A couple of days ago, amazon announced a new policy that will force sellers to split their shipments between warehouses. The idea is to get merchandise closer to customers to lower Amazon’s shipping costs (while raising ours). I have had a ton of email from upset sellers –but this is just one of those things we can’t do anything about. Large companies like Amazon and eBay always look at their bottom line before they look at your bottom line and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
The Amazon Prime program has been hugely successful for Amazon, but the free 2-Day shipping is very distance sensitive. Placing inventory at multiple warehouses is a big cost saver for Amazon. So yes this is a pain for sellers and will cut into our profits, but for now, my profits are so high on Amazon that I am not about to leave over something like this.
Here are the details of the Amazon announcement:
Dear FBA Seller,
Effective February 25, 2012, inventory may be assigned to multiple fulfillment centers at the ASIN level during the shipment creation process to help better position it to reach customers at the delivery speeds they choose. We anticipate that both you and customers who purchase your products will benefit from this change, including for the following reasons.
Products located in multiple fulfillment centers can gain a competitive advantage over products located in a single fulfillment center. Order cut-off times for Prime and expedited shipping can be extended by as much as three hours with inventory in multiple fulfillment centers, so your offers will more likely be available for last-minute orders in more locations.
Products can be available for fulfillment to customers sooner than if you shipped them to one fulfillment center, and we then transported them to other fulfillment centers.
The impact of regional and local events on your products will be reduced. Events such as snowstorms, flooding, and earthquakes can disrupt transportation in a region or local fulfillment center. Having your inventory in multiple locations during these events increases our ability to ship orders to customers on time.
Please visit Inventory Placement for more information. If you still have questions, please contact Seller Support (sign in required).
Thank you,
Fulfillment by Amazon Operations
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There is another way to make money with Amazon. Take a look at my training course:
“Social Store” is the perfect selling tool for the eBay seller. With “Social Store” you can create a customized Facebook business/fan page displaying all of your eBay items quickly and easily. In addition, the app sees to it that your Facebook page will always be in sync with your eBay store or listings.
As we all know, Facebook is seen to be the next e-commerce platform, therefore it’s essential that a seller be present on this great media platform. “Social Store” gives you this terrific opportunity easily and only for $0.95 a month.
The app helps you drive traffic from Facebook to your eBay listings using Facebook’s “viral promotion” inherent feature giving you maximum public exposure for your items and listings with minimum effort. The bottom line is that you’ll surely increase your sales and revenues.
So will this app benefit me?
We believe it will. The different social networking platforms are great for promoting ideas, creations, goods and eBay items. This is mainly because millions of people are populating these channels constantly. Therefore, “Social Store” is a simple and quick solution for your promotion needs. Enjoy!
What our customers are saying:
“This is by far the most genius app on Facebook or eBay. It is one of the easiest to set up, and a great way to link to of the biggest online networks. Sales are for sure to increase and the word of your name will quickly be spread. In addition, customer support always replies within minutes to any questions or concerns. All around a great investment and experience!”
They also offer a payment plan, but please note that the $50 discount does not apply to the payment plan.
The discount link is right to the shopping cart. If you want to read about Worldwide Brands or see their video, click here first but don’t forget to go back to the above link before you purchase if you want the discount.
For the past week our sales on eBay and Amazon have been humming along. It turned out to be a great holiday season –much better than we hoped. Then this morning it stopped. I am so used to hitting the computer in the morning and seeing orders coming in, that it was a disappointment this morning when we only had one order overnight.
It is now officially too close to Christmas to order anything from eBay or Amazon and get delivery –but get ready for the day after. Both eBay and Amazon are reporting record sales of Gift Cards –and those folks will be spending that money next week. In fact, last year I remember that orders started hitting on Christmas afternoon and kept up strong for the next three days.
The second half of the holiday selling season starts right after New Years Day and goes right up until Valentines Day. Last year, January was our second best month (after December). I think what happens is that people have put off spending money on themselves over Christmas and once its over they start up again.
So even if you still have merchandise that can’t sell in time for Christmas, get ready to move it out over the next few weeks.
