Do Your Customers Run Your eBay Store?

That may be a silly question to you but it can happen, sort of. You are most likely selling on eBay to make money. That last thing you probably need is someone else having control over what you make, no matter how big or how small the impact.

Something that may need your attention is setting the permissions your customers have when bidding or buying items from you. Without making this change, your buyers can change what they pay you during the payment process. This has the potential of really hurting your profit margins and your bottom line.

To make the change so that the final costs cannot be changed by your buyer, you will need to do the following:

1. Log into your eBay account
2. Go to the “Account “ menu and choose “Site Preferences”
3. Under the “Payment from buyers” section, look for “Allow buyers to edit payment totals
4. Click the “edit” link for the section
5. On the “Payment Preferences” page, look for the “Buyer Edit Option”
6. Make sure the box is NOT checked if you do not want buyers to edit that information

Take the time to confirm your settings. You may be wondering why anyone would want their buyers to be able to edit the pricing. Visit this eBay Help Guide for a few examples of why some sellers use this option.

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Ramping Up 2013 - March

This month we are going to concentrate on business-related tasks to increase your business. The things we will work on are inventory, business records, and marketing. These are tasks that will not have immediate results but are important to your business:

1. Start spring cleaning to find inventory A great way to easily increase your inventory is to find it in your own home. If you have read my Stay-at-Home Mom Guide or if you follow this blog, then you know that is how I started my eBay business. Clean out your closets, get rid of those clothes your kids have outgrown or the toys they no longer want or use. You may have done this before but it never hurts to do it again. You may have bought more things you no longer need or find things you bought to sell that has not made it to your online inventory yet. If you are fortunate enough to run out of items from your home to sell, consider becoming an eBay Trading assistant. Other people may want to sell the items they clean out of their homes but do not know how to sell them online or they may not have the time (or want to take the time) to list, sell and ship the items. You could list the items on consignment for them.

2. Get into the routine of tracking your inventory and updating your records Recordkeeping is essential for your business. Knowing if an item is profitable or not is key to being an efficient and successful seller. You can only manage this if you are keeping records of your sales and your inventory. If you are savvy-enough to be able to create spreadsheet or logs to do that, now is the time to do so (if you have not already set that up.) I use the Basic eSales Bookkeeping Spreadsheet. It allows me to track my eBay and Amazon inventory and shows my profit margins. This helps me decide if an item is a good seller or not or if I should stop selling it. If you are selling on Etsy, there is a website that can help you manage not only your inventory and sales but also your contacts. That web-based service is Stitch Labs. For $45 per month, the service will track your inventory and contacts for the following outlets:

Etsy

Amazon

Shopify

Big Commerce

Sail

Storenvy

3. Update your social media profiles Take a look at your social media profiles. If you have not updated or completed your profile information, now is a good time to do so. Social media is based on cultivating relationships. Share some personal information about you. Tell why you started the business. Tell what you love about your business. Talk about your hobbies. These are things that will allow your customers to connect with you. It may even be the first step to finding repeat customers.

As the saying goes, slow and steady wins the race. Having key business practices in place will help your create a solid foundation on which your business will be built.
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You Can Sell On Etsy Even If You Are Not Into Crafting

Image courtesy of the DaniKfashion Etsy Shop

As the Christmas shipping season starts to reach its peak, it is time to start thinking about next year. What plans are you making to build your business? If you are looking for a new place to sell the items you source at thrift stores or if you make items to sell, Etsy is a site you should consider if you are not already using it.

The Etsy marketplace is growing in leaps and bounds. Sellers have reported a large increase in sales. Those that have been around for a year or more have reported that sales have more than doubled.

Etsy is a fantastic community of buyers and sellers. At first glance, the website looks more like an online store than a community made up of many sellers. This more familiar feel is appealing to online shoppers. Maneuvering around Etsy is straightforward; sellers can showcase their items and are sure to attract the right buyers. The set up of Etsy seems to be more conducive to ensuring that sales are accurate. What is meant by this is buyers get a true picture and description of what they are purchasing. Sometimes other online sales communities do not give as clear a picture.

As a seller, you might wonder if Etsy will draw enough buyers. The proof is in the statistics and the news is great! Small businesses and individuals who sell on Etsy are boasting about their sales. With the holiday season upon us, Etsy is ready and has distinct holiday showcases in place. Buyers are sure to get original, in many cases handmade, gift items for the holidays.

As you review how you sell and where you sell, remember Etsy. Even if you do not make handmade items to sell on Etsy, remember that those crafters need supplies as well. From old sweaters to torn jeans or toilet paper rolls to old books, crafters often use uncommon items for their creations. Take a look around Etsy to see what other items could be sold to this creative bunch.

