The Sellery worker's guide to photographing, listing, and packing

From The_Sellery_wiki

Contents 1 working together 2 Entering new items into inventory 3 listings 3.1 Group items when appropriate 3.2 how to create a listing 3.2.1 Testing 3.2.1.1 testing computers 3.2.2 Using GarageSale with TheSellery.com and iPhoto to construct and post a listing 3.3 Things to think about when writing a description 3.4 Construct a great title 3.4.1 Choose the correct category 3.4.2 separate product information from condition information 4 Photographing 4.1 How to use a Canon A560 and import files over USB with iPhoto 5 Managing Listings after they are posted 5.1 Answering Questions 5.1.1 please keep in mind the following policies when answering questions from potential bidders 5.2 Correcting a mistake on a posted listing 5.2.1 Consequences of not correcting mistakes on a listing 6 Packing and shipping 6.1 Printing Labels

working together

Collaboration: Photos If you're editing inventory and you see that someone other than yourself has taken the photos, please use the photos they have stored on their computer. You can find photos on other computers from within iPhoto by looking for "Shared Libraries" under the sources list on the left-hand column in iPhoto. Expand the triangle to the left of the person's computer you wish to get photos from, and you'll find a list of their photographed inventory in the form of numbered albums. Click the album to see the photos for the item you're working with. Unfortunately, GarageSale can't import from iPhoto libraries over the network, so you'll have to drag the photos you want to your desktop and select "Add image file..." from the add photos "+" button-menu in GarageSale.

Entering new items into inventory

1. Go to http://thesellery.com
2. If prompted, log in
3. Click Inventory. A page will appear with three inventory editing options
4. Click on the one that says Show Top 30 Inventory With Description Editor.
5. Click Enter New Template
6. specify the consignor of the item in the consignor menu in the description editor
7. The inventory number for the new consignment is shown in the upper-left corner of the description editor. Write it down so you can refer to it later
8. type in the condition, the product information, and notes.
   • Condition refers to the condition of the item (new or used) and be sure to list any defects
   • the product information is the name of the item (China, Covered Butter Dish, Villeroy & Boch, Petite Fleur pattern) and be sure to list the size (oval plate, 6” x 10”), use Google search to find out information (technical aspects), the selling price, etc.
   • Notes are anything you can think of to sell an item (Made in Japan, Rare Item, perfect holiday or Christmas gift, etc.).
9. check "Reserve this work for myself"
10. select Create New Record and Stay Here and Save from the controls on the bottom right

listings

• the description of all listing must be proceeded by The Official Sellery Footer
• the return policy on the listing must include The Official Sellery Return Policy
• listings made with GarageSale must be descendents of The Official Sellery GarageSale Template
• Remember:
• remember to set the item specifics (a.k.a. attribute sets) in GarageSale for each item you list.
  • set a gallery photo for each listing
  • set a store category for each listing
  • add about 15% to the weight of an item when filling in the shipping information, and 4" to length/width/height measurements
• only state known facts about the item being listed; don't make anything up.
• verify that the item you are listing is in stock and is not currently listed. You can check this using the inventory editor; look for the (L) and (S) to the left of the title in inventory on thesellery.com
• test all equipment before listing:
  • verify that it works by plugging it in. When the item is powered on, take a photograph of it to verify this to the bidder. This will also give you a chance to familiarize yourself with the equipment.

Group items when appropriate

sometimes grouping small-value items will be at the discretion of the description writer. Remember that we have a minimum starting price of $24.99, so be sure to group accordingly.

how to create a listing

Testing

Test every item that can be tested.

testing computers

testing each computer before launching the listing. It's pretty simple to do:

Just find a compatible monitor (the one attached to the shipping computer works pretty well,) and plug it into the computer. Plug the computer into the wall, and turn the computer on. Check that it boots properly, and look for hard drive, processor speed, and memory capacity while the machine is booting. You might need to plug in a keyboard or mouse to navigate the menus if you can't see these specs on boot-up. The keyboards and mice attached to your computers will work if the computer supports USB, otherwise you can use the ones attached to the shipping computer. Please take pictures of the computer booting and of it on the final screen it produces after it boots. If you can, turn the computer off properly by choosing a "shut-down" function, but this isn't absolutely essential. Finally, reattach all components to their original computer when you are done.

