Saturday 28 April 2012

Using QR Codes / UpCodes


QR Codes 

 What are QR Codes? 


They are Quick Response Codes.
In simple terms its a Bar code of sorts. A smart phone user can scan them with an Upcode reader in their mobile device, once sacnned it will take the user to the URL specified in the QR Code






This is the QR Code for my Squidoo Lens



Using them to your Advantage



 
Gone are the days when someone would see your advert, remember your web address and then type your URL in when they get Home..if they Gone are the days when someone would see your advert, remember your web address and then type your URL in when they get Home..if they remembered.
Ok not everyone has Smartphones users yet, but the trend is growing rapidly.

Personally I have only just discovered these nifty codes and will be rolling them out on my Compliments slips in the next few weeks.

You could put your code on your compliments slips, any information you send your buyer. Maybe on your business cards.
There are lots of places to use these to your advantage so I would advise you to start looking at them.

How Can I get a QR Code? 


 
There’s a free QR Code generator. Simply Visit the site, make sure the box is ticked for 'URL' then Copy & paste your link into the bar. Then click generate.
You can then paste the Html code into your site or if you right click on the image you can Save the image to your Computer and print it onto your documents.

QR CodeGenerator 

Tip: If you paste the code onto a Word document you can re-size as required


You can also change your QR Code and add colours etc, they tend to have a higher click through rate. There’s an Interesting article about this on mashable 












More Useful Reads

Mashable - http://mashable.com/2011/11/11/qr-code-marketing-tips/
Top 14 things to know about QR Codes - http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2066777/Top-14-Things-Marketers-Need-to-Know-About-QR-Codes

Monday 23 April 2012




Packaging your Item


Creating the Right Impression

So you sold an Item, thats the end of the hard work right??
Wrong - What you want to achieve now is to bring the buyer back to your store or in some case you may want them to visit another one of you selling platforms. Perhaps you have a blog or Website that you would like them to visit...
Sending the item in recycled packaging, newspaper or Carrier bags is not the kind of Impression a business owner wants to give their customers.
There are some exceptions when I would say this does no apply; 
Craft Sellers for instance may wrap theirs in newspaper, or use recycled wrapping because its part of what they do or it ties in with their look


The packages below are wrapped in newspaper, but some thought has been put into them







My Experiences of packaging;

1. Purchased a Top (Used) From an online Ebay seller it came in a Pink Bag Then inside it was Very Neatly Folded in a Plastic Clear bag with a Pretty compliments slip. My first thought was how lovely it looked and I had to go and leave her a glowing feedback as it was sooo nicely presented....I had not even looked at my Item Yet

2. Same again I bought some girls tops for my daughters and they came in a re-used grey mailing bag. Scrunched up and then wrapped tightly with loads of sellotape.
Now I didnt think "oh my god the packaging is awful" but what I did do was get the tops out and closely inspected the item.

You see in case 1 I had already in my mind decided that I loved the item before I opened it because it was nicely presented, but in Case 2 my immediate thought was Oh no I hope these are ok.

Two of my favorite online Retailers have to be Mini Boden & Joules.
When the packages come I tend to not want to open them as they look so nice...to me it says QUALITY, CARE, BRILLIANT ITEMS before I have opened them.

Joules Mailing bags



Now im not saying go spend a fortune on Fabulous
Packaging, but do make an effort, it really does make a difference.
I have even purchased Items from my competitors just to see how they package their Items.

So What Should I Use?

Of course the answer to this depends on what you sell. Personally I use;
Clear bags and enclose a compliments slip inside, then put into a pink mailing bag if its for a female and a blue one if its for a male. 
If I sell a designer item over £20 I usually send in an unused box where possible with tissue paper. (if you can only find a used box, just tape the tissue paper to the inside, so it looks nice and clean when your buyer opens it)
I also print a sticker with my logo and attach to the front of my Package.
 
The one thing I will do when my business can afford to is buy some professionally printed stickers as mine look a bit cheap, but they do the job.

When you are starting out you may just want to buy 1 size of bags and use them for everything`... that's fine but here's what I usually have in my 
packaging box;

 
  • 12 x 16" Pink & Blue Mailing Bags - I can get most things in these

  • 9 x 12" Pink & Blue Mailing Bags - I use these for small items such as vest tops
    TIP: If you offer free postage on smaller items, the smaller package you can get them in (without ruining your presentation of course) The Less packing will cost. Most Times I can post a vest top as a Large Letter 
  • 17 x 22" Pink & Blue Mailing Bags - For Larger Items These are big enough to put a large Padded coat in
  • Brown Paper - Always useful for packaging anything in a box
  • Sticky Tape

  • Tissue Paper in both Blue & Pink
  • Return address stickers
  • Clear Food Bags 12 x 18"








