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mekomonkey



Posts: 8

PostPosted: Sun Mar 28, 2021 8:25 pm    Post subject: Newbie!! Reply with quote

Hello Everyone!!

I'm New to the eCrater world. I was reading threw the forums, but the links to help setup seems to be broken for me. I was trying to view the Picture Tutorial - How to set up your eCrater store but the pictures are broken so I don't see anything. I did read the "Store Set Up" and the "ATTENTION New ecrater.com Sellers - please read." Those post helped a lot because I would have been removed from eCrater. Its going to take me a very long time to try and figure everything out, but I think I'll slowly get it. Once I get my store up and running then I would like you guys to give me a lot of feedback as possible, but as of right now its going to need a lot of work so only give me guidance right now please. I've gone through a few of the post and everyone is so nice and helpful so I'm excited to be part of the community.
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lastade-designs
moderator


Posts: 2903

PostPosted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome!
Some of the forum threads regarding starting up the store have become outdated. But don't worry, there are a lot of sellers on here that will help answer any questions.

I looked at your store and it looks pretty good. Keep building up your listings because it is hard to get seen unless you have a lot of items. You have to do your own promoting by featuring listing links to your store on Pinterest, FB and other social media. I would add more information to your titles and descriptions. On the main page of your store you have plushies misspelled in the first paragraph. You might also want to use the words stuffed toy or stuffed animals. In your description you can tell what size they are and they are made of.

I am curious to know what you mean by this from your about page, "I used to be a sport collector, but the new wave of sports collecting has hurt me because people are buying them out before I can even get them."

What kind of sports collectibles are you talking about and what is the phenomenon of the new wave of sports collecting? Has something changed about collecting sports memorabilia?

It is hard to source for things since we have had the outbreak.

Good luck with your new store!
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2tip3py1



Posts: 222

PostPosted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Start by clicking the “Sign Up/Log In” button at the top of the eCrater home page.
1). Click the “Sign Up Now” button under the “Sign Up” header.
2). Sign into your new account with your store name and password.
3). Payment Options.
4). Texts & Colors.
5). Shipping & Taxes.

Pros
* FREE start up cost.
* The opportunity to trade in a truly global market.
* Work from home or from anywhere you can access a computer
* Huge potential to sell anything you want within reason
* Work around your current commitments
* Your best small business ideas can be very lucrative
* Offers total flexibility as you are in control
* Expand your best small business ideas at your own pace
* You can trade 24/7 and you’re never close.
* Your online store even lets you earn money while you sleep
* With Forum community where you can interact with other sellers

Cons
* eCrater business can be unpredictable as any other venture
* Plenty of competition for your online store business, products and services
* PayPal and Stripe Fees can be high as it is everywhere. It's the same with other online marketplaces.

As you can see the Pros out weigh the Cons and eCrater offers you a very good starting point to begin and get a feel for your online store business.
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mekomonkey



Posts: 8

PostPosted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 10:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the awesome feedback. Yes, there was a lot of incorrect spelling. Again, that was great feedback, thank you. I don't know why I didn't just put stuff animal or stuff toy. I think what I'm going to do it do a reset on my store and relist everything. Once, I'm done then I am going to try and promote it through my ebay account since I already positive feedback and credibility there. I might just put a flyer in with the items that I sell.

A while back (16 years ago), I moved to Sacramento and I was struggling to get a job so I started selling my collection of cards on ebay. I didn't really want to sell them because I was an avid collector (Sports cards) and player (Playing Cards), but I needed money because I wanted to go to college. I didn't know the pricing so I just sold them as what I thought they were worth and they started selling really fast (It was because I was selling them under the retail price and I didn't know).

In general, I collected sports card like baseball, basket ball, football and I also collected playing cards like Pokemon cards, Yugioh, and Magic the gathering.

