Bright Side of Life

When putting together this third blog post in the eBay Changes series I drew inspiration from Eric Idle’s famous song; “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”. I feel that with the changes eBay continue to make, and all the bad press they continue to receive, it won’t be long before the small Amazon-Conversion numbers rise to a large army of disgruntled ex-eBayers.

However, as I mentioned in the first two lines  I have indeed looked on the bright side of life and don’t get me wrong, there definitely is one – eBay has introduced a number of changes that WILL benefit the buyer and seller, and that’s what this blog post will discuss.

Vacation Time!

One of the most popular changes on eBay has been the Vacation setting. What’s this? Basically, if you ever feel like you need to take a break (or you are actually going on vacation) you can now put all of your eBay Store listings on vacation! Have you ever wanted to take a break, or a last minute family issue has come up but you’ve got too many items on eBay and you don’t want to remove them all?  Using this tool will enable you to keep on top of everything your selling, and not return home with a long list of emails and orders you need to ship out. It also helps eliminate any communication problems or gripes, letting the seller inform viewers/buyers that the seller is on a well-deserved vacation (a custom message is available).

Whilst this sounds like a seller-only pro, it is actually very helpful for buyers too, as you don’t want to buy an item as an immediate present only to find out that the seller has gone on vacation!

Smaller Changes

Some smaller changes that will benefit the seller include:

• Automated Reminder Messages - eBay will be sending out automated messages 48 and 96 hours after a purchase to the buyer, reminding he or she to pay. Whilst it’s true this may seem pushy to some people, in most cases it’s a helpful reminder.

• Unique - I’m sure you would be annoyed if you were bidding on a rare and unique item on eBay, only for it to be taken off with 13 hours left. eBay has introduced a new rule where you cannot list a unique (one of a kind) item anywhere else whilst it’s listed on eBay.

I know I promised to be all positive, but one particular issue has really struck a nerve – if you didn’t opt out by 31st August, you have given eBay the right to use your photos in their product catalogue. Fine, it may not seem like a big deal, but the fact you took so long creating them AND the fact your rival sellers can use your photos (okay, you might receive a photo credit from eBay if they do use it – but is that worth it?) at any time, will definitely aggravate a number of regular sellers!

Next week I’ll discuss the changes even further, let me know of any issues you have faced recently with eBay!

Wishing you rippling success

Svenja

Before I start, I’ll keep the consistency of the series and give you another quote that I feel directly concerns this topic; “If it ain’t broke…don’t fix it!” (various authors!).

PowerSeller

One of the biggest changes eBay has rolled out is in relation to the PowerSeller program. It seems quite complicated when you first look at it, so I’ve tried to explain the changes below and how they will effect regular eBay sellers and anyone looking to make a regular income on eBay in the near future;

>> The major change centers on how eBay measures the quality of its sellers (you!). The ‘Detailed Seller Ratings’ (DSR) are staying (where a buyer anonymously leaves the seller a star rating out of 5 for things such as communication and the accuracy of the description), but it will now concentrate heavily on a new ‘low-score metric’; basically the percentage of all the low DSR scores you get (such as 1’s and 2’s).

What’s the issue?

The problem with this is there are a large number of buyers who simply don’t care about the sellers feedback and find it hilarious to leave low-score feedback because it’s really anonymous! And when the new rules come in to play this fall, if you don’t meet the standards set then not only will you receive lower placement in searches, you may even be restricted from selling! All because of a potential few jokers who think it’s funny to anonymously rate you as a 1 or 2. I don’t believe in conspiracy, really, but I do think since sellers are no longer allowed to leave negative feedback for buyers, the burden of proof now rests totally on the shoulders of the sellers.

To mention or not to mention?

You have to question whether it’s worth mentioning this problem in your listings … should you let your prospective buyers know about the new rules, in the hope that they will contact you to resolve any issue before giving you a low DSR? Or by doing this are you possibly informing them that if they are not entirely satisfied they can ruin your reputation and indeed selling capacity anonymously with a few easy clicks? Granted, I never had  communication issues going on with my buyers, yet, I know of many sellers who are running more into DSR related problems. Often, buyers do leave poor feedback ‘just because’.

I feel that eBay should be helping sellers out more, and with some of the new incentives they have released (we will touch on that in the next blog) they are clearly trying to, but at the same time they have opened a huge can of worms by potentially alienating a lot of honest sellers. I understand that eBay is attempting to provide the same top-notch customer service like Amazon, for example, but if that’s the case on all levels, then why are flocking so many eBay sellers to Amazon? I do wonder …

What do you think?

Wishing you rippling success,

Svenja

…with this in mind, I feel the changes that eBay continues to make deserve discussion – and hopefully through the course of the next few weeks you will be able to comment and discuss the positive and negative effects of some of the changes, along with achieving a higher level of understanding when it comes to using eBay (something we have probably done at some point or another!).

