Ebay Alternatives, Other Online Selling Sites and Auctions
Hi! Glad to see you visiting with LilacsNDreams! Ok, I admit today I probably should have done a bit more with my growing list, but give me some credit. I did get some listings done at eBay. Special ends Saturday that I am part of, and I have more to list there, relist, revise listings, and etc.
It's that time of year that eBay is having their spring changes, fee increases, policy changes, and the usual. We are soon going to experience having a 10% final value fee with our listings, and don't forget that crazy charge they do with shipping cost too. We are going to keep the 50 free listings a month, and I think I read after the 50 free listings it would be like a .30 fee to list. Then, there is the changes with the pictures that they are now doing, and will go into effect by July 1st. They would like us to use white backgrounds, and pictures should be 500+ for pixels. They do not want to see watermarks on the pictures, or at least have them across the items being shown. The picture rule came about since mobile users are becoming more, and more with their usage and purchases. Trying to help out with that area which I can understand.
When I joined eBay in 2004 it was fun, enjoyable, a learning experience, but also a money maker too. As time has gone along the fees increased, the rules change, the policies change, and so on. The sellers dissatisfaction with eBay, and their strategy to drive small sellers from the site sends them out searching for other places to sell. The obvious answers we first get are Amazon, and Craigslist. Don't stop there as there are many others out there, and many other solutions that can be used too.
• Bid Start
They have auctions here of collectibles, very strong in stamps - coins - sportcards - comics - and games. You have to visit their sites fee page for more details for some numbers. This is a successful site for stamps, and coins. They have expanded into collectibles, and seem to be growing.
• Bonanza
They have fixed price store format with a wide range of mostly used products including vintage, and collectibles. They have free listings with low fees.
• eBid
Here they have auctions with a variety of products. It appears they have $49.49 lifetime fee, 0 listing fees, 0 final value fees, 5 free photos, 5 free eBid stores, uploads to Google Shopping, unlimited listings, and For Life. This is a functional site with growing buyer/seller base.
• eCrater
This is also a fixed price store format with a wide range of products. They have zero selling fees, no listing fees, offer use of Paypal and Google Wallet for payment options. The is a growing site with moderate sales. They allow sellers to link to their own websites here too.
• Etsy
This is a fixed price place with handcrafted items, art, supplies, and vintage items offered. Their listing fee is .20 which is for a 4 month listing. Final Value Fees are 3.5%. They are also a growing site with a loyal following.
There are many many more to mention, and if you google eBay Alternatives you will see different suggestions that are made, different opinions shared, will hear the good, the bad, and you know the routine. Ruby Lane which is for vintage, collectibles, antiques, and high end products of this sort. Shopinterest is newer, and comes off of Pinterest which is a growing social bookmarking/pinning site. There is Addoway, and others that could also be mentioned too.
None of the sites gets near the traffic of eBay, or Amazon. Therefore it could be difficult to make a living on all, or any of them. Best use for these sites is to expand your business beyond eBay by adding additional channels to sell in. Since most have either lower, or no listing fees there is no incremental cost, or risk to add any of these sites. You know that saying "don't keep all your eggs in one basket" True it is.
These are decisions that each individual seller needs to decide on themselves. Are you happy with one venue, do you feel you need more, and if you need more how much more do you need? I have seen some stretch themselves too thin with too many shops. I have seen others have just enough that works for them, and they can manage too. It is a decision that is up to us, and what our goals are for selling online. Yes, I do still at eBay, and use the 50 free listings every month. I also use the specials that they offer for listings too. Yet, I do not limit myself to eBay either. I have a shop with Ecrater that I need to work with, and have enjoyed using. In fact, with some customers from eBay I have had them go to my eCrater shop if they want a better deal for an item that I can make the numbers work with the fees of using paypal/google wallet, and etc. I also have a small shop with Etsy too. Between eCrater, and Etsy I have done some sales along with eBay too. For me it is enough to move inventory I have, for what I do, and where I feel comfortable.
I got a little bit winded today I see, but hope this was of some help to those who question their sales with eBay. Hope it helps others who have thoughts of moving on, or having another venue that they are considering using too. I wish you all well with your sales, your decisions, and sending you all the best of luck with this.
