10 Strategies That Guarantee You More Profit on eBay and eCommerce Sales

 

I'm very proud that the ninth edition of eBay For Dummies has published. This fully revised edition is based on the previous editions and my 20 years buying and selling on eBay. My store is open every day that I am in town and I ship items to buyers every week.

Selling on eBay can be a way to make a part time or full time living. For me, eBay sales enabled my daughter and I to run a business together and to subsidize the many things we needed when she was growing up. I even paid for her college tuition with eBay sales. She graduated debt free.

USPS Price Hike Hits e-Commerce: Compare USPS, FedEx, UPS [INFOGRAPHIC]

If you're an online seller: eBay, Etsy or website vendor, be prepared to get a kick in the wallet. On Sunday, January 26, new pricing comes into effect.

Our customers all want free shipping but the latest pricing for the USPS may force you to raise your product selling prices. What do these new postage rates mean for your online business (besides higher prices)?

• Flat Rate Priority Mail envelopes stay the same price as in 2013  
• Reduced minimum volume requirement for Priority Mail high volume discounts (CPP and CPP Cubic)
• New Zone 9 created for the Freely Associated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Palau
• No Commercial price increase for First-Class Package International Service
• Electronic USPS Tracking International Service expanding to additional countries
• New $0.01 discount for First-Class Mail Letters (up to 3.5 oz.) when PC Postage or Meters are used

The folks at Endicia made an easy-to understand pdf outling the 2014 USPS price changes. You can download this valuable information here.

Be Social - Update your New eBay User Profile

If staying social is the key to connecting on the new Web, your eBay profile is the hub of your eBay user interaction. Your eBay "About Me" and your profile pages are the perfect way for customers and the eBay community to get to know you. We like learning about other people, and your eBay profile let folks know with whom they are transacting.

To get to your new profile page, click your user ID on your My eBay page (or any eBay page for that matter). You'll get there even when you click your name in the “Hi” dropdown at the top right of the home page. When you arrive, the page will be prepopulated with any items you are currently selling, your reviews (if you’ve reviewed an item on eBay) and your bio and profile picture if you have previously posted them to a My World page. (NOTE: eBay's My World has been replaced by the profile page). There will also be links to your recent Feedback, your eBay store (if you have one) a link to your current listings

Take an opportunity to edit the page now, it will just take a moment. Personalize your page after you click the "Edit profile" button that appears under your User ID on the page. Once you click that button, small pen icons appear showing you where you can edit the page:

• Uplaod a profile photo: Click the pen icon in the corner of the square next to your user ID. The page will prompt you to upload your profile image. Choose a profile photo that portrays you and your personality. There are no set requirements for size at this point, so I suggest using a close to square headshot. If you do not select a headshot, your face might be too small for folks to see.
• Cover Photo: Just like Facebook,you may upload a photo for the top of your page. Keep inmind that text covers a good deal or the cover photo, so don’t select a picture where the most important spot is at the bottom. When selecting (or cropping) for use as a cover photo, keep in mind eBay’s recommended 1200 pixels x 270 pixels size for best viewing. Also eBay prefers they be smaller than 5MB in size.
• Add Content: Here you have 250 characters to talk about yourself, your business or the items you enjoy selling or buying.

Click the Done editing button when you're through - this should only have taken a few minutes. It's easy to share a link to your profile, or find other buyers and sellers by typing an eBay ID in a URL: www.ebay.com/usr/. My profile page, for example, is http://www.ebay.com/usr/marsha_c.

Be sure to stop by my Cool eBay Tools website for useful tools and tips. Please post and let me have your eBay profile URL. I can’t wait to see the creativity on your eBay profile page!

Social Storytelling Through Book Reviews Promotes Shares

Book reviews can add great content to share in social media and your blog, especially when the books are written on a topic that relates to your customers. But after many years online, I can testify that reviews written without thought can be boring. Don't write a "book report." Let your readers know why the contents of the book resonated with you and how it can help them.

As an online writer -which YOU are- it's your duty to develop content that attracts people and make them want to share. A short (emphasis on the word short) video review can tell a story and be fun to watch. Check the example below posted by +John Lawson for my newly published eBay Business All-in-One For Dummies which he posted yesterday during his Google Hangout. It's a fun take on a serious title.