Although eBay has gone through its trials and tribulations, the eBay phenomenon has shown no serious sign of slowing down, with people from every corner of the globe getting rid of unwanted items on a daily basis – even setting up  ‘eBay Shop’s’ where they try to lay the foundations of a new work-from-home business – eBay is still THE main auction based place to shop in a time of global recession.

Recently, eBay has rolled out a number of changes that have caused controversy, and the question is; are these changes improving eBay, if so, how? If they aren’t improving eBay; why not and what can we do?

As I mentioned earlier, I will be posting several blogs regarding the positive and negative effects of the changes, if you use eBay and you’re not quite sure what the changes will do then I highly recommend you  stop by on a regular basis or sign up for my free updates if you not have already done so!

One particular change I will touch on next week is something that I’m sure will worry all you PowerSellers!  eBay has announced an overhaul of its PowerSeller program with the controversial introduction of the Top Rate Seller badge and designation, which will come into affect this fall/autumn. If you’re a regular seller on eBay, or perhaps you’re looking to make a few extra dollars or pounds by selling a lot of stuff on eBay, then this will definitely affect you.

Check back next week and see what changes have been made that might affect you sellers in a negative way!

Get discussing now and let me know if you have any gripes with some of the new changes! I am looking forward to hear from you!

Wishing you rippling online success,
Svenja

You can check into eBay’s completed auctions to see items similar to yours and how much they sold for. This is handy in a couple of ways.

• First, if the winning bids for the items were all around the same price, you’ll know that you can list your item at that price and likely sell it. You may not get a lot of bids this way, but serious buyers will know what your item is worth and bid accordingly.

• Second, you can look at the lowest amount for which a similar item sold. If you set your starting price there, you’ll likely get more bids and created a great chance to encourage a bidding war. Serious buyers will want in because the price is so reasonable and eventually ends up to create a bit of a bidding frenzy resulting in a high closing price for you.

• Third, you do also have the option of starting an item extremely low, say at $0.99 or even $0.01. This can be beneficial because potential bidders will automatically assume that the item is extraordinarily undervalued and be excited at the prospect of scoring an amazing deal, which can also encourage lots of bids.

With the above option, of course, you may worry your item will sell for less than it’s worth. Sellers who are afraid to undervalue their item may be tempted to use eBay’s reserve feature, but I don’t recommend it. Items with a hidden reserve price have more eBay fees attached to them than non-reserve items.

Also, bidders can see when an item has a reserve (although they don’t know what you set it at) and this can discourage bidding by essentially telling buyers that their bid may not be good enough for you. Plus, there’s likely a product just like yours listed without a reserve price, so what’s easiest for the bidder? No reserve, of course! Most people go to auction sites because they enjoy bidding, they love the adrenaline rush. Don’t cheat them out of the thrill!

In my opinion, “Buy It Now” is a better option than setting a reserve because your minimum sell price is obvious and won’t turn off customers. “Buy It Now” does hurt your chances of having a bidding war, but many buyers would rather just purchase an item than deal with the auction process, so it’s an easier way to generate a quick sale. In some cases, items are best offered in a “Buy It Now” format.

Research services like HammerTap and Terapeak have specialized systems for figuring out the optimal price and manner to list specific items (among many other amazing research features). If you want to eliminate guesswork, I suggest investing in one of these amazing tools. If you’re serious about selling, you won’t regret it!

I am very much looking forward to your comments and thoughts. Wishing you rippling success!

Svenja

Have You Twittered Lately?

This is a big mistake because when your auction ends is one of the biggest determinants of its success.

eBay sees most of its traffic on a Sunday after dinner, which means that many items are bid on and purchased during that small window of time. More traffic translates into more people viewing your items, which can encourage a bidding war and drive up your final selling prices.

That’s not to say that everything on eBay sells best on a Sunday evening. Some items sell better at different times of day and on different days of the week, so you’ve got to do your homework. To learn what sells best when, my favorite research tools are Terapeak and HammerTap. These are powerful programs that use eBay data to tell you what days and times are most profitable for the items that you’re selling. And yes, I have mentioned both of these services before since I am a firm believer that research will set you apart from the rest! It’s that simple, really!

Terapeak and HammerTap can also tell you the length of auction that’s ideal for your specific items. Generally speaking, it’s good to list your items for as long as you can (up to 7 days is free), but item-specific research can tell you which items sell better as 1, 3, or 5 day auctions. Also, bear in mind that you’ll have to pay an extra $0.40 if you choose to list for 10 days. Those fees can add up, especially if you’re selling low-cost items!

