Get A Head Start On The Holidays With A Home-Based eBay Business

It's only September but a slice of American consumers already have an eye on holiday shopping this year. A survey by RetailMeNot.com found that 10 percent of consumers interviewed said they were starting their holiday shopping before November. If you run a home-based eBay business or are thinking about starting one, now is the time to get a jump on the holiday shopping season.


Look Like a Business

EBay is a competitive landscape with thousands of others selling online just like you. Whether you're selling a few items or managing a large inventory (more on that later), you want an image that looks professional. Most of this starts at your auction template - essentially the design behind your online store. EBay gives a tutorial on creating and managing auction templates or third-party companies like Page Mage will create and manage templates for roughly $5 per month.


Inventory and Shipping

You should have a scope on your inventory before listing that first item. Listing a low amount of items (30 or fewer) is manageable without the help of extra software or auction management companies, but anything more than 50 might get overwhelming. Companies like Auctiva manage an unlimited number of listings for about $15 per month, a necessary opportunity cost if you want to sell big for the holiday season.

Shipping expenses could be one of your biggest financial downfalls if not properly handled. Miscalculating shipping costs can add up to a small amount per auction, but combined that loss can be devastating. Services like USPS will send you free boxes for shipping so long you use their priority service. Enterprise address software can help manage large-inventory shipments and cut down on shipping times, which is crucial for positive feedback and seller ratings since timeliness is a touchy subject around the holiday season.


Use 'Buy It Now'

Driving up an auction price is a great way to earn the most on each listing, but most shoppers want the same convenience they'd find on a retail site like Amazon. "Buy It Now" gives shoppers the ability to click once and be done with it, and it's an instant payment in your account. Every item you list should have a "Buy It Now" price that competes with the market price in other online stores.


Create a Social Presence

Don't just rely on shoppers to stumble upon your listings - create a brand for yourself. Social media is a power tool when it comes to marketing and turning a small business into a brand. Leverage a few of these networks to complete the social circle and draw more customers to your listings.

• Create a Pinterest account and "pin" images of your products as they go on sale.
• Use Twitter to connect with others and share stories behind the items you sell - start a conversation.
• Create a Facebook page to post listings and invite others to comment and share feedback.
• Join a Google+ community that relates to the type of items you typically sell. Most communities allow for some self-promotion.

Start Today

A lot of your competition is still riding the wave from summer sales. Take advantage by starting your holiday sales while the rest are wrapping up for Halloween.


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Related articles:
Using A Blog To Promote Your eBay Store

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Stronger Branding: How To Brand Your Business Online

Why are Pepsi, Wal-Mart, and Apple all household names? In a word: branding. When you hear the name, you instantly have an image in your head of what the company stands for. You connect emotionally with the brand. Maybe you hate a particular company. Maybe you laugh when you hear a company's brand name. Maybe you feel an intense sense of joy. Whatever the response, the fact is that that company has gotten inside your head. Here's how to get inside the head of your customers with your own brand.


Create a Personality

When Apple founder Steve Jobs created the Macintosh, he wanted it to have a certain feel. He wanted people to think about the company a certain way. He couldn't do it alone, though. He had to hire managers, engineers, and other talent that would foster a community within the company. Eventually, his leadership and salesmanship created a defined culture and corporate personality.

Apple's personality was built from the ground up. Without a defined culture, no firm personality would have developed. Without that, there would be nothing special about the company today.

You might not like it, but its designs are loved by millions of people. Apple has created a personality of friendliness. Apple's customer service is one of the most competent and generous in the industry. The company also has earned a reputation for designing products that "just work." Jobs himself almost never wore the cliched "shirt and tie" during his later years with the company. Instead, he kept things very casual.

All of this led to the company being seen as industrial, yet "laid back." Friendly, but competent.

This is, in essence, what you must do with your company. Decide on a personality you want for your company and work to build the culture from within your organization. Hire the best talent you can afford. Eventually, the marketplace will start to see not just a corporation, but a living thing.


Create a Signature Look

Some companies have a signature look. Their products have consistency. For example, think about any major brand like McDonalds or Five Guys Burger and Fries. Think about Microsoft or Apple. Think about Coke and Pepsi. What do these companies have in common? They all have a strong brand image.

From the corporate colors to the way commercials are designed and shot to the way products are delivered to the marketplace, each company has carved out its own special look. Customers come to depend on that, and they associate the look with the brand.