I hope, if you took the 3 minutes to watch the review, you might want to click the link above and buy my book. Its for any eBay seller, or e-Commerce business who wants to ramp up to professional grade. I'm sure it will give you enough tips to justify the purchase.

USPS to Continue Saturday and Begin Sunday Package Delivery

In an exclusive interview with MSNBC's Craig Melvin, Postmaster General of the United States Patrick Donahoe talks about the future of the U.S. Postal Service;and says the organization will soon start delivering packages on Sundays.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

This isn't t your grandparent's Post Office. They are facing new challenges using today's technology. In this exclusive interview, Patrick Donahoe, Postmaster General of the United States shared some strategies:

"Here is what we are doing. the reason we are delivering packages on saturday is because package growth is booming. 14% up in the last two years. 17% christmas this year. year over year. big, big growth in fact, you will see in some areas we will be delivering packages on Sunday starting soon. That is a big innovation. the other thing that you see, is the world of secure and secure digital messages. We are getting into that, people tell us, the same thing you can do from a hard copy, sealed against inspection, we need that in the digital, e-mail world. there's a lot on the table. we have to get the negative finance behind us in the rear view mirror so we can focus on growth." 

via video.msnbc.msn.com

Prepare for the 2013 U.S. Postal Service® Price Change Jan. 27

Beginning Jan. 27 the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will introduce a First-Class Mail Global Forever Stamp at $1.10 (20 stamp sheet for $22), and is among new mailing and shipping changes for the new year. Here's the short take on the changes:

• Parcel Post^® is now called Standard Post and is ONLY available at the retail counter. (Parcel Select is a comparable mail class for Endicia customers)
• First-Class Mail International Parcel is now called First Class Package International Service.
• International Electronic USPS Delivery Confirmation® will now be available, and FREE, for First-Class Package International Service and select Priority Mail International packages (only on shipments to Canada, 19 countries to be added in April 2013)
• Express Mail International Flat Rate Envelope weight limit has been reduced from 20 lbs to 4 lbs
• Express Mail International now includes the first $200 of USPS insurance
• Optional expedited delivery of USPS packaging is available for $2.50
• Commercial Base discounts are growing in 2013.
• First-Class Mail 1 ounce stamp is increasing by $0.01 to $0.46.

For full information on the new changes - and how to best use USPS mail classes for your business, click here to download a comprehensive PDF from Dymo Endicia

Small business gets commercial base discounts on shipping when they use electronic postage for their shipments. I use Dymo Endicia's Dazzle software and they have given me a discount link for my readers. Click here for a code for a free 60 day trial.

Note that the USPS receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

10 Things You Don't Know About the Seller Community: Happy Birthday eBay!

In honor of eBay's 17th birthday, I thought it'd be fun to recap some memorable moments from the past 17 years since Pierre Omidyar launched the company during Labor Day weekend 1995. While I'm not (and never have been an employee of eBay), I'm thrilled to have been part of the eBay Community since those very early days! (I’ve also included a few tips below to help improve your selling strategies and operations)

During eBay’s Q2 earnings conference call, CEO John Donahoe stated: “This is the strongest performance we’ve seen out of marketplaces since 2006.” eBay is clearly reclaiming its reputation with buyers as the world’s best person-to-person marketplace. If you’ve been on the bench about selling, it’s time to get into gear and start listing!

1. The most popular auction selling format is the 7-day auction, although auctions generally are losing traction with today’s “on-demand” shoppers. (The best use for auctions is still rare and one-of-a-kind items). Fixed price listings represent the highest revenue-generating format on eBay, accounting for 65% of sales by total dollar volume.
2. eBay has 105 million registered users in 39 markets around the world, and international sales volumes in Q2 2012 totaled close to $10 billion, driven by strong growth in Europe and Asia-Pacific. If you are selling as a business versus a hobby, it’s worthwhile to consider shipping to international buyers. DYMO Endicia’s solution helps make this virtually painless.
3. 600,000 new customers made their first purchase via eBay Mobile in Q2 2012, and eBay estimates that for all of 2012 there will be $10 billion in transaction volume through eBay and PayPal mobile, more than double 2011. As a seller, when you create your listings, this means you should make them concise, but still clear and accurate.
4. While mobile is great for buyers, post your listings from your computer using the full-featured listing form so you won’t leave out pertinent details. When complete, view your listing on the eBay Mobile app to be sure it translates well, then go back to your computer to make any necessary modifications. Mobile apps definitely have a purpose, but take time with your listings so you can get the highest price possible for your items.
5. Customer service, not just listing volume, is a key condition for attaining Top Seller status. Accurate and friendly communication, quickly getting packages out the door and free shipping options are all factors buyers consider when making purchases. Top Sellers now represent 50% of eBay’s gross sales volume, and this number grew 22% over last year.

