If you live on planet earth and have surfed the Internet it's probably already come to your attention that there's a huge opportunity out there in the shape of the unique auction marketplace site - Ebay.
You might be surprised to hear that for thousands of retailers Ebay acts as their only shop front.
There are lots of reasons for this that I won't go into now, suffice to say that the cost benefits in having no premises, staff and even stock in many cases are three great reasons to dip your toe into this exciting online arena.
In this article I'll run you through a few tips on how to rise above the cometition, and how to use your knowledge, some basic marketing common sense, and a little bit of effort to make your ebay store as successful as it can be.
1. Always, always spend time getting your product photo's just right. We all like to view items in as much detail as possible before we click the buy button. The Ebay customer can't be in your house to touch, feel and see the product you're offering for real, so your photographs really do need to be the next best thing. It's common knowledge amongst Ebay entrepreneurs that the items with the most professional photographs are the ones with the most buyer interest.
2. Write every item description with the care you would apply to a media advertisement for your product. It's tempting to dilute your listing text with soft selling words like 'gorgeous, lovely' etc. Don't fall into this trap. If you're serious about making a living on Ebay you need to approach the task professionally.
3. Consider the search engines. Every paragraph you write to describe your items should be written with the search engines in mind. If you are selling a dress that Nicole Kidman wore in a magazine, mention it in the first paragraph, describe it as Nicole Kidman dress, and think of what people may be searching for around your product. Linked with solid, knowledgeable information about your product this is a killer sales tool.
4. Research your shipping charges. It's vital to be as accurate as you can with your postage and shipping charges - if you're not, you can overcharge your customers on shipping purely through your ignorance of the correct prices - this leads to poor levels of customer returns and in the worst cases, bad feedback.
5. Give your buyer payment options Your customers should be able to pay using as many options as possible. Within reason, you should look into every payment option and make it available to purchasers of your items. The more payment options, the more bids - it's as simple as that.
6. Research your items If you are selling vintage handbags you should be spending a portion of your time online looking at similar products, their prices and the bid patterns. It's obvious really - if you see the bidders go crazy for a similar item you'll know the market is strong, and vice versa.
7. Reputation is everything - work on your feedback Feedback is vital on Ebay - it's the only 'trust' element besides the professional impression you give that your buyers have to go on, so make sure your service is great, and focus on selling your low-cost items fast and delivering on time. Once your feedback score really begins to climb you'll see more traffic, more buyers, and your reputation will soar.
8. This is your profession - be professional You must act as professionally as possible when selling on Ebay. This isn't always the easiest and most natural thing to do - if someone leaves you bad feedback - respond courteously, and if there's a real issue take steps to resolve it swiftly and professionally. Always answer buyers' questions comprehensively, and make service your priority - your customers will thank you for it and you'll project a much more professional image.
© Copyright 2005 Harry Hardisty
Harry Hardisty is a renowned UK SEO expert with over 10 years in the Internet Marketing field. He's performed incredibly successful SEO services for global corporations, uk government departments, private enterprises, small businesses and private individuals.
UK seo http://www.harryhardisty.co.uk
He has won numerous awards in the Internet field and is regarded as a 'guru' for all things web related. You can contact Harry Hardisty on info@harryhardisty.co.uk or harry.hardisty@gmail.com
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