How to Sell With Market Places You Choose

How to Sell With Market Places You Choose

Have you chosen the market place you would like to start selling with? There are many options available out there, and you will have to choose what feels good to you. Make sure you research them a little bit before you sign onto one. 

Etsy is for handmade, upcycled repurposed, vintage, art, and supplies. An alternative to this is Artfire. Etsy has really taken off from where it started back a few years ago when there was just 400,000 active sellers which it is now up to more than a million, and counting. Other alternatives to look into would be Ebay, Amazon, Storenvy, Indiemade, Zibbet, Ecrater, and there is plenty more to consider. It depends on the type of products you intend to sell, if you want to sell straight out, or if you prefer auctions like what is offered at Ebay. Some will be free to list, some will have small final value fees, some will offer different payment processors that you can choose to offer with your shops, and many other things. 

Once you have chosen the place you would like to start with, and have set up shop with your shop name, policies, shipping, and etc. You will then want to get started with pictures of your products for you listings. Make sure that your pictures are bright, crisp, and clear. With good pictures your products will be noticed. Remember that the photos are a very important part of your customers first impression when they visit your shop. 

Next you will want to work on proper listings for your products you are offering. Remember as you do this that the customers cannot touch the product you offer. So, you will have to describe a physical experience for them. If you do not take the time to list your products properly then the customers will not give you the sale. 

Don't make your listings like they are going to be on craigs list. Customers won't go for that. They like to have the descriptions in full so that they do not have to spend all their shopping time asking you questions. Instead welcome them into your shop just like you had a physical storefront. When they click on your picture they want to feel that you have taken the time to respond to their interests. 

This is all a part of building your shop. With the early stages of your shops you will have time which is on your side for you to do things with. You could start a blog with the same shop name, or if you already have a blog maybe you would want to use that for your shop name. Use Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram. Set up some social media accounts, and spend some time establishing those places as well. As you get busier you will be able to choose the places that are more enjoyable, and that you find benefit with too. It's all a part of building your small business. 

Think about one of your favorite places that you like to visit, and shop with. Remind yourself of the atmosphere, and the surroundings it has that you so enjoy. This is what you would like to incorporate into your own shops so that your customers will want to take a part of your business home with them.  As your business grows you will refine things along the way. 

Keep in mind that the market place you choose is just a starter home for you to build with. Also, do not be disillusioned by business takes off the minute you open shop. It takes time, many things to learn, mistakes will be made, but it will grow with patience and work of it. Visit with Lisa at Market Your Creativity to learn from her experiences that she shares with everyone. 

Thanks for visiting with LilacsNDreams in learning some ways to start our online businesses. I enjoy it, and hope to see you again soon. Have a Happy Day everyone!

Checking and Testing Your Chosen Product Marketability

Checking and Testing Your Chosen Product Marketability

Is what I want to sell good enough? Is what I want to sell marketable? Is what I want to sell even a wanted product? Many questions will flood you as you consider taking your next step with your passion. Don't worry if you do not have any kind of a storefront set up yet. That will come, but make sure to take some notes along the way. Get a few ideas of some things before you get started. 

There are ways you will learn that you can kind of test the marketability of your product that you have chosen. Also, there are ways to help with your visibility, and with the search of some of your existing products that you might have now too. 

One of the first common things to do when checking out the competition is to use google searches. Type in your craft, your product, or your service to see what comes up. Keep in mind this is something that your customers will also be doing when they search. When you see some of the competition come up as you search take note of some of those first hits you see. See through the customers eyes what is being advertised to them. Sometimes when you search like this you are going to see some direct competition, or maybe some of them might be business role models for you too. 

Besides using Google you will want to further your searches with maybe some of the other market places to see what similar ideas are being offered. Check with like Etsy, Ecrater, Big Cartel, Ebay, Store Envy, and etc. With some of your research among the search engines you used, you will also see different market places from them too. Make sure to make some notes to yourself. 

Do Not get discouraged when researching, and you find a lot of results for the same product. This is good because it shows you there is a market for such a product, and that it appears to be in demand too. Just remember that your individuality is what makes the difference. 

The key to overcoming such a saturated market place is that you must learn to advertise outside of all of that, and get people to see the individual brand that you are offering. See it as all those people not knowing about you yet.  