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Apple Opens eBay Store... Maybe

It appears that tech company Apple has joined the ranks of other retailers, like Toys R’ Us, who use eBay as a retail marketplace. A few weeks ago, a new eBay seller began selling refurbished (factory repaired) Apple products on eBay. The Apple-focused website 9to5Mac.com believed the seller is indeed Apple. The seller has basically no established profile or identity. Its corporate information is hidden, the listings do not show where the items are coming from, and the seller has a 99.7% rating.

What clues convinced 9to5Mac the seller is Apple? The products offered in the listings have the same price as those listed. The items also have the same warranties and conditions as the products sold on the Apple website:

• Full one-year warranty
• Returned to like-new condition
• iPads/iPods include a new battery
• Received complete burn-in testing
• Original OS re-installed
• Repackaged with manual and cable
• Final quality inspection by Apple

9to5Mac has reached out to Apple to confirm but has not received a reply.

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Peek Inside an Amazon Warehouse

Image courtesy of the ABC Broadcasting Network

With the holiday season upon us, we are in a unique situation. We are able to be a part of the retail market that seems to be booming this year. We are able to connect buyers with the items they want and some of us are fortunate enough to make a living do it!

If you sell on Amazon, I am sure you have wondered what happened after your carrier dropped off your boxes and they were checked into the designated warehouse. If you are like me, at some point you have probably wondered what an Amazon fulfillment center looks like. If you have, then you have to see this.

As Cyber Monday rolled around this year, the press seemed to be looking to Amazon to show just how busy Cyber Monday was. From news stories to photo galleries online, nearly every network was talking about Amazon.

Here are a few fun facts about Amazon that were revealed during news stories by Bloomberg TV, ABC News, CBS News, and NBC News:

• Currently, Amazon has about 80 fulfillment centers worldwide. About half of them are in the US.
• Items are not stored in categories. They go into a free space and are scanned to document its location in the warehouse.
• Amazon’s largest warehouse in Phoenix is the size of 28 football fields (1.2 million square feet).
• On Cyber Monday 2011, Amazon processed 200 orders per second.
• For the 2012 Holiday season, Amazon plans to hire 50,000 seasonal workers.
• Amazon employs 20,000 full-time fulfillment center employees.
• Amazon was the most visited retail site Thanksgiving weekend.
• Amazon uses people instead of robots to pick orders.
• Amazon order pickers walk miles each shift.
• The order picks may also use tricycles to pick orders that contain items that are not warehoused close together.

Online, many sites shared videos and photos from inside the fulfillment centers. To see what happens when an item is ordered by an Amazon customer, click here for the NBC News story or here for the ABC News story. To view pictures from inside an Amazon warehouse, click here. (Photos courtesy of Coed Magazine)

FBA Sellers, did you spot any items you sell or were you looking for new items to source in the pictures? Were you surprised by the setup shown?

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USPS Expedites a New Shipping Service

eBay, Amazon and Walmart Stores have recently a new same-day service in selected cities. (eBay Now serves some of the Manhattan and Brooklyn areas of New York City. Amazon offers same day in many cities throughout the country, including Chicago, Boston, Las Vegas, and Washington, DC. Walmart To Go is covering Chicago and San Jose/San Francisco.) Now a new company has thrown its hat into the same-day shipping ring, the United States Postal Service.

As you may know, the USPS has been dealing with mounting losses for years. This move may help to rebuild the USPS as a viable player in the delivery/eCommerce services market. The new service, called Metro Post, is slated to begin testing in the San Francisco market on December 12. For a fee of $10, the USPS will deliver purchases in that area from major retailers the USPS has partnered with. At this time, there is no list of retail partners available. That will be announced closer to the December 12 launch date.

According to the documents the USPS filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission, here is how the program will work:

Through this market test, buyers can request same-day delivery in one of three ways: 1) utilizing a qualifying online e-commerce platform to purchase items online; 2) purchasing items at the retail stores that have partnered with test participants; or 3) visiting a test participant’s website to purchase items. Eligible buyers must live in a specified area within a selected major metropolitan area.

The daily cut-off times for making any purchases of items delivered via Metro Post service will occur between 2:00pm and 3:00pm. Package pick-up will then be scheduled to take place at participating locations after 3:00pm, by Postal Service-uniformed delivery personnel. The Metro Post packages may be exchanged between agents, and dynamic routing tools will be used, in order to ensure efficient delivery; at this time, the logistics have not been finalized. Same-day delivery will occur between approximately 4:00pm and 8:00pm, as determined by the Postal Service.

