What’s Your eBay Worst Offer?

I have a good time discussing eBay Best Offers (and worst offers) with other sellers. Sometimes the offer is so low it just makes you laugh. Here is the craziest eBay offer I have ever received. (This same seller offered me a Toyota car fender for the item last week.)

“Hello .... I am an inventor

I am doing marketing research on a paint by numbers related product.
I need some examples of pbn artword for this research.

My offer to buy your painting is based on the USEFULNESS of that
artwork in the R and D program NOT on art market value or quality.

I am an inventor involved in product development and marketing
NOT an art collector or speculator.

OFFER EXPLANATION .... My offer to buy is based on a shipping
allowance + artwork allowance = total offer. EXAMPLE ....
$8 shipping + $10 artwork = $18 total offer. I you decide to accept
my offer PLEASE remove the artwork from the frame if included
in order to MINIMIZE shipping costs and MAXIMIZE your profit.
PLEASE KEEP THE FRAME AS A THANK YOU BONUS.

PAYMENT WILL BE THRU PAYPAL.

At the conclusion of this project I intend to have a CLEARANCE
SALE on Ebay to make room for the next project .... Artwork will
be priced about what I paid for it for quick sale .... you may be able
to buy it back for the price you sold it or less.

PLEASE KEEP ME IN YOUR DATA BASE .... If you decline my
offer but can't sell your artwork PLEASE send me an Email at
.... boggild@zoomtown.com ....

THANK YOU for your time and consideration.”

All I can really say to this is, “Thank you for letting me keep my frame as a bonus!”

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How to Avoid Scams by eBay Buyers

What to Sell on eBay – Burt’s Bees Brand

Burt’s Bees started back in 1984 as a candle company operating out of Maine. Candles were made from beeswax as a spin-off of Burt’s honey business. The founders, Roxanne and Burt, attended local craft fairs to sell their products. Sales reached $20,000 at the end of their first year. The company continued to grow over the years, incorporated in 1991, moved its headquarters to North Carolina, and began focusing on natural personal care products more so than candles. Burt’s Bees products are known today as one of the most trusted companies offering natural personal care products and consumers can find Burt’s Bees products in a variety of retail stores including grocery stores, Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreens, Whole Foods, and Cracker Barrel restaurants.

If you keep your eyes open and your radar on, you can find Burt’s Bees items on clearance sometimes at any of the above locations. I often see them in Walgreens marked down to 75% off the regular retail price. For the highest profit when reselling, you will want to look for the more expensive items with the biggest discounts. (Make your money when you buy, not when you sell!) Here are a few examples of products to look for:

Burt's bees radiance eye crème. I found this at Walgreens on sale for $5.99 a jar. I sold both jars on Amazon (through FBA) within 3 weeks for $22.92 each, for a profit of $11 each. I found 2 jars of it at one store. Not a bad flip! Here is the current info on Amazon for this product:



Burt’s Bees Baby Bee products. When I was selling heavily on eBay UK, I sold quite a bit of the baby products including diaper rash ointment, bubble bath, shampoo, and dusting powder. Here is a listing on eBay for a lot of 12 buttermilk lotions with a free gift:




Burt’s Bees Sunscreen. I’ve been seeing this on clearance quite a bit lately since we are at the end of summer. Look for this in the grocery store, health and beauty aisle. There is usually a special section just for the Burt’s Bees products. You may be able to double your investment by selling on eBay, but you will definitely make more selling this product on Amazon. Be sure to check the expiration dates before purchasing!

For more ideas on what sells well on both eBay and Amazon, join my Facebook Group with over 2,500 online sellers networking and sharing ideas.

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Source for eBay Inventory – Walgreens

Learn to Sell on Amazon – FBA Recipe for Success

Selling Off-Season Items on eBay – Ice Skates

I often see discussions on different eBay groups and forums about selling off season items on eBay. Remember, eBay is a global community and if you are open to shipping internationally, it is never really “off season” as someone is living in the right climate to use your product right now.



Just to prove this point, I checked on what seems like an off season product right now (in August) – figure skates. Here are a few completed eBay listings for ice skates and figure skates. All of these items are in used condition and could be found at garage sales, thrift stores, or maybe even in your own home.



