Sell like an eBay Pro

Start winning sales – not losing sales

eBay is a great resell channel as it brings buyers and sellers from around the world into a single eCommerce environment to sell merchandise. To ensure they operate a reputable platform, public feedback is strongly encouraged on the buyers so other buyers know what to except.

User feedback, on and off eBay, can impact your future sales – for the better or worse. For eBay specifically, the feedback program is the single most important element for your seller profile as the users leave feedback, both a numeric rating and an optional section to leave a detailed review, for a specific sale and not necessarily on the seller themselves, although it may be looked at as one in the same as the scoring system is permanently attached to your seller name.

To ensure you stay in good standing with eBay as a seller, an impressive 99% rating indicates you meet the requirements of being a seller. A rating of anything less than this near perfect standing could result in restrictions, account suspension or even being banned from selling altogether on eBay. If your rating is low, being banned from eBay may not be the end of the world since you may not see many sales as users factor your rating into whether or not to bid or buy.

Interacting with users on eBay is an amazing tool to grow your business, so take the time to read your reviews and take action on all reviews – not just the positive or negative.

NEGATIVE REVIEWS: Ignore the urge to reply via a private channel. Other users viewing these negative comments want to see you respond and work with the buyer as it’ll give them the reassurance you stand behind your product and will work on a reasonable outcome if issues do arise. A simple “We’re sorry to hear the product received wasn’t as expected, we sent you a direct message to get some more details, so we can make this right” will be appreciated by viewers of your feedback forum.

PRIVATE MESSAGES: Once the conversation is taken out of the public view, listen to the user’s complaint and put yourself in their shoes. Is their complaint valid? Could your listing have been stronger to detail the imperfections of the item? If there is any fault – even if only the slightest – on your behalf, make it right with the user. This could be a return with full refund, or even a partial refund if they like the item, but it was missing something, or it wasn’t exactly in the condition they expected.

Provided the user is happy with the outcome, you are entitled to ask the buyer to update their review. It may not be a super glowing review, however, showing the user is pleased with how you – the seller – handled the situation will go a long way in keep future business for other buyers.

POSITIVE REVIEWS: Just because a review is positive, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t respond. All reviews should warrant a response from the seller, as it shows you do care about your business and want to make sure you’re providing the best outlet for them to make purchases. A simple “Thanks for the feedback, you were wonderful to work with. Please shop from us again!” can go a long way, and potentially increase your retention rate of buyers.

RESPONSE GUIDELINES: Monitor your reviews on a consistent basis and respond quickly. Showing a quick response is another positive signal to prospective buyers down the road, showing how active you are and how much you care. Even when it becomes overwhelming, just remind yourself that you are not a profitable company without these buyers.

Remove emotion from your responses. You are a legitimate business, but you’re also a real person, so make sure it comes across in your responses. Show appreciation to the user for taking the time to reach out and leave feedback as it’ll help you become a better seller and will also ease the buyer into being open towards a resolution.

LEARN FROM REVIEWS: In listening to the reviews from buyers, take note on the areas you can improve. If they are saying the pictures used in the listing do not match what they received, start taking better photos – including up close captures to show any imperfections. If the pictures are great, but the description is vague, provide more details in future listings.

Don’t wait to update your listings from reviews alone. eBay allows buyers to contact the seller with questions prior to bidding. While you should respond right away to these messages, take the opportunity to ensure it’s also reflected in an updated listing description. This will avoid further inquiries from other buyers looking at your sale.

While you’ll find the majority of areas to improvement upon in the negative reviews, don’t forget to leverage your positive reviews. For instance, if an article of clothing is sold and the buyer states the color, fit and description are as described – use this in your copy. Saying “Customers of this product have found the color in the photos is the same color in person, as well as the fit mirroring what they typically wear.” Using this to enhance your listing will give your potential buyers more insight into the listing and instill more trust when making the purchase.