Cheers and a very Merry Christmas to all of my readers.
Today’s post is a guest post by Jennifer (Escalona) Dunn, Professional writer, blogger, and social media consultant. www.jennescalona.com What do you want to say?
Unexpected Mail: The PayPal 1099 is Coming
We know Halloween is already over, but be prepared to have the dickens scared straight out of you. If you haven’t seen recent reports, PayPal announced they will be sending you some unexpected mail come January.
No, not a coupon to offset their fees. Starting next year, certain frequent users will get brand spankin’ new 1099 forms for their taxes!
Whoa now, it’s ok, come back from behind the couch. It’s not really all that bad! Let’s take a look at this form and what it means for you – and what to do about it.
Why Me?
Well, first of all, you may not actually BE getting the new 1099 PayPal form. Only highly active PayPal users will get this in 2012. For one, you have to accrue at least $20,000 in revenue through PayPal – you can find this number by looking at your gross sales volume. Also, that $20,000 must be accomplished in over 200 PayPal transactions for the year.
As you can see, it’s not just everyone who gets this fun piece of paper in the mail for next tax season. Basically, if you just have a side eBay store you sell one or two items from a month, then you don’t have to worry about it. However, if this eBay store becomes your main source of income, then watch out come January!
Don’t Worry – Write Everything Down
But we’re making this piece of paper sound like it’s a missile crashing into your living room – and it’s truly not. If you’ve dealt with one 1099, you’ve dealt with them all.
The major thing to keep in mind about the PayPal 1099 is you must keep accurate records for your transactions. This is the first year PayPal and other payment processors will be sending out 1099’s, and there will be growing pains. Don’t rely on the information PayPal has given to the IRS to be totally correct. It’s up to you to make sure the IRS has the most accurate intel on your financial records. If not, then you’re putting yourself at the mercy of others, and this is the first time PayPal has done this!
Another reason you should keep accurate records of all your transactions is because the 1099 doesn’t cover everything your store needs for taxes. Namely, anything you paid out of pocket to fund your life’s work: business expenses. If you bought a new printer or shipping supplies and don’t report it on your taxes, then the IRS has no idea that happened and will expect you to pay taxes on that income.
This could result in you paying out way more than you really owe to the government. Then the PayPal 1099 really does become a huge pain – in your bank account! With proper record keeping (heck, it’s good for your business anyway), this new process becomes old hat.
At Outright.com we help online sellers quickly and easily track income, expenses and taxes. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask Outright on Facebook, Twitter or at support@outright.com any day and time – we’re here to help!
I drank the eBay Kool Aid on free shipping a long time ago. The simple reason is because it works. I have tested my listings both ways and free shipping does increase conversions on eBay. It works all years around, but it really works well during the holidays.
One of the major downsides to offering free shipping is that you pay eBay a final value fee on the shipping amount you build into your price –and believe me that adds up. So you not only have to add the shipping cost into your price but you should also add a little bit for the extra fee also.
But it turns out there is another major disadvantage to offering free shipping. Most sellers like me put the words “free shipping” right into the listing title to get the buyer’s attention. It turns out that if you do that, Google will not index your listing. I learned that just this morning when I read Ina Stenier’s blog: Could Offering Free Shipping on eBay Hurt Your Google SEO?. If you are offering free shipping in your eBay listings, I strongly recommend you read Ina’s post.
Learning digital photography is both fun and interesting.And if you are going to sell on eBay, Amazon or from a website, then you really need to learn how to take great photos.
As someone who was a film camera buff for years, I was late to digital photography. But, once I converted I dove in with all I had.
There is so much you can do with digital photography and these books have really helped my expand my techniques and dramatically improved my results.
These are not in any particular order. If you are a beginner, take a look at numbers 9 and 10:
CNN recently asked 1000 Americans how much money they would have to make each month to consider themselves rich.
The answer: $10,000 a month
If that is all YOU need, then you need to be on this free LIVE event this Friday (a/k/a Black Friday)
See all the details here.
