Time for a New Challenge

If you have been following my blog for any length of time, you  may know that I started eBay back in 2003 when I was downsized out of a job and was going through a divorce. I was looking for a way to pay bills and started selling household items on eBay to generate cash. Not only did eBay serve as a convenient platform to make money when I needed it most, but I have been able to help others build businesses when they fell on hard times.

Many of my 500+ clients over the years have been people who found themselves experiencing financial hardship due to job loss, having to stay home to be a caregiver for a child or parent, suffering from an illness that prevents them from working  a traditional job, or death of the breadwinner in the family. I am proud and honored to say I have been able to help many people change their lives for the better using eBay.

One reason I enjoyed ecommerce so much over the last 12 years was because it allowed me to be a stay at home parent and be available for my children. The luxury of earning a living from home has been such a blessing. My kids are grown and for the most part gone now so the mission has been accomplished. We also know that being a solo-at-home entrepreneur can be isolating. After much soul searching, I have decided I am ready for a new challenge outside of the home where I can use my skills and be part of a team.

I've done a lot with social media over the years for my own business:

Built a 20,000 member Facebook community for eBay sellers

Created a YouTube Channel with 11,000 subscribers

Built a Pinterest following of 4,000

Built a Twitter following of 11,000

And now I am ready to help other businesses build a strong social media presence. It is critical for businesses today to have a strong internet presence and connect with their audience using social media. Unfortunately, too many businesses aren't "in the know" about how to effectively use social media or they don't have the staff to nurture social media on a regular basis. I frequently see that businesses are missing opportunities to leverage the power of social media and it looks like an easy fix from my perspective.

Social Media has become the most efficient way to connect with customers, provide immediate information, and give customers a more personal experience. I feel called to this area of marketing- to share what I have learned and help other businesses build their social media brands, connect with their audience, and grow their online presence.

So, with all this being said, I am looking for a Social Media or Marketing Manager position with a company in the North Atlanta (Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming) area - I am ready to join a team and make a difference in a new way. If anyone knows of any opportunities or businesses who can use my skills and expertise, please send me an email at suzanne@suzanneawells.com. I appreciate any contacts or suggestions you may have.

And don't worry, none of my eBay or Amazon resources are going away. Ecommerce is part of my DNA so it will always be happening on the side. It's just time to add something new to the mix!

Happy Selling,

Suzanne

Lilly Pulitzer Hits Target and eBay

Just as many eBay sellers suspected, Lilly for Target is already hot on eBay. The signature spring line launched yesterday, April 19, at Target stores across the country. Today, one day later, eBay already shows over 8,000 sold listings with the keywords "Lilly Pulitzer Target" total completed listings of 9,900 - which means almost 2,000 items ended unsold. eBay also shows 30,000 active listings with the same keywords.

Many of the items are selling on eBay for twice the Target price. In fact, #LillyforTarget on Twitter has become #LillyforeBay as disappointed Target shoppers lost out on purchasing merchandise for themselves. Many were angry that Target didn't enforce buying limits. Some Lilly enthusiasts commented, "Buy real Lilly before you pay inflated prices on eBay for Lilly for Target."

The Lilly Pulitzer line has 250 different items and Target does not plan to restock. Target will honor a 14 day return policy, so if you missed out on the opening day rush, you may see Lilly items in the stores over the next 2 weeks as customers take advantage of the return window. Only time will tell if eBay sellers who bought large quantities will return items to Target stores. The catch 22:

The return window is only 2 weeks. Sellers with a lot of Lilly inventory left may get nervous and return the items.

Sellers may hold out for a while and wait for the supply on eBay to decrease at which point they can make a nice profit.

Moving Your eBay Business

Wow, it has been almost 3 weeks since I wrote a blog post! Life got busy. I've been busy moving to a different part of Atlanta, to a smaller living space, and reorganizing both my business and personal life. I wanted to share some tips with you about moving with your eBay business. This was a first for me - I started doing eBay in 2003 and had been in the same place for 12 years.

1. Downsize whatever you can. I had been downsizing for 18 months and still had way more to move than I thought! Lighten the load before you start packing - and that goes for both personal items and eBay items for sale.

2. Pack items in clear tubs or space bags if possible. You may think you will remember where you packed certain items, but moving is chaotic. It is helpful to be able to see what is inside a container when it comes time to find an item that sold.

3. Use the vacation setting on your store and change handling time. You can choose to turn your store completely off so nothing sells, or allow items to sell and ship later. If you choose to allow items to sell, be aware that buyers may not read the listing so be sure to email them to make sure they understand there will be a delay.

