Posts Tagged ‘twitter’

Social media can be a little daunting.  There are many ways to be connected through social media.  Here are a few:

• Blogs or weblogs; like WordPress, LiveJournal, or Blogger.  A blog is like an online journal.  You can write about any topic, post photos and give your opinion.  Blogs are very popular these days.  I have a blog, and I talk about everything from eBay items that didn’t sell, to weird stories involving my family.  Blogs are fun to read and write.  If you aren’t interested in writing a blog, you can just post comments on other people’s blogs and leave a link to your eBay site.
• Internet Forums or chat rooms.  This would be on any site you post your opinion, ask questions, or respond to someone else post.   To do this you simply chat, or answer questions. When you sign your name, put a link to your eBay store.
• Picture sharing; like Flickr, Photobucket, or Picasa.  Host and share your photos with your friends and the world.  Make sure you add a link to your eBay items.
• Social Networking sites: Facebook, My Space, Twitter or Linked In.  On these types of sites you create your account, find friends or followers (on Twitter). Post to your wall, or page, and it is automatically broadcast to your friends or followers.
• Video sharing; like YouTube, Viddler or Vimeo.  This is similar to photo sharing.  Upload your videos, share them with people, link your stuff you’re selling to it.  According to most online marketing experts, video will be one of the hottest ways to connect with customers. http://smub.it/dnfi

Dear eBay Queen;

I’ve been selling on eBay since 1999.  I had a buyer purchase two separate items from me on eBay.  I shipped them in a USPS priority mail box.  The box was 12x12x8, and I used peanuts and bubble wrapped to ship the figurines.  I received this email from the buyer today.

 "The items came to me broken. I took the package to the post office because I had insurance. They denied the claim because you didn’t ship it according to their standards. If you had taken it to the post office they wouldn’t have insured it.

You sent these precious items to me in a sheet box. The box was not strong enough to withstand the normal post office requirements. I cried so hard at the post office because I gave you the benefit of the doubt. I’ve lost the item, the shipping costs, and the insurance. Are you willing to refund me? You have to ship things in a stronger box!

I have a copy of the hand written letter from the person who told me this was not shipped properly. Not only was the box not up to the standards of shipping this precious item but peanuts foam is not allowed for these items. She said you have to box within a box. You didn’t even have them separated. I’m so sad and hurt that this is broken. Please let me know if you are going to help me." 

When are peanuts not allowed for shipping items with the USPS? I don’t know how to respond, or what to do. Please help me.

Karina

Dear Karina;

I understand why you would be confused about this.  If you sent this in a USPS Priority mail box, the post office should not say that it “is not strong enough”.  If this were my transaction, I would email your buyer, apologize and let her know that you will take care of this.  You do not want her to be unhappy.  Request the post office phone number and the name of the person she spoke with.

Once you have the information, contact your Post Master and hers.  Let both of them know what happened.  If her Post Master will accept the claim, email her and tell her to take it back in.  If they will not accept the claim, contact your post master to see if they will accept the claim.  If they will accept it, have your buyer mail the item and the original packaging back to you so you can take it in to your post office.

If the post office will not accept the claim, it will be up to you to decide what to do.  Since this buyer is a little dramatic, I would probably refund her money and apologize profusely.

Dear eBay Queen;

I have been selling on eBay for a few years.  The last three weeks have been really slow for me. I am worried. I am a full time father with custody of my two children.  Is it me and my product, or am I having some bad luck?

About a month ago I would spend $100 on 100 pieces of clothing. I would start the price at $4 per piece and charge $6.60 for Priority Flat Rate Shipping.  Maybe 50 would sell the first time around then the next time around 50% of the remaining would sell till it was gone. Now I spend the same amount, but only about 20% will sell.

Why is this happening? Is it the recession, or is this something that happens in the summertime? I mean, everybody will still need clothes regardless of how poor they are, so why not buy them where they’re cheaper? What should I do?

Gorgeous Georges

Dear Gorgeous;

It’s always hard when an item doesn’t sell like you would like for it to.  The economy has hurt all sellers, retail and online.  Have you tried a little self promotion? I would consider using the following to promote your eBay items:

1.     Google Base.  http://www.google.com/base

2.     Twitter. http://www.twitter.com

3.    Facebook. http://www.facebook.com

When this happens to me (and it does happen to me), I will re-analyze my photos, ad layout and terms.  Have you done this?  Your price seems extremely reasonable, so I don’t understand how it could be that.  Have you checked out the competition?  Are they using a model or mannequin?  I do know that clothing tends to sell better when it is on a body instead of a hanger or laying flat on the floor.  What about measurements?  It is very important that the measurements are included in the ad, since buyers can’t try the items on before buying them.

