eBay had approximately 159 million active buyers worldwide in just the second quarter of 2021. This may pale in comparison to Amazon, however, eBay is its closest competitor. With lower fees and fewer sellers, eBay is a huge opportunity for brands to reach a new and bigger audience.
In this blog, we are going to give you 10 actionable tips that your company can put in place to win sales on eBay today!
How to win on eBay
– in a glance
- Ensure all your product details are complete
- Increase visibility with SEO
- Include a strong main image
- Keep pricing competitive
- Utilise the product description
- Promote your listings
- Ship your products quickly
- Provide great customer service
- Seek out reviews
- Offer free returns
Ensure all your product details are complete
You may think you’ve included all the necessary information into the product description, but without the attributes being filled out correctly you could be missing a massive opportunity. eBay offers its shoppers an ‘Advanced Filter’ option, to narrow down the search results to exactly what shoppers are looking for. This filter includes the different attributes for specific categories, which means if they haven’t been filled in, your products won’t get seen.
Increase visibility with SEO
If your products can be found easily, they won’t be purchased. It’s a very simple concept to understand however not always as easy to put in place. Cassini is eBay’s search engine algorithm – it is set up to offer shoppers the best experience and products.
One of the main things to consider when setting up your product listings is to create relevant content such as an accurate product description supported by high-quality images. If your product description is lacking in information or if that information is inaccurate or differentiates from other provided information, Cassini will penalise you!
The title is the most important area for keywords, so make sure you have done your research and include the most valuable keywords here. The character limit is only small, so you’ll have to be smart and utilise the sub-headings if you can’t fit everything in.
If you set up your product listings correctly and add value to the shopping experience, your products will rank high in the search results and help increase your sales.
Include a strong main image
Grab the shoppers’ attention whilst they are browsing the search results with a main product image that showcases your product. The image needs to be clear and showcase everything that is included in the purchase. If you are selling a pack of four, make sure there are four of the products in the image! This will help shoppers understand the product and the price point at a glance.
Keep pricing competitive
Without sacrificing your margins, you need your product to be competitive. Lower price points equal more sales – it’s really that simple!
If you’re unable to keep your pricing low at all times, offer promotions and sales and ensure to advertise this by sending alerts to your eBay subscribers or adding a billboard to your eBay shop. Promotions can help you increase conversions and generate positive feedback which will help to improve your search ranking even after the promotion is over.
Utilise the product description
There are huge possibilities in the product description section of an eBay listing. It not only helps your search ranking when packed with important keywords but is also a place for shoppers to learn more about your product and for you to tell them why they should buy it!
Ensure that you describe your product accurately and include all of your key selling points. Make your brand shine by using your brand’s voice and showcasing what makes you different. This section is also a great place to add additional images. Unfortunately, eBay doesn’t have a simple modular upload system, however, expert designers are able to create a truly bespoke layout that can be turned into HTML code to be uploaded.
Ship your products quickly
Consumers are impatient…when they place an order they want it to arrive right away! And with services such as Amazon Prime, consumers are getting used to fast turnaround times. On eBay, sellers are in charge of their own shipping which means you need to make sure you have the logistics in place to ensure your items get delivered quickly and in one piece. If you can, try and keep costs down to offer customers cheaper options to be competitive.
Promote your listings
Promoted listings on eBay are an effective way to get your products seen fast! What makes eBay different is that you will only pay when your product sells – making for a cheap and effective way to advertise. eBay gives you full control of your budget and timescales for campaigns as well as offering pay per click and display ad types.
We have seen some awesome results when advertising on eBay. For example, we were able to decrease a client’s advertising cost of sale (ACoS) to 5.5% compared to an average of 10% ACoS on Amazon. Which meant they were able to achieve higher profit margins and reach a much wider audience.
Provide great customer service
The eBay algorithm takes into account the type of seller you are. If you are a reliable seller and are able to create repeat customers, Cassini will reward you! Stay in contact with your customers throughout their customer journey. Keep them up to date with the status of their order and shipment and follow up with them after their purchase to ensure they are happy.
If there is an issue, use the eBay Resolution Centre. This is a clear and secure way to communicate with your customers and resolve any issues they may have had with your product, shipment or transaction.
Seek out reviews
Ratings and reviews can make or break a listing. Not only does a higher star rating improve your search ranking, but it also helps customers convert. There are a few ways to encourage shoppers to leave feedback on your listings. The simplest, which should be a standard on all marketplaces, is to use a postcard with your delivery that asks them to leave a review (you could even offer a discount code if they do!).
If you like to be paperless, send them an email reminder after the product has arrived. This can even be automated. Another great way to encourage reviews on eBay is to give feedback on your buyers first. This then opens a dialogue and motivates them to do you a favour in return.
It is also important to not ignore negative feedback. Ignoring these comments can damage your reputation and leave unanswered questions. When you do respond, make sure to be professional and empathetic to any issues they may have had. Include any way you have tried to rectify the situation and don’t get defensive – no matter how bizarre or testing the comments are!
Offer free returns
79% of shoppers expect free return shipping to brands, so even though dealing with returns can be a pain, it’s worth it. Not only do you improve the customer experience but eBay will reward you for it. eBay boosts the visibility of product listings that have a 30-day free return policy.
Not to mention that 78% of people say they are more likely to buy more when free returns are available – so it’s a no-brainer! By offering free 30-day returns, you will boost your visibility, increase your conversions and keep your customers happy.
These are our top tips to make sure that you win on eBay! If you’d like more information on setting up your eBay listings for success or would like help to optimise your eBay strategy, get in touch! Our team of e-commerce experts, designers and advertisers are here to help.
