The biggest change I have seen on Ebay since I first started 9 years ago officially in 2007, is that the competition has increased to a frightening level. As a seasoned seller who was on top of the food chain for many years, I don't like what I am seeing. The question is, will everyone who is listing be able to make money while Ebay is in the process of becoming ridiculously overloaded with sellers from all over the world?
I still am in the evaluation phase on this. I now have over 10,000 positive feedback, however, it should be much greater than that. My specialty field is baby products (you can check out my actual website, not my Ebay listings, at: http://www.shop.nubysippycup.com to see what I sell.) I'm not afraid of competition but I am afraid of what other sellers are doing to our online businesses, more than likely, not intentionally, but because they "think" they are making money because they are selling a few items.
In my niche, new sellers are coming onto Ebay at a rapid pace and selling items for $1 or less profit in many cases. They are lowering prices to levels that prevent most full time, seasoned sellers from being able to compete and still be in business. This is also happening on Amazon, subsequently, where I also sell but Amazon is a whole other story in itself. I was queen of selling one baby product for about 4 months. In fact, between Amazon and Ebay, I sold over $10,000 a month of these baby products as a merchant seller not using FBA (fulfillment by Amazon). We were packaging over 100 orders per day and barely able to keep up. It was glorious for awhile. I had to hire extra help. I was the leading seller and I made a fair profit. My customers were happy, I had great feedback, then BAM! in came the wholesalers. The wholesalers and our OWN suppliers, as well as retail stores, and international sellers are now all selling on Ebay and Amazon making it nearly impossible for the average Joe to make a profit.
If you were working a full time business, would you be happy with a $1 profit? No way. These new, deep pocket sellers have the buying power to put many of us out of business. Then, you have the less experienced sellers who seem to be forgetting how much it costs to purchase poly bags, printer ink, paper, packing tape, boxes, and other materials. They don't seem to be calculating in the gas it costs to drive to and from the postal services nor their time. They seem to be losing money yet they continue to sell at such ridiculously low prices.
The sad part for many of us regarding new competition is that they aren't all losing money. Many are sellers with deep financial pockets who are able to buy up thousands of dollars in inventory directly from China or from USA manufacturers. They make profits in various ways. Many make a profit only through adding a $1 or two handling fee to the shipping charges and they are making money for sure. Many sell just a few cents above cost and use items as loss leaders.
Loss leaders are products that are selling at or below cost. You see them all the time in grocery store ads. They advertise a product for a penny just to get you in the door and then expect that you will not only buy the advertised product, but you will purchase other products as well. Some offer free shipping, but when you get to their site and add on another product or two, they have handling charges that will help them make a profit or they can hike up the prices of their other items to make up for the losses on the loss leader product. They can also sell items at near cost because they are volume sellers. That does not help the little guy who runs a small business or who is just selling here or there and who is struggling to compete against them on any online platform.
Then you have the international sellers. They have hit Ebay like flies on you know what. The international field has caused Ebay to become overloaded with sellers from many countries. I am not against anyone selling on Ebay but something is very wrong when a seller from China can take the product you are selling that costs you $5 to purchase and $2.60 to ship (actual shipping cost for 8 ounces or less USPS) and sell it for $1 or $2 with free shipping! Granted you have to wait a few weeks to get your product from China, but if you are not in a hurry, what a deal. People say we should support our own USA manufacturers and I agree. The problem is, if you look on most items, you will see that they come from China or Japan or Indonesia, etc even when sold in the USA.
Ebay competition is increasing so rapidly with these international sellers that on some baby products for example, you have to scroll through the first several pages to even find a USA seller. If you know how to use the boxes to the left side on Ebay, you can check off USA only and that will help if you are trying to find a seller from the USA, but it looks like the international sellers are doing quite well and are selling lots of their items. Being from China no longer seems to deter the buyers since they know that the majority of products sold in retail stores come from there anyway.
I will go into more detail on this in the next blog post. I'm not saying that you shouldn't sell on Ebay. I am saying that you should be prepared to deal with an excessive amount of competition when you are in a baby products niche. Can you still sell in the baby niche and succeed? Yes, to some extent and only if you are creative.
That is why you need to do so much research. You need to be able to identify a niche where there are fewer sellers and where it is less likely that you will have a ton of international competition. Can you still succeed on Ebay these days? Probably, but it isn't going to be the same as it was in the past and new strategies will be needed to survive all of the Ebay competition.
Friday, April 1, 2016
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Where Have I Been????? Ebay Success or Failure. . . You Decide
Wow! I looked back at this blog and saw nothing but neglect! My original intent was to work on this blog at least once a week, but apparently that had fallen by the wayside. That could be a good thing or a bad thing, in light of the fact that I am so busy now that I don't have time to blog. So, I made a recommendation for the one small, inexpensive product that can help get you started. The link is to the right. If you have $5 it will be a fantastic investment to get a good return on your investment. If you get the information and cannot make your $5 investment back, then you really should not do Ebay. I will be coming back in a few days, I promise and I will give you an update on what has been going on with my account the past few years. I now have over 10,000 feedback and growing, but I do have some new cautions and warning. Talk to you soon.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Can You Learn How to Sell on Ebay? Yes. Here's a quick and easy way.
One of the best and easiest ways to learn to sell on Ebay is to learn from the experts. I could say that I am an "expert" in many ways because I've been through the wringer and back again with Ebay, Amazon, Etsy, Bonanza and my own website. It has been a long 7 years but I am finally paying my bills from a full time online business as a result.
I get so many people who want to know how to start an Ebay business, but I just don't even have the time to write my own book. That's why I rely on experts who have a much broader area of expertise, like Skip McGrath. I've been following his blog and information for years. He is a wealth of information and if you really want to get started on Ebay the right way, I suggest you invest the small amount of money he is asking, into your business, so you can get started the right way. It is an unbelievably small investment to make, so go for it. There's even a money back guarantee. All you will lose if your mind if you don't buy it so you can get off to a good start. Enjoy.
CLICK HERE FOR EBAY SELLERS RESOURCE SITE
I get so many people who want to know how to start an Ebay business, but I just don't even have the time to write my own book. That's why I rely on experts who have a much broader area of expertise, like Skip McGrath. I've been following his blog and information for years. He is a wealth of information and if you really want to get started on Ebay the right way, I suggest you invest the small amount of money he is asking, into your business, so you can get started the right way. It is an unbelievably small investment to make, so go for it. There's even a money back guarantee. All you will lose if your mind if you don't buy it so you can get off to a good start. Enjoy.
CLICK HERE FOR EBAY SELLERS RESOURCE SITE
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Ebay Power Seller Success Story
Wow. I have really neglected my ebay blog. I can't believe how long it's been since I've posted on here. I can say that I do have a good excuse though. I started my ebay business about 7 years ago and it has grown and blossomed and helped me to branch out into selling from many other sites as well. I have been a power seller for several years now, but am finally making enough money to pay the bills. Now I don't have time to blog, but still try to do it in between working. Woo Hoo.
I am now teaching others how to do the same. This is not an overnight success story. It is a story of building an online business over time. It is hard work and lots of hours but as you progress and grow your business, you can start adding staff. That has been my big milestone this past year. I have one near full time worker and one part time worker assisting me. That allows me to go to my granddaughter's dance competitions or take a weekend off once in awhile or even take a week day night off.
Thanks to modern technology, I can take my business with me anywhere to keep up with correspondence and listings. I can even take my products with me if I want to, but I would really need a big trunk so instead, I just hire someone to take over when I need a well-deserved week off.
