Over the next few days I want to focus on ways you can ‘pimp your selling’. I tend to think that eBay buying has four stages from a seller’s point of view.
Bring ’em in: Get a potential buyer’s attention so they’ll view your listing.
Convert ’em: Once they’re looking, persuade them that you have what they want to buy and that you’re someone they want to buy from.
Process ’em: Take payment, deal with queries, pack and despatch.
Satisfy ’em: Most buyers are happy when they receive the goods and Robert’s your father’s brother. But sometimes you might need to sort out a problem or deal with a difficult or disappointed buyer.
With these stages in mind, your listings have two roles. Primarily, it’s a persuasion tool. Buyers are asking: “is this what I want to buy?†Your listings need to provide all the information they need. But don’t forget that you are also selling yourself as a trustworthy person to trade with.
Secondly, your listing is about managing expectations and solving problems before they occur. That basically means explaining the deal regarding payments, postage and other ‘boring’ stuff.
Two things often strike me about eBay listings that don’t ‘convert’ me. They haven’t been crafted to appeal to me as a customer. Rather their primary aim seems to be covering the seller’s arse. Moreover, they don’t give me the info that will make me say “Hell yeah. I’m buying this!†In short, listings that fail to make the grade aren’t customer focused. How do you think yours are doing?
Tomorrow: Customer focused listings.
9 Responses
Rather their primary aim seems to be covering the seller’s arse.
I have to admit, the ones that make me simultaneously groan and giggle are the ones where you can tell *every* *single* *problem* the seller has ever had with a buyer because they’ve put a paragraph in their T&Cs about it. Unfortunately I usually get bored halfway through reading, and don’t bother buying anything from them.
any questions just ask!.
is a sure fire way to send me running,
most times it really means if you didnt ask its your fault
I have been listing on ebay for ten years, and after reading this , I am certainly going to have a real look at how we do things.
we tend to focus on quantity of listings, rather than quality,
any questions just ask!.
is a sure fire way to send me running,
Really, North? All mine have some variant of “if you want to mail me, please do” on them.
food for thought then Sue,
cos it switches me off, maybee I am paranoid
or to make myself clear more than once I have received items with faults that should have been mentioned when we contacted the seller, I have been fobbed off with we do say we answer questions and you never asked any concerning this problem?
Oh lordy, that’s absolutely not what I mean! English listings say “Please feel free to ask any questions; just click on “Ask Seller a question” at the top of the listing.” Would that really put you off?
nope that would not put me off as your listings have a general air of competance and genuineness,
its the seller with poor pictures ,poor syntax, and general naffness .that adds any questions please ask that worries me
The whole benefit of Ebay is that it can make the seller transparent or apparent.
Those that use this can use it to good advantage 🙂