Using GarageSale with TheSellery.com and iPhoto to construct and post a listing

1. in the inventory browser, place a check in the checkbox to the left of each item in inventory that you plan to export.
2. Check the XML export checkbox at the bottom of the batch inventory controls.
3. Click "Go"
4. 
5. The XML export of the inventory items will download to your computer's downloads folder
6. Open GarageSale and select "import templates" from GarageSale's "File" menu.
7. The inventory that you selected in TheSellery.com will appear in GarageSale for editing.
8. For each listing that you plan to post on eBay:
   1. click the + sign and choose "Add iPhoto image". Find the album titled with the inventory number associated with the listing you are working on and double click the album title
   2. select the photo you plan to use for the gallery image in eBay and click the picture frame icon to designate it as the gallery image
   3. if you have several pictures of a single item and you want them to appear in a certain order, drag the pictures left or right to order them as you want them to appear in the listing.
   4. click the upper arrow of Spotlight…click Aurora (at the top)…click on Images Right and make it Images Left
   5. Click the Inspector icon int he top-right of the toolbar at the top of the page to bring up the Options window
   6. click the magnifying glass next to Attribute Sets
   7. click Return Policy
   8. put a check mark in front of Returns Accepted
   9. get Custom Details and fill in the information
   10. click Item Condition (New or Used)
   11. click OK
   12. Make the duration of the listing long enough to run until the following Sunday (either 7 or 10 days)
   13. type in the starting bid of 24.99 (no $ sign).
   14. Under "options" on the inspector, click the magnifying glass and specify the category
       1. For example, if the category is Home & Garden (or whatever selection is appropriate) from the list at the left
       2. click Inside the home
       3. click Kitchen
       4. Dining & Bar…click Dinnerware and Serving Pieces
       5. click Sets
       6. click OK.
       7. Only do this for the first Category Not Set
       8. It is not necessary to specify a secondary category
   15. Specify shipping
       1. Click the magnifying glass to the right of Shipping and make sure that the word Calculated has a dot in front of it
       2. on Type, make sure to use the down arrow to see that Package/Thick Envelope is selected
       3. click the General tab and weigh the item and a shipping box on the scale…enter the weight and the box size (add two inches to the length and the width)
       4. the originating zip code is 78754
       5. click the Domestic Shipping tab
       6. use the mouse pointer to put a dot in front of Calculated
       7. make sure US Postal Service Priority is selected
       8. the Insurance type is Required
       9. Handling Costs, type 1.50 (no $ sign)
       10. click International Shipping
       11. make sure USPS Priority Mail International is selected
       12. make sure on Shipping Destinations that Worldwide is checked
       13. make sure that on International Insurance Type that Required is selected
       14. on International Handling Costs, type in 3 (no $ sign)
       15. NOW click OK.
   16. Click Advanced
       1. ignore Store Category Section
       2. SKU, type in the inventory number
       3. put a check mark in Quantity
       4. leave Item Cost blank
       5. scroll down the list
       6. click the magnifying glass next to Schedules
   17. Start the listing at 21:00 CT on whichever day of the week is next: Thursday or Sunday
   18. click Start Auction on toolbar of the GarageSale window
   19. If prompted "Are you sure you want to upload the selected auction to E-Bay?", click Start Auction agai. Cclick Continue.
   20. When GarageSale finishes posting your listing, it will show the page for your listing inside the GarageSale window.
   21. If you see a message that says “Received errors during verification”, click Cancel. Click the Inspector icon to see where you have made a mistake (usually in Shipping)

Things to think about when writing a description

Note as many measurements as you can think of. This is especially important if the item attaches to anything.