Thanks so much for visiting with LilacsNDreams, and hope to see you again soon. Take care, and Happy Sales to All.
Social Media Selling and Best Practices
Hello, and Welcome to LilacsNDreams! Happy Hump Day to all of you visiting with me today! I know you often see things about Social Media, and there is a lot out there to read about this particular subject too. There are many choices for Social Media. Some use Social Media for ways of advertising their venues, showing links to their shops, so they can have back links to maybe their blogs, keeping in touch with family and friends, meeting new people, learning, sharing, and so many more things.
I have often read about Social Media being an important factor for those who sell. There are many choices we can use for Social Media such as Google+, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and of course our Blogs too. I have recently made a sale that came from my Shoppe Blog page, and of course am thrilled with it too. Feels better than dealing with one of the other venues, and is much more personable dealing with customers too. Anyway, back to the subject at hand. Please read on everyone.
There are some general tips to consider when looking more into Social Media, and putting them into use for your business. 1) Evaluate the available tools before you start 2) Genuinely contribute to the conversation 3) Create a separate account for your business 4) Start small 5) Listen and engage 6) Cross-promote your social media channels 7) Do Not expect instant results.
Whew! I could write a book just about this alone with these tips, and then sharing a little bit about the places mentioned. Actually, there was some good things, and points that came within my Ebay Seller Information that I received. If you click on the link, and follow to that being shared by Ebay you will understand it more, get some good things from it, and hopefully it might help you just a little bit more in knowing what places maybe you should use, where to focus your energy with, and so on. I will note that in this list they did not mention anything about Pinterest, but I would also recommend that as a place to also consider in using with your social media as well. The place is growing, and is slowly expanding out with all that they are doing too.
Over time I have narrowed down which Social Medias I use, which ones I participate with, seen the ones I benefit more with, and which ones are helping me. Everyone will have their own choices, and own opinions of what works. Remember, the choices are yours to make, and use what you are comfortable with, and what you see is working for you.
I wish you all a wonderful Wednesday or Hump Day! Thanks so much for sharing your time with LilacsNDreams, and hope you enjoyed it. See you all again soon. Take care, and have a Happy Day!
Google Shopping Keywords, and Selling on Ecrater is something to consider.
Hi All, and Welcome to LilacsNDreams! I have been gone all day again on Wednesday. Busy busy busy. Each time I have a day like this I make sure to still stay up at night to read my emails, read messages to me, check my shops, and of course read what is being shared in all the forums I like to frequent, and roam through.
Many of us who are sellers have many shops. Some of our shops are all in the same place, some of us use different venues to sell with, and some of us also have websites that we like to sell with as well. Some day I hope to be more active with my website, or maybe just do everything from my blog here too. Anyway, I am getting ahead of myself there a little bit.
One of the shops I have is with Ecrater. I have slowly...and I mean slowly been adding my inventory into this shop. My vintage collectibles, items found when thrifting, and I have also been adding in my items that I repurpose too. Ecrater is free to list, no final value fees, has been around for a while, and they do offer choices of paypal and google wallet as payment services to use too. As some of us, or many of us are aware soon Google Shopping will be completely different for use. In order for our products to show with Google Shopping you will have to pay to be a part of it. I have heard it can get quite spendy too. I have never really worried too much about Google Shopping as I am seen in Google Organic searches, found in yahoo searches, product images show at The Find, and etc. But, let's admit it, the more we can get seen by others, the more exposure, the better chances of sales, right? In the forums at Artfire tonight another seller there who also sells on Ecrater shared something interesting with all of us. TheLivesAndLovesOfMaggieTheCat shared this with us:
"For all who are or are considering opening on eCRATER I just learned
that the admin is paying Google for minimum key word bids so our items
will still be picked up by Google Shopping. How is that for a totally
free site?"
WOW! This is good news, and even more incentive for me to start working harder on those listings I have slowly been adding in there. With this kind of announcement it is time for me to step it up a bit more with the Holiday Shopping fast approaching for us too.
So, for those who are sellers visiting with LilacsNDreams, and if you use Ecrater I hope you find satisfaction with this announcement as I did myself. I wish you all well, and many happy sales to you too!
Thanks for sharing your time with LilacsNDreams, and hope to see you again soon. Take care till the next time everyone. Toodle Ooohhh....
