Sales slow? It happens! You have probably heard about the “holiday rush” in late fall and the “summer slowdown” at the beginning of the summer.
These aren’t myths; retail and ecommerce alike experience drops and spikes in consumer activity. As a reseller, you likely experience them, too. But, when sales are slow, there are many things you can do to encourage more sales.
Resellers, here are ten things you can do to make more sales online.
1. List More Items For Sale
Consistent daily listing is the key to most reselling platforms.
On most platforms, you will see greater benefits if you list 2 items each day for a week than if you list 14 items in one day! This is because the way in which the websites, apps, and algorithms favor new listings and consistent daily activity.
If sales are slow, now is a great time to list more items for sale. Maybe that means it is time to go sourcing or to browse your home for unwanted and unused items.
If you have a deathpile (a collection of unlisted inventory), here is your aggressive reminder to get that listed!
2. Delist/Relist to Refresh Your Listings
Delisting and relisting will give you fresh new listings for maximum exposure.
Just like daily listing, delisting and relisting your stale items provides the same benefits, especially when you are doing a true delist and relist. A true delist/relist is accomplished by entirely deleting your item and re-listing it as a brand new listing that enjoys all of the exposure and promotion.
Delisting and relisting does not refer to “sharing,” “refreshing,” deactivation and reactivation, using the “end and sell similar,” or using the “copy” or duplicate functions on the marketplaces. While those certainly provide various benefits, none compare to actually creating a brand new listing.
Instead, you want to permanently delete your existing listing, and then create a brand new one, with an entire new listing that has a new URL.
This can be done manually by taking screenshots of your images, copying your description, and re-doing the entire listing with all of the fields and drop-downs. But, who has time for that? Vendoo is the only service available to resellers that performs true delisting and relisting.
With Vendoo’s bulk delist/relist tool, you can have tons of brand new daily listings on all of the marketplaces where you sell. Learn more here.
3. Enhance Your Listings
If your listings aren’t selling (and are not receiving any attention, watchers, likers, or offers), there is a reason why.
There could be a million different reasons, but some of them you can control. Review your listings: your titles, images, descriptions, prices, and drop-down boxes/fields.
1. Review Your Listing Titles and Descriptions for SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is so underrated; it is so important on the reselling marketplaces and on the major search engines.
Most sales do not happen by frivolous scrolling; instead, they are a direct result of a search performed by the buyer. You want to make sure your listings are optimized so that your items are showing up in more searches!
The search engines work differently on each marketplace, and you will want to do some research about how it works where you’re selling. Browse our blog for more specific tips based on each marketplace.
However, generally, there are some things that are universal:
Detailed titles and descriptions will enhance your search ranking, making your items appear in more searches, and be shown to more potential buyers.
A “perfect description” includes the following, as relevant:
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What the item is
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The style name or brand’s title of the item
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Style Type and Features
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Size and Size Type
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Material Composition
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Colors & Patterns
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Relevant Measurements
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Style Tags, Keywords, and hash-tags
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Bonus: Language encouraging sales, advertising quick shipment, etc.
Also, all of the listing fields and drop-downs (i.e. “item specifics”) are very important. If the marketplace is asking you for this information, it is because their search engine accommodates it. More detail= more exposure and sales.
As a rule, treat all “optional fields” as if they are requirements. The more detail, the better, when that detail is relevant to your items.
To learn more about how search engine optimization works in your listing descriptions, check out the article A Reseller’s Guide to Keywords and SEO.
2. Enhance Your Listing Images
Looks matter. If your items are wrinkled on the floor, you will likely not be as successful as sellers with steamed, hung, well-lit images. There is a reason that so many resellers use a clear hanger with a boring white background: because it works. Research shows that buyers prefer it; more importantly, Google prefers well-lit, clear images with a lightly-colored background. When you appease the Google Gods, they reward you by placing your listings in more search results!
While some platforms strongly discourage the use of stock images, they do work (that is why the brands do it). You might consider using stock images when you can find them to generate more exposure.
3. Review Your Prices
Even with the best SEO-optimized description and professional-grade photographs, you still won’t make sales with poor pricing.
Pricing is so subjective, and it is not an exact science. You want to price competitively enough to entice buyers, but high enough to yield a profit.
If you are pricing based on comparables “comps,” I encourage you to focus on active listings (rather than reviewing similar sold items). Items that have sold are done, whereas active listings are your active competition. Available listings show you what a savvy buyer will see when they search for an item to purchase.
But remember, not every buyer is savvy. Some do not even perform a search to see if they can find what you are selling cheaper. While everyone has a different pricing strategy, I personally price higher than average, because I provide better-than-average photographs and SEO-optimized listings.
But, when you price way too high, it will be tougher to make sales in volume.
4. Use the Tools Provided On The Platforms
Most marketplaces are not “list-it-and-leave it” marketplaces. They each require their own form of “listing management” to actually make regular sales.
For example, on Poshmark you must “share” your listings regularly, on Depop you must “refresh” your listings regularly, on eBay you might promote your listings.
Wherever you’re selling, learn about the marketplace and specific tools and activities that you can do to maximize exposure, please the algorithm, and make more sales.
Some platforms offer listing videos, paid promotions, the ability to run a sale or offer a coupon, and so much more!
Different strategies work for different sellers: you might see contradicting tips and tricks. So, try for yourself! See what works for you and your inventory!
5. Make Offers to Likers/Watchers
Nearly every platform has offers to likers, which is also the way most sales occur on most of the marketplaces with the feature.
When you have prospective buyers that have already expressed interest in your item, do what you can to seal the deal.
Making offers, running a promotion, dropping prices on promotional days, and even messaging former likers and customers are all ways to encourage sales.
These activities can lead directly to sales!
6. Host a Sale
Similarly, hosting a sale can be a great way to make more sales.
Some platforms such as eBay and Kidizen, have this feature built in. Others, like Depop, have a less-formal but functional equivalent “discount” feature.
Others, like Poshmark and Mercari, have no such feature so you have to get creative with listing images and language.
Learn more about how to host a sale on Poshmark in this video.
7. Cross-List
If sales are slow and you are spending a lot of time trying to make more sales on the marketplaces where you sell, maybe it is time to consider other platforms.
There is a big reselling world with so many places to sell things online, each providing a unique range of categories, audiences, top-sellers, features, and unlimited opportunities.
Also, make sure you check out: How to Source Inventory for Free or With a Low Budget
Listing your items on multiple marketplaces is the best way to make more money selling online. With Vendoo, you can cross-list your items on multiple marketplaces in just seconds including eBay, Mercari, Tradesy, Depop, Etsy, Grailed, Kidizen, Shopify, Facebook Marketplace, and more coming soon!
Plus, Vendoo has a free trial! What are you waiting for?
What are your best tips and tricks when sales are slow? Share with us below!
