topic Re: How to cope with Mass Sales in Selling

How to cope with Mass Sales

msaville1 — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 08:42:39 GMT

So I am a hobby user of eBay. At most I may deal with 5 sales for a day, And thats busy!

Soon I will be selling 50 items, And I excpect them to be sold over 2-3 days.

How do you keep track of each item?

How do you know when each item has been packaged up, And which item hasn't?

What kind of 'system' do you use?

Re: How to cope with Mass Sales

flashback_deals — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 08:56:44 GMT

I usually start from the bottom and work my way up the page and when something sells, I always put it on the desk so I know it is sold

Also as some advice, if you advertise a product, you cant send the code by email, I am pretty sure you will actually need to send the product. Someone else who knows more might know more about that

Re: How to cope with Mass Sales

kopenhagen5 — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 08:59:14 GMT

Good question and I am surprised it is not asked more often here.

I personally, once an item is sold put it aside with the winning bidders details on a piece of paper and make sure it can't be mixed up.

When it is paid for, a reminder comes up in selling to post items.

I pack and address ready for the post office the paid items. Send and come back to mark as sent. Any unpaid items I send a message at 5 days asking if there is a problem with payment and if no response I open an unpaid item case.

I wait until I receive feedback to see if it arrived and in good order, then I leave feedback for them. It should be as simple as that. Also keep your own records of sales possibly for tax purposes or for future reference in a book/diary.

But if you feel it is a lot, perhaps start with listing 10-20 first.

Happy ebaying. 🙂

Re: How to cope with Mass Sales

kopenhagen5 — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 09:00:43 GMT

Correct flashback, digital delivered goods only are not permissable. The physical item needs to be sent.

Re: How to cope with Mass Sales

digital*ghost — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 09:14:13 GMT

When I receive notification of a sale and payment, I have a series of steps that I don't deviate from so I know exactly where I am in the post-sale process with each buyer. I basically don't begin that process at all unless payment is received, either.

Anything that is going in a mailer that requires a hand-written address is done pretty much straight away. I'll write out the mailing address, then on the back, on the peel-off strip, write the order details so I know exactly what's going into that mailer when I finish the packing process. If I'm posting in a Click and Send satchel, I add a code to the item reference that tells me exactly what's going into that parcel at a glance.

Then, I'll package everything up just before I leave to post everything that's been paid for.

Re: How to cope with Mass Sales

putney32 — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 19:41:21 GMT

I send a small packing slip with every order.

It is basically a Thank You note, with comments that I hope it meets buyers satisfaction, if not pls email me. blah blah.......

I handwrite the buyers ebay ID and Item Number on this slip and put it aside with the item.

as the buyers pay, I tick the packing slip as paid, and pack ready for post.

I mark off on the my eBay Selling page, POSTED each day when the parcels are packed into my car.

Re: How to cope with Mass Sales

phorum_junkie* — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 00:03:24 GMT

As I list everything is given a code number, the same one that is used to store my listing and photos in my template builder site, it is them placed in a box and I enter the code number, what it is and how many/variations if that applies in a book.

When an item sells it is entered in my spreadsheet, when it is paid for it is sourced from the correct box and is crossed off my stock list. next i log into click & send and process the labels for paid items, I then go through the labels one at a time matching the name and postcode on the label with my spreadsheet to make sure I am sending the correct item to the correct buyer.

C&S automatically marks them as posted in ebay.

For the few that are being posted as large letters I just do them in order one at a time and manually mark as posted.

Re: How to cope with Mass Sales

annies_fancy_dress — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 20:55:10 GMT

Work out a streamlined system that you can follow.

Anytime there is a hiccup, modify your system to accommodate.

Keep your paperwork streamlined, because you need to find it quickly and easily if someone has a problem.

I find far less problems now my invoicing program sends out an automatic email as I invoice my sales.

Customers feel more secure when you keep in (or at least make initial) contact.

Re: How to cope with Mass Sales

superior.business.needs — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 12:21:25 GMT

Hi Guys

can anyone advise how i set up the inventory in selling pro in bulk.. i have approx 150 products i now need to inventorise but dont want to have to do it one by one

thanks Keeli

Re: How to cope with Mass Sales

tonalidesigns — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 12:22:01 GMT

Q: How do we cope?

Answer 1:

Selling Manager Pro is a minimum requirement - I print off the labels and a copy of the invoice, note any specific aspects of the order on the invoice (we make most stuff to order so its a bit different to just selling inventory) and use these as my work schedule for the day. Start at the bottom (oldest sales) and work up. Mark as paid and posted once packed and ready to go (unless we use C&S for an item when it is marked off automatically.)

