Park Your Garage Sales On The Internet
by: Donald Lee
You have been planning your garage sale for weeks now. Your garage, as well as you whole home, is stuffed with old records, books, clothing, vacuum sweepers, and other odds and ends that you have no use for anymore. Instead of just tossing your clutter into the neighborhood landfill, you've decided to hold one of the most time-honored traditions in civilizationthe garage (or yard) sale. It can be a thankless task, becoming a pawnbroker for a day, but there's definitely good money in itif you know how and, more importantly, where to organize your garage sale.
First, of course, you need to get your sales items together. Garage sales are a great way to recycle stuff that you no longer have room for. You'd be surprised what doodads and miscellany your neighbors will wantmusty books, old silver wear, framed photos of long-lost third cousins, and other unmentionables that you've had no use for since who knows when. Even more surprising, your neighbors are willing to shell out cold hard cash for these items. That makes your garage sale a win-win proposition for you.
Come to think of it, though, a garage sale at your home can be a real chore. It takes a Herculean effort to collect and organize every last little thing you want to sell. Then you have to tag each item and keep track of it in a hardcopy log. To ensure that your neighbors show up with cash in hand, you must create, print up, and pay for flyers, which need to be distributed on telephone poles and supermarket message boards across the region. The work can seem endless and your chances of making a profit slim.
Don't get me wrong. Your garage sale was a great idea, but as you can see, there are many limitations to holding one at your house the old-fashioned way. Get with the times. The garage sale has evolved thanks to the multitude of Web sites that allow you to sell your goods online. People are selling more stuff than ever on the Internet because of the convenience of Web classified sites.
The Internet holds several crucial advantages over selling your stuff the outdated way. When you compare these benefits to the problems with home-based garage sales, you'll see the difference:
ONLINE: Your items are available for purchase for an unlimited time, until they sell.
AT HOME: Your items are available until you call it quits for the night.
ONLINE: Rain, sleet, or snow, your sales aren't affected in the least.
AT HOME: Better have a rain date or a very big umbrella.
ONLINE: No need to constantly watch over your goods or interact with uninterested customers. Just wait until a customer contacts you by e-mail when they are ready to purchase.
AT HOME: Be prepared for countless hours of staring down the street for customers to appear. When they do arrive, be prepared for too many questions but too few purchases.
ONLINE: Advertise for free to your friends and neighbors over e-mail.
AT HOME: Shell out money for flyers, after which you can get to know all of the telephone poles in your neighborhood.
ONLINE: Spend your weekends the way they were meant to be: relaxing and enjoying your time with friends and family.
AT HOME: Spend your weekend waking up early, buying and distributing flyers, lugging boxes, and waiting for customers.
As you can see, it's not an even match. An online garage sale wins hands down.
Now that you're actually excited to get started with your garage sale, you should know that there is one caveat. As easy as it may seem, your online garage sale will be even easier if you choose the right classified site.
Your best bet is to do your research and find classified sites with the most features and benefits, such as (1) No sign-up, registration, or transaction fees. (2) Free ad listing with text description and pictures. (3) Long-term ad posting and free renewals. (4) Easy, accurate, electronic, and automatic record keeping.
The best classified sites have these incredible features and then some. Not only will you be able to clean out your home's clutter with the help of these classified sites. Your garage sale will also park a profit in your pocket.
Copyright 2004 Donald Lee
About The Author
Donald Lee is the public relationship manager for Buysellcommunity.com. Buysellcommunity provides free classified listing services for individuals and businesses to market their products and services online. For global and localized classifieds, visit http://www.buysellcommunity.com.
What Big Online Retailers Don't Want You to Know
A huge advantage that the smaller online retailer holds is simply the focus on the business and the commitment to success. Most online retailers were bricks-and-mortar' players long before their forays into the online space. Therefore, all of their operations were originally developed for an offline world.
by: Derek Vaughan
Are you operating a small or medium-sized online retail store? Have your ecommerce efforts been thwarted by a big online retailer? If so, take heart! Things aren't as bad as they might seem. In fact, instead of being intimidated by the big online retailers you should welcome the opportunity to compete with them! Here are some things that they won't tell you that could give you a real advantage when trying to gain more ecommerce customers at their expense.
Here are some of the things that the big online retailers don't want smaller competitors to know that they're saying behind your back:
"We're concerned that you can look just as big as us online"
Think about it for all the time, money, resources, and energies that go into the website of a large online retailing operation they still have most of their traffic landing on their home page. It's the same with you, the small online retailer. When a potential online buyer looks at your home page, they can easily think that you are much larger than you really are. How do you tell the difference between a one-person operation, a ten-person operation, or a large retail site? It's hard even for professionals. One key point here: make sure that your home page design and layout measure up to the current standards of professionalism in the industry today.