The USPS is projecting that it will earn between $10 million and $50 million in new revenue in the San Francisco area alone. If the test is successful, the USPS plans to roll Metro Post out to 10 other large cities and believes it would increase its earnings to $500 million with the expansion.

This could be the program to help rebuild the financially struggling USPS. Last week, it reported a $15.9 billion annual loss for the last fiscal year. It will not resolve the entire budget issue but it could be a profitable move.

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Sellers, Meet Your Newest Clothing Resale Site

This week saw the launch of a new online selling site that caters to selling designer clothing and accessories that the original buyer no longer uses. Tracy DiNunzio, who started Recycled Bride a few years ago, has launched Tradesy. The site may prove to be an alternative to eBay who has been hit pretty hard with a large number of counterfeit items in its marketplace. The site also debuted its mobile app Wednesday to appeal to more buyers and sellers.

Tradesy does seem to be geared toward the individual seller versus the person who is selling many items online. The new marketplace does allow new and gently used items and provides a relatively quick listing process for the less frequent seller. To list, the seller only completes a few description fields and uploads the image. Tradesy then removes the background of the uploaded image and replaces it with a white background automatically. This allows the product to appear as it would on a traditional retail site. It is free to list items on the site and Tradesy takes a 9% fee on any item sold. The site does use PayPal for payment processing.

The site even takes care of the shipping for sellers. Once the transaction has closed, Tradesy will send a pre-paid shipping label and package. The seller then just packages the item and drops it off with the US Postal Service.

While this site does lean toward the high-end designers (Louis Vuitton and Chanel), it allows brands such as Banana Republic and J.Crew as well.

With the fact that counterfeiters can be an issue on sites like this, Tradesy has instituted a policy that it guarantees each item on the site is authentic. If it is not, then Tradesy will provide the buyer a full refund or a site credit (depending on the situation). Generally, all sales on the site are final.

From a seller’s standpoint, this could be the opportunity to showcase your authentic inventory on another site that may have a higher profit margin than eBay does traditionally. It may also be a good source of product if designer items are your niche.

It has only been a few days since the launch. It will be interesting to see how the site develops. If you decide to use Tradesy and would like to share your experiences, please leave a comment below.

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Amazon Considers Same-day Delivery

Amazon is working toward revolutionizing ecommerce yet again. To place itself in direct competition with retailers like Walmart and Target, Amazon is focusing on developing a business model that will allow it to deliver products to its buyers the same day the order is placed.


One change Amazon will have to make in order to move to this type of business successfully is revising how it handles state sales tax. Amazon is known as a fighter of internet commerce sales tax. It has excluded states like North Carolina, for example, from its affiliate program and its fulfillment warehouse plans due to the state’s instance on requiring Amazon to pay state sales tax. To make the same day delivery, Amazon will have to “play nice” with more states to create fulfillment centers that will allow its orders to qualify for the same day delivery option.


Amazon has become more willing to pay state taxes recently. The company is opening a new fulfillment center in New Jersey, a state that had pursued Amazon for state taxes in the past. Amazon has agreed to begin paying taxes to that state within the next year and a half. New Jersey will benefit from the additional sales tax along with income and property tax, as well.


How will this affect us as sellers? One by-product may be shipping products to additional fulfillment centers. Instead of having a couple of larger shipments to a few main warehouses, we may be shipping smaller boxes to more warehouse locations. Of course, this may also result in shorter distances for our shipments to reach more local warehouses and possibly the opportunity for our shipments to be checked-in more quickly.


There have been other companies that have attempted to use same day delivery for its online stores but on a very limited scale. Sites like Kosmo and Urbanfetch offered same day delivery of their goods to Manhattan. Kosmo offered books, games, and DVDs while Urbanfetch offers medicines, groceries, and DVDs. Amazon currently offers same day service to many metropolitan areas throughout the country, which include:

Baltimore

Boston

Chicago

Indianapolis

Las Vegas

New York City (and parts of New Jersey)

Philadelphia

Phoenix

Seattle

Washington, D.C.

It will be interesting to see what it will take for Amazon to roll out this service on a larger scale. To find out more about the current same say service known as Local Express Delivery, click here.



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Niche Products - Back to School Items

Recently, you may have seen a few articles that talk about the items that appeal to buyers this time of year. The niche that is popular right now is back to school. There are many items that are big sellers right now. Hold on to your hats because this is a rather lengthy list (courtesy of eBay)! Remember many of those items are great sellers all year long.

Happy Scouting!

