any suggestions appreciated

[frightfulhorrors]

Hi guys! I've recently started up a small business - selling horror/supernatural fiction (soon to add artwork). But I'm finding it impossible to get my first sale here! I've imported my feedback from ebay (although there are only 3 bits of feedback as I'm new there too) but I just can't get that first sale here.

I have a Facebook page and have built up quite a few "likes" as I know, and chat to, a lot of people who publish and write these books (UK horror small presses). I started using Pinterest but not sure how to use it without seeming too pushy (linking to my sales all the time feels somehow wrong). I haven't got to grips with Twitter yet - just can't figure out how to use it. Besides, with Pinterest and Twitter I'd still need to build up a lot of followers - at least I already have those on Facebook.

I don't have a website. I'm not very techno-savvy and haven't got around to setting one up yet. And, again, I'd be starting from zero there too.

Any advice from those of you who are more experienced than me would be much appreciated. Thanks!
-Caroline

[sherlock07]

Hi guys! I've recently started up a small business - selling horror/supernatural fiction (soon to add artwork). But I'm finding it impossible to get my first sale here! I've imported my feedback from ebay (although there are only 3 bits of feedback as I'm new there too) but I just can't get that first sale here.

I have a Facebook page and have built up quite a few "likes" as I know, and chat to, a lot of people who publish and write these books (UK horror small presses). I started using Pinterest but not sure how to use it without seeming too pushy (linking to my sales all the time feels somehow wrong). I haven't got to grips with Twitter yet - just can't figure out how to use it. Besides, with Pinterest and Twitter I'd still need to build up a lot of followers - at least I already have those on Facebook.

I don't have a website. I'm not very techno-savvy and haven't got around to setting one up yet. And, again, I'd be starting from zero there too.

Any advice from those of you who are more experienced than me would be much appreciated. Thanks!
-Caroline

The main thing I see, is that your listings are RUS (run until sold) this does not give your listings exposure they stay at the bottom of the searches.

It is better to have them on a 7 - 10 day listing with 10 auto reposts, you are a seller+ so it costs nothing to do it this way.

I have only looked at your first listing, and you seem to meet the criteria to get into google shopping.

The only other thing is keywords in your titles, are all the relevent words there? can you add more.

Think about how you would search for an item.

[bluebedouin]

...But I'm finding it impossible to get my first sale here!...

Using your first listing (FRIGHTFULLY COSY AND MILD STORIES FOR NERVOUS TYPES by Johnny Mains) as an example; the first 3 separate sites on a general google search are selling this book cheaper than you.I know it's virtually impossible to compete with places like Amazon so no matter where you list,it probably wouldn't sell at your asking price.

[johnwash1]

Using your first listing (FRIGHTFULLY COSY AND MILD STORIES FOR NERVOUS TYPES by Johnny Mains) as an example; the first 3 separate sites on a general google search are selling this book cheaper than you.I know it's virtually impossible to compete with places like Amazon so no matter where you list,it probably wouldn't sell at your asking price.

I regularly see ebay sellers making this mistake as well.

Frightfulhorrors, did you research alternatives when deciding your price?

The other problem when selling cheap books is that I start by choosing a competitive price, but the situation changes even day by day. This is especially true on Amazon. I've often seen books going down each day 1p less, in a race to the bottom. Clearly there are automated systems involved and once you get two computers in a dutch auction the outcome is inevitable!

[frightfulhorrors]

The main thing I see, is that your listings are RUS (run until sold) this does not give your listings exposure they stay at the bottom of the searches.

It is better to have them on a 7 - 10 day listing with 10 auto reposts, you are a seller+ so it costs nothing to do it this way.

....

The only other thing is keywords in your titles, are all the relevent words there? can you add more.

Think about how you would search for an item.

Hi Sherlock! I didn't know that about RUS. I actually changed it to that once I got Seller+ status to save me having to keep relisting them - but I had no idea that affected their position in searches. I'll change that back again as soon as poss. Many thanks - really useful to know that!

As to search terms/keywords, I *might* be able to improve those a little but probably not much. I've already thought about that. I'll take another look at that too though.

As to the price issue mentioned by you other two guys, I'm stuck with those prices at the moment. I'm actually selling as a kind of "intermediary" of the small press publishers concerned and they dictate prices to me. Of course, I guess I could negotiate lower prices once I start to sell a bit - but not really at the moment. It's that old catch-22 situation - you can't negotiate lower prices until you sell more, and you can't sell more without lower prices. From my end, as it stands, I would be making a loss even if I sold them if I set the prices any lower at the moment.

Besides, to be honest, I don't necessarily want to be offering the books at a price which undercuts everyone else. Several of the books (but not the one you're looking at) have the unique selling point of being signed by the editor, so I'm trying to go down that route at the moment - offering something a bit different.

Anyway, thanks for the thoughts/ideas - much appreciated! I must have a good look around this forum later this evening and see if I can pick up any other tips.

[tkauctionworldwide]

Hi guys! I've recently started up a small business - selling horror/supernatural fiction (soon to add artwork). But I'm finding it impossible to get my first sale here! I've imported my feedback from ebay (although there are only 3 bits of feedback as I'm new there too) but I just can't get that first sale here.

I have a Facebook page and have built up quite a few "likes" as I know, and chat to, a lot of people who publish and write these books (UK horror small presses). I started using Pinterest but not sure how to use it without seeming too pushy (linking to my sales all the time feels somehow wrong). I haven't got to grips with Twitter yet - just can't figure out how to use it. Besides, with Pinterest and Twitter I'd still need to build up a lot of followers - at least I already have those on Facebook.

I don't have a website. I'm not very techno-savvy and haven't got around to setting one up yet. And, again, I'd be starting from zero there too.

Any advice from those of you who are more experienced than me would be much appreciated. Thanks!
-Caroline

Change your titles from upper to lower case
Below is a link to a site that does it for you
http://convertcase.net/
Take a look at your titles keywords

Have a look at the ebid knowledge base link of Astrals which can be found in my signature

[frightfulhorrors]

Great information on that Astrals site, TK-Auctions - many thanks!

[HaleysComics]

The main thing to know is that eBid does not have the traffic as the other site & it takes a different approach to selling here & takes time to get sells.

[frightfulhorrors]

The main thing to know is that eBid does not have the traffic as the other site & it takes a different approach to selling here & takes time to get sells.

Good point, Ray - I definitely do need to be more patient I think. ;-)

[zaranvalesasterix]

One other thing is pinterest. squern has only been here a short while and is already selling well but he has been really busy on pinterest. Register on there and once you have your user name you can get 20 buddy points if you follow ebid (go to 'my social networks' on your ebid account page)

When you are set up on pinterest, search your type of products and follow EVERYONE that also have an interest in them. I see that squern is following more than 2000 people so he really has been busy and it has paid off for him as he has made some sales through people seeing his products on there.

I have been listing here for 2 or 3 months and only today have I had my first bid, not one that I am going to shout about, but little acorns and all that!