4. Pack shipping supplies last, and unpack them first. Actually, the first order of business (after setting up the beds) is getting your workspace set up so that you can plug back into your business.

I am fortunate that I only did an across-town move. If you have had to move your business a long distance or across country, please share your tips in the comments section. I'm sure other sellers will appreciate any shortcuts you can provide!

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How to Find the Price an eBay Item Sold on Best Offer

eBay has changed things on us again. We used to be able to click the little "print" button on a completed listing and see the best offer price. Unfortunately, that button isn't there anymore.

There are a couple of ways you can still see what a Best Offer Price is.

First, go to Watchcount.com.

Look up the item number.

Next, you will see the eBay listing of the item and the asking price.

Then go to the actual eBay listing to see the "sold for" price.

You can also go to a completed listing sold on Best Offer and right click:

Then choose "page info" and you will get a screen like this:

Where the selling price is displayed.


Best Offer is a great way to increase sales and be able to negotiate with buyers. Here are some more tips about using Best Offer on eBay.

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Avoiding a Defect on eBay When You Can't Ship an Item

If you are an eBay seller, at some point one of these things will happen when an item sells:

1. You can't find it in your storage area.

2. You notice a stain, hole, or other defect when preparing it for shipping.

3. You accidentally break it (or otherwise damage it) when packing it for shipping.

If you don't ship the item, eBay will place a defect on your account. Seller canceled transactions are now a big no-no on eBay. The reason is because eBay wants the customer to have an exceptional buying experience and return to buy more. eBay looks bad when sellers can't fill orders.

The best way to avoid a defect if this happens to you is to explain the situation to the customer and offer them a replacement item. Let's say they bought a $50 sweater and you found a hole or stain - you don't want to ship a defective item. Ask the buyer to look through your store and choose $50 worth of product as a replacement. This way you don't have to cancel the transaction, you won't receive a defect, and the customer still gets something they want.

Your goal is 100% customer satisfaction as well as avoiding a defect on your account.

Learn more about the eBay defect system here.

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Moomin Coffee Mugs a Hot Seller on eBay

Here is another item to add to your BOLO list. Moomin mugs.

These are whimsical ceramic coffee mugs with characters from "Moomin Valley." If you aren't familiar, Moomin Valley is a beautiful fictional place where the Moomins live a peaceful life amongst lush nature. Tove Jansson is the author and illustrator of several books about Moominvalley.

The mugs can sell for over $200 on eBay in used condition. Here are a few of the highest priced sales:

Rauha Peace Mug sold for $250 on 2/26/15

Green Moomin Mug Piirustus sold for $150 on 2/14/15

Rare Moomin Mug Muumitytto sold for $132.50 on 2/1/15

Now keep in mind these are the top sellers. eBay shows 24 listings for Moomin mugs which indicates this item is rare and hard to find. But these mugs are out there. And since these mugs are rare and valuable, make sure you price them high enough. If you run an auction, make sure you set the starting price high so that if you only get one bid, you are ok with the sale. Only 3 of the 24 listings are auctions. The rest are fixed price either with or without best offer.

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Are You Shipping to Hawaii and Alaska?

 

I often hear from eBay sellers that they only ship to the lower 48 - they don't ship to Alaska or Hawaii. There really is no reason to exclude Alaska and Hawaii - it is no more expensive to ship there than to any other state.


First Class and Flat Rate will be the same regardless of the destination. Calculated Priority and Parcel Select may cost a little more to go to Alaska and Hawaii - but as long as you set the shipping so that the buyer pays, it won't cost you as the seller any more. And remember your eBay shipping discounts - large or heavy packages often receive up to a 40% discount.

During a phone consultation last week with eBay seller Charmane who runs eBay Store YouStyle888, I got to hear first hand how frustrating it is for eBay buyers living in Hawaii to purchase from sellers on the mainland. Charmane explained that as a buyer, she often finds what she needs on eBay only to learn that the seller won't ship to her. Hawaii residents deal with a higher cost of living than most of us, and they often look to eBay to find deals. They may find the perfect item but then discover that the seller excludes their state. Back to square one.

Alaska is a little bit different situation as there is limited shopping and many people live in rural areas so they depend on the internet for shopping. Mail may not be delivered every day due to severe weather, but it gets there. According to this article on the University of Alaska's website, online shopping is a preferred way to get supplies for many Alaska residents.

If you are not shipping to Alaska and Hawaii, there is no reason not to. Hawaii has 1.4 million residents and Alaska has 736,000 residents. That is over 2 million people you aren't reaching if you exclude these states.

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