posted on December 27, 2002 10:56:18 AM new
Tell us about your business. Is it strictly Ebay auctions, or do you use stores, too? Do you sell off Ebay? Your own website? What percentage sales from each? Do you cross market (send your Ebay customers to your off-Ebay website, and vice versa)? How--email lists, wbn? Do you sell one of a kind items, or repeatable items? Do you work from home? Have employees? What tools do you use to track sales, inventory, and expenses? What's the best one bit of advice you would give to a newcomer?
posted on December 27, 2002 12:11:26 PM new
I will answer the last question.
"What's the best one bit of advice you would give to a newcomer? "
Don't even dream it will be as easy as posting questions on a message board.
posted on December 27, 2002 01:42:41 PM new
I agree with Landotters. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Communicate with your customers. Don't just take the money and never send any type of acknowledgement. Deliver your items within a reasonable amount of time and try to research your target market.
Also, try to start and end your auctions on Sundays. That seems to be the best day. Another good time, according to an article I read a few months ago, is 12 noon to 3:00 p.m. PST(weekdays). Although my times vary, when I can, I try to launch around these times. Best of luck to you and sellers selling on Ebay. I hope we all have excellent sales in 2003.
[ edited by kliggin on Dec 27, 2002 01:44 PM ]
posted on December 27, 2002 09:55:44 PM new
Treat customers and business contacts fairly and with respect. Remember that The Golden Rule doesn't involve Golden Showers or is the corrupted version that goes somethng like He Who Has The Gold Makes The Rules.
posted on December 27, 2002 10:10:04 PM new
I work from my home, after my "day" job. My family watches me pack up my boxes and write my thank you notes
My best advice:
1) Say thank you.
2) Be patient and gracious.
3) Don't forget your buyer is putting his or her trust in you; they've never held your item in their hands, probably never seen you or spoken to you; has never walked into a store of yours yet sends money in advance of all this in the hopes you are a person of your word. That's all they've got, and I try never, ever to abuse that.
4) Reward loyalty.
5) Know when to walk away from a problem buyer and cut your losses (financially and emotionally).
6) Plan on goofing up.
Di
On a scale of 1 to 10...we'd all weigh a lot less!
posted on December 27, 2002 10:52:18 PM new
Always say "thank you" in your feedback! If it weren't for your buyer, you wouldn't be here!
P.S. Just something I do...I never cash a money order until I have shipped the buyer's item. I don't feel the money is mine until I have held up my end of the deal by sending off their purchase! This also helps me keep track of payments vs. shipping! But let me tell ya: right after the post office comes the bank!!!
[ edited by wendywins on Dec 27, 2002 10:54 PM ]
posted on December 27, 2002 11:29:57 PM new
Send out your WBN right away. Always remind the buyer to respond within 3 days. Make your WBN brief and to the point. When you receive your payment email your buyer that you received it and when you are going to mail the package. I leave feedback at this time, but that is another discussion as others feel they need to wait until the buyer receives package and they leave feedback first. Be polite, pleasant and prompt. Any doubts about anything come to this message board and ask questions, lots of help here. Good Luck
posted on December 28, 2002 05:46:38 AM new
The best business strategy is education. Take a few business courses at a community college they will teach you how to write a business plan, find money, and do marketing. Get a job working in retail this will give you a feel for the business of selling and working with customers. Read all the stuff on the eBay & AW sites. Or you could hire someone like me for big bucks to write a business plan for you!
posted on December 28, 2002 06:52:47 AM new
get up in the morning and read all these 'corny' advices.
fleeces is looking for proprietary info on how and what to sell on ebay,she aint no newbie,keep all that corny stuff to yourself.
now i have to wipe my tears,i am so bored reading all that stuff on how to be nice and courteous,i can read that in any sales brochure.
or retail stock IPO
posted on December 28, 2002 08:50:45 AM new
Thanks for all the advice, you have all been very helpful. I'm not looking for anyone to tell me their products or sources--I already have my own. But, you're right, I ain't no newbie
I sold vintage sewing patterns on ebay a couple of years ago and used to post under "kengena" or "spacey" (can't remember which). But, I decided it was too much effort to hunt down vintage patterns at estate sales and garage sales, sift through all the 70s and 80s garbage, found a few good bargains, but most were overpriced. Same with antique quilts, which I also sold. We just can't get the quality that can be found back East. I kept thinking, there has to be an easier way A ready supply of repeatable products that have a decent cost and mark-up of 30-50%, even on eBay, as well as a decent sell-through rate.
Well, I found my products. One I make myself, but won't sell on ebay, because although it sells well in other venues, it won't sell on ebay for what it costs to make it. The other sells decently well on ebay, and quite well in other venues. I'll continue with drop-shipping until I can afford to acquire a decent inventory.
I'm building a website, and using ebay to build sales, through both auctions and ebay store, until the website is finished. After that, I expect my ebay sales to average 50% of total sales, but that's just a guess at this point. So any advice you might have on combine website and ebay sales would be helpful. I also plan to participate in some large off-web sales venues that occur from May to December in my area.
I do appreciate all the advice. I've always believed that the Golden Rule is the best way to run a business and earn customers. I'm completing an MBA degree, but it's not in retail or entrepreneurship, it's in health organization management
posted on December 28, 2002 07:23:47 PM new
1. Approach this like you would any other business, the rules of business have not changed because you're selling on eBay.
