Scratching your way out of the price battle; how to sell commodities online at a decent profit

Selling online is tough stuff--don't let anyone pretend it isn't. Selling commodities, or anything that is plentiful and sold by a lot of people, is especially tough. The price wars can be vicious with sellers undercutting each other until the only winners are the customers.

I have been selling a lot of a particular product during the last few weeks at a fair profit. I found the product quite easily (at my local box store) and was surprised when I listed it that no one else was selling it. My assistant was ecstatic, we were selling several a day. I knew it wouldn't last long; it was only a matter of time until my competition caught on and listed it too. It happened a couple of days ago--I knew we had been "found out" before even doing the research because sales came to a screeching halt. I found him (or her) rather quickly, they had under priced me by one penny!

Now, no one accuses ebay shoppers of being loyal. They are usually on ebay for a bargain and the lowest priced product usually wins. I get that. But it is still frustrating.

What are the options when this pricing war starts? How can you stand out from your competition without slicing your margins?

1.) Stand out from your customers with great photos. If everyone is using the same stock photo, do something different to yours to make it a little different. Add text advertising your money back guarantee or add a border or use a different picture. Buyers are more likely to click on a listing that appears unique.

2.) Bundle your product in a different way. Sell two instead of one or include an accessory or two. Add value to YOUR listing.

3.) Give away free information relating to your product. Even if the information is easy to find, your taking the time to print it off and include it can add value and make your product worth more.

4.) Provide excellent customer service. Make your listing crystal clear and answer all questions right away. Brag about your customer service in your listing. Maintain the best feedback you can.

5.) Stay a step ahead of your competition by staying on top of the product lines. Introduce new items and get some sales in before you have a lot of competition. Offer the accessories and add-ons that other sellers don't carry. Be creative with your product mix.

Above all, DON"T GET DISCOURAGED! Ebay is a dynamic, fluid marketplace and creative and persistent sellers will always find a way to persevere.

Ebay's "About Me" Page

Ebay's "about me" pages are a GREAT place to tell your buyers about you and your business. Buying online can be impersonal and faceless and this is one way to connect with the people you are selling to. Take a few minutes to let them know who you are and what your business is about.

Your "about me" page is your chance to highlight your experience in your niche, your dedication to customer service and your selling policies. Make it personal and professional at the same time.

Buyers are probably not curious about your favorite TV shows or where you shop(unless it relates to your niche,) but they DO want to know when and why you are selling on ebay. Be honest--buyers don't mind if this is a part time job you perform between diaper changes and carpool runs. Tell them about yourself and keep it positive.

You are allowed to tell buyers about your own website or encourage them to sign up for your newsletter, but make sure never to bash ebay or ebay policies.

Post a picture of your family or your pet. You will never meet your customers in person and most buyers like to know something about who they are buying from.

Jim Cochrum at My Silent Team has extremely creative ideas about how to use ebay's "about me" pages to grow your sales and your customer base.

The Ultimate Ebay Book...

I have read every single book in my library and dozens more about ebay and how to sell on ebay. Many books offer insight and ideas, but one book shines as the best all-around guide for beginning, intermediate and advanced ebay sellers. It is Skip McGrath's Titanium Ebay.



This book offers some basics on getting started, but then it moves quickly into a hands on list of how, when, why are what to sell on Ebay. He has an entire chapter dedicated to researching markets, with specifics on how to tell if there is enough opportunity in a niche for a new seller to move in. He also has an entire chapter dedicated to finding inventory at auctions and another to working with wholesalers. The entire book is sprinkled with his success stories and ideas that have worked for him over time.

This book sits on my nightstand and has been my guide throughout the last year of learning to sell on ebay.

This is the ONE book you don't want to miss as a new (or intermediate) ebay seller.

Two EASY Ways to Get Your Listings Found in Google

Feel like your listings might be invisible in the tangled and complex World Wide Web? Wondering how to get buyers to find YOUR product amongst the millions of listings on the Internet?

Figuring out how the Google spiders operate is no easy task. Without overwhelming yourself or your budget there are two very simple things you can add to your ecommerce listings that will help them get "noticed" by the search engines.

First, label your pictures with keywords. The search engines pay extra attention to pictures and having your labeled with a keyword or a keyword phrase gives you extra "points." Naming your picture is an easy way to add value to your listing.

Second, put a keyword or two at the end of your listing. Search Engine spiders pay extra attention to what is printed LAST on your page. A quick sentence stating the name of your product or the benefits of your product using keywords can also increase your score.