"You might be better at reaching a niche audience"
Giant online retailers need to reach giant audiences in order to achieve their sales goals. For the most part they aren't even interested in a smaller niche audience. Large online retailers are looking for search terms and advertising buys that will attract the largest possible pool of potential buyers to their site. You, on the other hand, can be far more selective in your choice of products offered, keywords targeted, and where you choose to advertise. In addition, you can select target audiences who may purchase more expensive products in smaller volumes, or who will be much more loyal buyers and repeat purchasers.
"We can't deliver personalized service like you can"
Similarly, the larger the company, the harder it is to give truly outstanding and personalized service. As a small online retailer, you can actually get to know your customers. In fact you must get to know your customers in order to keep them from straying to a larger competitor with lower prices on the same items. There are so many different and unique ways to really embrace your buyers! Here are a few: send an extra special little gift each time someone buys; collect your buyers birth dates and send them a birthday present on that special day; keep their information in a special place so that when they contact you they get a personal response in the fastest possible time; note buyer preferences and send them a personalized note informing them of new products that are of interest to them. You can think up many more ways to give personalized service for your site if you spend some time pondering it.
"You can rank higher in key search engines than us"
Some large retailers have a great search engine marketing and search engine optimization strategy many do not. A great leveler of the playing field with regard to online buyers is your search engine presence. You will gain market share at the expense of the large online retailers if you rank higher than they do on key search terms at key search engines. Make certain that you understand and implement professional search engine marketing strategies. Study search engine optimization techniques. Understand paid inclusion programs. Gain expertise in pay per click marketing engines such as Google AdWords and Overture. When buyers use search engines to look for your products and services make certain that your results are visible whether in paid or organic listings.
"Our online operations are a neglected step-child in our company"
A huge advantage that the smaller online retailer holds is simply the focus on the business and the commitment to success. Most online retailers were bricks-and-mortar' players long before their forays into the online space. Therefore, all of their operations were originally developed for an offline world. Further, the original bricks-and-mortar' component of the company may actually be jealous of the fast growth and success of the online retailing component leading to internal bickering and power struggles. One thing is for certain: both the small online retailer and the larger online retailer have had approximately the same amount of time to develop experience in online selling. Purchasing via the Internet is still relatively new and there are many differences between selling in a physical store and selling in a virtual environment. The small retailer can work these differences to their advantage. So even a prestigious and long established offline retailer may actually be playing catch-up when it comes to online retail.
Action items for the smaller online retailer
To compete against larger retailers keep the following competitive tactics in mind. Develop a professional web site and make it look just as inviting as the big player's sites. Consider focusing on a specialized or niche audience that is likely to be overlooked by larger retailers simply because the market is perceived to be too small. Differentiate by offering superior, personalized service. Make your customers so happy that they begin to talk about you to others. Master search engine optimization and search engine marketing techniques or hire professionals to help you achieve top search engine rankings. Embrace online operations and take advantage of the all the possibilities that the Internet offers to increase your sales. Good luck with your online ecommerce ventures!
About The Author
Derek Vaughan
CheapHostingDirectory.com is a web hosting directory and webmaster resource site providing articles on web hosting, interviews with hosting professionals, and showcases featuring hosting companies and special discounted web hosting offers.
Selling Your Jewelry Creations Online
by: Lee Dobbins
Selling your jewelry creations online requires different skills and supplies then selling at shows or on consignment. You'll need to develop good computer and digital photography skills as well as set up a shipping area and buy shipping supplies.
Jewelry is a very visual product to sell - potential customers need high quality photographs that display the piece in detail as if they were holding it in their own hands. A good quality digital camera with zoom capabilities is essential for taking photos of jewelry.
Unfortunately, just buying a good camera probably isn't going to be enough to make your photos stand out. You'll also need good lighting and a light box for the photos to come out their best. You can buy professional lights and a light box or go the homemade route. I use a clear plastic storage box as the light box and set up adjustable plant lights on the sides and top - all these materials can be found at Walmart or any discount store. To take the photos, set the box on it's side with the open end facing you, set the jewelry inside the box and take the photo. The clear plastic will diffuse the lights to prevent glare and make your photos more clear.
Once you have taken your photos, you will need to upload them to your online selling venue. There are 3 ways to sell online - having your own web page, selling in an online mall, and selling at an online auction. Having your own web page requires a bit more skill as you will need to write the code for the page yourself, hire someone to do it or buy a package that helps you do this. Selling in online malls and auctions is usually a bit easier as you can post your information on a form that is uploaded and you don't need to know much about html coding. Personally, I have found that selling at an online mall is the best way to go - the auctions are overcrowded with jewelry of all types and it is extremely difficult to get any qualified traffic to your own website without spending a fortune.
Along with your photos, you will need to provide an excellent description of your jewelry. I suggest you take 3 photos of the piece and then write a paragraph description on the piece listing the materials used the size and any outstanding features. Don't be afraid to be creative in your description!
The final phase to selling jewelry online is collecting the money and shipping the product. You need to decide what form of payment you will accept. Will you take credit cards or only accept credit through Paypal? Personal checks, or only money orders? I love Paypal as it is so quick and easy but there are fees associated with it. Many of my customers pay with personal check and I have never had a problem in 6 years of doing business online.
