What is an Online Sales Specialist?
My name is Amanda. I love vintage and antique collectibles, toys, games, home decor, kitchenware, linens & textiles, clothing, books, signs, glassware, or basically anything that has a history or the potential to bring my clients some cash. I present your treasures to the largest market available for collectibles, antiques, and vintage items. That market is eBay, the well-known online worldwide marketplace where people bid against one another to win the things they want. I also have an online shop at Etsy.com where all the items are offered at a fixed price.
Anyone can open an account for free and list an item. However, learning how to use the system to your benefit can be a very time-consuming and overwhelming task. For example, do you know how to take and upload perfect pictures? What’s the best starting price? Should you have a reserve price? What key words do you put in the title to generate more interest? What’s the best category to list your item? Can you accept credit card payments from buyers? What about personal checks? Do you have appropriate packing materials? You might not have the answers, and that’s okay because I do.
I have the expertise to professionally present your treasures to the right audience so they sell quickly and for the most money possible. I offer my online selling/buying experience, expert photography skills, research skills, writing skills, and great customer satisfaction. I do all the work so you have time to enjoy doing something else! I pay all the eBay fees, Paypal Fees, packing materials, and shipping costs out of my commission. I even package everything up and stand in line at the post office for you! The only thing you need to worry about is a trip to your bank to cash your check! It's that simple.
My Expertise
Online Selling/Buying – Selling online is about taking risks. Online buyers can't touch or hold the items in their hands so all they have is their eyes and their confidence in the seller (One Cozy Nest Vintage). I have a great reputation selling on Ebay as well as on Etsy, as demonstrated by my 100% Positive feedback rating on both websites. A great seller reputation, perfect photos, and a detailed informative description remove any risk. Take shoppers’ fear and doubt away and the result is more bids and more cash in your hand.
Photography – Perfect photographs are the most important part of an online listing. I have a high quality digital camera and a designated photography area for taking professionally, well-lit, properly focused, and detailed photographs of each item from multiple angles. I utilize special computer programs to enhance the photos so that your buyers will know EXACTLY what they are bidding on and have the confidence that nothing is being obscured or hidden. If there’s a small crack in the item, I show it. It’ll be just like they’re holding the item in their hands.
Research - I have a curious nature and I love learning about these treasures as I go. I'm a scientist by profession so research is in my blood! The more I know about an item, the easier it is for me to market your items to the specific people who will pay top dollar for it.
Writing Skills – As you can tell, I have good writing skills. Thanks to my professional background, I pay particular attention to detail. My listings look and sound professional and honest. Some people may say I’m too wordy, but I think knowledge is power. I provide lots of detail in the item description so a potential bidder knows exactly what they’re about to bid on. Again, by removing the risk and doubt, a bidder is more confident. A confident bidder makes a confident buyer.
Customer Satisfaction – I’m a nice person, plain and simple. I’m also fair and honest. I answer emails promptly. I return calls. I am polite. I treat people the way I like to be treated…with respect. If one of my buyers is not happy, I will try to do everything in my means to make things right. Sometimes that comes in the form of a complete refund. I’d rather have them send the item back to me than leave a bad taste in their mouths about me or about online shopping. However, unhappy customers are few and far between when you have perfect pictures, great descriptions, and a pleasant, professional attitude.
Why Not a Dealer?
You might ask, “What do you have to offer me that my local antiques or collectibles dealer can’t?” My customers on eBay are the people who will pay top dollar for your item. I call them End Users because they are the ones who want to enjoy it as their own, love it, display it on their shelves, and build their collections. They’re not some dealer who tries to low ball you so they can mark it up double to make a profit in their store. End users always pay more than a dealer will.
Don’t get me wrong, I love dealers and they work very hard. But the nature of the business is that they have to get their inventory cheap, and they expose your treasures to a very small local market. A buyer has to know about their store, the store has to be convenient to their home, they have to get in their car and drive there, walk in and actually find your treasure among lots of unorganized shelves and booths, and then pay an inflated price to own it. I expose your treasures to a WORLDWIDE market of people sitting in the comfort of their own homes, searching in select organized categories, and paying the price of what something is ACTUALLY worth.
