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| Pottery & Glass Guide to Advanced Selling |
November 2003 |
Take a step back and critically examine your pottery & glass business. eBay has just the guide to help you do it: eBay Advanced Selling Strategies.
Whether you're a beginner or veteran, this powerful guide will provide you best practices for developing and refining your eBay business. Identify new markets and opportunities, develop strategic and tactical goals, improve processes, leverage powerful tools, and much more.
These topics and more are covered:
- Strategy: Understand the Marketplace, Measure Success, Experiment & Improve.
- Customer Acquisition: Attract Buyers Who Search & Browse; Use eBay Merchandising
- Merchandising: Highlight Value, Cross-Merchandise, Try Merchandising Manager
- Winning the Business: Photos, Payment Information, Shipping Costs
- Product & Pricing: Manage Product Depth, Bundle, Maintain Product Flow
- Operations: Manage Item Closing Times, Provide Feedback, Deliver on Time
- Seller Tools: Preferred Solution Providers, eBay Turbo Lister, PowerSeller Program
- New Customers & Markets: Warranty Services, Sell International, Wholesale Categories
eBay's best and brightest don't stop evaluating their businesses. Take a second look at your operation now!
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| Watch the Competition, Sell More |
October 2003 |
Use eBay's powerful set of "my eBay" search tools to keep tabs on the Pottery & Glass competition and refine your listing strategy.
Take a daily inventory of what competing sellers are listing, using your "my eBay" Favorites tab, featuring Favorite Searches, Sellers, and Categories. Then, distinguish yourself by listing what they're not!
Consider some of the benefits:
- Increased Sales: Hold premium items when similar ones are available. Your item will appear more rare and special, increasing bidder interest.
Tip: Diversify in your niche. Carry some lower-margin, high-turnover items to keep cash flow up. Then, you can wait for proper market conditions for premium lots.
- Higher Prices: Make a market in an unusual item or wait until supply is depleted and competing sellers can't undercut your price. Also, supply and demand is in your favor.
Tip: Consider sourcing some higher-end, retired material to differentiate yourself from volume collectibles sellers.
- Dealer Reputation: Mix in unusual items and you'll develop a reputation for hard-to-find, one-of-a-kind items. eBay's massive buyer base rewards diversity.
It's good to be unique, particularly when competition heats up and supply rises. Make it happen, leveraging your free my eBay search tools
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| Keywords on eBay Can Help Sellers Rise to the Top | September 2003 |
A buyer who entered "Wedgwood" in eBay's basic search engine on a recent day would find over 5,000 items listed. So how can sellers make sure that buyers see their items first?
The launch of Keywords on eBay provides eBay sellers a powerful way to build awareness, increase revenues, and drive traffic to their item listings, About Me page or Store within the eBay marketplace.
"Many buyers looking to make a purchase on eBay start with a keyword search. Now it's even easier for sellers to target specific buyers through Keywords on eBay," said Jeff Jordan, senior vice president and general manager of eBay U.S. "This new service empowers our sellers with a robust marketing tool that can help them become even more successful, and strengthen their business within the eBay marketplace."
Online search engines have long used keyword advertising to help sellers rise to the top of a search. The new Keywords on eBay service allows sellers to create and target banner advertisements based on specific keyword terms. Keywords can be categories, types of items, brands, eBay Store names or eBay User Ids.
With more than 79 million item-related searches per day on the eBay site, Keywords on eBay can be an effective marketing tool since it displays banner ads that are contextually relevant to the items that buyers are searching for on eBay. In addition, it can be cost-effective since the fee for utilizing Keywords on eBay is based on a "bid-per-click" model, meaning sellers pay only when someone clicks on their banner ad.
Starting at 10 cents, sellers bid the maximum price that they are willing to pay for each click on their banner ad. If the bid is among the highest, the seller's banner ad will receive a premier placement in the ad rotation on eBay's search result pages.
