t mean you have to! No matter how and where you acquire your inventory, it’s always smart to be alert for and test new sources.
For example, do you thrift? Great! But have you tried retail arbitrage? That’s where you buy merchandise at brick-and-mortar stores, then flip it on eBay. Opportunities for retail arbitrage abound, from NWT clothing on clearance to health and beauty products with limited nationwide availability to marked-down seasonal décor and a gazillion other possibilities.
If you already do retail arbitrage for your eBay selling, have you tried online arbitrage?
That’s where you find merchandise on eBay and/or other ecommerce sites that you can buy at a low enough price to allow you to mark it up and resell it on eBay for a profit. My video Score Hot Selling eBay Inventory has some super ideas for you in this area.
Two eBay sourcing pro tips:
Look for eBay listings with misspelled brand names.
Sort search results by “Ending Soonest” and look for undervalued items, especially in auction listings.
Don’t forget about wholesale! With many wholesale shows now taking place online, this could be the perfect year for you to try sourcing some wholesale lines.
Remember: Multi-quantity/multi-variation listings only have to be created once to run for months as GTC (Good ‘Til Cancelled), and they’ll move up in search results with every item sold from that listing. It’s much less labor intensive than listing one-off items, which (obviously) end each time the item sells.
So consider complementing your one-of-a-kind inventory with a commodity product — or two!
Now let’s consider shipping. You probably have a favorite carrier, or at least one that you use more than others.
That’s fine, but do keep an eye on what the other carriers offer. In addition to their discounted USPS rates, eBay has partnered up with UPS and FedEx. It pays to compare prices to ensure you’re making smart choices about how to ship your sold items!
However you’re shipping, be sure you have a backup provider.
eBay Labels is pretty reliable, but should it go down or get glitchy, you’d best be prepared to turn to an alternative source for generating your shipping labels and packing slips.
I have an account with Stamps.com for this very reason. Did you know that Stamps.com offers a free account for eBay sellers? Yes, FREE! All you have to pay for is the postage you purchase, and Stamps.com offers the same discounted rates as eBay.
If you’re shipping globally, you may want to start using eBay’s Global Shipping Program (GSP) and International Standard Delivery (eISD) exclusively. These shipping services offer special protections for sellers. Furthermore, eISD is cheaper than USPS First Class International.
One thing is certain: 2021 is fraught with uncertainty.
Get ready now, so that when the curve balls come your way, you’re ready to knock ‘ em out of the park!
Top 2 keys eBay sales success in 2021!
by Kathy Terrill | Nov 13, 2020 | eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay
eBay Promoted Listings are your Holiday superpower.
eBay Promoted Listings are a sales superpower
We’re already 1/3 of the way into Q4, and time is ticking away on the year’s biggest retail moment: Holiday. ‘Tis the season to sell, sell, sell — so let’s get your eBay items SOLD! What can you do to garner more sales? Three words: eBay Promoted Listings.
Promoting your listings will boost their visibility in search results by as much as 36%.
You don’t need a store to use eBay’s pay-per-purchase advertising tool, either.
In fact, now it’s even available to sellers using eBay’s quick listing tool. The only listings that aren’t eligible for promotion are those that use the auction format.
I’m going to share with you my top three tips for getting the best possible results from eBay Promoted Listings.
But first, a quick refresher course on how Promoted Listings (aka PL) works:
You specify an ad rate somewhere between 1%-20% for each promoted listing. That’s the percentage of the final sale price you’re willing to pay to eBay (in addition to the regular final value fee) if your item sells via Promoted Listings. You’re only charged that rate when a buyer clicks on your promoted listing, then goes on to purchase the item within 30 days.
Promoted listings appear in search results under the word Sponsored, so you can tell them apart from non-promoted listings. Your promoted listing(s) may appear in premium placements within search results on both desktop and mobile devices or in the Related Items module at the bottom of every search results page.
1- For Optimal Results, Optimize your eBay Listings.
Promoting your listing pretty much guarantees you more eyeballs will see it. But — and this is my first tip — you’ve still got to make sure that you optimize your listing for conversion. That means:
a -Making sure you’re following eBay best practices in your title, photos, item specifics, and description.
b- Having customer-friendly terms of sale.
eBay’s Promoted Listings team says that it also pays to double-check that you’ve listed your item in the right category. One quick way to research that is to use eBay’s Advanced Search function to check Sold items.
2 – Advice from eBay UpFront
At several eBay UpFront events, PL team members have suggested increasing your PL rate during the holidays. Remember, right now there are more sellers and more listings than usual vying for buyers’ attention! Raise your rate to give yourself a leg up on your competitors.
To help you strike the best possible balance between cost and performance, eBay provides guidance by displaying suggested rates for each item you set out to promote. The suggested rate is calculated based on a number of factors, including item attributes, seasonality, past performance, and current competition.
Suggested rates typically run between 5%-10% for most categories, but they may be as low as 2% or as high as 18%. To find the sweet spot for your own listings, start low, then increase your rate by 1% at a time until you start to see a difference in sales.
Conversely, if your item is selling very well, you may be able to drop your rate by 1% or more and still keep sales strong. Test, and carefully monitor your PL dashboard to measure the results of your experimentation.
