073: So You Wanna Sell On eBay - Beth Kelley

Beth has been an eBay seller for over 13 years. She started out as a stay at home mom selling her children's outgrown clothing in order to pay for a family trip to Walt Disney World. She has now moved into catering to the Busy Woman with stylish fashions. eBay has provided her with a fabulous fun filled career and the ability to raise her children at home, many more visits to Walt Disney World, become debt free and pay for her children's college. She now has a weekly E zine/newsletter filled with tips and tricks for the Busy Woman, website entitled Busybethie along with her Busy With Style blog. Interesting Notes Beth does not intend to make a business out of eBay. She only does it to make money to go to Walt Disney World. True indeed, eBay gives her the money she needed. It took her a couple of years before she realized that she wants to keep eBay going and develop it more. Amazingly eBay makes Beth debt-free too, including paying off their house. She takes her own pictures. She turned their theater room into a photography studio. She uses a backdrop and big photo lights. She uses the basement of their house as storage and shipping area. Beth sources her items from thrift stores twice a week. She also buys wholesale stuff. She puts 10 to 15 items a day. She photographs and edits everything. Then she puts a title and description and lists it. She does her listing per item style or category. For items that don't sell well, she marks them 75% off or runs an auction. This way, she can get rid of stuff with ease. She has tried selling glass for awhile, but she kept on breaking it so she stops. Now her niche is women's clothing for the busy woman. Her niche came through because Beth has 3 daughters. So there's a lot of shopping going on. Clothes keep on coming through. She is familiar with women's clothing. She understands it. She enjoys doing it. Her advice to those starting new on eBay: 1. Start with your cell phone to take pictures. 2. If you are selling clothes, you must have a mannequin. 3. If you are selling other products, start with a solid white background. Add a decent lighting then a good editing. She adapts free shipping because eBay gives a boost when you have a free shipping. She puts more time and effort in packing and shipping. She makes it sure that her customer receives the item like a present not as something purchased. Her customers would email her how happy they are and how much they like her items. She gets good feedback. Beth believes in karma. So, she tried to work well with someone who wants something. That also gives her positive feedback. To drive more traffic to her eBay store, Beth maintains a website. It collects email addresses for her weekly newsletter. She writes articles which turn into blog posts. She writes something that interests women. She also includes food recipes. She also tells what is going on in her personal life. Her customers who receive her newsletters keep on going to her eBay store. For her PayPal paying customers, Beth sends a Thank You email.She adds to it an invitation to join her newsletter. Beth admits that there is more competition on eBay now. Maybe, it is because eBay becomes a lot easier. Like you can list something from your cell phone in a minute. She stays afloat against competition by trying to make the best of what she can. She provides her customers with something that someone from China could not provide. Like she includes a wrap, a business card with her website address, a sticker, and a thank you note. She does alone all the eBay and blogging works. Her daughters do the proofreading. Two years ago when eBay ruled out the defect rate, Beth decided to join Facebook. She searched for eBay coaches and eBay groups to help her with. She ended up joining Niche to Profit group by Danni Ackerman. She took Danni's marketing class. That is where her website evolved. Her advice to sellers: 1. Make sure to join the sellers group that talks positive. 2. Try to find sellers that are doing better than you. Then figure out what they are doing and do it. 3. Contact 10 sellers. Ask general questions, like "how do you do this"?. 4. Ask people for help. Everyone is willing to help. Beth likes the freedom eBay gives her. It enables her to work on her own time. She can do what she wants to do when she wants to do it. Beth plans to keep on growing her eBay store. She might also blog about Walt Disney World. Quotes "You need to do something you enjoy." "I've tried too hard to make the customers happy!" If you would do your best, serve the customers, and deliver a good product, you are going to stand out." "eBay is a great opportunity!" "Surround yourself with positive people." "The sky is the limit!" "You can be your own person. You can be your own unique personality." "eBay's been a great blessing to me, and I love it!" Tools InkFrog Contact Information Website: http://www.busybethie.com/ Sponsors Premium DIY eBay Template ki Feedback Pro Buffalo Buck's Coffee