The entry-level Powerseller, the Bronze level, does
at least $2,000 a month in eBay sales, maintains a 99%
positive feedback level and maintains their eBay account
current. Higher award levels are granted at the $10,000
level, (Silver level) and at the $25,000 level. (Gold
level)
What are some of the strategies and techniques
these PowerSellers use?
As someone who achieved Powerseller status
several years ago and continues to study other Powersellers,
here are Dave Espino's 21 Success Strategies of eBay
Powersellers...
An eBay Powerseller is serious
- Powersellers treat their eBay business just like they
would any other business. They are dead-serious about
it. Look at any Power seller operation and you'll find
organized systems and "assembly-line" techniques being
used. While a Powerseller may not have invested thousands
of dollars into her operation, she treats it as if she
has.
eBay Power sellers are focused
- A Powerseller is focused on listing, packing and shipping,
often on different days of the week. Their focus is
as intense as that of a Corporate Executive or an Olympic
athlete, because they are juggling various activities
at the same time.
Powersellers are organized - The
Power seller is organized, otherwise they wouldn't make
it to the level of Powerseller. Since Powersellers do
a huge volume of listing, packing and shipping each
month, they must develop processes to ensure that the
items sold are delivered within a reasonable period
of time and that customer satisfaction is always at
the forefront.
eBay Powersellers delegate - Power
sellers delegate because they have to! Their volume
dictates that they hire an assistant to do some of the
more repetitive tasks that don't require the Powerseller's
attention. This way the Powerseller can focus on the
important money-making tasks of product acquisition
and marketing.
Power sellers use assembly line techniques
- The Powerseller has developed smooth running systems
to make sure that product fulfillment is accomplished
as quickly and efficiently as possible. This may involve
setting up a large 4' by 8' table with bubblewrap and
packing materials at one end, products in the middle,
and boxes, labels and packing tape at the far end.
eBay Powersellers use Dutch auctions
- Many Power sellers have graduated from selling one-of-a-kind
knick-knacks found at yard sales and are now selling
a volume of the same item through Dutch auctions. In
a Dutch auction, a seller can place a large number of
the same item up for sale. The bidders can bid on one
or more of the item, but the highest bidders will be
first in line to actually get or "win" the products
they bid on. So there is a possibility that if someone
bid too low, they might not get a product.
A Powerseller uses Dutch auctions often because it is
a huge time-saver. This is a true "assembly line" auction
from start to finish. The packing and shipping goes
a lot faster when the same item is being packed and
shipped over and over again.
Power sellers do efficient work
- Another trait of the Powerseller is that they are
extremely efficient, knowing that time is money. A Dutch
auction is a great example of this efficiency. In the
same period of time that it takes to list one item,
you are listing dozens, or even hundreds of items! This
time-efficiency is a powerful way to leverage your time
and profits.
eBay Powersellers "Bulk List" their
auctions - Bulk listing your auctions using a bulk
listing software or auction management service will
dramatically organize your time and allow your eBay
operation to run a lot more smoothly. There are various
options in this area, from eBay's own "Mister Lister"
to Blackthorne software to Andale, and Auction Watch
auction management services, there are a lot of options
for you to look into. These services allow you to list
your auctions at your leisure and then schedule them
to go live on a certain day and time. This saves you
the hassle of having to list your auctions on the particular
day that you want them to go up.
Power sellers use clearly focused photos
- Power sellers have acquired their status by using
clear photos or scans of the items they are selling
and making sure that the photos show all flaws. In effect,
along with all of the other skills they have acquired,
they have also become semi-pro photographers! Many have
built a "mini-studio" with optimum lighting and background,
that is available at their beck and call for those quick
shots when they need to e-mail an additional photo to
a bidder. Powersellers usually have both a digital camera
for photographing 3-dimensional items and large items
and also has a scanner for the paper items and flat
items.
Power sellers use headlines with key
words and no fluff - A Powerseller resists
the temptation to use "fluff" words like "L@@K", "WOW"
and "MUST SEE". Instead, the Powerseller uses descriptive
words in the headline, realizing that the headline is
the "ad for the ad". A Powerseller is also "search engine
savvy", realizing that keywords in the headline are
picked up by the eBay search engine. They are sure to
load the headline with descriptive, keywords that help
the bidder determine if the item is what they're looking
for and keeps out the "fluff".
Powersellers write thorough and detailed
item descriptions - A Powerseller has achieved their
level by maintaining a high ratio of positive feedback.
This is primarily accomplished by having clear and accurate
descriptions of the items so that the bidder can clearly
"imagine" the item as if it were sitting in front of
her. The art of writing a great item description involves
an interesting mix of using "selling words" (such as
"beautiful", "fantastic", "intricately designed", "gorgeous",
"spectacular", "powerful", "colorful", etc.) along with
describing the flaws in the item. A great description
should entice the bidder to bid while at the same time
providing full and complete disclosure of the item's
condition. Your test of whether you have a great description
or not is if it answers the following two questions
well:
A. If I were to compare the description
to the item, while holding the item in my hand, would
it be an extremely accurate description? or would
I have good reason to return the item?
B. Does this description entice
me to place a bid on the item?
eBay Power sellers give "Benefit of
the doubt" customer service - Customer service is
such a cliched catchphrase in American Business today.
In the eBay auction world, it is mandatory that you
implement a very meticulous level of customer service.
