Here are some tips I picked up while experimenting with selling physical goods online and on eBay.
- Include value-added items for free
For example, if you’re selling something that requires batteries and your competitors say “batteries not included”, sell yours with batteries INCLUDED. You can buy batteries two AAA Duracell batteries in bulk online for $0.28 each including shipping. That’s practically free and will save your customers the hassle of having to look for or buy batteries.
Example 2, if you’re selling kites, write a tips and tricks guide and save it in PDF format to email to your customers as a free digital download. This way you don’t have to waste paper and ink printing it and extra shipping costs due to a heavier weight. Then, promote it as a free value-added item. - Offer a variety of combinations
For example, if your’re selling batteries, don’t just sell one. Sell packs of 2, 4, 6, 10, 20, etc. Of course, the bigger the set, the cheaper you sell for. And that’s OK. It never hurts to offer a wide variety of packages. Just don’t go crazy like they do in Asia where you they offer you so many options you can’t never make up your mind. - Offer custom, build-your-own combinations
For example, if you’re selling a bunch of items like knitting needles which come in a wide variety of types (single point, double point, etc) and sizes (0, 1, 2, …. 15), then offer to let your customers choose which ones they want. For example, they can either buy 1 needle for $2.00 or 10 needles of their choosing for $10 (half price). - Accept pricing offers
If your markup is very high but you’re not selling much, let your customers know they can post an offer. You may settle on a price that is still very profitable for you. - Offer various types of shipping
Some people will pay extra for faster shipping. Especially if it’s business related. Make it easy for them to go with you by offering regular, priority, express, and overnight shipping. - Compare to your competitors’ items
If you have a sample of a competitor’s product and you know it’s inferior to yours, point that out to your customers, especially VISUALLY. For example, if you sell hand-carved wooden items and your carvings are much smoother and detailed than your competitor’s, take pictures of your and your competitor’s and show your customers why yours is better. Example 2: if you’re selling sand bags and your bags use a heavy-duty canvas fabric whereas your competitors use a thin, polyester fabric, you may not be able to tell the different buy looking at a picture. But, you can tell a difference if you take pictures of your and your competitors’ on a scale which shows a heavier weight for yours.