Ways to Boost E-Commerce Profitability: Free Webinar

I'm going to dish some inside social commerce strategies with DYMO Endicia* Brand Manager, Vivian Li on July 17. We're also going too give you advice on how to achieve success for your e-commerce business in today's erratic marketplace. We will go over the fine points of the importance of social commerce and how to apply best practices for managing your online business. So if you have missed my presentations at eBay conferences lately, be sure to attend. 

During this webinar, we will guide SMB owners how to boost e-commerce profitability by:

• Expanding your web presence through social commerce 
• Delivering great customer service and winning repeat customers 
• Increasing your profit margins and customer satisfaction through efficient shipping 
• Simplifying shipping and mailing while taking advantage of cost savings with USPS 
• Optimizing your online listings  
• Going global and learning about International shipping methods 

Reserve your place by clicking here NOW! By registering you will be entered for a chance to win one of 20 copies of my Ultimate Online Customer Service Guide: How to Connect with Your Customers to SELL MORE!

*DYMO Endicia is a leader in the electronic postage market and a trusted partner of the USPS for over 25 years.

Win Expert Advice for your Small Business at the new Dymo EndiciaThinking Forward

Today I’m helping DYMO Endicia unveil Thinking Forward, a new online resource they’ve created for you and other small business owners with expert information, tips and tools to help you move your business forward.Please join me there and enter to win a consultation with me.

DYMO Endicia has partnered with ecommerce and business experts Marsha Collier and John Lawson to bring small business owners the chance of a lifetime:
Two lucky business owners will win a 1-hour phone consultation with either Marsha or John. Ask your burning business questions, get expert advice, and discuss your management strategies with online sales and marketing gurus.
Want to win? Fill out a short form right here. 
Meet Marsha Collier

Small Business: Lots of Work, Low Pay for Entrepreneurs - but Getting Better

A new Citibank® survey reveals perpetual reinvention rewarded by grateful employees and customers. The surveyed small businesses and found that 23 percent of owners have gone without pay for at least a year as they work to keep their businesses afloat in a tough economy.
Small business owners like myself are struggling to stay afloat, but most that I speak to keep fighting the fight. Small business can turn on a dime if they stay on top of expenses, margins and bottom line. I predict that those of us who continue to morph and change to build our businesses, will do very well. An entrepreneurial spirit combined with good business sense will surely succeed.
I pulled the percentages below, because many I know (including myself) have experienced these issues...

• 78% have taken less profit
• 70% worked more hours than usual
• 69% Used their own money to help the business survive
• 54% say they have gone without a paycheck in order to keep the business running.
• 23% of owners have gone without pay for one year or more.
• 38% said their employees worked overtime without pay
• 18% of owners said employees either missed paychecks or had paychecks delayed.

"Small-business owners risk everything to pursue their dreams and are willing to do what it takes to make it," said Maria Veltre, Managing Director, Citi Small Business. "Their personal sacrifices, passion and ability to adapt have positioned them to capitalize on improving business conditions."

Following are the full results from Citibank:

Make Your Online Sales Grow: Build Your Brand on eBay - new For Dummies!

The latest (seventh) edition of 'eBay For Dummies" just came out for 2012. In this video, discuss how to make your listings stand out from the others and building your brand on eBay!

Online Sellers: Have Trouble Storing Your Shipping Supplies? A Fresh Idea #eBay

My home office shippping area is mortifying. I have boxes of boxes and boxes of padded envelopes, rolls of labels, stickers... if you have a home based e-commerce business you know what I'm talking about.

I keep the boxes of boxes in the garage and the smaller shipping items in a bathroom in my office. (I figured I didn't need the shower anyway). The boxes of padded envelopes were annoying. A half empty box would start to fall over - and worse yet - take up precious space.

I decided to use those recyclable, supermarket brown paper bags. I fill them with padded envelopes, and since they only hold a small quantity, I can remove the bags as they empty and am no longer dealing with huge cardboard boxes. It seems like a simple solutions, but it was new to me. Thought I'd share...

