Wow. I guess that's the word I would use to describe the response to our last survey. We knew that sellers were exploring multi-channel selling, which is why we decided to start our third newsletter, EcommerceBytes Insider (launching in the fall), but the overwhelming response - and the results - illustrate how seriously sellers are considering their own retail sites and learning to successfully market them.
In looking over your responses and thoughtful comments, it's apparent that many of you are already pretty far along in the process of diversifying your sales channels. Thanks to everyone who took the survey - it helped immensely. We're busy getting things in place for the first issue - and just to whet your appetite, we will be making some very interesting announcements as we get closer to September. Intrigued? Good!
Sellers are still figuring out how to adapt to the latest eBay policy. With the introduction of the Multiple Listings Limit policy, eBay will begin displaying only one identical item from the same seller in Search results, and will limit the number of unique listings for different items per seller to ten per page. Some sellers need to make a significant change to their listing strategy. You can read more about what people are saying on the AuctionBytes Blog.
I received a letter from a reader who talked about two different types of online sellers - the small, recreational and occasional sellers, who sell antiques, collectibles, crafts and used goods; and the PowerSellers who sell gifts, electronics and new goods.
Those in the first group need a lot of help and need to be spoon-fed information, this reader wrote in her letter. "We relied on the ease of the early-day system of selling on Ebay. But as the rules got more complex and "the game" matured, a lot of us fell away and found it hard to keep up with the sophistication of selling online."
I've heard people over the years talk along similar lines. I remember reading someone say eBay should present visitors to the site with two links, or "doors" - one to new in-season items, and the other to collectibles and used items. And in fact, eBay launched eBay Express to try and capture buyers interested in quick purchases of new items.
Small sellers are not just facing challenges with online marketplace providers. As the courts and legislators look at the problems of fraud and counterfeiting that occur on auction sites, sellers can expect more governmental regulation and stricter policies from marketplaces. Sellers of all sizes must also be prepared to deal with tax issues.
But small sellers are resourceful, and so are vendors who develop solutions that bring buyers and sellers together, no matter what the size of the seller or their skill level. We'll continue to serve the information needs of small sellers to help you succeed, whether you sell online for fun or for profit - and hopefully for both!
Enjoy the rest of the summer as we transition from back-to-school season to the pre-holiday shopping season. Happy reading!
About the author:
Ina Steiner is Editor of AuctionBytes.com and author of "Turn eBay Data Into Dollars" (McGraw-Hill 2006). She has a background in marketing and research in the high-tech and publishing fields. If you have story ideas, comments or questions, send them to ina@auctionbytes.com.