In your own business, it's going to be important to flesh out a strong corporate image - a logo. Along with that, you'll want to incorporate corporate colors into your website, business cards and other marketing as well as your letterhead.

Basically, every form of communication, marketing, and product packaging (even products) needs to be doused in your brand image.


Develop Consistency In Communications

There's nothing worse than inconsistent communication. When your brand doesn't have consistency, your message is muddled. For example, let's say you have a letterhead with your logo and a few colors incorporated into the letter's design. But on your website, you have different colors - the same logo. You product packaging is a generic brown box with sans-serif font because that was the cheapest available at the printer.

This kind of message says that you're not in business for the long-haul, that you're not yet serious about your company, and that you just don't know what you're doing yet. It's hard to build trust, and relationships, with a company that hasn't got a firm sense of itself. Fix this, and half of your troubles will just disappear - overnight.


About The Author: Kurt Smith is a marketing consultant with a specialty for branding. He mainly writes for marketing blogs and websites. Visit the NextDayLenses.com and see how they reach out to their customer base.

Did you find this article helpful? Please let Kurt and myself know by leaving us your valued comments in the comments section below.

Would you like to guest post on the blog? Please use the Contact tab above to get in touch if you write business-related articles or articles on the topics of Internet Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, Social Media Marketing/Optimisation (SMO), Blogging, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) or Search Engine Marketing (SEM).

Related articles:
Adding Real Marketing Value To Brands
Taking Your Brand Social? Follow These Steps!
What Is A Brand And Why Is It Important
Brand Awareness: The Real Purpose Of SEO

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Getting The Right Work-Life Balance

We're human beings, not human doings. This means that sometimes we need to stop fretting about work or chores and approach life in a different way.

Nowadays, this is referred to as having the right work-life balance but what does the term really mean? After all, we're told to have balanced everything just lately, from diet to finances: You've got to wow at work, but be chilled at home, while doing all of your chores. Is this all even possible?

Perhaps achieving this so-called "balance" is ultimately about coming at daily activities from a different perspective, while ensuring you earmark enough time to focus on you. Instead of telling yourself your diet must be balanced, instead focus on making it colourful, fresh and organic. Rather than rigorously enforcing a work/life divide, just promise to live in the moment. Whatever approach works for you, it all boils down to taking away the pressure and replacing it with positive thoughts.

You also need to remember that you can't spell life without "I" - meaning you can't expect to live properly if you don't take some personal time to relax.

Lots of people find spa breaks the perfect antidote to daily life, giving them a chance to centre themselves again and let go of tension. There really is no one else to worry about when you're enjoying a relaxing massage or even going for a leisurely swim in the pool.

A health spa break at Wyboston Lakes Y Spa can give you the space you need to recharge your batteries and put you on top of your game before returning to reality. At the Y spa, guests can just be free from expectations, judgements and responsibilities. It's all about taking time away from life. Whether that's spending the day at the spa before enjoying a lazy Sunday lunch with family, or going for all out pampering with the Paint the Spa Red celebration package.

Whether you take a spa trip alone or with a friend, relative or partner, you'll get the chance to step back from your problems and assess your next move from a place of calm and tranquility.

Meanwhile, you can even use the spa to feed the body what it needs, be it exercise, nutrients or stress release. For example, the Elemis Deep Tissue Back Massage uses deep rhythmic pressure to alleviate high stress levels, ease aching muscles on the back and revive the senses. Experts use the dynamic blend of essential oils and massage to target individual needs, ensuring you leave relaxed, recharged and re-energised.

Another classic way to relax is through a hot stone massage. The ancient therapy uses the therapeutic heat from stones to release tension from muscles. Strategically placed around the body, the stones can also help to improve circulation. Meanwhile, the heat from the stones will drain toxins from the body, leaving you not only feeling healthier but looking more radiant. This is a great treatment to have when you're feeling particularly run down.

Once you're de-stressed from your massage, you can then go enjoy a sumptuous healthy meal at the restaurant, easing you back into the real word and ensuring you're fully blissed out before the working week begins again.

Whatever your poison, with stresses and strains becoming more and more pronounced among Brits, there's no room for neglecting your own health and wellbeing. Whether you believe in balance or just need a time out, be sure you take time to be a human being again.


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The Business Of Pleasure: Profiting From Your Hobbies

Executive business coach Joyce Reynolds told Forbes in 2012 that your hobbies give clues as to what can ultimately become a career you love. Kim Lavine of Grand Rapids, Michigan is a great example of this. She used to make microwaveable pillows for gifts. But when her husband became unemployed, she turned her few-times-a-year hobby into a $1 million business within four years.

