Free eBay Consultation: mom2nick4ever

Nicolette left a note for me saying that she has only had a store for about a month. But let me tell you, this store is pretty far ahead of the curve. I recommend that you check it out! She mostly sells children's clothing, but also has some women's clothing scattered throughout.

Nicolette's eBay user name is mom2nick4ever, and her store is called Wish Upon a Child's Star. Please check them out so that we are on the same page when we start critiquing her eBay auctions and store.

Let's get started! The first suggestion that I would make is that Nicolette changes her eBay user name to reflect her store name. That way it will be easy for her customers to remember that she is connected to her store, and it also helps with building the brand.

The second suggestion, which I have been making to many people, is to make a logo. Something to put at the top of your auctions will make your brand stick out, and make you look more professional.

Nicolette has several nice templates, but I would recommend using as few as possible (ideally only one template in order to build the brand). Also, there are not nearly enough auctions running that represent the majority of the store listings. It would be good to have about 10% of your items running as auctions at any one time.

Fresh Tip: I recommend taking advantage of the location in the store designer where you are able to describe your store. Google looks at these and drives potential bidders to your store if you use a description full of key words. Such as, "We provide high quality baby and toddler clothing from Gymboree, Gap Kids..." Use as many key words as possible, and you might start getting buyers that find you from a Google search instead of just from eBay.

Taking Pictures: Your pictures look crisp, but I think they could be improved if you take the pictures of your items on a white background. I have a small roll of white paper that I lay out on the ground when I take pictures. You can also use a science project poster board. This will make your pictures look a lot more professional.

Little Stuff:

• Your about me page is very nice, but I suggest adding a link in your auction template instead of just telling people to check it. This will ensure that more people will look at it.
• Consider accepting non-confirmed addresses if the item is worth less than $25. This will open up the field to a lot of potential bidders. I have never had a problem shipping to someone with a non-confirmed address. I just make sure to email the winning bidder to make sure we both know where the package is being sent.
• Consider using Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelopes for international sales. That way you will not have problems with international bidders having to wait 2-5 weeks for their purchases to arrive.

Nicollete, your auctions look very nice, and you have very good feedback going for you. I am sure that if you want to, you can totally buckle down and become an eBay PowerSeller in no time. Keep up the good work, and tell your friends about me!