In case you haven’t heard, eBay is a great place to sell auto parts online, especially since there are 155 million shoppers visiting this marketplace each year.
But for all of the benefits to selling on eBay, there is one glaring challenge: standing out from the crowd. A lot of competing parts stores will also be selling on eBay, and sometimes it might feel like random chance if a customer chooses them over you. Other than lowering price, how much more can you do?
Other than competitive pricing, there are a few things you can do to increase the visibility of your eBay store and rising above everyone else. This article is not for those who want to list it and leave it. These tips are for those go getters who want to rise to the top of the marketplace.
1. Gain Top Rated Seller status.
Not only does Top Seller status win your parts store some great benefits (such as discounts on fees and shipping), but it also marks your store and listings with a special badge for customers to see.
To customers, Top Seller status marks you as a company that can be trusted. You have to meet certain requirements to earn and maintain this title, such as specific sales and tracking goals as well as a low transaction defect rate. It’s definitely worth the effort!
After Top Seller, why not reach for Top Seller Plus? It only has a few more requirements, and you’ll be rewarded with an even better seal for your profile.
Pro tip: Read up on some tips for gaining and maintaining Top Seller Status and stay ahead of the curve!
2. Improve the SEO of your listings.
By boosting your listing SEO, you increase your chances of having your part show up whenever someone conducts a search. You can boost SEO by optimizing your item titles, subtitles, and descriptions.
Keywords
Keywords are perhaps the most important factor for optimization!
Your title can have up to 80 characters, so use as many as possible, as efficiently as possible. Include information about the part that customers would need to know at first glance.
Subtitles
Subtitles let you describe your product a little more. You can add more keywords or information here, or list product benefits such as warranties or promotions.
Item Descriptions
As for your item descriptions, make sure they are rich, detailed, and sprinkled with keywords. Include all the information your customer needs to know to ensure they’re looking at the correct part for their car. This article can provide you with a more in-depth breakdown of writing quality parts descriptions.
Pro tip: What are frequently asked questions about certain parts? Use this information to write a really useful description for your customers!
3. Use high quality images.
Many eBay customers shop based on pictures—they might even pass up a lower price if the image provided has poor quality. This is because a clear, professional image is often the mark of a trustworthy and professional company. They won’t feel as safe buying from you if your images look like they were taken at your house, which might mark you as an individual seller just looking to clear out junk from your garage.
Luckily, you don’t need to be a pro with a camera, and taking quality photos doesn’t have to be expensive. Just make sure your pictures are clear, well-lit, and in-focus with a blank or solid color background. If you need more detailed advice on how to take better parts photos, we have an article that will help.
Pro tip: Sometimes, manufacturers provide parts photos for dealers to use. They probably won’t have images for your entire inventory, but it can certainly help you get started. Check with them to see how they can help!
No matter which steps you take to boost your visibility, make sure you’re watching your key metrics every step of the way. The seller dashboard provides you with all sorts of statistics to see how your eBay listings are performing. When some succeed where others fail, try to figure out the differences so you know where to focus next.
