Increase Your eBay Sales This Summer!

by | Jun 11, 2017 | eCommerce Selling Tips, Selling on eBay

eBay sellers have been coming to me for weeks asking, “Kathy, how can I increase my Summer sales?” Are you ready for the answer?  The answer is, “Work smart”. Here’s how.

First of all, consider what do people buy in the summer? If you can’t think of anything, then jump on social media. Read what your friends are talking about. So, are they discussing graduation, job hunting, gardening, travel, new films coming out or weddings? Take notes on what they are discussing.

To do these activities, what do people need to own? Write a list. Look for these items when you’re shopping at yard sales, auctions, retail stores and outlets.

Use social media to discover what sells in the Summer. #eBay

What sells on eBay in the Summer?

Next, go through your unlisted inventory. Do you have in demand Summer items sitting in your unlisted pile of inventory? List those items now.

Sort through products you’ve already listed. Do you have products that shoppers would want for Summer activities?

Feature those products now to your Summer shoppers. Don’t forget to promote your Fall-Winter items for your international shoppers and for people traveling to colder climates during the summer. Just as Christmas sell year round, so do Winter clothes!

If you have an eBay store you have an awesome tool to increase Summer sales. It’s the order discount tool, Promotions Manager.

Using Promotions Manager, you can attract summer shoppers to your eBay store and keep your sales strong all summer long.

So, there are essential keys to using Promotions Manager successfully.

Make sure to group similar items together in your Promotion. Creating a Promotion that includes men’s shirts with women’s shoes is unlikely to succeed. A much better choice would be two Promotions. One Promotion for men’s clothing separate from another Promotion for women’s clothing. For collectibles consider grouping items of a similar color or period. Even if the Promotions all offer the same order discount, you want to create separate Promotions for each category of products.

Grouping Promotions with similar items, increases your likelihood of a shopper using your discount.

Group similar products you’re selling on eBay to increase sales.

Once you have your listings in mind for your Promotion, check what your average shopping cart size is. Look at your sales for the past 90 days. On average how much do customers buy from you? Do they typically spend $30, $50, $60 or more?  Whatever the typical dollar amount is, you want to select a discount that encourages shoppers to spend more with you, while you still make an acceptable profit.

A discount under 20% is not going to get anybody’s attention.

Look to discount 20% or more. eBay staffers state that there is data showing shoppers love order discount offers. With this in mind create an appealing offer of 20% or more and score sales!

In addition, Promotions Manager can be combined with Promoted listings for more sales. I detail this strategy in The Secret To Boosting Sales On eBay.

An added benefit to using Promotions Manager is that your items will be offered to more shoppers by eBay.

There are other  items that are shown to shoppers in addition to what you have in your Promotion, but your Promotion will be displayed frequently to consumers. I explain this, and show it to you in this YouTube.

Don’t settle for a Summer slow down in your sales on eBay this Summer.

Fight back, going the extra mile with product research and attractive order discounts. Be determined to have strong sales ALL Summer long!

eBay Active Content Made Simple!

by | May 9, 2017 | eCommerce News, eCommerce Selling Tips, eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay

As of June 1 eBay is turning off Active Content.What does that mean to sellers? First of all, let’s start at the beginning.

So, what is Active Content?

What is Active Content?

Techopedia explains it here. Therefore, it is is Java Script or Flash. In older style listings it was used for popular scrolling galleries, cross selling widgets and apps.

Years ago colorful listings with moving parts were considered desirable. That has changed with the modern emphasis on mobile shoppers.

So, to be “Mobile Optimized” or “Mobile Friendly” sellers need lean pared down listing to get sales.

Java script and Flash lead to listings loading slowly. This leads to frustrated shoppers, abandoned searches and shopping carts.

Active content hurts the mobile shopping experience.

Since eBay announced it’s intention to deactivate all Active Content, third party applications are working quickly. They are free of Java Script and Flash.  HTML and CSS are fine to use but Java Script and Flash are not. Contact your third party service providers and ask about their products.

Let’s break it down. What should a successful eBay seller do?

eBay emailed sellers  information on this topic several times in the past year.

With this tool, you’ll discover any Active Content in your listings: http://www.isdntek.com/ebaytools/ActiveContentSandbox.htm
Using the Isdntek testing tool, test a few of your products.
If you discover Active Content, as you have time remove it. It will be deactivated by eBay June 1. Deactivating the content does not remove it from your listing. It makes it inactive. The “dead” content should have no effect. It’s in your listing but it’s not doing anything. The dead content will not effect the loading time of listings.
Jim “The Griff” Griffith discusses this during this April 2017 Facebook Live for eBay For Business

 https://www.facebook.com/pg/eBayForBusiness/videos/?ref=page_internal

I explain how to edit your listings quickly in this YouTube, How To Easily & Quickly Remove Active Content From Your eBay Listings.

 

eBay listings are more mobile friendly and safer.