Another good thing is that with a trending product this will give you an opportunity to recruit some new customers for you. If you see something that explains what your product is, how it can be made, if there is some history with it, and etc. Use it to your advantage again. Try to find a way to incorporate that into working for you. Find a way to make it a commercial, or maybe an advertisement for you without violating any copy right laws or infringements. 

A few ways that you will see others mention that get used are as follows. 

• Cost Per Click Advertising you will often hear about. Many of us use Facebook, and we click to "like" someone, some thing, a page, or maybe some kind of trend too. So as you see followings grown maybe it is a time to consider the pay for click advertising to get some of that attention for you, and to grow customers for you too. 

• BLOG on your trend! This is one I myself truly believe in, and will talk about. Social networking is becoming bigger, and bigger. Predictions are for 2014 that it will be an advantage to use Social Networking with the things that Google does, some changes they will do as they normally do in the spring, and etc. You blog to get traffic, and it lets the customers get to know you a little better too. Therefore when someone does a search with Google, or maybe yahoo for certain keywords they can very well find something you blogged about. With blogging work on using some good keywords, and tagging too. This helps people to find you. Don't forget you can share links to your items as well too. If you use pictures from others on the internet make sure to give them credit, mention them, or at least link back to the place you got things from. 

• Tweet to people about things. This is where using that hash tag (#) on twitter works. The hash tags, like keywords, will help you draw the right crowd of like-minded people too. 

• Tagging your listings by remembering to do this. Make sure to use words like "inspired by" or maybe "styled like" and things like that. You don't want any kind of trouble, or to mislead people about how the product was made. These people are the customers you are hoping to be doing business with. Just be honest. Having pieces that are alike, have a similarity, and etc are common in the handmade world of things. You have your own style that you are trying to get people to see. 

Whew! Slow down a little bit, right? LOL:) Sorry, but sometimes I get a little bit passionate about some things when I share them, and I can carry on too. I am trying to share this in more of a break down, and carry it out over the next days, weeks, or however long it will take me. 

I appreciate you taking the time to visit with LilacsNDreams. Thanks for dropping in, and hope to see you again soon. Take care till the next time everyone. Toodles . . . . 

Avatars Banners For Our Online Shops Platforms Blogs Websites

Avatars Banners For Our Online Shops Platforms Blogs Websites

Many of us do sales online as our business, and for some it is a hobby too. When we set up shop with different venues, market places, platforms, blogs, and websites we often have many questions as we set them up. Colors, do we use animated pictures, do I need a template, should I have a signature with my emails, what about my avatar, and do I need a banner? A lot of things to consider, and this is just some of it to begin with. 

A lot we can discuss, and this opens the door to many things. I am going to start this off with a simple subject now. Avatars, and banners is an issue that I see discussed quite often with different places like Etsy, Ecrater, Artfire, our blogs, and of course some of our websites too. Is there a true answer to this? I have yet to find one that is 100% correct, and says it is the law to do it. But, when we set up shop online we like to treat it like having our own brick & mortar store. Appearance can grab attention, and it can bring the customer in for a closer look. Don't get me wrong, our products definitely bring them in to look, read, learn, and hopefully purchase. As they enter sometimes appearances can reflect on you as a seller too. 

So, do we need an avatar with some of our shops? Do we need a banner with our shops as well? Is it really necessary, and does it really matter? In some ways yes it can make a difference with some shoppers. When choosing these things what do we choose? What is the best thing to use? Many have said that we should show a picture of something that we sell, or have sold. That is a good point. It is also mentioned to show a picture of ourselves with our avatars. I have also seen shared that we should not have these things to busy, don't have too much frill, and then there is also colors too. Yes, it is nice to show pictures of items you sell, give the customer a feel of what it is you do and offer, but I myself also think it is good to show a little bit of yourself. What I mean by that is show a little bit of who you are, your personality, and not only show what you sell, but let the customer feel comfortable entering your shop with a welcoming feeling of who you are too.

I know, it's a bit over whelming right? Don't let it intimidate you. Experiment with it a bit, and get some feed back from customers who buy from you, and from others within your same niche too. 

I myself like to keep things simple if I can. Yes, I use the same banner....most of the same banner pretty much everywhere I have set up shop. I try to stay with the same colors, and use the same avatar as well. I myself feel that this helps with recognition when shoppers are out searching that big old internet for things they want. Does it help? I have had some comments from past customers and acquaintances meeting up with me on Facebook, or maybe Google+ asking if it was really me, they remember me from this or that place, and it was nice meeting up with me again. Sometimes the comment I thought I recognized you which is a good feeling. 

