Community Chat, Nov 14 from 1:00 pm PT - Holiday Checklist and and Holiday Do’s and Don’ts

[alan@ebay]

Hi Sellers,

Are you ready for the holiday selling season? Whether you're new to selling on eBay or already have an eBay business, download our Holiday Readiness Checklist to help you prepare for holiday selling success.

Entry-level sellers

Experienced sellers

For the Community chat this week, join eBay’s Jennifer Deal (@scene.of.the.crop) from our Marketing Strategy team. Jen will be chatting about your selling checklist and holiday do’s and don’ts. Please join the discussion to share your tips and ask questions for selling success during this holiday season.

This chat thread will open at 1 pm and it will close at 2 pm.

Chat with you then!

[alan@ebay]

Thanks for joining us. The thread is now open for replies.

[carolynnq]

On the holiday tip page for new seller, the link for "Take photos that sell with these pro tips." goes to a "What to Sell" page.

[scene.of.the.crop]

@carolynnq - thank you so much for catching that! The correct link is https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/listing-and-marketing/photo-tips.html.   We'll get the checklist fixed.  Thank you!

[annasunicorns]

What is the best way to advertise/sell gift wrapping as an option?

If I note it in my listing, mobile jumps around grabbing random words and could show that gift wrapping is included already when it is not.

If I note it as a separate for sale item, but its purchased on its own, someone could snad me even if my description is clear.

I love gift wrapping for people and usually I just charge the increase in shipping ($2-5). How do I do that under the new ebay snad deal so my metrics stay good.

[golfingaddict]

Will you please highlight some of the things that eBay is doing to positively affect both buyers and sellers this holiday season?  Thank you. 

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

This time of year is the time of year when many people feel nostalgia for the past, and, with ebay's wide selection of old stuff, it is the perfect time to promote the old along with the new. I understand the importance of things like the Deals section, but just wondering: what about a section exclusively for vintage holiday stuff? Will ebay be doing something like that, or will the focus continue to be almost solely on the new?

[scene.of.the.crop]

---

@annasunicorns wrote:
What is the best way to advertise/sell gift wrapping as an option?

If I note it in my listing, mobile jumps around grabbing random words and could show that gift wrapping is included already when it is not.

If I note it as a separate for sale item, but its purchased on its own, someone could snad me even if my description is clear.

I love gift wrapping for people and usually I just charge the increase in shipping ($2-5). How do I do that under the new ebay snad deal so my metrics stay good.

---

@annasunicorns - Excellent question.  You can either offer gift wrap in your description as a value add or actually create a separate listing. Here are the guidelines for a gift wrap listing. See this listing as an example or "sell similar" > https://www.ebay.com/itm/263946991263

• Sellers can set up a standalone listing for gift wrapping, and link to it from their description.
• There are a few things to keep in mind so the seller doesn’t run into problems:
• Be clear in the listing about the terms of sale. We’ve seen people try to purchase these alone around Christmas, when sellers weren’t clear it was a standalone item, etc.
• Follow our general listing policies. You cannot:
• Miscategorize – “Gift Wrap service” should be in a category like Services or Other, but shouldn’t be in a main category like Cell phones
• Keyword spam – Be careful what keywords are in the title so it doesn’t show up in unrelated searches. For example, “iPhone X gift wrap service” would be a problem because of ‘iphone x’.
• Promotions manager may also be an option for advanced sellers. It’s how camera sellers offer bundles of accessories sometimes. This requires familiarity with advanced selling features.

[Anonymous]

The link for experienced sellers lists returns as post-holiday. While it may be post-holiday for buyers it needs to be pre-holiday for sellers - setting up return policies in their listings.

[ittybitnot]

Interesting about the "gift wrap service".   I am terrible at giftwrapping.  At holiday time, my family can always tell what presents are from me.  Can a buyer file SNAD on my giftwrap service alone should I offer it, or will a SNAD  be tied to the WHOLE transaction?

[mg152]

Hi everyone
My sales have taken an upturn lately thanks to promoted listings. That’s th best thing Ebay has done for us small sellers. Listing more helps too. It’s hard for me to list because I’m still waiting for my broken wrist to heal and I’ve been diagnosed with 2 life altering conditions besides the one I had but I’m trying to get up out of bed and list.
My tips would be list as much as possible.
Use promoted listings
Get a light kit and white background. You can use poster board from the dollar store if you need to. I use a white bed sheet on a folding table and a white bed sheet on a clothes rack so the whole area is white.

If you all are wondering the pup I rescued that was near death is 6 months old and 9 lbs. she’s a healthy but giant maltese. Thank the Lord!
Happy Thanksgiving!
I’m gonna lose internet here in a minute. We are in the car but I’m not driving. Love to you all! ❤️❤️❤️

[Anonymous]

---

alan@ebay wrote:
Please join the discussion to share your tips

---

Tip for sellers who haven't streamlined their shipping process: come up with a system that ensures you won't put the wrong shipping label on the wrong package.

The last thing any seller wants to deal with during a busy selling season is the added expense and headache of sending the wrong item to the wrong buyer who wants their item yesterday.

[mg152]

Oh customer service is number 1. I do not block buyers for asking 100 questions. I answer their questions as accurately and nicely as I can.
I had one guy last week I was ready to strangle him but I just nicely answered his questions and he made a comment in a message about how nice I treated him and how he appreciated it. He lost out on the item cause someone bought it while he was asking questions. 😂😂

[scene.of.the.crop]

---

@golfingaddict wrote:

Will you please highlight some of the things that eBay is doing to positively affect both buyers and sellers this holiday season?  Thank you. 

---

@golfingaddict & @my-cottage-books-and-antiques   

Let me answer both your questions at once. We're really excited about the new things we're doing this season.  One great example of what we're doing that is different and that highlights what we call 'spectrum of value' (new, refurbished, pre-loved, and everything in between) is Toytopia!  

In mid-October on eBay, we launched a toy event for all ages called Toytopia (www.ebay.com/toytopia). This showcases that eBay has the latest and hottest toys of the season, and we also have the coolest toys from the past and super special “wow” toys. eBay gives Holiday Shoppers a Single Destination for Rare, Retro and Right Now Toys 

This morning, we unveiled our First-Ever Toy Book.  ).  A printed version of the Toy Books will be delivered to millions of lucky homes, and it comes to life for those in New York City, beginning this weekend at Chelsea Market (75 Ninth Ave). The event is free and open to the public, and will feature an interactive winter wonderland where kids can play with the top toys of the season, check out the coolest toys of seasons past, and vote for their favorites. 

You can view the digital version of the Toy Book at eBay.com/ToyBook and shop at eBay.com/Toytopia.

ALSO - yes, there's more.  There is a short toy book insert in this month's issue of People Magazine.  Check it out!... and there will be a lot more like this happening throughout the season. Thank you.

[scene.of.the.crop]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

The link for experienced sellers lists returns as post-holiday. While it may be post-holiday for buyers it needs to be pre-holiday for sellers - setting up return policies in their listings.

---

That is an excellent point. We've been sharing holiday prep tips for sellers since mid-summer, but I do want to reconsider where this falls in the checklist timeline. Would it be too much to list pre-and post-separately and call out how to prepare and then how to handle post-season returns? 

Thanks for the note, @Anonymous!