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Warning: This Guide is for those who may be new to eBay (under six months) and/or those who are just looking for a few ideas to increase sales and visibility.
Business as usual? Okay, there's been a bit of a downturn in sales and the indicators are the usual suspects; high gas prices, consumer confidence a bit on the low side and on and on (nothing you don't know already).
However, with every downturn comes "opportunity". Opportunity for both buyers and sellers. This is the time to stock up - when a turn for the worse, can be turned around into an opportunity - to troll eBay for some great deals. By the time the leaves are just starting to turn color, you'll be sitting pretty with plenty of stock and higher profit margins. What you perceive as losing in sales now - can turn into a gold mine within the next few months.
Here are some things you can do when sales are slow:
1 -Take advantage of the "Best Offer" button and you might just be surprised how many of your offers might be accepted.
2- It might sound crazy to spend money at a time when sales are down however, whatever your market, you have the opportunity to scoop up the deals and stock up for the holidays.
3- Review your store! Use every eBay tool available to you! Experiment with your Store Look! Try different color combinations! A stale looking store can be revitalized with a new look - with the same merchandise (even if you just change your store layout, colors and theme).
4- Write Reviews and Guides! Your Guide is posted in a high position when you first submit it! In addition, the search engines eat up content and you'll end up with great links on Yahoo! and Google straight into your storefront. Hey, you clicked and reviewed this Guide so it does work!
5- Increase your traffic through Blogs! Write a guide and post it on eBay and then start a Blog and just copy and paste every Guide you write for your eBay store and post it into your Blog. Don't forget to put a link from your Blog into your eBay store. It's a fact that Google spiders Blogs, as they own most of them and you can increase traffic and sales. It costs nothing to post your Guide on eBay and nothing to start a Blog, they're FREE!
6- eBay Keywords are important in your storefront! Pick the best keywords you can think of and then call eBay support and ask a representative to check your store design and your keywords, they'll be honest with you and let know if you're on target.
7- Set up an off eBay store and drive traffic to your listings! It works in the same way a Blog works, set up a store and add tons of content and articles and put your eBay store links all over the site! Remember, eBay is the most searched venue online and as such, the word eBay is in the title of your eBay store. Take advantage of search engines by setting up a store and driving traffic to your listings.
8- Newsletters are a great way to promote your store and listings. Take FULL advantage of them by posting them in your eBay store and in your off-eBay store! In other words, post on your site what you send to your customers through your email newsletter! More links add up to more traffic!
9- eBay Pulse! A great way to get noticed. Put together a great package of goodies with "No Reserve" and buy every enhanced listing eBay offers.
Yes, you'll spend money doing this but, take a ten day listing and get great exposure to your listing and overflow traffic to your store!
Click on eBay Pulse and you'll find some of the most outrageous stuff up for auction. The sellers using this venue, do so, to drive traffic to their listings and their eBay store. You could end up offering a "most watched item" and gain an audience you never knew existed.
10- Don't ever get down during a "slow sales period". Keep your chin up, stay positive, keep on listing new stuff, tweak your store daily, get traffic from non-eBay venues into your store using Blogs and Guides, set up an off-eBay store and drive the traffic to your listings.
I hope this Guide helped the few or the many that either needed a "pick me up" or some positive words..
Other guides relating to jewelry and gemstone buying which you may find helpful are as follows:
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