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Social & Online Selling

Social Selling

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Selling Online

'How to'

'Social Selling' 

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'Online Selling' 

Social Selling

Social selling is the process of developing relationships as part of the sales process. Today this often takes place via social networks such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, but can take place either online or offline.

Online Selling

Online shopping is a form of electronic commerce that allows consumers to directly buy goods or services from a seller over the Internet using a web browser. There is very little relationship building and usually relies on you using some form of SEO (search engine optimisation) or a platform that does this for you. 

An example of online Selling is ebay, Gumtree, Shpock and Amazon.

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 Selling Online

'How to'

Is selling online for you?

Unless you are already familiar with how to navigate easily online or are trained in internet marketing, it will take time to learn some new skills.  If working online is 'not your thing' then, quite simply, don't do it unless you really want to learn. 

Don't put yourself under pressure to do something you are not engaged with, gaining an online presence takes time, dedication and persistence.

Our very successful social selling system using the doorstep method has worked well for many years. So don't stress yourself about selling online.  This is network marketing, you can easily recruit people who can do it. Our system is so easy to follow even if you have little knowledge of it yourself.

Plug them into our Team SUMMIT system.

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Selling Online

'How to'

Learn the skills 

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Selling Online

'How to'

Your Brand

Your brand isn’t a nice logo and pretty colours. A brand is about creating a personality for your business.

Your brand should become part of the DNA of your business. It should be present in everything you do. From your brand identity to the way you answer the phone. From the stories, you tell on your website and social media and on your own Facebook profile.

Creating a successful brand is about creating an emotional connection with your consumer. This is done by defining what your brand is. The values, personality and stories the brand lives by.

But your brand is more than what you think and say. Your brand is also what others think and say about you.

It is only once your business has a personality that customers can decide whether or not they like it. If your business can portray a personality that complements theirs, they might just let you become their friend and start connecting.

Scientists back this theory up. The latest catchphrase in the pursuit of getting ‘buy in’ from your target audience is ‘neuromarketing’. Over the last decade or so, neuroscience research has shown that emotions play a much more important role in decision making than most people have thought

Our brains process much of their sensory input subconsciously, generating affection toward or against objects. Signals that don’t generate positive or negative emotions are filtered out (seen as unimportant) and never reach our conscious mind.

So, for your brand to get attention, it has to trigger an emotion.

Selling Online

'How to'

Your Branding

Your branding is the visual side of creating a brand.

This is the brand identity, which includes the logo, colours, typefaces and imagery your brand uses to tell your brand story. Branding is the tone of voice you use in your communications. Branding is everything you do that your customers will see.

These all need to complement the brand and be consistently used.

Branding consistency has one huge advantage – recognition. With recognition comes familiarity. With familiarity comes trust and confidence.

If done correctly, consistency brings clarity and purpose, which consumers will buy

 

TIP

Getting a logo artist to create something for you works - I use a lady who designs mine and is inexpensive 

Selling Online

'How to'

Your Branding

Create Uniqueness

 

Try to stand out from the rest, with 1000’s of distributors selling the same product as you. Think about how you can stand out.

Understand your target market

Trying to appeal to everyone can be counterproductive, causing sales to become diluted. Often this is why many people give up selling online. Finding the right branding approach requires first understanding of your target market.  Who do you want to appeal to?   Men, women, car boot groups, bargains, discount groups, pet market, homewares groups etc.…?

For example: if your products are not sold at bargain prices, would you brand your group a bargain group? Potential customers will do their research on your products and know whether they are bargains or not.

You will sell far more if you had unique branding and people followed your brand instead.

Maybe you offer top-quality service, easy returns procedure, aftercare by helping to set up their products or simply a 5-star delivery or collection service. Whatever it is, make it stand out!

Passion

While it’s certainly possible to build a brand in the short-term without passion, it’s almost impossible to sustain it in the long run. When you examine massively successful people like Steve Jobs, they all have a serious passion that keeps propelling them to work hard and continually deliver greatness. That passion leads to enthusiasm and genuine joy, which is infectious.

