Getting to Know Your Online Customers

Some food for thought. As online sellers, we have a challenge learning about who are customers are, since they are not standing right in front of us. We can't strike up a conversation about why they are buying a product, or ask them for their input on how we can serve them better. We have to use the resources available to us to figure out as much about our customers as we can, so that we can serve them better.

Pay attention to your eBay and Amazon sales, the customer addresses, and the quantity they buy. I have one grocery product that I sell on Amazon and buyers purchase 2-4 of them at a time. I've noticed the same customer ordering this food product every month around the same date. I Googled her address, to do a little detective work, and glean what I can from Google Maps since I cannot talk to this customer to learn how I can better serve her. The above photo is what I see on Google maps. Hmmm. Rural area, maybe limited supplies in her area, maybe a long trip to the grocery store. Maybe a campground, National Forest, or game ranch with guests. I will definitely add more flavors of this item to my FBA offerings, as well as more items like this one. Something is going on here and maybe I can sell more items to this customer, and others like her.

Moral of the story: This is how you learn about your customers. Sales rank, brand name, product trends, scanning apps,a and completed sales don't tell the whole story. This is not just a numbers game, it is a human game. Think. Pay attention.

Speaking to you as a coach, the best tip I can give you about improving sales on any venue is:
Pay attention to the information available to you, and do more of what is working.

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eBay Sales Slow? Try a Store Critique!

Are you frustrated with slow eBay sales? Do you feel like you are doing everything right, buying great items for resale, working hard on your listings, spending lots of time on your business, and sales just aren't happening? Sometimes, another pair of eyes can help point out minor issues that can be easily corrected and result in more sales. A few minor adjustments can often turn browsers and watchers into buyers. I've been selling on eBay since 2003, and coaching clients since 2008, and I am constantly learning as the eBay landscape changes. Over the past few years, I have helped hundreds of clients improve their eBay business so I may be able to help you, too. I can usually to point out a few things that you can easily change to help increase eBay sales.

If  you feel stuck or frustrated with eBay, an eBay Store Critique may be the answer. I understand that not everyone can afford hourly private coaching sessions, so I have developed an affordable eBay Store Critique Service  This service includes a review of your eBay Store (or several of your listings if you don't have a store). I'll make recommendations about:

1.  Key words in title and body of listing. Key words are very important to for your listings to be  found in buyer searches and can drastically affect your placement in search results. If your listings are so far down on search results that shoppers can't even see your items, they certainly can't buy them! I'll give you suggestions for improving your keywords and understanding the process to creating winning titles.

2. Verbiage included in your listings. There may be some key phrases you can include that will increase your sales. On the other hand, there are key words and phrases that you never want to use on eBay and you may be turning buyers off and not even know it.

3. Seller policies and how they are worded. Successful sellers craft their policies to encourage the customer to do business and gain the trust of potential customers. Remember, you are asking people for their money and they see you as a stranger on the internet. A customer must trust you before he or she gives money to you.

4. Photos, backgrounds, and tips for improvement. A picture is worth a thousand words on eBay. Customers can't touch, hold, or examine the item up close. Your pictures on a computer screen are as  close as shoppers can get to the product in real life. Again, you may be losing potential sales because of issues with your photos.

5. Item pricing. When sellers feel sales are slow, they often drop their prices, hoping buyers will take action and purchase their product. This can be a counterproductive strategy!  In some situations, a higher price may indicate quality and buyers may choose a high or mid-range price over the rock-bottom price.I'll check item pricing on some of your listings to make sure you are in line with the competition.

6. Shipping fees. Are your shipping fees fair for the buyer and in line with competitors? Are you giving your customers the most cost effective shipping options available? When shopping on eBay, buyers sort search results by different criteria. You may be losing potential customers by over-charging on shipping and not realize it.

6. Everything else. If I see something else that could be improved, or any eBay policy violations, I will point it out.

The cost of an eBay Store Critique is $19.97, and comes with a money-back guarantee. If you don't feel the critique was helpful, your money will be refunded, no questions asked. Critiques will be completed within 3 business days. I'll compile a report with suggestions and email it to you.

Use the Buy Now button below to purchase your eBay Store Critique. Be sure to include your eBay Store name, or if you don't have a store, your seller ID. 

Your eBay Store Name or User ID

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eBay Consignment Selling Can Really Pay Off!

Lydia, one of my former coaching clients, sent in her amazing sale. She sold this item on consignment for one of her clients, who was a DJ and received several music sales awards during previous years. Lydia arranged to do a 50/50 split after expenses for this client. The item sold for $960, and total time invested in listing and shipping the item was 1 hour. So Lydia's commission on this sale was a whopping $480 for 1 hour worth of work!

Selling on consignment has several advantages. You get to learn about items that you never would have found on your own, such as the example above. As long as you choose carefully and focus on high dollar items, your hourly earning rate can be significant. Inventory comes to you, so you save time with your sourcing efforts. Also, selling items for others can help build your eBay feedback and sales numbers to help you reach Top Rated Seller.

There are a few downsides to consignment selling. The most frustrating is that people usually think their items are worth more than the market will bear. It can often be awkward to have to explain to a family member or friend that just because they bought that purple widget in 1970 for $400, it is only worth $25 on eBay today. Also, you can end up doing the work of listing the item and it doesn't sell.

