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We have a great team of account managers who advise sellers on managing their business. Nathan Somerville is one of our senior account managers and he focuses solely on Collectibles sellers. We sat down with him to get his advice on how to grow your collectibles* business on eBay. Here’s what he had to say…
- Diversify inventory: Whether you diversify your inventory within the collectibles realm or not, it doesn’t matter. The additional cash flow, especially when times are slow, will help keep your business solvent.
- Use the eBay tools to analyze your performance on eBay: Tools like Selling Manager, the Seller Dashboard, traffic reports, seller performance reports, etc. can provide valuable information and insight on your current and past performance and may reveal potential inefficiencies, deficiencies, and/or bottlenecks that could adversely affect your eBay business.
- Achieve eBay Top Rated Seller status (eTRS): I know this has been repeated a lot. It is important. If you could achieve only one goal in the next year this should be it. I cannot stress the impact and importance of becoming an eTRS seller.
- Put tracking information into eBay when you ship your item: Uploading tracking information, when available, helps your buyers know when you shipped the item and it allows them to see the items progress through the delivery process. This will go a long way in helping your Communications and Shipping DSR scores. Having the tracking information in your eBay account also provides valuable information if a buyer opens a case against you.
- Automate as many of your processes/tasks as possible: Automation frees up time that can be dedicated to other manual tasks. There are several selling tools, such as Selling Manager Pro, that will help you automate your processes. Time is money, and if you can save time or more effectively manage your time, that is money gained.
- Use Social Media: If you have not yet begun to take advantage of social media, do so now. Collectible items have a specific market. Take advantage of the various social networks to tap into those markets and build your reputation.
- Think like a business person first: You may be the most knowledgeable person in your category, but if you don’t think like a business person first, you won’t be successful. Those Collectibles sellers who follow our recommended best practices, network with other sellers, automate their processes, and dig into the numbers to make improvements are the sellers who are doing well and growing their business. If this isn’t your strong suit, consider bringing on a “business partner.”
…stay tuned for tips from some of our other account managers! And, as always, if you have any questions, send us an email: ivanka@eBay.com.
*Collectibles refers to these categories: antiques, art, coins, collectibles, dolls & bears, entertainment memorabilia, stamps, sports memorabilia, pottery & glass, toys & hobbies
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