Consumers often become just as enthusiastic about a product or service, leading to word of mouth advertising and referrals for you. Passion will also help your business persevere through inevitable setbacks.

Consistency 

When consumers come back to a business for repeat sales, they usually expect to receive the same level of quality as they did the first time. Restaurants and their food and service quality are a great example of this.

No one wants to deal with a person they can’t rely on for consistency. Within our competitive industry inconsistency is often enough of a reason for consumers to take their business elsewhere.  🛑

 

Selling Online

'How to'

Social Selling
When you sell on Social media, this is called social selling. 

Social media platforms such as Facebook, is a great way to start selling your products for free. Over 2.5 billion users are on Facebook every month and 75% of those access through a mobile device.  

Not all will become your customers but they can add considerably to your customer base, helping supplement your income and help you reach a higher bonus level, so you can earn more.

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Selling Online

'How to'

Social SellingFacebook

Facebook is by far one of the most successful social media platforms in our business to date. In the next few pages, we suggest you read in full and make a decision on how you would like to set up and sell online.

Try and stick to one method until you have achieved your first sale then branch out to other platforms when you have built confidence with what you are doing.

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Social Selling

'How to'

Understanding the difference:- Groups, Pages & Profile

This is an old video but the information is still relevant.

I refer to a selling group in this video - we tend to call them community groups now.

Social Selling

'How to'

Setting up a Facebook Group
Out with the 'old school' social media strategies and in with a new wave of network marketing.We call selling groups, community groups now

Video 1 

This is the latest video for Facebook training - October 2019.

Social Selling

'How to'

Setting up a Facebook Group
Out with the 'old school' social media strategies and in with a new wave of network marketing.We call selling groups, community groups now

Video 2  

Social Selling

'How to'

Facebook Group/Community Themed Groups

Let's start with Facebook, it's one of the easiest ways to promote your products.

You'll need to do two things first once you've decided on a name for your business.

Set up your Facebook group (Branded with your chosen name or theme)

Themed groups work very well, if you have a hobby or passion you will attract like-minded people who you can easily communicate with.

Your sole purpose should not be to sell, sell, sell in these groups. People will not like it if you are constantly overly promotional. 

Facebook Group Settings 

It's easy to set up a Facebook Group if you are unsure please speak to your sponsor or look on Facebook for a simple tutorial.

Your Facebook Group Settings

Set to closed

Do not set as a selling group, you can use any of the other options 

Set to 'only admins can approve posts and members'

Use ONLY the best images for the cover photo and products

Use www.Canva.com to resize images to upload for cover photos and logos [FREE]

Fill the description in full, give contact details - keep it chatty and not overly promotional

Facebook is forever evolving and new settings are being added weekly. Please look out for training sessions and our social selling workshops for all the latest updates as it is impossible to add every update to this site.

Social Selling

'How to'

Facebook Community Themed Groups

How to sell products in your own community group

Example 1- Themed Group

'Cleaning hints and tips' FB Group

Invite friends family and acquaintances to join your group.

Do not just add people to the group, this will get your FB account restricted for adding people who had not requested to join it themselves. Just send them a link via TEXT or Whatsapp. (avoid using links on FB - the algorithm can pick them up as spam)

Post ideas and tips regarding cleaning the home or garden. Free tips as a great idea to post about and let people add ideas too. You may wonder what this has to do with you selling products?  

You are building a community of people first, this is why we suggest you choose something you can talk about, post about and interact with people about.  Once people get to know, like and trust you first, then they usually consider buying off you.

Social Selling

'How to'

Facebook Community Themed Groups

How to sell products in your own community group

Example 2 - Themed Group

I have a Tortoise Lovers group. This has nothing to do with the products I sell, it is a community of like minded people, who simply love tortoises. 

I build relationships with people in this group and every now and then I may post a product I think it suitable for the group to see, or have a product im selling in the background of an image. Sometimes I simply refer to a product and let them know I sell it. 

When you build relationships first you get to know your group members likes, and dislikes, this helps make it really easy to message someone and in conversation say.... 