I hope your sales pick up soon! 

Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item 310142307548

 (Enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page) Summer is here! Check out this 1920’s Wool Swimsuit: SOLD $630.00 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item310142307548     

Suzie Eads is a nationally known eBay marketer and eBay trained Education Specialist. She lives in Rantoul. Do you have a question for the eBay Queen? E-mail: questions@asktheebayqueen.com

Dear eBay Queen;

I’ve been really stepping up my online presence lately. I sell on eBay, Amazon, my own website and Bonanzle. I’ve been reading about social networking, but I just don’t get it. Surely if I can figure out how to sell on four different sites, I can figure out social networking, right?

What can you tell me about using social networking to enhance my sales? I have set up a Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter account. I don’t know what to do with them. Can you give me some insight?

Social Reject

Dear Reject;

Congratulations on your successful online presence! Many people would tell you social networking is EVERYTHING to business success. I believe a successful online business has many components that make it prosperous.
1. You need a good product that people want.
2. You must build trust and confidence by the way you handle your business and by how your website/ads look.
3. Answer all questions promptly.

4. Promotion

Social Networking is a way to look into the life of another person, or business. It is a way to connect with others in a unique way. Social Networking includes many different sites, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and LinkedIn I look at each of these sites in this way:

Facebook: Social site where you can connect with everyone, from the guy you went to church camp with in 1982, or your best friend from high school, to people that do the same kind of work you do. With this site, you can post photos, and tell the world as little, or as much as you want to tell them about yourself.

MySpace: Is about the same as Facebook, but can be personalized down to a song and flashy graphic when people enter your page.

Twitter: Is all the rage right now. You connect or “Tweet” what you’re doing in 140 character spaces. You can tell people anything as long as it’s in those 140 spaces. I tweet about my blog, what I’m making for dinner, interesting eBay finds, or what I’m watching on TV. Do people care? Who knows! I know that secretly I love reading what other people are doing.

LinkedIn: Is more of a professional site where you can find industry contacts, etc. There is less personal interaction on this site. I don’t see many people hocking their wares here. They are more looking for business contacts.

I really enjoy social networking. I don’t promote my eBay business on the social sites as much as I promote my blog and my articles. I really believe that you can overwhelm your friends with too much self promotion. I have several friends on Twitter that Tweet non stop about their eBay listings, and hardly ever tweet anything personal. I believe that you need to have about 80% personal and 20% business promotion.

Dear eBay Queen;

I was reading the new AuctionBytes blog where they discussed eBay’s new dispute resolution process. Have you read this? http://blog.auctionbytes.com/cgi-bin/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2009/4/1240838488.html eBay is allowing buyers to call in and say there is a problem, then the are giving the money back and allowing the buyer to keep the item. In some cases they are suspending the seller! What is up with that?

I am interested in what you think about this new dispute system.

Bill H; Omaha

Dear Bill;

I read the blog, and to say that it freaked me out a bit is an understatement. I do believe the resolution process needs a makeover. In it’s current state, it’s slow moving, and doesn’t make either party really communicate.

I wrote Jim Griffith (eBay’s Senior Manager of Seller Advocacy), he assured me this program was in the test phases, and not to believe everything I read. He assured me that “eBay would not suspend good sellers, and this program will actually help a good seller.”

If you read AuctionByte’s blog from April 28, you’ll see that there is a struggle between AuctionByte’s reporting and eBay. http://blog.auctionbytes.com/cgi-bin/blog/blog.pl I completely believe this is true, eBay has basically shut communication off with AuctionBytes. The story that they reported on the resolution process is probably only taking few sellers experience with it into account, and not the norm. We don’t have any idea how long those buyers waited for the item, if the seller communicated with the buyer etc.

Right now I am going to remain cautiously optimistic about this new policy. The new dispute policy will take effect at the end of the year.

Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item 280336710001 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the eBay homepage) You know Susan Boyle? The woman who has the voice of an angel? Check out what her first CD sold for on eBay: SOLD $909.11 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAP.dll?ViewItems&item=280336710001