  • If you are selling Clothing/Apparel DO NOT Use Grey Mailing Bags if you are a business. Not only have I read that they can leave items with a smoky Smell (Not sure how true this is), they also look Awful. I know that they are cheaper but just add the few pence extra onto your postage costs to cover it.
  • IMO I Would not use Documentation slips that just stick on the front of bags. I never open them I just sling them in the Recycling...How many other of your buyers will do this. **In some cases these may be the best option if you are selling thousands of items a week as they can make things quicker to pack
  • The more bags you buy in one purchase the less they cost- I always purchase mine from Amazon or Ebay
  • If you have an Epson Printer you can pick up a set of Inks for a couple of pounds
  •  Always print return address labels out and place one on the back of your packages - I have received several undelivered items back because I did this



 More Packaging Ideas 





www.flickr.com






Follow Me on Pinterest

For Loads More Packaging Ideas See our Packaging Board on Pinterest


Useful Squidoo Lenses about Packaging

http://www.squidoo.com/stand_out 

http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-tie-different-types-of-decorative-bows-gift-wrap-packaging 



Saturday 21 April 2012


Listing Your Ebay Items to get the most Sales

 

A Picture paints a thousand words


This has got to be the most important part of a listing. Your items must look good, this applies where ever you sell. If your items dont look the part your buyer will look elsewhere
People do not want to see your clutter or computer they just want to see what they are bidding on.
If you are just starting out you may not have the perfect camera or lighting or backdrop...it does not matter you can still take a nice picture anyone can.


 
Tips for Great Photo's
  • Make sure if you are selling a used item that it is clean and presentable. If you are selling clothing,Steam or Iron them it gives a better impression.
  • Use a CLEAN Backdrop - Some people use blue or grey so they stand out, I use White or black. Its your choice just so long as you can clearly see the item. A Sheet will do to start if thats all you have
  • Take pictures outside where possible, but try to avoid lightspots on your pics
  • Unable to take pics outside? If you do use indoor lighting, your pics will have a very warm tint and you may want to tone your colour down using a photo editor such as Picasa.
  • Your buyers do not need to see anything other than the item for sale, so use a photo editing software such as Picasa to Crop them
  • If your item is pretty plain on the front but the back is amazing use that pic for your Gallery one use Spell Checker to correct any spelling Mistakes
  • If you afford to purchase a simple Backdrop, they are quite cheap to buy and a worthy investment. You can Simply drape them over a tall clothes rail to take pictures, should you prefer not to purchase a photography backdrop stand.
Show your items from as many angles as possible, the more pictures the better (if you are uploading more pictures you may want to use an Auction listing software lister like Auctiva...charges may apply so do take this into consideration










 
Tip: If you are selling Clothing Invest in a Mannequin,it gives your buyer more of an idea of what the item would look like on.
 If money is tight you can get a simple hanging Mannequin that would be suffice. If cash is not a problem get the best one you can afford









Writing a Good Descripton

  • Never use capital letters to write your description, its difficult to read and looks terrible.I have clicked straight off an item because of this. 
  • Avoid using loads of colours 
  • When writing your title, use KEY Words.....if im selling a Jumper. I usually list it as a Jumper top Sweater. Think about what you would put in if you were searching to buy it. If you still have room you may want to add words such as Cool, gorgeous etc. 
  • Always Use, as many of the specific drop downs as you can.
  • Add as many details in your description as you can. One of my listings would include; Measurements, Fabric, Fastenings & How it feels
  • If you are selling internationally find out if there are other words to describe your item...ie. Someone from the US may search for a sweater rather than a jumper or pants rather than trousers


Improving Your Title Example;


A friend of Mine listed a Reclaimed Chimney Pot
She Listed it in the Title as just 'Chimney Pot'
I would Suggest 'Large Reclaimed Stone Chimney Pot - Garden, Planter'


I have seen some listings with 'dress'
Is its for a lady or a girl?

What Size is it?
Colour ?
Is it spotty, Striped or Plain?
Long, Short?
Floaty, Heavy

So I may have put 'Ladies Blue Striped Long Floaty Dress Size 10'

I know ebay let you choose these in specifics but if you add them in the title a buyer is more likely to click, and you are more likely to show in the search results in the gallery
 

More Listing Tips

  • Offer Worldwide Shipping - ok you may not want to but you will get more sales
  • If you do not offer it as default, offer a recorded delivery option
  • Hundreds of Items in your store??, try to list and end them at different times and days to get a wider audience
  • Always have several auctions running where possible - I have sold items that I would have sold for £6 for 0.99p on Auction. Every time I have 10 or more auctions on I get more views to my other items
  • Lots of opinions on when to start and end your auctions, but I recommend Starting on Sunday evening on 7 day so that they end on Sunday
  • Use your auction items to promote your other items - Ie. give every auction International visibility, its cheaper than adding it to a buy it now. I Also use Subtitles sometimes for Auction listings
  • Offer GET IT FAST shipping if you are able. I Don’t tend to get that many customers use it, but it gives them another option & makes you stand out in the Gallery Page
  • If you do not offer Free shipping as standard, do offer it on some of your smaller/lighter items so that it keeps your P & P Stars high. I get soo frustrated sometimes as most buyers tend to rate this on the stamp cost on the envelope, no on packing as well
  • When Listing an item with International Shipping ALWAYS add the postage cost where possible, your buyer might not want to ask
 