"Hey Joanne, I noticed your picture the other day and saw that you like solar lights, take a quick peak at what I have on offer at the moment"

Very smple and easy to do but I must stress you need to build the relationship first.

I often ask if people would like to see my catalogue and explain  I run a business from home. Most memebers are very accommodating and will ask to see the products, orders result.

No matter what themed group you have, put your personalised shop link in the bio of the group.

This process takes time, sales will not happen overnight. You are building relationships first. 

This is SOCIAL SELLING. Not Online Selling.

Avoid Overly Promotional Posts

Conversational posts work better than overly promotional posts and also leads to far more sales in the long run. So in your themed group, you could add a video about your latest product delivery. If people are interested to look at the catalogue and buy products - add them to a whatsapp group. (More info on P21)

Example Post: 

Take a look at what’s just arrived. (Add an image)

Don’t you just love it in this colour? (Add an Image)

The dog won’t let this one out of his sight! (Add an Image)

Keeping up with the Joneses (Add an Image)

Take a picture you know everyone will comment on and have a product in the background.

 

How-to Guide Facebook Groups

Make every effort to engage with your audience and create curiosity with your posting.You want people to ask questions and you want people to comment under your post as much as possible. This helps your post rank higher on other people’s newsfeed, so you have a better chance of more people seeing your products and future posts.Currently, every member of Facebook gets the opportunity to see 1500 posts on their newsfeed, Facebook only shows the average person around 300 posts, you need to get enough engagement with people so you become a priority on their newsfeed. This means you get shown more and then eventually, as your ranking grows you get shown to a wider audience.The more times you have people engaging on posts, the more chance these people will see your next post. Remember the average person only sees 300 posts, make sure you are one of them.It’s not about filling your group with daily quizzes, games and so on. Otherwise, you’ll only get your community interacting on these posts and wonder why they do not buy your products. Post relevant posts that bring value to the group.It takes a long time of consistent effort to build a good reputation and to get people buying.Don’t post one day and then not the next, it has to be consistent effort every day - FB reward consistency by showing your posts to other more. [even when you are away].Facebook warm up your audience – try and target your posts by spreading them out throughout the day at the SAME TIME each day.Never post 2 products in succession in your group – try to vary all post times and styles.

Engagement Product Posts

The more you get engagement, likes, comments and replies on your post, the more you have the chance of selling products when you do post them. Engaging posts shoot up the ranking and become a post of value.

Spend more time on interaction and bringing value to your community.

Put more thought into your posts by sharing good quality unique images, creating curiosity, encouraging comments and replying to those comments. The result will come as your Facebook community group builds an exciting profile. Bring value to your members. 

So please encourage family and friends to help you. 

 

 

Social Selling

'How to'

Social Selling

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Facebook Business Pages

First, decide what your Business Page is going to be used for.You have a couple of choices, either a recruitment page or a branded/themed page to compliment your community FB group.

Examples of a recruitment page name would b; VivaMK with Debbie, VivaMK Business, etc...it is good to personalise it with your name as much as possible.

Settings: Set as a Retail Company  [for selling purposes]

Settings: You could use Public Figure for recruitment purposes.

Make sure all images are edited so they fit the post correctly, poor quality images that are distorted do not look professional. Use www.Canva.com to edit and resize images to upload for cover photos and logos [FREE]

Fill in all the about sections completely eg. contact details, the about, Introduction description and a longer description, link to the website if you have one - do not leave anything blank. 

Use chosen keywords in the descriptions

Facebook (FB)  is used like a search engine and now competes with Google, you will want to get an online presence and by using a FB Page is one way to ensure this. 

You are able to link your FB Page to Your FB group now, which will help drive new traffic backwards and forwards. Only link these two up together when you are established and have a great community group interacting with each other. (community purposes only)

Please Note: 

It is not advisable to pay for any of the features on a Facebook Page. You may be tempted so you can drive more traffic to your Page. This will cost you a fortune and will not lead anywhere unless you have had specific Facebook training on promoting and Pages.  I have built very successful businesses through a Facebook page and have not ever paid for any feature.

