eBay Coach's Top Five Ways to Get More Bids on eBay Items

You found a fantastic item. Several people are watching it. No bids yet. Should you worry? NO! One reason is because many buyers use sniping tools and their bids are not placed until the last few seconds. I received an email from a reader the other day arguing that XYZ item (that I had blogged about) was NOT a good seller because it didn't have any bids on it - the item had 4 days left. Hey, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I don't think this person understood sniping and how much it is used.

Sniping aside, there are things you can do to increase the likelihood of bids being placed.

1) Spend time researching keywords. This is how your buyer finds your item in the first place. I have mentioned this concept many times before. You can get a free trial at both Hammertap and Terapeak. Each is about $20 per month. And, in my opinion, the best $20 you can spend on your eBay business. At least take the free trial and see what these tools can do.

2) Have a fair return policy. Give buyers the option to return the item if they aren't satisfied. You will gain much more than you lose when offering a fair return policy. I am often criticized for this. Sellers say, "Well, I want to sell my item not rent it." Make sure you are specific about your return policy - item must be in original condition, not used, with all packaging, with tags, must not smell like cigarette smoke, or be covered in pet hair. Buyer will pay return shipping. Use common sense. Click here to learn how to write your return policy.

3) Provide clear photos, and more than just one photo. The only thing between you and your buyer is a computer monitor. You MUST take the time to take, edit, and post a great photo. Show several views of the product, and always include close-ups of details. You don't need an expensive set up. Here is an article about how to make an eBay backdrop for less than $1.

4) Offer international shipping and / or visibility on international sites. We live in a millennium of the global economy. Time zones and distance does not matter. You may not even sell the item to an international customer, but they sure help increase the bidding. I see this all the time on my own auctions. Not sure how to ship an item internationally? No problem. Click here for instructions.

5) Use common sense and treat customers the way you would like to be treated as a customer. Be professional, courteous, and friendly. Just like mom always said, "You'll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar."

American Crew Tea Tree Pomade - Discontinued Item to Sell on eBay

Here is another discontinued product to look for at Big Lots or anywhere that sells hair care products. The item is American Crew Tea Tree Pomade. As you can see from this forum post, there is a thread on this very subject:


And as you can see here, the item is out of stock on Amazon - always and indicator that you can make good money with the product on eBay:


Finally, my research tool Hammertap shows this item with a 71% sell through rate:


Again, look at Big Lots and other close out stores that carry discontinued merchandise. You may be able to find some marked down at WalMart, Target, or a grocery store that carries upscale hair products.

Click here to see a full list of discontinued drug store and grocery items that are good sellers on eBay.

Burberry Jacket - eBay Flip

Marianne sent in her success story:

"Hi Suzanne, after months of reading your blogs, FB, articles and viewing videos, I finally have something to share with you! I was taken by the post about the Typohound website and have been playing around with it. Well it paid off. Shortly after you posted, I found a Burberry Nova plaid jacket through Typohound. It was listed as a “Buberry” at $400 or best offer. It was new with the tags and the original retail was $995. I low-balled at $175 and was shocked when the seller accepted. The coat was my size and frankly looked darling on me, but I kept my emotions at bay and relisted the jacket. Last night it sold for $405.!! I am so happy and wanted to share with you."

Here is Marianne's listing:



Marianne's Price: $175
eBay Sale Price: $405
Profit Before Fees: $230

Now that is what I call a power flip! Great job Marianne, and thanks for sharing with us and showing us how it is done. If you aren't familiar with how to flip listings, click here for a 5 minute tutorial video.

Happy Selling!

How to Sell on Etsy – Part Two

Lisa, one of my coaching clients and an Etsy seller, continues her series on how to sell on Etsy.

Smart marketing on Etsy will significantly increase your chances for a sale. This article is designed to help you understand your marketing options and how to use them to your advantage. A Showcase is just one of the marketing services Etsy provides. There is a long list of general Showcase categories to choose from, for example jewelry. Each general category is broken out into a more specific category, for example earrings.

Customers are able to access the showcases through the Etsy home page. Because there are so many items and categories on Etsy, many customers choose to find items through the Showcases. The cost for a Showcase on Etsy is $7 for 24-hours. There are even more visible Showcases on Etsy that cost $15 for 24-hours, but I recommend you try the less expensive Showcases to start with.

There are a limited number of Showcase spots available for each day, so you will be seen by buyers, but it’s important to choose one of your most eye-catching items to use in your Showcase and excellent photos of your item are key to Showcase success. This will help ensure that buyers will be interested enough to click through on your item. Once they have clicked through, they are in your store. If the item they have clicked on doesn’t interest them, there is a good chance they will browse through your store increasing your chance of a sale.

Business cards are an inexpensive and relatively effective marketing tool. Be sure to send your business card or several business cards with every sale. Ask local businesses if they would allow you to put your business cards by the register. Some businesses even provide a bulletin board for local business owners to display their cards. While business cards shouldn’t be your only marketing tool, they are a great way to get your name out.