Many people who love their hobbies cringe at the prospect of converting those spare-time pursuits into money-making opportunities. Being an entrepreneur might be the subject of dreams, but starting your own business could be a thing of nightmares.

Track your expenses, tally up what you've made; you might be surprised. It's no joke that small businesses in this country are big business.


What to Do About It?

The IRS, that government agency that Americans love to hate, publishes some not-always-so-easy-to-understand guidelines regarding hobbies and sideline businesses. Here's the scoop on it:

When you operate a small business, even under your own name and out of your house, you must play by different rules. Early on, you should begin to account for your time, expenditures, and income in a different way. A business, according to the government, exists to make a profit. But, if it doesn't, as long as the records are legitimate, detailed and supportable, you may be able to claim business losses. You can deduct these from personal income, thereby decreasing potential tax liability, as the IRS outlines.

Hobby losses are limited, and expenses to sustain a hobby are treated differently.


Okay, I Have a Business. What Now?

Keeping good records is the prime directive. Any funds you spend to set up shop, literally or figuratively, should be tabulated. Separating personal expenses from business expenses is paramount. Your lunch at a fast-food outlet is not a business expense under most circumstances. However, picking up the tab for lunch with your banker at a white-tablecloth restaurant might be. Of course, if you're seeking a loan, that might give the wrong impression.

One way to keep track of business expenses is to apply for small business credit cards from American Express. Using the same card for all your business charges not only simplifies record-keeping. It can categorize expenses, detail your cash flow needs, point out spending patterns and enable growth, if that is your goal.


Other Considerations

Certain other expenses which apply to business operation may also impact your personal life. A portion of home expenses such as utilities, insurance and even mortgage payments and taxes, may be deductible. If you use your vehicle for business purposes, you should keep detailed mileage records. If you purchase insurance of any kind, keep every bit of information.

Operating a small business from your home need not be complicated. But, you will at some point probably want to consult with a professional accountant. Likewise, deciding on a business structure may be important. There are numerous resources to assist you such as SBA.gov. Be sure to check local and state requirements for operating as a business.

Finally, remember that there are no rules to prohibit you from making money through your hobby - the limitations are all in your head!

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How To Expand A Small Business

Companies are constantly looking for new ways in which to expand further and thus increase revenue streams. When you first set up the business you will have done a lot of research and sought help from advisors and other sources about how to get a small venture off the ground. You will have invested money and time to get the business moving, but now that you've established the organisation, what about expanding even further?

You might now be wondering how to go about taking the next step on the ladder to grow the business beyond its current status. There are plenty of different possibilities to choose from if you're serious about expanding the business. Here is a guide to some of the things you could try to increase revenue and grow as an organisation.


Open a second location

Starting out with one location when initially setting up the business is obviously a good idea because it gives you the opportunity to glean how popular and successful your store or brand is in a particular area. Once you've become established as a firm, it makes sense to try out a new area. However, it isn't just as simple as that, as there are some things that you need to be aware of. Before expanding make sure you're maintaining a consistent bottom-line profit and you have enjoyed steady growth in the last few years.

It is also important to look at economic and consumer trends at the current time, which should give a good indication of the company's staying power in a second location. It might sound simple, but make sure the location is right for your business, rather than your wallet.


Increase stock offerings

If you don't want to risk taking on another location in this economic climate that is understandable, but there are other options available to you and your business - one of which is to expand the services or products that you offer so you can tap into other untouched markets. If some of your consumer targets range from children to college students then perhaps you could think about offering discounts to schools so that youngsters buy their uniforms from there.

You could begin to offer different lines that some of your loyal customers might be interested in, but may not necessarily have the required room to house it all. This is where the use of rented temporary buildings can come in handy, as if people don't respond that well to the new lines you're not hamstrung by having invested in a whole new location. There are plenty of different temporary building options here that would be easy to keep surplus stock in.


If you haven't already, expand to the internet

The internet is absolutely the place to be with millions of people logging on each and every day. An effective website and an online offering in terms of social media is an integral part of any business and if you don't have such a thing at the moment you really will be losing out on revenue streams.


Expand overseas

This is perhaps the most fanciful of all the options previously listed, but it is certainly a good one to think about. You don't need to acquire another business to expand globally; you just need to prime your offerings for an international market. Gain a foreign distributor that will carry an inventory of your products and resell them in their domestic markets and you could see how popular your brand might become.


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