3 Time-Saving eBay Tips to Streamline Your Holiday Selling!

3 Time-Saving eBay Tips to Streamline Your Holiday Selling!

This post is sponsored by Seller Ledger; however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

As an eBay seller, the Q4 holiday season is your busiest time of the year.

But it doesn’t have to be overwhelmingly hectic! Here are three time-saving eBay tips to streamline your holiday selling. With these tools in your seasonal toolkit, you’ll be set for successful sales while enjoying more time with loved ones and focusing on what matters most during this profitable quarter.

Time-saving eBay Tip #1: Schedule What Matters Most!

Start by pulling out your calendar, whether it’s digital, paper, or both. Mark down any personal holiday activities that are important to you: caroling, cookie baking, tree-lighting events, taking grandkids to see Santa, or that annual office potluck. Make sure to add alerts so nothing slips through the cracks!

Personally, I prefer a digital calendar like Google, while my husband loves the classic paper kind with big daily squares. I make sure our holiday plans are noted in both, keeping us on the same page. For a little extra convenience, consider sharing your digital calendar with family members. This way, everyone’s in sync, and you can focus on enjoying the festivities!

Time-Saving eBay Tip #2: Use a Virtual Accountant to Save Time!

Give yourself a huge time-saving gift this season by automating your bookkeeping. If you’re still doing manual data entry, now’s the time to streamline! Many online sales platforms, including eBay, Amazon, and Etsy, integrate easily with accounting software like Seller Ledger. This software links directly to your seller account(s), handling sales and expenses for you — and it keeps getting smarter as you use it!

Just link your accounts to Seller Ledger, and let it classify your online sales, bank transactions, and even credit card statements. This software can also complete your IRS Schedule C form, so when tax season arrives, most of the work will already be done. And if you’re behind on your 2024 finances, Seller Ledger’s annual plan (with a two-month discount) can retrieve all your transactions for the year. Use THIS LINK and try it for free for 30 days, no credit card required!

Seller Ledger: Stress Free Bookkeeping for Sellers

Time Saving eBay Tip #3: Track What’s Selling Best Right Now

Check your sales every few days to stay on top of what’s moving fastest. Are Pink Floyd T-shirts trending? Maybe purple Christmas ornaments, kids’ snowsuits, or women’s sequined tops? Adjust your keywords and prices based on recent sold items. Want a free list of Holiday keywords for your listings and social? It’s included in my, “Top eBay Holiday Sales & Social Media Tips!” Click HERE to grab yours now.

Grab your free PDF, “Top eBay Holiday Sales & Social Media Tips!”

Got extra stock that matches these hot sellers? Get those listed quickly! Share links on social media to increase exposure. Maximize your profits by focusing on what’s in demand right now.

And speaking of the Holidays, it will be Tax Time soon enough. Thinking ahead to your 2024 taxes as an eBay seller? TurboTax can be a valuable resource. Even before filing, their site can answer simple questions and provide a preview of your refund with their income tax tools. It’s worth checking out!

With these three easy tips, you’re ready to make the most of your holiday sales season. Here’s to a smoother, more profitable Q4!

 

In Person Meetup NYC

In Person Meetup NYC

We are in for a treat, multi channel million dollar plus seller Michael Swoape of One4Silver will be sharing top tips for growing and scaling your eBay selling.

One4Seller is a top seller of flatware, glassware and all things tabletop. They started their selling from the owner’s home, and are now in a warehouse facility with employees.

Michael is in town for vendor/wholesale shows and will share wholesale sourcing information in addition to growing/scaling your eBay.

A team member from the eBay Government Relations Team will also join us. They will update us on “hot” topics for the Tri State NY area sellers. If you have a local government issue relating to selling there will be time to let the team know of your concerns.

We meet in person at the eBay Manhattan Chelsea Office.

Sellers of all levels are welcome to attend. We will have ample time for your questions. eBay Community is supplying seller SWAG for all attendees.

2 weeks before event an email will go out with address of event in Chelsea and the check in procedure, Photo ID is required to gain access to the building.