My advice to anyone who wants to make money on Ebay is to just do it. There is no real simple formula. Just find a market niche that you have an interest in and do some research. See how many people are buying the types of products you want to sell. Find a reliable, trustworthy drop shipping company if you don't want to handle your own products (see the suggestions in my posts and on the sidebars), or find distributors to buy your products directly from if you want to have all of the control. Since feedback is important on Ebay, making sure your dropshipping partner is reliable is all important. You want your customers to be happy.
You might want to visit my online store which branched off as a result of my hard work on Ebay. You can find it at http://www.shop.nubysippycup.com The competition in this product line is fierce but after ordering online courses, reading and studying about what it takes to succeed, applying it and then just doing it, I have been able to keep up with my competition by being on the first few pages of google. This is no easy task and takes a bit of weekly work, but it's been worth it.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope some of my articles are helpful. I do recommend books about Ebay and other products to help get you started as I don't have time to write my own. You can check me out on Ebay under kawasakiguy89 if you do an advanced search. You will find the advanced search option to the right of the Ebay search bar. Click on it and then scroll down until you see the place to put the seller's username. Type it in and then click go or continue. You will see all of my ebay listings. We are adding new products monthly so please come back and visit when you can.
I am now teaching others how to do the same. This is not an overnight success story. It is a story of building an online business over time. It is hard work and lots of hours but as you progress and grow your business, you can start adding staff. That has been my big milestone this past year. I have one near full time worker and one part time worker assisting me. That allows me to go to my granddaughter's dance competitions or take a weekend off once in awhile or even take a week day night off.
Thanks to modern technology, I can take my business with me anywhere to keep up with correspondence and listings. I can even take my products with me if I want to, but I would really need a big trunk so instead, I just hire someone to take over when I need a well-deserved week off.
My advice to anyone who wants to make money on Ebay is to just do it. There is no real simple formula. Just find a market niche that you have an interest in and do some research. See how many people are buying the types of products you want to sell. Find a reliable, trustworthy drop shipping company if you don't want to handle your own products (see the suggestions in my posts and on the sidebars), or find distributors to buy your products directly from if you want to have all of the control. Since feedback is important on Ebay, making sure your dropshipping partner is reliable is all important. You want your customers to be happy.
You might want to visit my online store which branched off as a result of my hard work on Ebay. You can find it at http://www.shop.nubysippycup.com The competition in this product line is fierce but after ordering online courses, reading and studying about what it takes to succeed, applying it and then just doing it, I have been able to keep up with my competition by being on the first few pages of google. This is no easy task and takes a bit of weekly work, but it's been worth it.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope some of my articles are helpful. I do recommend books about Ebay and other products to help get you started as I don't have time to write my own. You can check me out on Ebay under kawasakiguy89 if you do an advanced search. You will find the advanced search option to the right of the Ebay search bar. Click on it and then scroll down until you see the place to put the seller's username. Type it in and then click go or continue. You will see all of my ebay listings. We are adding new products monthly so please come back and visit when you can.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Buying on Ebay - What Time do you Get the Best Deals
Buying on Ebay can be a great experience if you know how to search the right way. This is going to be a short post but to the point. To get the best deals you will want to wait until late in the day and watch for auctions that end at a strange time. Take your timezone into consideration and look for items while most people are sleeping.
New sellers don't always pay attention to the time they are listing their auctions. As a result, they oftentimes will end an auction after midnight or in the middle of the night. If it's a great product with no reserve and the bid started at 99 cents, imagine what you can get! I've gotten some great deals late at night.
New sellers don't always pay attention to the time they are listing their auctions. As a result, they oftentimes will end an auction after midnight or in the middle of the night. If it's a great product with no reserve and the bid started at 99 cents, imagine what you can get! I've gotten some great deals late at night.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Where Should I Invest My Ebay Profits?
As a successful Ebayer, over time, you may have built up enough funds to consider investing your money outside of the Ebay business you have already built. A consideration would be investing with investment banking firms who specialize in up and coming profitable industries.
This is an important decision that needs to be researched thoroughly in order to get the best return on your investment. There are experts in many fields that you can consider. Among those would be the fields of chemicals, manufacturing and engineering. The key is to look for experts who can give you advice on how to invest and where to invest when it comes to investing in fields you are not familiar with.
One subsector of manufacturing and engineering would be the diverse field of chemical production. You could call on several banks to help you begin your investments into this field. However, like anything else, as an Ebay expert, you already know it is wise to go to individuals who have specific knowledge in the area you have an interest in, to get the best advise.
Instead of considering contacting a generalist bank that offers many diverse products, it would be more worthwhile to consider working with investment banking experts who exist specifically to guide you on mergers and acquisitions and investing in the future of worldwide chemical products. They concentrate on the chemical field so that you don't have to be an expert to invest outside of your own areas of expertise. You will want to rely on a firm that has many years of experience in the field of chemical investment banking and chemical mergers and acquisitions to provide the best advice.
A firm you should research is the Valence Group. You can find information on all of their successes by visiting their website http://www.valencegroup.com/. They have a staff of experts who have dedicated their careers to studying the latest trends in chemical mergers and acquisitions and can provide you with the knowledge and proof of successfully completed investments among other areas you may have an interest in over time.
This may be a field that you have never even heard of, but everyone knows that chemicals are a very important commodity globally. It is certainly an area to consider as the field continues to grow and develop with new discoveries being made every day.
This is an important decision that needs to be researched thoroughly in order to get the best return on your investment. There are experts in many fields that you can consider. Among those would be the fields of chemicals, manufacturing and engineering. The key is to look for experts who can give you advice on how to invest and where to invest when it comes to investing in fields you are not familiar with.
One subsector of manufacturing and engineering would be the diverse field of chemical production. You could call on several banks to help you begin your investments into this field. However, like anything else, as an Ebay expert, you already know it is wise to go to individuals who have specific knowledge in the area you have an interest in, to get the best advise.
Instead of considering contacting a generalist bank that offers many diverse products, it would be more worthwhile to consider working with investment banking experts who exist specifically to guide you on mergers and acquisitions and investing in the future of worldwide chemical products. They concentrate on the chemical field so that you don't have to be an expert to invest outside of your own areas of expertise. You will want to rely on a firm that has many years of experience in the field of chemical investment banking and chemical mergers and acquisitions to provide the best advice.
A firm you should research is the Valence Group. You can find information on all of their successes by visiting their website http://www.valencegroup.com/. They have a staff of experts who have dedicated their careers to studying the latest trends in chemical mergers and acquisitions and can provide you with the knowledge and proof of successfully completed investments among other areas you may have an interest in over time.
This may be a field that you have never even heard of, but everyone knows that chemicals are a very important commodity globally. It is certainly an area to consider as the field continues to grow and develop with new discoveries being made every day.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Top Ebay Brand Recognition Research for Ebay Products
Just like any major brand name, as you become more advanced in selling on Ebay, you will want to develop brand recognition for your existing Ebay products or begin to expand and search out new and exciting products for your customers.
One of the ways to do this is to find the best market research software to help you gather competitive intelligence so that you do not waste time and money on products that have no potential long term value.
Anyone can sell anything on Ebay. The successful sellers build a business around a market niche. A niche is simply a brand or brands of products that are closely related to one another. For example, if an Ebay seller likes shoes, they may want to sell just tennis shoes. They may find that carrying too many kinds of tennis shoes is a burden because they can only afford to keep so many in stock as they prefer to order from a distributor instead of a drop shipper so they can control the entire sales process. They choose a brand of shoe to sell but find out that their sales are not as brisk as they want them to be. They start to do some research on their own to find out why, but never really catch on.
Companies like thinkpassenger.com who are already experienced in the area of competitive intelligence would be able to help this person develop their brand, market it and promote it. It would save time and money in the long run and bring in more focused and targeted sales. Even though there is a cost up front, if the Ebay seller is truly looking to reach a goal in a specific niche over time, this may be a great way to start their business. Do the research first and save yourself time and money.