You’ll discover the EXACT system being used to build dozens of $10k+/month businesses, plus you’ll learn the latest hacks, loopholes and sneaky tricks from a master of the game, Ryan Deiss.
This live online event will be at least 2 hours of PURE content, and just you being there will make you a much smarter marketer.
Here is just a little of what he’ll reveal…
During this free online training event you’ll discover:
* Why the “30 Days To $10K” Formula works so well and so fast, and how you can leverage it between now and New Year’s Day.
* The three big “shifts” you need to make if you want to build a 5-figure monthly business
* Why selling a PRODUCT online is the surest recipe for failure (did you get that???)
* Why you don’t need to know anything about traffic generation to build a 5-figure business, seriously.
Beat the crowds on Black Friday and Join me! this is going to be much more fun than getting clobbered by granny with an xbox at Wal-Mart.
See you there, and Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers
Skip McGrath
P.S. #1 – This is obviously a program to sell you something, but I promise you will learn a ton of great stuff from the webinar whether you decide to buy or not. AND – The webinar is free but if you decide to buy the training program it comes with a money-back guarantee.
P.S. #2 There is a VERY cool FREE $197 gift when you register.
In my last newsletter I told you about Janelle Elms Home Run Guide and many of you took advantage of it. Janelle has been selling the guide for $49 during the introductory period –but that ends November 30th. So you don’t have much time to take advantage of it.
The Home Run Guide is an easy to use e-book (including a special download for Droids and iPhones) that will help you separate the junk from the profitable treasures at garages sales, estate sales, rummage sales and thrift stores. Have you ever wanted to have all the collectible experts in your back pocket while you search garage sales and estate sales for buried treasure? Janelle collected dozens of experts (including me) to write about their special niches and how they source and sell products.
Here are just a few early and unsolicited testimonials from folks who bought the guide:
The information in this guide is incredible and to get this information all in one source is a great bargain. I have written books on sourcing products from Big Lots and other sources but the information here is unprecedented. Great job and get value. This book can make you thousands everytime you head out for sourcing inventory. Thanks again.
Bill Basinger
_____________________
I read the guide and went out looking for sheets, I came across one and bought it for $1.50. It ended today for $37.00 – if it wasn’t for the guide I would have never bought it!
OK, one more! I am sooo hooked on this guide! Bought another one for $3.50 and it sold for 54.59! I haven’t even read the entire guide yet!
Christina Serrano
______________________________
Ok here is a home run for the week. I bought this towel at a yard sale for a quarter and was so happy when it got a bid for 9.99 and it closed at alot more ($62.16) Wow, who knew.
Deana Thielet
(Here is another item I picked up at a garage sale – http://cgi.ebay.com/400239113756#ht_2925wt_754 – check out that price!!)
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Here is the best part about this book which we purchase right from the get go. My husband has always been a good supporter of our business. He does the shipping and some of the other things. But I was the one who shopped and listed. NOW he is devouring the book and going with me to thrift. This is priceless in itself!!! Two of us searching will return a hundred fold to our business. I even find a copy in his “library”.
Sherry Gilson
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What I love about the book so far is the stories! I mean it’s great to get the facts too. But the stories are really special. The book has me reminiscing about that feeling I had when I first realized a 1st edition cookbook I was selling was going to top $100. The stories are priceless
Kerry Boozenny
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Amazon hit all of us who purchased Kindle Fires to resell when supply is short with a big backhand when they announced they would do two things.
1. Amazon is selling the Kindle Fire at a small loss. It costs them $209 to manufacturer and ship each Kindle, but they are selling it for $199.
2. Because of this Amazon had to get as many Kindle Fires out to market as fast as possible so they could recoup the loss with book, movie and music sales. Therefore they manufactured a large supply and besides selling them online they are being sold in large chain stores such as Target, Wal-Mart and Best Buy. So right now there are plenty of Kindle Fires in the supply chain.
But this won’t last long. One of my sources at Amazon told me the sales are exceeding expectations. This means the supply should tighten up soon. The very worst case that will happen is if the supply doesn’t tighten up, you will still be able to sell your Kindle Fires for what you paid for them and get your money back with perhaps a small loss in eBay fees. But I am very hopeful that the supply will tighten up soon and you will see Kindle Fires start selling on eBay for more than the $199 Amazon price.
