Friday, November 10, 2017

Formula For Success



On December 9th, 1934, the Bears and the Giants played in the NFL Championship game at the Polo Grounds in New York City.  The field had been covered with freezing rain, leaving it slippery and difficult to maneuver on.  The players (and their footwear) were not prepared for the field conditions.
After getting a suggestion that sneakers might work well on this type of field,( information)  the Giants head coach Steve Owen asked his equipment manager, Abe Cohen, to go find and buy sneakers. ( Action)  After being unable to find shoes to purchase, Cohen went over to Manhattan College and borrowed nine pairs of sneakers.  He was able to get back to his team by halftime.
When he arrived, he saw that his team was down 10-3.  The Giants' players got the shoes on and got to work.  The Bears extended their lead to 13-3 then everything changed ...  the Giants didn’t allow the Bears another score on their way to a 30-13 win. (Success) Several players claimed that the shoes made all the difference.

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Alternatives to Ebay



Amazon – Amazon is a great site for selling new or used CDs, DVDs or books as well as a variety of commercial products. Payment is received once a month via automatic deposit. The same item will be listed by several buyers describing the overall condition of the product.
Artfire – Artfire is an online site to sell handmade crafts, craft supplies, and vintage items.  Once you set up your store, Artfire does charge a monthly fee of $20 to maintain your store, and the listing fees decrease as you list more items.
Bonanza – This is the site that Oprah raves about! Think of it as a discount center for brand name items as well as a flea market, but a place to also sell crafts. No setup fees to operate your own e-store! Buyers basically pay the asking price for the items instead of bidding on them.
Bookoo – This is a site to sell locally and hookup with your neighbors. You will need to meet the buyer and collect payment. Some feel it is an alternative to a yard sale or the classified section of their local newspaper.
Bookscouter – (See Bookscouter Review) – This is a site to sell textbooks.  From elementary school all the way up to college.  Just chose a vendor and they will mail you the label.  Once the vendor gets the books, they will issue payment.
BuyBackWorld – This site will buy broken and used electronics to not only refurbish and then resell them, but also for the parts.  Shipping is free—just print a shipping label.  Payment is made via PayPal or check.
Craftsy – This site is very popular among crafters.  Crafters can choose among over 500 online craft classes for under $20 plus sell their crafts and craft patterns.  Anyone who has ever wanted to get into licensing or copyrighting your own patterns, this is a site for you.  Payment is quick too.  As soon as someone buys something, money is sent to you via PayPal.
Craigslist – This site is another you're probably already familiar with. You can list anything for sale here, for free. Just be sure to use caution when meeting potential buyers (strangers). Make sure it's in a public place when completing the transaction.
Decluttr – This is a site that allows you to get rid of your unwanted CDs, DVDs or cell phones or games.  You may use the barcode to find the item and then offer it for sell.  Payment is offered the next day via PayPal with free shipping for the buyer.
DiggersList – This is a place to list your home improvement-type items.  Items listed are either for decorating or making your home more functional.  Once you find an item type in your town and zip code.  See what is available in your area and the number of miles that you are willing to drive to purchase these items.
DreamsRecycled.com – This site was a result of a marriage breakup. Tiffany Beverlin was left to not only sort out her new marital status, but also through closets and closets of bad memories. Even though many of the items carried bad memories, that didn't mean that they didn't carry a good price. This is the site where divorcees and other jilted lovers come to sell their unwanted items and move on to other dreams.
Etsy – (See Etsy Review) This well-known site is where high-end crafters as well as artisans sell their handmade artwork.  There are many products in any number of categories.  Handmade items can be considered “crafty” or high-end art.  All handmade products must be actually handmade.  You'll pay 20 cents to list the item, and Etsy will charge a 3.5 percent fee upon sale.
Facebook Yard Sales – If you have a Facebook account, you can do a search for yard sales in your area. Once you find one — you'll probably even recognize several of the people already there. You can send a request to the administrator asking to join. Then, just upload your items, add a description and a price, and watch the item sell.
You will have to make arrangements with the buyer to meet and also how you want to collect payment. Given the obsession most people have with checking their Facebook accounts, it isn't difficult to unload unwanted items.
Glambot – This is a site where you can sell your unwanted makeup and not only earn money, but also credits to buy the “correct” makeup in one of their stores. You will need to become very familiar with their policies on selling your unwanted makeup.
Handmade at Amazon – (See Amazon Handmade Review) –The great thing is that you can sell your handmade items here and then sell your non-handmade items at Amazon.com.  You do have to request an invitation to be able to sell here, but once accepted it is free to list items.
Letgo – This is a site which allows you to sell furniture, clothes, and just about anything. What most people really like about the site is that you can just log in via social media and begin selling that way. You don't have to spend 30 minutes setting up your account. You will need to meet with the buyer and collect payment on your own.
NextWorth – is also a website similar to BuyBackWorld that buys to refurbish and resell as well as buys for the parts.  Payment is made with either PayPal, check or a Target gift card.
Poshmark – This site is for high-end clothing lovers who want to sell or buy.  Poshmark is known for its “posh parties”, which connect buyers and sellers.
Swappa – Swappa makes it possible to sell gently used mobile devices, Chrome books, MacBooks, and other electronics online. There are no seller fees. Instead, the buyer pays a small fee to Swappa that is built into the price of the item.

