eBay Up-and-comer: The path to successful online selling on our marketplace
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With the eBay Start-Up program, eBay has already helped many sellers get off to an effective start on our marketplace. In times of the pandemic, a quick and straightforward entry into online retail was more important than ever - especially for brick-and-mortar retailers affected by store closures. The free eBay Start-Up program is aimed at ambitious new merchants who want to build their business on eBay quickly and effectively. During a six-month intensive phase, eBay supports participants with advice and hands-on help.
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David: Hello dear listeners! Welcome to our new podcast episode for our sellers and, of course, everyone who wants to become one. I'm glad you're tuned in again, and I'm equally glad that my podcast colleague Tino is back with us again.
Tino: Yes, hello David! I'm happy to be hosting the podcast with you again today, and we have two great guests with us again who will be answering our questions about the Start-Up program today. I'd like to warmly welcome first Katrin Hoffmann, who is primarily responsible for the Start-Up program at eBay. Hello Katrin!
Katrin: Hello! Thanks for the invitation. I'm happy to be here.
David: And I'm delighted that we also have a seller by our side today, namely Maximilian Uhlenberg from Greenwork Tools, who took part in the Start-Up program himself and can give us exciting insights today. Hello Maximilian!
Maximilian: Hello everyone! Thanks for the invitation.
Tino: Yes, hello! And Katrin, would you maybe like to, ah lovely, get started and tell us a bit about yourself? What exactly do you do at eBay and how long have you been with us?
Katrin: Exactly. I've been with eBay since 2015, so now for almost seven years, and I started as a customer service employee and then pretty quickly became a team leader for what are now several projects. Among other things, we also helped small private sellers take their first steps on eBay and list on eBay, or create listings on eBay. And now since 2020/2021, exactly, I've been overseeing the Start-Up program with a total of 15 employees, and we then support the sellers who take part with us.
David: Very nice. Maximilian, of course we'd also like to know more about you, and surely so would our listeners. Can you tell us a bit more about yourself and what you do at Greenwork Tools?
Maximilian: Exactly. My name is Maximilian Uhlenberg, I'm 31 years old, and I come from Stuttgart in beautiful Swabia. I'm working in e-commerce at Greenworks Tools as a Key Account Manager. For those who don't know them: they're a manufacturer of battery-powered garden tools.
Tino: Yes, very nice, and I'm actually very happy that we can shed light on the Start-Up program from both sides today. On the one hand, from the internal eBay perspective, so to speak. But what I find even more exciting is the participant's point of view. So from you, Maximilian. Of course, we've come up with a few questions again, and I think David can just start with them now!
David: Let's get started, yes. Katrin, could you briefly explain for everyone who is hearing the word today, so not Start-Up, but the Start-Up program, for the first time, what the Start-Up program actually is and how it came about in the first place?
Katrin: Yes, the Start-Up program itself has been around for a while, although it also had different names at times. It started as a smaller project at eBay, where the goal was to specifically approach local retailers in order to give them the opportunity to build a second source of income, so to speak, by simply starting to trade online. At the time, it was really just a pure advisory program. The idea was simply to offer these people help so that it would be a little more accessible for them. Because if you've been running a retail store or a family business for 20 years, then topics like this often get neglected, and that's how it basically started. Around 2019, more or less. But then shortly after that came the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, along with the fact that stores had to close and everything was restricted. As a result, interest in online retail in general naturally increased, and we of course also wanted to do something to specifically support exactly those sellers we had previously tried to reach. And then the team was expanded, of course, from five to 20 employees at the time. We still had huge demand. Many sellers contacted us every day, wanted to get started, and wanted help. And during this process or period, we also decided to provide additional support to the sellers and turned it into this six-month program. I call it a support program. And that means it includes not only advice, but also access to our premium customer service, three months of free selling fees, so that you can list for three months without any financial risk, and at the same time six months of the premium store free of charge, so that you can basically build your online presence through the store, and have a small budget to promote your items via our ads. And yes, that's how it continued. It was very successful, even after the stores were allowed to reopen. It all happened in phases, after all. Exactly, and it was very well received. Then we renamed it to the current name Start-Up and decided to open it up to a broader audience, so that new sellers can sign up. Or sellers who haven't been active on eBay for a long time and would now like to get back in. Or sellers in general who are at a certain level and would simply like advice to become even more successful.