Klingbeil Ice Women’s Ice Skates – sold for $120 ($15 shipping)





Riddell Women’s Ice Skates – sold for $90 ($20 shipping)





Jackson Artiste Women’s Ice Skates – Sold for $95 ($14.67 shipping)





My motto is, “If you have it, list it!” There is a buyer for everything on eBay. Don’t assume that everyone shops, thinks, or plans the same way you do. Although ice skating may be the furthest thing from your mind right now, there are people out there right now looking forward to winter sports and shopping for off season items. Why not be the seller who thinks ahead and provides these items for those buyers?





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Summer Clearance Items to Sell on eBay



Thrift Store Item to Sell on eBay – Alpaca Sweaters

Amazon Toy Selling Guidelines for Holiday 2011 Season

Amazon recently announced its requirements for holiday toy sellers. If you plan to take advantage of the Amazon platform selling toys this holiday season, it is time to get it in gear! Orders fulfilled by Amazon will not be subject to the holiday season restrictions, provided your account is in good standing. So, these guidelines only apply if you are shipping the items yourself. (Keep in mind that as time runs short before Christmas, you may want to merchant fill some orders. There simply won’t be enough time to ship your items to FBA, and then have Amazon ship to the final customer. For last minute sales, you will want to ship items yourself.)



Effective November 15, 2011, only those sellers who meet the following performance criteria will be eligible to sell in Toys & Games from November 15, 2011, through the first week in January 2012:

Seller's first sale on Amazon.com must be prior to 09/19/11 (sale does not need to be Toy-specific)

Seller must have processed and shipped at least 25 orders (do not need to be Toy-specific) during the 60 consecutive days preceding 11/1/2011.

No greater than 1% short-term order defect rate as of 11/1/2011.

No greater than 2.5% pre-fulfillment cancel rate for the trailing 30 days preceding 11/1/2011.

No greater than 5% late shipment rate for the trailing 30 days preceding 11/1/2011.

Click here to check your metrics and verify these rates on your seller account.



Amazon will provide final notification about your eligibility to sell in the Toys & Games store by the middle of November. Effective September 19, 2011, no new sellers will be approved to sell in the Toys & Games store until the holiday restrictions have been lifted.



Amazon sets these guidelines because customers have higher expectations for delivery during the busy holiday season. Amazon wants to make sure that new sellers are performing up to their standards before allowing them to sell during the busy season.



These restrictions do not apply to FBA sellers since Amazon assumes the burden for proper shipping, delivery time, and post transactional customer service.



Click here to read the complete announcement.



If you have not yet ventured into Amazon or FBA, here are some resources:



Free Report – Amazon FBA 90 Day Experiment



Amazon FBA Tutorials



Amazon FBA Revenue Calculator



Amazon FBA Recipe for Success

Seeking eBay Sellers for eBay Reality Series

I was recently contacted by Alex Tresniowski, a senior writer for People Magazine. Alex is working with eBay on a web reality series to profile certain eBay users who have sold common items they had in their homes and used the extra money to make a small but meaningful change or upgrade in their lives.



Specifically, he is looking for mothers and fathers between the ages of 20 and 40, and also single mothers and fathers roughly in that age range. Alex is seeking stories from people who have unearthed some hidden treasure in their home—a gift they never used, their kids' old clothes, other common stuff they initially thought had no value—and sold it on eBay, then used the extra money to pay for something they couldn't otherwise afford: ballet lessons for their daughter, a new Sony Gameboy for their son, painting the living room, etc.



To share your eBay story and find out more about the web series, please email Alex at alexandertres@aol.com and he will get right back to you. This is a great opportunity to show the world how great eBay can be!



Alex will keep us posted on the series as it develops and when it launches online.

Amazon Pending Orders – Red Flags to Watch for

Many Amazon sellers are addicted to watching their pending sales. I have the pending screen bookmarked on my desktop computer, iPad, and iPhone. Checking pending orders is more than just being excited about what’s selling, it is a way to gauge the demand and popularity of an item and make more money because you are “in the know.”



When an item is in “pending,” it means that a buyer has committed to the purchase. If he purchased multiple items from different sellers, he may have checked the option to have his order sent in as few shipments as possible. If this is the case, your item is marked “pending” until the complete order ships. The buyer may also be waiting for other items to be included in his order and chooses to wait for it to ship. Items can be held in pending status for several weeks sometimes.