I don’t think the prices will reach insane levels like what happened with the new iPads, but I do expect to see prices in the $249 to $299 range as we get closer to Christmas.
So don’t panic. I am still sitting on the ten Kindle Fires I bought (less one for myself). Lets see how things play out over the next couple of weeks.
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MORE INFO:
Here is a comment that just came in from Jordan Malik -
Two more factors are pointing to the Kindle Fire being in WAY short demand AND reselling for a high price:
2.) ebay Purchases of Kindles have hit a high of $349; and a high of ~$260 for *PRE-ORDERS* (i.e. customers were clearly told their order was a pre-order)
It’s still way too early to tell exactly how reselling will go for the Kindle, but I am still confident that Amazon will not be able to keep up with orders (i.e. there will be delays due to orders clogging up their pipeline; and there will be delays due to several ‘out of stock’ notices on Amazon because I believe the overseas bulk shipments of Fires to Amazon will not be able to keep up with the demand.
Today’s blog is a guest post from Global Sources. They recently ran one of my articles in their newsletter so I am returning the favor. Besides they have some great resources for eBay and Amazon sellers that you can use. I would definitely recommend subscribing to the magazines for your niche.
Guest blog copy_October 2011
Many buyers don’t do business with China suppliers because they think most of them are unreliable. Well, Global Sources has got the sourcing help to find trustworthy suppliers, not fly-by-night shops. Each verified supplier on our site and in our magazines is visited at least three times to make sure that their company is a real, export-ready, with real products and real offices. Some of the specific tools we offer buyers to source more confidently, with less risk are:
Online sourcing directory
GlobalSources.com lists millions of products from hundreds of thousands of suppliers. Use our search functions to sort and filter suppliers by business type, location and more. Contact suppliers directly using our convenient online inquiry form to get answers to questions on product specifications, pricing, shipping and more.
Industry-specific sourcing magazines
Subscribe to free e-magazines and receive new issues monthly by e-mail. Every month buyers get updates on new products, news on market trends and accurate contact details for hundreds of verified suppliers. There are 18 industry-specific titles, so each magazine provides targeted information. Clicking on a supplier ad in the e-magazine lets buyers contact that supplier directly or go to their websites to learn more about them. Print subscriptions also available.
China Sourcing Fairs
Meet thousands of suppliers in-person at Global Sources’ specialized tradeshows, held in seven key locations in Asia, South Africa, the US and the Middle East. Buyers can sit down with suppliers to see all the latest products available. Check out upcoming tradeshows at China Sourcing Fairs. And if you can’t visit in-person, look at our Online Sourcing Fairs, which allow you to “virtually” visit the fairs (both past and future).
New product updates in your chosen categories
With Product Alert updates, buyers know when new products in their selected categories are posted online. On the same day, in fact. Fine tune the types of products you’re looking for by choosing from over 6,000 categories. And receive industry news in your areas of interest too. Save time and effort with these free product & news updates.
In-depth information on key China industries
China Sourcing Reports offer buyers detailed profiles of key manufacturers in China and elsewhere in Asia – plus information on best-selling export products, pricing forecasts, industry trends and more. See all 98 sourcing reports currently available. Prices range from $75 to $400.
PLUS…learn how to avoid common pitfalls when you’re sourcing from China. Check out the “What Every Buyer Should Know” page. This is where we’ve posted proven best practices, insights from experts in the field and first-hand advice from experienced China buyers.
Global Sources has been helping buyers make more confident, more informed China sourcing decisions for over 40 years, through its online directory, trade shows, research reports and monthly magazines. Learn more about Global Sources’ products and services.
“What sells on eBay and Where can I find it?” is one of the most frequent questions I get from readers.
Janelle Elems runs an eBay information training service called OSI Rock Stars. Janelle is one of the most respected eBay trainers and authors still working today. She has just finished a new project called The Home Run Guide. This is an over 400-page eBook on niche markets and how to succeed in them.
