BOB’s CORNER

Reader Question

We received a question that we thought we would share with everyone. In fact, we will be using this as an area of focus during the next few weeks. If you have any questions, be sure to forward them to Bob@onlineauctionsmadesimple.net.

This week’s question:

 

“I have listed many of my own items on ebay and find a small percentage sell. I always list on Sunday as that seems to be the best day. What is the trick for ensuring that you sell what you list.” - Alan

 

Thank you for your question Alan.

 

We have personally had this same experience from time to time on eBay. We always start by examining the product that we are selling. Often it comes down to a new product that is not in-demand, as we had hoped and expected.

 

If that is not the case, we examine pricing. Most eBay buyers in our product categories are very conscious of pricing. As a result, we always try to position our product prices so that they will meet with buyer approval. We examine three things:

 

• Auction Start Price: That old statement that starting auctions at very low prices has proven true for us. (CAUTION: Sometimes we have ended up selling items that cost us $25 for the $0.99 start price.) While there have been some cases where we lost money, overall, we make more by starting our auctions at lower prices. I can’t guarantee that you will get the same results, but it might be worth a try.

• Fixed Price: The same holds true with fixed prices. While there are cases where you simply must place a certain fixed price on an item, as a seller, the goal is to be able to sell at prices that meet the wishes of our buyers.

• Store Price: If you have a store and place items in that store that are priced too high, you will not get sales.

 

If we find that a product did not sell, and it is not a new product to our typical sales, and the pricing is not an issue, we go back to the basics. This includes:

 

• Title: You are allotted 55 characters for your auction title. Be sure that you use all 55! Title selection is critical to insuring that the maximum number of potential buyers view your auction. Be sure to include the obvious information such as Brand Name, Size (If possible and appropriate), What it is, Condition (New, New In Box, New In Packaging, No Tags) unless it is used, and Color.

 

• Body of the Listing: The body of the listing should include everything listed in the title. Be sure to include the condition of the item. Add other information that helps the potential buyer understand the details of your item. A great source of information is often the packaging and tags. If the product has a high suggested retail value, include that information as well. (Make sure that you are accurate in the suggested retail price that you state.) Flaws and imperfections, no matter how small, should be noted.

 

• Errors: Make sure that your spelling is correct. Space the wording to make it easier for the potential buyer to read your listing. Set the margins so that the final listing looks appealing. Include key words that may draw shoppers to your auction.

 

 

• Picture Quality: You know the saying; a picture is worth a thousand words.  A picture that is blurry, has bad lighting, or an intrusive background won't make sales for you. If it is name brand, try to include a picture of the tag to verify that it is genuine. Many times buyers will overlook that detail in the written description, but they see it in the picture.

 

• Feedback: Feedback matters! If you have 100% positive feedback, be sure to write that on every auction. Include a few of the feedback comments that you're most proud of right onto each item's description page. Do everything in your power to maintain a 100% positive feedback score. Provide outstanding customer service at all times.

 

• About Me page: You'll be surprised how much you can reassure bidders just by creating an About Me page. Include some details about yourself and your eBay business. The fact is that a good About Me Page will make auction sales. It can also be a tool for list building…follow eBay’s rules carefully.

 

• Terms and Conditions: Be sure to make the 'small print' visible on all your auctions. Provide details about shipping times and costs. Your refund policy and other key business practices should also be clearly stated. This can help to build buyer confidence. If you ship internationally, state the basic term and conditions for those sales.

 

• Payment Methods Accepted: We feel that accepting PayPal is a must in the overall formula of achieving the highest possible percentage of successful auctions. If you accept other payment methods be sure to include those as well.

 

We will have another article that continues coverage of this topic in next week’s newsletter.

To Your eBay Success!

 

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