If you are not checking your pending sales, you are missing valuable information about Amazon buyer demand. Let’s say your FBA order hits the warehouse and you have some products in the box that you have never sold before. You want to pay close attention to how quickly those products are snapped up by buyers and how many each buyer wants. For example, a few weeks ago I sent in a seasonal food product. As soon as the order hit the warehouse, all 6 of them went into pending, 3 units going to 2 different buyers. By keeping an eye on my pending orders, I was able to determine that this product was hot, buyers wanted it, and I should go get more as quickly as possible. If I had waited until I received the “Amazon has shipped the item you sold” email, I could have missed the opportunity to purchase and resell some of this product, because the items didn’t actually ship out of FBA until a week later.



To check pending orders:





Click here for more information on using Amazon’s FBA program.

Summer Clearance Items to Sell on eBay

Even though temperatures are still in the 90’s here in Atlanta, we are already seeing signs for Summer Clearance. You may be thinking summer clearance is only bathing suits and pool floats, but it can be much more. Don’t let the climate where you live limit your ability to think outside the box and consider selling summer clearance items all year. Remember that we live in a global economy and your target customer could live anywhere. Here are some ideas for items to look for, even though it may not make sense at first:



Swim diapers. Don’t assume that babies and toddlers won’t need swim diapers at other times of the year. You may live up north and might be thinking that no one will be using swim diapers during cold weather, but plenty of children take indoor swimming lessons year round. Or maybe Grandma lives in Florida and has a heated pool and she keeps swim diapers on hand for the grandchildren when they visit. Or perhaps a family is planning a Disney cruise in January and needs to pack swim diapers and can’t find them locally. They will be looking online for them.



Gardening supplies. Just yesterday in Big Lots I saw all sorts of gardening and lawn supplies marked down to 80% off the regular price. Examples include pesticides, weed killer, and yellow jacket traps. These items could be purchased by consumers living in warm climates year round.



Canning supplies. I am starting to see these items in grocery stores. Here in Georgia, we still have another month or so of “canning season” as the vegetables are still coming in strong. The stores are making room for back to school and Halloween displays. Canning enthusiasts can use these items for another 6 weeks, maybe longer. Don’t assume that because an item is on clearance locally that it won’t sell nationally or even internationally.



Look for opportunities, not obstacles!



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Source for eBay Inventory – Famous Footwear



Local Sourcing for eBay Inventory – Salvage Stores

Update on eBay Outright Accounting Software

Many eBay sellers and Outright users are about to be positively affected by a big change. Beginning later this week, Outright sellers will be able to automatically integrate transactions from PayPal AND eBay, meaning that Outright will import your eBay transaction details AND shipping costs automatically for the first time ever.

A survey we conducted in April showed that Outright users were saving an average of 5 hours per month on bookkeeping. This change will help users save even more time as now they don't have to manually enter shipping costs!

Historically, customers had to choose between importing from eBay or PayPal, because using both would have created duplicate transactions. Some users chose to only use PayPal, and for them, everything should remain fine. For those importing only from eBay, you will be presented with a choice to add PayPal as a source of data.

Here's what it means when you add PayPal:

1. You will now get shipping costs to go along with your sales and shipping collected information, giving you a more complete picture of your business without the extra data entry. This will only apply to sales that occur going forward - we won't be importing historical shipping costs, for fear of creating duplicates. Click here to learn more.

2. You will also see the outstanding fee balance in your eBay account (it will be listed under "Money I Owe" on the Overview screen,) and be able to drill in to view the fees there. More information can be found here.

3. Going forward, in addition to the individual eBay fees, you will also see the total monthly amount paid to eBay. Those transactions will show up with the category "Transfer", which means it's just movement of money between accounts, and does not impact your profit and loss. Your individual eBay fees will continue to show up as business expenses.

4. From the day you choose to add PayPal going forward, your shipping costs will show up under a new category called, surprise, "shipping costs." If you have been tracking shipping costs manually, and have another category name, you can choose to merge the two using a simple process outlined here.

