G-Star Marc Newson Shirt - eBay Seller Success Story

Helen sent in her story:

"Hi Suzanne, I love your blog, it really gives me a nice reliable list of items to look for in thrift stores and resell on eBay. I'm currently averaging about $250-300 a month which has been helpful since my work hours and pay were reduced.

I especially like reading your readers' success stories and thought I would submit my own category: fashion wear designed for men ages 20-30. If, like me, you are not familiar with popular mens fashion labels, it helps to have a male friend who is (my boyfriend is a wonderful resource in this!) I have found that shopping for mens clothing in thrift stores is not as competitive as womens and discovered some surprisingly profitable deals."

Here is Helen's listing:



Helen's price - $2.75
eBay sale price - $61
Profit before fees - $58.25

Excellent job! And Helen, I commend you on your listing, you did everything right! 30 day return policy, shipping with a flat rate envelope for only $4.95, great photos and description. Outstanding job!

Thanks for sharing with us. If you have a success story, send it in to ebaycoach (at) yahoo.com. Click here to see my full list of thrift store items to sell on eBay.

Also, check out my business fan page on Facebook and follow me on Twitter for more eBay and home business tips.

Happy Selling!




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eBay Coach Teams up With Doba

Those of you who have been following me for a while will remember that I am normally "anti-dropship." I never understood how it worked and how eBay sellers could make any money with it. I have done the free trials and still couldn't figure it out. But, I have come to learn, I just didn't know how to go about it.

Last week, I had a very informative meeting with Brandon DelGrosso, the Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Doba. Brandon has been kind enough to reach out and help me understand how to be successful with drop shipping - so that I can pass this knowledge on to all of you. I will be doing a series of blog posts and videos on how it all works. If you decide to do the free trial, be sure to enter Doba from here so that you will get a full 14 day free trial instead of the standard 7 days.

My first question to Doba (after looking at their catalog) was, "How can we make any money when the drop ship prices are sometimes higher than retail?" Their answer makes sense.

You have to understand how drop shippers price their items. A drop shipper’s price won’t always be lower than retail. But consider how retailers operate. Grocery stores often put an item on sale for a penny. (And it is usually located in the back of the store, so you have to walk by a lot of merchandise before you actually see the penny product.) They know that most people coming in to get the penny item will also buy other things. Retailers want to get you into the store.

On higher priced items, the philosophy is the same. So let’s say WalMart has a digital camera on sale for $99. Our drop shipper may offer it for $109 including the shipping fee. This doesn’t mean you can’t sell it online. There are plenty of people who don’t want to spend an hour of their time getting the kids ready, driving to WalMart, finding a parking place (maybe in the rain or snow), fighting the crowds, and possibly going through all of this to find the item is out of stock. This kind of customer is perfectly happy spending an extra $25 online to get the camera without all the hassle and the whole process only takes a few minutes. She can even buy the camera in his pajamas at 2 AM if she wants to.

Remember what happened with the Wii over the last 2 holiday seasons? People were standing in lines for hours and fighting over those things. There are people who would gladly go online and pay more to have the item shipped to their door without the hassle and time investment of going to Best Buy. Also keep in mind that just because YOU wouldn't spend more money on something online, doesn't mean other people won't. We live in a society where people pay for convenience. You can look through eBay completed listings and easily find products that sold for more than retail.

Doba has a huge library of educational tutorials on their site so you can educate yourself on how the process works before you do anything. In fact, if you do the free trial, you may want to spend the bulk of your time listening to the webinars and reading before you start listing any products.

I am really excited about this new opportunity as drop shipping can be a great way to experiment with products you otherwise might not be able to afford to buy outright to resell. When you drop ship, selling an expensive item is no riskier than selling a low-priced item. So you can experiment with very high dollar products and see how they perform and the only cost to you is the listing fee on eBay. Let's all learn about this together! If you have questions about drop shipping, please send them in and I will find the answers and post them here.

Happy Selling,

Electronic Gift Cards Not Allowed on eBay

Lots of people do it. I was doing it too - as a way to sell some of my Swagbucks gift cards. Selling electronic gift cards is SO easy and fast. But, it has come to my attention that they are not allowed. (Hey, I can't know everything!)

Here is the policy directly from eBay:

"You can sell most gift cards on eBay, though there are a few restrictions. This includes things like the number of gift cards you can offer at a time, the maximum dollar amount of the gift card, and the type of cards you can list. Gift card codes or electronically delivered gift cards are not allowed."

So there goes another one out the window. But you gotta play by the rules. I just checked - there are 33 active listings for Amazon electronic gift cards. I will go back to selling the Starbucks cards that are actual cards you have to mail. Click here to find out how I get $150 a month in free gift cards. Yes, it is legal!

Happy Selling,

Learn About Vintage Finds - Watch American Pickers

Have you heard of the TV show on the History Channel called American Pickers? These 2 guys go drive around the back roads of America looking for junky yards and barns and find old stuff to resell. Modern day treasure hunting! They actually supply antique dealers with items to sell.

