E-bay store

well, what i'm doing is opening a store, loading it with inventory, then plan on running auctions to drive traffic to store.

I dont know how well thought out of a plan that is, but it's what i'm going to try.

**crossing fingers**

I *do* know that the store wont generate much income on its own unless you do alot of work to promote it (refine keywords in store header, etc for SEO - search engine optimization, and so forth)

i'm sure some of the more successful sellers will be in to give some good advice there's also some good info on threads in stores forum on ebay community and some good ideas and tools here on driving traffic to store http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&user...ad*happy#xpromotions

edit to add - most of advice i've seen (and it makes sense) is to put slower moving items in store and faster selling items in auction/bin listings.

I figured that to really really make the money, I'd have to sell 100 items to show a huge difference in the listing fees verses profits etc. but I cant help but to wonder if making that "jump" into the Ebay store is where I need to be.

https://community.auctiva.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/628609941/m/3211002261

Here's a great thread with a link to some really REALLY good information. At least you'll have something to weigh the pro's and con's.

I personally love my store. I shut down one of my eBay ID stores last year when the fee's went up. Too bad...eBay lost alot of stores when they upped fee's.

Do as wayoutwest is doing...try it. It'll take a few days to get into Froogle/Google and the search engines.

Submit your store yourself, too!!!!!

Even if the first month you aren't as successful as you hoped..think on it this way..that it will take customers to find your store via searches, bookmark it and more.

I'd give it at least 2 months at the minimum.

Alot of stuff, I put in my store is slower moving. That way, you just never know when a random internet search will bring them to your store due to your submitting yourself to the search engines. Mix up your auctions, buy it now, auction, fixed price, etc and it will build your number of bids.

Good Luck,
Donna

thats a great deal of info! Thanks!! BTW, how many ebay stores did you have?

Spending a few bucks and buying a domain name to promote your site is also very cost effective. I helped a friend set one up a few months ago and it drove quite a bit more traffic to his store after he started putting the site name on all correspondance/packages he sent out.

quote:

Originally posted by Shelainesgems:
thats a great deal of info! Thanks!! BTW, how many ebay stores did you have?

Off and on in the many years I've been with ebay...I've had three different stores. When eBay upped their fee's, I knocked one down and the year before that, I had one on another ID and it just wasn't fulfilling what I'd wanted it to. I.E., making buckeroo's. It was easier to consolidate than spread out....so that store got the boot in the back from ole Suthrnjewl.

Joe Crane had an EXCELLENT suggestion. Buy your domain name then have it forward the URL to your eBay store. Excellent posting!

Plus then you'll have a matching email address to go along with the domain name.

Gotta run!
Good Luck and By the way...THANKS!
<wink>
Donna

This is just my experience, but I wouldn't make a profit without my store. I've been sick for over 2 weeks now, and before that I had a mess of paperwork to do, so I haven't had any auction listings in a few weeks. And my sales were outstanding during this time--just selling through my store. In fact, I had cut back greatly on auctions because I just wasn't making the money there. It goes in spurts for me. I probably won't list any auctions this week either, but rather, work on getting my store inventory up to where it was. I can sell even when I'm sick as a 20 year old dog--as long as I keep a decent inventory. And to be honest, this is important to me. If I want to take a weekend off to do something really fun, I can do it. I still make money. In fact, I'm planning a trip to San Diego later in the year. I'll just load up the store and off I'll go. So, the store was the best thing I ever invested in. And I don't get killed with a huge invoice at the end of the month.

quote:

And I don't get killed with a huge invoice at the end of the month.

Do you mean that you sell enough that it's cheaper than if you were listing auctions only?

Just wanted to clarify -- it doesn't seem often that I hear such glowing recommendations for the eBay stores.

ann kate, I hope ya get to feelin better.

Rick, I did some number crunching and figured (using my average priced item in stock ,average shipping, what most proplr get for them onine on average etc) that some where in the 83-90 items threshold a month my profits would triple. I also figured that some place in the 25-30 item threshold my profits would be close. again its using averaged figures and making an assumption that all items cost and sold at the same rate. if they did far better or far worse that threshold would change. As soon as I get my inventory photographed and all (next week sometime) I look to open a store. The first month is free (according to the website) so Im going to experiment. Right now im at the "hobby" and "wannabe" stage. I have sold far more person to person since I began making jewerly than I have on ebay so far. I think thats been my reluctance.... fear of an untested market venue.... ;-)

I definitely like having our eBay store. On items sold, eBay costs are similar by the time you pay the higher final value fee. But for the items that you list in the auctions and don't sell, they can eat away at your profits on the ones that do sell. With the store you can list your items longer and the ones that don't sell don't cost so much. You can list an item in the store with a gallery pic for a year for $0.36. Much better place for slower moving items, or those items that take a little longer than 7 days to find the interested buyer. Use things that you know will sell easily to list in the auction to advertise and bring people into your store. I've read quite a bit on the stores discussion board at eBay, and most people tend to say that you should have about 100 items listed in your store to make it worthwhile. There is quite a bit of good info at the stores discussion board, but keep in mind there is also a lot of negativity, so if you check it out, be prepared to dig the gems out of the dirt and not let the negativity affect you!

nightowls

PS...you can also get a domain name and have it redirect to your eBay store...advertise it everywhere you can!