The Home Run Guide is an easy to use e-book (including a special download for Droids and iPhones) that will help you separate the junk from the profitable treasures at garages sales, estate sales, rummage sales and thrift stores. Have you ever wanted to have all the collectible experts in your back pocket while you search garage sales and estate sales for buried treasure? Janelle collected dozens of experts (including me) to write about their special niches and how they source and sell products.Here are some of the things you can learn:
1. Something ugly from the 70’s worth money? Read page 4
2. Introduced at Chicago World’s Fair this highly coveted machine doesn’t even come with the name on the item. But for upwards of $400 I’m guessing you are ready to learn more. Turn to page 10
3. Only in the Home Run Guide would it say, “half birds with heads’ are a good thing to buy. For the prices the Expert author is talking about you had better turn to page 16 to find out what I’m talking about!
4. Albeit this Expert Guide is but one page, but it’s also one of the guides that is getting a ton of comments about it. Who knew they were worth $25? Go to page 19
5. Great breakdown of the grading system used by the Independent Online Booksellers Association. Check out page 21 to make sure your books make the grade
6. Do have any Little Golden Books with dust jackets? You may be holding on to a Home Run! (I didn’t even know they came with a dj!). Turn to page 28 to find out how to locate the edition of the book as well.
7. Southern cooking is always delicious and now it’s profitable too. Turn to page 33 before lunch starts. At these prices you’ll be buying lunch for everyone.
8. Be on the lookout for a mouse and a cake for an easy $90! Page 46 has the recipe for Home Run Success
9. Give it a gentle shake, a look through and let the lever spring. Did you find a Home Run – check out page 51
10. This Expert author writes, “Don’t worry if they’re dirty, because that can be fixed. To some extent stinky can be fixed, too. It’s even OK if the tread is worn off at the heels and ball of the foot.” Find out how this is still a Home Run and some buyers even prefer them this way on page 56
Take a look at some of the experts and the topics they write about:
When The Home Run Guide goes on sale next week, it will sell for $49, but Janelle is offering a pre-order deal where you can order the book now for only $29. Yes – you will have to wait a few days for the book (it is in final production now).
This book is a great resource for both beginners and advanced sellers. And the pre-order price is a great deal. Best of all if you have a smart phone, you can download the book and carry it with you when you go shopping. Imagine being at a garage sale or thrift shop and you see a Tiki Mug or a nice looking fishing reel. You call up the expert chapter on your iPhone or Android and see if that particular mug or fishing reel is a good buy. Now you can do for used products what pro sellers do with their scanners and new products. Not quite as fast as a scanner –but where else can you even find this information.
This discount offer goes away at Midnight November 1st.
Click here to learn more about The Home Run Guide. Janelle even lets you read a couple of chapters before you buy. And if you are not happy she offers a money-back guarantee.
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If you want to know what sells on eBay and HOW to sell it, The Complete eBay Marketing System is a printed instruction manual that comes with access to my exclusive wholesale members site and 6 other bonus items.
Jennie Hunt has just published her first 2011 Holiday Toy Report. The report is completely free. The report is a 10-page PDF file that lists the hot toy types and categories and what to look for to sell during the upcoming holiday season. Jennie puts these out every year about this time and they are excellent.
This report and Jenni’s Holiday Toy Guide will show you what and where to buy this year’s hot toys to sell on eBay and Amazon
The other day I told everyone about the opportunity to purchase the new Kindle Fire to resell when they are out of stock which will happen within days of their release. (this is still a good deal by the way –just scroll down to my two previous blog posts).
Shortly after that post, I got an email from a readers who asked “is there a way to buy those Kindles without paying sales tax since we are going to resell them?” Wow! Good Question! I assumed the answer would be no, but I was wrong. Just for kicks I emailed Amazon support and asked the question.
Here is the response I got:
The procedure for tax-exempt purchases will vary depending on the state to which the order is shipped and the merchant who fulfills the order.