I have a daily worksheet on which I record all sales (as a log), all expenses and any to-do's and follow ups. At the end of each day I enter the financial summaries into the accounting package. clip the receipts and invoices for the day to the sheet, transfer any unfinished items to a new sheet and then go to sleep - waking up nice and fresh to do it all again.

Answer 2:

A nice bottle of red is a minimum requirement. - I start at the top of the bottle and drink one glass for each item packed. By the time ! reach the bottom of the bottle I am coping very well. I then go to sleep.

I do find though that I sometimes need a second bottle so that I can cope with the complaints that have come in from the orders we sent the previous week using this technique.

I don't always wake up nice and fresh when I follow this routine!

Re: How to cope with Mass Sales

ausfast — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 07:35:26 GMT

The easiest way I have found to manage many sales a day over the past few years is to have little to do with Selling Manager Pro.

I have created a separate Gmail account just to manage my ebay sales and messages.

Whenever a paypal payment notification comes through to my inbox I mark it with a yellow star and archive any other emails from ebay "Your item sold" or anything else that has already been actioned.

By the end of the day I have a bunch of emails with yellow stars (some blue) which means they need to be packed.

I go through one by one (in any order I wish).

This is my process:

Open the email, copy the postal address and paste it in my Dymo label printer software -> Print.

Stick label to appropriate sized padded bag to fit the item (all my empty padded bags are next to my computer).

Write name of item/s to be packed in the envelope under the seal of the envelope.

Place empty (labelled and marked) envelope next to my desk.

Repeat for every email in my inbox until empty.

Take the pile of envelopes to my stock room and pack products into each envelope according to the name I have handwritten under the seal.

Post all my envelopes at the end of the day.

Open Selling Manager Pro -> Awaiting Postage > Select All > Mark as Posted.

I find that this process is easiest because I can print the odd label for any orders that come through to my inbox even if I have already done my packing for the day.

I would highly recommend investing in a Dymo labelwriter, best investment I have made for my business. So easy to just have the ability to print one label at a time without wasting a whole sheet for a single label.

Re: How to cope with Mass Sales

liquidglassoz — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 03:32:26 GMT

We've used Selling manager pro (SMP) for 5 years to manage virtually every aspect of our Ebay sales.

95% of sales are paid by Paypal and most are paid at time of sale. SMP sorts sales into categories (eg sold-unpaid, sold-awaiting postage, sold-paid+sent)

When items are paid by Paypal this is recorded automatically in SMP - this tells us what to send - sold-awaiting postage. We grab our trusty barcode scanner and our boxes of (the new style) prepaid sign or tracking labels from APost. As we go through the sold+paid list we work out what needs a sig and what doesn't - expensive sig, cheap track. Scan into notes the tracking number, update info as posted and date, then print off the invoice and packing slip (all option) from SMP. Before leaving a record paster tracking number into the record which is held in SMP in case needed.

Then move onto the next item until all done.

Then fold packing slips (modified inside SMP to function as legal tax invoices) to slip into a self adhesive invoice enclosed envelope. Write on back the item being sent (easy if you have coded it). Stick the relevant labels on the front to the window and when you go to warehouse/garage/spare room stick the envelope on the item. take all the items to the post office and away they go.

items not paid by paypal - we check bank account on line every day. Tick off direct payments into SMP which then go through the same procedure as above. some payments come in as credit card transactions following calls or faxes - same process again. NB We select the right type of payment mode so we can reconcile Paypal vs bank account transactions.

We've processed around 5,000 transactions this way, and with multiple locations and multiple users. In five years there have been less than five stuff ups between paypal and SMP (payment made, but not recorded in SMP). We chase buyers up if they haven't paid within a few days. You can be sure to hear back from someone who has paid and you ask them to pay up. Guaranteed! Then you go through Paypal history and find the transaction.

A pretty cheap and seamless method to manage mayhem.

Re: How to cope with Mass Sales

*new2vintage — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 04:20:16 GMT

I am sure people who were here 3 months ago will be thrilled to read your information if they ever find out about it.

Re: How to cope with Mass Sales

phorum_junkie* — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:16:37 GMT

I first check my bank account in case I need to mark an item as paid and then as I use click & send I just log in and click on import ebay items and a list comes up of all items that are marked with cleared payment, I then go through them one by one, print the labels then parcel up each one matching the item number on the printed label to the item number in my sold items.

I then check in ebay to see if there are any with payment made which C&S have missed (happens sometimes)