5. If you use your PayPal account for non-business related expenses, those transactions will also be imported. To quickly and easily remove them, use our "multi-edit" feature described here: and change the category to "personal expense."

Don’t Panic! It is Just the July Slump!

Have your sales been slow this month? Excruciatingly slow? If the answer is yes, you are not alone. July is notoriously the slowest month for online sales. It is important to understand that sales occur in cycles. Right now we are in a valley. Everything comes to a screeching halt in July – home sales, car sale, and retail sales. It is the nature of the beast. Understand that this too shall pass and avoid going into panic mode.

I see many sellers panicking right now. They are drastically marking down their inventory as if buyers will never come back. They have stopped shopping for inventory. Some have even contemplated quitting their online business altogether. This is not necessary! Take a deep breath and repeat, “This too shall pass.”

Your panic is understandable if you rely on eBay and Amazon to earn your living. The best course of action right now is to regroup and get ready for fall and holiday sales. Also, remember this time so that next July you will be prepared and know that the slowdown in sales is only temporary. There is really nothing we can do to make buyers purchase our items. But, we can use this time wisely to grow our businesses and prepare for the busy fall season. Here are some suggestions on how to pass the time while you are waiting for those “Your item has sold!” emails:

1. Organize your inventory. Are your shelves and bins a mess? Use this time to get organized so that when you start shipping 10-20 packages a day, everything will be in order.

2. Stock up on supplies. Go to USPS.com and order free Priority supplies, look on Craigslist for ads for free bubble wrap and boxes, make sure you have plenty of shipping labels and printer ink. Take an inventory of your supplies and restock for the busy months ahead.

3. Investigate or read about something new you have wanted to try. Maybe you have been thinking about selling on Amazon but don’t know where to start. (Now is a great time to learn about selling on Amazon – come join my Facebook group and chat with us!) Maybe you have wanted to try international shipping but need to learn how it works. Expand your horizons. Take this slow time to learn and grow, rather than waste energy worrying and fretting about not getting sales.

4. Explore consignment arrangements. There are many benefits to selling on consignment. The most appealing (to me) is the fact that you don’t have to buy inventory. You sell things for other people for a commission. You put in the time and work, but it doesn’t cost money out of your pocket. Click here for a complete course on how to expand your online business to include consignment clients.

5. Shop for inventory. Stock up on items to sell whether you are selling on eBay or Amazon. Regardless of if people are buying now, you are going to need inventory to sell in the coming months.

6. Read books that will improve your business skills. I recommend:

1. How to Sell at Margins Higher than Your Competitors
   
2. Why we Buy
   
3. Barcode Booty
   

Keep yourself busy doing productive tasks over the next 2-3 weeks and don’t worry! Back to school and holiday shopping time is just around the corner.

Beware of eBay Trading Assistant Scam

I’ve seen this scam several times with my clients, and last week, they hit me. The scam goes as follows:

You will receive an email like this, usually from a web based email account like Yahoo, Hotmail, or Gmail. It is usually in broken English with incorrect grammar. Below is the exact email I received:

I found your profile using eBay Trading Assistant Program and I'm offering a long term cooperation to you. I've agreements with different outlet stores in different states, that allows to get the brand new products for a much lower price. I've many business partners in different states, they help me to buy / ship off stuffs and they check its condition for some % from my profit that I get when I sell all this stuff using Ebay service. We ship completely different types of products (from ice skates to binoculars), the average price of the items is $300-$600. We usually use FedEx delivery service to ship off the packages and USPS (rarely). I'd like to know what is your fees structure. I usually choose money transactions through MoneyGram or Western Union as a payment method, because it's the most effective way for me and it's easy to send. It would be great, if you could provide this money-sending service for me. I'm really interested in cooperation with you. Let me know, if we can start immediately.

Sincerely,

Basically this person wants YOU to list items, send them money for the inventory, and then they will ship the items when sold. What’s really going to happen is that unsuspecting sellers will send them money and list items, then when a sale is made, there is no item shipped. Sellers will have to refund money to the eBay buyers. Another red flag is the use of Western Union or Money Gram. Never ever transact business with someone you don’t know using this service.

I knew what was going on here, so I sent the following reply, not expecting an answer:

Dear Sir,

Wow, this sounds like a fantastic business opportunity! I just need a few things from you before we go any further.

