Increase eBay store traffic using a domain name

Those of us with an eBay store or perhaps just starting an eBay store are looking for ways to increase traffic, thus possibly increasing our sales. Using a simple, easy-to-remember domain name to point potential customers to is much easier than having buyers remember stores.ebay.com/storename I learned this from several years of experience selling items on eBay. While many customers knew my store name, it was hard to find on eBay especially for new buyers. One can purchase a domain name for less than $10 per year … a very affordable marketing strategy that is worth a try (it worked for me!) To get started:

1. Sign up for eBates.com and earn $10 plus 5% cash back on your GoDaddy.com purchase. Visit eBates.com to get started.



2. From eBates.com, search for godaddy. Click the link on the far right to "Shop Now". A new browser window will open that will track the 5% cash back bonus on your purchase.

3. At godaddy, search for a domain name to make sure it is available (.com domains are most common)

4. If available, click on add to cart to continue to purchase the domain name

5. Once purchased, return to Domain Manager and then check the box. Near the top, click on “Forwarding”. On this popup, enter the URL of your ebay store (for example: stores.ebay.com/storename). Click OK and wait a few hours. It will take awhile for the DNS changes to kick in.

6. To test, point your browser to the domain name you just purchased. Once the changes take effect, the domain will redirect to your eBay store.

Now you have an own easy-to-remember domain name to direct potential eBay customers too. This is fairly inexpensive and easy to do. A great marketing tip increasing traffic to your eBay store.

How to add a photo backdrop to items selling on eBay

I'm stepping up my photography game when it comes to listing items on eBay. Better pictures means better sales! My wonderful eBay assistant created a woodsy background for me using a clearance piece of 3/8" plywood cut to size (5' x 7') and then framed the outside edge with 1" x 3" pieces of pine and this Wooden Backdrop Background. We opted to have the wooden frame instead of hanging the backdrop to make the backdrop tight reducing the air bubbles / budges that may occur when hanging it.

In addition, I purchased a mannequin dress body form on a stand. When evaluating mannequins, I considered several factors:

• male vs female
• hanging vs standing with a base
• flat back or molded back

I opted for the female body form knowing that I sell many more women's clothes than men's. The female mannequin can be turned around and used as a male, if needed. I didn't want a hanger present in the photographs as I often list new apparel items on Amazon and hangers are prohibited in photos. A standing mannequin with a base can also be used for full-length items such as dresses and pants. The flat back mannequins just looked weird when photos show the back of a shirt. The mannequin I selected is Amazon's best seller White Female Dress Form on a wooden base.   

Lighting has ALWAYS been a concern while photographing items for eBay... until now! I purchased the LimoStudio Photography Video Studio Lighting Kit and have noticed a considerable improvement in the lighting and lack of distortion in the colors of certain clothing articles.

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What to sell on eBay: Coffee Mugs / Tea Cups

eBay sellers are constantly looking to expand their eBay inventory and possibly pick up a new sales niche. One highly popular niche of items to sell on eBay and Amazon.com includes kitchenware. Specifically, coffee mugs.

Types and brands of coffee mugs to consider include:

Restaurant Collectibles – Hardees, Dave & Busters, Steak n Shake, etc.

FireKing – Produced by Anchor Hocking in the 1940s for everyday use. Today, Fire-King is highly sought after by collectors or persons looking to replace a piece of their collection.

Family: Mugs denoting family members are in demand throughout the year. These mugs make perfect gifts for Father's Day, Mother’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries all year round.

Occupational: Teacher, Nurse, Doctor, Librarian, Fireman, etc

Animal – many collect items of a certain animal: cows, pigs, cats, dogs, chickens, horses

Think Kitchen – many will add coffee mugs to match the décor of a kitchen. Kitchen-themed mugs include: apples, chickens, cows, coffee / java, chef, coca-cola

OTAGIRI Japan – Very decorative collectible mugs produced in Japan. Many of the designs are retired and can fetch a pretty penny on eBay.

Hollywood – Favorite gifts to give at Christmas include mugs from Hollywood including: The Office, Star Wars, Friends “Central Perk”, Cheers. I sold a True Detective “Big Hug Mug” for $37 shipped.

Starbucks – Starbucks city mugs are always a hot seller, but do not overlook those “plain”
Starbucks mugs.Starbucks holiday themed mugs as well as dated coffee mugs are often good sellers on eBay. For example, I sold a set of 4 Starbucks Candy Striped mugs for $56 shipped.

