posted on December 20, 2000 01:46:48 PM new
A few questions for the AuctionWatch community:
1. Do most of you print your labels or use a sticker or stamp with your address on it and write out the buyer's address? If you have them printed, what software do you use and do you use plain white labels (bought at a place like Office Max)?
2. Do most of you include invoices with your shipments? I could see a small time seller doing this, but if you have many auctions or even a few large dutch auctions, this could be a big waste of time and ink.
3. How do most of you keep your records? Is an online management service enough or do you need to make your own seperate spreadsheet or chart? I have experimented with a few different management services which seem to maintain enough of the necessary information (email sent, address received, payment received, item shipped, feedback). However, I could think of a few important things that aren't included like date payment was received, etc.
4. Do most of you create your own ads and if you sell the same item repeatedly, do you have the ad stored and continually reuse it?
5. Do most of you maintain a list of items that you have and their cost?
posted on December 20, 2000 03:02:27 PM new
Chris
I use ebud to manage my auctions. I've modified the invoice template into a three part form. The top strip is my file copy, the middle strip is the mailing lable and is affixed to the package with two strips of clear packing tape to both attach and protect, the bottom portion which I've modified to included the shipping address instead of my address goes into the package. More professional looking, and should the package be damaged and the address be illegible there is another copy of the mailing address inside of the package.
Ebud lets you track item cost postage costs ebay fees the whole enchilada. Well worth the price
posted on December 20, 2000 03:17:00 PM new
Under the advice of many here, I looked into an auction management program, Ebud. Even though you can call me a small-time retailer, I use this tool to cut down on the massive paperwork I had before. I like the fact it saves me a multitude of time.
I request that my buyers confirm the auction that they have just won so that I may keep a record of it, and also to start preparing the package, etc.
I cut & paste the address information right onto Ebud. There is a place where it keeps track of when you received the payment, what type of payment was received, when the item was shipped & feedbacks, etc. Today I realized there is a report that I can print and see what the realized profits there is. Great for tax time!
Anyhow, going back to the address cut & pasting. After I have received a few names, I pull up a Word program and paste it onto a blank document. I print it, cut the individual names and paste it onto a "pre-printed return label" and tape the address onto the package. I know it sounds like A LOT of trouble. But really it's not and it looks very professional. I just hated writing out my labels and there is a good chance that I could make a mistake in there too.
I hope this all makes sense. Oh, I use two types of labels. The free "pre-printed" labels for Priority pkgs. from USPS. And the other one is a Avery sticker with return address with my business info that I created. Heck, I even throw in a business card too .
I use AW as my template, and auction launching. As to keep track of my costs vs. sales, I use receipts from my vendor and enter them onto Ebud. Still saves me lots of time.
posted on December 20, 2000 04:15:52 PM new
Wouldn't it be easier to use one service that has all of these features though, instead of AuctionWatch and eBud. There must be something out there that is able to do auctions from start to finish.
posted on December 20, 2000 04:34:01 PM new
I know a few people have employees for their eBay business. They also have about 50 times more auctions up at a time than I do...
posted on December 21, 2000 04:24:13 AM new
I use eBud, and export to an Excel Spreadsheet once in a while. You can use any of the unused columns in eBud for data like original price and actual payment amount.
I cut and paste the shipping addresses into MSWORD ... using a table 2-cells wide, with the address in both and the item description and address in the other. Print, cut and use one for inside address and one on the package. Covered with clear tape of course. Cheaper than stick-on labels and I don't risk gumming up the laser printer.
Invoices are not necessary because they have the EOA mail with shipping and totals.
posted on December 21, 2000 06:18:50 AM new
chis: I use the management software called AuctionTrakker from Timbercreek Software and am very happy with it. It does everything from start to finish. You can set up your posting templates and it will do the posting for you. It does not use the misterlister interface at ebay to post the auctions which I am very happy about. I used another management product to post before and found too frequently that it found the misterlister system at ebay unavailable.
Along with the posting, the version I use has integrated inventory control. Initially you enter your stock levels and every time you post it will put the posted item into the current auction column. It will also show how many of that item are waiting for a sale to complete but have not been sent yet. As a note, it allows you to add counters and the Buy It Now info as well.
One of my favorite features is the delayed posting option. As here at AW, I can schedule a time for the auctions to launch. I sell the same items repeatedly and it also has a very nice feature to relist and how often. When you make your selections it then schedules future auctions.