Powersellers have a clear reflection of their level
of customer service in their feedback profile. One glance
at any eBay seller's feedback profile and you have an
instant snapshot of that individual's customer service
rating. (Imagine if regular "brick and mortar" stores
had a feedback rating posted at the front door!) This
public feedback rating is both your best advertisement
(if you provide great customer service) and can also
be your downfall. (if you don't) A Powerseller is constantly
aware of this "sign at the front door" and places a
high priority on giving stellar customer service. I
call it "Benefit of the doubt" customer service because
even in those instances where the customer is clearly
wrong, the Powerseller doesn't argue or get into an
emotional "war of words", she simply refunds the money
or reduces the shipping cost or sends an unexpected
gift with the package. The Powerseller realizes that
business and ego don't mix, they leave their ego on
the table - they go on to build lifetime customer relationships.
Powersellers (like Dave Espino) have
their own websites - A Powerseller realizes that
business conditions change. On the Internet, business
conditions can change literally from quarter to quarter!
Because of the transient and high-speed nature of change
in the Internet business, the Powerseller realizes the
value of having their own storefront on the Web. They
have either built a website themselves or have had someone
build a site for them. They have developed a following
and a customer base through their eBay auctions that
can help sustain them even if dramatic changes come
about on their main selling venue. As eBay continues
to evolve and change - applying restrictive and invasive
policies - this will become more of a priority for all
eBay sellers, not just Power sellers.
An eBay Powerseller makes it easy for
bidders to pay - By offering a variety of payment
options, Power sellers make it easy for winning bidders
to pay for their items. They offer to accept Checks,
Money Orders, all types of credit and debit cards through
PayPal, Billpoint, or their own Merchant Accounts. By
offering a wide variety of payment options, they open
up their market of available bidders and end up with
higher ending bids as a result.
Power sellers offer discounts on multiple
items - Whether it is a discount on shipping multiple
items or a discount on the actual price of multiple
items, Powersellers realize the value of a good customer
and treat that customer special. Unexpected discounts
tell the customer "You're special" and build a reciprocity
that keeps customers coming back or searching the Powersellers'
auctions. Powersellers are always on the lookout for
great deals - The Powerseller is the consummate "deal-maker".
Whether it's at an antique store or at a swap meet,
the Power seller is always thinking about things they
can re-sell. They find that pop-culture collectible
and buy it. List it the same day and see the bid amount
grow and grow. Part of the thrill of selling on eBay
is "taking a shot" and listing items that you are not
familiar with. Seeing the items shoot up in price is
a fun and enjoyable hobby!
Powersellers are always on the lookout
for great deals - The Powerseller is the consummate
"deal-maker". Whether it's at an antique store
or at a swap meet, the Powerseller is always thinking
about things they can re-sell. They find that pop-culture
collectible and buy it. List it the same day and see
the bid amount grow and grow. Part of the thrill of
selling on eBay is "taking a shot" and listing
items that you are not familiar with. Seeing the items
shoot up in price is a fun and enjoyable hobby!
An eBay Powerseller does not mind
making money! - A Powerseller has no "issues" with
making money. Many Americans have been brought up with
the notion that the only "respectable way" of making
money is by working at a job for thirty years. Sales
and selling is looked down upon. The Powerseller is
way beyond that. They have a healthy attitude towards
making money and it becomes like a "hobby" to them!
As new and strange as it may appear to the more traditional
types, selling on eBay is one of the easiest and most
lucrative ways to make a part-time income. The alternatives
to selling on eBay are either too time consuming or
too unrealistic. This "new" way of earning an income
is powerful and realistic.
eBay Powersellers enjoy their work-at-home
lifestyle - Powersellers love the fact that they
get to work from home while the rest of America sits
on the freeway, waiting for their fellow "worker-bees"
to move. The freedom of having a Home Based Business
is something the Power seller relishes and appreciates.
This enjoyment of the lifestyle has many tangible benefits
- better health, freedom of time, being able to spend
more quality time with kids, attending their school
functions and field trips, better scheduling of time
(around the rush hours) and an overall feeling of well-being.
There is no doubt, working from home is the wave of
the future.
Power sellers are willing to invest
in their business - Whether it means investing in
a high-speed cable modem or DSL connection, high-quality
computer components, including digital cameras, monitors,
keyboards, etc. or whether it means buying a "Featured
Auction" listing which will drive further traffic to
their other auctions, the Powerseller knows how to use
their money wisely. There is a difference between wasting
money and investing money in your business. An eBay
Powerseller knows when to "invest" money into their
business. Basically, anything that saves you time or
saves you money is an investment in your business. As
an example: A digital camera is a huge time-saver over
taking traditional 35 mm photos and then scanning them.
The investment in a digital camera is one of the best
ways to become a more efficient eBay seller!
A Powerseller stays up-to-date on auction
trends and changes - Because Power sellers take
their business seriously, they constantly keep themselves
up to date on the latest industry trends and changes.
They do this by buying books about online auctions,
participating in eBay Message Boards / Forums, and staying
tuned to the eBay Announcements Board. They don't want
to be caught off guard with a new change or new policy
that might affect their business.
An eBay Powerseller is always looking
for better ways to do things - Whether it's listing
auctions, packing and shipping, getting organized, or
expanding their business, Power sellers are always looking
to improve their online business. This is the nature
of all successful business people, they want to improve
their business constantly.
As the 4% of eBay sellers known as Powersellers
continue to improve their processes, here’s hoping that
the above strategies will be helpful reminders in improving
yours!
Dave Espino is the author
of Beyond eBay and Life In The Dot Com Lane.
Visit Dave's website at: HomeBasedBusinessOwner.com