Women's Clothing

• Denim: True Religion (printed, color, skinny, slim, bootcut)
• Denim: Jeans, Seven for All Mankind (printed, color, skinny, slim, bootcut)
• Denim: Jeans, J Brand (printed, color, skinny, slim, bootcut)
• Denim: Jeans, Miss me (printed, color, skinny, slim, bootcut)
• Denim: Hollister (printed, color, skinny, slim, bootcut)
• Denim: Levi's (printed color, skinny, slim, bootcut)
• Tops: J Crew (tees, knits, sweaters)
• Tops: Anthropology (tees, knits, sweaters)
• Tops: Gap (tees, knits, sweaters)
• Outerwear: Northface, Denali, Nuptse (denim, peacoat, cropped motorcycle, military)
• Outerwear: BB Dakota (denim, peacoat, cropped, motorcycle, military)
• Outerwear: Michael Kors (denim, peacoat, cropped motorcycle, military)
• Outerwear: Free People (denim, peacoat, cropped motorcycle, military)

Men's Clothing

• Denim: Hollister (straight, bootcut, slim, loose)
• Denim: Quicksilver (straight, bootcut, slim, loose)
• Denim: Levi's (straight, bootcut, slim, loose)
• Tops: Abercrombie & Fitch (graphic/logo tees, Polos, Rugbys, Henlys)
• Tops: Hollister (graphic/logo tees (short and long sleeve), Polos, Rugbys, Henlys)
• Tops: American Eagle (graphic/logo tees (short and long sleeve), Polos, Rugbys, Henlys)
• Tops: Aeropostale (graphic/logo tees (short and long sleeve), Polos, Rugbys, Henlys)
• Tops: Ralph Lauren (graphic/logo tees (short and long sleeve), Polos, Rugbys, Henlys)
• Outerwear: Northface, Denali, Nuptse (walking coat, peacoat, distressed leather, moto jacket, military)
• Outerwear: Patagonia (down sweater, walking coat, peacoat, distressed leather, moto jacket, military)
• Outerwear: Kenneth Cole (walking coat, peacoat, distressed leather, moto jacket, military)
• Outerwear: Marc New York (walking coat, peacoat, distressed leather, moto jacket, military)

Women's Footwear

• Women's Uggs, Classic, Tall/Short
• Steve Madden Wedge Sandals
• Steve Madden Boots
• Jeffrey Campbell Wedge Sneakers
• Nike Air/Shox

Men's Footwear

• Vans, Classic Skate
• Converse, Chuck taylor (Hi & Low tops)
• Reef flip flops
• Sperry Top Sider
• Nike Air Jordan

Accessories

• MICHAEL by Michael Kors handbag/totes (top handle)
• Jansport (backpack, messenger bag, bookbag)
• American Rag (backpack, messenger bag, bookbag)
• Kipling (backpack, messenger bag, bookbag)
• Le Sport Sac (backpack, messenger bag, bookbag)
• Northface (backpack, messenger bag, bookbag)
• Kenneth Cole (backpack, messenger bag, bookbag)
• Fossil (backpack, messenger bag, bookbag)
• Oakley Sunglasses (Aviator, Wayfarer, Wrap)
• Rayban Sunglasses (Aviator, Wayfarer, Wrap)
• Northface (scarves, gloves, hats)
• J Crew (scarves, gloves, hats)
• Gap (scarves, gloves, hats)
• Patagonia (scarves, gloves, hats)
• Tommy Hilfiger (scarves, gloves, hats)

Home & Garden

• Samsonite luggage (carry-on, luggage sets)
• American Tourister luggage
• Coleman luggage
• Toaster ovens
• Toasters
• Microwaves
• Hotplates
• Coffee Maker (4-cup, single serve)
• Mini Fridge
• Blender
• Sheet Sets (Twin, Twin XL sheet sets, Queen sheet sets)
• Down comforter (Twin, Twin XL, Queen)
• Duvet (Twin, Twin XL, Queen)
• Bath Towel & Towel Sets
• Desk lamps
• Floor lamps
• Desk organizer
• Mirror
• Prints/Wall Art
• Shower Caddie
• Bathroom Scale
• Electric shaver
• Electric Toothbrush
• Straightening/Curling iron
• Hair dryer