I was really lucky because my cousin found out that I was living in Sacramento so she asked me to move with them so I didn't pay rent. My cousin would yell at me if I did try to pay for anything. I felt bad, so I cooked, clean, tutor her kids and to help out as much as I can. After understanding how eBay works, I started saving and went to college. I did finally graduate college and decided to get my teaching credential. I did get a job after my 3rd year of college. I didn't stop selling cards. During my Post-graduate program, my dad passed away (a little over 2 years ago). I was going quit the program, but made it through with the help of the people around me and moved back to Fresno to take care of my mom after I completed my post-graduate. I moved back to Fresno (2 years ago) and was worried about finding a job, so I started selling sports card and playing cards, but now its really hard to get anything now because they are just sold out everywhere which is why I am selling stuff toys now.

I am still new to the stuff toy area, but people are buying it. I have to admit that these stuff toys are really expensive. If people message me to lower the price then I usually do. I do have to admit it though, even though the stuff toys are expensive, the shipping is expensive too. I'm still trying to figure out ways to make my cost of shipping go down.

eBay changed their fee policy and now they are taking about 15 percent now and that a lot for me. At first it was 10 percent, but when I made my most recent sale on eBay and calculated the fees taken out, it was 15 percent, so I decided to try and find a new way to sell. This is why I am here.

The Card phenomenon is a crazy phase. I never know it was going to be this crazy. I think Covid-19 helped enhanced the world of collectors because they are forced to stay home and fill up their collections. When people noticed this, they took advantage of this and started buying and selling. This hurt my business and me because I am both a collector and seller. Once covid-19 restriction is lifted then everything will go back to normal because collectors will slow down on collecting since they can now go out and not be stuck at home anymore. There will be more collectors, but less sellers. It might last about 2 to 3 years after the restriction ends, then slowly phase out. This is just like the Pokemon phase and yugioh phase awhile back when I was selling playing cards.
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MoonwishesStore
moderator


Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Tue Mar 30, 2021 4:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome, I hope you don't mind but I have some suggestions. Well I probably have a lot of suggestions.

1. Use a spell check on all your text or get the Grammarly software that you can use for free. You first paragraph on your home page has at least 3 spelling errors. If you want to be looked at as a professional seller, then your store has to look professional. That means correct spelling and grammar.

2. I noted that you are giving out all sorts of discounts. You haven't been open long enough to see how well your items sell. If they aren't going to sell without a drop in price, then you need to drop the price of them across the board and forget about the discounts. That is my own opinion. As a seller you need to know how much you have to sell your items for to make $X. It you can make that without a discount, then let your price ride. Currently you are setting your plushies up to get free shipping, a 5% or 20% discount on them as well. You are giving away your store, unless you aren't here to make money. If you are here to make money, then skip all those discounts, etc. and work on what sells your products here on eCRATER.

3. Please note that you have 100 characters that you can and should use as a title. Uwe them. They are valuable pieces of real estate in your store. While there is nothing inherently wrong with repeating your title in the description area (I do), but you need to add in information about what you are selling. For the 'plushies' I would also go with 'stuffed animals'. Seems to me that I see the word plushies being used with the Chinese sellers and since you only sell to the USA you need to use the language that an American will use and search for. I doubt most of us here on eCRATER will do searches for plushie if we want a stuffed animal or toy.

4. You have to give the important information in you description beyond just repeating the title again. Repeating something does not give more clarity. I was once married to a man that wanted his spaghetti 'loose on the sides'. When I would ask him what loose on the sides meant, he would say, 'well you know, loose on the sides'. I was married to him for 13 years and never did figure out exactly what he meant. Just saying that to show how, if you are wanting people to understand what you are saying, have good photos and good descriptions. You need to mention the size of these things, what they are made out of -- there are a lot of kids out there with significant allergies and so parents will pass by items that the 'ingredients' aren't specified. Where are these things made? Some only want Made in America items.

5. As part of your description, I would also ask if you have weighed the stuffed things as you are charging $5 for postage. What will you use to package it and how much with the completely packed box weigh? If it is over 1# then you are looking at Priority Mail. I sent my granddaughter a stuffed doll yesterday that with the box it weight 1# 4oz and cost me $7.40 for the distance you have to go. So unless those plushies are around less than 12 ounces PACKED, you will lose out on shipping.