One of the ways to do this is to find the best market research software to help you gather competitive intelligence so that you do not waste time and money on products that have no potential long term value.
Anyone can sell anything on Ebay. The successful sellers build a business around a market niche. A niche is simply a brand or brands of products that are closely related to one another. For example, if an Ebay seller likes shoes, they may want to sell just tennis shoes. They may find that carrying too many kinds of tennis shoes is a burden because they can only afford to keep so many in stock as they prefer to order from a distributor instead of a drop shipper so they can control the entire sales process. They choose a brand of shoe to sell but find out that their sales are not as brisk as they want them to be. They start to do some research on their own to find out why, but never really catch on.
Companies like thinkpassenger.com who are already experienced in the area of competitive intelligence would be able to help this person develop their brand, market it and promote it. It would save time and money in the long run and bring in more focused and targeted sales. Even though there is a cost up front, if the Ebay seller is truly looking to reach a goal in a specific niche over time, this may be a great way to start their business. Do the research first and save yourself time and money.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Top Ebay Secrets - The Truth
So, you are interested in the top Ebay secrets? Here's the number one secret. There are no secrets so if you are looking for a fast, easy way to make money without any effort, you've landed on the wrong site.
Ebay does provides a platform where anyone can start an Ebay business and potentially become successful. I offer a book right at the top of this page that will help you get started. I will continue to tell you my story throughout this blog, but if you don't want to wait for my story, go right to the millionaire for answers.
I have been building my Ebay business over the past six years and along with another website and my Amazon sales, I am now able to pay all of my bills. It hasn't been easy though but it has been worth it for the most part. The thing is, many people want the advice, but they don't want to take the action necessary to really get started. Like anything else, nothing comes without effort, trial and error. You can be successful on Ebay. The first step though is doing some research to decide if you really want to put the time and effort necessary into building a successful business.
If the answer is yes, then buy the book. CLICK HERE If you buy it and you don't like it, or decide that Ebay isn't for you, you have a money back guarantee. I'm still not a millionaire but have been steadily growing my business and can now call myself successful online. You can do it to.
Ebay does provides a platform where anyone can start an Ebay business and potentially become successful. I offer a book right at the top of this page that will help you get started. I will continue to tell you my story throughout this blog, but if you don't want to wait for my story, go right to the millionaire for answers.
I have been building my Ebay business over the past six years and along with another website and my Amazon sales, I am now able to pay all of my bills. It hasn't been easy though but it has been worth it for the most part. The thing is, many people want the advice, but they don't want to take the action necessary to really get started. Like anything else, nothing comes without effort, trial and error. You can be successful on Ebay. The first step though is doing some research to decide if you really want to put the time and effort necessary into building a successful business.
If the answer is yes, then buy the book. CLICK HERE If you buy it and you don't like it, or decide that Ebay isn't for you, you have a money back guarantee. I'm still not a millionaire but have been steadily growing my business and can now call myself successful online. You can do it to.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Where to Find the Best Corporate Awards For Your Ebay Employees
If you sell on Ebay or work for Ebay directly and and you have employees that work for you, this information should be interesting for you (or to anyone who has employees working for them).
Many times employees work hard and little recognition is given to those employees for a variety of reasons. Most of the time it is because a company wants to do something little but doesn't know where to turn to find a small, but adequate and memorable gift. Many companies really do want to take the time to recognize their employees with a special gift or award. Money gifts are always appreciated but money comes in and goes out so quickly that a monetary reward can quickly be forgotten.
Here is an excellent and affordable solution. There are awards and trophies that are unique and that stand out more than others, making a lasting impression. One such company, Able Trophies, has an amazing selection of beautiful etched crystal awards, glass awards and even wood/glass/crystal combinations. When you visit their website you will be surprised by the variety of customized awards. Not only that, you will get an education on the different types of glass and crystal that are available by being provided with a detailed explanation of what is involved in your purchase.
The prices are very reasonable and the end result is just beautiful. Whether you need glass trophies, a group of crystal trophies, a specialized custom made shape out of glass or crystal, or just want a beautiful piece of art work for use as employee service awards or your own personal display, visit Able Trophies for pages and pages of choices and great customer service with their live chat capability and toll free phone number. Your employees will treasure the beauty that these awards offer and will know that you put a lot of thought and effort into finding them something special to recognize their service to your company. Company size doesn't matter because both large and small companies alike can afford what Able Trophies has to offer because of their amazing selection and customization process.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Social Employment Ebayers Take a Look at This!
If you have the skills to sell on Ebay or to write a blog or blog posts, or have skills in other areas that you think employers will need part time to full time, there is a site that you will want to check out. While you are building an Ebay business or writing a blog, or helping others with internet marketing projects, you may want to add some additional work to your portfolio and earn some extra income on the side. Even if you are looking for a new full time job or want to add a second job, then you will want to check out the site sideskills.com
Sideskills.com offers you the chance to list your unique skills for hire, for free. You simply pay a small 7% fee once an employer hires you for a project which gets taken right out before you are sent your payment so you never have to do anything additional. The site matches your skills with employers who have listed a wide variety of full and part time project openings. You can look at projects you are offered and accept or decline them with no penalty. This is a win win situation as some of the part time positions turn into full time ones once a project is complete. You can build an Ebay business and do freelance projects to get the money to fund products for your new business. If you are looking for freelance jobs online then sideskills.com is the place to go. Check it out!
Sideskills.com offers you the chance to list your unique skills for hire, for free. You simply pay a small 7% fee once an employer hires you for a project which gets taken right out before you are sent your payment so you never have to do anything additional. The site matches your skills with employers who have listed a wide variety of full and part time project openings. You can look at projects you are offered and accept or decline them with no penalty. This is a win win situation as some of the part time positions turn into full time ones once a project is complete. You can build an Ebay business and do freelance projects to get the money to fund products for your new business. If you are looking for freelance jobs online then sideskills.com is the place to go. Check it out!
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Is Market Research Necessary to Sell on Ebay?
If you are serious about starting an Ebay business, as a business, and not just as a casual hit or miss listing venue, then you need to learn how to do some serious market research. Even within Ebay itself, you can conduct your own market research. Here is an example. Suppose you like to fish and you want to start selling fishing rods. To find out if it's even worth your time, you need to see how many others are selling fishing rods on Ebay. . . not only how many others are selling fishing rods, but what kinds of fishing rods. If you know of one or two very special types of fishing rods, then research that instead because you may be able to develop what is called a "niche" market around a few really good and profitable fishing rods.
Make sure you login to your Ebay account. Go to the Ebay search bar and type in "fishing rods". Look at the results. How many do you see? Do any of the listings have the type of rod that you want to sell? If not, then maybe you can get a captive market by selling your unique rods. Next, look on the left side menu. Scroll down until you see the words "completed listings". Click on enter again and now what comes up are all of the fishing rods that have actually sold and how much they've sold for in green numbers instead of black numbers. That gives you a clue as to whether or not you will make any money selling your fishing rods.
There's lots more to market research then just this, however, this is a great start. I had to pay hundreds of dollars when I first started on Ebay just to find out this basic information. Hopefully you will put it to good use.
Outside of these basics there are companies who specialize in helping you to do market research. These are the types of companies you will want to contact when you get your feet wet and really want to start growing. Companies like "thinkpassenger.com" will help you with your online market research. This unique market research company helps you to bring your brand to market through social network sites and other social interaction. They can take your product and identify the best places to share the information basically at the speed of light. Each client has a program tailored to their own needs. This step is when you jump in feet first with the big boys and play with major brand name companies.
Market research is critical to success when building a serious business online and you should use every tool available at your disposal.