Tino: You already touched on this a bit, what does a start look like? How does eBay help sellers with onboarding on our platform, so to speak, and what's in it for eBay?
Katrin: As I said, the program runs for six months. For me, the biggest part is naturally the advice, even if these financial benefits are of course not to be underestimated. But I think that's the most valuable thing, because these are employees who have been at eBay for a very long time, who have been able to gain a lot of experience there, and who simply know the ropes and understand how it works. And these employees then support the seller and help them develop their presence, their online appearance. Of course, it always depends on where the seller is currently, at what stage or in which phase. We help with opening the account, we give tips on everything that needs to be done. Where do you store the legal information? You need a VAT number. There are many things a commercial seller has to do so that the listing is legally compliant. And even if we can only advise to some extent, we can definitely help. Where can they turn to get the definitive answers? Where do they enter this on eBay, on the page itself? And then another very big and important part is, of course, as soon as the first item is online and ready for sale, helping everyone so that the item is found as well as possible and then, of course, once it is found, also purchased. And there are also many things a seller has to pay attention to, which, I can say from my own experience, are different on every platform. There is no one-size-fits-all recipe that you can google once and then know how it works on every platform out there. Rather, there are certain things on eBay that you have to pay attention to, and they're very individual, and of course the advisor helps with that too and tries to optimize those items accordingly so that the chances of selling are maximized. Of course, we also benefit from sellers knowing how to operate within the eBay system. What's important is that these sellers generate higher revenue in the long run, sell their items at a better price, sell more, and of course remain active on the platform longer and more sustainably. Of course, we've also looked into this. Sellers who take part in our program compared to sellers who don't take part in the program. Our sellers are often better positioned in terms of service status as well. They know what matters when it comes to shipping on time and how to deal with customer inquiries. They also manage to make their first sale faster, get their first item listed faster, and compared to the others, they also reach a certain sales level more quickly, which they can then maintain in the long run. And that is then our benefit from the program, basically like a scholarship. You invest at the beginning in order to be more successful in the long run.
David: Very nice. How is the program received by sellers? You already said there was very, very high demand at the beginning. Is that still the case? And above all, the other question: you already mentioned that the sellers go through the program. Does the start also work long-term for the sellers?
Katrin: To the first question: yes, the program is still very well received. Of course, now that the stores are open again, registration numbers have gone down. We're no longer in a situation where we can barely keep up with demand. Still, there are regular registrations, there are recommendations, and of course we also look at who is signing up on eBay and then proactively invite sellers whom we believe could benefit greatly from the program. I'm sure Max can also say a lot about whether it's worthwhile for sellers. My answer is, of course, a clear yes. I already said it: you get first-hand experience, and virtually free of charge, about what you need to pay attention to on eBay in order to be successful. And on top of that, at the beginning you can simply try out many things. Through the store and the free commission, and you can really fail or make mistakes and it's not that bad. There aren't any financial downsides then, but you can also see what works. What should you keep doing? Which items sell well? In general, just finding your routine, and this definitely helps with that, exactly. Before the recording we had already talked about it, we currently have many successful sellers especially in the model railroads area. I think our most expensive example in that area is a retailer who also started selling on eBay during the pandemic. Really from scratch, with all the setup and so on, who by the end of the program was already generating six-figure annual revenue with his items. And yes, that's a success story, and we have quite a few of those.
Tino: Great! Maximilian, now let's come to you! And before I ask you whether it's all even worth it, I'd first like to know from you: how did it come about that you took part in the Start-Up program?
Maximilian: Yes, as mentioned at the beginning, I come from a brand manufacturer, and at the moment there's a trend toward D2C, which means Direct to Customer. Manufacturers are increasingly selling directly to end customers, and since selling to end customers is of course not the manufacturer's core business, it's important to focus on the relevant and important partners you can work well with. And for us, we found that eBay could be one of those partners. And now we've used this Start-Up program to really test whether that is the case. I had a small advantage in that I had already worked with eBay a bit before. In the past two or three years before I started at Greenworks Tools, I already had contact with eBay and then asked there what it was like with a new account if we wanted to build one. And my former key account manager then immediately pointed me to the fact that there was currently this Start-Up program, in which new sellers, but also sellers who already have experience, can participate and are very strongly supported in setting up a new shop and a new account.