6. you item 'Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card Edition (Not a Plush)' I don't really have a clue what it is, but for some reason you are charging $6 to ship it. Does it really weigh more than the plushies so that you are charging more?

7. I know that their has been a recent discussion about the size of your default photo and if they are too small, you will get an ad on your page that could lead a potential buyer elsewhere. I saw an ad for Etzy on the above mentioned item. Perhaps someone else can give the link to that discussion.

8. You may use up to 10 photos for each of your products. The first one you add in is the default and then you can add in more and change the default if you want to.

9. As mentioned by another poster, you need to promote your store yourself to get more sales.

I realize a lot of information, but much easier to get things correct when your store is small, than to have to fix hundreds of listings. I know I have written a lot of posts for newbies as have others of us. Those posts you should want to look at to be sure you aren't missing something. I wish you every success and as an eBay seller, you know that selling online isn't fast or easy no matter who tells you that. It can take a long time to get everything going well.
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mekomonkey



Posts: 8

PostPosted: Tue Mar 30, 2021 5:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello MoonwishesStore,

Thank you for all the feedback. That does help a lot. Yes, I know there is a lot of grammar errors. Yes, lastade-designs has informed me with great information on the store as well. For example, more description on items in my store. I am doing a practice run right now to get a practice on how to set everything up. I am planning to redo the whole set-up. You are absolutely correct, I will need to advertise and promote my store. Right now I am going to sell on eBay and try to promote from there, since I have a higher credibility there. It will just be a test run just. The discount is just a practice run for promotion. Again, I want to thank you for providing wonderful feedback on my store. Once, I have everything completed and set-up then I would love for you to come back and reevaluate the store again. Right now I won't be able to do much because I have a lot going on right now with my family, but I am taking notes on all feedback given to me. I maybe a pro at selling on ebay, but I am not a pro at selling on eCrater, so please provide as much feedback as possible.
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MoonwishesStore
moderator


Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Tue Mar 30, 2021 7:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As I was transitioning over to eCRATER from eBay, I did promote my eCRATER store there, but I don't think I got a single sale from it. My sales came from other places such as social media.
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elpereles



Posts: 3427

PostPosted: Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome. Recommendation start adding items.
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mekomonkey



Posts: 8

PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 4:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello elpereles,

Thank You!!
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thelivesandlovesofmaggiethecat



Posts: 10158

PostPosted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 1:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

your store seems empty to me.
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MoonwishesStore
moderator


Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 9:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maggie, On their home page they have a notice that they will have their grand opening in May so I suspect they have everything hidden.
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SheilaDeesPostcards
moderator


Posts: 4614

PostPosted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 6:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

MoonwishesStore wrote:
Maggie, On their home page they have a notice that they will have their grand opening in May so I suspect they have everything hidden.
If a seller uses the option to place their entire store "On Hold", then the store looks normal except every item has their "Buy Now" button turned into the "On Hold" button.

If a seller has few items, it's possible they clicked "Hide this product" on each item page which would cause their store to appear to be empty as Moonwishes suggested. If this is the case, the seller will have to activate each individual item manually before their grand opening.
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MoonwishesStore
moderator


Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 6:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Most likely what Sheila said as many of their listings needed work.
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mekomonkey



Posts: 8

PostPosted: Sat May 01, 2021 4:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Everyone,

Thank You for the feedback. It took me awhile to figure out the website. I had personal matters that caused me to fall greatly behind, but Everything should hopefully be up.
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mekomonkey



Posts: 8

PostPosted: Tue May 04, 2021 9:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank You everyone for the feedback. My First day opening didn't go as planned, but I did make a lot of sales. A lot of my customers from my other sites was scared to use this site, so I ended up making sales not on this site. But it was a good try for collectable cards. I'm going to slowly add more and see how everything goes.
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