Some like to change things every month with their avatars, and banners too. Maybe not every month, but at different times they will change. It works well for some, and others also have a different view with this. I would Love to change my avatar, and banners myself. I have often been tempted to, but at the same time I decided to stay with everything the same. I am still someone small, still trying to grow, and trying to be recognized by others as well. So, to keep things simple again, and not confuse anyone I keep the same. Eventually I will change things out, and maybe then I will have someone else design things for me. Till then I do it myself, and keep it simple being LilacsNDreams.  

I know I probably didn't give you complete answers to some of this, but I hope it gave you a little bit to think about as you venture onto your online shops. I appreciate you sharing your time with LilacsNDreams, and hope to see you again soon. Take care, and Have a Happy Day!  

Websites Blogs Venues Market Places For Online Sales

 Website, Blogs, Venues, Market Places For Online Sales

Hi! Welcome to LilacsNDreams Everyone! Ever get into one of those funks that you know you want to make a change, not sure how much change you want, and if you do change things what is maybe the best way for you to go? I, like many others, do Online Sales. Not only do I deal with different venues/platforms, but I also like some of the social networking with it too. 

I use Etsy, Ecrater, Artfire, and sometimes Ebay too. With changes that keep happening with different places, the rules, how they do things, the expenses, how visible you are in searches, and of course dealing with the search engine changes too I often wonder if I am better doing things on my own. If not completely on my own, what is it I should do? What is the equation so to speak that one should follow?

Like many others over time I have signed up with different platforms to sell with. Some have done well for me, and some is like you are non existing. Many of them take work with titles, descriptions, keywords, links, and working with SEO. Seems like you do what you know to do, what you are told to do, and then something changes. When those changes happen there go your views, the traffic gets lower, and along with that comes low sales also. So, how does one get through this?

Many of us do have, or wish to have our own websites. I know those take a lot of work, and can become spendy as well. You do more work with them with SEO, and trying to place in search engine searches than you do with some of the platforms already set up by different places. Then, if you use the free websites like weebly you can hear good, and bad about them as well. Some have websites with a blog included. There are some that use wordpress, and you often hear good about that too. For me wordpress is good I understand, but it is also kind of complicating to me. I have also seen some use blogger blog as their site, and do sales with them too.

Often people will use their blogs, show their merchandise they are offering with links back to where you can buy them. Doing this you avoid having to deal with a shopping cart on your site. At least for a little while till you build more, and move on. The same is with some of the social networks too. The popular one is Facebook of course. That is one place I have not been the most active with. Some of the social networks allow you to show your goods with the links back to the shops you have them in, or you can offer to sell right from there. One place that has been doing this, and is growing is The Vintage Village where they have also been working with another addition called Vintage Rising. Vintage Village is for those dealing with vintage, and antiques while Vintage Rising is for items that are not quite vintage, crafts, handmade, supplies, and things like that.

So, what do you think a person should do? If you deal with Online Sales what is it that you do for yourself, your business, your brand that you have found to work? I have come to kind of a stand still myself, and have been thinking things through more than I have working with my shops. I have more pieces to list, have taken pictures, have revised the pictures, etc, and etc....I have things sitting out to work on as well making some new pieces too. Unfortunately, I am being slow with it all lately. 

Would love to hear from others on what they are doing, what they have found to work for them, some ideas, some suggestions, and a lil bit of this and that. 

Thanks so much for sharing your time with LilacsNDreams. It is Wednesday, and a Happy Hump Day to all! Enjoy, and see you again soon. 

Ebays Yearly Spring Seller Changes Have Started

Ebay Yearly Spring Seller Changes Have Started

Happy Monday, and Welcome to LilacsNDreams! How many of you deal with Ebay? Do you only buy there, do you maybe auction there, or are one of the many many sellers that they have? If you are a buyer you might notice changes with different things as time moves along. Some you might like, and some you might not. As a seller there are many things to face, and always changes when dealing with Ebay. 

I started Ebay in 2004 as my first venture of selling online. Whew! Did I have fun too! I enjoyed what I did, enjoyed finding things to sell on ebay, treasure hunting and thrifting were always a blast to do for this venture, I enjoyed some of the extra cash, and really enjoyed selling online because of ebay. As time as gone along ebay has made changes. Some have been drastic, and some are disappointing and questionable too. For me what use to be fun, and enjoyable has really become a heartache selling there. 