The most secure and cost effective way to ship a mug is called the FOMO method. This method involves securing the mug in a cardboard box, then placing the box into an USPS flat-rate bubble mailer envelope. I have yet to have any complaints of breakage. However, just to be sure, always select the option for free USPS insurance. To do so, view Shipping on eBay with Free Insurance using USPS Priority Mail.

eBay sellers beware of printing multiple shipping labels using the SCAN form

eBay sellers can reduce time and effort when shipping a number of eBay items by using the Shipping Action – Print Shipping Labels option within eBay.

Visit How to Create Multiple Shipping Labels on eBay for detailed instructions. By printing multiple shipping labels at a time, sellers can enter the weight of all items awaiting shipping, select the delivery service type, pay and print for all labels at once. Then, eBay provides the seller with a Shipment Confirmation Acceptance Notice (SCAN) Form that can be presented to the postal clerk upon acceptance of the packages. However, top rated sellers concerned about eBay’s defect rating system should be cautious of this time-saving technique for printing multiple shipping labels.

My own experience has proven:

1. Initially, only the tracking number on the bottom of the SCAN Form is traceable on USPS.com
 

2. The tracking numbers displayed under Sold / Shipping Labels are not tracked on USPS.com until the number has been scanned / accepted at a post office.

·        Based on my own experience, a high dollar item was shipped using the SCAN Form, but the package itself was not traceable. The tracking number on the shipping label when entered on USPS.com simply stated “Not Found”.

·        The information provided by eBay when clicking on the tracking number stated “The seller has provided a tracking number. The tracking status will be updated once the shipment reaches the carrier.”

·        New and experienced buyers alike questioned if their package had been shipped and why the status of the tracking number provided had not been updated.

·        USPS customer service offered no assistance despite showing them that the tracking number was valid and not entered improperly

3. Once each individual shipping label has been scanned, the tracking number becomes valid and appears on USPS.com. For instance, I dropped multiple packages off using the SCAN Form at the Peoria, IL post office. Three of those packages were not traceable as the tracking number was “not found”. Finally, one of the packages was scanned in Ohio and the tracking number became traceable on USPS.com

4. After speaking with the postmaster, she suggested that I continue to use the SCAN Form, but assured me that each package will be scanned / accepted at the counter. Her suggestion defeats the purpose of using the SCAN Form to save time and effort.

Based on my own experience, I have reverted back to printing one shipping label at a time, presenting each package to the postal clerk to be scanned / accepted at the counter. As a top rated seller on eBay, I cannot risk the chance of receiving a defect for something that is out of my control: United States Postal Service mail delivery and acceptance.

How to Create Multiple Shipping Labels on eBay

Reduce time and effort when shipping a number of eBay items by using the Shipping Action – Print Shipping Labels option within eBay. Online sellers who ship more than one item at a time can create and print up to 50 labels at the same time.

To do so, follow these simple steps:

1. Log in to eBay and go to My eBay Summary

2. Click on Sold / Awaiting Shipment to pull up items to ship

3. On the left hand side, click the check box in the listings header to select all items

4. Click the arrow next to Shipping Action and select “Print Shipping Labels or Invoices”

5. Accept the default to print just the shipping label and press “continue”

6. Items appear on the next screen with missing information (Shipping service / Weight) highlighted in red

7. Select the shipping service and enter the weight of the package for each line item

8. After entering all information, click “Review and Pay”

9. Select to print the Shipping Labels and USPS Shipment Confirmation Acceptance Notice (SCAN) Form. SCAN Form is not automatically selected by default so be sure to check this.

10. Click “Pay with Paypal” to complete payment and generate the shipping labels and

SCAN form. The SCAN Form includes a bar code that contains detailed package information. Present the bar code on the SCAN Form to the postal clerk, instead of scanning each individual shipping label.

Sellers should beware of printing multiple shipping labels using the USPS SCAN form. Click here to see why.

For detailed instructions on how to get started selling on eBay and making money.

How eBay sellers find total sales to date

As an eBay seller, have you ever wondered what your sales have been since you first started selling on eBay? Do you know the total number of sales? Although a bit hidden, eBay offers this information on the Seller Dashboard for sellers who have a store subscription. To view the total number of transactions and sales to date, do the following:

1.     Click on Seller Dashboard on the left side menu.

2.     Scroll down to the very bottom of the page to view “Your totals to date”. On the bottom of this page, are total number of transaction and sales.

The default is set to USA sales only. To view global sales to date, scroll up to the top of the page and change the region value to global.

To get started shopping on eBay and making money, Starting an eBay Business For Dummies by Marsha Collier is a great read and voted one of the Best Books of the Year So Far by the Amazon.com editorial team. Visit the Pinterest board, How to Make Money Selling on eBay for more information on what to sell on eBay. For details on what this Mom has sold on eBay, visit the Pinterest board: I sold THIS on eBay!