Today’s social media outlets are an incredible FREE way to market your Etsy business. Etsy even provides a tool that allows you to easily post every item you list to your Facebook page.

Tweet about your Etsy business on Twitter and add a link to your store. Since Twitter limits Tweets to 140 characters, you will want to take advantage of the FREE software available to shorten your url. This will leave you more room for your marketing copy. Tinyurl.com is one of many of these FREE software tools.

You can visit Lisa's Etsy store here.

Source for eBay Inventory - Daily Deal Sites

One strategy I use for obtaining items to sell on eBay is daily deal sites. The strategy is:

1) See what is on the daily deal site.

2) Check your research tool or completed listings and determine if you can sell the item at a profit.

3) Watch the shipping. Some sites charge a flat shipping fee no matter how many you order, other sites charge per item. So watch your cost on shipping.

I recently found these mini photo studios on a daily deal site for $9.95 with $5 shipping for the entire order. I bought 5 of them. I listed them in store inventory for $39.95 in my store. Here is my listing:



I have sold 3 of them for a profit of $18 each. Not bad for something you can buy online, have delivered to your door, and just slap a label on to reship. Here are the daily deal sites I use:

Woot

1 Sale a Day

Daily Steals

Stootsi

Groupon

Happy Selling!

eBay Cross Promotion Tip - Using Links

You don't have to know HTML to add links from your listings to your store homepage, your About Me page, or any other of your eBay pages. Here is how:



Summary:

1) Click on the CREATE LINK button.

2) Create your link. eBay will save 5 of them but you can create and use as many as you like.

3) Insert the link into your listing.

4) You can also use the link builder to create inbound links to your eBay store or listings from your blog, website, or anywhere online.

Knockoff Designer Handbags - Don't Even Try it on eBay!

I get this question quite often, "Can I sell knockoff designer handbags on eBay if I say that they are not authentic?" The answer, absolutely not! Here is why:

1) The counterfeit product industry fuels all sorts of illegal activity including prostitution, money laundering, and drugs. eBay wants no part of that.

2) The legitimate manufacturers work closely with eBay to monitor listings for knockoff designer handbags. Granted, there are millions of listings to monitor so this is a tough job. But just keep in mind that the manufacturers don't like their high quality merchandise devalued by cheap imitation products.

3) The eBay community is watching. Sellers of authentic handbags know their stuff and they can take a look at your photos and spot a fake. You can be reported by another eBay member. If you are reported, your listing will be pulled (with no refunds) and you can be suspended.

If you find a "designer" handbag at a garage store or thrift store for $5, you can be pretty sure it is a fake. Knockoff designer handbags are all over the place so don't be fooled. Here is a good article about how to identify a counterfeit handbag:

How to Identify a Counterfeit Handbag or Purse

Be careful out there, and happy selling!


eBay Start Up Guide by Entrepreneur Magazine
Learn How to Sell on eBay The Right Way!

Giveaway - Fantasy Mermaid Art Print

My friend Joelle Rene is doing a giveaway! Joelle Rene is an artist and her specialty is fantasy art with mermaids and faeries as the focal point. Her work is absolutely gorgeous! The winner will receive the 8 x 10 print of his or her choice. Here is how the giveaway works.

1) Click here to visit Joelle Rene's Etsy store and choose which fantasy print you like the best.

2) State your choice in the comments section below. Please choose from the 8 x 10 prints.

3) For extra entries (and a better chance of winning), do any of the following:

Post a link to this giveaway on:

Your own blog
Your Facebook page
A Facebook group’s wall
Twitter
A group or forum
StumbleUpon
Digg
Your MySpace page
Bulk email your friends in your email address book

4) You can use the share button below to quickly share this giveaway. Be sure to leave a comment for each “extra” that you do and leave an email address so I can contact you if you win. Winner will be announced on 19. Good luck!

eBay on Location - Atlanta March 19-20

Did you receive the email about eBay on Location? It is coming to my hometown of Atlanta on March 19-20. The event is one and a half days worth of workshops, seminars, and guest speakers designed to enhance and grow your eBay business. There will also be open networking with eBay partners, sponsors, and executives. The cost to attend (not including travel) is $45. You will receive a $10 discount if you register by February 16. I have already made my reservation. Click here to see the schedule of events and make your reservation.

The Atlanta event takes place at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center. There is a special rate of $169 per night. The deadline for the special rate is February 23. Just provide the booking code eBay to receive your discount.

Part of the registration process includes a section asking what topics you are most interested in learning about. My top three:

1) Marketing eBay listings online for free
2) More details on how to get to the top of Best Match
3) Third party applications

I am really looking forward to this event and would love to meet anyone else who plans to attend. If you will be there, please send me an email at eBaycoach@yahoo.com and we can meet up and say "hi" in person!

Hope to see you there!