Computers and Tablets

• Sony/HP, S Series/F Series, Core i7, 15", 4GB, 500GB
• Sony/HP/Asus, Ultrabook, Core i5, 13", 4GB, SSD Drive
• Acer/Toshiba, Aspire/Satellite, Intel, 15", 3GB, 250GB
• Apple iPad 3, 16GB, Wifi
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, 16GB, WiFi
• Viewsonic/Samsung Open, 24" monitor
• Samsung/LG, Open, 24" monitor w/ TV Tuner
• HP/Dell, All in One Desktop, 22-24" Touchscreen
• Canon/Epson, Wifi Printer + Airprint for iPad/iPhone
• WD/Seagate, 2TB External HD
• WD/Seagate, 1TB External HD
• Laptop back up
• Logitech/Microsoft 2.4 Ghz Mouse
• Apple Magic Mouse, Bluetooth Mouse
• Acer/Toshiba/HP/Sony/Apple, Laptops/Desktops, Ultrabooks
• Acer/Toshiba/HP/Sony/Apple, 13-17" laptops, Touch screen desktops
• Acer/Toshiba/HP/Sony/Apple, 22" all in one desktops

Computer Accessories

• Laptop bags
• External hard drives
• Wi-fi printers
• Additional monitors
• iPad accessories
• iPhone accessories
• USB
• Barnes & Noble eReaders
• Electronic dictionaries
• Translators

Keyboards, Mice and Input

• Logitech/Microsoft Bluetooth Mice

Systems

• Xbox 260 4GB System
• PS3 Consoles
• Handhold consoles
• Media/Bluetooth remote (Xbox 360 media remote, PS3 blu-ray remote)
• PS3 3D monitor
• Logitech Bluetooth Keyboard
• Live Cards

Televisions

• Samsung UN46ES8000
• Samsung UN55ES7500
• Panasonic TCP50ST50
• Roku 2 XD

GPS Navigation

• Garmin GPS 1450LMT
• Garmin 1490LMT

iPod and MP3 Accessories

• Beats HD SOLO WHT headphones
• Klipsch IMAGE S4 headphones
• SOL Republic headphones (multicolor, fashion headphones
• Skullcandy headphones (multicolor, fashion headphones)

DVD and Home Theater

• Onkyo Dorm sound, sound bar explosion
• Polk Dorm sound, sound bar explosion

Digital Cameras

• Nikon D5100 16.2 MP Digital SLR Camera - Black (Body Only)
• Canon-EOS-Rebel-T3i-180-MP-Digital-SLR-Camera-Black-Kit-w-EFS-1855mm-IS-II-Lens
• Canon EOS Rebel T3 / 1100D 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera - Black (Kit w/ EF-S 18-55mm IS II Lens)
• Nikon J1 10.1 MP Digital Camera - White (Kit w/ VR 10-30mm Lens)
• Nikon D3100 14.2 MP Digital SLR Camera - Black (Kit w/ AF-S DX 18-55mm VR Lens)
• Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS / IXUS 220 12.1 MP Digital Camera - Red
• Canon PowerShot SX260 HS 12.1 MP Digital Camera - Black
• Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V 16.2 MP Digital Camera - Black
• GoPro HD Helmet HERO Camcorder - White
• Sony Handycam HDR-CX190 Camcorder - Black

Cell Phones & Smart Phones

• Apple iPhone 4S 16GB, Black (AT&T) Smartphone
• Apple 4 16GB
• Samsung Galaxy II, III, HTC, Evo
• Samsung One
• Free phones with plans

Photo - Camcorders

• GoPro Hero2 digital camera

Sporting Goods

• College Fan Apparel
• Mountain Bikes
• Camping & hiking backpacks
• Footballs and attire
• Basketballs and attire
• Volleyball
• Swimming and attire
• Gym, Workout & Yoga attire
• Pedometers, heart rate monitors
• Mountain bikes
• Road bikes
• Golf shoes, men
• Golf shafts

School & Art Supplies

• Notebooks
• Looseleaf paper
• Pens/pencils/highlighters
• Pencil cases
• Binders/folders
• Electric pencil sharpeners
• Backbacks
• Rulers
• Staplers, staple removers
• Crayons
• Markers
• Construction paper
• Glue
• Scissors
• Paint/brushes
• Dictionary
• Combination locks
• Musical instruments
• Calculators
• Removable locks
• Reusable water bottles

Gift Cards

• eBay gift cards and e-certificates
• Subway
• Red Robin
• Applebees
• Jack in the Box
• TGIF
• Pizza Hut
• Sephora
• American Eagle Outfitters
• Aeropostale
• Justice
• Boscovs

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$1.2 Million for Video Game Collection

Image courtesy of Yahoo.com

When you were growing up, did your parents tell you that playing video games would amount to nothing? This story may just prove them wrong. If you have been considering video games for your next category on Amazon FBA, then keep reading because this may motivate you.


