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The Creek Cottage "Virtual Rummage
Sale"
The
move to the Creek Cottage brought about many changes. Although the
cottage was much larger than my tiny studio, its layout made the
available space very different. Notably, its chamfered loft ceiling
made
many of my furnishings obsolete, and its limited storage space called
for yet another serious
re-evaluation of my possessions.
The result has been a slow but
steady process of determining
what does not work anymore, liquidating the unsuitable and
replacing it with the usable.
Weary of conducting what was
promising to be "the never-ending
yard sale", I realized that I could save a lot of time and energy by
selling my unneeded items online. Thus began what I affectionately call
the "virtual rummage sale" -- a collection of my online classified ads,
auctions and sale listings.
The funds from these auctions
and sales are used to buy needed
household items for the Cottage, and to help with the expenses of my
"foster dog", Seamus.
An interesting "side-effect": One of my new goals is to develop my
knowledge and skills so that I might someday be able to make an
independent living as a seller, both online and at fairs and flea
markets.
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Quite often when you are cleaning out, you come across a few items that
you feel are too good to simply put in the "donate" box. You might
discover a rare book, an expensive item of clothing, or a hard-to-find
piece of sporting equipment -- something that you think has VALUE and
is worth SELLING. However, you can't find anyplace in your town to
consign these -- and it's not worth the trouble of having a yard sale.
What do you do?
THE ELECTRONIC OPTION
For some people, participating in an online auction seems intimidating
-- too "high tech." But sites like Yahoo! Auctions and Ebay have made
it easy for you to sell your discards from the comfort of your own
living room. If you can use the INTERNET, you can sell your items
online. Essentially, it's like listing placing a newspaper ad -- only
on the web. And instead of having to speak with dozens of people over
the phone about your product (describing it and dickering over the
price, again and again), it all takes place AUTOMATICALLY on the web
with very little interaction from you.
The process is easy. You simply post a DESCRIPTION of your product, set
a TIME-LIMIT for how long you would like people to bid on your item,
and wait to see what happens. Of course, on occasion, you will receive
a question or two from a potential bidder -- but these are easily
handled with a quick email. Finally, when your bid expires, you receive
payment from the buyer and SHIP out your product. When done correctly,
it's as easy as pie! Of course, you can always run into snags -- but
here are a few suggestions for creating a smooth transaction process.
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
The first thing that a potential bidder will see about your product is
the TITLE. When searching for a specific item or scanning through a
category (like "sports equipment" or "household goods"), your product
will be listed on a main page as nothing more than a title and a
hyperlink to your product description. Since your title is generally
short and limited to one line, make it count! If an item is new,
include the word "new" in the title -- and use the acronym NWT (new
with tags) to indicate that an item has never been used. If it is a
recognizable and respected BRAND -- like "Nike" or "Donna Karan" -- be
sure to include that information. With clothing, indicate whether it is
"mens," "womens," or "kids." And don't forget the size and color. While
this isn't the appropriate place for a lengthy sales pitch, you want to
catch a customer's attention on that first pass.
You will also want to make sure you choose an appropriate CATEGORY for
your product. Try to place your items in a category where other similar
items live -- you will benefit from the fact that shoppers will already
be searching in that category for related products. If you are having a
hard time deciding on a category, ask yourself, "Where would I LOOK for
this item if I were trying to buy one?"
YOUR DESCRIPTION
Make sure that your description is as DETAILED as possible. In most
instances, you won't have a space limit for describing your product --
and the general rule of thumb is the more information, the better.
People don't want to have to contact you to see what size something is
or if the attachments come with it or if it has any scuff marks. And
you will save yourself time and effort by being THOROUGH up front --
you will receive fewer "clarification" emails from potential bidders.
Remember, the goal in an online auction is not just to make money --
it's to make the process as automated as possible. The less you have to
be involved after the auction starts, the better!
Another important factor in your success with online auctions is
HONESTY. In today's climate, people are leery of incomplete
descriptions because it feels as though the vendor may be trying to
pull something over on them. Be honest upfront about the age of the
item, its features, and any FLAWS or damage. Too many people use throw
the phrase "like new" around indiscriminately. You may be able to pawn
a shabby product off on someone the first time -- but they will hurt
you more in the long run by ruining your credibility and reputation as
a vendor with negative feedback.
GET VISUAL
When you sell an item at a consignment store or yard sale, potential
customers have the benefit of personal interaction with the object --
they can see it up close, touch it, and examine it thoroughly. However,
on the internet, the only method that buyers have to evaluate a piece
of merchandise is through your description and any PHOTOS you include.
