|
Member Spotlight
Each month, the Member Spotlight will give you a chance to meet and learn more about a member of our Community. The range of interests and backgrounds will inspire you. Who knows? Maybe one day you'll find yourself in the spotlight!
The Spotlight's On:
stephintexas
by Ryan
eBay Staff Member
|
stephintexas during a recent visit to eBay's San Jose, CA campus |
This month the spotlight shines on stephintexas (View her About Me page). Trading primarily in the Clothing, Shoes & Accessories and Books categories, she prides herself on providing “traditional southern hospitality, integrity, and old fashioned customer service.” As her ID suggests, stephintexas is from Texas, and first heard about eBay way back in 1997. Her neighbor had purchased a desk from her to use for his eBay business, and this set her thinking. “He had quit his day job and was doing eBay full-time, so it got my entrepreneurial juices flowing.”
“My very first eBay purchase was a digital camera that I got at a rock-bottom price,” she reminisces. She believes that without that purchase she would never have started her eBay business. Initially her intent was only to try and clear out some items collecting dust in her brick-and-mortar antiques store, but she quickly realized the potential of turning it into a significant business. She closed her store to begin selling exclusively on the site. stephintexas now spends almost all of her time on eBay. “I log on to eBay every morning around 5:30 a.m., while drinking coffee – and don't log off until it's time for bed, around 10:30 p.m.” It's only on Sundays that she eases up – just a bit. “On Sundays I only spend about 12 hours on the site.”
One of stephintexas' favorite things to do on eBay is taking advantage of some of the Community resources. “I am a huge fan of the eBay Community and love to browse the discussion boards to find out the latest buzz, pick up useful tips and tricks, meet other eBay members and participate in Share-Your-Wares and Street Faires.” Her favorite boards include About Me Pages, Photos & HTML and Building an eBay Business boards. A member of 40 groups, she also finds time to moderate the Dallas Online Auction Users Group and Dallas e-Baybes & e-Males Group.
Among her top reasons for visiting the Community areas are learning and networking. “Many eBay sellers are a 'one-man/woman show,' so the eBay Community is a perfect way to meet others like us and to network and learn from each other.” She adds, “Any time I need answers, the Community Boards are the first place I look. I encourage new to eBay to visit the discussion boards and to join at least one eBay Group to meet other eBay members and to establish a peer group.”
stephintexas also likes getting instant answers from Live Help, eBay's real-time live chat feature. She's also a loyal listener of eBay Radio with Griff. ”I listen every Tuesday and replay the archives while I'm packing and shipping. It is one of the best ways I know of to stay on top of the latest and greatest eBay trends and programs.”
A thorough researcher, stephintexas is also very meticulous with her item descriptions. “I describe every detail of my item and provide an accurate, honest and complete description of the item, as though there were no pictures.” That doesn't mean she doesn't take pride in her pictures as well, including several clear, close-up photos in each listing. She also tries to keep her shipping rates very competitive and is very quick to respond to inquiries from potential buyers. “I always answer questions promptly and thank the potential bidder for their interest in my auction and wish them luck should they decide to bid on my auction.”
For someone who's such a big fan of eBay, it's not surprising that stephintexas' collecting interests also revolve around the site. “As a die-hard eBay fan, I have to admit that the only thing I collect is eBay stuff. I purchase any and all types of eBay memorabilia and my current collection consists of the original eBay magazine, t-shirts, watches, pins, mouse pads and much, much more.”
If you're a die-hard eBay fan, The eBay Shop has been created specially for you!
|
eBay has meant a great deal to stephintexas over the years, and she has no difficulty putting that feeling into words. “eBay is my life and has made all of my entrepreneurial dreams come true. I also believe that all retail businesses should have an eBay presence (especially the smaller businesses) in order to compete in today's marketplace.”
Selling on eBay has also given her opportunities and freedoms that she had only dreamed of before. “Today I earn a living as a full-time eBay seller, Trading Assistant, mentor, Education Specialist trained by eBay and professional eBay consultant. I live, eat and breathe eBay every day! eBay means that I no longer have to fight the 8 to 5 rush hour traffic, no more dressing in stuffy, corporate attire, and working around someone else's schedule. It also means never worrying about getting laid off again! There is truly no limit to your earning potential when you are an eBay seller.”
stephintexas' tips for successful eBay selling
- Create a professional-looking listing template - I've created my own unique and professional template to streamline my listing process. This way I don't need to reinvent the wheel every time.
- Vary listing durations and starting times – Having different starting times accommodates international eBay customers. I always use 10-day listings for more expensive items. I like to create a sense of urgency if it's a 3-day listing – mentioning that in the body of the listing, or even in the title!
- Keep a low starting price – I keep starting bids low to encourage early bidding. This also keeps my eBay selling fees at a minimum and improves my bottom line.
- Take crisp and clear pictures – I believe in having crisp and clear close-ups that tell a compelling story about my items. I edit and crop photos to make them look professional.
- Using keywords to guide buyers' searches – I try to anticipate the words buyers would use to search for my item, and use them in my item description. I don't over-use words like "rare" and "hard-to-find" when creating my listing title. I use the Subtitle feature on more valuable, or rarer items to help draw attention to my listing.
- Listing Title - I like to use all 55 spaces whenever possible, with correct capitalization. I recommend using Spellcheck. Do not overuse capitalization, but save it to emphasize the most important words.
- Emphasize the perceived value - I like to include the retail price of an item if it is fairly new, so my bidders will know how good a bargain they are really getting. This can also help drive up the selling price.
- Include details about your item - Full disclosure! Honesty is really the best policy. Nobody likes surprises, unless it's a pleasant surprise, so I always give the customer more than they would expect. I include all details of my item, including brand-name, age, condition, dimensions and recommended uses.
- Provide excellent Customer Service - Old fashioned customer service works extremely well. The Golden Rule is – don't forget what most of us learned as children – “Treat others like you would want to be treated." I always start by thanking my customers and using their first name! Most online transactions are so impersonal, so I go out of my way to let my customers know how important they are and let them know how much I appreciate their eBay business. Lastly, I always include a handwritten thank you note when I ship my items. I always state my customer service policy at the bottom of each listing, so buyers will know what to expect before they bid.
- Pack with care and ship promptly - Pack, pack and pack some more! Make absolutely certain that the item arrives intact and as quickly as possible. I try to ship all items within 12 hours of receipt of payment, to ensure prompt delivery. I use USPS exclusively, as they provide all of my shipping supplies for free, including the Delivery Confirmation, which can be tracked online. I always make sure to include the shipping costs on my listings, as it helps cut down on questions and makes it more convenient for potential buyers.
- Keep your About Me Page updated – I keep my About Me page as fresh and up to date as possible and include a link to it from each of my listings. This gives my customers a reason to visit often, and also gives my listings more visibility when they're using Internet search engines to look for items.
|
We would like to thank stephintexas for sharing her thoughts and comments with us! If you would like to be considered for the Community Spotlight Program check out our Community Profile page and follow the instructions near the bottom of that page. |
Back to Front Page