How serious are you about your online business?

I have been reading John Lawson's book "Kick Ass Social Commerce for E-Preneurs" and I love it!! John was kind enough to be on the Online Auction Radio Show on Talkshoe and talk about his book! It is a must for the online seller! If you'd like to listen to the archived show, just click on the link and click "listen" on the 3/11/2014 show. Episode 32.

I am going back through again once I get finished, to reabsorb what I didn't pick up the first time around. I am only about half way through, so I have a way to go.

The one thing that I thought was very appropriate for this post was what I found in chapter 2 where he states "The customer is Always Right - That's ridiculous! No way, impossible. The customer is not always right. But, the customer is always the customer and, as we've seen, the way customers control their wallets matters to your success. Whether or not you think the customer is right, you still have to continue to court King Consumers. They don't have to be right - they're kings."

So, I am going to be writing as a King Consumer and as a seller. I am going to approach both sides about a pet peeve of mine.

I am an online seller. I love to sell! I love to go find things so that I can sell; that is what I love to do!! My King Consumers matter to me. THEY control the purse strings so I do everything in my power to please them. THAT INCLUDES GETTING THE PURCHASE TO THEM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE!

My policy states that I will have the items shipped within 3 business days of cleared payment. Usually, it goes out the next business day. I check my site several times a day to make sure I don't miss questions or miss sending an invoice. I send an email to the customer thanking them for the purchase and I send them the tracking number. And, I invite them to come back to our store and to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

I have purchased from several sites recently and I am appalled at some of the lackadaisical attitude about shipping purchases to me, the King Consumer. I know . . . the policy states that you will ship within 7 days of my cleared payment. But, this seller states "Payment can be made through Paypal. Please make payment within 72 hours - 3 days of purchase." Hmmmm.

Or the one that I saw "Payment must be made by Paypal within 24 hours end of auction." Granted, this person stated they usually mail within 1 business day of cleared payment. Not the case, though.

Or the person that said "Fantastic...thanks for the quick address....will mail with tracking within 2 days." Four days later I asked again for the tracking number "Sorry hun...will mail tomorrow with tracking. Had to work late."  Finally, four days later, asked again, "May I have the tracking number?" Finally, a dispute has to be filed when no response is given.

Or the person that stated "Please allow for more time. This was mailed media mail and can take longer." I had ordered it a full two weeks prior. I waited another two weeks and I did get my money back when the book did not show up (this was supposed to be a gift). They NEVER sent me a tracking number so I wonder if it was ever sent.

Or the one item that I never was invoiced for, never got an answer to my questions OR a return phone call (I left a message - not returned) so the order is just in limbo . . . and the birthday I had planned it for is long gone.

The point of all this is I WAS the King Consumer in these cases. I simply do not understand what these people were thinking. Why did I have to wait so long for the purchases to be sent? Am I asking too much?

If you have a sale, it is up to you to get that packaged and out the door - look how fast fulfillment centers process their items! I ordered another Kindle for my granddaughter's birthday and had it two days later! I cannot compete with that BUT I can make sure that I get it out as quickly as possible and INFORM the customer of the tracking number and at the same time, let the customer know how I value his/her business! And invite them back!!

This is not a site issue. Each site that I purchased from has individual sellers that sell on their own, ship on their own, and run their own business. This is a SELLER issue. If you are serious about getting more people back into your store to shop again, you need to make sure they leave with a smile on their face! You need to make sure you not only get the package in the mail, you need to let your customer know when you sent it, the way you sent it and the tracking number that was assigned. You need to make sure that your customer KNOWS that you value their business!!

Am I a happy camper? Not for the examples I gave . . . will I return to those sellers? No, they lost their opportunity to sell to me. And I do leave feedback! Have I been impressed lately with some sellers? Yes, I have! And I also leave feedback for them and keep them in mind for future purchases!!

I am just one person. Multiply this by tens, hundreds, etc. and you begin to see that getting the customer is only part of the equation. Keeping them or getting them to return is another part.

Consider what you are doing in shipping. Are you doing everything necessary to keep that customer satisfied? If you are SERIOUS about selling online, this is a question that needs to be addressed. Sometimes we need a gentle reminding.