Link - https://www.facebook.com/business/pages

Social Selling

'How to'

What to post

Whether it's a community themed group or whether its a business page make sure your posts are engaging and not overly promotional. Some of the best ways to do this are to use product reviews.

If you are new to the business, use other peoples products reviews until you have a built-up your own. Ask customers at every opportunity to review your products in writing, preferably on Facebook or Whatsapp so you can take a snapshot of it.

Look out on the team summit and Official VivaMk group for product reviews.

We have set up a Facebook Business Page called Top Selling Products, this page has been designed to help you get started straight away. You are able to share products from this page and it will not feed back to any distributor. The sale will be yours if you share a video or photo from it.

Social Selling

'How to'

Product Review posting

My preferred method of selling in a themed group on Facebook is by posting a product review. The reviews have to look good (clear image, well written and create excitement)

I would only recommend posting 1 of these a day until you have a large bank of reviews. From this 1 post, you could potentially sell 5, 6, 7 times the amount you do from a product promotional post. 

If you have not done a product review yourself, then many are posted into the team groups and you are able to use those.         

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Algorithm

The next time you post a product you’ll notice those people who previously liked and commented on your product post will be shown more of your posts on their newsfeed.

Facebook's algorithm is so sensitive it can even tell when people are showing an interest in a post. Literally by the amount of time, someone pauses on the newsfeed. Facebook is humanising their algorithms and doing a very good job with it too. With this in mind, it’s best to work in harmony with Facebook's system, not one you decide yourself.

Our social selling system compliments the general public’s daily activities on Facebook and avoids people from reporting your posts.

Daily Strategy

This has to be a DAILY activity, miss a day and your Facebook group ranking will start to drop. We are living in a fast-moving world where people can easily get distracted by more new and exciting things. Facebook knows this and moves with the times constantly.

Don’t let your Facebook Selling group value drop and lose momentum due to through lack of consistency and effort. That even means when you are away on holiday, plan your posting the same way you would plan your trip. Have each day mapped out to post the 6 products daily. Have them all packed up and ready to fly off in a file with you on your phone or computer.

Social Selling

'How to'

Whatsapp (personal)

We will not be covering Whatsapp for business, which is a specific app because it would mean you are unable to use your personal WhatsApp for friends and family. You are only aloud to use one mobile number for whatsapp, either its personal or business.

Creating a group on WhatsApp

I have found great success in using Whatsapp groups for selling items. You do not have the same restrictions as you do on Facebook. However, you must be mindful that every time someone posts on a Whatsapp group, every single member get's an instant notification. This can be quite irritating if it is a large group and everyone responds after a post. You want to keep people engaged and looking at the group so be mindful that everytime you post, there may be numerous responses. 

Limit the group number to 30 and avoid recommending people to turn off sound notifications. You will want everyone to be notified of all your product releases.

The benefits of using a WhatsApp groupYou are able to post links into a group freely, you will not get restricted like you do on FBYou know everyone will get the notificationYou are able to upload videos, images and filesYou will be able to easily forward a message to people in your contacts list, even from a groupEach group will have it's own unique link, promote this to your best customers

How to use a Whatsapp group for your business

First, limit your group to a maximum of 30 people, I believe this number is more manageable with notifications.When you first create a group, add just 3 very close friends, family or good customers.Post product reviews or pre-release messages. Promote one good product every few days giving lots of detail and add a clear image or video.Invite (via the link)  customers to this group as soon as they purchase products from you and get them to post a review on the whatsapp group when they have used the product. Ask for images.For more tips and tricks:- look out for our zoom trainings.   🛑

  

Online Selling

'How to'

Online Selling

If making conversation and small talk is not your thing, then maybe online selling is for you. Ususally selling this way will mean a financial investment on your part but rewards can be far greater when it becomes automated.

Take time, learn the skills needed by googling information and plug into the teams zoom training system.

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Online Selling

'How to'

The most common question we get asked is whether to have a business or personal account. We would always recommend a business account, purely because you are a business and it comes with many additional features. The choice is yours.

Setting up a shop on eBay is also good when you have got yourself established and making a profit. Prepare to invest in your business, the reward will be much greater.

eBay

eBay is a great way to sell our products, this type of selling is known as ONLINE SELLING.