See more

All About eBay’s 2023 Summer Seller Update!

All About eBay’s 2023 Summer Seller Update!

Are you ready eBay sellers?

Here’s what you need to know about eBay’s 2023 Summer Seller Update.

For eBay sellers, the most highly anticipated days in any given year are those when eBay releases a seller update — especially since specific dates are never announced in advance!

These updates inform the seller community about upcoming changes (and sometimes explain recent changes as well). They impact all aspects of selling on eBay, from categories and fees to listing and shipping to seller protections and more. For this reason, sellers often tend to view updates with great trepidation.

eBay’s 2023 Summer Seller Update!

Fear not! eBay’s 2023 Summer Seller Update is mostly good news:

  • Better tools for fighting chargeback
  • A crackdown on abusive buyers
  • The site-wide rollout of eBay International Shipping (EIS)
  • New solutions to the perennial problem of unpaid items (UPIs)
  • Also announced in this Summer Seller Update is eBay’s dynamic ad rate for Promoted Listings Standard (PLS). This is something you might want to consider trying.

Of course, no seller update is all sunshine and lollipops.

The most challenging (and confusing) part of this particular update is the section that explains the complicated new regulations around selling and shipping to buyers in Europe. I’ve gotten some clarification from various eBay executives and team leaders, which I’ll pass along to you.

eBay’s 2023 Summer Seller Update: Payment Disputes

When a buyer asks their bank or credit card company to reimburse the amount they paid for something, it’s called a chargeback. eBay has listened to seller feedback and made significant changes to their payment dispute process.

Now sellers can provide detailed information documenting a transaction’s validity, enabling them to more effectively challenge a charge-back (and hopefully get to keep the money). The info they provide may also help them qualify for seller protections. Get details and FAQs at https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/resources/seller-updates/2023-summer/business.

Reporting Inappropriate Buyer Messages

eBay was founded on the premise that people are basically good. Which for the most part, they are. But not all of them. Some unscrupulous buyers try to coerce the seller into taking their transaction offline; others attempt to bully their way to a full or partial refund.

New sellers are especially vulnerable to such ploys and may even be specifically targeted. Now eBay is giving sellers the power to report these bad buyers right from My Messages. Sellers can also block unwelcome buyers.

On your smartphone, Just click on “the kebab” button (three vertical dots) in the upper right-hand corner of the conversation to see the drop-down menu options for doing so. On a desktop or laptop computer, click the Action button above the message, then choose “Report message” (you’ll be asked to provide a reason) or “Block this member”.

Unpaid Items: a Never-Ending Story

Unpaid items following a successful auction or accepted Best Offer are a perpetual thorn in the side for sellers. But according to the Summer Seller Update, eBay is testing a new feature that requires buyers to add a payment method before sending a Best Offer. If their offer is accepted, eBay will automatically collect payment from the buyer.

In the coming weeks, this feature will be rolled out to most Best Offer listings. Get details and FAQs at https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/resources/seller-updates/2023-summer/financials.

New Rules for Selling to European Buyers

Thanks to recently implemented and very complex legislation, selling and shipping to buyers in Europe — especially France and Germany — is currently somewhat of a hot mess.

Basically, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws makes manufacturers, importers, and eBay sellers responsible for the entire life cycle of the products they sell. It’s all part of a well-intentioned  initiative aimed at protecting the environment by preventing, reducing, and managing waste.

For more details plus specific information on selling to France go HERE.

As for Germany, EPR laws there are especially convoluted when it comes to the Electronics category. In addition, the German Packaging Act (Verpack G) regulates packing materials. Get the full scoop HERE.

Meanwhile, rest assured that in most cases, EIS can fulfill your order while complying with applicable regulations.

If it’s an item that EIS can’t (yet) handle, the listing will be blocked for buyers in those countries. That makes using EIS a no-brainer for sure!

Dynamic Ad Rate for Promoted Listings Standard

Promoted Listings (PL) is a major moneymaker for eBay — especially the pay-per-sale version, Promoted Listings Standard (PLS.) As of the 2023 Summer Seller Update, eBay has added a Dynamic Ad Rate (DAR).