Amazon.com LLC is required to collect sales tax only on orders shipped to destinations in Kansas, Kentucky, New York, North Dakota, and Washington. Other companies offering products on our website may be subject to different tax requirements. If the items are fulfilled by any other merchants, you must contact that merchant directly.
We recently implemented a new exemption program that will allow us to process your tax exemption certificate documents in advance. To register for the program you may access the Amazon Tax Exemption Program from “Your Account” page, navigate to the Settings section and select “Amazon Tax Exemption Program.”
Once you’re registered for the program, all future orders for items sold by Amazon.com, LLC or Amazon Digital Services, Inc. will be tax exempt in the states where you have provided exemption documentation. You can read more here:
I’ll say it helps. Now if you live in one of the affected states like I do (Washington), now I can file a tax exempt certificate with Amazon. So whenever I buy something on Amazon for resale – which I do frequently, I will be able to purchase without paying sales tax.
NOTE: this only works for goods you buy from Amazon –not other Amazon sellers. Thats OK as one of the things I often buy for resale are Amazon’s Gold Box deals. These are sometimes from other sellers but usually from Amazon.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Learn how to sell on Amazon with The Proven Amazon Course.
We call it the “proven” course because it has been proven to work.
This isn’t my story. This morning, Chris Green of FBA Power, shot me an email alerting me to an article in the Channel Advisor Blog about the release of the Kindle Fire I wrote about yesterday. This article was written a day or so before Amazon’s release, but contains a really interesting analysis of Amazon Prime Membership.
Amazon does not release how many Prime Members there are, but Channel Advisor makes a good case for a conservative number of 10 million. And since everyone who buys a new Kindle Fire will get a free Amazon PrimeMembership, that has the potential to double the number of Prime customers. This is huge news for FBA sellers since all merchandise stored in FBA is available for two-day free shipping for Prime members. Essentially Amazon could double the market for Amazon FBA Sellers
The potential to make money with the insane demand that will resound to the Kindle Fire is huge. I pre-ordered 5 of them yesterday and if we have a good weekend in sales, I will order another 5 on Monday. If the Kindle Fire is anything like the iPad, early sellers should be able to make up to $200 over retail once the units are back ordered.
The Kindle Fire will be released in November, just before Thanksgiving and you can bet they will be out of stock before Christmas. Laying out around $1000 to buy 5 Kindle Fires is a tough call for a lot of people, but if you can afford it you will make between $750 and $1000 which is a pretty good return on your investment. And the downside risk is virtually nil as even if the insane demand doesn’t materialize. At the very least you can get your money back.
Amazon started taking orders today on the Kindle Fire. The Fire will sell for $199 from Amazon. But if you place your pre-orders now, you will be one of the first to get one and you can turn around and sell it on eBay for as much as $300 to $400. The Fire will be such a hot product –just like the iPad2.
I ended up with an extra iPad2 when it was selling for $499 but you couldn’t get one. I sold mine on eBay for over $700. I guarantee the same thing will happen with the Kindle Fire. I placed an order for 5 units today. I will keep one each for my wife and I and sell the other three. Check back with me in November and I am betting I can sell the other 3 for at least $400 each.
Here is another little item for my readers. Remember Tommy Tutone’s 1982 hit single “8675309/Jenny.” That song emblazoned the iconic phone number 8675309 in our minds. As it turns out, the number can save you money. How?
Have you ever been asked to join a store loyalty program that asks you to give up your phone number. This is so you can give the checkout clerk your phone number if you don’t have your card with you. But a lot of folks just don’t like to give up their number, so over the years millions of folks have used Jenny’s number – 8675309 when they register for a program.
Here is how it works: I was visiting Southern California and went into a chain supermarket to buy a bottle or wine for to take to someone I was visiting. Since I don’t live in So. CA, I wasn’t a member of that store chain (Sorry but I can’t remember the name of the store). The wine was marked $14.95 or $10.95 for members. I didn’t want to take the time to fill out a membership form for the store, so when the clerk asked if I had a membership card I just gave her the local area code and Jenny’s phone number 867-5309. And it worked! I got the wine for $10.95. Sweet!
eBay sellers have long complained about eBay’s 55-character limit on listing titles. As a seller I always struggle to get all the important keywords in my titles. eBay has now addressed this issue. The new 80 characters in your listing title is now live on eBay.