3- Know Your Numbers
That brings us to my third top tip for making the most of PL: Check your Promoted Listings Dashboard (located in Seller Hub) at least once a week. Look at your impressions, clicks, and sales. Are you getting a lot of impressions, but few clicks? Then review that listing:
Is your price competitive?
Is your listing optimized for conversion?
Is it keyword rich?
Have you filled out all the relevant item specifics?
Are your pictures click worthy and enticing?
Have you listed this item in the best category?
Just a few minor tweaks can transform a listing from blah to WOW — and get your item sold!
For more terrific tips on skyrocketing your sales with Promoted Listings, claim your complimentary copy of my free guide Winning with eBay Promoted Listings! You can find it at my website, iLoveToBeSelling.com. This downloadable guide features proven, actionable strategies for making PL work its very best for your business on eBay. It’s 15 full pages of PL sales power tips!
Win big sales with eBay’s Promoted Listings!
Find out how to pay less in fees while making more sales, discover ways to harness Promoted Listings data for higher profits, and much more. I’ve even added some special bonus content: Fast Fix for Stale Campaigns.
The Bottom Line for eBay Holiday Sales
During the holidays, more shoppers than usual are flocking to eBay. However, at this time of year, there is also more competition for buyers (and their dollars). Use Promoted Listings wisely and well to give yourself a competitive edge — and get more sales!
You have an eBay Superpower – it’s Promoted Listings!
by Kathy Terrill | Oct 3, 2020 | eCommerce Selling Tips, eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay
Ready or not, eBay 4th quarter is here.
eBay 4th Quarter. Here we go sellers!
That means it’s time to get down to business and sell, sell, sell. Yes, states are beginning to modify or even lift restrictions on retail stores, but safe shopping practices are still the order of the day. Check out the National Retail Federation (NRF) guidelines for brick-and-mortar retailers.
The good news for you, eBay seller, is that millions of consumers are choosing to shop online.
So your eBay 4th quarter could be amazing! Here are four things you can do to help make that happen.
First, be aware that products that may not have been big sellers in the past are now hot, hot, hot. Use Terapeak and eBay’s Advanced Search function to check prices and trends. In most cases, it’s best to look at recent prices, because prices from last year could be very different than what they are now. After all, a lot has changed since then!
Second, here’s a heads-up regarding Halloween: Don’t stock up on Halloween costumes; instead, think home décor! Because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, there will be much less traditional trick-or-treating this year. But there’ll be plenty of folks staying at home, so decorations and seasonally themed items should continue to be in high demand.
Third, it’s true that all four seasons sell well on eBay all year round. However, right now many shoppers are looking for Fall and Winter items. If you have any unlisted inventory, this is the time to sort through it with an eye towards the Q4 calendar.
For example, do you have any sweaters, coats, boots, and/or other Fall and Winter clothing on hand? If so, get those items listed ASAP!
Fourth, I’m here to help.
4th quarter eBay money making tips!
My free downloadable Fall/Winter Essential Products Guide takes the guesswork out of eBay 4th quarter inventory quandaries.
Complimentary Fall/Winter Essential Products Guide!
Its 20 pages list dozens of items that will keep selling throughout the holiday season. Print out this handy guide, then take it with you to thrift and consignment stores, wholesale sources, or your favorite top-secret destination for retail arbitrage.
So there’s your four-part plan of attack for eBay 4th Quarter:
Research hot items, trends, and prices.
Halloween costumes, no; seasonal home décor, yes.
Identify and list Fall/Winter inventory ASAP.
Download and print out your complimentary copy of my Fall/Winter Essential Products Guide, then take it with you when you go product sourcing.
The sooner you get started on putting this plan into action, the more amazing your Q4 sales are likely to be. Good luck, and happy selling!
by Kathy Terrill | Sep 6, 2020 | eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay
eBay Holiday 2020 shopping has already begun!
3 Top Tips for eBay 2020 Holiday Selling!
Holiday shoppers are already flocking to eBay in search of the perfect gift for everyone on their list! eBay has mentioned the uptick in Holiday shopping several times in their eBay for Business podcast. After a challenging year spent mostly at home, people are really looking forward to the holidays.
To make the most of what’s shaping up to be a very busy and very prosperous 2020 Holiday season, smart sellers plan ahead — starting right now.
So, here are three top tips for maximizing your eBay Holiday sales a success!
1- To begin, whip your workspace into tiptop shape. Review and analyze your eBay workflow. Furthermore, can you improve your inventory management? Revamp your desk logistics? Update your shipping area? So, could you streamline any of your processes in any way(s)? What tweaks, changes, or refinements might help you to be more efficient and productive during the upcoming holiday rush? Implement these changes now, while you still have time to do so!
And speaking of shipping, savvy sellers are prepared for holiday shipping snags. Stamps.com gives eBay sellers the gift of a free subscription; all you pay for is the postage you purchase (at a discounted rate). Grab your complimentary Stamps.com eBay seller account via my referral link. If the Grinch throws a glitch into eBay Labels, you’ll still be ready to ship on time! Here are more tips for Holiday shipping .