Mobile friendly is ALWAYS good for sellers!

5 Minutes To MORE Sales On eBay!

by | Mar 26, 2017 | eCommerce News, eCommerce Selling Tips, Selling on eBay

Yes sellers, with my tip you can improve your search results on eBay in less than 5 minutes! To use this amazing tip right now, you will need an eBay store. So how do you accomplish a boost in eBay search in under 5 minutes?  Optimize and use eBay’s paid search service Promoted Listings.  Starting in April all Top Rated eBay sellers will also have access to this boost in search with or without a store.

In 5 minutes or less you can set up a Campaign for qualifying listings using Promoted Listings. Promoted listings are fast to set up. Once launched within hours your selected eBay products experience an expansion in search to buyers you want. You have in effect with a few clicks of your mouse effectively boosted your search results on the eBay platform!

Promoted Listings is currently only available to eBay store sellers with multi quantity listings. This paid service will be offered to all Top rated eBay sellers in April. Promoted Listings are a smart choice for sellers looking to increase their visibility in search. The seller only pays the promotion fee to eBay when the selected product sells by a direct click from the Promotion. The seller gets a multitude of views from potential shoppers in effect for free. Many sellers experience a boost in search and sales to the ENTIRE category that has Promoted items in it. More views can lead to MORE sales! Cha Ching!

When setting up Campaigns with Promoted Listings it’s wise to niche a Campaign. The reason for this is that it’s easier to track and compare data in a tightly selected campaign than in a broad general one. I spent time recently in San Francisco with eBay’s Promoted Listings Team. I’ve put together some killer tips from my time in California. I’m glad to pass these powerful insights to you
for free. Click HERE for yours.

In under 5 minutes, with an eBay store and Promoted Listings, your selected products gain greater visibility on eBay. Using my FREE tips you can make great choices on what and how to boost your eBay listings with Promoted Listings. Your promoted products can then boost traffic and sales to your entire inventory. Get busy sellers!

Top Secret To Sales Success On eBay!

by | Mar 14, 2017 | eCommerce Selling Tips, eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay

Sellers come to me daily asking, “Kathy, how do I get more sales?”

We will talk about optimizing their eBay product listings. We will also discuss the many ways sellers can promote their items both on eBay and on social media.

Before we start the essential work of product sourcing and listing , I tell sellers this foundational secret to sales success must be in place. You’re thinking, “What is this crucial secret for sales success?”

I will tell you. It is to think like a buyer.

Sellers will sometimes look at me, not understanding what I mean. So I repeat , ” You must think like a buyer”. This is foundational for sales success anywhere. I will tell you why. Successful product sourcing is about your buyer. Every part of your listing is about your buyer. Successful promotions are about your buyer. Productive social media is about your ideal buyer. In short, it’s all about the buyer.

Even before your list your products, when you are choosing what to sell, you must think like buyer.

What do buyers want to purchase that you can source? Using top notch research tools like Terapeak can help you find what are the hot products to list and sell right now on eBay. When you research what to sell, you want to think like a buyer.

Once you discover a niche or line of products you want to sell, the next step is to source these hot products.

You can source products in thrift stores, consignment shops, auction houses and the sale racks at retail stores and wholesalers. A reputable wholesale liquidation seller like BULQ can be a great source for desirable merchandise. BULQ offers sellers wholesale prices on inventory by the pallet and case.

You have your inventory. Now you’re ready to list. Think about this.

What is your listing title about?

A good listing title is about helping your buyer find your product in search. Successful sellers know that selecting good title keywords includes researching and putting into place the words that buyers use when shopping for that item. Think like a buyer. Look at the item you are listing. What words or phrase would you use if you were shopping for that item? Be sure and include them in the title and or item description. My YouTube video will show you how to use eBay search to select keywords buyers use when shopping.

 

The photographs you take and upload to your listing are all about the buyer.

Listing photographs need to clearly showcase your item. This allows shoppers to clearly assess your product. Look at your product. What angles and views will help the buyer select your item? Is there a flaw or distinctive mark you want to show them. Your shopper cannot hold your item. Your pictures do that. Think like a buyer.

Next, you will need to fill in the item specifics. Accurate and complete information here gives the eBay and internet search engines structured data they need to display your items to the right buyer.

Now you’re onto the item description. Clearly detail your item in a few sentences. Include information on the brand, UPC, manufacturer’s number or part, color, condition and use for your product. Include size and measurements. Be simple, be clear, and be complete. Think like a buyer.

If you were shopping for this product, what information would you need in making the purchase. Include all of that in your description.

Fill in your payment information and list!

Once listed, take the time to push your products out in social media. Posting effectively on a Facebook Business page can help your products get found by search engines and shoppers. It’s all about the buyer! The Ultimate Guide To A Facebook Business Page For Sellers Mini Course will equip you to optimize your Facebook Business page to welcome buyers. I’ll show you how to think like a buyer on Facebook. Get instant access to Facebook sales power HERE.

