For one who has made his living in creating visuals for marketing and
advertising we try and tell our customers that advertising is really not
an expense--it's an investment or at the very least simply the cost of
staying in business. Nothing invested--nothing gained! You can invest
your entire savings in the stock market where you make a killing or be
killed in short order. Or you can invest nothing and certainly receive
nothing in return.
The old rule of thumb was that a moderate to large retail type business
typically invests 10% of the gross in advertising. Smaller businesses
generally have to up that % just to get noticed. My industrial clients
typically invest less than that after a big product introduction. I've
never had a good idea about our hobby, but with so many ways to reach
small groups, but never the entire mass, it's probably not easy.
Some of my best friends run through eBay listing every day, while once a
week is enough for me. I do sell my excess items and those of a friends
fairly frequently. We haven't noticed a big fee increase but we don't
have a storefront either.
Bob Werre
David,
As an individual who already knows your website, I would prefer to buy
direct from that website.
That said, I am also a past small business owner. And Peter makes a
great point regarding the advertising exposure regarding ebay. The
ebay expense could be regarded as an advertising expense.
I am an example of that. Eight years ago I did not own a single model
train of any kind. After once mentioning that I had American Flyer as
a kid, my wife found them for sale on ebay - which I had never been on
at that point. I had no idea American Flyer trains still existed, and
assumed they all were in trash cans many years prior. I now have well
over 100 locomotives and my interests have migrated more to scale. I
suspect that I am not the only one that is into this hobby and knows
about your website because of ebay...
But then, how does one know about your website solely by ebay
shopping, as apparently your website can not be listed on ebay ads? I
suspect that is thru your presence on Yahoo Groups.
--- In [email protected] <mailto:S-Scale%40yahoogroups.com>,
Pieter Roos <pieter_roos@...> wrote:
>
> Hi David;
>
> If I know someone has a website, I'm just as happy buying directly.
The only question is how much advertising exposure do you get through
your Ebay store? If most of the customers there are new, then how do
you replace that advertising?
>
> If most are repeat customers, the only question becomes getting them
to go to your website instead.
>
> Pieter E. Roos
>
> --- On Fri, 1/20/12, David <reujan2000@...> wrote:
>
> Do to the rising cost and anti-small business sentiment associated
with the EBAY ORGANIZATION we are considering closing our EBAY STORE
or at least scaling it way back. It is getting to the point, do to
EBAY'S ever increasing fees and regulations, that in future our
clients will be paying more for their items at EBAY than at our web
site at www.lbrenterprisesllc.com We have the same items their and a
whole lot more (more than 900 items) and, except where noted, we have
FREE SHIPPING. Plus you may still use PAY PAL to pay for your
purchases or, unlike EBAY, you can pay by check or money order.
> We are asking you to reply to this email with your thoughts on this
move as we always think about our clients well being NOT EBAY'S profits.
> Thank you all for your continuing support.
>
> "The Crew At LBR"
> www.lbrenterprisesllc.com
>