You now have 25 EXTRA characters in your title to draw more buyers to your listings. this allows you to include more keywords and descriptors to get your listings in front of even more interested buyers. Read tips on how to best use all 80 characters, then revise your titles for maximum visibility. eBay has created a title tips page.
Now you can include unique product identifiers to get your listings found by search engines. this will help your listings come up on eBay, Google, Yahoo! and via other Internet search engines. By including unique identifiers like UPCs, EANs, and ISBNs in your listings, your items can be more easily found by buyers using eBay search, off-eBay search, and mobile apps. Be sure to include these identifiers in the designated field whenever you list. Learn more.
eBay today unveiled their new advertising campaign “When it’s on your mind, it’s on eBay.”
I have long been a critic of eBay going dark on advertising. eBay has over $1 Billion in cash, yet has not spent a dime on popular media advertising (radio, TV, cable, etc.) for several years. So its about time eBay –and guess what. I have to give them good marks for this. I looked at the campaign and its really clever. It doesn’t do much for the small sellers as it really positions eBay as having the top brands and favors fixed price sellers. But it should bring more traffic to the platform which benefits all of us.
The campaign is directed at today’s “on-demand shopper,” who prefers to shop anywhere, anytime with a mobile device. The campaign aims to prime the market for what will be eBay’s largest mobile shopping season ever as the company continues to innovate and enable consumers to shop how they want, when they want.
“eBay’s target customers are shopping enthusiasts – people who are passionate about shopping, whenever and wherever the moment of inspiration strikes,” said Richelle Parham, chief marketing officer, eBay North America. “Shopping enthusiasts are heavy online users with a particular affinity for mobile shopping, and this campaign extends eBay’s powerful brand to reach them at the moment they want to shop.”
The campaign was created by independent San Francisco ad agency Venables Bell & Partners. The spots target shoppers in categories such as fashion, motors and electronics where eBay shoppers can find top brands, retailers and products they want, at prices they want.
More and more shoppers today are using mobile devices such as iPads and iPhones to shop. According to Comscore, sixty percent of fashion enthusiasts and 65 percent of electronics enthusiasts own smartphones, compared to less than 30 percent of the general public. eBay research has shown that these shoppers appreciate the excitement of the eBay marketplace and like to shop on eBay at the moment inspiration strikes.
Using the simple call to action, the “But it new. Buy it now,” campaign reinforces the shopping experience on eBay today. According to eBay, Sixty-two percent of the more than 200 million live listings at any given time are fixed price and 70 percent are new products. eBay expects mobile sales to exceed $4 billion by the end of 2011, and eBay’s suite of mobile applications have been downloaded nearly 50 million times, with one purchase made every second through mobile, showing a strong demand for shopping on the go. In fact, a pair of shoes is sold on eBay every nine seconds and 2,000 cars are sold every week on eBay’s core iPhone apps.
The spots consist of six, 30-second TV commercials, that will kick off tonight (September 14th) on national cable network shows including Top Gear, SportsCenter, Tosh.0, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Top Chef and The Rachel Zoe Project. The spots highlight that no matter where shoppers are and what they want to buy, eBay has it in stock.
To illustrate the ease of use and instant gratification eBay provides through its mobile apps, street-level outdoor executions of the ad campaign will use custom Quick Response (QR) codes that can be accessed using eBay’s RedLaser mobile scanning technology. This will allow consumers to shop for products on the spot, whether in a train station or outside a pedestrian shopping area; the various QR codes will lead to custom eBay landing pages featuring great shopping finds for all shopping enthusiasts.
The campaign is fully integrated, blending new and traditional channels including TV, outdoor display and social media. Outdoor displays ads will be seen in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles starting October 17.
Online ads will consist of takeovers on YouTube and Yahoo! and banner placements on Mashable, eHow, The New York Times, SF Gate, InStyle and Pandora.
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