Sellers: Simple Fee Calculators for Fees on Amazon, Etsy, Overstock, Buy.com & Details of Recent #eBay Fee Increase

There is a new version of Ryan Olbe's eBay fee calculator which uses the new eBay fee rates as of July 06, 2011. He also has free online fee calculators for those who sell on Amazon, etsy, Overstock Auctions and Buy.com. For eBay, he also has calculators for eBay Canada, Ireland, UK and Australia.

He also sells definitive spreadheets to calculate the cost of selling one single item on eBay or the cumulative cost of selling multiple items. They can tell you what the total cost of selling on eBay is and what your final profit is (the exact amount you will have left over after fees).They incorporate all of the latest eBay and PayPal fee rates. I use them myself and find they make a big difference in figuring out profits or losses - before you make a costly mistake.

The spreadsheets work for many eBay sites: 
eBay.com, eBay.ca, eBay.com.au, eBay.co.uk, eBay.ie, eBay.fr, eBay.es, eBay.it, eBay.de, eBay.at, eBay.be, eBay.nl, eBay.pl, eBay.ch, eBay.in, eBay.com.my, eBay.ph and eBay.com.sg

Details of the latest eBay.com rate changes:

• The 5% discount for standard PowerSellers is being removed. Only the 20% discount for Top-rated sellers will be available.

• Final Value Fees for Store owners selling in Auction-Style Format are changing and are now being applied to the total sale amount (item price + S&H).

Final Value Fees for eBay Store owners selling in Auction-Style Format
Item Price	New Fee	Old Fee
$0.01 - $50.00	7.50%	8.75%
$50.01 - $1000.00	4.00%	4.00%
$1,000.01 or more	2.00%	2.00%

• Final Value Fees for Store owners and Non-Store owners selling in Fixed-Price Format are changing and are now being applied to the total sale amount (item price + S&H).

Media
Item Price	New Fee	Old Fee
$0.01 - $50.00	13.0%	15.0%
$50.01 - $1000.00	5.0%	5.0%
$1,000.01 or more	2.0%	2.0%

Clothing, Shoes, Accessories / Parts & Accessories
Item Price	New Fee	Old Fee
$0.01 - $50.00	10.0%	12.0%
$50.01 - $1000.00	8.0%	9.0%
$1,000.01 or more	2.0%	2.0%

Electronics and Computers
Item Price	New Fee	Old Fee
$0.01 - $50.00	7.0%	8.0%
$50.01 - $1000.00	5.0%	5.0%
$1,000.01 or more	2.0%	2.0%

All Other Categories
Item Price	New Fee	Old Fee
$0.01 - $50.00	11.0%	12.0%
$50.01 - $1000.00	6.0%	6.0%
$1,000.01 or more	2.0%	2.0%

via rolbe.com

 

9 Uncomplicated Tips for Professional and Business Success in Social Media #SmallBiz #Custserv

It's time to get down to the business of social media. This week I'll be speaking again at the eBay Radio conference in Las Vegas (OK, it's more like a party - but I digress) and the most savvy online sellers are already excited to jump on the social media train.

2010 eBay Radio Conference

Like anything new, Social Media has attracted gurus, experts, mavens and scammers, each with a different story to tell. I've been studying Social Media and community for over a decade and I've learned a few important truths.

