Summer Is Nearly Here...

No, really, it is. While it may seem like winter and the very start of 2013, in actuality, most retailers and Discount Wholesale customers need to start thinking about Spring and Summer very soon indeed. To that extent, our Discount Wholesale Showroom (Located in Normanton, viewable by appointment) is being changed over this week in preparation.

All of our Christmas goods have been removed, to be replaced soon with the latest gardening and summer items. Stay tuned for more updates, rest assured we are working very hard to have the right products at the right time. We will let you know when our new lines are available. In the mean time here is a picture of where all the Christmas stock was and where all the new items will be.

For all your Pound Lines, Toys, Gardening, Christmas, Halloween and general discount store wholesale items, please visit the full range at www.discount-wholesale.co.uk. Discount Wholesale is part of the Poundworld Retail Group Ltd.

eBay: A Beginners Guide. How to Unlock it's Potential | Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of our eBay help blog. In Part 1 we covered the basics in setting up an item listing. Now we will go into detail about how to improve the return on your listings and how to improve positive feedback from improved postage techniques.

Timing

Peak shopping times on eBay are in the evening, on weekends, or both. You need to carefully calculate when an item you have listed for auction ends. Each item listing is for a certain amount of time, be it 48 hours or 2 weeks, they all have an end date and time. To maximise the number of people watching or bidding on your items, you should place a listing so it ends after 6pm but before 11pm on weeknights, or during the weekend (but not in the twilight hours). This will give you a better chance of selling your item or receive a higher purchase price.

Pictures

Every item you ever place on eBay should have at least one picture. It may take up time and seem quite laborious, but it is worth it. Also, do not simply Google Image a product and use that. Find a camera, a well lit area and take pictures of the actual item. The more detailed and representative the picture, the better. Failing that, most phones will take a picture that is up to scratch. Also remember to avoid the use of the flash at all costs to avoid reflections, so somewhere with plenty natural light during the day is best.

It is free on eBay to list one image. More pictures costs more money. Only expensive items are worth spending extra money on the listing. It is seen as more open and honest if you take a picture yourself as opposed to one from the internet. Honesty is key to positive feedback.

Packaging

Make sure you have suitable packaging to post the items. Be this brown paper, bubble wrap and or/boxes. It is extremely important that items are not damaged in transit to avoid disagreements with customers and couriers. Of course, it is very easy to forget that the packing should be factored into any earnings forecasts, so make sure you calculate the cost of packing into the postage costings. Another essential task it to have the packaging worked out and purchased in advance of the items being listed so that you can a) work out the exact costs and b) have the item ready to be shipped as soon as possible after it has sold. A delay in postage due to packing the items is not very professional and again, leads to potential negative feedback.

Postage Costs

One of the biggest pitfalls eBay sellers can fall into is lost items, damaged items or incorrect postage costs/prices. First of all, as we have mentioned in the Packaging section of this article, a damaged or poorly protected item reflects badly on you. But equally as bad is an incorrectly posted item. The last thing you want is to send an item, only for the buyer at the other end to incur extra charges because you didn’t post it correctly. All couriers (especially the Royal Mail at your local Post Office) charge for postage not just based on weight, but also by package size. You can calculate the correct postage price and method at home, however best ask the advice of the Post Office for the first (if not all) shipments.

eBay lets you set the postage cost that is charged to the customer upon purchase. Make sure that this is accurate. There is the opportunity to increase the postage cost too far or mask a cheap Buy it Now price with a high postage charge. However, this is frowned upon and can seem dishonest. If you need help with what to charge for posting, simply visit a Post Office with the item and/or packaging and ask for an estimate. You can also see prices on their website here.

The Actual Postage

Another important consideration is the service you use for posting. 2nd Class, for instance, may be cheap, but it can take a while to arrive at the customer and there are zero guarantees if it gets lost in the post. Ultimately, you have to make a judgement based on cost, timing and coverage for any issues. For larger and more expensive items, recorded delivery is a must and it is worth considering the next steps up like a Guaranteed/Insured Next Day service. Even for lesser items, Recorded Delivery is not that much more and does offer at least some sort of proof should you come into question.

