Difference between revisions of "Online Sales Intro Class"
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**Amazon gurantees that buyers can return any item for any reason you have to deal with it. | **Amazon gurantees that buyers can return any item for any reason you have to deal with it. | ||
− | ==Ebay vs. Amazon.com== | + | ===Ebay vs. Amazon.com=== |
*Listing | *Listing | ||
**Ebay 5-10 minutes per listing | **Ebay 5-10 minutes per listing | ||
Line 64: | Line 64: | ||
===EBAY=== | ===EBAY=== | ||
+ | ===Creating your Accounts=== | ||
+ | *Create accounts for Ebay and PayPal (suggested) | ||
+ | *Terapeak (optional) | ||
===Listing your item=== | ===Listing your item=== | ||
+ | *Ebay Basic Selling Skills - http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/howtosell/sellingbasics.html | ||
*Research and evaluate your item to determine your selling price | *Research and evaluate your item to determine your selling price | ||
*Prepare your item and photograph it - take lots of high quality, detailed pictures | *Prepare your item and photograph it - take lots of high quality, detailed pictures | ||
Line 74: | Line 78: | ||
*Set a fair shipping price | *Set a fair shipping price | ||
− | === | + | ===During the sale=== |
− | + | *Monitor all of your selling activity with My Ebay | |
+ | *Respond to customers emails | ||
+ | |||
===Making the sale=== | ===Making the sale=== | ||
+ | *Your Item Sold! - send an invoice to the buyer | ||
+ | *Email from PayPal - You've Been Paid! | ||
===After the sale=== | ===After the sale=== | ||
+ | *Pack your item well - bubble wrap, sturdy box, packing materials | ||
+ | *Print & Pay for the postage label (PayPal required) | ||
+ | *Ship your item as soon as you receive payment - encourages good feedback for you | ||
+ | *Leave good feeedback for your buyer | ||
+ | *Answer all emails promptly | ||
+ | *Resolve any problems ASAP | ||
==Amazon.com== | ==Amazon.com== |
Revision as of 14:46, 17 April 2013
Draft class outline for online sales class Spring 2013
Introduction
- John Ashcraft - Amazon.com sales of ink and toner at Free Geek
- Brian Keefer - Online Sales Associate at Free Geek
Class Objectives - Students Will Be Exposed To:
- General information about selling items on Amazon.com and Ebay.com
- Setting up accounts
- Making listings
- Fulfilling orders
- Getting paid
- Open discussions with experienced and sucessful sellers
General information:
Supplies
- Printer
- Scale - John recommends: Accurate to .2oz with capacity up to 35lbs
- Packaging Tape - with convenient dispenser
- Tape measure
- Scissors
- Packaging material - Reduce/Reuse
- Digital camera - Important for Ebay but optional for amazon.com
Technical considerations
- Email access reliable and regular
- Bank account
- Credit card
- Telephone #
- Computer/printer
- Storage space - Secure / seperate.
Useful skills and mindset
Patience
- List -> wait ->fulfill orders -> wait -> Get Paid!
- Sales may be slow
- Customers will be upset and the fault may or may not be yours
- There may be setbacks!
Be Self Motivated
- Work while you wait!
- Not every listing will turn into a sale.
- More listings generally means more sales.
Amazon.com vs. ebay:
- Listing
- Amazon.com 1-5 minutes per listing
- Fees:
- Amazon.com is about 15%+$2]
- Payments
- Amazon.com: buyers pay Amazon. Direct deposits gto your bank after a 2 week hold.
- Customer Interactions
- Returns and refunds
- Amazon gurantees that buyers can return any item for any reason you have to deal with it.
Ebay vs. Amazon.com
- Listing
- Ebay 5-10 minutes per listing
- Fees
- 10% Final Value fee plus any optional services
- Payments
- Customer pays you directly, often immediately including shipping charges
- Customer Interactions
- Returns and refunds
- You decide to accept returns or not, refunds - flexible options
EBAY
Creating your Accounts
- Create accounts for Ebay and PayPal (suggested)
- Terapeak (optional)
Listing your item
- Ebay Basic Selling Skills - http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/howtosell/sellingbasics.html
- Research and evaluate your item to determine your selling price
- Prepare your item and photograph it - take lots of high quality, detailed pictures
- Decide on Auction Style or Buy it Now, opening bid/price
- Full & complete title - use keywords and accurate, technical descriptions
- Write a complete and accurate description noting any flaws or damaged areas
- Determine your return/refund policy
- Set a fair shipping price
During the sale
- Monitor all of your selling activity with My Ebay
- Respond to customers emails
Making the sale
- Your Item Sold! - send an invoice to the buyer
- Email from PayPal - You've Been Paid!
After the sale
- Pack your item well - bubble wrap, sturdy box, packing materials
- Print & Pay for the postage label (PayPal required)
- Ship your item as soon as you receive payment - encourages good feedback for you
- Leave good feeedback for your buyer
- Answer all emails promptly
- Resolve any problems ASAP
Amazon.com
- Online reasource: http://www.amazon.com/help/selling
Listing your item
- finding the exact product listing
- accurately choosing a condition
- composing description details
- Determining a price
- selecting shipping options
- Potential to lose money on shipping
Creating your account
- Standard Amazon.com account
- Amazon seller account
Making the sale
- Email: "Sold, ship now:"
- Logging in to seller account
- Print packaging slip
- Pack item
- Buy shipping
- Verify that the shipping label, packaging slip and item all match!
- Ship
After the sale
- Returns & Refunds
- In general the buyer can return anything for any reason
- Be helpful and polite your reputation is at stake
Other options
- pro merchant subscription
- Fullfillment by amazon.
General Advice
- It is ok to lose money on some sales.
- Expect this and be sure that you are having an overall profitable experience.
- Feedback is worth money.
- Sellers with better feedback ratings can expect quicker sales and higher prices.
- New sellers can be devastated by a single negative feedback.
- Half of the negative feedback that John sees is probably undeserved.
- Communicate with buyers early and quickly to resolve issues.
- Be emotionally resilient
- When negative feedback comes in or large orders are refunded it common to become demoralized.
Open discussion
Bonus topics:
Where to get things to sell
- This can be what makes your businesss special!
- Start at home: low risk, your old stuff may have value online.
- Research before investing. Use a computer or phone to check prices.
Craigslist
- something