After many years of selling on eBay, I will only sell items on consignment if their value is over $500 and I feel sure they will sell. Otherwise, I try to buy the item outright from the person and take full responsibility for reselling it on my own. This can eliminate a lot of drama and hurt feelings.

Visit eBay here for more information on becoming an eBay Trading Assistant and earn money selling items for other people.

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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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International Shipping Webinar Planned

One area that I get many questions about is international shipping. Shipping to other areas of the world could be lucrative for eBay sellers. You would be surprised at the items many sellers are shipping to buyers in other countries around the world. If you are looking to take your eBay business to the next level and have not reached out to buyers in other countries, you may want to look into it.
On top of reading my articles about international shipping, you may want to register for this webinar. DYMO Endicia and Forrester Research are teaming up to offer the FREE webinar. “Demystifying International Shipping – From Australia to Zimbabwe” will be presented on Tuesday, December 26 at 1pm EST/10am PST.
The webinar, presented by Zia Daniell Wigder, will cover these topics:

Typical challenges and solutions to selling internationally

How to simplify international shipping

The pros and cons of international transactional websites

To register for the webinar, please click here. Related links:

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Is There Money Lying Around in Your Barn?

All equine owners need more tack and clothing at some point. Items that are perfectly good - tack you decided you didn’t like (or were just ready to change), or clothing that no longer fits - sometimes need to be replaced. But instead of just getting rid of the items, why not make some money off of them and sell them on eBay? Plus, this can help pay for your new items!

There are a few keys to getting the most money for your item on eBay. One of the most important is to clearly identify exactly what item you’re selling. Items that seem similar (such as curb bits) can have big differences depending on the exact specifications. Include the brand if possible in addition to the type of item it is, plus any other details that may be helpful to buyers (model, color, etc.).

Keep in mind that vintage items aren’t always valuable. While some older pieces may be in high demand, some similar items may have little value. Do your research on eBay to determine exactly what is popular now. If you feel that you won’t get as much money as you should, you can always wait to list your item later. Demand for vintage items varies each year - items that aren’t wanted this year may be very popular next year.

No matter the age of the item you’re listing, it’s always important to do your homework. Be aware of what the current market value of your item is. Brand won’t always be a good indication because many companies have cheaper lines. However, some brand name pieces hold their value very well, and you may be able to sell used pieces for the original purchase price.

Silver items are always worth something, especially pieces from well-known shops. Sometimes silver items may take a little while to sell, so don’t get discouraged if your item doesn’t sell immediately. Just be aware of the value (this is especially necessary so you can choose a good opening bid and/or reserve) and wait for it to be found. Do make sure that you have a good title for your listing. Search for some of the keywords you used on eBay and check how easily your listing is found. If there aren’t many other listings using those keywords, revise it until it’s easy to find.

Make sure to use subtitles when you’re listing your items. They are an inexpensive way to increase the number of views your listing receives. Subtitles are a great place to include pertinent details and specifics about the piece, such as color or size.

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Sorry, Your Item Didn't Sell - Always Try Again!

Don't you love those emails you get when an item doesn't sell? I got the one below this morning:

Always, always, always try again - immediately! Here's why. Your item may have watchers who forgot to bid. When your item is relisted, watchers get an email that says, "An item you were watching has been reslisted." They may come back - QUICKLY - to buy it. Look at the time on the email I received about the boots not selling - the time is 5:53:45 PST. The original listing was an auction. I immediately relisted the boots on a good til cancelled listing.

Guess what? At 7:41:09 PST (less than 2 hours later) I got this email:


The boots sold right away, and my guess, is to someone who received the automated email about the item being relisted. Look at the completed listing on eBay below - the good til canceled listing only had 3 page views.


So when you get those emails that say, "Sorry your item didn't sell," don't despair. Relist it right away and you may get a quick sale!

For more eBay "how tos," check out my FREE eBay Coach Reference Guide



Download my FREE guide with all kinds of eBay how-tos

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Tory Burch Ballet Flats - eBay Seller Success Story

Andrea sent in her success story:

"Hi,I am one of your blog lurkers and just wanted to share with you my great Goodwill find. Tory Burch leopard ballet flats. I bought them for 6.99."

Here is Andrea's listing:



Andrea's price at Goodwill: $6.99
eBay selling price: $114.50
Profit before fees: $107.51

Whoa! You go Andrea! Fantastic sale - you've been doing more than lurking! Thanks for sharing with us and showing us how it is done. If you have a success story, send it in to ebaycoach (at) yahoo.com.

Want to know about more thrift store finds to sell on eBay? Check out Thrift Store Goldmine, which contains 61 pages of items just like this. Learn what to look for at thrift stores to make this kind of money.

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Using Forums to Generate Traffic to eBay Listings

Forums can be a great way to generate traffic to your eBay listings, blog, or website. But there is a protocol and you need to understand the art of this traffic generating method. Watch this short video:


Summary:


1) Find the appropriate forums that correspond with your niche and contains your target audience.

2) Find threads where people are asking for help regarding your niche.

3) Politely reply them in the thread only (Do not just ask them to go to your site). Follow the rules of the specific forum and respond to the thread or use signature link to let them visit your site naturally.

4) Have a presence and be helpful. Nobody responds to a spammer or a pushy sales person.

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