To take advantage of the service, all sellers need to do is:
- Register with adMarketplace
- Create a campaign name
- Select your keywords
- Determine your best bid price per click
- Upload your ad or create one online with the free adMarketplace banner creator
The new service has been tested on the eBay site by a select number of eBay sellers. "We are celebrating our 30th anniversary as a restaurant equipment and supplies dealer. We began selling on eBay in 1999 and have become one of the top sellers in the restaurant equipment category," said John Stack, president of Peach Trader Inc., an Atlanta-based eBay seller. "When we were invited to test eBay's keywords program, we thought it made a lot of sense. What we didn't expect is the great results -- approximately a 35% increase in revenue and increased traffic to our eBay store."
Click here for more information or to register for the service.
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| Ten Tips Every Pottery & Glass Seller Should Know |
August 2003 |
Here they are-tips no serious eBay pottery and glass seller can live with out.
#1. Guarantee Your Products and Services
Develop a sensible, well-articulated sales policy that covers all the bases and delivers real peace of mind. Then deliver on your promises. The result: you'll become a trusted favorite. Ideally, offer unconditional money-back guarantees. The risk-reward ratio is in your favor: increased business versus a few returns. Also, consider offering shipping rebates on multiple purchases. This incentive works.
#2. Automate Listing and Shipping
Upgrade to eBay's suite of auction management tools as soon as possible, including Selling Manager, Turbo Lister, and Seller's Assistant. These tools release your potential, enabling you to list, track, and complete your eBay sales more quickly and professionally. List items with ready-made templates, schedule your listings, bulk-upload inventory, automate buyer emails, and more.
Invest in a postage scale and print your postage online or pay for a pickup/delivery service, such as Fed Ex Ground. In short, there's no point wasting time at the post office. Acquire free shipping supplies from USPS (Priority Mail) or via arrangements with local businesses. Fast, professional shipping generates repeat business.
#3 Develop Discount Supply Relationships
Competition can be fierce in every category. Secure a resale license from your state and make volume purchases from wholesale dealers, suppliers, and manufactures. You'll garner crucial discounts you can pass along to your customers, making you more competitive. For wholesale deals, visit eBay's Wholesale category. Also, increase supply by becoming a Trading Assistant.
#4 Look Like a Pro: Photos, Listing Template
Don't underestimate the importance of high-quality photos in your listings. For many items, the better the photo, the more likely the sale. Consider building a photo stage and hiring a college student or local amateur, part-time or by the hour, to shoot your items.
Spend time developing a graphical (HTML) listing template, specific to your merchandise. Experiment with different layouts, colors, and text treatments. Look like an expert and a professional, not a lazy amateur. In a competitive marketplace, that makes all the difference. Looking good is easy with eBay's Seller's Assistant and Listing Designer.
#5 Include Keywords in Your Listing Titles & Descriptions
Most eBay buyers use eBay Search-80%, in fact. To capture these bidders and buyers, include the words they search with in your listing titles and descriptions. Bookmark your category's eBay Seller Newsflash and Hot Item list to keep abreast of popular search terms.
#6 Properly Positioning & Merchandising Your Listings
Consider your starting prices carefully. This will dramatically affect your item positioning. If possible, start auctions low in relation to their fair-market value. You'll increase bids and there's no better billing than that. Use reserves sparingly. Improperly applied, they can damage your credibility.
Also, discover the optimum times to start and end your auctions to increase bidding. Then, schedule and automate their launch with Seller's Assistant. Consider ten-day listings that cover two weekends. Time auctions to capture bidders in multiple time zones.
Each item you sell deserves the right listing format. Develop a strategy that leverage's eBay entire family of formats: Auction, Buy It Now, Fixed Price, Second Chance Offer, and more. Also, open an eBay Store to brand your eBay business, economically expand your inventory, and cross-merchandise your items.
Take advantage of eBay listing upgrades: Gallery, Bold, Featured Plus, List in 2 Categories, and more. Also, consider advertising on targeted eBay search result pages. If you qualify for eBay's PowerSeller program, take advantage!
#7 Make PayPal a Payment Option
Enable your customers to pay immediately online with PayPal. Buyers prefer it. Don't risk sales by not offering it. Faster payment also means greater cash flow and operating capital to handle the unforeseen.
#8 Track the Market with your my eBay Page
Your "my eBay" page is a powerful tool for tracking the market. With the Favorites tab, create Completed Item searches for the items you sell. This will give you a daily read on current prices for your inventory. Also, be sure to follow your category's Hot Items list.