When you do list your auction, consider not only which day it will end on but also the timing, and remember that auctions are on a 24-hour clock – if you list an item for seven days on Wednesday at 4:23am, it will close on the following Wednesday at 4:23am (give or take a few minutes for eBay to get your listing up and running). Don’t forget to take time zones into consideration, too!

It doesn’t take long to get the hang of listing your items at strategic times. All it takes is tools like HammerTap or Terapeak and a few clicks of your mouse. It could be the difference between an auction that flops and one that makes you some serious cash!

Wishing you rippling success!

Svenja

Since search results are now prioritized not just by keyword match but by also keyword quality/popularity, you’ve really got to step up your auction title writing skills.

eBay gives you only 55 characters to create as much impact as you can, so avoid using extraneous punctuation or words like “LOOK!” or “AMAZING!” People don’t search for these words so they’re just a waste of precious space.

If you’ve got a few obvious keywords to start off with, brainstorm what other keywords might be relevant. It’s always a good idea to include brand names, artist names, etc. This means that if you’re selling an iPhone, you’ll get score extra points with eBay if you include keywords like “Apple” and “3G,” even if your customer searches using only the keyword “iPhone.”

The best (and easiest!) way to figure out which keywords really shine is to use eBay research tools like HammerTap or Terapeak. If you don’t know about these products yet, you’ll be amazed by the level of detailed research they provide. Both HammerTap and Terapeak suggest high-ranking keywords for whatever you’re selling, which will help your figure out how best to use your tiny 55-character plot of ad space.

A word of caution: don’t be tempted to include random keywords that have nothing to do with your item just because a given keyword is popular. In other words, don’t include the phrase “Michael Jackson” in your iPhone auction title. eBay is one step ahead of sellers who abuse the ranking system in this manner and will not hesitate to remove your listing and perhaps even shut your account down. Period.

Remember: popular, relevant keywords are the difference between a listing that makes the first page of search results and one that gets buried somewhere near the back. Take the time to get those 55 characters right!

Wishing You Rippling Auction and Online Success!

Svenja

First, choose a provider that has templates that match the types of products you’re selling. There’s no sense in using a baby-pink template with little yellow duckies on it if you’re selling mountain climbing equipment. In all cases, your template should be professional-looking and not overpower your item pictures or description.

Next, take a look at a provider’s service offering. What do they give you besides templates? You want a company that gives you selling reports, image hosting (hopefully free!) and marketing tools to promote your listings. It’s best to choose a provider that’s been in the business for a while and has an excellent customer service track record.

Below are my top picks for auction template providers that meet my criteria for templates with a “wow” factor as well as numerous powerful sales tools:

1) Auctiva. This one’s been in business for over a decade and provides affordable solutions for eBay sellers. In addition to over 1700 great templates, you get listing software with a free scheduling tool, free image hosting with the option to watermark your pictures, your own online store complete with a free scrolling gallery, seller reports, and a whole lot more. Auctiva has also partnered with Sellathon (not my favorite solution but still a good one), a  research tool that can help you figure out what’s hot on eBay and when and how to sell it for top dollar.

2) GarageSale. Exclusively for Mac users, GarageSale offers awesome templates combined with great tools. One of my faves is the ability to showcase your images where and how you want. You can have the pictures ordered neatly along one side, use small thumbnails that enlarge as someone mouses over them, and much more. GarageSale also has free scheduling and image hosting and integrates with YouTube and more. It’s a downloadable product that requires no monthly fee – only a one-time purchase price of $34.99. If you have an Apple machine, this one is my top pick!

3) Inkfrog. Inkfrog is reasonably priced and super easy to use. On top of some nice looking templates, they offer super cheap shipping insurance, support for multiple eBay user IDs, bulk listing (list a lot of items at pre-scheduled intervals), sales and inventory management, and more. They also give users a free e-commerce store (after you’ve committed to their $9.95 monthly fee), which can’t be said of most other template providers.

Whatever you choose, make sure it’s got item-appropriate templates, good tools, and reliable customer support. As long as you do your homework, you’ll end up with a solid tool that works wonders for your business.

If you are using already one of these services, I would very much like to hear about your personal experiences with your chosen provider.

Thank you for your interest and comment!

Svenja

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You’ve got to be careful, however, when choosing a template provider because used incorrectly, your templates could sink your auctions.

Template Pros:

• Professional-looking auctions without HTML expertise. Templates provide fonts, borders, and graphics that can really enhance your listings. You can also do some nifty things with your item pictures and add selling tools like scrolling bars that showcase all your items on each one of your pages.

• Freebies that save you money. Some auction template sites offer free image hosting, so you can circumvent eBay’s fees for photos. Some also waive listing fees and provide free selling reports, marketing tools, listing schedulers, and more.