Make sure you login to your Ebay account. Go to the Ebay search bar and type in "fishing rods". Look at the results. How many do you see? Do any of the listings have the type of rod that you want to sell? If not, then maybe you can get a captive market by selling your unique rods. Next, look on the left side menu. Scroll down until you see the words "completed listings". Click on enter again and now what comes up are all of the fishing rods that have actually sold and how much they've sold for in green numbers instead of black numbers. That gives you a clue as to whether or not you will make any money selling your fishing rods.
There's lots more to market research then just this, however, this is a great start. I had to pay hundreds of dollars when I first started on Ebay just to find out this basic information. Hopefully you will put it to good use.
Outside of these basics there are companies who specialize in helping you to do market research. These are the types of companies you will want to contact when you get your feet wet and really want to start growing. Companies like "thinkpassenger.com" will help you with your online market research. This unique market research company helps you to bring your brand to market through social network sites and other social interaction. They can take your product and identify the best places to share the information basically at the speed of light. Each client has a program tailored to their own needs. This step is when you jump in feet first with the big boys and play with major brand name companies.
Market research is critical to success when building a serious business online and you should use every tool available at your disposal.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
WHY CUSTOMERS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE EBAY 5 STAR RATING SYSTEM
FACTS ABOUT THE EBAY 5 STAR RATING SYTEM
Dear International and other Ebay Customers.
We are writing to you to help inform you of some facts that you may not be aware of as Ebay does not allow full disclosure of these facts on our websites in fear of losing customers. In the past several years, numerous sellers have quit selling on Ebay because Ebay appears to be penalizing the smaller businesses. We need you to know the facts about the 5 star rating system if we are going to continue to sell internationally online. We appreciate if you would take the time to read this since we are not allowed to post many of these facts on our auctions. We will be posting some of them and hoping that buyers take the time to read them. Thank you in advance.
After being online on Ebay for 6 years, due to the new "star" rating sytem, we recently lost our top seller status due to 3 complaints about international shipping prices and shipping times. In each case, we shipped the items within 24 hours (business hours) of receiving the paid order. In each case, we lost money on the shipping charges. In each case, we were rated on how long the POSTAL SERVICES took to deliver the items and on how much the postal services are charging for shipping instead of being rated on OUR performance. In none of those cases did the buyers consider the proper criteria for rating us. We believe that is because they don't understand the 5 star rating system which Ebay will not allow us to explain.
THE PROPER CRITERIA FOR THE SHIPPING RATING IS:
1. How long did it take us to ship the package from the time it was paid for? That's what we should be rated on. If the auction states 24-48 hours then that is the date to look for from the time the customer pays.
2. What were the actual shipping charges determined by the postal services. Simple enough to check. Ask the seller for the shipping weight, go to usps.com and put in the criteria and there it will show the actual shipping charges.
3. Checking the handling fees prior to agreeing to order. Our average handling fee is $2. If it is higher, it’s because we will lose money on the sale but that is when the customer has the choice not to order. Once agreeing to order, they should be agreeing not to penalize us for their choice.
WHAT THE POSTAL SERVICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE RATED ON:
1. Postal service costs: The fact that the postal services have raised their prices dramatically over the past two years and are getting ready to do so again is a postal service complaint issue. Also, the fact that the USPS is considering bankruptcy means, if it happens, we and other small businesses like ours, will no longer be selling online as UPS and other services are outrageous and no customer will pay their charges.
2. Shipping times: Shipping times are estimates. Our ratings are not based on how long it takes to get the package to you. Our ratings, once again, are based on how long it took us to get your package to the PO. We have NO CONTROL over anything after that. I'm not sure why some buyers don't understand that. We don't accompany the postal services on their way to deliver the packages. We've been blamed for volcanoes, earthquakes, winter storms, hail, trucks breaking down, postal services scanning packages incorrectly, postal services losing packages, etc. yet every single buyer KNOWS that we have no control over those things. Still, the seller is the one who is blamed when a package is delayed or lost even though they have provided all the proof necessary to show that they took it to the post office.
In all of our 6 years online, selling on 4 different websites we have had two actual lost packages: Brazil and Boston. The Boston one turned up after 3 months. The Brazil one was never found (we no longer ship to Brazil). 2 packages were re-routed which means they were stuck in the postal system and it took three weeks to be delivered as they went to the wrong post offices but finally found their destination. Several packages were returned because customers provided wrong shipping addresses. Outside of that, the postal services did an excellent job for the thousands of packages we have mailed.
THE NEW STAR SYSTEM
Ebay link: http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/sellingresources/howdsrsarecalcaulated.html
Even though the same 3 individuals gave us positive feedback, they gave us less than 5 stars for all of the ratings, stating that the shipping charges and/or shipping times were too high or long, once again, even though we LOST money on those same shipping charges.
WHAT DO THE STARS MEAN?
Less than 5 stars for every rating simply means a NEGATIVE feedback and we are severely penalized for that. In other words, if a customer gives us 4 five star ratings and one 4 star rating during that same evaluation, that is the same as giving us negative feedback (although they gave us a total positive feedback rating). Ebay does not allow us to disclose this information on our auction listings as we receive WARNINGS for even trying to explain it. We have had to remove all explanations from our listings so our customers have no idea how the ratings can hurt us. On the flip side, what Ebay is not taking into consideration is the fact that there are very few of us who do ship internationally and as a result of their stiff penalties, our international customers will not have the same items available to their children as our USA customers do if we and others decide it isn't worth the risk to keep selling internationally.
POST OFFICE SHIPPING TIMES VARY, OUR SHIPPING TIMES DO NOT
For first class international, even though we ship within 24 to 48 hours, it can take up to 30 BUSINESS WEEKDAYS to receive a package and sometimes even longer. For Priority Mail International - 6-10 BUSINESS WEEKDAYS or even longer. The prices are set by the USPS and your country's postal system. We cannot manipulate those in any way.
The cost FOR SHIPPING is set by your postal service as well. We lose an average of $3-$4 off of our profit for every international package we ship compared to actually breaking even on our USA deliveries.
WHO WE ARE
We are in business to make a profit. We have families and bills to pay. We are everyday working parents and grandparents, just like you. Please see us as people and not machines with no feelings. We ask that you treat us as you would have others treat you.
You no longer have to get in your car to find these items which most of the time are not available in stores. You don't have to make numerous phone calls to find the items, taking up your valuable time. We have taken the time to shop for our customers, pay the same high shipping charges from our distributors to get the items to our location so we can reship them to you, pay for the packaging materials including printer ink, paper, packaging tape. We pay for the gas and mileage to get our customer's items to the post office and, we NEVER make a profit on these items or our time which averages 10-15 minutes per customer.
We are a small family business. It is our work at home business and only main source of income. We are raising and trying to support our families just like you are. Many sellers on Ebay used to be like that until Ebay started wooing the big box stores because of the millions of dollars in fees they get from their listings. The little guys like us now have to compete against them. We continue to stay on Ebay out of necessity because a $1 profit on something is better than $0. We have to sell high volume to make ends meet and that is what we do. We work long hours, often corresponding with our customers way after our bedtimes, especially our international customers whose timezones are completely the opposite of ours. Our prices are some of the lowest on the internet and we finally, after 6 years online, raised them 10% this last year even though our supplier has raised their prices every year.
This is the first penalty we have received in 6 years since selling online with Ebay. We have maintained 100% positive feedback, thanks to our customers who appreciate us. That is not easy to do and we know that at any time that can change. We never take that for granted. We are very upset about this first ever drop in our rating because of this new star system (and lack of the ability to explain it to our customers on our webpages) as it is costing us hundreds of dollars in extra fees. We are being penalized for three months. In other words, even though we have gotten all five star ratings recently, we have to wait for three months until the bad ratings “fall off” as Ebay put it. Within that three months, if we get penalized again, we will have to wait another 3 months and so on. What's even worse is that some sellers are on the 12 month time period. If they get a bad rating within the 12 months, that stays on their record for a whole year! This is almost like health insurance for those who have preexisting conditions. If you go for 11 months without going to the doctors for a preexisting condition that you have and then in the 12th month have to go out of necessity, you are penalized and your preexisting condition rating starts all over again for another 12 months. It's just not a fair system.