Another thing about dealers’ stores is that your treasure could sit unsold for months and dealers typically don’t pay out as quickly as I can. Finally, there are certain psychological aspects of bidding on an online auction against an unseen fellow eBay-er. Buyers are often willing to pay more for an item just for the sake of outbidding someone else. It’s competitive human nature.
How Do I Get Started?
One call does it all! Give me a call at (609) 731-5947 and tell me about your treasures. I'll then answer any questions that you may have about my services. When you decide my services are right for you, we'll arrange a time where I can come to your home to pick everything up. You don’t even need to leave your house! That’s what I’m about…making your life easier.
What ‘s Next?
When you invite me to your home, we can sit down together and I’ll explain again everything that I do and what my policies are. Don't worry, you'll get a paper copy of it all and I'll go over the contract step-by-step so there's no confusion or uncertainty. I'm not out to rip anybody off. I'm a trustworthy person who has a skill that a lot of folks don’t. I want to offer that skill to help make you some money. In this economy, who couldn’t use some extra cash in their pockets? We’ll take an inventory of the items you wish me to sell and you’ll sign the contract. The only thing you have to do after thatis sit back, relax, and collect your cash!
I can't tell you how many people have told me things like:
· "I'd love to sell my _______ on eBay, but I just don't know how and I don't have the time."
· "I have all this junk in the basement, and I don't even know where to start. It probably has so much potential!"
· "My loved one passed away and left us with a lot to sort through. It's so overwhelming!"
· "I'd love to help my grandkids through college by selling some of my things, but I don't have a computer or a camera and I don't know how."
My Fees
Once your treasure sells, you will receive a check from me for 60% of the ending price. What this means is, if your treasure sells for $100, you will get a check for $60 and not have to worry about anything more than a trip to your bank to cash your check! It's that simple. When I list the item, you’ll get the Auction ID number so you can track the auction and see what the ending price is. As soon as the auction is over, you already know how much money to expect from me. There’s no tricky math or guesswork. It’s 60% each and every time. You don’t have to worry about reimbursing me for fees, postage, packing supplies, etc. I handle all of that so you don’t have to.
Here’s a breakdown of what my 40% fee includes:
My time -- initial consultation meeting, packaging, standing in line at post office, etc.
Travel -- to your home and post office
Research – the more I know, the better the item description
Photography -- perfect pictures are the most important part of an auction
Auction Management -- listing, invoicing buyers, accepting payments
Customer Service -- fielding questions from buyers
Payment of all eBay fees -- listing and final value fees
Payment of all Paypal Fees -- credit and debit card payments are accepted through this service
Packing materials -- bubble wrap, padded envelopes, paper, sturdy boxes, packing tape, labels
Postage – shipping, international customs forms, delivery confirmation, and insurance
Processing and Payment -- issuing client payment checks, managing auction paperwork, bookkeeping
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My Policies
I reserve the right not to list items I believe won't sell or are not worth your or my time. My general rule is that I do not list items that are valued less than approximately $50. Sometimes we just don’t know the value so we’ll list it anyway.
Once I receive payment from the buyer and hear back from them that they are happy with the item, I will send a check to you for the 60% owed. This usually happens within 2 to 3 weeks of listing the item.
If a buyer is not happy with the item for whatever reason, I instruct them to ship it back to me, no questions asked, for a full refund. If I’ve done my job correctly up front, there’s no need for a customer to be unhappy. However, sometimes it happens. I’d rather make the customer happy and show that I’m trustworthy to buy from in the future.
If an item does not sell, you have the option of listing it a second time. If it does not sell the second time, fees for that listing shall be reimbursed to me. I will then return the item(s) to you or donate them if that is your wish. I cannot store items at my location for longer than two of weeks.
There is an extra fee for cleaning items or sorting large lots. If we come across this situation where you’d rather have me clean/sort than do it yourself, I will give you an hourly rate.