Every year Ebay has their spring changes they do. Generally it is a price increase for selling there of course. They are now at 10% they charge on your final value fee of what you sell. No more listing fees, or at least not for the first 50 listings. Those first 50 are free, and then they will charge a listing fee after that. If you have stores with ebay you will also see some changes for you. Then there is the final value fee you pay with your shipping cost that you charge. 

This year by July 1st you will see most changes have gone into effect for what they have notified of. I recently read with Ecommercebytes for those who have signed up with ebay, have accounts with them, but have not been active for a long time that they would like to expire those old IDs. Interestingly ebay has been around for about 18 years, and some of us have had our user IDs for like forever. If you want an account there it has been frustrating for some who choose a name they like, and find out it is already taken. Even more frustrating is to find the person is no longer registered with Ebay, has not had an active account for 2, 3, 4+ years, and so on. So, emails are being sent out to those who have been inactive too long to determine if they keep those user IDs, or if ebay is expiring them. 

Another thing I have been dealing with when I am relisting items myself to ebay is another new change. You will have your listing price of items, and some of us along with a listing price/auction price will also include a buy it now (BIN) price too. Some people don't like to auction, and would just rather buy the item now which is fine. Ebay is now enforcing with sellers that if you have the buy it now price it is to be 30% more than your listing price. Say what? Seriously? Not quite sure what it is to them about this new rule, and why it is being enforced. Isn't ebay making money from the sellers no matter what they do? So, upon relisting items if I want the buy it now, and they don't like the amount I have because it is below the 30% they are not letting relist items till I change that. To me this is disappointing, and as mentioned before, the fun of selling on ebay back when I started is not anything like it use to be. 

There are more changes, but I promised myself I would not write a book with this posting to you all. So, do you sell on ebay? How do you feel about the changes that they have been making? Have you found other market places that you enjoy selling with? Would love to hear from some on this issue, and would be happy for us all to discuss this a little. 

Also, I just wanted to note to those who are buyers. I am sure it is frustrating sometimes when buying there, but please do not have ill feelings to all the sellers for some things that you see. It is no longer our items to sell as we use to. For us to sell on ebay we have rules to follow, and if we don't we cannot list, our items are pushed to the bottom of searches, or sometimes they do not allow our listings.

Thanks so much for sharing your time at LilacsNDreams today everyone. I love having you visit, enjoy hearing from all of you, and it's always a pleasure coming by here to catch up. Hope to see you again soon. Happy Day to everyone!:)  

Ebay Alternatives, Other Online Selling Sites and Auctions

Ebay Alternatives, Other Online Selling Sites and Auctions

Hi! Glad to see you visiting with LilacsNDreams! Ok, I admit today I probably should have done a bit more with my growing list, but give me some credit. I did get some listings done at eBay. Special ends Saturday that I am part of, and I have more to list there, relist, revise listings, and etc. 

It's that time of year that eBay is having their spring changes, fee increases, policy changes, and the usual. We are soon going to experience having a 10% final value fee with our listings, and don't forget that crazy charge they do with shipping cost too. We are going to keep the 50 free listings a month, and I think I read after the 50 free listings it would be like a .30 fee to list. Then, there is the changes with the pictures that they are now doing, and will go into effect by July 1st. They would like us to use white backgrounds, and pictures should be 500+ for pixels. They do not want to see watermarks on the pictures, or at least have them across the items being shown. The picture rule came about since mobile users are becoming more, and more with their usage and purchases. Trying to help out with that area which I can understand. 

When I joined eBay in 2004 it was fun, enjoyable, a learning experience, but also a money maker too. As time has gone along the fees increased, the rules change, the policies change, and so on. The sellers dissatisfaction with eBay, and their strategy to drive small sellers from the site sends them out searching for other places to sell. The obvious answers we first get are Amazon, and Craigslist. Don't stop there as there are many others out there, and many other solutions that can be used too. 

• Bid Start
They have auctions here of collectibles, very strong in stamps - coins - sportcards - comics - and games. You have to visit their sites fee page for more details for some numbers. This is a successful site for stamps, and coins. They have expanded into collectibles, and seem to be growing.

• Bonanza 
They have fixed price store format with a wide range of mostly used products including vintage, and collectibles. They have free listings with low fees. 