Tradsey – If you have designer clothing and accessories for men or women then Tradsey is the place to be. Designers like Louis Vuitton and Gucci are all available at steep discounts when you sell your used items. 

Monday, October 23, 2017

How to write your Ebay sales terms and policies

Writing your ebay terms of sale.
A lot of sellers, and new sellers in particular, are interested in adding 'terms of sale' to their auctions. In brief, this is a list of the 'rules' that this seller expects buyers to adhere to, and may also include their selling terms. Adding sale terms to your auction can be a great idea; it can help tell the buyer something very important such as the fact that you only accept paypal or only ship to certain countries. HOWEVER, all to often these terms may contain rules that are so rigid that they scare off a potential bidder - or , in many cases, these terms run contrary to the rules that eBay sets up to protect both buyers and sellers alike. This guide looks at some of the basic rules and hpw they can help you create sales terms that work for both you , your buyer and adhere to ebay policy.

 Payments. Ah.....we sell...we get paid! In a dream word we would all get instant gratification and eBay would be no exception. Our item ends and in our perfect world, seconds later that little dollar icon would flash before us letting us know the money is sat right there in our Paypal account and we can ship out our item. That's the dream, now reality...not quite so appealing. There are those buyers that pay the second your auction ends, those that pay an hour later, those that pay in a day or two....and those that leave it right up until the last second on day 7 when we are getting ready to file the unpaid item bid! People are different and all have their own way of doing things. So, what does this mean for your terms of sale....well, much as we would all like payment immediately, or within a day or three you really cannot write "PAYMENT EXPECTED WITHIN 24 HOURS - NO EXCEPTIONS". Why? Well what do you do if they do not pay within that 24 hour limit...you can give them an undeserved negative - probably resulting in one right back....you cannot file a claim, you cannot cite eBay rules...under eBay a buyer has 7 days to pay; on day 8 if nothing, you can file the Unpaid item Dispute. There's really not too much you can do to enforce these rules. Much better then to say: "Payment expected within 7 days" - you may want to change those terms slightly if you take mailed payments, for example: "Paypal payments expected within 7 days , mailed payments within 10" That way you are within eBay guidelines and offering your buyer a reasonable time frame to pay. for those that want a quicker payment as those are your preferences...remember, it is YOIR auction but NOT YOU website and as a seller on eBay you fall under their rules, one of which is giving 7 days to pay! There is an exception, and that applies to certain 'BUY IT NOW" auctions. In some cases you might want to set those to paypal only instant payment - this meaning that not only does the potential buyer need to hit the Buy it Now key...they also must pay immediately in order to secure the item - without payment - the item still remains for sale. This is a GREAT option in high ticket items that you want to sell as a Buy it Now but are prone to fraud..ie: you sell your IPOD and every time a new buyer wins, that buyer then does not pay by paypal and offers a wire transfer with excess funds which you will send to them - a common scam with the result that sellers of such high end items often have to relist multiple times in order to sell....in that case you CAN demand instant payment, without it your auction remains!!