DAR is a system whereby you let eBay automatically adjust your PLS percentage. You can cap this percentage it at any desired amount, which is why you think about testing DAR to see if it works for you. Check out the details and DAR FAQs at https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/resources/seller-updates/2023-summer/listing.

Summing Up eBay’s 2023 Summer Seller Update

eBay’s 2023 Summer Seller Update includes an interesting gamut of changes, most of which should benefit you and your business on eBay. Read the entire update to get the best sense of what’s what.

Furthermore, summer isn’t just known for its annual seller update. It’s also notorious for its seasonal sales slump. Stay out of the ecommerce doldrums with I Love to Be Selling’s free guide Top 10 Tips to Ignite eBay Summer Sales! Download your complimentary copy at https://ilovetobeselling.com/webinars-and-workshops/top-10-tips-to-ignite-ebay-summer-sales/.

Top 10 Tips to Ignite eBay Summer Sales

Top 10 Tips to Ignite eBay Summer Sales

 

 

Beat the eBay Summer Sales Slump!

Beat the eBay Summer Sales Slump!

Summertime on eBay often means a slowdown in sales. 

Buyers spend more time outdoors and they go on vacation. They’re busy taking kids to and from camp. In short, they’re is lots to do besides shop on eBay. So what’s a seller to do to beat the eBay summer sales slump? Plenty!

You don’t have to spend the dog days of summer mired in the eBay doldrums.

Facing an eBay summer sales slump? This could be the perfect time to catch up on projects, be they personal or business related. 

Summertime projects could include prioritizing more time for yourself or with your family and friends. Maybe it’s your chance to finally tackle those home repairs you keep putting off or do some fashion-forward redecorating. If so, more power to you! Recently, I recently joined Jim “Griff” Griffith, host and editor in chief of the eBay for Business podcast, to share strategies for beating the eBay summer sales slump. Listen to our discussion in here.

On the business front, you might consider the following:

  • Reorganizing your home office
  • Fine-tuning your photography station
  • Streamlining your shipping process
  • Revamping your inventory management system
  • Taking a physical inventory of your listed items
  • Sorting unlisted inventory into batches for easier listing

Of course, if you’re a yard/garage/estate sale aficionado, summer is your best season for sourcing.

Making the most of it should keep you plenty busy! Then when you’re snowed in next winter, you’ll have lots of items to list. Start planning for Q4 and the holidays, too — always the year’s most hectic retail moment.

As for sales-boosting strategies, put on your eBay thinking cap.

What types of products are in demand for summer? Look for items that buyers are shopping for right now:

  • Patio and/or yard décor
  • Garden accessories and supplies
  • Pool toys
  • Beach gear
  • Summer clothing (e.g., bathing suits and cover-ups)
  • Home furnishings with summertime appeal

Just remember the #1 rule of buying inventory: The profit is in the purchase.

For even more ideas to help cure eBay Summer Sales Slump, check out my free guide Top 10 Tips to Ignite eBay Summer Sales! Download your complimentary copy HERE.

Top 10 Tips to Ignite eBay Summer Sales

Top 10 Tips to Ignite eBay Summer Sales

 

If you’re facing an eBay summer sales slump, you have lots of options from which to choose. What’s your choice?

 

Women-Owned Businesses Thrive on eBay!

Women-Owned Businesses Thrive on eBay!

By virtually any standard of measurement, women-owned businesses thrive on eBay. In fact the company’s first CEO was a woman, Meg Whitman. She oversaw eBay’s rocket-ride transformation from quirky startup to multi-billion-dollar pioneering ecommerce powerhouse. Along the way, she empowered millions of fledgling businesswomen.

Although subsequent CEOs have been male, 34% of eBay’s global leadership positions are currently filled by women.

Three of the top nine executives on eBayInc.com’s Leaders page are women They’re all senior vice presidents in key positions. They are: Marie Oh Huber, Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel & Secretary; Stefanie Jay, Chief Business and Strategy Officer; and Julie Loeger, Chief Growth Officer.