• eBid
Here they have auctions with a variety of products. It appears they have $49.49 lifetime fee, 0 listing fees, 0 final value fees, 5 free photos, 5 free eBid stores, uploads to Google Shopping, unlimited listings, and For Life. This is a functional site with growing buyer/seller base.

• eCrater
This is also a fixed price store format with a wide range of products. They have zero selling fees, no listing fees, offer use of Paypal and Google Wallet for payment options. The is a growing site with moderate sales. They allow sellers to link to their own websites here too.  

• Etsy
This is a fixed price place with handcrafted items, art, supplies, and vintage items offered. Their listing fee is .20 which is for a 4 month listing. Final Value Fees are 3.5%. They are also a growing site with a loyal following.  

There are many many more to mention, and if you google eBay Alternatives you will see different suggestions that are made, different opinions shared, will hear the good, the bad, and you know the routine. Ruby Lane which is for vintage, collectibles, antiques, and high end products of this sort. Shopinterest is newer, and comes off of Pinterest which is a growing social bookmarking/pinning site. There is Addoway, and others that could also be mentioned too.  

None of the sites gets near the traffic of eBay, or Amazon. Therefore it could be difficult to make a living on all, or any of them. Best use for these sites is to expand your business beyond eBay by adding additional channels to sell in. Since most have either lower, or no listing fees there is no incremental cost, or risk to add any of these sites. You know that saying "don't keep all your eggs in one basket" True it is. 

These are decisions that each individual seller needs to decide on themselves. Are you happy with one venue, do you feel you need more, and if you need more how much more do you need? I have seen some stretch themselves too thin with too many shops. I have seen others have just enough that works for them, and they can manage too. It is a decision that is up to us, and what our goals are for selling online. Yes, I do still at eBay, and use the 50 free listings every month. I also use the specials that they offer for listings too. Yet, I do not limit myself to eBay either. I have a shop with Ecrater that I need to work with, and have enjoyed using. In fact, with some customers from eBay I have had them go to my eCrater shop if they want a better deal for an item that I can make the numbers work with the fees of using paypal/google wallet, and etc. I also have a small shop with Etsy too. Between eCrater, and Etsy I have done some sales along with eBay too. For me it is enough to move inventory I have, for what I do, and where I feel comfortable. 

I got a little bit winded today I see, but hope this was of some help to those who question their sales with eBay. Hope it helps others who have thoughts of moving on, or having another venue that they are considering using too. I wish you all well with your sales, your decisions, and sending you all the best of luck with this. 

Thanks so much for visiting with LilacsNDreams, and hope to see you again soon. Take care, and Happy Sales to All. 

Market Places, Venues, Ebay, Ecrater, Etsy, Artfire, Ruby Lane, and More

Market Places, Venues, Ebay, Ecrater, Etsy, Artfire, Ruby Lane, and more.

Welcome to LilacsNDreams, and Happy Hump Day to all of you visiting! Having one of them days with thoughts going through my mind, and thought I would come by here to visit with all of you. 

I, like many others, spend time surfing the internet. We do it to read, learn, catch up on things, compare, and one of my favorite things is to shop. Besides shopping I also like to sell online too. There are many places out there to shop online with, to sell with, and there is no way I can know all of them either. You have your market places with auctions, some do not do auctions, you have big venues selling online, small venues, your big businesses, and quite honestly a lot of shopping is done online with many places. Some have ventured off having their own websites, and are doing well. Others have tried websites, and found it to be more than they wanted with cost, upkeep, coding, and so on.

There is so much out there to choose from, so much to see, and of course never enough time to see it all. So, when you go shopping online where do you go to? Or, if you are a seller where is your preference to sell at? Is it Ebay with auctions there, and of course buy it nows too. Do you visit with Ecrater where you can use Paypal, or Google Wallet to check out with. At least a little more payment selection is offered. Do you go to Etsy for handmade homemade items, or maybe you visit Artfire for that too, and can use Amazon Payments there. Then, there is Ruby Lane where you can purchase your vintage antique collectibles. So many places out there, so much to see, and how does a person keep it straight, right?

I guess I am just in a slump right now with the change of the seasons. I haven't done too much lately to really make any sales with any of my shops. I do ebay periodically, I have inventory growing at Ecrater, and I have things also with Etsy too. Artfire has not done too much for me for quite some time, but I still show things there which keeps my name out there for others to find. I have family staying with us right now which off sets my schedule of things a bit too.