#9 Make Positive Feedback a Priority
Live up to your promises and ensure positive feedback. This is your ticket to attracting new customers, which handled correctly, become regular customers. To encourage positive feedback, describe your items accurately (including damage), manage expectations, offer online payment (PayPal, preferably), package professionally, and ship ASAP.
#10. Listen to the Experts-Your eBay Community
Get involved in your eBay community. It'll make you a better eBay seller and citizen. Become active in eBay's discussion boards. You will find the answers you seek. Attend special eBay events, such as eBay Live. Consider attending an eBay University class.
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| Item Specifics Coming to Pottery & Glass this Summer |
July 2003 |
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Capture more buyers-take advantage of eBay Item Specifics, debuting in Pottery & Glass this summer.
It pays to be specific: eBay research indicates that Item Specifics functionality has increased sell-through rates for Art sellers by more than 10%*.
Item Specifics are attributes that you apply to your items during the listing process. They categorize your items more precisely, making them easier to find by qualified buyers, using eBay's exciting new Product Finder search tool.
To see how the Product Finder works, visit the Art category.
Review how Item Specifics is being integrated into Pottery & Glass:
- Your Item Specifics will be separated into two categories: Art Glass and Glassware.
- For Art Glass, set these attributes:
- Country of Origin: Czech, France, Great Britian…
- Maker: Bohemia, Daum, Fenton...
- Color: Amber, Cranberry, Ruby...
- Shape: Bottle, Compote, Tumbler...
- Age: Pre-1900, 1900-39, 1940-79...
- Within Glassware, specify:
- Maker: Boyd, Fostoria, Noritake...
- Pattern: Cape-Cod, Fire-King, Royal Lace...
- Color: Aqua, Marigold, Slag...
- Shape: Cake Stand, Martini Glass, Platter...
- Style: Carnival, Depression, Elegant...
- When Product Finder searches match your Item Specifics, highly qualified buyers will find your listings.
- Item specifics also appear on your View Item pages.
Best of all, Item Specifics is free. Keep an eye out for the Product Finder tool on Pottery & Glass pages this summer!
For more detailed information on Item Specifics in Pottery & Porcelain and Glass.
* This represents an average based on data from June 2002 transactions. No representation is made that conversion rate of a specific item will increase by the average percentages noted above.
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| Photo Backgrounds that Make the Difference |
June 2003 |
A quality item photo isn't complete without a quality background. Give your items the polish and credibility they deserve with a professional backdrop. It will say a lot about your business.
Use these background tips to increase bidding on your antiques:
- Stop shooting your pottery and glass in the driveway. Establish a photo area in or around your home or shop with a background screen and overhead light (or good natural lighting).
- Design a backdrop with an evocative color or motif: white for bright mid-century modern furniture, pale blue for Rococo decorative arts, or black for Victorian objects. A unique photo background color can even help brand your business.
- If you have a retail showroom, use it to your advantage. Showcase your item in it, rearranging other items, if necessary, so your shoot is attractive and uncluttered. Your item photo will validate that you are a knowledgeable, established business.
- Create a setting for your photograph. Place that dining room table on a nice rug or photograph your Tiffany lamp reproduction on a tidy desk.
For additional tips and valuable photo recommendations, reference eBay's Photography Resource Center.
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| Listing Tool Comparison for P&G Sellers |
May 2003 |
eBay wants your Pottery and Glass business to thrive. That's why it has developed a cutting-edge
suite of sales management tools to increase your efficiency and profitability.
It may be time to revisit how you currently list and manage your sales on eBay to make sure you are getting the most from your selling tool. For example, if you are currently using eBay's Sell Your Item form to list tens of items a day, you may be ready to upgrade to one of eBay's advanced selling platforms.
Big or small, eBay has the right solution for your seller profile! Review our listing tool overview below to determine which one is best for you.
| 1. | Turbo Lister | | FREE |
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Overview: Free downloadable bulk-listing application for Windows
Top Features:
Bulk upload hundreds of items instantly. Schedule listings in advance.
Design and save branded listing templates with the easy-to-use editor.
Create multiple user profiles and preferences. Save items in organized folders.
Best For: Sellers who list more than 10 items per month and already have a basic understanding of eBay.
