Podcasts are Back - Learn by Listening

I am excited to announce my new podcasting channel on BlogTalkRadio! I'm structuring these podcasts as educational in nature, sharing what I know and what I have learned about ecommerce over the last 10 years. Podcasts will be 15-20 minutes in length and focus on teaching a specific aspect of the business. I have some interesting guests lined up so you will want to subscribe and check for new episodes daily. You can listen to podcasts from your computer while you work or from your phone on iTunes. (It will take a couple of weeks for the iTunes feed to start, and I will post a link to the iTunes feed on a future blog post.)

Right now, I am using the audio upload feature, so the shows aren't live yet, therefore listeners aren't able to call in. But that will change in the future. At this point, the podcasts focus on some basics for newer sellers to use for reference in later episodes. So far, the following lessons have been posted:

eBay International Shipping
(New multi-media lesson: eBay International Shipping Tutorial)

eBay Return Policy - Why Every Seller Needs One

The Importance of Record Keeping

I have some fun ideas for recurring shows, like "You sold WHAT on eBay?" Where sellers share good money makers that are hiding in plain sight. Making money on eBay isn't just finding and selling the obvious collectibles like Hummel figurines and baseball cards. The key to making money on eBay is learning to recognize items that have value in the eBay marketplace, but may look like junk to a less savvy seller.

I would love to hear your ideas for shows and topics that you need help with or are interested in learning about. I've been coaching private clients of all levels since 2009 and have a lot of great material to share. We can all learn a lot by talking and listening to each other. Everyone's ecommerce journey is different - beginners to advanced seller, we all bring something valuable to the table to share and help each other prosper!

Check out my new show, Online Selling with Suzanne Wells and be sure to subscribe either through Blog Talk Radio or iTunes.

Related articles:


Source for eBay Inventory - Your Local Library

 What to Buy at Thrift Stores to Sell on eBay (my book on Kindle)

One-on-One Personal Coaching

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Why All eBay Sellers Should Have a Fair Return Policy

A fair return policy on eBay is critical for building your customer base. Having a fair return policy creates trust between you and your customers. How likely are you to buy something from a stranger on the internet without being able to return it if something isn't right or if you change your mind about it? If you sell on Amazon, you already know that Amazon requires all sellers to offer a 30 day return policy. (If you have not tried selling on Amazon, click here for a great guide that explains it.)

A fair refund policy allows refunds within 30 days. Research shows that the longer the return policy timeframe, the LESS likely customers are to use it. There is no sense of urgency. They forget about it, put the item on a table and it gets covered with other things, and they find it six months later. Consider extending your return policy to 30 days.

Accept returns for any reason, not just if the item is grossly misrepresented, as many eBay sellers state in their return policies. It really doesn't matter why the customer wants to return the item, if they aren't happy, you lose as a seller. The buyer gets the last word, even if they didn’t even read your policy. You are risking negative feedback and losing a customer who will never buy from you again.

Make it clear in your listing that the customer is responsible for paying return shipping fees, unless it is the seller's error. (You sent the wrong item, etc.)

If an item is returned, you can always re-list the item again. Refund the customer’s money, and then go to eBay and find the item in your archived listings. Relist the item with one click, and you are done. You can still get positive feedback from the first buyer, especially if you promptly process his refund and include a professional email thanking him for his business. Make the customer happy and get positive feedback.

Happy Selling!

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