Sometimes a person can do too much with different market places, and then again not enough too. I was one that had things sitting everywhere. Over time I have been pulling things away, and trying to simplify by just having 2-3 places that I sell with, and shop at too. I found that I enjoy having more time to work with the shops, am able to work on more projects, can spend more time promoting items amongst 2-3 places, and I am actually getting more views with keeping it simple too.

So, for whatever reasons where do you sell at, where do you like to shop with, what are the advantages and disadvantages, and etc? Would love to hear some input with this a little bit. Always nice to have views through the eyes of others. 

Thanks so much for visiting with LilacsNDreams today. I enjoyed you stopping by, and hope to see you again soon. Take care, and have a wonderful Wednesday Hump Day!

Ruby Plaza End of Year Changes Soon Here, What to Do

Ruby Plaza End of Year Changes Soon Here, What to Do, and are you ready for it?

Hello, and Welcome to LilacsNDreams everyone! For those who sell vintage, and antiques you might be aware of the Market Place called Ruby Lane. There had come a time when Ruby Lane made another site from them called Ruby Plaza where you could sell items that were newer, and not vintage too. Many sellers who used these sites enjoyed it, and found it beneficial to them to belong to both sites offering their products. 

It had been announced quite some time ago that Ruby Plaza the sister site of Ruby Lane would be closing by the end of the year 2012. The site is still active, some sellers are still selling there making preparation to move onto other places, and some of the sellers are also able to move their products into Ruby Lane as well. 

Some of the sellers from Ruby Plaza are still considering where to go with their goods that are not vintage, some are new, and some are Thrift Store finds too. There are many places on the internet to consider. Keep in mind that not only are there other Market Places, but some of your social networks also allow you to sell from their sites as well. One place to consider for this which is growing is called Vintage Rising. Lora, also known as ElsiesAttic, who is the owner to the site there has been working to help this site grow, and also to remind those from Ruby Plaza to come by, and consider becoming a member to this community as well. I do like the saying that Vintage Rising has on their site as well . . . Find Up-Cycled Vintage, Handmade Crafts, Supplies, Thrift Store Goods, and much much MORE! It's Vintage that's Reborn . . . . It's Vintage Rising! 

If you have heard of Vintage Village you will know that Vintage Rising is a sister site to this as well. Vintage Rising started out as a Social Network where others could share about their items such as Handmade, Altered, and Vintage. Items that had been repurposed, and upcycled using vintage components of sorts. With the announcement that had been made about Ruby Plaza closing Lora started to do more work with the site to offer a bit more for those who sold at Ruby Plaza, and were looking for places to go to. Sellers that are members there are now able to show their items from Thrift Store Finds also. Items of new, gently used, and things you would find with Thrift Stores, Good Wills, and such. Now, if someone were to visit, and see an item of interest they can then contact the seller to purchase it, and be invoiced through Paypal, or maybe Google Wallet. If they are not invoiced directly they could also be directed to maybe a venue the item is listed with to purchase. How fun, and how convenient don't you think?

Keep in mind that many do still use Ebay, and also complain of their forever changing fees and rules. There is also Ecrater where listing is free, final value fees are free, and they allow you to offer payments through Paypal, and Google Wallet too. Some might use Facebook, and they also use Yardsellr through there as well. Now, these are not all the market places on the internet as there are still more out there to find, and explore. Finding what works for you is most important. Like using your own Blogs is good too. This is something that has been done by me also with no problems of invoicing through Paypal, or Google Wallet.  

I hope that this bit of information will be helpful to some of you who are still deciding, not sure, trying to view all your options, and etc. Visit the sites mentioned, and remember there is much more out there to see too. On your journeys make sure to visit Vintage Rising, and join with others there who share the same things, offer the same things, learn from each other, help each other out, make some new friends, and become a part of a great community. 

Thanks for sharing your time with LilacsNDreams, and happy to see you visit again soon. Any questions make sure to leave a comment here, or also contact Me if you would like too. I wish you all well, and much luck to you. Hope you had a great weekend, and wishing you a super week. Toodles Everyone:)

Ruby Lane Ruby Plaza Changes Happen by End of Year

Ruby Lane and Ruby Plaza Changes are Happening by the End of the Year. 