Our International customers will still be able to purchase from our website if we leave Ebay or stop selling internationally: http://shop.nubysippycup.com On our website we have lower shipping charges on average because we don't have to worry about paying the Ebay fees. We still have to pay Paypal fees which average $1.50-$2.00 per international sale and higher depending on the total cost of the items. Ebay takes 10% off of the selling price and now, this year, they are also taking an additional 10% off the shipping charges. In our opinion, which we and thousands of other small businesses have voiced to Ebay, it is unfair and outrageous. Ebay is a multi-billion dollar company and so is Paypal. Ebay owns Paypal or Paypal owns Ebay and that is also why, over the past few years, Ebay has not allowed us to accept any other form of payment such as checks or money orders because they can't make a fee on those forms of payment. Our customers lose our and we lose out on extra orders because of that. Ebay and Paypal, once again, benefit just like they did from us losing our top seller rating. They are making an extra $300 in fees from us over the next 3 months.
We feel that we should be able to at least explain the star system in a paragraph on our listings but we are warned if we even try. So this is our feeble attempt to let you know, as a customer, that we value your business but we also would like you to know how to rate us on the shipping and handling times and charges. Once again, if we get the package to the PO within 24-48 hours (or whatever time the website states), then we have done our job. We always pay for and provide a customs form number or tracking (USA) to show when we drop the packages off. Look for that date to rate us.
If you placed the order and you saw all of the charges up front, then please be content with that. If you don't agree with the charges, while keeping in mind that we are losing money on the shipping charges, then we would hope that you would reconsider ordering from us rather than giving us a lower star rating for something you already agreed to. The fact that we are willing to take the associated risks so far on shipping international packages should tell you something about us. We care about your families as well and know that you need the products. Help us to stay online by rating us correctly and contacting your postal services if there is a postal question or issue instead.
If we did a bad job, then all we ask is that you contact us BEFORE YOU LEAVE FEEDBACK and that if you do contact us that you don't accuse us of being scammers, or swear at us, or not think before you speak. 99% of our customers are polite and kind and do realize that we are all human and make mistakes but there are the small few who don't understand that mistakes can be made.
Thank you for reading our post and considering all that we have stated here. We hope to continue to sell online for many years in the future.
Dear International and other Ebay Customers.
We are writing to you to help inform you of some facts that you may not be aware of as Ebay does not allow full disclosure of these facts on our websites in fear of losing customers. In the past several years, numerous sellers have quit selling on Ebay because Ebay appears to be penalizing the smaller businesses. We need you to know the facts about the 5 star rating system if we are going to continue to sell internationally online. We appreciate if you would take the time to read this since we are not allowed to post many of these facts on our auctions. We will be posting some of them and hoping that buyers take the time to read them. Thank you in advance.
After being online on Ebay for 6 years, due to the new "star" rating sytem, we recently lost our top seller status due to 3 complaints about international shipping prices and shipping times. In each case, we shipped the items within 24 hours (business hours) of receiving the paid order. In each case, we lost money on the shipping charges. In each case, we were rated on how long the POSTAL SERVICES took to deliver the items and on how much the postal services are charging for shipping instead of being rated on OUR performance. In none of those cases did the buyers consider the proper criteria for rating us. We believe that is because they don't understand the 5 star rating system which Ebay will not allow us to explain.
THE PROPER CRITERIA FOR THE SHIPPING RATING IS:
1. How long did it take us to ship the package from the time it was paid for? That's what we should be rated on. If the auction states 24-48 hours then that is the date to look for from the time the customer pays.
2. What were the actual shipping charges determined by the postal services. Simple enough to check. Ask the seller for the shipping weight, go to usps.com and put in the criteria and there it will show the actual shipping charges.
3. Checking the handling fees prior to agreeing to order. Our average handling fee is $2. If it is higher, it’s because we will lose money on the sale but that is when the customer has the choice not to order. Once agreeing to order, they should be agreeing not to penalize us for their choice.
WHAT THE POSTAL SERVICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE RATED ON:
1. Postal service costs: The fact that the postal services have raised their prices dramatically over the past two years and are getting ready to do so again is a postal service complaint issue. Also, the fact that the USPS is considering bankruptcy means, if it happens, we and other small businesses like ours, will no longer be selling online as UPS and other services are outrageous and no customer will pay their charges.
2. Shipping times: Shipping times are estimates. Our ratings are not based on how long it takes to get the package to you. Our ratings, once again, are based on how long it took us to get your package to the PO. We have NO CONTROL over anything after that. I'm not sure why some buyers don't understand that. We don't accompany the postal services on their way to deliver the packages. We've been blamed for volcanoes, earthquakes, winter storms, hail, trucks breaking down, postal services scanning packages incorrectly, postal services losing packages, etc. yet every single buyer KNOWS that we have no control over those things. Still, the seller is the one who is blamed when a package is delayed or lost even though they have provided all the proof necessary to show that they took it to the post office.
In all of our 6 years online, selling on 4 different websites we have had two actual lost packages: Brazil and Boston. The Boston one turned up after 3 months. The Brazil one was never found (we no longer ship to Brazil). 2 packages were re-routed which means they were stuck in the postal system and it took three weeks to be delivered as they went to the wrong post offices but finally found their destination. Several packages were returned because customers provided wrong shipping addresses. Outside of that, the postal services did an excellent job for the thousands of packages we have mailed.
THE NEW STAR SYSTEM
Ebay link: http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/sellingresources/howdsrsarecalcaulated.html
Even though the same 3 individuals gave us positive feedback, they gave us less than 5 stars for all of the ratings, stating that the shipping charges and/or shipping times were too high or long, once again, even though we LOST money on those same shipping charges.
WHAT DO THE STARS MEAN?
Less than 5 stars for every rating simply means a NEGATIVE feedback and we are severely penalized for that. In other words, if a customer gives us 4 five star ratings and one 4 star rating during that same evaluation, that is the same as giving us negative feedback (although they gave us a total positive feedback rating). Ebay does not allow us to disclose this information on our auction listings as we receive WARNINGS for even trying to explain it. We have had to remove all explanations from our listings so our customers have no idea how the ratings can hurt us. On the flip side, what Ebay is not taking into consideration is the fact that there are very few of us who do ship internationally and as a result of their stiff penalties, our international customers will not have the same items available to their children as our USA customers do if we and others decide it isn't worth the risk to keep selling internationally.
POST OFFICE SHIPPING TIMES VARY, OUR SHIPPING TIMES DO NOT
For first class international, even though we ship within 24 to 48 hours, it can take up to 30 BUSINESS WEEKDAYS to receive a package and sometimes even longer. For Priority Mail International - 6-10 BUSINESS WEEKDAYS or even longer. The prices are set by the USPS and your country's postal system. We cannot manipulate those in any way.
The cost FOR SHIPPING is set by your postal service as well. We lose an average of $3-$4 off of our profit for every international package we ship compared to actually breaking even on our USA deliveries.
WHO WE ARE
We are in business to make a profit. We have families and bills to pay. We are everyday working parents and grandparents, just like you. Please see us as people and not machines with no feelings. We ask that you treat us as you would have others treat you.