The software keeps track of ALL bidders on your auctions as well as time remaining and current bid amounts. It will then warn you when you have auctions coming to an end. It then goes and gathers up all of the auction data for you. Upon completion of an auction you can automatically generate an EOA to the winner. It also allows you to send an offer email to backup bidders to offer them the same item at either their highest bid or a fixed price. The software then transfers the item into the sales manager portion of the program. As a note, the software allows you to send just one email to a bidder who has bid on multiple items, even dutch items. This is especially handy if you offer combined shipping rates for multiple items.
The sales manager tracks the closing process very efficiently. You can set times to wait for a response to your EOA or to receive payment. When the item crosses those timeframes the item turns red on the list. You can then send 2nd or 3rd notices. It tracks receipt of payment and sends a notice that it's been received. It will also email when an item is shipped and that feedback has been left. All of the email templates are customizable with information gathered from the auction process. I like that a lot. The software allows you to post feedback singly or in bulk. You can select from a list you've generated if you like. This makes the feedback issue soooo simple.
The information it collects also allows entering of tracking numbers. In your automated emails you can have that number inserted.
The software allows you to watch another running auction and allows you to... shhhh... place snipe bids. It synchronizes your clock to make sure you're accurate before the bid. It then prepares the software to place the bid 2 minutes before the time. If you have a dial-up connection, this gives you time for your connection to get set up. The snipe placement time is customizable also. This has worked very well for me and has been very consistent. I've found the actual bid takes 4 seconds to place.
The software allows for printing of labels and invoices. I don't include invoices with the item and I don't use the labels feature because I print electronic postage.
I'm sure there's a dozen more features I'm forgetting but you get the idea. This software has freed up so much of my time that used to be spent tracking sales in one program, emails in another, etc.
The basic version is $40 and the version with Inventory Control and Posting is $80. They want you to try it to see if you like it so they offer a full working version which lasts for 30 days.
posted on December 21, 2000 06:24:45 AM new
I knew I forgot more. There are lots of reports you can generate. Also, If you originally set up the item with your cost, you can generate a profit report on your sales.
posted on December 21, 2000 06:43:27 AM new
I have eBud, AWPro, Auction Assistant, and Auction Tamer. After 5 years of on line sales, I personally prefer Auction Assistant Classic to create auctions, and definitely like AUCTION TAMER better than any other record keeping service - plus Auction Tamer's Customer Care is fantastic, it is beyond fantastic - it is awesome the personal attention one gets from Auction Tamer staff.
To answer your questions:
I prefer my own presentations, so I have re-written all the form letters in both eBud and Auction Tamer. I use Auction Tamer for all invoices, labels, form letters, notices, etc., etc. I would feel it foolish to hire someone to do this for me. BUT I do have an employee, but she handles all the packing, and the on line UPS shipping invoices (we have a UPS account). Since I handle all the e-mail, I need to handle the majority of the paper work to know exactly what is happening during each transaction, etc, plus my assistant is usually knee deep in packing.
I have had problems with eBud, and there are a number of features that eBud has BUT which aren't immediately visible , that Auction Tamer also uses and I can immediately see every movement in a transaction with any seller on Auction Tamer....I love Auction Tamer and Auction Assistant.
posted on December 21, 2000 07:00:16 AM new
1., 2., 3. I use Auction Tamer to track my auctions and do post-sale management. This takes care of printing labels, since I do almost exclusively Priority shipping and one of the default label printing setups in AT is for Priority labels. Envelopes for First Class are printed up using the "Envelopes and Labels..." menu in MS Word when the packing slip is generated. I generate packing slips using a modified form from the MS Office website, set up as a form letter merged with the Bidders database from AT. It may use paper and ink, but to me its part of professionalism. AT makes it incredibly easy to track open auctions on Ebay, and once you know how to use it, Yahoo! auctions are also easily tracked (sorry, I don't sell anywhere else, so I can't comment on tracking auctions on other sites).
4. I use Auction Manager Pro from AW to list on Ebay, and Yahoo!'s bulk loader feature to list there. That way, the ads are made up, ready to list if I find a duplicate item to sell.