 What payments you take. Do remember to make this part VERY CLEAR! Do you only take paypal (remember too that you CANNOT charge someone for using paypal, I have seen that in terms of sales...a 15% surcharge for paypal payments....a fast route to getting your auction pulled) Do you take money orders - what about checks? If you only take paypal then say" 'Paypal ONLY".... Omiting the 'only' leaves it open to question. Your terms of sale need to be clear and help you sell, not leave the buyer with more questions than answers! If you take credit cards, let the buyer know if they will be directed to a processing website as this can be quite a shock if you buy something, only to be directed to an unfamiliar checkout procedure and might cause a non payment or two...buyers need to know this before they win, rather than question it later. Keep it simple and short, that will inform not confuse the buyer.

 When payment arrives. You may also like to let your buyer know what happens when payment arrives; after all, you have told them when you will expect their payment...when can they expect their item. An example: "Payment expected in 7 days.....I will ship your item within 1 business day of receiving cleared payment" That gives your buyer a reasonable estimate of when they might expect their item and is also a nice term of sale that may attract a potential buyer to your auction. One key: "UNDER PROMISE AND OVER DELIVER" A cliche I know, but one that works well....if you may not always be able to ship within one day...say 2 and try and ship within one. That way the buyer will be pleasantly surprised and not let down if you offer the world but cannot deliver on that promise! 

When payment does not arrive Then there is the dreaded no payment situation...in your terms of sale, you can also let your buyer know what happens if they chose not to pay. BE NICE!!! I see some terms of sales that are very aggressive, but you want to assume that MOST buyers will pay. Do not reference past experiences, for example " I have had lots of non paying bidders so do not waste my time , I will leave you a negative and file a claim against you for non payment - keep away from my auctions if you will not pay!" ...(and yes, I HAVE seen this written in an auction!) You do not want potential buyers to instantly see the bad things, and you do not want them wonderign why you have had so many non paying winners - and asking what is wrong with the seller / their item?" Keep it professional and within ebay guidelines, something to the effect of: "I do file a unpaid item claim with eBay for all sellers who do not pay within the 7 day (or longer if you take mailed payments and chose to give some more time) payment period" And leave it at that, no mention of negatives, after all, a lot of buyers may respond to the Unpaid notice and pay. Plus when you put negative feedback in a buyers head....what is to stop them thinking of this for you. Keep it simple, to the point and professional!

 Refunds / Return policy. It is up to you if you chose this option. Many sellers are reassured by this, but it can also open up a whole can of worms. If you sell new items and have an ebay store, this may be more of an option for you than someone who is selling old items from around the house. I have seen people use: " refunds offered with returns only if item is misrepresented" which is a good example, though the term misrepresented can be subjective. You can also omit this information and take any queries from buyers on a case by case basis.

 WHAT YOU CANNOT SAY: This is a common one and perhaps the biggest mistake of all as sellers may really believe this: "Insurance is offered on all my auctions, if you do not take it I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR GOODS LOST OR BROKEN IN THE MAIL" Guess what, chances are YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE, especially if you take paypal. Write it in your auctions all you want; if a buyer pays with paypal and gets a broken item or no item at all, they can make a claim with paypal and more often than not , they will win. If you ship with delivery confirmation and buyer claims item did not arrive but DC shows it did, you may be okay, but if you have no proof that they got their item (and a shipping receipt from your local Post Office is not proof) you will lose. The biggest lesson all sellers should learn: INSURANCE IS FOR THE SELLERS PROTECTION NOT THE BUYERS. If your item sells for more than you can afford to lose, you should either make insurance mandatory or include it in shipping charges. At the last resort go ahead and pay for it anyway as a $1.30 or a little more is cheap to pay for peace of mind! Remember, just because your auction says you are not responsible, you are selling on ebay and that means you probably are!!

 A Bit of personality At the end of the day, you want your buyers to be attracted to your auction, so be nice , professional and add a nice tag at the end of your terms of sale, for example: "Thanks so much for looking at my auction and please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions" A good terms of sale is designed to protect you the seller, to attract buyers, to help us all adhere to ebay rules and to make shopping on ebay a pleasant experience. You can get a lot more information on this subject from the ebay sellers board on the A-Z eBay index. THANK YOUI!!