2. Don't fea/view fees in terms of dollar amounts. Instead view them in terms of % of sales or ROI - return you get per each dollar you spend on eBay. E.g. If you spend $X more on fees in a month, but make say 40 cents more per dollar then it's a victory.
3. In this, as with any business be a contrarian, just because everyone else is doing, doesn't make it a good idea. Evaluate things for yourself from a pure business perspective: Revenue vs. profit/loss before you make a decision.
4. Don't make business decisions based on heresay E.g. Just because you "heard" someone say something words or doesn't work, don't believe it until you investigate it for yourself.
posted on December 28, 2002 08:23:39 PM new
Read, as in, books. Books on eBay become very outdated very quickly, but there is a fair amount lot of good "foundation" info. "Starting an eBay Business for Dummies" specifically addresses using eBay to draw people to your website. I've seen the issue addressed in many other eBay books also.
I'm not plugging any specific book - but do an search the word "ebay" or "online auction" on amazon.com, then head to your local library - the cheap way to go, as there may be only a chapter or two you can benfit from.
posted on December 28, 2002 09:39:14 PM new
Seems like you have a pretty good business model and you've received lots of excellent advice on customer relations, which is vital. Your main question appears to be about utilizing an Ebay/Website connection to boost sales. I would advise:
.
.
1. A catchy title to initially draw people to your listing, utilizing researched keywords appropriate to your product.
.
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2. Using the auction listing itself primarily to lead people to your "About me" page on Ebay.
.
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3. Use the "about me" page to lead people to your website..
.
Hopefully, you've had a few good marketing professors in your MBA program who have had some good input into overall marketing.
.
Good luck and Happy and Healthy New Year
posted on December 28, 2002 11:09:11 PM neweBay Help: Policies (see Rules for Sellers / Including Links)
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Links from your About Me Page
You may link to your own Web store or Web site. However, you may not directly offer any non-eBay merchandise on the About Me page itself.
eBay does not permit its users to place the following types of links on your About Me pages:
Links that directly offer any non-eBay listing or merchandise on the About Me page itself.
Links to other online trading sites or pages, including auctions and fixed-price formats. Learn more
Links to sites offering the same merchandise for the same or lower price (including the Buy It Now price).
Links to sites offering merchandise or information not permitted on eBay
On your About Me page, you may link to your own Web site or individual Internet store where you are offering to trade, sell or purchase your goods or services. However, you may not link to any page within online trading sites that offer goods from multiple sellers either in a fixed price or auction format.
About Me pages that do not meet this policy may be removed.
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More significant, the following is a quote from eBay's links policy:
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You may include links to your About Me page in your listings. Theses links are in addition to the About Me icon provided in your eBay listing by eBay. However you may not include language within those links that promote items or other Web sites.
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IOW, a link from your About Me page advertising, "visit my web site for great deals on, etc." is not allowed. Anyone familiar with eBay's rules must realize that eBay should not be used to promote a web site. Whether you can get away with it, and for how long, is another matter. eBay does allow you to maintain an opt-in mailing list of your previous customers.
My business strategy is pretty simple: Offer a good product at a fair price. My best troubleshooting advice is, provide a detailed and accurate item description.
posted on December 29, 2002 06:57:25 AM new
I don't find this thread or any other thread on this discussion board boring. Artdec of you find this boring then maybe you shouldn't be here. Many threads are repeated but all contain information that is helpful. Why post in a thread if you think that. I know it is freedom of speech but why waste your time and mine. Although I have been selling and buying on eBay for over 3 years I have a lot to learn and I don't think in my life time I can learn it all. Now, we are encountering many new eBay buyers that really don't understand the concept of the auction and we need to educate them. In the past month I doubt if I had over 2 or 3 bidders with feed back over 100 but that's okay you have to start somewhere and if it's with my auctions that is fine. I have very few NPB. I think in all my years I have had 3. My approach to selling is brief, to the point with an honest description, good photos and brief TOS. My WBN is brief and to the point. Be honest. I find this the best wait to do business.
posted on December 29, 2002 07:25:37 AM new
just because i find this thread BORING,does not mean i should not read or post.
think about it!!
making coffee in the morning from the same coffee pot,using the same brand coffee,milk and sugar can be boring too.
so is driving to work every day,shopping for grocery or watering your plants.
posted on December 29, 2002 10:42:06 AM new
stopwhining: Maybe "be honest" and "follow the Golden Rule" are corny "advices." However, they are the two most important things, and somehow many people need to hear them.
posted on December 29, 2002 11:49:36 AM new
pelorus,
i am glad you are not my parent,i would not have lived so long,i would have been BORED TO DEATH.
the author is not interested in corny stuff like be good,honest,great customer service,she is looking for get rich quick,work smart,not hard and where are the hidden treasures i can have for a song.
i see some of you are just not cut out to be marketing champs or mind readers.
posted on December 29, 2002 01:28:27 PM new
First of all she is NOT a new comer. According to her she has been around so she knows what to do. But to follow the golden rule is something that if everyone would follow this world would be a better place and maybe you wouldn't be so bored....Well I guess if I can't tell if your bored how can you tell us what we are....
posted on December 29, 2002 01:35:12 PM newartdec I see by your numbers you have been around a long time - NOT. Why not come into this community and be productive, sometimes threads get off the beaten path but soon we are reminded why were here and that is to give help to others.
[ edited by wgm on Dec 28, 2002 07:41 PM ]