5. Not really. I list each item twice on Ebay, then move it to Yahoo! until I decide that it's not going to move. Then I donate it to Goodwill, etc..
always pickersangel everywhere
posted on December 21, 2000 07:27:20 AM new
1) I use a return address stamp (refillable
ink) and hand label buyers address
2) No, I don't include invoices... too much time, and would create an added expense for printer toner, and paper... plus I doubt many customers would appreciate it!
3) Well... I should probably use an Excell spreadsheet to keep my records...but I've found it's usually quicker to enter my information by hand on to paper tables I've designed.
4) I create my own ads using templates from
AuctionWatch. Since I have multiple items for a lot of auctions, I store those ads in my completed auctions area. I also created inventory profiles so that I can list a similiar item quickly.
5) While I do not have a detailed list of inventory, I do have records for how much each one cost. When I list the item, I simply look up the cost and determine the price for the item auction.
posted on December 21, 2000 08:01:03 AM new
1) I use preprinted return address labels and hand written address labels to person I am mailing too.
2) I include invoices with my shipments, just a simple report printed out of Excel confirming the items enclosed, ID numbers, and date payment received and date shipped.
3) I've used Excel spreadsheets to track all my sales across all the auction sites I use. I am just not putting in the accounting software to track the financial side of my auction activities.
4) Once I have an item up on Ebay, I just keep relisting it as needed, until I run out of that item. Sometimes they sell, and sometimes they don't, and I just keep relisting so I don't have to re-enter everything again, but Ebay's relisting process is VERY tedious, I think.
5) I sell a very narrow range of items, so I KNOW what they cost. As part of preparing my accounting information for the year, I've made a spreadsheet of all my sales and added a column for Cost of Goods Sold, as necessary.
posted on December 21, 2000 08:01:05 AM new
Chis, pull up your "My Bidders" list. You can choose to send info to the Label menu when you do "Paid/Ship" info, or by selecting a bidder, right clicking and choosing "Send to Label". Click on the Labels button. Click Print. It may depend on the printer you're using, but I get a "Clear labels in memory?" message right away. Ignore that until you're done printing. Your printer menu should come up next for you to click "OK", once your labels are loaded. There are three choices for label printing--two standard Avery labels in addition to the Priority mail label (available free from the USPS online store and delivered right to your mailbox!). I think that, if you know how to edit the HTML code you could set up the other two labels to print envelopes or other sized labels, but I haven't played with it.
posted on December 21, 2000 08:06:22 AM new
I think it is always a good idea to include invoices and packing slips, especially for international sales. If a parcel is damaged or label missing it will help to identify where the shipment should be forwarded to.
It also helps to speed customs up should a question arise about valuations. I always include a detailed packing slip.
I use sticker return addresses I order from the local S.P.C.A. and War Amps- I figure why not help out a cause if they provide the service.
For inventory etc,I have created a Microsoft access database that fills out all the forms in printable copy and traces an item through its complete cycle from the start. Every customer is automatically assigned a number to track the sale. With 1 click I can evaluate what ive sold, where an item is physically located in inventory, costs, spot trends, print out shipping labels, etc.
It is work to maintain however it has improved bottom line siginficantly and makes accounting a breeze. I make a backup copy on a Jazz drive as necessary and keep it in a safe place.
For posting auctions I use copy and paste from the database to AMpro- which is fast and easy.
Email invoices are copied and pasted, and then personalized as necessary, then printed.
To get into more post sale detail:
I attach hard copies of everything related to a sale together. I only handle each peice of paper once and it takes only the time to print staple and stick in the file according to customer number.
P.S. 10 year old+ kids love to stamp and staple things - part of their destructive nature - so my children always know when their bored theyve got something fun to do and can earn extra dollars doing it.
I can use the database to lookup a customer number and locate their file fast, if need be. If a customer emails "where's my package" I can respond within a few minutes with a complete history of the sale. This is usually enough to relax an anxious customer that the item is indeed on its way.
As for paper and ink costs...tax deduction is well worth it as my expenses are otherwise quite low and deducations hard enough to find.
Bottom line: customers, accountant and revenue department are pleased with efficiency, the system is already in place for increasing sales and I am making a solid return on investment.
posted on December 21, 2000 10:41:37 AM new
LindaAW-No problem. I actually thought it might be a problem when I dropped it up, but was only trying to send suggestions. I actually apolgize for not looking first.
posted on December 21, 2000 01:31:39 PM new
I use a home made Microsoft Access database that lets me create labels, EOA notices, invoices (upon request only), run queries, write checks, etc. Labels and documents are created in Microsoft Word with direct links to the database info. While not quite as sophisticated as I might like, it has served me well in over 900 auctions on eBay and Yahoo. I can also customize it as I go along.
posted on February 12, 2001 03:14:17 PM new
mballai... I'd be interested in taking a look at the Access database you have. I know AuctionAmigo runs off of Access and have been thinking of linking a custom database to it.