It means you don't have to be as social as you do on a social media platform.  However, it will require you to engage with buyers and ask for feedback after every sale..

Please do your own homework when it comes to selling on eBay, remember when you sell online, you will need to keep up to date with any changes. 

Google and youtube videos are really useful when you want to find out how to do something. Remember to check the date it was published, just because it has many views doesn't mean it is current. Look for up to date information.

Personal accounts are for casual buying and selling on eBay, while business accounts are a good option for sellers who want to:

 

Sell items that were bought exclusively for resaleMake items and sell them, intending to make a profitSell a large number of goods on a regular basisBuy items for their business

 

Business sellers can register with a company name which will appear in correspondences and invoices. They may also be eligible for tax benefits and qualify for discounts on eBay fees.

To become a business seller, you can either change your personal account to a business account in your account settings or register a new business account.

Why people opt for a business account on eBay

Higher Selling Limits

eBay places selling limits on new sellers, which can be as strict as a maximum of 10 items per month when you first open an individual account. Using a business account will get you access to higher selling limits so you can actually do business!

Access to Better Tools & Promotions

eBay is pretty cryptic about what exactly these tools and promotions you're getting are. But, there are quite a few tools and features on eBay that are restricted to a limited number of sellers, like Promotions Manager. Here's what happens if you try accessing Promotions Manager with an average individual account:

Online Selling

'How to'

It's safe to say that business accounts are more likely to have access to features like this. There's no guarantee you'll be able to use them the moment you switch to business, though.

 The Ability to Use Your Company Name

It’s a bit of a tragedy to go through all the trouble of registering a business name only to be unable to use it on eBay. On top of that, you may be legally required to do business under a registered name if you have one. Choosing a business account allows you to use your company name on all communications with buyers.

Online Selling

'How to'

Why people opt for a business account on eBay

Legal Protection

The last thing you want is for taxes to go sideways when an auditor sees you used an individual account for both personal and business transactions. The results could be bad. If you have a registered business, it’s better to dot your i's, cross your t's, and sleep easy knowing that all your business transactions are on a clearly labelled business account.

Greater Selling Privileges in Crisis Situations

We're updating this article at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to mention that eBay has temporarily restricted certain items to business sellers only. For example, if you don't have a business account, you can't sell toilet paper. 

Read "What eBay Sellers Can Expect during the Coronavirus Pandemic" for details. 🛑

Online Selling

'How to'

Facebook Marketplace

Over the next few months, Facebook will be changing how it looks. Learn more about how to switch between New and Classic Facebook. Click below to go to the directions for the version you're using.

New FacebookClassic Facebook

New Facebook

To sell an item on Marketplace:

From your News Feed, click Marketplace.Click + Create New Listing, then click Item for Sale.Click Add Photos to upload a photo of your item from your computer.Enter a title, the price, and your location, and select a category (example: Furniture, Baby & Kids). You can also add a description. To mark an item as Free, you can enter 0 as the price.Click Next. If Next is grayed out, make sure you've included a category, title, price, location, and photo.Click Publish to post your Marketplace listing.

Facebook Marketplace

Classic Facebook

To sell an item on Marketplace:

From your News Feed, click Marketplace.Click + Sell Something, then click Item for Sale.Select a category (example: Furniture, Baby & Kids), and enter a title for your listing, the price, and your location. You can also add a description. To mark an item as Free, you can enter 0 as the price.Click + 10 Photos to upload a photo of your item from your computer.Click Next. If Next is grayed out, make sure you've included a category, title, price, location, and photo.Select where you'd like to post your listing. If you want to post only on Marketplace, click Clear.Click Publish to post your Marketplace listing.

Online Selling

'How to'

Facebook Marketplace

What kinds of things can't be sold on Facebook or Marketplace?

