new shoe shop needs help finding buyers

[heavenlyheels]

Thank you sogobuymugs, its a bit daunting all this, i know iv been on ebay a while but never really got anywhere so i am still basically new to all this and im still trying to find a good combination of all things that will work, i understand where deanosaur1972 is coming from but the main reason i moved from ebay to here was because i was hardly making any money and if i lowered my prices here again there would have been no point in moving

[heavenlyheels]

I really do appreciate what you are saying and this is what i wanted when i made original post, i wanted honest views on what i may be doing right and wrong, i just felt i needed to respond with more information as i didnt want people thinking i was being super greedy here, but i am taking what you have said on board and im already changing my titles to include the word high lol, thats a very important word if your selling high heels so that just shoes how inexperienced i am at all this

[cerealmunkee]

No need to worry about scaring new members away....i'm sure that when this thread gets deleted as the rest of these types usually do then i imagine that the op will decide to throw the towel in, and forget all about Ebid.
But....while the thread exists its worth pointing out that deanosaur does make an excellent point....in that we have to offer buyers an incentive to migrate to the site.....you know how lazy the average internet shopper is?....the prospect of having to create a new account just to make one single purchase ....its really a lot of hard work for them, and we have to make it worth their "effort".

We're in a good position over here to be competitive, we benefit from a very low fee structure, and more importantly as long as we don't behave unfairly are completely left alone to get on with selling...unlike elsewhere. For that reason none o us eneed to advertise at the same price that we're forced to elsewhere.

On the subject of "free" postage"....lets not forget that a good number of buyers are now viewing this as stealth postage gouging, and something to avoid.. There's no need or gain on Ebid to offer "free" postage....we're not held over a Barrel to provide this, and when multiple purchases are made its easy to offer a good deal on the shipping cost...."free" postage has always been a barrier to making multiple sales within a single purchase.....from what i have experienced and seen.

[deanosaur1972]

I really do appreciate what you are saying and this is what i wanted when i made original post, i wanted honest views on what i may be doing right and wrong, i just felt i needed to respond with more information as i didnt want people thinking i was being super greedy here, but i am taking what you have said on board and im already changing my titles to include the word high lol, thats a very important word if your selling high heels so that just shoes how inexperienced i am at all this

With the pricing - picture the buyer. They like your heels (the high ones ) so for them it is either impulse buy or (more likely) they check out similar heels for a price comparison - so they do a keyword search and your same item comes up cheaper on the bay. The scenario's for that is waving a big flag at them saying 'don't purchase my items here because they are cheaper over there' or potentially (in a small percentage) you lose them completely because thought deters impulses.

If you can't reduce prices here - then you sure can't afford to list them on the bay at those prices with shop costs and high FVF. Put the price up over there.

Unbranded goods are a tough sell as you have no doubt found out over on the bay. With unbranded goods the way to succeed is to effectively brand yourself, for example your username: heavenlyheels becomes your brand identity. That is kind of hard to explain as it is all down to subtle perception that you can create in a buyers mind. At least you have a good username. Asktricia mentioned Pinterest earlier in the thread and that would be a good way to start, but I would suggest having your full range available in your eBid shop before you do that.

[heavenlyheels]

On the subject of my postage, i know what im doing is classed as stealth postage but at the end of the day i am here to make money theres no point denying that fact, everyone is here to make money, i could do what im doing and selling brand new shoes in box and p&p for a total of £19.99, or i could sell my shoes for £14.79 with a p&p charge of £5.20 either way it amounts to the same, but i could also sell my shoes for £19.99 with a charge of £5.20 postage i have chosen not to do that as i dont want to be greedy i just want to make a little money to keep me going, i would genuinely like to know what you feel would be the better options should i sell as an all in price or should i sell at a lower price with a p&p charge, I am only trying to find out what works best as i have been doing this for a few years without any real success but i still feel i have good shoes to sell as they are very good quality for the price i think

[Gill]

Hi, I have just moved from ebay to ebid and have opened my first shoe shop, i am still uploading new listings so only have a few shoes on just now but i was wondering if any ebidders could be so kind as to look at my shop at http://heavenly-heels.ebid.net/ and give me any ideas on how to better myself and how to bring in those elusive buyers.
Thank you for reading this post.

I did a search for those gorgeous green high heels and you can actually buy them cheaper elsewhere so IMO you are flogging a dead horse trying to sell at higher prices on eBid.

Also what will you do if/when your carrier puts up their carriage charges?

Good Luck on eBid heavenlyheels but please follow the good advice you are being given.

[squern]

To answer your question:

I prefer to see the cost of postage as a separate item. Like most buyers, I am perfectly able to add the two together and decide if the total price is acceptable.

"Free" postage smacks of trickery, since we all know it's not really free.
Unless your shoes weigh more than 2kgs packed you should be paying £4.20 to Hermes, or £3.90 if you drop it into one of their collection points.

Nice shoes, but they wouldn't match my cloth cap.

Good luck with your new venture.

[heavenlyheels]

To answer your question:

I prefer to see the cost of postage as a separate item. Like most buyers, I am perfectly able to add the two together and decide if the total price is acceptable.

"Free" postage smacks of trickery, since we all know it's not really free.
Unless your shoes weigh more than 2kgs packed you should be paying £4.20 to Hermes, or £3.90 if you drop it into one of their collection points.

Nice shoes, but they wouldn't match my cloth cap.

Good luck with your new venture.

Its £5.20 when you tick the signature required option which i prefer to do as i dont want to send a parcel then have to refund if they say they didnt receive it when i know full well they did, i dont know if that goes on here but it certainly did on ebay also if that happens you dont get back up from ebay they usually find in favour of the buyer so i prefer to cover all bases

[Armstrongs]

Its £5.20 when you tick the signature required option which i prefer to do as i dont want to send a parcel then have to refund if they say they didnt receive it when i know full well they did, i dont know if that goes on here but it certainly did on ebay also if that happens you dont get back up from ebay they usually find in favour of the buyer so i prefer to cover all bases

I sell a few high priced items...and also use myhermes.

However, I NEVER use the "signature", i've never seen a legible signature yet on one of those electronic box thingy's.

Yvonne x

ps. I couldn't wear killer heels if my life depended on it BUT if you ever have any flatish, velcro over fastening sandals (my feet swell throughout the day lol) size 5......i'll be a damn good customer! Subtle hint (not) lol x

[squern]

I fear you might be regarding eBid customers as the same as eBay - they're not.

I used to "lose" about 1 in 60 of my parcels on eBay. On eBid, I haven't "lost" a single one.

One of the joys of eBid is that it is very different to eBay, and so are the buyers (in my experience). You will also get support and back-up from the Customer Support people.

Don't worry about the signatures, you don't need them.