This show is actually very educational if you are into selling vintage items from thrift stores, garage sales, and estate sales on ebay. You can see the kind of stuff they look for and what is valuable. For example, on one episode they were looking at old oscillating fans. They explained that the ones with the brass paddles are the most valuable. On another episode they found an old motorcycle windshield with a bunch of stickers on it and explained that anything motorcycle related is a good find. Here is a short video clip from the show:



Granted, you aren't going to find the same items as these guys, but you can gain insight on how to look for diamonds in the rough. I have my DVR set to record this show and love watching it on my down time. Check out YouTube for more American Pickers videos if you don't get the History Channel.

Happy Selling!


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

eBay Newsletter Feature - It's Free!

Don't worry, you don't have to write a newsletter right away. But it is a good idea to start building the list so you can send out newsletters to a captive audience when you are ready. Your newsletter can be about anything you want including special sales (using Markdown Manager), new products, or any cross marketing such as announcing a Facebook fan page or your Twitter profile. Here is how to add the newsletter promotion box:


This is just another free marketing tool that eBay provides. You might as well use it!

Happy Selling,



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Famous Footwear - Source for eBay Inventory

Here is another place you can get great stuff at low prices to resell on eBay. Famous Footwear carries name brand shoes such as Born, Merrell, Sorel, and Naturalizer. Many cost over $100.

Here is how to work this system. First, sign up for the rewards program. You will earn points based on your purchases. I received a gift card for $10 in the mail this week.

Next, watch for the special "Buy 1 Get 1 at 1/2 Off" sale. This sale comes around several times a year. Famous Footwear always has shoes on clearance. Here is the deal I did yesterday:

Bought one pair for myself (which I needed) at $45. Scoped out the clearance rack. Found a pair of Born leather clogs with original retail of $74.99. Clearance price was $30. So, at half price, the Born clogs were $15. Applied my $10 rewards to the purchase which made the clogs $5.

Now, this particular shoe sells on eBay for around $60, new in the box. So my profit after fees will be around $46. After all is said and done, my eBay profit will cover the cost of the pair of shoes I bought for myself. How's that for savvy shopping?

Tips

When looking for womens shoes to resell, look for larger sizes - 9 and up.

Look at the original retail price on the box. Go for the higher retail prices. You will make more money.

For more ideas on where to get items to sell on eBay, look on the right sidebar under the heading "Where to Get Items to Sell."

FREE Keyword Title Builder Tool on eBay

Your 55 character title is the most important part of your eBay listing. If buyers can't find your item on searches, you are limited to them haphazardly finding your listings through browsing. There is a great little FREE tool hiding on eBay that can help you improve your titles which will result in more views, more bids, and more sales. Here is how it works:


Summary:

1. Click on the applications tab
2. Find the Terapeak Keywords application
3. Click "Get It"
4. Go back to your applications tab to access
5. Start writing better titles!

The title builder is just one small aspect of what Terapeak can do. Click here to see some demo videos about what the full version can do. Terapeak subscriptions start at $24.95 a month - you can recover that investment in one sale. Give it a try and take the guesswork out of which keywords you should use and gain insight to what products sell the best.

Happy Selling!

eBay Shipping Insurance

Alix sent in this question:

"I was hoping you could help me with something since I can't find any information about this on ebay. I am trying to add a shipping insurance option to all of my ebay listings. Ebay used to have it on the template, but I can't seem to find it anymore. Do you know where I can go to add shipping insurance to all of my listings (for domestic deliveries only)? Any help would be greatly appreciated."

According to the eBay Seller Best Practices Policy, "Insurance: You can't charge a separate fee for insurance, although you still need to make sure your item arrives as described. Tip: You should incorporate any insurance fees into an item's price or handling cost."

So, yes, Alix, the shipping insurance option is gone. I am guessing this is an attempt by eBay to prevent sellers from making money using unnecessary charges.

Do you have an eBay question? Feel free to email me at ebaycoach (at) yahoo. Or, post your question on my Facebook group where other sellers can help you out.

Happy Selling!




Find sloppy listings and resell the items for way more than you paid for them! Click here to see my personal examples.

Tory Burch Ballet Flats - eBay Seller Success Story

Andrea sent in her success story:

"Hi,I am one of your blog lurkers and just wanted to share with you my great Goodwill find. Tory Burch leopard ballet flats. I bought them for 6.99."

Here is Andrea's listing:



Andrea's price at Goodwill: $6.99
eBay selling price: $114.50
Profit before fees: $107.51

Whoa! You go Andrea! Fantastic sale - you've been doing more than lurking! Thanks for sharing with us and showing us how it is done. If you have a success story, send it in to ebaycoach (at) yahoo.com.

Want to know about more thrift store finds to sell on eBay? Check out Thrift Store Goldmine, which contains 61 pages of items just like this. Learn what to look for at thrift stores to make this kind of money.

Have You Received this Error Message Yet?

Here is another thing eBay sellers can't do anymore. You are not allowed to talk about penalties buyers may receive if they do not follow eBay's guidelines. For example, my listings used to say, "Buyers who do not pay will receive unpaid item strikes." This is still true, I just can't say it anymore. I got this error message on a recent listing because I forgot to delete the verbiage:



You can read the eBay Selling Best Practices page for a complete list of what you are and are not allowed to state in your listings.