Lastly, in the item listing description, explain how long it will take you to dispatch. This is also worth considering when you set the listing to end (see the Timing section of this article). Lets say, for example, your listing ends on a Monday evening, but you aren’t able to post the item until Saturday morning, then that is a significant delay. In each item listing, state not just how long the postage will take, but also how long it will take you to dispatch e.g. “This item will be shipped within 3 working days of purchase”.

Hopefully this has been a help, whether you are a first time eBay user, or someone that has tried it before but not to such an extent.

For all your Pound Lines, Toys, Gardening, Christmas, Halloween and general discount store wholesale items, please visit the full range at www.discount-wholesale.co.uk. Discount Wholesale is part of the Poundworld Retail Group Ltd. This article can also be found on our Advice Centre.

eBay: A Beginners Guide & How to Unlock it's Potential | Part 1

eBay is an online auction site (via your web browser or the eBay app) where literally anyone can sell pretty much anything. Think of it as a furniture auction, but online and not limited to furniture, covering all sorts of items. This can be a very effective tool for you and your business, especially if you have bought products from Discount Wholesale.

Selling on eBay can be extremely profitable and rewarding. Conversely, it can be frustrating and time consuming. So here are few tips to eBay selling to help guide you through if you are new to online selling.

Be Honest

Be as honest as possible in the product description. People appreciate the honesty. If the product falls short of your description, then you will receive negative feedback. Negative feedback makes it harder to sell further down the line as most buyers will only buy from someone with a good seller rating. So while it may seem easier to sell an item at first if you massage the truth regarding specifications, hide imperfections or fail to highlight an important feature, ultimately it will only damage your chances of being successful further down the line.

There are 2 main ways on eBay that you can sell your items. Below is a quick run through of your options and which will be best for you.

A Bid Listing

The more traditional eBay listing type. You set how long the listing is for and then people place bids on the item until the end time. Very straight forward. You could end up making more than you expect. However, you could also not reach the price that you were expecting. We would recommend that you actually try a few products as a bid listing first of all. You can then use this as a price gauge for future listings that you post as Buy It Now. A bid listing can be more useful for a single item listing.

Buy It Now

This is a fixed price listing. You simply set the price you deem reasonable, the quantity you have for sale and away you go. There is no bidding on price. The advantage is you reduce the risk involved in price bidding, whereby you could lose out and make a loss. However, the disadvantage of a Buy it Now listing is missing the opportunity to make more money as people get into a crazed bidding frenzy, which can often happen. Buy It Now listings are commonly used when there are quantities of the same item available.

Reserves

You can set a reserve price for your items on eBay. If the reserve price isn’t met, then the item is not sold. However, this is only really useful if you were selling a very large, expensive item e.g. a car. For anything less, while it reduces the risk involved, having a reserve is actually a turn off to potential bidders.

For all your Pound Lines, Toys, Gardening, Christmas, Halloween and general discount store wholesale items, please visit the full range at www.discount-wholesale.co.uk. Discount Wholesale is part of the Poundworld Retail Group Ltd. This article can also be found on our Advice Centre.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the Discount Wholesale team! We will see you in 2013!

Organising Your Products for a Better Shopping Experience

Product Positioning 

Hopefully, you have read our previous post regarding seasonal goods and planning ahead so that you have the right stock in at the right time. But, while having the right products in is vital, there are a few tips and tricks which can maximise these goods to their full sales potential. 

The first thing sounds simple, but can be a little difficult to achieve. However, it is extremely important. Lets say, for example, you have purchased a range of Halloween goods from Discount Wholesale. It’s mid-September and now is the time to order what you think will sell well. Once the stock has arrived, now it is time to think where in your store you would like to display the goods. 

"It is important to keep all similar or related goods together in one place or section."

First and foremost, it is important to keep all similar or related goods together in one place or section. It may be all the new stock you have purchased e.g. all Halloween goods, but also any existing items you think could be tied into to sit alongside the new goods. If you have all related items near each other within your shop, it provides a cleaner and clearer shopping experience. In addition, it increases the chances of a customer buying not one, but 2 or 3 similar items as they can easily see products that may work well together. For example, they may visit to buy a Halloween mask, see the Halloween sweets nearby and buy both. 

This does not only apply to big events such as Halloween or Christmas, but to all of the goods in the shop. 