Keeping your eye clearly on your buyer, keeps your online business successful. Forget your buyer and you will see your business lose it’s purpose and profitability.

Think like a buyer and watch your sales soar!

 

5 Ways To Get Better Search Results On eBay That Work!

by | Feb 24, 2017 | eCommerce Tips

Sellers come to almost daily and say, “Kathy my eBay item isn’t showing up well in search, what can I do?”

My answer is simple, “Let’s get to work”

#1 way to get better search results on eBay is write a great title.

Whether your shopper is on mobile or desktop, your eBay item’s title is one of the first thing your potential buyer sees. Your title is important to your buyer and important for good eBay and Google search results. Have you chosen the best keywords for your product? The best keywords clearly identify what you’re selling. The words that matter here are your brand. color, size, distinctive patterns and the like. Take a minute and look at your item. If you wanted to buy this item, what words would you be using in searching the internet to find it? Use those words. This video will show you how to use eBay search to quickly write eBay titles.

#2 way to improve your search results on eBay is fill in the item specifics.

Fill the item specifics in to the best of your ability. Fill in the MPNs, UPCs, brand, color, size , country of manufacture, leading role etc depending on  the item you are selling and the category you are selling in. If you have the UPC for your item and you leave it blank or use the drop down menu does not apply, the seller that does fill in the UPC has given eBay search more structured data information than you. Is there a place to chose the color of your item? If yes, chose the best color, blue, pink etc. Again the seller that takes the time to fully fill in item specifics is giving more search data to eBay. Filling in the item specifics gives eBay and Google search vital information to help your item in search.

#3 way to improve your search results on eBay is take clear, crisp pictures.

Your customer cannot hold and touch the item you’re selling. Your pictures literally put your item in your customer’s hand. Show them every angle of your product. Include pictures of any flaws on the item. You do not need to buy expensive photography equipment to take clear pictures that are in focus. Most smartphones have great cameras. Pictures are important now for the shopping experience on eBay and will grow as an essential part of eBay search. eBay‘s CEO Devin Wenig spoke to this in a recent article for CNET. “We’re doing a lot of work on image recognition. Computers are getting really good at recognizing things. We’re not that far away from a future where you’ll just do this. [Wenig picks up his phone and acts out taking photos of a pen in front of him.] You’ll just take a picture of that and we’ll match it through AI to our catalogue, we’ll know exactly what that pen is. And we’ll say, do you wanna sell it? We can get you five bucks right now for that pen.” In short, pictures matter.

#4 way to improve in search is to use eBay’s paid search service Promoted Listings.

eBay offers it’s eBay store owners an effective way to promote qualifying listings through it’s paid Promoted Listings program. Through Promoted Listings sellers create Promoted Listing campaigns and chose the advertising rate they will pay eBay IF the product sells directly through Promoted Listings. A seller ONLY pays eBay the Promotion fee is the item sells from a click through Promoted Listings campaigns. Sellers do not pay for clicks with no sales. Nor do sellers pay for listing impressions. Many sellers note an increase in sales to the overall category in their eBay store that has Promoted Listings, and increased sales store wide. Promoted Listings can have the effect of increasing overall traffic to an eBay‘s sellers store. Currently Promoted Listings are only available to eBay store owners with multi quantity items. There is a Beta test going on for unique one of a kind items. To be considered for this Beta test go to Promoted Listings under the Marketing Tab in your eBay Seller Hub dashboard. You must apply to be considered. To apply go to Promoted Listings in Seller Hub. It’s under your Marketing tab
CLICK it . Find “Give us feedback”.

Give Us Feedback in Promoted Listings Dashboard

It’s all the way to right of the page in Promoted Listings. Click it. Say something like ” Hi I’d like to be in your beta test for one of a kind items.”
According to my eBay contact, ” from the time the seller sends us the request to be considered for the beta group, it may take up to a week to get added to beta. We will confirm via email once they are accepted. They can share this info with their friends/colleague. However, we cannot guarantee that everyone will be accepted.”

#5 way to improve in search is to research.

eBay is a competitive market place. When you first listed your item a month ago or a year ago the prevailing price may have been XXX but now its Z. You can wait and see if prices change, or you can change your listing for the current market and get the sale. eBay’s advanced search can give you short term sales data. For more in depth and detailed information professional sellers look to Terapeak.

Cleaning up your title and/or pictures can get your better search results on eBay. If an item qualifies using eBay‘s Promoted Listings  is a great way to get a boost for your listings and your eBay store. Make sure to stay abreast of marketplace changes in prices with Terapeak.

I’ve made a special FREE How To Dominate eBay Search Tip Sheet for you to use.  It has powerful eBay search tips you can use with or without an eBay store.Gain instant access by clicking HERE.

NOW is the time for YOU to stand out in eBay search!

 

 

 

 

 

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