Tino: And I think signing up is really easy too. We have a homepage for that, a landing page. Of course, we'll link that in the show notes too. But I think signing up goes pretty easily through that, right?
Maximilian: Yes, exactly. So my contact person simply forwarded me the link, explained it briefly. I mean, it's really easy: I enter my email address, say that I'd like to take part in the program. I might be able to open a shop beforehand, or I wait until the contact person gets in touch with me, and then the introductory steps are carried out quite normally and easily. That means you sign up, you get contacted by an eBay employee, and then you go through the shop registration with them. Or if you've already created the shop, then the shop is basically linked to the Start-Up program.
David: And Maximilian, could you explain from the seller's perspective what exactly eBay does with you sellers in the program? You just said there's a kind of kick-off meeting and then they first take a look. What happens after that?
Maximilian: Exactly, so there is a small kick-off, then an eBay employee gets in touch. In my case, it was Cem. I've already built a very good relationship with him too. Over the last five months that I've been part of the program, we've met virtually every two or three weeks. Then we discussed the points in the account and shop that need to be improved or addressed. At the beginning, these are topics like the ones I just mentioned, such as legal matters, so that we're protected in case there should be a legal dispute. That we've entered the correct company details. VAT, ID, address, etc., and setting up the right people, customer service. And later in the program, it's also about optimizing items. When you start listing items, the pictures have to fit, the description has to fit, everything should look coherent, so it looks like a proper shop. Speaking of shop: you can of course also build your own shop. These are things that you're repeatedly reminded of, and as I said, every two or three weeks the contact person comes by and gives you a small package that you then work through over the next two or three weeks. Then you go into the next conversation and then, so to speak, the next tasks come up. Over a period of six months, which I think is also very well chosen for building an account, you gradually get the chance to build a successful shop from 0 to 100, which of course is not that easy for someone who may not have any experience with eBay at all. And especially the benefits of not having to pay commission at the beginning and not having to pay shop fees naturally also help with the decision of whether I want to open this shop. Because of course, if there's no risk, the decision becomes much easier.
Tino: Yes, I actually took part in a kick-off call like that myself. Greetings to Juli, by the way! So that was great, because even we as eBay employees can learn a lot from it and it's also very exciting, especially in communication with our sellers.
Maximilian: Yes, exactly. And above all, such a contact person naturally has another perspective on the account. I of course always see it through my own eyes, I'm familiar with the items, I know my stuff. And then you mostly become a bit blind. You have blinders on, you only look in one direction, you know how it should be and what it looks like. But when someone from outside comes in again who knows the system very well, then you have completely different possibilities and can see points that otherwise wouldn't stand out to you.
Tino: Absolutely, I can sign off on that right away! Katrin, I'd like to come back to the benefits. You've already named a few. Especially the support at the beginning until an account or, yes, a Start-Up seller is up and running. But there are a few more advantages, and maybe we can go a bit deeper into those, because that's really interesting.
Katrin: Exactly, you probably mean the selling fees and the store. Yes, that's right. In addition to the advice, that's basically what allows for a risk-free start and initially gives a seller the opportunity to simply try things out and, above all, gives time to set things up properly. As you already nicely said, sometimes you have a bit of tunnel vision. I can only confirm that. Things where you naturally think: yes, that's obvious. But it's almost unbelievable how often in an item that is a sneaker, the word sneakers or sneaker is missing, where you look at it and say: "Well, if that's a sneaker, then you have to put that in the title too." But those are exactly the kinds of things that sometimes get a bit lost in the heat of the moment, because as a seller you always know exactly what you're selling, and it may also be a bit difficult, especially when it comes to the item description, to do that yourself. And during this time, when we of course first cover the costs and thus remove the risk, you can try these things out once and then, of course, optimize them so that as soon as you get into the phase where it becomes chargeable again, you already know what you're doing and don't have to pay dearly for those beginner mistakes, so to speak.
