How To Use Ebay As A Marketing Tool For Your Online Store
The death of eBay has been prematurely reported.
It has been commonly thought for the last two years or so that eBay's influence on internet commerce was waning.
With the explosion of e commerce websites, the expansion of Amazon's sellers, and the novelty of online auctions waning, eBay's gigantic shadow was no longer keeping the rest of the internet in the dark.
Perhaps eBay no longer casts its shadows on the rest of the internet.
But eBay's demise has been over exaggerated.
As Search Engine Optimization pros fall all over themselves to sacrifice themselves to the Google gods, those of us selling items online, would do better to focus just as much on eBay searches.
The reason is this, eBay processes as many search request per month as Google.
That's right they both process about 2 billion searches per month, so both are huge traffic resources.
The difference is that people searching on eBay are buying or at least shopping.
People use Google for all sorts of reasons.
Like many online retailers, I began on eBay.
Doing auctions only for about the first two years, and then branching out to an eBay store, not going onto a stand alone website for another two years.
While I quit one online store altogether, re-inventing a brand new online store with a new marketing approach, I have constantly remained on eBay.
As my online store began to overtake eBay sales, I begin to look at eBay as a lesser than approach.
Thinking eBay customers were only valuable if they became website customers.
I rely on repeat sales and a growing customer base.
And I thought eBay was a bit of a thorn, and didn't appreciate the customers I had there.
But about a year ago I had a change of heart.
I still use eBay for finding new customers.
In fact I consider eBay fees nothing more than advertising, and it is consistently in my top three monthly advertising expenses.
eBay is in my top 10 traffic referrers to website traffic, but I now value eBay also as a money making source.
I use it to auction off clearance or overstocked items; I use it to test new ideas.
It also has different seasons than my website, going strong from Thanksgiving through May it jumpstarts my slow season, dying off as my website season peaks.
While it accounts for only about 15% of annual sales, it is a 15% that couldn't be done without.
It also is a great generator of new customers.
My strategy has changed somewhat with eBay.
Auctions start lower than my website retail prices, while eBay store items are about 8-10% higher than website prices to recoup eBay fees.
Over half of the auction winners also purchase eBay store items, and about 5% of all website sales per month come from a direct link from eBay.
While you are not allowed to put links to the website, you can put links to more product information that just happen to be on the website.
An invaluable tool indeed.
Like Wall Streeters and internet online gurus I too had once looked askance at eBay's value.
But I have certainly changed heart.
If you have an online store, and are not using eBay to help drive traffic, increase sales, and reduce inventory than you are missing a valuable partner in your overall business success.
If you have an established online presence, or even a brick and mortar store, try the following strategies for eBay.
Use the auctions for clearance and overstocked items, deep discounts attract lots of traffic, and therefore lots of potential new customers.
Use auctions for best selling products to attract new customers.
Also have an eBay store, package products differently just for eBay, half of all auction winners will also purchase things from there.
Price things in your eBay store 8-10% higher than your online store to help offset eBay fees.
Think of eBay fees as an advertising expense, when you consider you make direct sales off of it, it is one of the best values out there.
Have links on all your eBay listings to more product information, which will be on your website.
Include coupons to be redeemed at your online store, when shipping eBay customers their products.
Encompass eBay in your marketing, and you will find it an invaluable tool in growing your online business.
It has been commonly thought for the last two years or so that eBay's influence on internet commerce was waning.
With the explosion of e commerce websites, the expansion of Amazon's sellers, and the novelty of online auctions waning, eBay's gigantic shadow was no longer keeping the rest of the internet in the dark.
Perhaps eBay no longer casts its shadows on the rest of the internet.
But eBay's demise has been over exaggerated.
As Search Engine Optimization pros fall all over themselves to sacrifice themselves to the Google gods, those of us selling items online, would do better to focus just as much on eBay searches.
The reason is this, eBay processes as many search request per month as Google.
That's right they both process about 2 billion searches per month, so both are huge traffic resources.
The difference is that people searching on eBay are buying or at least shopping.
People use Google for all sorts of reasons.
Like many online retailers, I began on eBay.
Doing auctions only for about the first two years, and then branching out to an eBay store, not going onto a stand alone website for another two years.
While I quit one online store altogether, re-inventing a brand new online store with a new marketing approach, I have constantly remained on eBay.
As my online store began to overtake eBay sales, I begin to look at eBay as a lesser than approach.
Thinking eBay customers were only valuable if they became website customers.
I rely on repeat sales and a growing customer base.
And I thought eBay was a bit of a thorn, and didn't appreciate the customers I had there.
But about a year ago I had a change of heart.
I still use eBay for finding new customers.
In fact I consider eBay fees nothing more than advertising, and it is consistently in my top three monthly advertising expenses.
eBay is in my top 10 traffic referrers to website traffic, but I now value eBay also as a money making source.
I use it to auction off clearance or overstocked items; I use it to test new ideas.
It also has different seasons than my website, going strong from Thanksgiving through May it jumpstarts my slow season, dying off as my website season peaks.
While it accounts for only about 15% of annual sales, it is a 15% that couldn't be done without.
It also is a great generator of new customers.
My strategy has changed somewhat with eBay.
Auctions start lower than my website retail prices, while eBay store items are about 8-10% higher than website prices to recoup eBay fees.
Over half of the auction winners also purchase eBay store items, and about 5% of all website sales per month come from a direct link from eBay.
While you are not allowed to put links to the website, you can put links to more product information that just happen to be on the website.
An invaluable tool indeed.
Like Wall Streeters and internet online gurus I too had once looked askance at eBay's value.
But I have certainly changed heart.
If you have an online store, and are not using eBay to help drive traffic, increase sales, and reduce inventory than you are missing a valuable partner in your overall business success.
If you have an established online presence, or even a brick and mortar store, try the following strategies for eBay.
Use the auctions for clearance and overstocked items, deep discounts attract lots of traffic, and therefore lots of potential new customers.
Use auctions for best selling products to attract new customers.
Also have an eBay store, package products differently just for eBay, half of all auction winners will also purchase things from there.
Price things in your eBay store 8-10% higher than your online store to help offset eBay fees.
Think of eBay fees as an advertising expense, when you consider you make direct sales off of it, it is one of the best values out there.
Have links on all your eBay listings to more product information, which will be on your website.
Include coupons to be redeemed at your online store, when shipping eBay customers their products.
Encompass eBay in your marketing, and you will find it an invaluable tool in growing your online business.