1. The internet is still a community
   Yes, SEO is important, updating your webspace is too, but keep in mind that the town square of years gone by has moved to the internet. Conversations are barely held in person or over the phone - they happen online. This is a community, where you need to respect your friends (your audience).
2. It is not a soapbox - don't sell, share
   As fascinating as your sales message or opinions are to you, constantly barraging folks with your importance doesn't cause your friends to interact. They don't make people want to converse with you or do business with you. They want to know the person behind the tweets (or the blog or the page) is a real person, with a real life.
3. Be a person
   Every name on the web has a person (or persons) behind it. Share a little of your personal day. If there is more than one person at your business handling the tweeting for your Twitter account, have them sign their tweets with a caret and their initials, like ^mc.
4. Time those tweets
   If you tweet at the same time every day, you're no doubt hitting the same audience over and over. We are creatures of habit and log onto Twitter around the same times every day. Set your calendar to vary the times you tweet - you will hit a different audience.
5. Answer back & retweet
   If you're not interested in what other people are saying, why should they feel engaged in your comments? Read, comment, inquire. Be a part of the community.Share valauble information you see in your online streams to build credibility with your followers. Save your promotional tweets for one in five - one in six is even better.
6. Quality still wins over quantity
   Is it really important that you have a gazillion followers? I think not. There's really no way to effectively follow tens of thousands of people. Go to wefollow and categorize yourself and your business. Find people who are interested in your message and/or your product. Follow them. If they like what the see on your Tweetstream, more will follow.
7. Follow back those of like mind. Do you care about a new MLM program? If that's what you are intesterted in, follow them - but don't clutter up your stream with unusable verbage. If you don't care about the latest get-rich-quick program, pass when those citizens follow you. You have a market. Know it and follow back. 
8. Commit to the community
   Fill out your Twitter profile with links to your site or your Google online profile. Let people know who you are. Isn't it more interesting to know about the person you're following? Is a faceless profile even the least bit interesting?
9. Visit your Facebook stream at least twice a day
   Check the posts of your friends on your Facebook home. Again, comment or "like" what they have to say. It's all about the interaction. Don't post your sales message to other peoples walls. Friend and join fan pages of people and businesses you like and respect. Communities only survive when there are active participants.

Followers and friends stay with you only if they like, respect and trust what they discover.

Social Media Marketing? Learn from Successful eBay Sellers

Once you're a participant in social media, you'll quickly get to meet the "experts." They wildly tout their business and online acumen and attempt to sell you their advice. But really? What have they really sold? The proof of any expert is how much they have earned in practice.

eBay was growing in the early days of 1996 (when I started selling). People would come to the site and buy from others on trust. Trust that was displayed in the seller's description, trust that was built on transactions and feedback. People from across the country would send money to absolute strangers and merchandise would be shipped.

Tens of thousands of sellers became "Trust Agents" (thank you Chris Brogan); making a living and building real business through trust and reliability. I put my daughter (see below) through college on my eBay earnings; and I didn't do it by just giving advice. I sold stuff.

eBay's feedback system has been building reputations for honest, trustworthy people who really make money on the internet. A brilliant idea from Pierre Omidyar, eBay's founder. Click here to see his original statement on trust and community from 1995.

Ask any experienced eBay seller how to be successful with social marketing. They know how to do it - they don't just talk about it. Ask my friend John (@ColderICE) Lawson; he's got over 75,000 feedbacks on eBay. That's one heck of a community.

I wrote my first book on eBay in 1999. Today my books are in seven languages and I've sold over a million. People take my advice because I do it; I'm honest and I give solid information. That's one heck of a community based on trust.

We've been doing Social Media since 1996. I have over 6800 feedbacks on eBay. I'm successful and so are they. Ask a long time eBay seller how.


(Yes, That's my daughter @SusanDickman helping ship items when she was in college)

(A Tweet from Pierre Omidyar, Founder of eBay about this post - Thank you)

What's the best way to deal with a counter offer on eBay?

Your eBay Questions Answered by Marsha Collier! Here's 072009 in the series, asked by Melinda Jackson of Galleria Gifts at a recent eBay conference, Many sellers get frustrated when trying to use eBay's "Best Offer" option. It's a great way to build your bottom line, but it's also insulting to get a low-ball offer. How to counter it? I answer here.

Thank you all for the warm reception of eBay For Dummies 6th edition), it's a best seller out of the gate!

Your eBay Questions Answered by Marsha Collier!

This is the start of a new series. I'm always asked questions from all levels of eBay sellers, so I decided to vodcast some of the more popular questions. There were hundreds of eBay sellers at the eBay Radio party a few weeks ago in Las Vegas, that I was able to film many Q&As. I answered them on the spot and will post them here. They're very short and to the point. Follow these tips and you're on your way to making serious money - in your spare time - on eBay.


I'll be posting them here each week. My Facebook fan page members get to see new questions a week earlier. Please join me there.

Empowering eBay Entrepreneurs in a Crisis Economy

I did a short segment on today's eBay Radio PowerSeller hour with Jim Griffith and Lee Mirabal. Click here to listen. I think you'll find some value in what we spoke about.

eBay Tips for the holidays

I did a short interview on eBay Radio with Griff. We talked about some timely issues for eBay sellers, you can listen to my latest tips here.