Who are some of the top female sellers running businesses on eBay?

From 2016-2019, eBay’s seller recognition SHINE Awards celebrated the platform’s small and medium-size businesses. Laurie Ann Wong was the first seller Grand Prize winner. Her Reflections of Trinity was named eBay’s 2016 Small Business of the Year. 

The following year, in 2017, Angie Cardona-Nelson took home the Grand Prize. She was followed by Cori O’Steen in 2018 and Jodie Rosenbaum in 2019 — all woman entrepreneurs.

eBay is attractive to many women starting an online small business because it costs very little or nothing to begin.

Furthermore, sellers can list things they already have on hand. A wide array of items sell well on eBay. Saleable inventory ranges from all kinds of apparel to plush toys to trading cards, TV remotes as well as collectible trading cards. And don’t forget products for pets! In short, by selling on eBay, women can create a business on a shoestring, with minimal start-up costs

By contrast, financial hindrances stymie many women entrepreneurs who want to launch a business of their own. Female billionaire Kendra Scott frequently talks about the gender gap in attracting angel investors for female-owned enterprises.  She says, “Getting funding and getting taken seriously were significant roadblocks.” On eBay, there are no such gender roadblocks.

eBay is a natural fit for women-owned  businesses.

Whether full-time or part-time selling, eBay allows women flexibility, freedom and a low cost way to start a full time or part time hustle.  eBay sellers work at their own pace, control their own schedule, and maintain their preferred work/life balance.

Want to find out how to turn your clutter into cash by selling it on eBay and keeping it out of landfills? You’re on your way with the help of my free guide, ” How to Start Selling on eBay.” Download your complimentary copy HERE.

 

How to Start Selling on eBay!

How to Start Selling on eBay!

 

In eBay Inc.’s 2022 Small Business Report states that women are 13% more likely than men to say that eBay is essential to their business. And they are 7% more likely to say that eBay played a big role in starting their business.

Women in Small Business-eBay Small Business Report! (Photo: Courtesy of eBay)

According to eBay Main Street, “[On eBay,] small businesses owned by women are not just trade equals; as a group, they generally outperform the rate of eBay small businesses overall.” 

Further the study reports, “Women entrepreneurs on eBay are building successful business enterprises for the long haul.

They’re pretty happy about that, too. In fact, a survey by Inc. magazine found that female entrepreneurs in the US rank their happiness three times higher than that of women who are neither entrepreneurs nor business owners.

And with all that happiness, once up and running on eBay, women step right into exporting around the globe.  Here are some of those detailed in eBay Main Street’s 2022 US Women-Owned Small Online Business Export Report:

US Women-Owned Small Online Business Export Report

US Women-Owned Small Online Business Export Report (Photo: Courtesy of eBay)

 

97% of eBay’s female sellers export to an average of 15 countries, compared to 96% of male sellers.

By contrast, less than 1% of small businesses nationwide export, and then only to an average of 4 countries

55% of women-owned small businesses on eBay export to 10 or more countries, vs 51% of small businesses on eBay overall and 8% of businesses in the USA

eBay is reducing everyday barriers that have traditionally locked small businesses, including women-owned small businesses, into their local market,” explains Cathy Foster, VP of eBay Government Relations.

Shoppers across the country and around the world are now available to small women-owned enterprises regardless of where they call home,” she continues. “We are committed to providing women-owned small businesses with the means and opportunities to grow their operations and create wealth in their own communities.”

Kendra Scott shared, “In our world today, there are still so many barriers that women face—whether cultural, financial or self-imposed. My mission as a woman, a founder, and an entrepreneur, is to break down those barriers and clear the path for other female leaders to follow—to empower women to achieve their dreams, whatever that may be, and pass on the wisdom I’ve learned through my own journey.”

eBay welcomes and nurtures its women owned businesses. In short, women owned businesses thrive on eBay!

So, now is the time to get busy listing and selling on eBay!

 

 

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