TIP: Pair Turbo Lister with Selling Manager, eBay's post-sale tool, to efficiently manage the listing process from start to finish!
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| 2. |
Selling Manager |
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$4.99/month |
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Overview: Online post-sale management application integrated into my eBay.
Try it free for 30 days!
Top Features:
Use buyer email templates for increased post-sale efficiency.
Track payment and shipment effortlessly. Print shipping labels and invoices instantly.
Relist additional units or unsold items in bulk.
Best For: Sellers who list more than 10 items per month and who want an easy and affordable way to track the status of your sales online.
TIP: Use Selling Manager with your favorite listing tool, including the Sell Your Item form and Turbo Lister, to increase listing volume and sell more–faster.
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| 3. |
Seller's Assistant Pro |
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$15.99/month |
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Overview: Complete, professional-grade listing and sales management application for Windows desktops.
Try it free for 30 days!
Top Features:
Create and upload professional listings in bulk. Schedule listings in advance. Bulk relist.
Bulk process buyer email, payments, shipments, and feedback.
Sort and filter critical sales data. Create, print, and export sales reports. Manage inventory.
Best For: Higher volume sellers and small businesses that want an automated process throughout the sales cycle - from bulk listing through completing the transaction
TIP: With Seller's Assistant Pro, you can view and print Profit and Loss as well as Tax Collected reports – key to understanding your business!
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Manage your time and business more efficiently with eBay's family of sales management tools!
Have a suggestion for a future Pottery and Glass article -- let us know!
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| Selling High-End Pottery & Glass |
April 2003 |
Provide your customers the confidence they need to invest in your high-dollar Pottery & Glass. Position your eBay business for the high-end using the following strategies.
- Independent Verification: Verify the authenticity of rare, highly valuable antique glass with the help of a professional, certified appraiser. Include a scan of your appraisal report in your listing.
- Visual Proof: Include a gallery of images in your listing with different views and close-ups. Photograph key manufacturer marks, as well as unique elements and imperfections.
- Prices Realized: Include a digest of historical prices for your item, realized at respected auction houses, such as Sotheby's, Christies, and Phillips.
- Provenance: Provide a history of ownership for the item, which can increase its value. Also, consider listing reference texts in your description, particularly those that have photos of your item or its pattern/color. Enable bidders to conduct their own research.
- Guarantee: Stand behind your sales. Offer a money-back guarantee, minus shipping and third-party fees.Suggest an escrow service for the safe transfer of funds and property.
- Marketing: Invest in promotion, particularly eBay listing upgrades. They work -- learn more.Build your credibility. List degrees, accreditations, professional affiliations, and honors on your About Me page. Then, link to it from your listings. Example: artantiques.
- Feedback: Maintain a high positive feedback rating. Offer PayPal and ship the day payment clears for increased feedback.
Develop trust and credibility with your high-end Pottery & Glass buyers from the start.
Have a suggestion for a future Pottery & Glass article -- let us know!
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| Sourcing Strategies for Pottery & Glass |
March 2003 |
Most antique glass dealers sell a finite commodity, made in limited quantities by bygone manufacturers. To increase supply and initiate new buying relationships, hit the road.
Develop a professional sourcing program. Here's how:
Travel Strategy:
- Create a regional and national database of important glass fairs, shows, auctions, and dealers.
- Group events by location and date so you can consolidate them and create a formal, yet manageable travel calendar.
- Determine the optimum times to travel based on the seasonality of your business.
- Consider traveling overseas to non-domestic markets.
Budget:
- Analyze your sell through and estimate your inventory needs for the next period.
- Set a budget for your travel expenses and purchasing.
- Be prepared to buy in bulk.
Wish List:
- Review your last six months' sales and develop a list of key buys.
- Include credibility items that will add prestige to your business in the coming quarter.
Network:
- At events, initiate buying relationships with other dealers and wholesalers.
- Educate wholesalers about your inventory needs so they can source product for you.
- Inquire with locals about quality dealers and antiquing opportunities in the surrounding area. Add them to your database. Include time in your itinerary for side trips.
Finally, to minimize the cost of your sourcing trips, invest in a professional laptop and high-speed Internet access, to continue your eBay business from the road!
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