David: Maximilian, when you look back on your time in the eBay Start-Up program, do you see it that way too? Is it really the case that you say: okay, during that time I was able not only to learn a lot, but also to try a lot of things, and that then helps on the further path at eBay.
Maximilian: Yes, definitely. Especially in the first six months, when the account isn't really set up yet or, rather, when you're in the phase of setting up the account completely, you can definitely try things that you might not otherwise do. Maybe try out items you'd never otherwise sell. You can play a bit with sales promotions, you can create a coupon or a voucher. Just try things out without having the risk of immediately getting hit financially because you accidentally sold too many devices or something like that, at a low price. It's definitely a good six-month test to see whether eBay is the right platform for you too. Because it may well be that after six months you realize: ah, wait, this isn't the right sales channel for me after all. But it's just as much the case that you can say, you try it for six months and realize, okay, it's exactly the right sales channel. Exactly like it is for us now. So for me it was a very big success. Especially through the personal contact person, I learned and picked up a lot that I might otherwise never have noticed. For example, that as authorized sellers, since we're manufacturers ourselves, we have this badge showing that we are authorized, and especially that we're now in eBay fulfillment. These are things I probably would have come across on my own eventually, after six or seven months, after a year or so, but it was brought up offensively and directly, proactively, and therefore we were able to get started right away. And after these six months, I think I'm now very well equipped to really get off to a great start!
Tino: And we actually had Steven Marks as a podcast guest here together with Orange Connex. I think that was the second episode.
David: That's right! Yes, we'll gladly link it too. Otherwise, you can find all of them as well. Max, I find it super exciting what you said, that you were also able to test things yourself. Was there perhaps a surprise, something you didn't expect, that became apparent to you through all this testing around?
Maximilian: Yes, above all I noticed that items sell that might not sell nearly as well on other platforms. For example, at least for us, the average order value is higher than on other platforms, which is of course a very nice side effect. Above all, we have 24-volt devices, 40, 60 and 80 volt, and normally 80 volt is something you sell in America. Bigger better, always huge and nice and all that. That's normal for gardens, I would think. Maybe not so relevant in Germany, but we still sell quite a lot there, especially in the high-end segment, which was a big surprise for me, because we had already thought, okay, maybe we could move this range out, but there seems to still be a customer base, and we found them on eBay.
Katrin: And so I think it's just always very important that these are not things you know in advance. Our employees can't predict that beforehand either. You just have to try it out and experiment a bit. And of course that also takes time, but within the program you can take that time and also have an advisor who can provide you with data. Who can support you, with whom you can discuss things like that.
Tino: And Katrin, what do I as a seller need to do to be able to participate in the program at all? Are there any requirements?
Katrin: Yes, as already said, the program is mainly aimed at new sellers or sellers who haven't been active on eBay for a longer time recently, which is almost the same thing. If you've been out for a year or two, so much has changed that you're basically starting from scratch again. So those are the criteria. In principle, we do want the program to be open to everyone. That means anyone who is interested can simply register via the landing page. Then there is a getting-to-know-you conversation and we see what we can do for the seller. In most cases, of course, we invite them into the program and they receive the advice. But we're not the only program that supports and advises sellers. That means even if it turns out that someone isn't really suitable or would be better off elsewhere, then we recommend them onward. And there's always something you can do for sellers.
David: So definitely just give it a try and sign up. And if the program isn't the right fit, maybe we simply have another product.
Katrin: Exactly, there's definitely always a program that's a good fit. And for anyone who wants to remember it now, eBay.de/Durchstarter, very easy, and just fill out the form there.
David: Very nice. I thought it was super interesting to really look at the Start-Up program from both sides. Especially the perspective of a seller was very exciting. To see how much you can learn in that time and also through experimenting learn more about your own assortment and see that what I didn't even expect is indeed the case here. I think that's exactly what makes the Start-Up program, to some extent, this protected space for learning and experimenting. And I think it's great that we can offer that to our sellers. Many thanks Katrin, for the exciting and interesting insights into what we offer as eBay. Maximilian, thank you for sharing your experience with us. And once again: all information about the Start-Up program can be found in the show notes for this episode.
Tino: Yes, and now we're already at the end of our podcast, but you won't get away without one last question for both of you. First to you, Katrin: what did you last buy on eBay?
