If you have a strategic frame of mind (and you probably have), you look for ways to reach more buyers.
The eBay marketplace is a great solution to bringing your products in front of more shoppers.
Just think of it.
159 million active buyers browse through this platform in search of the items. Perhaps, they’ve been hunting for the goods you have in stock.
But with over 1 billion active listings, it might not be that easy to vie for the attention.
In this article, we will share handy tips on how to run eBay business successfully.
1. Research the Product Demand First
Before you start conquering the eBay market, you should figure out whether this endeavor would be a successful one by researching the demand in the industry. Why? There are several reasons for that.
- You will define whether the product is in demand – how many buyers are willing to get what you are going to sell.
- You will define the intensity of competition – how easily you will be able to get connected with prospects considering offers from other sellers.
- You will define your USP – how your offer or item is different from other merchants.
- You will define the optimal price range for your goods – how much you can charge per product, considering the competition and the nature of your item.
How to Discover the Products in Great Demand
The best way to figure out top-selling products is to use the eBay search bar. This marketplace has its own algorithms that prompt the buyer the most popular items, including the categories they are listed in. What is more. These prompts are ranked by popularity.
In this way, when you start typing the name of your products (use different keywords for more accurate data), you will see the most frequently searched items associated with your goods.
2. Make the Product Look Appealing
Online shopping is awesome. But there is one minor drawback – you may not be 100% certain about the look and quality of the purchased item. Quality images might help mitigate the risks and make shoppers feel confident about their purchase.
Tips for Taking Awesome Photos
- Do not use stock images or the ones other sellers are using. Add original photography to your listing instead. This would be beneficial for your branding and make your product stand out among other offers.
- Take photos of the product in front of a neutral background. Many sellers use white or other one-colored backgrounds. This would ensure the buyers have their eyes on the product, not the surrounded setting.
- Show the product from all possible angles. In this way, you give a complete idea about how the item looks so that the buyer has no doubts whether it is relevant for them or not.
- Don’t forget to take lifestyle images (if that’s relevant to the product). This would create an impression as if the prospect already owns it.
3. Optimize Listings for SEO
SEO is a pain in the neck for businesses but a true lifesaver for shoppers. SEO algorithms rank eBay listings based on the quality and volume of keywords, the store’s reputation, the category, and other factors.
Whether you like these algorithms or not, you’ve got to get an appraisal from them to be noticed by prospects.
What Keywords to Add?
- Give preference to long-tailed keywords, but do not limit yourself by their use.
- Figure out the most searched keywords you can reasonably compete for.
- Make sure you do not overstuff your sales copy or title with keywords – write for readers, then for search engine machines.
- Put the most relevant keywords first (in the title and the first sentences of the product description).
4. Price Your Products Adequately
The most prominent peculiarity of eBay is the option to choose the price. You can set either auction or fixed prices depending on the product type.
It’s better to set auction prices for unique or handmade goods of great value. They might also work for scarce goods. For other items, fixed prices would be a great choice.
How to Set the Adequate Price?
- Do the math and calculate what price would enable you to stay profitable (consider eBay fees and other expenses).
- Analyze how your competitors price similar or the same goods.
- Check completed eBay listings to figure out what price point is relevant for the buyers.
5. Establish Trust Throughout All Stages of Buying Lifecycle
As you sell on eBay software, you will be dealing with cold leads who know nothing about your store or brand. So, if you would like to be a successful eBay seller, you have to think of ways to shorten the gap and establish trust in your store or brand.
How to Inspire Confidence in Your Store
Fill out the information about your store. Add your personal story or a photo of your team. Just anything that would personify your business and show what people stand behind it.
Set up your return and refund policies. The written documents describing how the customer and the seller should act when the wrong or damaged item arrives, when the buyer can get a refund, and what percent of reimbursement they can expect in different scenarios will add confidence to the prospect.
Encourage your customers to leave feedback. Ask your customers to make an overview of the product or share their buying experience with others. Be honest with your prospects, and do not delete negative reviews.
Say if something is wrong with the product you are selling. Don’t try to sugarcoat any defects or flaws of the item. On the contrary, describe the issue and provide an image of a defect.
6. Automate Your Workflows
The times of spreadsheets and manual eBay inventory control are far gone. These days, you can use an eBay listing program like SellerSkills to effectively manage your store.
The greatest advantage of this app is that it allows you to manage multiple marketplaces from a single hub easily. It integrates with the most popular sales channels like Amazon (both FBM and FBA), Etsy, eBay, Shopify, and Walmart to significantly simplify the workflows and enable you to reach your business goals.
How Workflow Automation Will Benefit Your Business
- Instantly list products on or from eBay. If you already market your goods through other channels or on eBay and would like to move them to other marketplaces, you can do this with a click of one button.
- Get centralized control over your inventory. Get real-time information about your inventory on integrated channels with a single hub. No more overselling due to awkward mistakes. Your inventory will be managed in a smart way.
- Manage multichannel orders from one dashboard. Whether you get an order on eBay, Amazon, Etsy, or any other marketplace, you will easily fulfill it from one app.
7. Offer Free Shipping
If you would like to sell successfully, you should offer something that will beat Amazon Prime with its free two-day shipping.
Free shipping can be a great selling point and make your listing more attractive to eBay buyers. Not only does it look appealing to shoppers, but it also causes fewer headaches for you as you won’t have to bother yourself with calculating the shipping cost.
- What Items Should Not be Shipped for Free
- Stay away from shipping fragile items for free.
- Do not ship heavy products free of charge.
- If you ship internationally, free shipping is not an option for you.
Yeah! You Are Equipped with Awesome eBay Tips
eBay is a wonderful place for putting your great products in front of numerous prospects. Very little is required to kickstart your business and bring your items to this platform. And if you are an established seller running other marketplaces, things can be even easier for you as you can import products from, let’s say, Amazon to eBay.