• Remember to fill out item specifics
• Testing the item is *very* important. If relevant, photograph the item when it is being tested so you can prove to potential bidders that the item works.
• Remember to look at the listing after it's been posted to eBay. Keep an eye out for problems with the layout and quality of the photos.
• Note why it is being sold
• any notable history
• anything that makes this item not in perfect condition
• in the title and description, only state the quantity that the winning bidder will receive.
• If copying lists, for example a feature list for a cell phone, format the list in HTML:

<ul>

<li>feature</li>

<li>another feature</li>

</ul>

(be sure to un-check the HTML checkbox near the upper-left of the description editor before you start using HTML in the description)

Construct a great title

Put as many descriptive keywords in the title as possible - gotcha: make sure there is a space at each end of any important word in the tile; no punctuation, etc... this works better with eBay's search engine. Save space in the title by abbreviating non-key works, g.e. for => fr, with => w/, and => &, great => gr8, Pair => Pr (or 2)

A great title: 20GB CASABLANCA MACRO SYSTEM DIGITAL EDITING UNIT [1]

it sold for $202.50

a not so great title: CASABLANCA MACROSYSTEM DIGITAL EDITING 20GB+kybrd/mouse [2]

despite coming with a keyboard and mouse, it only sold for $61.00

It could be that we saturated the market, but there's no way to tell for sure. Some things about the way the title was constructed could be improved: When people search for "macro" on eBay, it will not match to "macrosystem". It would be nice if eBay could give more room for a descriptive title, but they don't. I guess a good rule of thumb then constructing a title is to make it searchable first, descriptive second, and comprehensible third.

In short, separate important keywords with spaces.

Choose the correct category

The ID number of the category that a particular item is listed in can be extracted by mousing over the link to to see every item in the category. The category number is in the format ".../categoryNNNNNN/index.html?..."

separate product information from condition information

when constructing your description, please be sure to structure it so the condition and product information sections are clearly separated and labeled. Also, give a link to where you got your product information, similar to writing a research paper, if you use someone else's information, you need to cite your sources.

Below is an example created using the description from this listing: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110193979010

CONDITION:

This is a used Macro System Casablanca KRON Digital Video Editor. There are some scratches on the casing.
Includes power cord and adapter to switch from European SCART connections to standard US connections (RCA and S-video inputs). Does not include SmartCard or trackball.


PRODUCT INFORMATION (from http://www.videomaker.com/article/8763/ ):

The KRON is known for its ease of use and performance. Capturing, Editing, and Rendering video has never been easier. 
Also includes Pioneer DVR-AO3 DVD-R/RW drive and Arabesk DVD authoring software for authoring DVDs. 
An external NTSC monitor can be linked to the S-video port.
Transfer via the IEEE 1394 port to a DV camcorder or out the S-video or composite to a VCR.

TECH SPECS 
* Operation System: proprietary Kron OS 1.5d 
* Processor: AMD-K6-IIIE+ 500MHz 
* RAM: 64MB RAM 
* Hard Disk: 40GB IDE hard drive 
* Other Hardware: 
* IEEE 1394 (i.LINK, FireWire) 
* External SCSI interface 
* Video and VGA monitor ports with 800x600 or 1024x768 resolution

Photographing

The Gallery pic is the most important photo in the listing.

It must be taken in a well lit environment at the proper angle. If item fits on photo table, take a picture of it at an angle so it is facing to the right but the left front corner of the item is pointing at your left rib. When you edit and/or crop the photo be sure it does not get stretched over 75%.

Notes for photographs: If the size of the item isn't obvious, include something in the photograph for reference; i.e. a quarter, a soda can, or your hand.

When photographing items for a consignor be sure to remove any and all labels, stickers, post its, papers with writing on them from the item.

Our consignors privacy is very important to us and any information shown in the photographs will be seen by hundreds of people.

this also makes the auctions look better and cleaner and will get you higher selling prices.

when editing photos on the computer, use the "enhance" button where appropriate. It works well most of the time; sometimes it doesn't. The "adjust" controls are also helpful, specifically the "exposure", "temperature", and "levels" sliders. Play around with them and see what they can do for the photo.

remember to get enough lighting. Shadows cast across your object are your enemy. If the overhead lights produce too much reflection or glare, consider your options:

• photograph it outside in the shadows.
• increase the ISO on the camera (the trade-off is graininess vs. increased sensitivity to light)
• increase the exposure (the trade-off is higher sensitivity to light vs. risk of blurring the photograph from accidentally moving the camera; using a tripod can help eliminate this)

remember to have iPhoto delete all photos from the memory card when importing photos.. Otherwise, the card will get very full, and importing will take longer every time it's done.