Okay, I am done with my pet peeve. . . . . I sell on OnlineAuction.com and our store is Korn Kountry Treasures. We'd love to have you stop in and browse!

Back to reading this great book . . . . by the way, a suggestion for you . . . if you are selling online, you NEED to read John Lawson's book! But get the paperback!! I ordered the paperback after reading quite a bit on the Kindle. I found that you can highlight the paperback easier, go back and forth easier and I just like the feel of the book.

I figured I'd loan the Kindle version out to friends. Unfortunately, Amazon does not allow "loaning" the Kindle version to other people. I found that out the hard way. They did, however, credit me back so that I could make a gift of the Kindle version to a friend. So, I sort of got what I intended accomplished. Score one for the King Consumer?? Yup. It made the "no, we can't do that" easier to swallow!!

Thanks for stopping in and have a great day!

Making the Best of Online Auctions ~ Part Two: Sellers

Here at OLA, we are all gearing up for a new and exciting online presence, which is FAST upon us.  Last week I wrote a few words of thanks to the OLA Buyers, who have helped make this site so successful.  

Today, my thoughts are turned toward the OLA Sellers, you folks who work at keeping your online sites inventory laden, updated, interesting and attractive.  

And, as if scouting out new merchandise isn't tasking enough, the online seller has to keep up with the latest technology.  The online seller needs to:  

• Know how to take excellent close up, highly detailed pictures; 
• Know how to write an accurate description of the items offered for sale; 
• Have a general idea of the worth or value of the items offered;
• Be prepared to respond to inquiries immediately;

Most online sellers are concerned with developing and maintaining an online presence so that customers know that you: are worthy of their trust, have integrity, and offer a stable site on which to shop.  (That's what positive feedback is all about.)

For new members and first time sellers, OLA offers many how-to directions on their great community site map:

Sellers Hub

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• Current Auctions
• Completed Auctions
• Feedback
• Bidder Block

Sell

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• How Do I Sell?
• Choose Your Auction Format
• List Your Auction

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• Seller Info &; Tips
• Seller FAQ's ; Answers
• Shipping Services

Sellers Tutorials

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• Auction Listing Tutorial

Show Your Stuff

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• Tips On Your Item Pictures

These links can help you learn about the OLA site, and can help you in educating your customers.  

Can you earn lots of money selling things online?

YES!  

But you need to find a good product, represent it accurately, and provide superb customer service, too!

As much as we would love to have dollar bills fly out of our computer screen, I don't think it will happen, folks.  Selling online can be fun and profitable, but you only get out of it what you are willing to put in.

So after you have listed your auctions, wait a bit and then review them, as if you were a new customer.  Ask yourself if you have written a clear description, disclosed the necessary info about that item (size, model #, serial #, any damages or defects), and inserted a few good pictures of that item.

Make sure you have listed your Terms of Sale (what you expect, and what you will do).

Look at the title of your auction.  Is it Search Engine Friendly?  I have found that keeping titles simple seem to generate more hits on my auction pages (traffic). 

Does the subtitle area have key words that may attract potential bidders to you?

Do you have the name of your shop and contact information posted clearly? (an email link is good).

Do everything you can do to make your auction appeal to potential customers...and then PROMOTE it.  Learn to tweet, Pinterest, and share your auction on Social Networking sites (FaceBook, Tumblr).  If you don't over do it, I am confident that your friends on these sites wish you well, and will gladly help to promote your business.

Lastly, check your OLA site with regularity.  Do your best to be the kind of seller that inspires you.

Lastly, don't forget the Feedback.  The sale isn't complete until the package is received, and feedback is left.  I often keep my buyers updated with shipping info, too.  Especially with insurance and tracking numbers.   

Don't forget to check in with the OLA Chat Rooms, too!  These threads offer a world of friendly support.

Whew.  This was a long blog, I hope that you have found it to be worth your time.  If you have selling tips you want to share, please do so in the comments below.

Until next time,
Happy Shopping!

Classic_Chloe

Set for Another Year!!!!