Welcome to LilacsNDreams everyone! If you have not already heard, or maybe need a reminder  about Ruby Lane's sister sight called Ruby Plaza, it will be closing by the end of the year. At Ruby Plaza you were able to sell your items of new, and not vintage. Many sellers who do online sales enjoyed that there were 2 sights they could work with selling their items. Earlier in the year it had been announced that Ruby Lane would be closing their sister site of Ruby Plaza. The site is still active for those who are selling there, and the sellers there were also given the option of moving some of their things into Ruby Lane too. Now, for those who are still there selling, it is best that you visit the site so that during the process of my discussion there is no misinterpretations of the rules, and the changes for you too. 

Like with any other market place when this happens many questions can flood your minds. A big question especially of what do I do now? Where can I sell my items that are not considered vintage, how do I sell some of these items that are maybe new, I buy from Thrift Stores and different places to resell. So where can I sell these items at now? There are many market places out there, and you will hear all kinds of stories about them. Unfortunately, you will have to find the one that feels good for you, that works for you, and that you can agree with also. 

There is Ecrater to consider which you can sell a little bit of everything there. Paypal, and Google Wallet are both accepted there for payment processors. No listing fees, or final value fees. There is Etsy which is for handmade, supplies, aritisans, media, repurposed, upcycled, and vintage is also sold there as well. They have paypal, and a direct checkout that is offered with their payment services. Listings are .20 cents for up to 4 months, and then there is a 3.5% final value fee. Of course Ebay is still around, and still the biggest place to be selling your wares with. They offer paypal for their payment services. No listing fees, final value fees are 9%, and there is also a final value fee they charge with your shipping charges too. Each place has their own visibility, some are straight selling with a buy it now price, and like with Ebay that is auctions along with buy it now prices too.

Now, some already have a website, or maybe have websites they have been working on. These are services you can pay for along with cost of shopping cart services, or some use free website services, and use the widgets from different market places that are offered as well. They then will buy their own domains for this as well. Don't forget there are many who will also use their Blogs. With their blogs they might offer buy it now buttons, or also offer widgets to visit for different places too. With most of the people who Blog you can contact, and they would also be happy to invoice you for an item that you are interested with as well. 

Many options, many things available, but it is up to you with your choices of what can, and will work for you. I hope that this bit of information was helpful to some of you who are still deciding, or needed some ideas. Hey, don't forget you are always welcome to offer something that I have not covered, or added too. 

Thanks for sharing your time with LilacsNDreams everyone. See you again soon.

    

Your Online Yard Sale Theory to Achieve Traffic

Your Online Yard Sale Theory to Help Achieve Traffic. Welcome to LilacsNDreams everyone!

For those of us who sell online with different market places, maybe have a brick and mortar store, or maybe have your own websites you sell with, and well, you got the idea. Anyway, one of the questions we often ask ourselves, and others is how many items should we list. How many items is necessary to have in our stores to be offered for sale, or resale. Does it really make a difference the amount of items that we list, or have on the shelf for sale. 

In theory, yes it really does make a difference. Think of it this way, with this example I will use. You wouldn't have a yard sale with only maybe like 10 items on your lawn, and expect to get traffic pulling up all day now, would you. So, in theory when thinking about this the more items you have for your shops the more people will stop, and spend time looking around at everything too. Makes sense, don't you think. I am that way myself when I think about it. Unless I am really interested in just the one item, I like to roam and look around, and when I go looking for one thing I generally end up looking at more that is being offered with the store too. 

Another thing to maybe think about too is that some yard sellers are able to sell coffee, or even baked goods with their sales. Maybe, just maybe there is something that you too can offer of small, or inexpensive that people could also purchase. There is usually someone out there for everything we sell. It is just a matter of getting the traffic to our shops, and getting the attention to help with our sales. 

I know you have heard this like a million times from many places, and many people. It's really true though. Don't put all of your eggs into one basket. It helps to get yourself out there, and also join some sites too. The more exposure you can get, the more people see your name, the more common it becomes to them that they will stop on by your place. 

I had to throw this idea out there I thought of the other day. Kind of like a food for thought type thing, but makes sense when you think about it too. Gives you some idea of things to think of, and maybe apply to your own stores if you are not already. 

Hey, thanks so much for sharing your time with LilacsNDreams! Glad to have you here, and happy to hear from you too. Always welcome to share a thought, or two with all of us. Take care, and have a wonderful Wednesday everyone. See you again soon.