This may not be a ‘new’ opportunity in the sense it’s only just appeared online, but it’s certainly ‘new’ to me, and probably some of our readers. The reason I’m bringing ‘zazzle’ to your attention today is because my publisher almost snapped my hands clean off when I suggested writing a longish article about an online sales platform that doesn’t involve having your own products, your own website, or any kind of blatant selling.
This new online sales platform could help you develop your business outside of eBay
I’ll bring you the feature length article next week, but for now let me tell you a little more about zazzle to whet your appetite…
Zazzle allows you to design your own products online and for you to sell those products directly through zazzle as well as having affiliates promote them.
Sounds great, but haven’t we heard it all before? Basically, Zazzle provides you with the opportunity to create various product combinations from your own images. Now, when I checked out zazzle today and uploaded my own image to several products, including t-shirts, the end designs looked incredibly lifelike and sellable, unlike with similar ‘design-your-own’ platforms, which is why I personally think zazzle is currently THE best place to design products online and have them dropshipped direct to your buyers.
Next week I’ll tell you how to design your own products using zazzle and how to sell them on and outside of zazzle.co.uk. For now, have a look, play around with designs, look at items you might soon be selling on and outside of eBay, and make a mental note not to miss next week’s article where you’ll discover how to turn zazzle’s site into a major money maker for your business.
Why There’s Still Time to Cash In On the Last Recession
They’re talking about a double dip recession based on the financial chaos in the Eurozone and the fact that world economies are taking too long to recover from the last economic downturn. And that’s causing lots of people to lose lots of sleep… but not me. Because I personally think recessions bring major benefits to some retailers, including on eBay.
My reasoning has much to do with a threatened new recession coming close on the heels of its predecessor, because:
* Most people remember the last recession, both buyers and sellers, and they recall how they managed to save money as buyers and maximise profits as sellers. As sellers we can recall those techniques we used to stimulate orders, the incentives we gave to encourage multiple sales, the innovative ways we drove traffic from eBay to purchase more of our products away from the site. All those ideas remain fresh in our memories and can be reintroduced at will. Compare that to recessions traditionally falling ten or more years apart where skills and techniques that saved our bacon years ago may be long forgotten or no longer appropriate.
* There is still time to search online for proven tips and techniques from the past few years of economic turmoil to help our readers survive and most likely thrive in any new downturn. All you do is key something like this into the search box at Google.com:
‘Recession tips for business owners’
‘eBay recession tips’
‘Save money in a recession’.
And, you might even find you make more money during a recession than when the economy is upbeat and buoyant.
Most important of all, do not listen too much to what the press says about the economy – it’s their job to generate mass hysteria – but they’re doing it to sell more newspapers, not because their journalists know what they’re talking about. So ignore what the papers and Internet news sites say about most businesses losing profits during a recession and keep in mind that bad times can actually be good for some business owners.
This is why a recession can actually be a good thing for you and me (money wise that is):
* People tend to get scared and cut back on luxuries and non-essentials when money is in limited supply. And so they stop buying stuff they don’t really need and it’s businesses selling these non-essential products that tend to fare worst when the economy plummets. And that tells us that we definitely don’t want to be selling private number plates and diamond encrusted wedding gowns on eBay, or anywhere else until the good times return. Instead we should be marketing items that help people maintain their living standards but at a lower price. So we might consider selling second hand designer dresses, preloved toys, refurbished ornaments and small items of furniture.
* People who might buy on impulse during the good times will begin looking for value for money during a recession, and there’ll be plenty of sellers to choose from as most turn to selling cheaper, value for money goods and ignoring status symbol and luxury goods until the good times return. So firms not offering value for money will falter, unlike firms that offer genuine value at a fair price who will often fare better during a recession.
One way to all but guarantee your profits grow during an economic downturn is to make customer service your sole priority and look for ways to create and deliver real value. This lowers complaints and returns, reduces refunds and negative feedback, and paves the way for a profitable business during a recession and an even more profitable business later.
Until next week