Once you receive payment, you can ship out the jewelry! This is your opportunity to make a good impression and gain a repeat customer. To make shipping easier, it's a good idea to setup a shipping station which includes a table to package and wrap on, all your packing material, tape, boxes and mailers, your return address stickers and any promotional items you like to put in the package.
I like to package my jewelry in gold foil boxes and ship those inside a bubble mailer. The boxes are only about 20 cents if you buy them in bulk and they look so nice to the customer when they open their package. Also, have some promotional cards, business cards, pens or discount certificates made up and include those with your URL so the customer can come back and buy more!
About The Author
Lee Dobbins is a jewelry designer and writer for Artisan-Jewelry-Online.com where you can read more about making your own jewelry.
Don't Fall Into This Trap
by: Richard Grady
One of the most common problems that people make when starting their online business is creating a website or product that people don't want.
Sounds crazy doesn't it? But it's true. I have heard from several people in the past that have emailed me to say that they have built a site but despite having worked to get top search engine rankings, they are not making any sales.
Here's the thing - it is no good having your website at the number one position on Google for the keyword 'tomato soup' if no one ever searches for 'tomato soup'!
Therefore one of the most important things to do when you are considering starting any new website business is research - see if anyone actually wants what you are going to offer them. Think of it like this, if you wanted to open a restaurant you would do some research to see if the local residents wanted your restaurant and whether they would be likely to use it. If the local residents said 'no', then you wouldn't bother opening would you?
Same process online - make sure there is a market BEFORE you create the product. There are various ways you can do this but one of the best is to use a free piece of software called Good Keywords. In a nutshell, you type a keyword or phrase into the software and it checks to see how many times in the last month people have searched some of the main search engines for that word or phrase. It works very well and I have used it to rule out several website ideas in the past - ideas that would have involved me spending weeks of work building sites or writing ebooks, only to find that no one was interested in the subject matter!
You can download Good Keywords at no cost whatsoever from:
http://www.goodkeywords.com
And don't forget the other piece of advice that I keep banging on about - go for a niche market - just because 5 million people searched for 'dvd' last month, doesn't mean that DVD's are a good thing to sell. Search Google for DVD and see how many search results are displayed - that's your competition! Daunted? You should be! With a bit of research you can find a far less competitive market that still has thousands of people searching for it every month.
Copyright 2005 Richard Grady
Can Walmart Make You Rich?
Author: Cindy Jones (C) 2005
Have you ever shopped at Walmart and thought... I need to get my products on those shelves. Did you spot the perfect place for your new product and think, Bingo, that's where my product will go. I think I'll give them a call.
The truth is, Walmart receives hundreds of calls each day, asking the same question, "How do I become a vendor?" For many people getting your products on the shelves of Walmart is the pot at the end of the rainbow. Thoughts of millions of dollars race through their heads. For some, Walmart is the pot of gold they searched for. For others it will be another day in bankruptcy court.
The road to the corporate Walmart headquarters can be a long one, it can also be the best road ever traveled. Before even approaching such a large retailer, you must do your homework. The first step to being a Walmart vendor is to go online at http://www.walmartstores.com and submit detailed financial info about your company. You can also call corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas at (501) 273-4000. Operators will refer you to the appropriate department for the information you need. You also must be listed with and order and pay for two Dun & Bradstreet reports. Walmart wants to know you can handle your biz. In addition to following these steps, you must apply for Universal Product Code (UPC), meet applicable liability and workers compensation insurance requirements, pass quality assurance testing, and meet Labeling and Packaging requirements. If you survive this round, you might just find yourself in the big ole parking lot filled with rental cars from fellow vendors... your competition. Don't worry, there will be many scared faces to match yours.
Before you submit that questionaire remember you usually have ONE chance to sell those buyers. The buyers at Walmart have become even more demanding. In fact, these days, vendors have to prove they have what it takes to handle Walmart size returns long before negotiations begin. You can't even get past the front door without showing proof that you have adequate financing.
Step two for potential vendors is to go to a Walmart Super Center and figure out where your product should be placed. If you find a spot you think should overtake then you best be ready to say, "Why your product is better and can be sold cheaper." Get to know your competitors and who they are.
One of best kept secrets to Walmart is their LOCAL VENDOR PROGRAM. This program is one of the easiest ways to become a vendor. Your products usually need to be unique and have a local reference in some way. This program is the best way for small local business to set up shop with Walmart which allows smaller orders to be distributed in your local area. Starting at a slow pace can let you get a feel of how Walmart operates. What I did was call my local Walmart store and ask to speak with the general manager. We then set up a time for him to look over my product. After this meeting he gave me a local vendor application. I filled out the application and brought it back to him to send in with his referral. Store managers have the power to refer any new product they think would be good for their store. This usually pushes things along along easier and faster than going to headquarters.
Walmart information contributed by Cindy Jones at http://howtosellyourproducttowalmart.com
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