Well, I am happy to say, we are all set for another year at OnlineAuction.com!!

 

 I can list to my hearts content, sell to my hearts content, do what I want to to our house, and not worry about paying ANOTHER CENT!!!! The membership fees are paid!! For another whole year!!

 

 How much did it cost us? $96.00!! That's it!! Why? Well, the first year is $196 which not only gives you the first year paid but also $300 in auction credits!! After that first year, it's only $96!! Or, if you just want to try it out, you can list on a monthly basis, too!! $8 a month!! Or if you want to have a house AND list monthly, it would be $18 a month! That's it!!

 

NO LISTING FEES, NO FINAL VALUE FEES!!!

 

I do the decorating and the listing. Hubby kinda goes along for the ride!!! But I'm always asking his opinion and we are a team running around looking for great deals!!

 

I love it here . . . . . the decorating contests, the ability to make my own FREE templates, the comaraderie with other members!! The freedom to put my own links in, should I desire to do so!! The ability to run our house the way WE want to run it.

 

Yes, there are a few minor rules, after all we do need to abide by the copyright laws and laws of the land but it's all upfront and on one short page!! No last minute changes or censorship of your listings!!

 

And the chats ALWAYS have the tutorials and great team member to answer questions!!

 

So, come on over and check us out!! In fact, check out all the great sellers on OLA.com!! You might even see something you like!!

 

We are gearing up for the Halloween decorating contest right now!!

 

Check out our house at KornKountryTreasures!! Let us know whatcha think!!

 

Thanks for checking in!!

Make the Best with What ya Got!!

The online seller has advantages and also disadvantages to a brick and mortar store.

Advantage - You can be your buyers personal salesperson by what you put in the listing. Giving complete information, size, color and especially if the item is used, the condition the item is in.

Disadvantage - Online pictures are not as good as picking up the item and turning it over, looking inside it, and checking it completely out. The buyer does not have the opportunity to feel the item or smell the item.

So, here are some tips that I hope you, as the online seller, take to heart!!

1. Always put in your policies/listings any thing in your home that might affect your buyer such as "pet friendly" and "I do smoke in my home". That way, there are no surprises when the buyer gets an item and they might find a cat hair or two. If you sell used items but don't smoke, make mention of the fact but also tell the buyer this comes from another source.

2. I've always found that cleaning an item is GOOD!!! Not only does it look better, but in some cases, you get that smoke odor/soot off the item. If you can't clean the item, say so in the listing.

3. When taking pictures, remember THIS IS THE ONLY WAY YOUR BUYER SEES THE ITEM!!

A.  Make sure it's clean.

B. Don't include the pet hair.

C. Use a plain backdrop (white posterboard works great and it's cheap).

D. Get RID of the junk around the item. 

E. Crop the picture if necessary.

Get several different views so that the buyer can "turn" the item around as they would if they were picking it up. And also remember that the first picture is a very small picture when looking at it on the internet. Get the most exposure you can for that picture. Don't paste several pictures together, this just makes the main picture smaller in comparison to everyone elses and less likely the buyer can see your item fully. 

I have run into bad pictures now and again. I'm NOT a professional photographer and in fact, need to work on getting my own pictures to look sharper. But I do pride myself on trying to make sure that the item I am photographing is clean and clutter free. So, here are some examples of what I'm talking about.

This is a used sock. I am just using it for an example. The first sock, I petted our dog Sassy really hard and found lots of dog hair. It is now on the sock. (Thank you Sassy!!) The second is the clean one. 

 Now if you were in the market for a sock like this, would you be more likely to purchase the first or second sock? Especially given that the price is about the same?

 This is a Hemmingray insulator. We have lots of these and I've listed a couple. Now if you were in the market for a Hemmingray 42 insulator, would you be more likely to purchase the first or second insulator?

This is Hemmingray 4-57 Insulator. Same question, which would you prefer?

Please note that the surrounding area makes a HUGE difference in the pictures. Do you ever wonder where the item is coming from when you see an exceptionally cluttered area? Are you a little more hesitant about purchasing it? And imagine these pictures being little thumbnail pictures. Which ones are going to catch YOUR eye?