Be sure to take pictures from several different angles -- and include
"close-ups" of any important features or small parts. If you are
selling an item with "minor damage" in an area -- such as a scuff or a
small stain -- take a close-up picture of the DAMAGE to show exactly
how minor it is. And try to photograph your items on a neutral color
background so the focus is on your product.
One of the biggest mistakes sellers make is leaving the photo out
because it seems like too much work. Think about it -- if you are
searching on Ebay for a food processor and find 25 of them but only 10
have pictures, which ones will you consider buying first? And many
shoppers won't even bother looking at a product description unless it
says "photo attached." So taking the few extra minutes to shoot a
DIGITAL picture or SCAN a standard photograph mean the difference
between a sale and a waste of time.
PRICING OPTIONS
Many web auctions - Ebay in particular -- offer a couple of different
options for pricing your product. You may choose to participate in the
traditional AUCTION format -- where you set a starting price for your
item, allow people to bid in discrete increments ($1, $5, $10, etc.),
and ship the product to the highest bidder when the auction ends.
However, if you have a product that is worth a considerable amount, you
may want to include a RESERVE PRICE. This is a minimum amount that you
are willing to accept for your merchandise -- and if the reserve is not
met, you are not obligated to sell it. For example, you may have a
starting bid price of $10 on a used set of Ping golf clubs, but choose
to set a reserve price of $75. If the final bid is not at least $75,
the bidder does not get the clubs.
Finally, you may want to offer bidders the option to simply BUY your
product for a set price at the start of bidding. Let's use the golf
club example again. In this instance, the bidder would have the option
to go through the normal auction process and risk losing out to another
buyer - or, could choose the "buy now" option and simply pay you a
pre-set price (let's say $95) for the clubs. This makes life a lot
easier for a bidder who knows what he or she wants and is willing to
forgo a potential bargain to get it. And it allows you to get a fair
price from a determined buyer.
SHIPPING
Another area that you need to think through ahead of time is how you
will SHIP your product to the winning bidder. It's best if you can
decide on a shipping method that will allow you to send an item
anywhere in the country for one price. If not, take your product to the
post office or UPS (or whatever shipper you prefer) and find out how
much it would cost to ship to the farthest point from you in your
country -- that way, you can list the shipping price in your
description and know that you are covered. It is completely acceptable
to indicate that shipping charges may be higher for bidders outside of
your country.
Also be sure to indicate the shipping METHOD in your description. And
let the buyer know if INSURANCE is included in the shipping price, or
if they will be expected to pay extra for it. Quite often, vendors make
insurance optional, but it's a nice service to your customers to
include it in the shipping price. It will also save you untold
headaches and disputes later if your package fails to arrive at its
intended destination or is damaged.
PAYMENT
This is the one issue that intimidates potential sellers more than any
other - how will you get paid for your sale? You can hear dozens of
horror stories on the web about sellers who were cheated out of their
payments by accepting rubber checks or fraudulent credit cards through
services like PayPal. So what do you do?
According to consumer advocate Clark Howard, the safest way to either
buy or sell an item on an online auction service is through an ESCROW
account. This is a third party company that will receive a cash payment
from your buyer, hold it until your product has been safely delivered,
and then pay you. However, you need to be on the lookout for the latest
internet scam - phony escrow services. The best route to take is to use
one of the escrow companies RECOMMENDED by the online auction service.
These companies have earned a solid reputation and should be completely
above-board. But if you have any doubts, be sure to check them out with
the Better Business Bureau first.
ONE FINAL NOTE
Selling online is not a guaranteed proposition -- just as holding a
yard sale or listing your items in the newspaper is not guaranteed.
Check up front with the auction service to see if you will be charged a
FEE -- and if that fee is based on your earnings or is applicable even
if your product doesn't sell. Also be sure to find out what PROTECTIONS
the auction service offers you in the case of a dishonest buyer. Know
your rights and responsibilities before you ever sign on.
Finally, start off small -- don't invest a lot of time and money in
"collecting" items that you think will sell online. Use this as a way
to get rid of your own unwanted items -- and if it turns out
successfully, you may have a home-based business on your hands!
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Ramona Creel is the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com
-- offering "a world of organizing solutions!"
Visit OnlineOrganizing.com
for organizing products, free tips, a speakers bureau -- and even get a
referral for a Professional Organizer near you. And if you are
interested in becoming a Professional Organizer, we have all the tools
you need to succeed. (Copyright 2003, Ramona Creel)
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