All items for sale on Facebook need to follow our Commerce Policies. The Commerce Policies apply to:

MarketplaceBuy and sell groupsPage shopsInstagram shopping

Here are some common examples of things that can't be sold on Facebook:

Not a real item: Anything that isn't a physical product for sale. For example, “in search of” posts, lost and found posts, jokes and news aren't allowed.Services or event tickets: You can only sell a service (example: house cleaning) or event tickets on Marketplace with Facebook's written permission. Learn more about our policies on services and event tickets.Description and photo don't match: The photos of the item must match the description and title of the listing.Animal for sale: Selling animals isn't allowed on Marketplace or buy and sell groups. This includes posting about animals for adoption.Healthcare: Healthcare-related items aren't allowed (example: thermometers, first aid kits).Before and after pictures: Items for sale on Facebook can't show a before and after picture (example: a photo showing weight loss).

If your access to Marketplace was removed for going against the Commerce Policies, learn what you can do.

If you see a listing on Marketplace that doesn't follow our Commerce Policies, please report it.

Note: The information above summarises parts of the Commerce Policies for convenience, and isn't intended to change the Commerce Policies.

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Online Selling

'How to'

Facebook Marketplace  

Top Tips For Market Place

Avoid using the multiple posting tool on facebook when posting your orginal advert. Even though Facebook has given you this option it will draw far too much attention to your posts.

Keep all adverts wherever possible, to your local area.

Avoid overly promotional posts - avoid 'copy and paste' descriptions. All posts should be organically written at the time of placing the advert.

Make a reference to your community group and ask people to join using a hashtag. For example #TortoiseLoversGroup or #CleaningHintsandTips use these hashtags in the description of your group too.

Features are forever changing on Facebook and they update their information all the time. Please do your homework and work with FB's guidelines. 🛑

Online Selling

'How to'

Shpock  

Shpock, short for Shop in your pocket, is an online car boot sale app available for IOS and Android that rivals ebay and gumtree.

Shpock is very simple and quick to use.

To get started you just need to download the free app for your iOS or Android mobile device from either the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. You can also access Shpock online on a computer, rather than your phone, if you wish.

You can then list an item just by uploading a picture, writing a short description, picking a category and suggesting a price.

There are nine main categories you can choose from: Fashion and Accessories; Home and Garden; Electronics; Movies, Books and Music; Baby and Child; Sport, Leisure and Games; Services; Cars and Motor; and 'Other'.

Other Shpock users will then be able to see your listing. If they're interested, they can get in contact to either agree to pay the asking price or make a counteroffer.

Once a price is negotiated, it’s up to the buyer and seller to reach an agreement about item delivery and method of payment. Shpock doesn’t get involved.

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Online Selling

'How to'

Shpock  

How does Shpock compare?

Shpock hasn’t reinvented the wheel, but it has made an online marketplace that's cheaper, easier to use and nicer to look at than its rivals.

For one thing, it's free to use and doesn’t charge any listing or transaction fees. The company only has optional charges for extra features that help to promote an item, which range from 69p to £13.99.

In addition, Shpock offers a more modern take on free classified listings that look dated, are built mainly on text and often feature a lot of distracting adverts.

Shpock is built on images to inspire those browsing and has useful features like being able to promote items through social media and the ability to set up alerts for items you are on the hunt for.

If you’re looking for a cheap alternative to selling with eBay, with some modern functionality to boot, it’s worth giving Shpock a go.

With over a million users now signed up in the UK you should find something you like or find people that want your stuff in your local area.

However, you should make sure you take precautions like using PayPal and using tracked delivery to ensure you have some protection when making an exchange. 🛑

Online Selling

'How to'

Friday Ads  

Friday-Ad aim to create a” local marketplace’ for the whole community to buy & sell second-hand items but also connect local advertisers with their local community.

Why Friday-Ad?

With over 1.2 million monthly visitors and over 32,000 current live ads.

- It’s FREE to advertise
- Site is simple and easy to use and there are lots of options to help buyers narrow their search
- You can browse on your mobile phone, tablet or laptop
- It offers an efficient customer service for any queries or help you need

How does it work for your customers?

Friday-Ad is filled with a huge range of classified ads which include items for sale, pets, jobs, properties, services and much more. With over 11,500 ads listed. All you have to do is:

- They search through the many categories to find what they are after
- They contact you using the ‘contact’ button on the right-hand side or by calling you
 -Then just talk with you and arrange payment and collection!