A young man in France has just auctioned off a huge video game collection on eBay. The 32 year old named Andre took the time to collect every game made for 22 different game consoles. This totaled approximately 7000 games for not only the popular Sega console, the various Nintendo systems up to the Gamecube, but even lesser known NEC systems.


This eBay seller actually collected the games just for the challenge of it. Each game in the collection was still factory sealed. Some of them are more than 25 years old.


By now, I am sure you are wondering if Andre’s auction had a winner and how much the winning bid was. The winner, who lives in Canada, offered one million Euros which equals about $1.23 million. Unfortunately, as of July 9th the winner had not paid for the auction. For those of you who dabble in international shipping, I am sure you are wondering just how much the shipping charges will be. It has been estimated that it will cost approximately $1000 to ship the games from France to Canada.


Andre is ready in case the buyer does not pay for the auction. He has plans to either re-list the games on Ebay or list them on a few Japanese auction sites. Will this be the end of Andre’s eBay selling days? Probably not. He says this is just a part of his collection and that he still has thousands of other games he could sell.



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First eBay... Now Apple?

Image courtesy of Pocketdroid.net

There is no doubt than Amazon has changed the way we sell online, the way we read, and much more. Now the company is working with an international manufacturing firm to create its own smartphone. The phone is set to rival today’s most popular smartphones.

Is this just a rumor? Signs point to no. The company is currently working with Foxconn International to create the new product. Amazon is currently registering patents to protect itself from possible infringement claims and has hired a new patents director. With this phone still in development, there is little information about pricing or features.

Just as Amazon’s Kindle Fire is a cheaper alternative to the Apple iPad, the smartphone being developed would be a cheaper alternative to the iPhone and the Android.

It will be interesting to see what impact an Amazon smartphone will make on the market.

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How to Market Your eBay Store/Listings

Jenn Cangelosi of Boutique Bargains brings us today's posting:

It takes time to become established on eBay as a reputable seller, but begin with a plan and that time can be shortened. Here are a few marketing ideas to help you get started.

Get the word out - Start with word of mouth or viral marketing. Tell everyone you know about your new eBay business venture. Send out emails with links included to your auctions so they know what it is your are selling.

Use your email - Now there is another use for your email. Set up a signature that goes out with every email you send. Include a link to your auction listings or eBay store, with a short tagline like "Come and see what is new on eBay!"

Get some business cards - Vista print is a great place to order some inexpensive business cards. Include your business card with every package you ship. If you sell electronic informational products like eBooks, just include a business card box on the last page of the product.

Ask for customer feedback - After an item is shipped send an email thanking the customer for their purchase and ask them to leave you positive feedback. Most people will leave feedback, but the email is a good customer service and reminds them to leave the feedback.

Reward repeat buyers - Offer a coupon or other promotion to repeat buyers. Offering them an incentive helps ensure that they will buy from you again. The most popular incentive is a shipping discount on multiple items purchased.

Add something extra - Everyone loves getting something extra for free. For example: you sell a girls dress, add a cute matching bow or inexpensive jewelry. If possible include an item with your web address or logo.

Combine these ideas to start your marketing plan. There are numerous other marketing strategies that you can implement, especially if you have a separate website. Try several different marketing strategies until you find the ones that work best for you.

Jenn, thank you for the tips! They are great ideas to include in marketing your eBay or Amazon business!


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eBay Goes Green with its Green Driving Site

If you are looking for a new tool to connect you with eco-friendly driving information and vehicle, look no further than eBay! eBay recently announced the opening of eBay Green Driving.

eBay Green Driving has tools and resources, and green vehicles and vehicle parts. You get all of this through one website. They are introducing drivers to green vehicles thus helping the public save money when they purchase green vehicles. With the rising cost of fuel every day, it’s a fact that green vehicles are less expensive to drive. Your fuel cost will plummet when you choose a green vehicle.

The new eBay Green Driving site has amazing features that include:

Fuel Type Comparison Tool; This tool gathers information from the Department of Energy, their website is www.fueleconomy.gov it compares fuel technology, data on driving range, estimated green vehicle cost, estimated annual fuel costs, along with the ecological impact and other relevant information.  

eBay Green Machines; Here you can get a look at the green vehicles that are for sale now, or those vehicles that have already been sold on eBay Motors. Some of those green vehicles include a 1919 Rauch & Lang Electric Coach, and the 2012 Fisker Karma. This is a great place to get current information about the most unique green vehicles.

Popular Green Vehicles; Here you will find information on the most popular green vehicles today such as the hybrid Toyota Prius, or the electric Tesla Roadster.