You no longer have to get in your car to find these items which most of the time are not available in stores. You don't have to make numerous phone calls to find the items, taking up your valuable time. We have taken the time to shop for our customers, pay the same high shipping charges from our distributors to get the items to our location so we can reship them to you, pay for the packaging materials including printer ink, paper, packaging tape. We pay for the gas and mileage to get our customer's items to the post office and, we NEVER make a profit on these items or our time which averages 10-15 minutes per customer.
We are a small family business. It is our work at home business and only main source of income. We are raising and trying to support our families just like you are. Many sellers on Ebay used to be like that until Ebay started wooing the big box stores because of the millions of dollars in fees they get from their listings. The little guys like us now have to compete against them. We continue to stay on Ebay out of necessity because a $1 profit on something is better than $0. We have to sell high volume to make ends meet and that is what we do. We work long hours, often corresponding with our customers way after our bedtimes, especially our international customers whose timezones are completely the opposite of ours. Our prices are some of the lowest on the internet and we finally, after 6 years online, raised them 10% this last year even though our supplier has raised their prices every year.
This is the first penalty we have received in 6 years since selling online with Ebay. We have maintained 100% positive feedback, thanks to our customers who appreciate us. That is not easy to do and we know that at any time that can change. We never take that for granted. We are very upset about this first ever drop in our rating because of this new star system (and lack of the ability to explain it to our customers on our webpages) as it is costing us hundreds of dollars in extra fees. We are being penalized for three months. In other words, even though we have gotten all five star ratings recently, we have to wait for three months until the bad ratings “fall off” as Ebay put it. Within that three months, if we get penalized again, we will have to wait another 3 months and so on. What's even worse is that some sellers are on the 12 month time period. If they get a bad rating within the 12 months, that stays on their record for a whole year! This is almost like health insurance for those who have preexisting conditions. If you go for 11 months without going to the doctors for a preexisting condition that you have and then in the 12th month have to go out of necessity, you are penalized and your preexisting condition rating starts all over again for another 12 months. It's just not a fair system.
Our International customers will still be able to purchase from our website if we leave Ebay or stop selling internationally: http://shop.nubysippycup.com On our website we have lower shipping charges on average because we don't have to worry about paying the Ebay fees. We still have to pay Paypal fees which average $1.50-$2.00 per international sale and higher depending on the total cost of the items. Ebay takes 10% off of the selling price and now, this year, they are also taking an additional 10% off the shipping charges. In our opinion, which we and thousands of other small businesses have voiced to Ebay, it is unfair and outrageous. Ebay is a multi-billion dollar company and so is Paypal. Ebay owns Paypal or Paypal owns Ebay and that is also why, over the past few years, Ebay has not allowed us to accept any other form of payment such as checks or money orders because they can't make a fee on those forms of payment. Our customers lose our and we lose out on extra orders because of that. Ebay and Paypal, once again, benefit just like they did from us losing our top seller rating. They are making an extra $300 in fees from us over the next 3 months.
We feel that we should be able to at least explain the star system in a paragraph on our listings but we are warned if we even try. So this is our feeble attempt to let you know, as a customer, that we value your business but we also would like you to know how to rate us on the shipping and handling times and charges. Once again, if we get the package to the PO within 24-48 hours (or whatever time the website states), then we have done our job. We always pay for and provide a customs form number or tracking (USA) to show when we drop the packages off. Look for that date to rate us.
If you placed the order and you saw all of the charges up front, then please be content with that. If you don't agree with the charges, while keeping in mind that we are losing money on the shipping charges, then we would hope that you would reconsider ordering from us rather than giving us a lower star rating for something you already agreed to. The fact that we are willing to take the associated risks so far on shipping international packages should tell you something about us. We care about your families as well and know that you need the products. Help us to stay online by rating us correctly and contacting your postal services if there is a postal question or issue instead.
If we did a bad job, then all we ask is that you contact us BEFORE YOU LEAVE FEEDBACK and that if you do contact us that you don't accuse us of being scammers, or swear at us, or not think before you speak. 99% of our customers are polite and kind and do realize that we are all human and make mistakes but there are the small few who don't understand that mistakes can be made.
Thank you for reading our post and considering all that we have stated here. We hope to continue to sell online for many years in the future.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Do You Need Business Bookkeeping For Your Ebay Business?
Business bookkeeping is essential on Ebay or for any online business. The mistake I made when I got started was thinking my business would not grow so rapidly, but even though it started out just as selling a few things here and there, when I found my market niches, it started to grow. I wasn't really paying attention to the amount of additional work that would be caused by my finances, but I wish I did.
Every year at tax time I'd be in a panic because I literally had a weeks worth of work to do. I know what you're thinking. . .I should have kept up with this all along. Yes, I do agree. In the beginning of my Ebay business, that would have been possible without help. But now, forget it. I am not a numbers person because I don't like to do any type of accounting. So now I let OUTRIGHT, a convenient and affordable (free if you choose it to be) online business bookkeeping service do most of my work for me. Right now I am not paying anything for this service. I sell on several different sites. Outright combines all of the figures from those sites into different categories and shows the basic profit and loss statement. I will be upgrading soon because I need some additional help.
I would encourage you, if you are just starting out, to sign up for OUTRIGHT right at the start of your business. You will save yourself a whole lot of time.
Every year at tax time I'd be in a panic because I literally had a weeks worth of work to do. I know what you're thinking. . .I should have kept up with this all along. Yes, I do agree. In the beginning of my Ebay business, that would have been possible without help. But now, forget it. I am not a numbers person because I don't like to do any type of accounting. So now I let OUTRIGHT, a convenient and affordable (free if you choose it to be) online business bookkeeping service do most of my work for me. Right now I am not paying anything for this service. I sell on several different sites. Outright combines all of the figures from those sites into different categories and shows the basic profit and loss statement. I will be upgrading soon because I need some additional help.
I would encourage you, if you are just starting out, to sign up for OUTRIGHT right at the start of your business. You will save yourself a whole lot of time.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Finding People With Skills to Help You Run Your Ebay Business
You've started your Ebay business and things are going really well for you. You find that your once part-time position has turned into a full-time position. You have some extra funds and you no longer want to work a full day. Instead, you make a list of things or tasks that you would like to have others handle for you. Now you have your list, but you really don't know where to go next. The important thing isn't just placing an ad just anywhere, but on sites that are spam free and can actually provide talent for the skills you need.
There is a company that offers a unique way to find part-time or full-time talent. Everything is done online. You join for free and then make an agreement with the person you are going to hire and the company takes a small percentage (certainly less than the Ebay fees!) out of the final candidate's payment. The company name is SideSkills. It's a freelance marketplace and a great way to find talent through people you already know and by building a network of other contacts that will help you identify people who are seeking positions within the skill levels you are seeking. The site is easy to use and they offer step by step video tutorials as well to help you get started.
You should check out this site if you are looking for someone to help you in your Ebay business, to help build you a small website to help you get off Ebay or enhance your Ebay business, to help you design a logo, or write articles pointing to your Ebay products and even more. No more spam replies sent to you, only qualified candidates based on your own criteria.
There is a company that offers a unique way to find part-time or full-time talent. Everything is done online. You join for free and then make an agreement with the person you are going to hire and the company takes a small percentage (certainly less than the Ebay fees!) out of the final candidate's payment. The company name is SideSkills. It's a freelance marketplace and a great way to find talent through people you already know and by building a network of other contacts that will help you identify people who are seeking positions within the skill levels you are seeking. The site is easy to use and they offer step by step video tutorials as well to help you get started.
You should check out this site if you are looking for someone to help you in your Ebay business, to help build you a small website to help you get off Ebay or enhance your Ebay business, to help you design a logo, or write articles pointing to your Ebay products and even more. No more spam replies sent to you, only qualified candidates based on your own criteria.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Why Credit is Important When Starting An Ebay Business
When starting an online business, including an Ebay business, it is important to have an established line of credit available for your use. This line could be in the form of a credit card, a personal loan, cash or a home equity loan. You will need the funds to be able to purchase items from a wholesale vendor if you want to make the most money on Ebay.
