Tools for selling

[makitkatwalsk-0]

Have you found any good tools to make eBay selling more efficient?  Physical tools or even software that helps?  I'm courious what other sellers have found to be their favourite time saving tools.  Everything from the listing process to packaging and shipping.

My latest upgrade was to a Rollo thermal printer.  I love the idea of it, but am having some issues with the reliability of my unit.  I think I might try a different brand.  It is defanetly nice to get rid of the plastic pouches and paper cutting. 

[cumos55]

A new seller on eBay  has to answer a few important questions.

When I started  there were a few important adjustments, with adjustments continually being made over the past 15 years on eBay.

Now here we go.........

Step in front of a mirror and ask yourself...

Who am I?... be very honest.

How do I deal with people .....What is my "attitude"  .....  this is how you relate to people on a daily basis....

Some sellers come to eBay with a preconceived view of what to do....  and find themselves in big trouble....  mainly because of  a wrong, non-adjustable attitude..... a seller's attitude in relation to the attitude of the buyer..... knowing how to deal with buyers.....  and the buyers will be different in relation to what one sells.

How do I deal with people I cannot see face-to-face?   ...................... The importance of reading  facial expression in a conversation.    

There is a right way to selling on eBay .... and the critical factor is knowing what NOT to say.....  and what NOT to do.

Much of what you do will depend on what you sell on eBay.  Buyers differ in relation to what is being sold.    Every seller has their own way of making things happen in a correct and successful manner. 

Your  most important tool for selling on eBay is found between your ears.....  

[momcqueen]

If I had to begin again, I would do a better job of inventory management. As in, keep better track of what I have in storage versus listed and where those listed items are specifically as opposed to where I recall them to be within towering stacks of unmarked boxes. I have practically nothing on paper; no one else can fulfill an order that has been placed but me. This is a major shortcoming. 

[makitkatwalsk-0]

If your inventory keeps growing, try setting up a database, or even maybe spreadsheet?   I used to go by memory too, but eventually it just got to be to many boxes.   I use an MS access database to store all my eBay inventory - sales - and incoming orders.  Right now I enter the data manually which leads to the occasional error, but I am working on a program to help link the two, in order to maintain better accuracy. 

I mainly was just wondering what other tools sellers have purchased (or created) to make selling more efficient.  If you find the right tool it can make life easier, however sometimes they don't work out.  I picked up a scale last month with USB output.  I was hoping it would work great for automatically entering the shipping wieights for labels.  If anybody else is looking for one I would suggest getting one that does not have the automatic shutoff feature.   The dymo one I got shuts off every 3 minutes which makes it pretty much useless.  it is constantly shutting down and disconnecting.  

As far as good tools go,  I have been us using shipstation for labels and I would definitely recommend it.  It is a paid monthly service, but I find it is worth it for the time it saves me.  I just would like to see them add more support for different currencies.

[hlmacdon]

Hardware: Minimum of 2 but preferably 3 monitors, thermal printer, a Fujitsu document scanner, and a scale of your choosing. For a scale I would recommend a model that actually lets you calibrate it given most postal services are now checking more often for underpaid postage. Having multiple screens makes things much more productive and a good document scanner will make quick work of digitizing any paperwork, receipts, etc. I find using the Fujitsu with Neat Receipts software makes dealing with manual receipts far quicker.

Software: There really isn't a good solution that combines accounting and inventory management. For inventory Inflow Inventory (On-Premise edition) is hard to beat when you get to the level where you need something more than excel. They usually have a trial/limited version as a trial and it is worth having a look at. Has most of the reporting you would need for taxes (ie starting/ending inventory, sales/tax summaries, COGS, etc) and has all the requisite cost averaging, multicurrency support, and other assorted features you would want to maintain accurate costing. I prefer customized solutions but it isn't bad for an off the shelf product. That being said you'll still be playing around with excel to prepare paypal history files for import if you want to batch process transactions.

Accounting wise Xero is a popular cloud option but last I checked (some time ago) they didn't handle multicurrency or paypal importing in a usable manner but that may have changed. I find the biggest time drain to be taking merchant account transaction data and getting that imported into an inventory program. One of the reasons I hate the idea of maintaining an ebay and paypal merchant account in the future. Everyone should have excel and learn the basics of it. Lots you can do with simple features like vlookups (batch currency conversions, matching skus to descriptions, etc).

My best piece of advice would be to get a good tape gun and quality tape. Nothing wastes more time than poor versions of either. 