____________________
www.craigandnikkismontanamercantile.com

quote:

Originally posted by Rick Bradford:

Do you mean that you sell enough that it's cheaper than if you were listing auctions only

It seems to work better for me, yes. I don't sell really high priced items. And it's often hit or miss for me in auctions. I can put things out on auction or out in fixed price, and nothing. I don't understand it. But then I put the same listing, with often a higher price, and it sells in my store two days later. I don't truly understand it. But my profits are up this month--with fewer auctions. I thought it was because Ebay was putting store listings right in the search results, but I kept selling even after they stopped doing this.

I really just started seeing more sales in my store because I've been working on my store inventory. Now it's down to nothing, I'm afraid. But that's where I'm going to focus my effort--for now anyway.

However, I did start out with low opening bid auctions in the beginning to drive people to my store. I haven't even been doing that lately. But that does work. People look at your other items. And then there's the whole concept of watching an item in a store. I know I like to think about it and will watch an item in a store for up to a month. And as a buyer, I don't like waiting for an auction to end--or missing out because someone outbid me at the last moment. When I shop ebay, I shop more in the stores. And maybe there's others like me.

But I must stress, I'm no power seller. I'm not crunching numbers or anything like that. It's just my own observations with my own little store. Have a good weekend everyone.

quote:

Originally posted by annkate:
It seems to work better for me, yes. I don't sell really high priced items. And it's often hit or miss for me in auctions. I can put things out on auction or out in fixed price, and nothing. I don't understand it. But then I put the same listing, with often a higher price, and it sells in my store two days later. I don't truly understand it.

that's been a hot topic in ebay stores forum lately - upping your prices in order to sell more. Basically it's about perceived value. (an example I gave in one of the threads was 'Why is it James Avery silver pieces sell so high? Perceived value.' (which, yes their quality of workmanship is top-notch, but i still think their prices are too high)

quote:

But my profits are up this month--with fewer auctions. I thought it was because Ebay was putting store listings right in the search results, but I kept selling even after they stopped doing this.

I really just started seeing more sales in my store because I've been working on my store inventory. Now it's down to nothing, I'm afraid. But that's where I'm going to focus my effort--for now anyway.

However, I did start out with low opening bid auctions in the beginning to drive people to my store. I haven't even been doing that lately. But that does work. People look at your other items. And then there's the whole concept of watching an item in a store. I know I like to think about it and will watch an item in a store for up to a month.

So some of those store item watchers might actually be real customers? I figured they were probably competitors watching to see if my items sell. Thanks for the info - nice to know that some might be real customers

quote:

And as a buyer, I don't like waiting for an auction to end--or missing out because someone outbid me at the last moment. When I shop ebay, I shop more in the stores. And maybe there's others like me.

as a buyer, i'm the same way. If i cant snipe it on a listing ending fairly soon (within a few hours or at most a day or two) I'll buy it from a store or using BIN. I do try to give more of my business to stores

I have an ebay store and unfortunately will probably close it at the end of this month. You have to list auctions just to get people into the store and then you have to pay the monthly fee for the store. I have sold about $1000 and OWE THEM $20.00

My ebay store

my webstore

well for now, I went ahead and got a domain name, AND made the link go to my auctiva store. I think that the pricing game is going to be my biggest trick to play after getting my inventory instock. I want to have all my inventory photographed (and most RE photographed) and descriptions ready before I list anything else. I think that will take me to the end of the week. (between my real job and all) I think that the store format might make people more willing to buy from me because does seem like a better way to draw in the browsing shoppers.
Magsflies, you made 1000 and only owed 20? Or did you still owe them 20 after the 1000 was gone? Im not sure I understand. If all you owed them was 20 out of 1000, thats a fair shake. My dad says anything more than what you spend is what you want to do.

quote:

that's been a hot topic in ebay stores forum lately - upping your prices in order to sell more. Basically it's about perceived value. (an example I gave in one of the threads was 'Why is it James Avery silver pieces sell so high? Perceived value.' (which, yes their quality of workmanship is top-notch, but i still think their prices are too high)

Yep, your reading the same boards,lol. I'm gonna give this a try on a couple of items and see how it goes.

quote:

So some of those store item watchers might actually be real customers? I figured they were probably competitors watching to see if my items sell. Thanks for the info - nice to know that some might be real customers

I watch store items as a competitor but also as a buyer. If I see something I want, I'll put it on my watch list and shop around more. If I don't put it on my watch list, seems I can't find it again when I want it.