Selling stuff from around your house can be a great start, but it is just that. . . a start. Once you run out of items to sell from your house, your Ebay business will slow to a screeching halt. That's when you can start selling stuff from family and friends, however, that is extremely time consuming compared to actually trying to figure out a product that you can buy in bulk from a wholesaler and resell. When you run out of their stuff, then it's time to evaluate where your interests lie and find a wholesaler who can help you achieve your dream.
Once you have a product (or products) in mind, you will need to contact a wholesaler or distributor to buy your items at the lowest costs. In order to do that though, you will need to make sure that you have good credit. You can get a free credit score and a credit report very quickly online. It's always a wise idea to know up front what type of credit you have simply because most vendors are going to be concerned about whether or not you have the ability to pay.
When dealing with a distributor or wholesaler, you will need to fill out an application and provide references as well as bank account information. If you already have good credit, even if you have never done business online or don't have any vendor references, the distributors will more than likely give you a starting line of credit. Sometimes they ask you to pay via cash, check, or credit card for a few months to make sure you are legitimate. When they see that you are paying them regularly, they will then establish a line of credit with you.
If you already have vendors you have been dealing with, you can use those vendors as references to establish a line of credit. It doesn't hurt to keep up with your credit score by getting a credit report periodically to make sure all is well and no one else has accessed any of your information.
Once you have worked with your first vendor online, it's much easier to find other wholesale products and get decent lines of credit for future sales and earnings on Ebay.
Selling stuff from around your house can be a great start, but it is just that. . . a start. Once you run out of items to sell from your house, your Ebay business will slow to a screeching halt. That's when you can start selling stuff from family and friends, however, that is extremely time consuming compared to actually trying to figure out a product that you can buy in bulk from a wholesaler and resell. When you run out of their stuff, then it's time to evaluate where your interests lie and find a wholesaler who can help you achieve your dream.
Once you have a product (or products) in mind, you will need to contact a wholesaler or distributor to buy your items at the lowest costs. In order to do that though, you will need to make sure that you have good credit. You can get a free credit score and a credit report very quickly online. It's always a wise idea to know up front what type of credit you have simply because most vendors are going to be concerned about whether or not you have the ability to pay.
When dealing with a distributor or wholesaler, you will need to fill out an application and provide references as well as bank account information. If you already have good credit, even if you have never done business online or don't have any vendor references, the distributors will more than likely give you a starting line of credit. Sometimes they ask you to pay via cash, check, or credit card for a few months to make sure you are legitimate. When they see that you are paying them regularly, they will then establish a line of credit with you.
If you already have vendors you have been dealing with, you can use those vendors as references to establish a line of credit. It doesn't hurt to keep up with your credit score by getting a credit report periodically to make sure all is well and no one else has accessed any of your information.
Once you have worked with your first vendor online, it's much easier to find other wholesale products and get decent lines of credit for future sales and earnings on Ebay.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Where can I find a good Drop Ship Company? Save Money for Yourself and Sell On Ebay
Where can I find a good drop ship company?
Drop shipping is a standard on may Ebay sites. Most ebay sellers cannot afford to house thousands of dollars of merchandise unless they have their own warehouse (which some do). Others have smaller inventories they store in their homes when they have room in their house or garage.
Drop shipping is the alternate favorite. To drop ship simply means that you are listing products for another company and when your buyer orders, you are sending your buyers information to the drop ship company that actually has the product. The drop shipper takes care of everything for you. They package it and ship it under YOUR name so that you get the credit for it. You pay the drop ship company a small fee and you keep all of the rest of the profit.
In addition, when you drop ship, you will be amazed at the low cost of the products. You can purchase these products for yourself to use as well. You will save hundreds, if not thousands on purchases over a period of time. You can also make money telling others about the drop shipping company so they can save too. You get a commission when someone you tell decides to sign up. It's a win win for everyone involved.
So put drop shipping on your list of things to check out if you want to sell on Amazon, Ebay, Craigslist, to your friend, family, neighbors, or even in a home show. Use your creativity and imagination and you could go far. How can you find a good drop ship company? Check out the banners on this site. There are two really good ones. Salehoo and the drop ship company you See listed in the banner at the beginning of this site.
Drop shipping is a standard on may Ebay sites. Most ebay sellers cannot afford to house thousands of dollars of merchandise unless they have their own warehouse (which some do). Others have smaller inventories they store in their homes when they have room in their house or garage.
Drop shipping is the alternate favorite. To drop ship simply means that you are listing products for another company and when your buyer orders, you are sending your buyers information to the drop ship company that actually has the product. The drop shipper takes care of everything for you. They package it and ship it under YOUR name so that you get the credit for it. You pay the drop ship company a small fee and you keep all of the rest of the profit.
In addition, when you drop ship, you will be amazed at the low cost of the products. You can purchase these products for yourself to use as well. You will save hundreds, if not thousands on purchases over a period of time. You can also make money telling others about the drop shipping company so they can save too. You get a commission when someone you tell decides to sign up. It's a win win for everyone involved.
So put drop shipping on your list of things to check out if you want to sell on Amazon, Ebay, Craigslist, to your friend, family, neighbors, or even in a home show. Use your creativity and imagination and you could go far. How can you find a good drop ship company? Check out the banners on this site. There are two really good ones. Salehoo and the drop ship company you See listed in the banner at the beginning of this site.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Buying Ebay Information Products
There are literally thousands of ebooks and books available about buying and selling on Ebay. When you are purchasing Ebay information products, your goal is to learn something from every ebook, video or audio that you purchase.
Most information products offer you a 60 day or more money back guarantee. In all of my years on the internet, I have only returned three or four products because I felt that they provided no real direction. The majority of them, I keep. I also feel a bit obligated if I used any of their suggestions from their material to be honest about it and not ask for a refund. Just about every publication you order will offer something new. If it doesn't, then send it back.
There is NO magic potion that will make you an ebay powerseller or ebay seller overnight. In fact, it may take years to build a business that supports you. The only exception to that is for the person who has money to spend on inventory up front or a major corporation that already exists. Those types of individuals can start up quickly and earn lots of money on Ebay.
You will need to read many types of books on buying ebay information products. You will need information on how to set up your ebay business to attract buyers, how to make your pictures more appealing, how to build lists of potential buyers, how to set up your ebay store and much more. A lot of this information is free on the internet, but it's also very time consuming to find it. When someone has taken the time to compile the information, it's well worth the money. I often equate it to how much my time is worth per hour vs doing the research for something.
Most information products offer you a 60 day or more money back guarantee. In all of my years on the internet, I have only returned three or four products because I felt that they provided no real direction. The majority of them, I keep. I also feel a bit obligated if I used any of their suggestions from their material to be honest about it and not ask for a refund. Just about every publication you order will offer something new. If it doesn't, then send it back.
There is NO magic potion that will make you an ebay powerseller or ebay seller overnight. In fact, it may take years to build a business that supports you. The only exception to that is for the person who has money to spend on inventory up front or a major corporation that already exists. Those types of individuals can start up quickly and earn lots of money on Ebay.
You will need to read many types of books on buying ebay information products. You will need information on how to set up your ebay business to attract buyers, how to make your pictures more appealing, how to build lists of potential buyers, how to set up your ebay store and much more. A lot of this information is free on the internet, but it's also very time consuming to find it. When someone has taken the time to compile the information, it's well worth the money. I often equate it to how much my time is worth per hour vs doing the research for something.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Working Everyday Buying and Selling on Ebay
Working Everyday Buying and Selling on Ebay can be a way to make some extra money every month.