1) I use a thermal Seiko label printer I bought for $50 (normally $200) from a garage sale.
I also used Word with a Priority Mailing label template.
I use a program called Snoop to pull the mailing address info from Paypal, Amazon Payments, BillPoint and append it into a text file.
2) I don't currently, but may automate that too at some point.
3) I use AuctionAmigo to keep track of the auction status. The free program will let me track if EOA letter has been sent, payment received, item shipped, feedback posted, request for feedback, and more. It is flexible with how detailed of an auction record you want to keep.
4) I use AuctionWatch Manager (offline version) to create ads. And then I use the online version to re-list it if I have the same item to sell.
posted on February 12, 2001 03:57:34 PM new
Everyone using eBud...
EBud has a label program built in...you don't have to go thru all that extra stuff...just go to your Data card and configure a label! I use the Priority labels, right in my printer...one click in eBud and it's done.
posted on February 12, 2001 04:33:12 PM new
I used to print BOTH packing slips and mailing labels. I found it very time consuming to go back and forth between auto feed and manual feed on my itty bitty old laser printer.
Then I finally found something I have been looking for for months. I have this paper, with an integrated adhesive mailing label, similar to what Amazon.com uses and now everything can be printed in one pass through the printer. It was a bit pricey, though at $14 for 250 sheets. I have not used it yet.
I also have this paper with the bottom third preforated and I can tear that off and tape it to the box as an address label (since I was taping over labels anyway). It was $7 for 500 sheets.
Saves a TON of time. I got it from Kelly paper, it's a paper retailer that supplies to the printing trade.
posted on February 12, 2001 07:04:06 PM new1. Do most of you print your labels or use a sticker or stamp with your address on it and write out the buyer's address? If you have them printed, what software do you use and do you use plain white labels (bought at a place like Office Max)? It seems strange, but I write out the buyers address. I think it is a little more personal.
2. Do most of you include invoices with your shipments? I could see a small time seller doing this, but if you have many auctions or even a few large dutch auctions, this could be a big waste of time and ink. Including an invoice with all shipments is a must! All large companies do this. It is just the right thing to do.
3. How do most of you keep your records? Is an online management service enough or do you need to make your own seperate spreadsheet or chart? I have experimented with a few different management services which seem to maintain enough of the necessary information (email sent, address received, payment received, item shipped, feedback). However, I could think of a few important things that aren't included like date payment was received, etc I had a thread about this. I use excel to keep my records.
4. Do most of you create your own ads and if you sell the same item repeatedly, do you have the ad stored and continually reuse it I have 6 auctions that I run every day of the week. I made it myself with html and reuse it.
5. Do most of you maintain a list of items that you have and their cost? Of course I have a price list. It is important to know how much profit you are making.
posted on February 12, 2001 10:10:35 PM new
1. I use a self-inking stamper for return address; the auction software that I use prints a shipping address that I cut out and tape to package.
2. The other half of the shipping address print-out is a packing slip addressed to the buyer with my return address. I hand-sign it & write "Thanks XXXX!" on it before sliding it into the package.
3. The auction management software I use tracks all that, including payment form & date received, check/credit card/money order number.
4. I use a template that I customized a little. I have three different versions depending on what type of item I am selling. Saves me a TON of time--I just have to edit size/color/pattern & the image & I am all set to post.
5. I don't really keep a list. Most of the items I sell are unique & get listed as they are ready. I do enter item cost when I create each listing, which is needed to calculate gross profit each month.
I use Invenna's AuctionAmigo to list & manage my eBay auctions. I sell on a small scale, but it works great for me! I also keep a notebook. I need to have a hard copy of item #s, payment received date & ship date just for my own sanity. (I print out the page of seller's ended auctions & use that.) I also put a business card in every package that has my web address, email address & eBay/Yahoo username on it.
edited because "return" is not spelled "reeturn" unless you are on your third giant glass of Kahlua.
[ edited by debbielennon on Feb 12, 2001 10:16 PM ]
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