Along with ensuring your workspace is shipshape, also order your holiday shipping supplies. Will 2020 be the year you offer to gift-wrap sold items?
So, If you’re an eBay Store subscriber, be sure to use your quarterly coupon for eBay-branded shipping supplies. Further, to add an extra-festive touch to your packages this year, eBay is also offering special 25th anniversary supplies. Use my affiliate links and Check out the special edition thank-you postcards and stickers via their 25th Anniversary Store.
2- List holiday items ASAP.
Christmas goodies and Hannukah treasures sell all year ‘round. Additionally there’s always a big uptick starting in September that continues through December.
Don’t be late to the holiday party! However you source —wholesalers, thrift stores, auctions, garage and/or estate sales, retail arbitrage, and/or online arbitrage — be on the lookout for traditional holiday–themed décor.
With all of the turbulence this year and in the world right now, people yearn for cozy comforts of Christmas Past. So keep an eye out for ornaments, wreaths, and garlands. Also in demand now are home accessories and bric-a-brac; tableware. Table, bed linens; chachkes and apparel with a traditional holiday vibe are all hot sellers. Who doesn’t love an Ugly Christmas Sweater? And remember, Thanksgiving is a holiday, too!
3- Get a road map for the your eBay holiday selling season.
Seller plot your route to maximum sales. Come join me September 8-13, 2020 for my FREE 2020 eBay Holiday Sales Success Boot Camp. From sourcing the most saleable inventory to creating the most effective listings to promoting your eBay store and items via social media, it’s going to be a chock-full cornucopia of practical tips and proven strategies for achieving your best holiday selling season ever.
Complimentary eBay Holiday Sales Success Boot Camp!
Sign up today to reserve your complimentary spot in this week-long workshop.
Meanwhile, dust off your elf’s hat, roll up your sleeves, and put on your skates, because the holiday train is getting ready to leave the station.
All aboard for a profitable eBay selling Q4 journey, and don’t forget to enjoy the ride!
Complimentary eBay Holiday Sales Success Boot Camp!
by Kathy Terrill | Aug 9, 2020 | eCommerce Tips, Pinterest Tips for online sellers!, Selling on eBay, Social Media Tips
Yes, there is amazing Pinterest power for eBay sellers.
Pinterest power is a must use tool for eBay sellers!
Let’s start from the beginning. If you’re like many eBay sellers, when you think of promoting your items and store via social media, you probably think of Facebook. But you really should think of Pinterest, too. Why? Because Pinterest power is pure gold for eBay sellers.
Pinterest users utilize Pinterest like a search engine to discover, browse, and shop for coveted items.
In fact, according to HootSuite’s blog, 48% of Pinterest users rate shopping as their top priority. That’s not the only compelling Pinterest statistic cited in the HootSuite blog post 28 Pinterest Statistics that Marketers Should Know in 2020. Here are some others:
More than 200 billion pins have been saved on Pinterest.
Pinterest’s user base grew by 26% last year, to 335 million users worldwide.
43% of U.S. internet users have a Pinterest account.
Pinterest is now the third largest social networking site in the U.S.
It is right behind Facebook and Instagram. High-income households are nearly twice as likely as low-income households to use Pinterest. There are more than 200 billion searches on Pinterest each month.
Those are some pretty impressive numbers! But what’s most relevant to you as an eBay seller is that nearly half of all Pinterest users (48%) are there to shop. Sharing content, networking, and news all rank as lower priorities. By contrast, shopping is only the 7th most popular activity on Facebook (14%) or Instagram (10%).
So how do you create pins that harness Pinterest power?
The secret to getting repins & sales from Pinterest!
What is the secret to Pinterest pins get clicked and shopped? First of all, make sure you have a Pinterest business account. They’re free, and they come with terrific analytics.
Second, make sure your picture really pops. According to HootSuite, 85% of Pinterest users put visuals first when shopping. Look at the photos in your eBay listing. Which stands out the most to you? Use that one!
Third, think like a buyer. Why would someone purchase your item? What reasons might they have for wanting it? Then write your description accordingly. Remember, Pinterest is all about discovery.
Fourth, be sure to include a link to your item’s listing on eBay. Consider using an EPN (eBay Partner Network) link, so that you can potentially earn a free final value fee or even a commission from eBay. For the full scoop on how using EPN links can pay off for you, download a copy of my EPN Guide for eBay sellers.
Fifth and finally, find out from a leading Pinterest expert what works best. Top Pinterest marketer Meagan Williamson, not only manages various brand accounts, she’s also someone to whom Pinterest turns for feedback when they’re working on a new product or functionality.
Now Meagan has put together the first-ever free Pin Potential Summit.
Free Pinterest workshop series – The PIn Potential Summit!
It is a power-packed event that’s absolutely free to attendees. Scheduled for August 18-20, 2020, this virtual conference will feature 35 top-notch speakers, including Pinterest team leaders. Sign up ASAP via my affiliate link.
Once you’re signed up, be ready to learn how to use Pinterest to its fullest and most profitable potential.
I can’t wait for you to put newfound knowledge to work, and start pinning your way to more eBay sales!
