Whether you’re Bill Gates or Jane Q. Public, everybody gets the same twenty four hours in a day. Check out these seven easy time saving tips for eBay sellers, many of which you can start doing right now!
1. Write an accurate and detailed description for your eBay items
Detailed item descriptions and high resolution photos can answer a buyer’s question before they ask it. Thoroughly describe any damage, defects or variations that a buyer could ask about. Detailed descriptions also help prevent confusion and returned items from buyers.
2. Create a master list of answers to common questions from buyers
Many buyers will ask similar or even the same questions. Writing a master list of answers can save you time from thinking about and writing the same answer over and over again. When a buyer asks you a common question, you can copy and paste your prewritten answer, modifying and personalizing the answer slightly, if necessary or desired.
For example, a buyer might ask, “Is there tracking to Country XYZ?” My stock answer could be, “Unfortunately the post office does not offer affordable tracking to [INSERT COUNTRY HERE]. The customs form number may show some tracking while the package is still in the United States, but once the item leaves the U.S. the tracking may stop. USPS First Class International typically arrives in 2-3 weeks, but this is an estimate only and some packages may take longer.”
Also, whenever you see the same question pop up, ask yourself, “Can I easily answer this question by adding more detail to my description?” If so, then forget about adding the answer to your master list–just add the detail to your actual eBay description!
3. Develop an effective inventory organizational system
Different sellers organize their inventory in different ways. Find a way that works for you. Poor organization delays the time it takes you pack your orders. Worse than delays, lack of organization means you might not be able to find the item at all! Losing an item is bad news for your customer because. After all, the buyer really wanted that item (duh, that’s why they bought it from you to begin with!). Lost items are also bad news for you because you need to refund the buyer for the missing item.
4. Consider presorting some of your pieces into quantities
For a more detailed description about presorting LEGO pieces, refer to the BrickingTips article Organizing Your LEGO Inventory into Presorted Quantities of 10, 50 and 100.
5. Invest in a shipping label printer or in shipping labels
Beginning sellers often print out shipping labels on regular paper and tape the labels to the envelope or box. Taping labels is very time consuming compared to sticking an adhesive label onto the shipment. Serious, established sellers may consider buying a Dymo or Zebra thermal shipping label printer. Thermal label printer don’t require ink, but they do require buying compatible labels. You can also use thermal label printers for other purposes like labeling your inventory.
Thermal label printers are a steep initial investment (the DYMO LabelWriter 4XL Thermal Label Printer costs around $150 or more, for example). Instead of a shipping label specific printer, small sellers or hobby sellers can buy labels like Avery Internet Shipping Labels or any of a number of generic shipping label brands. Make sure the labels have good reviews and confirm that the label is compatible with your printer–some labels are designed specifically for inkjet or laser printers while other labels are compatible with both printers.
6. Arrange a FREE carrier pickup through the USPS
Skip a trip to the post office by arranging free USPS Carrier Pickup for your First Class, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express and Global Express Guaranteed packages. How it works is your mail carrier will pick up your packages during your regular mail service. According to the USPS website, “The United States Postal Service® bears no liability for lost, stolen, or damaged packages due to placement in an insecure location.”
7. Automate your positive feedback or leave feedback in batches
If you’re an eBay seller with Selling Manager Pro, then you have the option to leave automatic positive feedback for your buyers. You can choose between automatically leaving positive feedback after the buyer has paid or after the buyer has left positive feedback for you. If you can’t or don’t want to leave automatic feedback, then save yourself some time by leaving feedback in batches once a week or once a month, rather than every day.