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Selling on eBay, if you understand how to go about it, is a smart business idea unto itself and a great method of making money online, but can also be a very handy tool to expand the market of your small business, rural business, or online business.
But how can you use eBay as a tool to expand your business market? The essence of selling on eBay to benefit your business involves creating your own “eBay store” through which you can sell some hot and in-demand products that you already sell on your own website, through your online business. The trick is to list these products at a low starting bid price (cheaper than listed on your site, for example), and to include a link back to your site to drive more traffic to your site and, consequently, increase sales and thus expand your market. Even the mere act of making some product sales on eBay (with or without an official eBay store of your own) will boost your sales, creating revenue for your business.
First of all, eBay offers a distinct advantage in that you are able to sell to a worldwide, global marketplace. eBay is actually the world’s largest online marketplace, which means you will have interested buyers from all over the world to whom you can sell your products. The bigger the marketplace, the higher the number of buyers, which means more people bidding on your products, which translates into higher profits as well as more traffic to your website. eBay is a great resource to tap into because it’s so vast and so popular all over the world, making it relatively easy for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and even online newbies to take advantage of it and reap the rewards—personal, financial, and business-related.
For example, at any given time, there is around 10 million products for sale, with many eager buyers bidding on most of them. In addition, the eBay site receives more than 1.5 billion “auction page views” each and every month. In fact, the sheer amount of traffic that flows through eBay on a daily basis is probably your biggest advantage to making money online and growing your business.
Another benefit of selling on eBay in order to expand your business is that there is virtually no overhead or major start-up costs. Further, you will see profits and business growth fairly quickly through selling on eBay; whereas with other online business opportunities or small business strategies, it often takes much longer to realize monetary gains and profits.
Although you must pay a nominal monthly fee in order to have your own eBay store, it can usually be paid off quickly through a few small sales each month. Further, if you choose to run your own eBay store, a lot of the work will be done for you, making it virtually maintenance-free on your part. For example, your products can be listed automatically, saving you a lot of time and work.
So how can you tap into this great online resource for making money and growing your business? Getting started selling on eBay may seem a bit confusing and overwhelming at first, but if you can get organized and follow a few steps, you’ll soon be on your way to earning extra money and expanding your business market. First, set up an account on eBay, registering as a business. All you really need is access to the main site, some basic personal and business-related information, and financial information such as your credit card and PayPal account information. There are generally no up-front costs involved, and you’re on your way to selling on eBay for the benefit if your small business! After registering on eBay, take some time to review important information for new users, and then become a seller.
To sell something on eBay, head to the site’s front page and click “Sell” close to the top. This will create an auction listing for your product. You can monitor the listing in “my eBay” until it’s sold. Send an invoice to the winning bidder if you don’t receive an automatic PayPal payment with instructions as necessary. Ship the item once you have received payment, and record feedback regarding the transaction.
What should you sell? Sell the products that you sell with your small business or online business, at a slightly discounted (lower starting bid) price. This will give you and your business some great exposure, get buyers interested in your products, drive more traffic to your website, and ultimately increase sales, both through eBay and your own website, significantly increasing the growth potential of your business.
There are a number of selling techniques as well as tips for writing listings that you can use in order to maximize your exposure and money-earning potential on eBay. Your success with selling on eBay depends on more than just setting up your initial eBay account and putting up a few random items or products for bid. You have to learn how to take specific products to the buyers who want them.
One important point is that in writing your item descriptions (the description of each product you are selling on eBay), be as descriptive and as detailed as possible, and use the right keywords (the words that people type in for a search when they’re looking for a specific product) often, especially within the item title. Most searches on eBay are done using the site’s built-in search facility, which by default searches only item titles, not the item descriptions. So what you write in that title is of utmost importance. However, don’t do keyword spam (too many keywords where it sounds unnatural and looks ridiculous), or use unrelated keywords. It’s also extremely important for your to put your products into the right categories, as buyers often search for items categorically. Make sure you also point out any flaws.
The following dos and don’ts of selling on eBay regarding selling technique, writing listings, and overall etiquette will help to ensure your success in using eBay as a tool to expand the market of your new small business. Here is a list of dos and don’ts with respect to selling on eBay to make a profit and expand your business.
You Should:
· make sure you categorize your items appropriately
· make your product descriptions sound great
· create interesting listings to attract buyers
· be careful with how many items you have listed at once
· provide clear instructions (shipping, payment, guarantee, return policy, etc.)
· include “item specifics” if you’re selling clothing or accessories
· create an “about me” page through your eBay account to attract potential buyers
· consider a low start bid with no reserves
· compare completed listings of other sellers for tips and tricks, as well as things to avoid
· accept PayPal
· search for eBay’s “in demand” products
· include a photo as well as a “gallery” photo
You Shouldn’t
· sell defective items
· lie about your products descriptions, what they’re worth, their condition, their features, and their claims
· use family and friends to “shill” bid your items
· steal photos from other sellers (but you can from the manufacturer)
· sell low value products with high shipping costs
Further, if you’re serious about selling on eBay and using this awesome online auction marketplace to boost your business, try out their new “Sales Reports Plus” feature to give you a complete sales summary.
By following these suggestions, tips, and pointers, you will soon become an expert eBay seller, with your business reaping all the benefits. |