Your full name, address (street address, no PO boxes), and social security number or EIN, which ever you do business under.

A copy of your current driver's license.

A landline phone number where you can be reached.

We run a background check on all consignment clients and must be able to verify your identity, business address, and telephone number.

The business name you operate under, what city and state you are registered in, and a copy of your current business license.

We charge 25% of the sale price, and your eBay fees and Paypal fees will be deducted separately. The fee structure differs based on the sale price of the item. This usually comes out to about 60% of the sale price.

As soon as I get the requested documents from you, (you can just scan and email them, or fax to XXX), I will have my attorney draw up the paperwork / agreement and have it Fed Ex'd to the address you provide.

Looking forward to doing business,
Suzanne Wells

Of course, by adding words like “background check, business license, and attorney” you won’t hear from them again. Maybe if these crooks get enough of these types of emails they will go away. And in the event you get a response with any information you can verify, contact the authorities who handle fraud.

2011 Fall Seller Update

Did you receive your eBay seller update via email? If not, here are the highlights:

Get 25 extra characters in your title. The number of characters will be increased from 55 to 80. Remember, keywords in titles are how buyers find your listings. You will still need to follow the rules about keyword spamming, but a little extra room will allow for more descriptive words and hopefully, more visibility.

Return policy guidelines will be changing. Starting in 2012, you won’t be able to use the words “merchandise credit” or “exchange.” The verbiage will be changed to “money back, exchange, or no returns offered.”

Buyer Protection Cases will be handled differently. Beginning in August, if a buyer does not contact the seller before filing a claim, the case won’t be included in your performance rating. This is great news. How many times has a buyer filed a claim against you, and you didn’t even know there was a problem and could have quickly resolved it?

Click here to see the full 2011 Fall Seller Update.

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Big Lots is celebrating Friends and Family this weekend

Big Lots is celebrating Friends and Family this weekend, Saturday July 16 and Sunday July 17. On Saturday, 5pm-9pm, Buzz Club Rewards members will receive 20% off their purchase by scanning their Buzz Club Rewards Card. On Sunday, just present this printable coupon to receive 20% off your entire purchase.

Now, if you really want to "work the deal," hit multiple Big Lots in your area. The coupon can be printed multiple times as it is not tied to your specific Buzz Club card, it is just a generic printable coupon. Here is how I make the most of these coupon deals:

If you are unfamiliar with the locations of the Big Lots in your area, go to the website and enter your zip code to see the locations.

Create your battle plan. Make a route using the store addresses and Yahoo or Google Maps. I usually design my route in a big circle and hit about 4 Big Lots in one day.

If you go on Sunday, make sure you have printed multiple coupons so you have enough to use at each store you visit.

This is a great opportunity to stock up on items for your eBay and Amazon stores. Many Amazon FBA sellers rely heavily on Big Lots for inventory. Remember that Big Lots will accept returns within 30 days with the original receipt, as long as the item is in original condition. So if you over-buy, you can return some of your items. Also remember that if you are selling on Amazon FBA, you don’t have to send in all of your inventory at once. You can send in a few items, see how they perform, and decide if you want to send in the rest or return them.

For more information on selling on Amazon FBA, check out the Proven Amazon Course below. Now go get that coupon before you forget!

Looking for Inventory? Check Out a Black Friday Sale…in July!

Here is an event that will be a great way to stock up on inventory for eBay and Amazon stores!

During the summer, the “Back to School” sales are usually the ones to watch for. Target has decided to get a jump on the August/September sale season by adding a black Friday sale…in July! The “Back in Black Friday” is an online summer sale that will be held this week.

Beginning at 12 am PST Friday, Target will be marking down more than 1,500 items with discounts ranging up to 50% off. The sale ends at 11:59 pm Friday night. The online sale will have limited quantities of each sale item just like a Black Friday sale at an actual store. Like the traditional Black Friday sale, the early shopper gets the deal! You can preview some of the items that will be on sale by visiting Target.com/BlackFriday.

Since Target offers free shipping on more than 500,000 items with a $50 or more order, you can combine the great deals from the “Back in Black Friday” sale with the free shipping offer to save even more. For more details on this offer, visit the Target Free Shipping Offer page.