[femmefan1946]

I'm pretty much a technodolt, so my systems are very old school.

I only list on a desktop. Even a laptop keyboard is annoying. And I want to see everything at once.

I have a combined printer/scanner. I pay way too much for ink.

Most of my items are flat, so I scan them. I can take very bad pictures with my iPhone but moving them to my desktop is convoluted and annoying.

I keep all my pictures in a desktop file.

I keep all my descriptions (nearly 20 years worth now) in a desktop file. This is overkill but I do get occasional repeat uses for them. And I have never, like some poor souls, had to rewrite and rescan dozens of 'lost' listings.

I write my descriptions and save them with HTML coding attached.

My TOS and that coding are also kept in desktop files.

I have a paper notebook for record keeping. I go through about six a year. I can skim a paper record faster than any computer spreadsheet .YMMV.

[cumos55]

You will need a good computer with a good operating system

The most up-to-date system I know is Windows 10.... There are others.....

There are several search engines available...  I use Google, and have Mozilla Firefox  and Internet Explorer if necessary.... Each seller has their own choice

Anti-Virus program is need..... I use Norton Internet Security

Find  about https..... internet security    

There is a lot of information listed on eBay.... under Help and Contact.....

Find  about Paypal... get registered on Paypal... if not already registered

[cumos55]

Gallery photo and more.

You will need a digital camera.....

Photos should be simple, with nothing extra in the photo... only that which is being sold

Lighting.....  I use two incandescent lights, one to the upper right and the other to the upper left.  Lighting is available over the complete item being phtographed with a minimum of shadows

My background is a light blue, on a black table top.....  using blue and black poster paper.

Look at the gallery photos in my store

Photo editing software will be required.....  first to crop the photo to a proper size,  and then for color correction..Incandescent light bulbs creates a reddish tinge in the photo... Old fluorescent light made everything green.  Our brain can make the adjustment with respect to what we  see,  but the camera  sees what it actually sees.

Sometimes the color of what is being photographed will play with the color in the photo.

Do not use a flash attached right on the camera... the flash will show as  a flash of light, an explosion,  in a photo, when something reflective is being photographed.. A flash attached to the camera with a long cord  is not the best way to take a photo, the light is too focussed.

On can also use a scanner..... However a scanner can only be used on items with a flat surface such as a book, DVD's  and other such items.  Photo-editing software allows me to adjust intensity of the colors and the print clarity in a scan.

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There was once a seller with a listing for a set of unique books, photographed between two spectcular, collectable,  bookends....  He forgot to say, the bookends were not for sale....  The buyer filed  a non-receipt  with respect to the bookends....  

I have seen photos taken in a kitchen, on a floor and then with a very complicated highly distractive background.

Keep the photos simple  but very descriptive of what is being sold

[hlmacdon]

On the subject of photos, if you list many items and mostly have flat things or items conducive to overhead photos then a copy stand is a great way to get very consistent photos. They are often used by people in the coin community or those archiving slides, books, and so forth. Downside is they are rather expensive if you are buying one with a set of daylight balanced lights but you can periodically find them used on CL or photography stores that sell used equipment. If you are a tripod user Velbon makes a very handy articulating boom arm (V-4) that can be adapted to an existing tripod and allows for quite a bit of flexibility. They also offer it with their own tripod platform. Either of those two options (Velbon/copy stand) can greatly speed up the photo taking process depending on the nature of your items.

In terms of software Adobe Lightroom makes retouching, cropping, and color/exposure/etc adjustments very simple. Shoot in raw mode on camera and adjust in lightroom as needed.

[bassox333]

Hi, not related to many other suggestions or tips here's an invaluable tool, at least for us.  Search Google for carton sizer.  We use mostly recycled found boxes for our packing, and this tool has proven to be invaluable.  As I'm sure you know, weight is often a bigger factor then dimensions for shipping costs, and we now look at any box we see as a 'footprint'  that can be easily shrunk down to any height that we desire.  Hope that this helps, this was a game changer at our packing station.  We have a paint store near us that throws large numbers of boxes with a 'footprint' of 22x18cm.  These boxes can but slashed in two and use for two orders for most of our smaller items.  

[cumos55]

Preparing listings

We used to use a listing tools called Turbolister....  Worked reasonably well, but a little.... "bulky" and time consuming at times.