How does it work for you the seller?

If you’re looking to sell or advertise something, it’s free to post an ad. To place an ad is very simple, just follow the instructions on the screen using our 4-step process:

- Tell them what you are advertising
- Create your advert, giving a description of your sale and any photos you’d like to add. Add your details
- Decide what ad type you’d like - Click confirm and your ad will be put live!

Online Selling

'How to'

Friday Ads  

10 reasons to love using Friday-Ad

It’s FREE for sellers to advertise – there are no hidden costs or catches

Massive range of products available

Auction-free! No need to go through a complicated bidding process to buy products

 Shoppers can snap up bargains directly through the site, with participating sellers receiving payment through Paypal

Sellers can set up ‘shops’ and detailed business profiles using personalised dashboards

They are mobile-optimised so you can buy and sell on your mobile, tablet, laptop, and PC

Browsing is incredibly simple with lots of clear options to help buyers narrow their search

Safety is taken care of - fantastic moderation systems are in place to cut out scamming and irresponsible advertising.  🛑

 

www.Friday-Ad.co.uk

Online Selling

'How to'

Gumtree

One of the great benefits of Gumtree is that who you sell to is completely at your discretion. You may want the convenience of someone who can pick it up in the next hour, or someone that can organise their own transport - if it's a large item. These factors sometimes mean you may have to compromise on price

Gumtree is very simple and easy to use, but I appreciate it can seem a little bit daunting when you haven’t done it before!  

First step, find your local Gumtree site and click on ‘Post an ad’ at the very top right-hand corner

This will take you to another screen. Click the tab that says, ‘For Sale’.

This will open up a new set of tabs which are categories for the item that you are selling. As an example, I clicked on ‘Baby and Kids Stuff’.

Whichever category you select, this will open up a sub-category. 

Click through until you find the category that your item fits in. If you aren’t sure, do a separate search for your item on Gumtree and see what other people have listed it under.

There is a category called ‘Other Goods’ if you are not sure. Don’t worry too much because people will generally just do a typed search for whatever they are looking for.

Once you have chosen your category and clicked ‘continue’ at the bottom, it will take you to the screen where you fill in the details for your advert. The title is very important because it is how the buyer will find your item. Put as much information in as it will allow (up to 100 words).

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Online Selling

'How to'

Gumtree

My tip:If I am selling something, whether it be brand new or second hand, I put the original price in the title. The reason I do this is because people like to think they are getting a bargain. If you are trying to sell something for £10, people could think that’s a lot – but if you say RRP £50, then they will feel that they are getting a good price. But don’t lie! Just do a google search for your item if you can’t remember how much you paid for it.

Photos – you can add up to 9 photos. Just one photo will decrease your chances of a sale so make sure you do as many good quality photos as you can. Try and take the photo in good lighting, against a neutral background e.g. against a white wall.

The description is very important. You can enter up to 10,000 words so use this to be as descriptive as you can.

Try and take the photo in good lighting, against a neutral background e.g. against a white wall.

 

My tip: I always, always put at the end of the description: ‘Cash only, collection only please’. You will get lots of people contacting you asking if you can deliver it to them, or if you can post it to them. My advice is cash and collection only, so you don’t get scammed. Of course, you can deliver it if you want to, and include petrol costs if you are happy to do this locally..

At the bottom it will ask you for your phone number or email address for the buyers to contact you on (I didn’t do a screenshot of this as it would show my contact info, sorry!). I’ve heard that phone numbers generate better sales as buyers like a quick transaction, but I’ve always done it via email and found no problems selling my belongings on there. Make sure you respond to emails quickly though and let people know when they can collect.

Please note, Gumtree deletes adverts after a certain amount of time. I think it’s a month – the annoying thing is that you can’t just refresh the advert so keep your photos on your computer and you may want to copy and paste the description somewhere so that it’s easy to do another one. I always have a lot of luck selling before this happens though. Gumtree will send you an email to remind you that it is about to run out. 🛑