Niche Product - Zumba Dance Accessories

One of the newest exercise fads is Zumba. It is a workout that combines a variety of music with dance steps that tone your body and provide a great cardio workout. Zumba targets your arms, legs, and abs while you burn fat. Plus, it’s easy and fun – always a plus for exercise!

Zumba uses mostly Latin music, similar to the type you would hear in a dance club. It also mixes Latin dancing such as Salsa and Flamenco with aerobic moves, making Zumba exercise more fun than just using weights and a treadmill. Zumba is low impact as well, which means it is great for beginners and people with a more advanced fitness level.

Although Zumba was only developed in 2001, Zumba’s website states that their program is not only the largest dance and fitness program around, but that it is also the most successful one. They have over 12 million people in weekly classes all around the world.

Zumba’s popularity has led to the creation of a large variety of products which are sold in brick and mortar stores and internet stores such as Amazon and eBay. There are Zumba books, toning sticks, clothes, CDs, DVDs, shirts, shoes, and even dumbbells designed specifically for Zumba exercise. The amazing popularity of Zumba means that these products are hot sellers right now.

According to Terapeak, the word “Zumba” results in a 69% sell through rate over a 30 day period. You will see Zumba items in the categories of clothing, sporting goods, video games, and DVDs. A 69% STR indicates an item is very popular and will sell quickly.





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It Takes Money to Make Money

In order to succeed in online sales you have to spend money. While you can try to find free items to resell on sites such as Freecycle and Craigslist, it’s difficult and very time consuming. Unfortunately, there is no way to get around the need to purchase inventory in order to sell online. But, there are some guidelines that you can follow to save yourself money and still build a successful business.

Start by selling items that you have in your possession already. This lets you build up some cash to buy more inventory without creating debt. It can also motivate you because you won’t be able to keep any of your profits until your business grows. You’ll have a great reason to keep expenses low and stay focused.

Don’t quit your day job. By working during the day, you can pay your living expenses while building a replacement income on the side. This allows you to put all your initial profits back into your business. Be fair to your current employer though - don’t situate yourself as their competition and always make sure that your job performance isn’t affected.

While you may need cash to put into building your business, it’s always a good idea not to borrow from your friends and family. They may be happy to help, but getting money involved in your relationship can cause problems quickly.

If you are interested in a loan, the SBA’s Microloan Program can be a great option. The loan is administered through lenders in your local area. You will likely be required to put up collateral, and you will also need to make a personal guarantee. Most loans are for around $10,500; however, there are loans available for up to $35,000. If you are interested in finding a participating organization in your area, check out the Small Business Association’s website.


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eBay Apps for the iPhone

As iPhones become more and more popular, apps are being developed for just about everything. There are even apps that can help you with your online business.

One great option is the Terapeak app. Instead of buying inventory blindly, the Terapeak app will let you research the item to determine if it’s worth buying. You have the ability to search by time period, search by region, and even sort by price. Terapeak also lets you view similar items on eBay so you can easily tell which category you should list your item in. Click here for more information on Terapeak for eBay research.

eBay has also developed their own application for the iPhone. It lets you list and buy items directly from your phone. Plus, the app offers alerts so you know when an auction is about to end or someone has outbid you. You can also research items to find out the current selling price on eBay – this makes it easier to make purchases in stores and to buy inventory. You can even start your listing with information available online, and add pictures from your iPhone. Then you can share the completed listing on Twitter and Facebook.

Half.com has also developed an app that lets you scan a barcode to research prices on books, video games, DVDs, and other items. The majority of items that Half.com sells are textbooks, which makes the app especially useful for students and online book sellers. The Buying Wizard feature lets users sort their results by seller feedback and the condition of the item. It also offers the option to post items to Twitter and Facebook.

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Photo Placement is Important on eBay

If you are using a third party service to host your eBay photos, you may want to reconsider having eBay host your photos as well. When you upload your photos directly to eBay, they appear in the top left corner as one large photo and several small thumbnail photos underneath. What you may not realize is that if your photos are hosted on another site, they will not appear until lower in the page in the description area. Buyers may not scroll down to see photos, or even realize additional photos are present in the listing if they don’t see the thumbnails at the top. This is called placing your photos above the fold.