Tubolister has been... retired

For me Turbolister died about 4 years ago  and I moved to a listing tool outside of eBay.

eBay promotes the Use of Seller Hub, which I have never used.... others may know about Seller Hub

A list of third party listing tools... those from outside eBay......  was found on eBay at

http://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/listing-and-marketing/third-party-listing-tools.html

My choice was Auctiva....  easy to use once I worked around a few of the kinks....  my kinks, not Auctiva kinks...

I have worked out a procedure where I have templates,  prepare gallery photos, and then  the beginning of a listing, plus scans of information from the books I sell.

and then... It was full speed ahead.....

[cumos55]

The important parts of a listing.

eBay has developed a search engine that helps buyers find the inventory they are looking for 

eBay's search engine ....looks at the title of a listing,  with the first series of words being the most important.

Then it is item specifics, followed by what is presented in the description.

One must always present key words in a listing that will help the search engine do its job.

Many sellers  will present photographs with important  information..... It should be noted that a search engine cannot... read... or... make note of what is in the photo.....

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A short description is always necessary... keep it simple  and very accurate.

Present information in a third party format...

Do not say.... I did this....it should be ... this was done

The third party format for information is very much less provocative, and very eaay to read.

Space out sentences into short paragraphs.... No run on paragraphs which are hard to read,

Capitals are an absolute ... No, No....  Having lots of information presented in capitals is perceived as YELLING.....

So what is easier to read, that which is presented above this sentence or below this sentence

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The important parts of a listing.eBay has developed a search engine that helps buyers find the inventory they are looking for. eBay's search engine ....looks at the title of a listing,  with the first series of words being the most important.Then it is item specifics, followed by what is presented in the description. One must always present key words in a listing that will help the search engine do its job. Many sellers  will present photographs of information..... It should be noted that a search engine cannot... read... or... make note of what is in the photo.....A short description is always necessary... keep it simple  and very accurate.Present information in a third party format...Do not say.... I did this....it should be ... this was done. The third party format for information is very much less provocative, and very eay to read. Space out sentences into short paragraphs.... No run on paragraphs which are hard to read. Capitals are an absolute ... No, No....  Having lots of information presented in capitals is perceived as YELLING.....

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and then... Can you hear me above the crowd at eBay.....

THE IMPORTANT PARTS OF A LISTING.EBAY HAS DEVELOPED A SEARCH ENGINE THAT HELPS BUYERS FIND THE INVENTORY THEY ARE LOOKING FOR. EBAY'S SEARCH ENGINE ....LOOKS AT THE TITLE OF A LISTING,  WITH THE FIRST SERIES OF WORDS BEING THE MOST IMPORTANT.THEN IT IS ITEM SPECIFICS, FOLLOWED BY WHAT IS PRESENTED IN THE DESCRIPTION. ONE MUST ALWAYS PRESENT KEY WORDS IN A LISTING THAT WILL HELP THE SEARCH ENGINE DO ITS JOB. MANY SELLERS  WILL PRESENT PHOTOGRAPHS OF INFORMATION..... IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT A SEARCH ENGINE CANNOT... READ... OR... MAKE NOTE OF WHAT IS IN THE PHOTO.....A SHORT DESCRIPTION IS ALWAYS NECESSARY... KEEP IT SIMPLE  AND VERY ACCURATE.PRESENT INFORMATION IN A THIRD PARTY FORMAT...DO NOT SAY.... I DID THIS....IT SHOULD BE ... THIS WAS DONE. THE THIRD PARTY FORMAT FOR INFORMATION IS VERY MUCH LESS PROVOCATIVE, AND VERY EASY TO READ. SPACE OUT SENTENCES INTO SHORT PARAGRAPHS.... NO RUN ON PARAGRAPHs WHICH ARE HARD TO READ. CAPITALS ARE AN ABSOLUTE ... NO, NO....  HAVING LOTS OF INFORMATION PRESENTED IN CAPITALS IS PERCEIVED AS .....YELLING!!!.....

[cumos55]

The most important reality for selling on eBay is knowing what NOT to do....

Once that is figured out, it should be easy to sell on eBay.

eBay is constantly changing.....  Adjust to the new reality and do not  get upset, or unhappy...

Make it happen....

[pocomocomputing]

One tool I use is a kitchen vacuum food sealer to seal plastic bags and make bubble wrap pouches and bags. You can buy a used one from thrift stores and garage sales for under $15.

I posted a detailed description on using a sealer in this topic on these ebay.ca forums. I will not repeat it here.  See my post #11 in this topic.

https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/Shipping-suggestions/m-p/399306