Once you have read the information from the above categories, go back to the eBay Motors ads if you are looking to purchase a green vehicle now. If you do not know exactly which vehicle you are looking for and want to see them all categorically, search eBay vehicle inventor. You may look them up by fuel type, body style or lifestyle.

Green Driving New and Reviews a great resource for those who want to learn everything there is to know about green vehicles. eBay Green Driving will update their website often with current content about the latest green vehicle information. eBay hopes that Green Driving site visitors will enjoy and learn from their website. It may be a good resource for making those scouting trips eco-friendly! For more information, click here.

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eBay Seller Success Story - Old Spice Cool Contact Wipes

I recently received this eBay Seller Success Story from Lori McAulliffe of Rocket City Sales:

Greetings Suzanne – As you know my husband, Thomas McAulliffe and I have been an eBay PowerSeller for over 10 years now. I had to share this great sold story with you because it was inspired by you!

I often recall your FeedBlitz and eBay Selling Coach stories of finding no longer manufactured products and reselling for a nice profit. Through you I have learned there are people out there who still want to use these items and will pay for it.

My story started when I was spring cleaning inside my home and ran across several unopened boxes of Old Spice Cool Contact Wipes. I purchased these boxes several years ago on clearance at Target during my Extreme Coupon Queen days. Believe I paid $1 or less per box. My husband used them for a while, and then discovered they made him break out. So the unused boxes have been sitting in the closet for quite a while. I was almost about to throw them in the trash when all of a sudden it hit me – eBay – better check before I toss.

So as any avid eBay Seller knows the potential advantage of finding such a niche product is to research before you list. After researching closed listings, I found the average selling price to be approx $15-$19; with a sell thru rate at 100%. Oh me oh my – I did a happy dance. Needless to say I saved them from the trash and listed them on eBay. Here is a completed listing:






One of the buyers was soooo excited about their purchase, this is the feedback they left (click to enlarge):




So far we have sold 3 of the 6 boxes at $19.99 each. Now if only every item we sold on eBay would be this profitable!

Thanks Suzanne for being a great source of inspiration,
Lori McAulliffe

Do you have a great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.


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Disney Character Comes to Life

Image Courtesy of eBay

I am sure many boys and girls (of all ages) have a favorite character that they would love to own in real life. Well, if you are a fan of the Disney movies Cars and Cars 2, here is an auction you may hate that you missed.

An eBay seller in Nowata, OK, recently listed and sold a life size replica of Tow Mater, the beloved tow truck and sidekick of racecar Lightning McQueen. The vehicle was a 1955 Chevrolet 2-on dump truck before being transformed into “Mater”.

Below is a screenshot of the closed listing:







The description was very detailed. “Every effort was made to build this replica as close to the actual "Mater" as possible. The tow bed is very accurate and made from steel. All the lights work, including the rotating beacon light on top. Note the detailed "carburetor county" license plate. The winch and tow mechanism are just for show - they do not work. All the front "face" pieces are steel - including the teeth. This was all hand built and formed [sheet metal]. The windshield is covered in perforated vinyl that you can see out of, but you can't see in. The eyes are decals. Likewise the side and rear windows have been covered in perforated vinyl so it looks like Mater is driving himself.”

I am sure the question in your mind is did Mater run? The seller says it does! It could even be driven but since the windshield is covered in vinyl it could only be driven in “parades, taken to car shows by trailer, or just parked for display.”

After 4 bids, Mater found a new home. The winning bid was $8,000. I think Mater’s response to that would be, “Dad-gum!”


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Tebow Fans, You Could Call This a “Cheesy” eBay Listing!

The end of the football season is no reason to not have a touch of Tebow, Tim Tebow that is, in your life. One eBay seller recently offered a grilled cheese sandwich that seemed to resemble the NFL’s Denver Broncos quarterback.

According to the listing, eBay Seller “carlspackler76” of Roanoke, Virginia, was just quickly making lunch with a less than perfect frying pan one day when he was “thoroughly amazed by the image staring back [at him]... the now iconic "Tebowing" pose of Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow!”

The auction began at only 99 cents on January 13, 2012. After receiving 46 bids, it ended on January 20, 2012 at a whopping $85.00! And just think, this success story started with two slices of bread, a slice of American cheese, and poorly performing cookware.

Below is a screenshot of the actual listing on eBay after the bidding was over.



After the seller froze the sandwich and carefully packed it with dry ice, the package was shipped to it winning bidder. As I write this, the buyer has not provided any feedback. I can’t help but wonder if it ended up as lunch anyway!

