Slow-Moving Listings? Get Online Sales Going with These Three Tips

It happens to every online reseller at some point or another, there’s an item that just won’t seem to sell! There are a couple of culprits as to why it happens: too much competition for that item, pricing, seasonality, buried search, or weak listing information and imagery. Let’s take a look at three tips to get that listing going, going…gone! 

Revamp the Listing

If sales have slumped or stopped completely, begin by redoing the listing; it’s an easy place to start. Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind: 

Check your competition. What are others selling this piece of merchandise for? Is yours priced too high? If it is, consider bringing it down to get yourself on top of the “low to high” price sorting stack.

Use your words. Provide rich descriptions with as many details as you can. Remember, write these descriptions for human beings— not for computers or search engines. Make titles user-friendly by trying to put yourself in the buyer’s shoes and likely looking for a specific:

• Brand name
• Model
• Size
• Color
• Product condition

Use quality images. If there is damage, cracks, or flaws- show them! Show multiple angles of your item, the more images the better. For tips on how to take the best product photos for reselling, read our article Reselling Online? Boost Sales with Great Photos. 

Optimize Your Visibility

If you’ve optimized your listing, and it’s still not moving, it may be because your potential customers can’t find it. You’ve been buried! That means it’s time to up your game on your listing’s title and keywords. Do some keyword research, both on your own product and your competitor’s products to see what performs best. Learn what customers are searching for when looking for that item.

Here are a few ways to optimize your listing for search:

• Take full advantage of the platform’s character title maximum (80 for eBay, 200 for Amazon)
• Use relevant and detailed keywords in your title. If you need to, take advantage of keyword tools to get maximum advantage out of your title.
• Check out your own stats to see what keywords have worked well in the past and use them again. 
• Make sure your listing is in the appropriate category and that it shows up in popular filters. 

Use Marketing

When keywords and descriptions aren’t enough, it may be time to get a little creative to capture your customers’ attention. Some marketing ideas include:

• Writing a newsletter to your email list to alert customers of your newest items
• Publishing social ads and features on deal forums
• Creating discounts, special offers, or bundle deals
• Removing and re-listing items around key retail dates, such as holidays

And sometimes, it just comes down to timing. It may not be the right time or place for the product. This may call for cutting your losses for now, stop paying the re-listing fees and trying again later. Just because your listing isn’t moving now, doesn’t mean it never will. For more educational advice and professional tips on buying and reselling, be sure to visit our Reseller Resources blog.