It's the little things on ebay that make the difference and have a large impact on whether a sale is made or not. Many sellers, refuse to take chances and try little
things that could improve your bottom line. Next time your listing items on ebay, why not keep the following in mind.
- When listing your auction, avoid using
large graphics and a lot of needless information. There is something to be said for keeping it short and sweet, so make sure that your description is just that. Include
the shipping costs, payment terms and other conditions immediately following the description. Nobody wants to scroll endlessly in search of shipping terms, so avoid
putting them at the very bottom of an auction listing.
- Your feedback is an important part of how others anticipate their transaction with you, so try to keep
your ratings high. Very few people have perfect feedback, so don’t fret if you have a few blemishes on your rating page (Download my free ebook on eBay feedback
at http://www.maintainyourfeedback.com). You cannot please everyone all of the time, but you should always try to keep your customers happy and treat them as
you would hope to be treated if you were the buyer. Prompt replies to e-mails, providing tracking information and being courteous will go a long way in making your
feedback score a winner.
- Include a free gift with every purchase. This doesn’t have to be an expensive item, but instead could be a small calendar for the
upcoming year, a writing pen or some other little gift that relates to your product or business in some way.
- Everybody loves a bargain, so make sure that
customers think of you when they are shopping for a good deal. Hosting frequent sales, offering discounts to repeat customers and introducing free promotional
shipping will not only draw in business and repeat customers, but will bring in the revenue as well.
- Package your items with care and according to their
fragility. If shipping glassware, take the time to use plenty of bubble and packing peanuts. For jewelry, use a gift box and bubble mailer. If you are shipping clothes,
make sure to put them in a plastic bag and package them inside of either a weather-proof shipping envelope or a box.
- If you are in need of publicity, and
what business isn’t, consider one of the many ways to snag some free advertising for your eBay business. Sending press releases to the local newspaper and online
news submission websites will go along way, but don’t forget the local radio stations. Send the local DJs a product sample and press release for your business and
offer to provide one of your products to be awarded during a free prize giveaway on the radio. In exchange, ask to be interviewed on-air or have them to mention
your eBay business during the giveaway.
- Be creative and fun with your description. While keeping it short and sweet, add a touch of humor to your listing. If
you are selling pet products, incorporate a cute story about how your pet enjoyed a specific item. For instance, if you are selling pet food, take a picture of your pet
scooping up the goods. There’s really no better testimony to any pet food. If you are selling a pet bed, photograph your cat or dog sacked out and comfy in the same
type of product.
- Use popular keywords in your description, which will result in being ranked well with search engines and will also help to increase your
placement when shoppers search for a specific keyword on eBay.
- Product selection is an essential key to success. Finding a niche is terrific, but offering a
variety of products within that niche is a must. If you sell jewelry, for instance, don’t just sell diamonds. Incorporate gemstone jewelry, colors of gold and a variety of
designs in order to catch the eye of all buyers.
- Always purchase a tracking number for your shipments. This is especially important if you accept PayPal and
you may need this information to later prove that the item was mailed. Regardless, however, it’s a good idea to keep tracking information on-hand incase your buyers
simply want to confirm shipment or they would like to know when to expect their item(s).
Making
Money on eBay - article series