Diesel Jeans - eBay Flip

Diana sent in her eBay flip. The original listing:



Diana's improved listing:



Diana's cost: $14.99
eBay selling price: $63.00
Profit before fees: $48.01

This is great! Diana is one of my coaching clients and we covered "flipping listings" during one of our sessions. I am so proud of you, Diana! Way to go!

Send in your eBay flips and if you want to learn how to make money flipping listings, click here for a 5 minute tutorial.

Happy Selling!

eBay Shipping Tip - Add Gallery Images to Shipping View

If you are like me, shipping might not be your favorite part of eBay selling. It can be boring and monotonous. I've made some pretty dumb mistakes when shipping, like sending the wrong item to a customer. Here is a cool trick for adding gallery photos to your shipping view, which prevents errors and makes the process move a little faster:



Summary
1) Go to your Selling Manager Shipping View.
2) Customize display.
3) Check the box next to PICTURES.
4) Save changes.

Do you have any cool tips for making your eBay Selling Manager more efficient? Send in those tips so we can all benefit!

Happy Selling,

eBay Coach Week in Review

It has been a busy week! I have had some great sales and flips on eBay, worked with some interesting clients all over the world, and put a bunch of new stuff on the internet. Some of this may appeal to you - so click on what lights your fire! have a great weekend!

YouTube Videos

eBay Flipped Listing - Dansko Clogs

Make Money Selling Vintage Items on eBay

eHow Articles

How to Create a Blog to Provide Passive Income

How to Import Goods from China to Resell

How to Generate Website Traffic Using YouTube

How to Promote Your Business on YouTube


Blog Posts

eBay Power Seller Logo No Longer Allowed

Blogger Reviews - Free Promotion for Your Product

Wiener Dog Races - Training (my niche blog)

Facebook Group We have some great discussions going on in my Facebook group about tax issues, eBay's new pricing structure due to start in March, shipping, thrift store finds, and international selling. If you have a question, problem, or frustration with eBay, come join us and we will be glad to try and help. Or maybe you can teach us something new!

Happy Selling,

Optimize Your eBay Keywords for Search Engines

Your objective when writing eBay titles should be to help buyers find you. Here are a few tips to help your listings appear in eBay and Google searches.

1) Choose the Right Keywords

choose up to five keywords that describe or relate to your item. Think like a buyer, not like a seller. If you are selling a bracelet, use the words jewelry, bangle, and bracelet in the title to catch different buyer searches.

2) Use eBay Real Estate with Discretion

You only get 55 characters for your title. Don't waste this space with meaningless symbols or words that buyers won't search for. Example - "Gorgeous Ralph Lauren sweater we ship fast." Buyers won't be searching for words like gorgeous or "we ship fast." A better title would be, "NEW Women's cashmere Ralph Lauren sweater Medium Red." The title does not need to be a coherent sentence. You are appealing to the search engine. The rest of your listing is for the human being once they find your listing.

3) Less is More on eBay.

Describe your item the in as much detail as possible but in as few words as possible. The listing should contain 200 words of text. Use your keywords 10-14 times in your listing. Avoid non-relevant information. Keep it short and to the point not only for the search engine, but for the human. Too much visual stimuli will drive buyers away.

4) Strategically name your images.

Instead of leaving your photos named something random the way they come off the memory card, name the photo with appropriate keywords. Naming images gives you another chance to get keywords on the page that the search engine will see (humans can't see them).

If you aren't getting traffic or sales, your keywords may be the problem. For help with your keywords, check out my eBay store critique.

Happy Selling!

eBay Seller Success Story - Collectible Viking Ship

Suzanne C. sent in her success story:

"I have sold things on ebay for years, but never bought things just for the purpose of selling. I appreciate that you give us great tips and don't act like it's a big secret and want money. Here is my SUPER story: about four years ago, my great-uncle passed away, and my mom gave me several of his little knick-knacks that he had collected. One was a tiny little Viking ship that looked like a bowl. I researched it and found out it was a salt dish. I looked on eBay but it didn't seem like things like this were selling very well, and partly because mine was missing the accompanying spoon, I put it in a drawer and forgot about it. Just the other day, here about 4 years later, I looked again on eBay, and thought well maybe I would get $20 for it. Long story short it sold for $72.00. Wow! Thanks Uncle Don!!" Here is Suzanne's listing:



Suzanne's cost: $0
Selling price: $72
Profit before fees: $72

For more items like this, check out my free huge list of thrift store items to sell on eBay. And send in your success stories!

Happy Selling!


Want to know about more thrift store finds to sell on eBay? Check out Thrift Store Goldmines, which contains 61 pages of items just like this. You may already have some of these huge money makers in your house, and not even know they are valuable!

Niche Item - Vintage Rotary Phones

Vintage rotary phones can bring good money on eBay. Here is how I get them:



Summary:

Do your research to determine which ones sell the best.

Look for these at thrift stores, garage sales, and estate sales.

Check Craigslist for ads, make sure you don't pay too much. You can always make an offer.



Happy Selling!