At times things can get a bit hectic while trying to run your eBay business. You have so many things to do like managing your lists, collecting payments and shipping your products out to customers. You need to develop a system that works so that you get the most production out of the time and money you have invested into your eBay business. This article will offer you some tips to keep in mind when trying to manage your eBay business and make things run smoothly.
Using Templates - Most professional eBay sellers use templates for all the auctions they post. By using a professional looking template you can increase your selling price and make buyers take you more seriously. If you're not experienced enough with computer to create your own templates then you should consider paying someone to create a few for you. When you are using templates, not only do your auctions look more professional, but it saves you valuable time as well. You simply plug all the information for the specific item you are selling into your template and you're ready to go. No longer do you have to worry about formatting and making it look nice because that's already done for you.
Have a Listing Strategy - Most potential buyers will look at your other auctions as well. You want to make sure to list similar items at the same time. This way if they look at one of your items, but it's not quite what they're looking for, they may like another similar item that you posted better. This gives you more than one chance to get a purchase from that person. You can also post items that compliment each other and possibly get two sales from the same person. You can even offer a deal on shipping if the customer purchases both items.
Group Items Into The Same Listing - Maybe you have an item that you're not sure will sell. You can try to group this item with a better item and list them together. You can throw the additional item in as a bonus. This can help push a buyer over the edge to bid and can even raise your potential sales price.
Sell By The Season - It's important that you are selling items that are good for the season that you are selling in. You don't want to be selling beach towels during Christmas or winter jackets during July. Keep in mind that you also don't want to sell an item during the peak because then you have more competition, try to get your item up before the rush of the season hits.
Think About Potential Questions - You want to provide as much information in your description as possible. The more potential questions you can answer in your description, the better. This way you'll spend less time replying to emails from potential customers. If a customer has a question, many times they will just move onto another auction and won't even bother asking you. So you need to try to anticipate any potential questions and make sure they are answered clearly in your auction. Keep your terms and conditions very clear as well. These include: shipping rates and options, discounts, payment method and so forth.
Create A Mailing List - Set up a mailing list or newsletter that your buyers can sign up for. This way you can contact them whenever you have a new item listed. Remember that your customer list, is your most valuable asset. If they have already bought from you and you made sure they were satisfied, then you have a pretty good chance that they will buy from you again if you treat them right.
Smart Shipping - You can now purchase and print your USPS and UPS labels from home online. Just use your PayPal funds to pay for postage and drop the boxes off at the post office, or you can even schedule a pick up from your home. This saves you time because you don't have to go wait in line at the post office, and we all know there is always a line! You can set it up so that your buyers are automatically given a tracking number as well.
Your Feedback Rating - Your feedback rating is the most important part of your eBay business that you need to maintain. The better your feedback rating, the more you can sell your items for. Protect your feedback rating, no matter what the cost. This is one of those things where the customer is always right. It's your job to make your customers happy, so do whatever it takes.
By using the tips that I have given you in this article you have the potential to increase your profits on eBay. You will also give yourself extra time to do other things in your life. When running your eBay business, you want to always be looking for ways to streamline and automate your business, so keep your eyes open for those opportunities. The tips in this article should put you on the right track.
This article was written on behalf of eBayBusiness.net by Webmaster and Internet Marketing Specialist Jason Cooper. Visit http://www.ebaybusiness.net and download 3 Free eBay Business eBooks today! (c) 2006, eBayBusiness.net. This article may be reproduced in all venues so long as the content and by-line are reprinted intact and all links are set live.