We at OLA.com have tutorials that help the seller with different aspects of online selling in the Chats and welcome OLA.com members to look them over. And if there is ever a question, the members are always ready to help!!

I hope this helps you as a seller. Again, I am NOT a professional photographer. I am just a seller and a BUYER who knows what I like when searching for something I wish to purchase or promote.

I wish you the best in your online sales!! Please come over to OLA.com for your needs!! And we would be honored to have you check out our store, Korn Kountry Treasures!

Thank you!

OLA Rocks!

I found this floating around Facebook today.  Valerie Fain (Author of the Video) posted it there, I thought you might like viewing it if you haven't see it yet!

Kim, 

Sunflower Antics

OLA Members Play The Name Game

We used to have a weekly event on OLA called Interesting Items of the Week. We haven't had it for quite some time, and I was thinking about bringing it back and maybe even giving it a new name.

The way it worked was one seller would start the week off picking out an item from another chattie's listings. They would list a picture, the link to the item, and some type of comment about the item. The next poster would do the same for the first person who posted. For example:
I start the weekly thread. I pick and profile an item from someones listings. The next person to post would pick and profile an item from my store. The next person to post would pick and profile an item from the listings of the person who picked and profiled my listing. And so on... the following week would begin by using the last person who posted on the previous weeks thread. It's a lot easier than it sounds!!! There's no buying involved. No selling involved. Just neighborly promotion of someone elses items who posted just before you did.

We have a thread in the chat forums where we are taking suggestions for a new name. Here is what we have so far:

1. From The Seller Above

2. From The Store Above

3. Interesting Items

4. Found Around The Neighborhood

5. Knick Knacks From The Neighborhood

6. Intriguing Items

7. DON'T LOOK IN HERE

8. My Neighbor Has

9. Something From The House Above

10. Something From The House Next Door

11. Look What I Found

12. I Spy

13. EXPOSED!!!

Do you have a name for this event that you'd like to submit? I'm taking suggestions through Friday, July 16th. We'll vote on Saturday, July 17th (voting from midnight to midnight Pacific Time). Remember that the title you submit should be something that would make someone, perhaps a new OLA Member or a First Time Visitor to OLA Chats want to open up the thread. We're trying to stay away from words like "Sale", "Buy", or anything else that infers that buying or selling is part of the weekly event (because buying and selling are not part of the event... Exposure is the Name of the Game for this weekly thread).

If you are interested in submitting a title to be voted on, here's the thread:
http://www.onlineauction.com/chat/viewtopic.php?t=21282 (you do have to sign in to post your proposed title). If you have a suggestion and aren't already a member at OLA, this is a great time to join! You could have the perfect title for this weekly event, so go ahead and sign up now at http://www.OLA.com (Free Memberships for Buyers and/or Browsers) and tell 'em MetzyMom sent you!!!

See You In Chats!!!

SellerBuzz Radio Welcomes OPV Expert Steven Nichols

Steven Nichols, CEO and Founder of OPVinc.com, will discuss how important video can be to even the smallest online seller. Steven will give us the "low down" as well as the "how to" be successful using this eCommerce tool. So, whether you are a small store owner on a big site, have your own website, or own one of the big eCommerce venues, you don't want to miss this show!

Don't think video is important for eCommerce? Consider this:

14.6 Billion Videos were watched on YouTube last month.
102 Million Unique visitors on YouTube last month.
According to a US Department of Commerce report earlier this year, a little over a third of the USA DOES NOT regularly access the internet at all. So of those who actually do, more than 90% of them watch online videos.

Steven Nichols joins MetzyMom on SellerBuzz Radio Thursday, July 1, 2010 to help YOU learn how to use video to grow your business! Not in eCommerce? Doesn't matter! If you are a business owner, you need the information Steven is going to give us FOR FREE!

It all happens live, Thursday Night 7-1-10, at http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/69668
8:05 pm Eastern Time
7:05 pm Central Time
6:05 pm Mountain Time
5:05 pm Pacific Time

See You There!