So you want to create your own eBay store, it is an
important step in your eBay venture and there are plenty of benefits, but are
your ready? It is not always an easy answer and many new sellers rush into
opening eBay store, way before their business can justify the investment. So when should you open your eBay store and what
are its benefits?
If you are just starting out the appeal of opening a store
right away can be compelling but resist that urge. As a new seller your number
one goal should be to gain experience, develop consistent sales and get a lot
of positive feedback. First learn the ropes understand how to create listings,
take pictures, write a description and understand the basics of payments and shipping.
If this is not your full time job, schedule time to post every day, the more
items you have posted the higher the probability of making sales. On eBay,
feedback can make or break your business. Seeing a single or double digit
feedback next to your seller name is not enough and can put off some buyers
from making a purchase, your goal should be to get as much positive feedback as
you can. Once you have the knowledge, the sales and plenty of feedback then consider opening a
store.
Let’s consider some of the costs associated with a store.
Your basic store will cost between $19.95 to $24.95 per month depending on whether
you pay annually or monthly. If you are doing $500 or more in sales per month
that represents 5% or less of your total sales, a relativity modest portion of
your sales. Much lower than $500 and the cost of an eBay store relative to your
sales can climb quickly. Also consider that eBay offers 50 free auction or buy
it now listings per month without a store subscription, which just might suit
your needs. However, if you find yourself going over that 50 free auctions cap and
maintain consistent sales well above $500 or greater than you should consider an eBay store.
Now that you have decided you are ready to open a store or perhaps
already have one, what are its benefits and are you using it to its full potential?
For starters, it is a customized page on eBay dedicated to you and your store,
which is a great opportunity to develop your own unique brand. Next it is a way
to draw shoppers into your catalog of other items increasing your chances of
making a sale. Running a store enables you to create mailing lists and sales
promotions, you can also highlight some of your best items or top selling
listings within your store. A store enables you to bring in more traffic from
outside of eBay by adding keywords and metadata to your store which will
increase your chances of being picked up by search engines like google. Who
doesn’t like free stuff? You will get quarterly coupons to purchase goods like
packing materials and other services to help you with your business. Need
assistance from eBay? You will get it with eBay’s toll free store support.
The big takeaway here is that having an eBay store is a lot
more than just free listings but it’s also important to understand your
business is ready for one and to understand the substantial benefits that it
offers.