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Watch seller winds up company's success with best practices

John Burger, eCommerce and Online Marketing Director of Precision Time (user ID: precisiontimeco), quickly discovered that following best practices—offering a good return policy, free shipping, and great customer service—was the key reason his company's nationwide presence flourished online.

Precision Time Company is a 20-year-old company founded by a watch maker who carved out a niche offering both sales and repair services in shopping malls. Today, they manufacture their own watches and have grown to more than 100 locations in malls throughout the U.S. In 2008 John Burger was given the challenge of setting up the company's online sales channel to complement its brick-and-mortar business.

They opened their eBay Store in 2010 with the goal of building up their brand and increasing sales—and it's become a noteworthy sales avenue. They met the demands of online shoppers with excellent customer service, free shipping, and detailed listings—all of which have helped sales grow exponentially.

"In the last year especially, it's just exploded for us. Our sales online have gone up about 200% year over year."

Burger and Precision Time Company credit a combination of best practices for driving that growth.

Showcasing their merchandise

Burger creates listings to mirror the retail experience in the store, including quality, detailed photographs taken in their studio, to help sell the product and cut down on customer questions. "We've also started doing videos. They have tripled our conversion rates on a couple of deals we've done. I get on camera and go through the different functions and features. You can see the size, what it looks like."

Being able to demonstrate the value of a product is essential. "If a watch has a sapphire crystal, I'll take 40-grit sandpaper and rub it all over the watch to show that it doesn't scratch. That way people understand the real value behind that functionality. Video is as close to being in the store as you're going to get online, and it's made a big difference."

"We used to get a lot of eBay questions, especially on daily deals, and those have shrunk quite a bit since we've done the videos."

Reaching international buyers

John Burger sees international sales as the company's future. "We have house brands that aren't available anywhere else. We get questions from Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany—people wanting the watches. So we have started going international. That's low-hanging fruit for us that could potentially double, maybe even triple our business."

Fostering customer confidence

In the area of customer service, Berger estimates that Precision Time is above average. "We stay on top of it. Sometimes we answer questions within 2 or 3 minutes after we see them pop up."

They also understand that making the customer feel safe is key for online sales. "We have a 30-day money-back guarantee return policy. That lets people shop with confidence. I think online it's all about building that confidence."

Shipping free

This year, Precision Time began offering free shipping, plus expedited shipping options for an additional charge, while keeping prices consistent with those in the stores. "Free shipping tightens the margins a bit," says Burger, "but with the increased volume, it's worth it. Customers are very thankful for it, and it's made a big impact in our sales and in our DSRs."

Precision Time uses eBay Certified Provider ShipWorks to make sure their shipping process runs smoothly, and customers get tracking information on their items automatically. "It's integrated with eBay and integrates with our own website, and that makes the packing and shipping process very streamlined."

Offering and promoting deals

Burger attributes much of their success to the cross-promotion between the physical and online stores. When they get emails to the physical stores, the company responds, directing customers to both the store and the eBay Store—in particular, promoting their Daily Deals. "It took us a while to work up to being able to offer Daily Deals, but they really drive traffic. We've had a lot of success and a lot of people are coming to our eBay Store."

Using social media

"We have a decent-size social media following. We go on Facebook and Twitter every day to tell people about deals in our stores or on eBay. We also hold contests on Facebook and Twitter. Everyone who reposts or re-tweets is entered into a drawing, and at the end of the day, we give away a watch. We get people talking about the daily deal and that builds up traffic to our listing page. It also builds up links to help our SEO. We see a bump in sales every time."

Planning for the holidays

Because of volatility in supply in their line of business, Precision Time relies on their merchandising team to stay well ahead of the market, so they have the right product at the right time. "About six months in advance, we make sure we're stocked correctly. For us, staying ahead of the trends really matters."

While gearing up for the holiday season is important across business channels, what has really made Precision Time's eBay Store tick is great customer service. Burger explains the importance of putting the customer first. According to him, the basics drive success. "Offering free shipping, having a 30-day return policy, having videos and really good listings... anything you can do to help the customer shop with more confidence."