REMEMBER: The more options and specifics you Include in your listings the more you will stand out from the Crowd



Useful Links

UK Sellers Calculate postage costs Easily with Seejays

Royal Mail

United States Postal Service


 
You may also want to invest in a set of scales to weigh your Items




Setting up your Ebay Store



Choosing your Ebay Store Name


Firstly one of the biggest choices you can make right now is your business seller name.
If you want to stand out from all the other sellers you need an image, a logo, a brand.
How many times have you purchased something from someone like "jack67-098" ??
How on earth is that kind of name going to get you anywhere??



For instance someone purchases something from you,they love it that much they cannot wait to tell their friend. But when they do see their friend they can't remember the sellers name
My point is make it simple to remember and Spell

 

Which Ebay Store ??


Ok so you have decided on your user name, next you need to decide what kind of shop you want

Basic
Featured
Anchor

Well that depends on how many items you are going to List/Sell
Check out the two links below before making your decision

Ebays Subscriptions & Fees
http://pages.ebay.co.uk/storefronts/Subscriptions.html 

Personalising your New Ebay Store & Logo


Once you have decided and opened your store you want to personalise it
Personally I co-ordinate my store to match my logo colours, I believe it gives you a more clear brand/identity.

The 1st logo I had I purchased from ebay and it cost me around £3,and I still use it on my packaging so if you are short of funds its the best option
You can Also get one done by a member of Fiverr .
If money is not tight try to get recommendations from people and shop around
Although I Suggest keeping costs down on Start up, if you can afford to have a logo designed I would do so.
Professionally designed logos look the best.


Before deciding what your logo will look like, have a look about and do some research. Read Books/Blogs/discussions. Find out what makes a good logo and what you should avoid.







 
TIP: If you are going to be using social networks as a business you will need a logo (profile picture) that will be readable on all sites no matter how small you make it.
I never thought of this and sometimes im forced to improvise


 
Check out Bannersnack if you want to try and design your own Logo, best of all its FREE 


There’s a pretty good Guide written by a fellow eBay seller on how to customize your eBay store.(Link Below)It is pretty straight forward but if you need any help just leave a comment and either I or another blog reader will be sure to help
 

Dont worry to much about perfecting it as you can add and change as you go

 



    • Find some of your competitors that already sell on Ebay and see what they are doing
    • Dont pay for Store designs just yet, if ever. Find your feet first you can think about this later-on. Personally I like to keep my design simple.
    • Join the Ebay Community boards and get a feel for the place, there are some really helpful people on there who will advise you when you need it.

     



    About Me


    Ok I have never written a blog before, and I haven't a clue what im doing so please bear with me whilst I find my blogging shoes.....ok thats if anyone finds me and reads this lol

    My name is Kelly I Currently Sell on Etsy, Ebid, & Facebook
    Ebay is my main outlet at the moment, Im also a Top Rated Powerseller




    So whats the point of this blog, well I want to try and answer some of the most common questions like;

    How can I get More Customers?

    How do I get more people to see my Ebay Items?

    How do I become successful on Ebay?

    How to be a PowerSeller

     

    This was me a couple of years ago and I have trailed forums, marketing web sites and social networks to find the answers. Believe me when I say its taken alot of my time to find out, the reason is the answers are available but they are spread all over the internet.
    So im going to attempt to tell you everything that I know


    With this blog I will Show you ;

    How to increase Sales 

    How to be sucessful on ebay and other Ecommerce Platforms

    Get Customers

    Increase you Online Presence

    Get Ideas for a Facebook Page

    Get fans for your facebook Page

    & Loads More

     


    Most of my Marketing blog will concentrate on getting more Ebay sales, but it the principles are similar no matter what site you sell on, you may sell on Etsy, Ebis, Bonanza, Ebid or your own website

    Please remember im just telling you what I have learnt, it doesnt make it Gospel and we all have our different Opinions.....if you do please feel free to leave your comments.

    Anyways the list below is going to be like a chapter list and may change as I find my feet and remember stuff I should have included
    1. Intro
    2. Setting up your ebay store
    3. Listing items to get the most Sales
    4. Packaging your item
    5. Dealing with customers & Complaints
    6. Showing your presence on Facebook, including why you should be on Facebook & how to get fans.
    7. Showing your items on other platforms like Flickr, About.Me & Twitter
    8. Using other selling sites to get Sales including Etsy & Ebid
    9. Other advertising options that are cheap to use
    10. Using online forums 
    11. Pinterest & Its Benefits
    12. Running a prize draw 
    13. Facebook Apps
    14. Useful Links 

    If anyone has anything to add or suggestions please do let me know about them, Im always eager to learn new things & hear other peoples opinions



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