Store Tips for Holiday Sales

As the holiday season approaches, the best selling season also approaches. Anyone with a store, online or brick and mortar, will tell you that their sales jump up during this time of the year. If you are selling from your store on eBay, Amazon, Auctiva, your own website, or any other online store, taking advantage of the holiday buying fever that seems to increase each year is nothing but common sense. But how do you do that?

1. Decorate Your Store - Add some holiday graphics to help visitors to your store get in the holiday buying mood.
2. Have a Sale - Pre-holiday sales can help jump start your selling season. People who come to your store for the sale may come back and bring their friends (via word-of-mouth) even when the sale is over. There are many procrastinators out there. Get them to buy early or they may end up buying elsewhere on the eve of the holiday.
3. Advertise Your Store - Put up flyers, send ads out to your email list, get your store on some of the bump sites, use Twitter, tell people on Facebook and MySpace about your store, consider using Google Adwords, etc.
4. Stock up on what will sell - Think gift items and consider using the pre-wrapped "Gift" shipping option for your eBay listings! Also, try to stock up on items that are HOT!
5. Shop for Closeouts Now - If you live near a summer resort area, everything is on sale now! Many of those items will make great gifts. You can also haggle if you are buying in quantity for resale. My friend Jen at Down the Shore with Jen just posted about End of Season Deals.
   
6. Use Buy it now style listings - People are often stressed out at this time of year and will not waste time with auctions.
7. Offer free shipping on some items- Many buyers come to the online world at this time of year to avoid the crowds and the time needed to shop.Not having to compare shipping costs from seller to seller simplifies and shortens their experience.
8. Start Now! - There is a lot to do to get ready. Don't wait until October or November. Many people start their holiday shopping soon after Labor Day.

Hope you can put these tips to use. Best wishes for a successful holiday selling season.