New Store Questions

[murdershetote]

Hello and thanks in advance for any guidance you can give.

I've been on ebay for ten years buying and selling off and on, but concentrating my selling activity elsewhere. Now I'm considering the jump to a store, but will my feedback score (1000+) be imported to the new store?

Also, and this is a long shot, but if you subscribe to the 'anchor' package - can you split that package across two (or more) stores? That would be perfect for me as my mum and I co-run two different types of stores, a 'geeky' one and a more serious elegant jewellery one.

I would appreciate any thoughts,
Thanks!
Jen.

[chameleon54]

My main concern with having your own items and daughters items on the one store would be the tax implications if you where succesfull. Are you running a partnership for tax purposes or do you have seperate tax file numbers.? How would the store paypal account details be divided and seperated for tax  ? If using the one paypal account you would create a lot of work trying to figure out who sold what and the same for purchases. If you make a profit ( or intend to in the future ) you should be declaring ebay income for tax purposes. If your store turns over more than $20,000 ebay are required to pass your details on to the tax office. If you sell more than $75,000 you are required to charge GST. All things to think about.

[murdershetote]

Ok, wow, can I please get you guys on retainer? You give awesome advice.

I went and had another look at the store packages, because after reading Chameleon's reply I thought I must have made a boneheaded error, and I think I know where my calculations are astray - it's because I predominantly prefer the auction format, and the anchor package is the only economical format (provided they're listed in collectables). I think, given all the variables, it's probably best to start with the smaller packages, pay smaller insertion fees for anything over the cap, and resign myself to fixed price listings.

DigitalGhost- I am so impressed - thank you! Love your ideas 🙂

[digital*ghost]

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@amber-eyed-girl wrote:
Digi, in what way are Dr. Who and Sherlock geeky, may I ask?

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OP referred to her items as geeky, and the store categories I used were based on the current listings they have up...

Besides, geeky is typically used to describe someone with a (lets just say) keen interest in (or high level of fandom for/knowledge about) something, so phrases like "you're such a geek" in response to someone rattling on about definitions and usage of words, is often considered complimentary, particularly if coupled with something that person happens to like...like me, n' words. 😄

Even "nerd" often has positive connotations these days. 🙂

[murdershetote]

All good questions. One business partnership with all required government tax registrations, two different 'endeavours' shall we say. We help each other but our interests are different. And don't worry, we will be declaring for tax.

I call them 'geeky' because the US tend to label them that way (which is 95%of our business) it's not a derogative term, well not when I use it anyway!

[amber-eyed-girl]

OK, 🙂

[chameleon54]

If running as a partnership the one store would do the job for tax. I still think two seperate stores may work better. You each have your own seperate income and can tailor the store "vibe" to suit the specific customer base. I run two stores which have slightly different target markets as well as a private account for non related items. Two of you selling on one account will hit the GST barrier quicker than seperate accounts. Sorry if this all sounds a bit heavy, but much better to start off in the way that suits your future needs now, rather than try to untangle it all later.

[murdershetote]

No really, I appreciate it. I stumbled accidentally into business (I have a PhD in history) so I still scratch my head sometimes over what the heck I'm doing playing with profit and loss statements. But there you go. I couldn't be having more fun - and I get to chat with great people like you all. 🙂 🙂

[amber-eyed-girl]

What you say regarding two stores being better for various reasons is true...no complications with identity, taxation etc.

Independence is best unless it will be a firm, legalised business partnership for running one store if it is to be a long-term concern.

Only one would then have the starting feedback though.

[digital*ghost]

Just in regards to your handmade jewellery and fixed priced listings, you can work what look like compromises to your preferences to your favour.

I make (and sell) handmade jewellery as well (I run the store with a different ID), though most of it doesn't have a popular theme attached like Dr Who etc, it is a little more niche in terms of style, but auctions don't actually work for me very well. I have tailored my store towards BIN listings, and now, unless I want to keep an item strictly as a one-off piece, try to include some variations so that people can get a more personalised choice (for example, the charm bracelets could have a length variation, and/or a slightly different theme / colour scheme as standard available options to choose before purchase). 

That has a couple of advantages - 1, choice, 2, a multi-quantity BIN listing with sales history can be bumped up the ranks in search results (and sales history can also inspire buyer confidence at times), 3, I have found (over time) when you have a constant / consistent presence, you can develop a solid customer base by having some stuff that buyers know they can always find with you, and other stuff that's new and interesting. 

I have jewellery at both ends of the spectrum, well kind of, I don't have much of what can be described as fine jewellery (but working on it slowly), but I do have a fairly ecclectic taste in most things, and that's reflected in my store - some of it is low priced fashion stuff with a decided punk/goth etc style, but I also have more traditional jewellery pieces, a few bits and pieces of higher-end stuff, working on including more precious metal and so forth, but the one consistent thing is that it's "mine", if you know what I mean, unique to my store in most cases, and I know I'm not the only one out there that's happy wearing something "pretty" one day, and something a little scary-looking the next, so diverging (or even seemingly opposing) styles isn't necessarily a bad thing in a store, IMO.

BTW, I'm not trying to convince you to go one way over another, I'm know there's a lot more to consider than how it looks to potential customers, just relating from my experience / perspective in case it helps.

EDIT: Oh, and I am a sole trader, so it's less complicated for me in that regard.

[murdershetote]

I like auctions because they drive sales, and I kind of like the unpredictable nature of them. But we've had luck with BIN listings on other sites, so we'll try it that way.

I'd love to combine our items into one store (quite apart from anything else, I could control it from the same ebay app!) , but there are compelling reasons to split them. I think I might put together a pro /con list and decide from there, and mum will definitely have an opinion 😉

Thanks for sharing your experience, that really helps.