As one of the giants in e-commerce for almost 25 years, eBay is a household name for buyers and sellers alike. From vintage items to automotive parts, there are markets for almost everything on eBay. With over 168 million buyers searching for products, how can you become a pro at eBay marketing and promote your shop so it reaches as many buyers as possible?
In this article, WebRealSimple delves into the best methods for selling on eBay. We’ll also offer tips on production promotion so read on.
Selling on eBay
Over the years, eBay has taken feedback from buyers and sellers to ensure their platform remains a top contender across online marketplaces. For small business owners, eBay has become an essential place to market their products. Getting started is simple and great for individuals looking to start selling online; large or small!
Already have an account with the platform? Here are a few pointers to get the ball rolling and market products on eBay:
- Keep your personal and business accounts separate. If you have a buyer’s account, take the extra step and set up a seller’s account. This helps avoid any crossover between the two.
- Invest in good photography. Most smartphones on the market are capable of taking 720p HD images or 4K videos. If you have a DSLR camera at your disposal, even better. Check out this helpful article regarding optimal upload size and image sizing for your product images.
- Spend time researching the market and have an understanding of eBay SEO (search engine optimization). Writing product descriptions that include great SEO will help boost your products.
- Use safe and easy payment options for your buyers, like PayPal or GooglePay. The two are trusted resources and allow buyers to purchase using their credit card or bank account which then transfers directly to your account!
- Be friendly, customer service minded, and responsive. The quicker you respond to inquiries or comments your buyers leave, the better chances you have at repeat business and/or becoming a Top Rated Seller.
Setting up Shop on eBay
Signing up for your seller’s account was the easy part, so let’s move on to listing your products. If you have taken the time to collect good images of your products and write stellar product descriptions, kudos to you. It’s time to utilize those by creating the listings so you can start marketing on eBay.
eBay offers a form on their site which allows sellers to list their products but it’s been known to be lengthy and inefficient for sellers with multiple items. Luckily, there are listing and management solutions out there, both free and paid. Capterra did the work for you by comparing the best auction management software out there. Choose the best option for your business by comparing price, software features, and more to meet your needs.
Lastly, start following some of your competitors to see how they’re marketing the same products and what they are charging. Being competitive in a saturated market means having a great product at an affordable price while still turning a profit. Speaking of selling on eBay in a saturated market, this takes us to our next point: eBay marketing.
eBay Marketing
Now that you’re all set up with a seller’s account, good photos, and the knowledge of what your competitors are doing, it’s time to start marketing and promoting your products on eBay. Having a shop is pointless if you’re not moving product. So, what else can you do to help market your products on eBay?
Share your seller shop on multiple social media sites, including Facebook and Instagram. These platforms can help boost your reputation by allowing friends and family to buy products from you and offer positive reviews. Never underestimate the power of personal testimonials!
Be sure to offer as much information about your product as you can, using this as an opportunity to fill in the gaps with high ranking keywords for your eBay SEO. Imagine yourself as the buyer and ask what information you would want to know before purchasing.
Utilize eBay’s built-in marketing tools, like their paid advertising solution: Promoted Listings. eBay does all the analytical, back-end work for sellers and promotes listings to help buyers find products that most closely relate to their searches. When you use the service, you only pay for sales that eBay helped you get. If organic marketing hasn’t helped yet and you’re looking for a boost, consider this service for eBay business promotion.
Similar to promoted listings, you can also utilize the Promotions Manager from your eBay seller dashboard. Do you have a few products that need to be dusted off and sold? Lowering their price will help users who are specifically searching for your product at a discounted rate will be sent to your store. If you’re selling a caliper for a 2012 Ford Fusion, buyers may search “2012 Ford Fusion caliper” and choose to show only that part if it’s on sale, knocking out other competitors for you.
Thoughts From the Pros
Although a strong marketing plan is always helpful for increasing your sales, don’t forget the most important part: a personal touch with a friendly demeanor. Even if you’re already selling on eBay and have a successful marketing plan, all that hard work can be ruined by a bad reputation. Include a “Free Gift” for first time buyers or even a hand written “thank you” note. Exceptional customer service always creates return customers.
Let eBay do more of the heavy lifting for you by tapping into their email marketing tools. Always ask buyers to follow your store so they can register for a monthly newsletter or “exclusive deals.” Remember to be persistent with your email marketing but not annoying. The average shopper looks at an advertising email from a company at least 3 times before they decide to make a purchase, so stay strong.
Interested in learning more about eBay marketing for your small business?
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