subject: BlueBlee.com's Top 10 Tips for Selling on eBay [print this page] BlueBlee.com's Top 10 Tips for Selling on eBay
BlueBlee.coms Top 10 Tips for Selling on eBay
Since its inception, eBay has become the mother ship of all online auction retailers. For people looking to sell their goods online, eBay offers a great way for sellers to ease into e-commerce without having to build and maintain their own websites. For buyers, eBay is an unbeatable way to find the best bargains, offering simplicity and reliability. Selling is not so simple. eBay has streamlined the selling process and offers an easy-to-use platform, but actually getting the right goods and then getting them sold is where it gets sticky. BlueBlee.com is a registration site for those looking to find amazing products to sell on eBay. Powered by the nations largest liquidators, BlueBlee.com gives all of their members a real time notice every time they launch a going out of business sale in your hometown area. Created for eBay Certified Resellers BlueBlee.com is a tool to help resellers locate and purchase products right as a going out of business sales launches. The following are BlueBlees top 10 tips for increasing the probability of a sale on eBay.
1. Optimize the Headline. It's the headline or title of your product that is used for search results, not the description of your item. There are also only 55 characters allowed for the headline, so it's critical to streamline it as much as possible while giving as much detail as you can. Leave out the adjectives and instead focus on keywords that buyers might use to search on the item.
2. Have Excellent Feedback Rating. To earn a buyer's trust, you need to have a feedback rating of 99% or better. With new ID's, sellers should start with lower priced items to build their feedback, selling expensive items only when they are established. In communications with clients, always respond promptly and professionally. After a payment is made, pack the item with care and ship it quickly.
3. Take Quality Pictures. The biggest drawback to online purchasing is the buyer not being able to put their hands on the item and gauge its condition for themselves. The next best thing is to see the product, so be sure to have clear, quality pictures of each item. Pay close attention to any special features of the item, additional parts or accessories, and take close ups of any damaged areas. Over 80% of buyers skip listings that have no images, so it's essential to include quality photos of your products.
4. Write Clear Honest Description. People are looking for bargains, but they also want to know why an item is such a bargain. Just having "lowest price" in the description tells the buyer nothing and may make them suspicious. Being as honest as possible to the point of overestimating the flaws of an item will build trust with buyers. It's just as important to offer clear, concise detail on the products for sale. List all the main features of an item and any accessories that are included, or even more importantly, any accessories that aren't included that usually come with that product.
5. Research Product. It's important to research the items you mean to auction before you price them. Know what the original manufacturing price was and be aware of the prices at which similar products are being sold. Overpricing will drive off buyers and under pricing will short-change your profit margin. Doing research will also allow you to gauge buyer interest in the kind of item you intend to sell and to discover the saturation level of the market for that item. If there's no interest or there are a million similar products, your time might be better spent with a different product.
6. Keep Shipping Costs Reasonable. People are very aware of how much it costs to ship packages, and buyers will be offended if the shipping costs are excessive. Nothing will lose a bid faster than outrageous shipping and handling charges. Free shipping is an excellent marketing tool, but only if you can afford it. Research shipping options and go with the option that is the most cost effective and reliable.
7. Start Listing at $.99 A very low starting price attracts buyer attention and encourages as much bidding as possible on your auction. Research has shown that listings that have a large volume of bids attract more buyer attention. Plus, it will save on listing fees.
8. Flexible Payment Options. The more payment options you offer on your products, the more buyers you will attract. Payment flexibility will ensure the largest number of bidders for your item, so be open to options like Paypal, money orders, cashier's checks, credit cards, etc. But due to the high potential for fraud, personal checks aren't recommended.
9. Offer Return Policy. Online shopping is a gamblewhat if the product isn't exactly what they wanted? What if it's defective or broken? Offering a return policy on items takes some of the risk of buying "blind" away from buyers and builds trust. But be certain to clearly include any defects or damage in the description to prevent any misunderstandings.
10. End Auctions on Sunday. People are more often at home on a Sunday than on any other week day. Conversely, people are more often out on Fridays and Saturdays than any other days of the week, so do not end your auction on those days. It's also a bad idea to end your auction on holidays or during big events, when people are concentrating on other things. Also try to avoid ending auctions early. Most experienced bidders wait until the last day or the last few minutes to start bidding, so this is the critical time for your auction.
Selling on eBay can be a complicated and time-consuming affair, but eBay's incredibly large consumer base and easy platform make it the ideal place to sell products. With these top 10 tips in mind, experienced and new sellers alike can create listings that attract buyers, rake in the bids, and roll in the dough.
Make sure you register on BlueBlee.com and get the latest tips on new going out of business sales and start building your inventory today!