• A unified look. Templates are often created with your eBay store, eBay listings, and business website in mind, so your entire web presence can have a similar look and feel. This is an amazing way to dramatically increase the professionalism and credibility of your online business without having to spend big bucks on a designer.

Template Cons:

• You can easily get carried away. The fanciest-looking template may be fun to use, but if it doesn’t match the tone or theme of the item you’re selling, you’ll diminish the overall impact and hurt your chances of making a great sale.

• It’s tempting to let your template sell your item. Because the page is now so pretty, you may skimp on writing a compelling description. Don’t!  Your description – not your template – is still your most important selling tool. A template can streamline your look but it won’t sell your stuff all by itself.

• Your listing might look too busy. Don’t use a template to overload your listing with graphics, no matter how cool you think they are. Remember the cardinal rules: write succinctly with good keywords, leave lots of white space, and let your pictures tell your item’s story. Don’t let your template take over your auction.

As long as you’re careful with your selection, templates can be an easy to way to instantly professionalize your auctions. Remember, always choose templates that complement – not overpower – your items, and keep it clean-looking. Used properly, templates can be yet another powerful tool in your seller’s belt.

Wishing you rippling auction success!

Svenja

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Setting the Tone for Your Auction: eBay’s Changed the Rules

eBay’s affiliate program made it possible for a lot of people – including those who provide tools to sellers for free – to make a lot of money.

No more.

Changes to eBay’s affiliate program mean that seller tools like Auctiva, which used to earn about half of its revenue from the program, will no longer earn affiliate money as a result of their program’s users.

eBay says it made the change because affiliate programs are meant to reward affiliates for drumming up new business, not continuing to sell to existing eBay users. eBay announced that it is switching to a more “traditional” affiliate model, in which only people who spend money on eBay for the first time will earn money for the referring affiliate.

Auctiva, which used to be completely free, recently announced its new fee structure and admitted that because of eBay’s policy revamp, the change is necessary. Auctiva users will now have to pay between $2.95 and $34.95 per month, depending on the features they’d like to use. There is also a “free” plan, which costs nothing monthly but charges 12 cents and a 1.25% transaction fee for every eBay listing.

Many Auctiva users have considered switching services, although if you’re one of them, be aware that no service worth its salt is truly free. Many charge exorbitantly for image hosting or various advertising tools. Auctiva still provides a number of marketing tools, such as their scrolling item bar – a fantastic addition to your listings – at no cost.

Auctiva management hopes to retain at least 70% of their existing client base and continue to market its advantages to potential new customers.

No one likes to pay for something that used to be free, but since eBay’s changed the rules, what alternative do they have? My instinct is that Auctiva is simply a step ahead of any service still claiming to be totally free for its users. After all, aren’t we all in this business to make money? For my own part, I am sticking with Auctiva for now!

Thank you for your interst!

Svenja

That’s the golden rule – you must have pictures because they sell to the customer once you have got them on your auction page.

Arm yourself with a digital camera, you don’t need a complicated or expensive one but make sure the photographs it takes do come out at sufficiently high-resolution so the results look clear and clean on your computer.  Most camera phones are not sufficiently powerful for this function and the resolution will look grainy and substandard when it is uploaded – a cheap digital camera is usually a far superior route to go but make sure it has more than 3 megapixels (8 is becoming the standard and just as cheap too). You will also need a zoom facility so you can take pictures from close up as you focus on specific aspects of the product.

Look at this picture and think of how it could be improved:

Image that needs TLC

Here is a better representation of an overall view:

A Beautiful Pair of Shoes!

So, the pictures you are aiming for will be sharp and straight forward. Make sure you create simple images that give a good overall and also detailed views of your product.

Detailed Close-Up View

Take your pictures in a good light but beware of reflective surfaces as these will bounce back flash or distort the lines of the goods – taking pictures in daylight is the best, under a neon light is next best and avoid using flash wherever possible.  Although most of us are not professional photographers, we can all create a decent picture if we follow a few guidelines, right?

Photograph the item from all angles – front, side, back, from the top and from the bottom – include close up and distance shots.  Use a solid color backdrop so attention is focused upon the item itself unless the item is so large this is impractical – a plain wall in the house or a fence in the yard will do the trick.  Now is also the time to take photographs of any defects in the item – if there is a scratch, take a photo of it so the bidders can see what is wrong and whether it is a deal-breaker or not (this demonstrates your integrity and avoids complaints post-sale).

If you want to add a bit of panache, get a light-tent and you are in business to give your photos an extra boost. They cost around $25.00 (depending on the size) and can be purchased best on eBay .

Remember to keep it simple – you are not creating art here – you are looking for simple, sharp images which will demonstrate your products to their best effect and sell themselves to the bidders.

Thank you for your interest and please let me know if you have any questions or comments. I always enjoy hearing from you!