Katrin: Last on eBay? I bought two things. One was a little woven basket bag shaped like a strawberry, and a PlayStation.
Tino: Oh very nice! The four or the five?
Katrin: The five, and I still got one, yes.
Tino: A dream!
Katrin: Yes!
Tino: And for you, Maximilian, this is the perfect question: what did you last sell on eBay?
Maximilian: Privately or for business?
Tino: I'd first like to know the business side.
Maximilian: If we haven't sold something again by now, that would have been a battery-powered lawn mower with charger, the last time I checked this morning.
Tino: Oh, exciting! I only have a balcony, so no lawn mower, but you probably still have other things in your portfolio, right?
Maximilian: We can definitely find something there!
Tino: Very nice.
David: And what did you buy on eBay?
Maximilian: The last thing I bought was probably clip-in pedals for my road bike.
David: Very exciting! Once again, thanks so much for your time. Thanks for listening. Of course, we're always very happy to receive your feedback on our podcast. Feel free to write to us in the eBay Community about your experiences. Also if you've taken part in the programs. Feel free to leave us your feedback on the Start-Up program or other programs, or just questions! We'll be happy to pass them on to the colleagues. If you have praise for your contact person, that's also always welcome. We'll be happy to pass that on. Otherwise, of course, we'd be very happy if you could leave us a subscription or a like wherever you're listening to us right now. And if possible, maybe a rating.
Tino: Yes, many thanks to Kathrin, many thanks to Maximilian, for being here with us today and telling us about the Start-Up program. And thank you too, David. It was once again a pleasure to have you as co-host here, as always. And with that, I'll say goodbye and see you next podcast.
David: Many thanks for everything.
Katrin: Bye. Take care.
David: Bye.
Maximilian: Bye.
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4 comments
jostsneue2
·1 year agoHello refurber-de
refurber-de
·3 years agoI’m chiming in on the question too, because I make my living mainly as a freelancer in software development and as an IT service provider.
Now, two months ago I started trading (online) in used and refurbished computer and electronics parts. All of this on a ridiculously small scale for a full-time trader. I’m just a one-person operation and, thanks to software development etc., I only have limited resources. For me, online trading is a kind of “test balloon,” and I’m using as few resources and financial means as possible for it — meaning it all happens in my office space, where I also provide my IT services.
As someone who has already once suffered a shipwreck in their professional life with a large bank loan, I’m a “once bitten, twice shy” kind of person in this respect and no longer work with other people’s capital in my life (privately as well as professionally). Financially, I live (by choice) at a very low level and have reduced my costs accordingly. So what I do professionally should be extremely low-risk. It can certainly grow, but with the minimum possible risk.
So my questions are: do you even want people like me in your program? And what happens after the go-getter program? Do you suddenly end up stuck with various paid services that were free before because of the program? If so, for how long and to what extent are you then obligated?
Best regards
podcast@ebay
Hello @jostsneue2 ,
We also definitely have small businesses in the Durchstarter program. Anyone who brings time and motivation for consultation and business optimization is always very welcome with us.
We also advise on worldwide shipping and explain the pros and cons, but of course nothing is mandatory and in the end the seller always decides how they want to run their account and what they can also handle in terms of their setup. The advisor, as well as the free sales commission and the free shop, definitely allow them to try out at no cost and with no risk what works for them – of course accompanied by professional advice.
After the 6 months, each participant can continue their business on eBay, choose a suitable shop, and hopefully has taken away a lot from the consultation for the future.
If you would like more information, you are welcome to register via ebay.de/durchstarter. This is followed by an initial introductory meeting and then you can consider whether you would like to take part, and at the same time we can discuss with you whether participation is the right thing for you.
Kind regards,
Your eBay Podcast Team
jostsneue2
·4 years agoIs the EBAY starter also recommended for operators of small businesses? As the description in the introduction suggests, worldwide trading would be the goal with it. However, I’ve heard that with "shipping abroad" you have to expect multiple hurdles. Packaging law, customs, etc. That’s surely not really ideal for a small business, right? Who has experience with this? What happens after the first half-year of the free "starter"?
Who can give me some advice on this?
Thanks in advance, kind regards,