Rest assured, I am still going to file those unpaid item strikes!

Happy Selling,




eBay Store Critique - $19.95, Money Back Guarantee

eBay on Location - Aftermath Party March 19

If you are attending eBay on Location in Atlanta on March 19-20, be sure to sign up to attend the Aftermath Event, hosted by my colleague John COLDERICE Lawson. John is a fellow Atlantan and has assembled a fantastic group of eCommerce "Rock Stars" for a meet and greet type event. What a great opportunity to meet some of the brighest in the eBay and ecommerce arena.



Click here for more details. Thanks, John, for making this happen!

Niche Item - Vintage Parking Meters

Yes, you read that right. Vintage parking meters. Watch this short video that explains how much they sell for and where to get them.


Summary:

1) Check out Terapeak for research.

2) Look for vintage parking meters online thru government auction sites.

3) Always pay attention to shipping fees when buying online for resale.

Related articles:

Niche Item - Rotary Phones

Niche Item - Cigar Boxes

Niche Item - Consumables

Niche Item - Accessories

10 Niche Markets

eBay Traffic Generating Tip - Write Guides and Reviews

Did you know you can use eBay Guides and Reviews to drive traffic to your store? Here is how.

An eBay Guide explains how to do something - like buy a baby stroller or identify counterfeit handbags. An eBay Review is a product review - where you discuss the pros and cons of a product, how well it worked for you, where to buy it, etc.

eBay Guides and Reviews often are returned in Google search results. And we know that eBay and Google are good friends. If you sell in a particular niche, this traffic generating strategy works very well.Let's say you sell GPS vehicle tracking systems. You can write guides about how to choose a GPS vehicle tracking system, cool accessories for GPS systems, or the differences between different brands. you can write a review for GPS vehicle tracking systems that you sell in your store. trive to create many different guides on different topics so that your articles will be found by people using different search criteria.

You want to write informative, helpful, professional guides and reviews about topics where you have some expertise or experience. You want the readers to see you as an expert, respect your information, then click on your link to visit your store. Buyers can also click the link to your eBay Guides and Reviews page from your feedback page. If you write some educational, professional guides and reviews, your customers may read them and that will increase their comfort level with you as a seller.

Your guides and reviews can showcase your knowledge and expertise. Writing guides and reviews on eBay also works for SEO (search engine optimization) as you are spreading your business name around the internet in more places. The more reviews you write, the more pages your store name will appear on. Be sure to use some keywords that match your eBay item titles in your article titles, as shown in the examples above. Articles only need to be around 300 words. Numerous short articles are better for SEO than a few long ones.

You can also use your guides and reviews as the basis for article marketing so be sure to save them on your computer for future access. You can make minor changes and post the articles in several places for SEO.

Click here to start submitting eBay Guides and Reviews.

Learn more cool marketing tips from my boss, Skip McGrath!

Losing Money on Shipping? Use eBay's Shipping Calculator

One of the most common problems with new eBay sellers is losing money on shipping. Calculated shipping is the most fair and accurate way to charge for shipping. Here is how to use that setting:


Summary:

A few tips:

1) Use the calculated shipping feature. It is the most fair and accurate method.

2) Watch your handling fees - avoid adding them at all. Add handling fees on to the price of the item instead so the buyer does not feel "swindled." (Many buyers on eBay are not business people and are clueless about the cost of doing business. We have to cater to that to get good DSRs.)

3) Avoid using USPS Flat Rate boxes. They are easy by design, but are not always the best choice.

Happy Selling!

Corning Ware Casserole Dish - eBay Seller Success Story

Jessica sent in her success story:

"Hi Suzanne! Here’s one I’m super-excited about! I paid $5 for this pan at a yard sale 2 weeks ago. It sold for $41.99. I had 9 watchers, but only one bidder. Apparently they all wanted it for my opening bid price."

Here is Jessica's listing:



Jessica's Price: $5
Sale price on eBay: $41.99
Profit before fees: $36.99

Great sale, Jessica! If you have a success story you would like to share, please send it to me at ebaycoach@yahoo.com.

Don't let those boring kitchen items escape your attention. Kitchen items (that you can pick up at garage sales, thrift stores, and estate sales) can be great sellers on eBay. Here are some more examples:

Vintage Pyrex Bowls

Ice Cream Scoops

Griswold Cast Iron Skillets

Happy Selling!

Using Forums to Generate Traffic to eBay Listings

Forums can be a great way to generate traffic to your eBay listings, blog, or website. But there is a protocol and you need to understand the art of this traffic generating method. Watch this short video:


Summary:


1) Find the appropriate forums that correspond with your niche and contains your target audience.

2) Find threads where people are asking for help regarding your niche.

3) Politely reply them in the thread only (Do not just ask them to go to your site). Follow the rules of the specific forum and respond to the thread or use signature link to let them visit your site naturally.

4) Have a presence and be helpful. Nobody responds to a spammer or a pushy sales person.

Happy Selling!




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