You can get great deals at odd times of the day or with middle of the night or late night ending auctions. You can buy low and then resell the same item. I've done that many times.
The key to some success when you are first starting is to find items that you do not have to pay for or have already been paid for that are just lying around your house. Ask family and friends for items that are in good shape that they are no longer using or that they want to give away. Offer to clean out an old attic in exchange for being able to keep some of the items you find.
Don't get too crazy though. Not everything you think is great will sell. What you should do is take a picture of items that you think you want to sell with your cell phone. Take a look to see if the item has a unique signature and make a note of it. Sit at a computer and do a little research to see if your item is being sold on Ebay already. Make sure you have opened an Ebay account. Once you have, login. Type in the name of your item. You will hopefully get some search results. Make sure your spelling is correct the first time or even use a common misspelling to find your item (that's a secret to getting some good deals when buying). Then, go to the left column and find the words "completed listings". Hit the search bar again with your keywords (your item description or title).
Once you see the completed listings in green, that will give you some idea if your item will sell and if so, how much it sold for. If it looks like a good seller, bring it home with you and take pictures. Then look at the existing listings that have sold. Don't copy the other listings exactly and don't steal their pictures. You can create a similar listing in your own words. Be descriptive, not corny. Your title should be descriptive as well. Don't put words like "LOOK" or SCREAM AT YOUR BUYERS IN CAPITAL LETTERS!. Just describe: vintage japanese cloisoinne vase new in box (for example). Put lots of pictures in your auction.
Every day, find an item by doing this same type of research. By working a little bit everyday either buying discounted items and then reselling them or selling items you have on Ebay, you can make extra money, even with the Ebay and paypal fees.
You can get great deals at odd times of the day or with middle of the night or late night ending auctions. You can buy low and then resell the same item. I've done that many times.
The key to some success when you are first starting is to find items that you do not have to pay for or have already been paid for that are just lying around your house. Ask family and friends for items that are in good shape that they are no longer using or that they want to give away. Offer to clean out an old attic in exchange for being able to keep some of the items you find.
Don't get too crazy though. Not everything you think is great will sell. What you should do is take a picture of items that you think you want to sell with your cell phone. Take a look to see if the item has a unique signature and make a note of it. Sit at a computer and do a little research to see if your item is being sold on Ebay already. Make sure you have opened an Ebay account. Once you have, login. Type in the name of your item. You will hopefully get some search results. Make sure your spelling is correct the first time or even use a common misspelling to find your item (that's a secret to getting some good deals when buying). Then, go to the left column and find the words "completed listings". Hit the search bar again with your keywords (your item description or title).
Once you see the completed listings in green, that will give you some idea if your item will sell and if so, how much it sold for. If it looks like a good seller, bring it home with you and take pictures. Then look at the existing listings that have sold. Don't copy the other listings exactly and don't steal their pictures. You can create a similar listing in your own words. Be descriptive, not corny. Your title should be descriptive as well. Don't put words like "LOOK" or SCREAM AT YOUR BUYERS IN CAPITAL LETTERS!. Just describe: vintage japanese cloisoinne vase new in box (for example). Put lots of pictures in your auction.
Every day, find an item by doing this same type of research. By working a little bit everyday either buying discounted items and then reselling them or selling items you have on Ebay, you can make extra money, even with the Ebay and paypal fees.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Understanding Handling Charges On Ebay
Many times Ebayers will send emails asking why the handling charges are so high. From the sellers standpoint, most of the times, handling charges are actually way too low.
Ebay and paypal fees have gone up dramatically. In my own experience, I take a loss on shipping every time I sell something. In order to remain competitive in my niche, I have to keep the handling charges low.
Ebay is now charging 9% of the selling price as their final value fee when something is listed as fixed price or store. There is a listing fee up front of apx. 20-30 cents, plus a fee charged of around 75 cents to a dollar for paypal. International fees are even higher on paypal.
Handling charges on Ebay include such things as: covering at least a portion of the Ebay and Paypal fees; packaging materials, ie. bubble wrap, tissue paper, tape, plastic envelopes, printer ink for the receipts, business card enclosures, free gift enclosures; post office delivery including gas to get to and from the post office, time in the post office; and time. . . that's where the biggest loss occurs. You can never be compensated for your time on Ebay. If you did, the handling charge would be several dollars higher.
My pet peeve is when customers who order bicker about the shipping and handling charges. The way I look at it personally is this. When I order from Ebay, I am having the seller provide a service. I don't have to get in my car and spend gas money and time going to a store to find something. The average trip may take an hour. My time is worth much more than the $2-$3 handling fee that is being charged. I don't have to leave my house. The work has already been done. The seller is my slave. What more could I ask for?
Understand that as a seller, you need to make a statement on your website that explains what is included in your shipping and handling charges. Then tell the buyer not to order if they cannot agree with the charges. This sounds harsh, but if you don't make it clear, you will be contacted and argued with. That takes up more time that you are not being compensated for.
Think about it. It's your choice. Just say it in a nice way to help your buyers understand your handling charges when you sell on Ebay.
Ebay and paypal fees have gone up dramatically. In my own experience, I take a loss on shipping every time I sell something. In order to remain competitive in my niche, I have to keep the handling charges low.
Ebay is now charging 9% of the selling price as their final value fee when something is listed as fixed price or store. There is a listing fee up front of apx. 20-30 cents, plus a fee charged of around 75 cents to a dollar for paypal. International fees are even higher on paypal.
Handling charges on Ebay include such things as: covering at least a portion of the Ebay and Paypal fees; packaging materials, ie. bubble wrap, tissue paper, tape, plastic envelopes, printer ink for the receipts, business card enclosures, free gift enclosures; post office delivery including gas to get to and from the post office, time in the post office; and time. . . that's where the biggest loss occurs. You can never be compensated for your time on Ebay. If you did, the handling charge would be several dollars higher.
My pet peeve is when customers who order bicker about the shipping and handling charges. The way I look at it personally is this. When I order from Ebay, I am having the seller provide a service. I don't have to get in my car and spend gas money and time going to a store to find something. The average trip may take an hour. My time is worth much more than the $2-$3 handling fee that is being charged. I don't have to leave my house. The work has already been done. The seller is my slave. What more could I ask for?
Understand that as a seller, you need to make a statement on your website that explains what is included in your shipping and handling charges. Then tell the buyer not to order if they cannot agree with the charges. This sounds harsh, but if you don't make it clear, you will be contacted and argued with. That takes up more time that you are not being compensated for.
Think about it. It's your choice. Just say it in a nice way to help your buyers understand your handling charges when you sell on Ebay.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Ebay - What is a True Niche Market?
If you are going to start an Ebay business and you want it to be successful, you must choose a market niche. A market niche is not golf, hunting, cars, clothing, etc.. That is a market segment. A true ebay market niche digs much deeper. Lets take golf for example. Golf is very popular and there is lots of money to be made online. If you try to compete with just "golf" being your true niche market, you will never get anywhere close to the first page of google any time soon. How about "golf clubs"? Same thing. . . it won't get you near the first page of google. How about "Arnold Palmer golf clubs?" Now you're getting closer to a true market niche.
What would you think about "Arnold Palmer golf putter"? Drilling down, down, down and making the market niche the smallest you can get it so that it still has traffic is the way to go. Find your distributor and use the right keywords to get yourself on the first page of google. Become an expert in that niche by writing articles about the putter and watch yourself get closer to the first page over time.
What would you think about "Arnold Palmer golf putter"? Drilling down, down, down and making the market niche the smallest you can get it so that it still has traffic is the way to go. Find your distributor and use the right keywords to get yourself on the first page of google. Become an expert in that niche by writing articles about the putter and watch yourself get closer to the first page over time.
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