The term “above the fold” originated in the newspaper business. It was used to describe the section of the paper that everyone saw when it was on display. Newspapers designed their papers so that the most eye catching and important headlines were easily visible.

If you pay attention to the websites of big online stores, you’ll notice that the majority of them follow this principle. They place information about specials, marketing information, and any promotions currently available at the top of their webpage – above the fold. People have learned to look in this area for important information, and their reaction is no different when they’re shopping on eBay. If photos and other information aren’t immediately visible above the fold, many potential buyers may leave your listing and not bother to look any further. Making sure your listing has a good “headline” can entice potential customers to look further at your listing and ultimately make a purchase.


More eBay Optimization Tips:

Optimize Titles with Keywords

Naming Images

Using 30 Day and GTC Listings to Appear in Google Searches

If you are not already a member of Online Selling Coach, now is the time to join! We will offer webinars on these types of topics to help you succeed on eBay and have the competitive edge.

Niche Product – Personal Care Wipes

One of the best ways to build an eBay business is to sell a consumable product. This helps keep your business consistent because the buyers will need to make regular purchases as their item runs out. There are many types of consumable products you can sell, but one slightly unusual one you should consider is personal care wipes.

There is a wide variety of personal care wipes available – baby wipes, of course, but there are also wipes designed to remove make up, wipes for bathing, sunscreen wipes, feminine wipes, and adult wipes. The market has expanded in an effort to make things easier for consumers – and it seems to have succeeded.

The success of personal care wipes has even led to new products. Manufacturers introduced children’s flushable wipes, which led to toiletries intended specifically for children. Existing products have also found new uses. Large pads that were designed to be used by medical professionals visiting patients at home are now being used by soldiers overseas who don’t have access to showers.

Personal care wipes are a growing field. Sales have grown around 6-7% in the US alone. Plus, personal care wipes have higher profit margins than many other products, including baby wipes. This makes them a great choice to sell online.

While selling personal care wipes may seem unusual, it is a field with healthy growth and frequent new additions. Because people are always looking for better ways to do things and ways to make their lives easier, the personal care wipes market is unlikely to go away.

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Does Your Home-Based eBay Business Need a License?

As a business owner, it’s important to follow all laws and ordinances. But sometimes it can be difficult to know which laws apply to you. Determining if you need a business license is an important issue that can easily be confusing.
Start by researching the zoning laws in your area. Some cities or even apartment complexes prohibit home based businesses in certain areas.

One thing to keep in mind is the type of activities that take place for your business. If your business receives a lot of deliveries or you have customers come to you, there may be a problem if you rent.

There may still be restrictions if you own your home, depending on your area. The zoning restrictions may also depend on the type of business you’re running. If you work alone and don’t have any clients come to your home, you are less likely to have a problem.

Your business name also plays a role. If your work is considered to be “creative services”, you are not as likely to need a license because you are not required to prove your ability to practice (like a lawyer does). However, if you choose to name your business something other than your legal given name, you will likely be required to file paperwork with the county clerk.

Keep in mind that a business name will not protect you from liability. Unless you form a corporation or LLC, you will be personally liable. If you feel this will be a problem for your business, you should seek the advice of an accountant and a business attorney.

For more information on the nuts and bolts of setting up your home eBay business, check out Skip McGrath’s Complete eBay Marketing System. He covers these topics in great detail.

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The Basics of Selling Books on Amazon

Last week I held a webinar about the basics of selling books on Amazon. The 1 hour webinar covered the following information:

• Why Sell Books?
  (Old fashioned books are still a viable part of the online market!)
  
  
• Grading the Condition of a Book - The Rules
  
  
• How to Price a Book on Amazon
  
  
• Understanding Sales Rank - It is Like the Stock Market
  
  
• Book Scanning Tools - Which Ones are Best?
  
  
• Creative Strategies for Obtaining Book Inventory
  (Not just garage sales, thrift stores, or library sales!)
  
  
• Repricing Software
  
  
• Bonus - A Fun Way to Re-purpose old Hardback Books and Sell on eBay

To access the webinar, you must be a member of Online Selling Coach. The membership fee is still $9.95 and you will have access to EVERYTHING on the site, not just this webinar.

Click the image below to access the webinar on Online Selling Coach.