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Amazon Plans New Fulfillment Centers for 2012

Image Courtesy of Google.com

With the growth of the sales of the Kindle Fire and with the increasing number of sellers using FBA, Amazon will add new fulfillment centers to reach more customers in a more efficient manner. The centers are planned for locations within Virginia, Tennessee and other states. With two new centers planned for Chesterfield and Dunwiddie counties, Virgina, the new centers are projected to bring approximately 1,350 jobs to that one state alone.

The growth is not focused on only US locations. Later this year, Amazon plans to open its first fulfillment center in Mumbai, India. In addition to the India location, Amazon will also add fulfillment centers in Nanning, China and in the cities of Koblenz and Pforzheim, Germany.

If you have ever wondered what the workings of an Amazon fulfillment center looks like, here is a YouTube video that will give you a peek:




The following are just a few of the new Amazon.com US fulfillment centers set to open in 2012:

• West Middletown, Delaware
• Spartanburg County, South Carolina
• Chattanooga, Tennessee (Opened 2/2/12)
• Lebanon, Tennessee
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
• Dinwiddie, Virginia
• Meadowville, Virginia

What does this mean for the FBA seller? You may encounter additional shipping locations to forward your inventory. You may experience stock movement as inventory is transferred to other locations. While it may be a slight inconvenience to split your inventory, it is still a very efficient process. When you consider the time saved in shipping each item individually and warehousing your inventory, Amazon FBA is still a great alternative. Also, the additional centers shows the growth of Amazon.com. As the company reaches more consumers, so will your products.

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eBay Seller Success Story – One Seller, One Auction, Many Successes

I recently received this set of eBay seller success stories from Joyce West:

I am a member of the Treasure Hunters Cove with Carolyn. She has been after me to send you these scores.

I went to an auction this fall that was just loaded with goodies. These are just a few of the items I found. There are many more items, both Jadeite and other items, from this sale listed in my store.

For $75, I purchased the Jadeite Coffee Jar and the pair of Jadeite Shakers. The coffee jar sold at auction for $175 and the Shakers went for $65 at the auction. The screenshots below are for the coffee jar listing and the shakers.








I also purchased the Jadeite Measuring cups for $30 and they went for $150, from my store. The shakers and measuring cups both went to the same buyer in Japan. The next screenshot shows the closed listing for the measuring cups.



With just these three items, I turned $105 into $390. I could not have done it before I learned from the Treasure Hunters Cove not to under price my items. Carolyn and Mel are great motivators.

You can click here to visit Joyce’s store, By Gone Oldies.

Do you have a great sale or an interesting eBay item to share? Send your find to eBaycoach@yahoo.com for consideration.

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Don't Miss Sale Event This Saturday At Big Lots

If you are looking for a great way to buy inventory to sell on eBay, then get ready to search this Saturday. On Saturday, January 28, Big Lots is having a big savings event for its Buzz Reward cardholders. Just find your deals, check out and show your Buzz Reward card to receive an automatic 20% off your entire purchase. For more information, click here.

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Hot Items to Sell For Valentine’s Day 2012

Valentine’s Day is less than a month away but it is not too late to stock your eBay store with the things your buyers want! Look at a list of the current hot items buyers are looking to purchase for their sweethearts.

For women, the hot gift items seem to be accessories. Designer handbags and sunglasses top the list. Brands like Michael Kors and Prada are popular gift items. Also, silk scarves and nighties are on the list. Sunglasses are popular for men, too. Rayban and Oakley are the brands that buyers are looking for. Ralph Lauren, Hilfiger and Perry Ellis wallets are on the gift lists, as well. As always, cologne is popular. Buyers are looking for Dolce & Gabanna Light Blue for Women and 212 for Men, just to name a couple of brands. Of course, Paco Rabanne 1 Million and Marc Jacobs Daisy are on the list, too.

Electronics like iPads, eReaders, and headphones are making the list. Buyers are grabbing cameras like the Nikon J1 and home theater systems like the Panasonic 3D Blu-ray system. Apple products like the Macbook Air, the iPod Nano, and the iPod Touch are on the list again this year.

And old standards like candles, jewelry and vases are hot items. Plus, tickets to Broadway plays, sports events, and concerts are being given, too.

Other popular items include:

Men’s scarves

Tablets

Camcorders

Smartphones

Expresso Maker

Rings

Bracelets

Earrings

MLB Spring Training Tickets

While being able to sell these hot items will boost your sales, there are other tips that may help, as well. Offering gift-wrapping services will help you increase sales as well. Make sure your listings are clearly marked to show the additional services you are offering. Increase your sales by offering expedited shipping. This will help make your listings even more appealing to the last minute buyer.

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