Window Display 

This may not be an option to all shops, however it is an often overlooked and underestimated promotional tool. As an example, we will use Halloween again. If you have window space, then you can use some of the stock that you have purchased to create a window display for Halloween. It will cast potential customers eyes and if you actually remove products from their packaging it will help towards the display being more effective. Yes, it will technically cost you the money of the goods ordered, however in relative terms, this is a very cheap and cost effective way of creating trade. 

The same could be said when displaying the merchandise inside the store. You could create a similar display inside, with a few selected goods removed from their packaging to show potential customers how good the gods are or so that they can get a hands-on feel before committing to purchasing.

For all your Pound Lines, Toys, Gardening, Christmas, Halloween and general discount store wholesale items, please visit the full range at www.discount-wholesale.co.uk. Discount Wholesale is part of the Poundworld Retail Group Ltd. This article can also be found on our Advice Centre.

Seasonal Trends and Planning Ahead

It is very important that your shop represents what people are buying in the current season. There are many to look out for and this guide will hopefully help you to know who, what, why and when. 

First of all, some trends/seasons/times of the year that can be beneficial to your business. 

For example, August. August is the end of the British summer. Hopefully you already have items for sale related to summer, such as disposable BBQ’s and sun lotion, so they should continue to sell. But, it is also prime festival season. Camping essentials should see an upturn in sales and especially if there is a music festival relatively near to your shop’s location. Not only that, but by the end of August and start of September, the Back to School push starts in earnest. 

"In order to make the most of such events and potential sales, a plan for upcoming events is the best way to start."

In order to make the most of such events and potential sales, a plan for upcoming events is the best way to start. Simply write down or print of the months of the year and write next to each one any events (e.g. Mother’s Day, Easter, Christmas etc) or seasonal happenings (e.g. Snow in January, sun in July etc) and when you next come to ordering goods, bear these in mind. Another thing of note is to plan well in advance or at least have some sort of idea which type or kind of products you would like order well before each date. 

Here is a very quick and brief run-down of events that happen each year so you can form a basis to your list. 

February - Valentine’s Day = Gift type goods e.g. small teddies, sweets etc. 
April - Mother’s Day = Small gifts suitable for Mums e.g. perfume gift sets, chocolate June - Summer is here, or at least very close = Holiday items e.g. lotion, sun glasses etc. 
Father’s Day - Small gifts suitable for Dads e.g. shower gift sets 
July - Summer well into the swing of things = BBQ e.g. disposable BBQ’s, fire-lighters etc. 
August - The end of summer is nigh but a month filled of music festivals = Camping e.g. tents, torches, sleeping bags etc. 
October - Halloween! Ideally order the stock at the end of September so you can have a whole month on sale. e.g. masks, sweets, costumes, toys etc. 
November - Christmas is a month away, all Christmas stock should be on sale e.g. wrapping paper, decorations, sweets, toys, the full works! 
December - Time for last minute Christmas shopping. 

Don’t forget, however, events that do not happen every year, but still provide a platform for sales. A great example would have been the 2012 London Olympics, with a whole host of Olympic-related products for sale. Other such opportunities exist within in sport such as: 

Football - A World Cup or Euro event can provide your business with the chance to sell football and England related goods. If England have qualified for an event, this is of course a big help! Products could include: Footballs, flags and anything with the St. George’s Flag printed on it!

For all your Pound Lines, Toys, Gardening, Christmas, Halloween and general discount store wholesale items, please visit the full range at www.discount-wholesale.co.uk. Discount Wholesale is part of the Poundworld Retail Group Ltd. This article can also be found on our Advice Centre.

Product Preview | Lets Go Fishing!

Wanting to tap into the lucrative fishing market? Whether your customers are keen fishers or just starting out, we all know how much the equipment can add up to. In order to really do it properly, all sorts of apparatus is needed. Be it reels, lines or simply a Tupperware box to keep your maggots in.

Certainly, the popularity of fishing is something that is still burgeoning and most people do it all year round. If you would like to enter this lucrative market for your store, or are already in the market place but are looking for some new high value alternatives, then Discount Wholesale has you covered.

While (sadly) we can't demonstrate how to use the products that Discount Wholesale offer (there isn't a canal or river near our base), what we can do is provide a quick video of what the products and packaging look like up close. You can watch it embedded below. Also, visit http://www.discount-wholesale.co.uk/ and search for "fishing" for the full range.

The Go Fishing! range of fishing items and goods are only available from February through to September, due to the seasonality of demand.