When cropping photographs, favour wide photos rather then tall photos; this works better with GarageSale's photo resizing methods

get creative with perspective. top, bottom, right, and left is not enough; take a few shots from side-angles so the viewer gets an idea of the real shape of the object; even if it's a well-known commodity.

How to use a Canon A560 and import files over USB with iPhoto

Before photographing, make sure that the item has an associated inventory record so you can use the inventory number to title the photo album with images of the itsm

1. Turn on the camera by pressing the small button on the top of the camera
2. Make sure that the mode selector switch is pointing to the camera icon (the up position).
3. For the camera in 150: the camera will ask you to set the date and time every time it is turned on. This is a problem with the camera, and the quickest way around it is to just press the "set" button in the middle of the circle button to the right of the display.
4. Wait for the room will come into focus on the camera's display.
5. Focus on the item to be photographed. If doing a close-up (macro) shot, press the button with the tulip icon until the tulip icon appears on the camera's display.
6. Take as many pictures as needed to accurately document the appearance of the item
7. If Eye-Fi is not installed or not working:
   1. When you are finished taking photos, connect the camera to the computer via the USB cable to upload the picture(s) to the computer.
   2. wait for iPhoto to launch when the camera is connected to the computer.
   3. click Canon Power Shot in the groups list in the left pane on iPhoto
   4. "Import All" to import the pictures.
   5. When the computer has imported all the photos from the camera, it will ask if you would like to Delete All pictures from the digital camera. Click "delete all"
   6. The last set of photos that you imported will be available under the group called "Last Import"
8. click Edit
9. click Crop
10. For each photo that you plan to include in the listing:
    1. drag the cropping square around the part of the photo that you want to include in the listing. Aim for detail while excluding irrelevant surroundings.
    2. Click the "next / right arrow" button
    3. When you have cropped all photos, click "crop on the floating pallette"
11. Click "done" to return to the photo maanger in iPhoto
12. For each inventory item that you photographed
    1. Select the photos of the inventory item (hold Shift to select photos in series, and command (⌘) to add individual photos to the selected set)
    2. Select "new album from selection" from iPhoto's file mens command key equivalent: Shift + command (⌘) + N
    3. title the album with the inventory number of the item that you photographed
    4. click "Create".

Managing Listings after they are posted

Answering Questions

Go to http://my.ebay.com to open Selling Manager. Click the link titled "Listings with questions". Answer each question.

For each question posted:

1. answer it
2. put a check mark in front of "Send a copy to my e-mail address"
3. put a check mark in front of "Post this question and response on my listing so all buyers can see it"
4. click the Send button.

please keep in mind the following policies when answering questions from potential bidders

• we do not offer buy-it-now on active listings unless this has been pre-negotiated with the consignor under the high-starting-price listing service.

Correcting a mistake on a posted listing

To fix your mistake do the following: On the page of the listing that you need to correct:

1. click "Revise your item" (on the left side of the window)
2. scroll down until you find the error in the listing
3. correct the mistake
4. scroll to the bottom of the page
5. click Continue
6. scroll down to the bottom of the page
7. click "Submit Revisions".

Consequences of not correcting mistakes on a listing

You have until the manager corrects the mistake or the end of the auction before you receive an eBay No-No strike to your sellery account for your mistake.

Please fix your mistakes as soon as possible.

Mistakes include but are not limited to:

• Not enough keywords in title
• bad gallery pic
• no model number or specs in description

Packing and shipping

All listings should offer the following services whenever they are applicable for shipping the item:

• USPS Priority Mail
• USPS Parcel Post
• UPS Ground

When specifying shipping weight and dimension on the listing, account packing materials by:

• increasing the dimensions by 2" on each side (4" per dimension"
• increasing the weight by about 15% to 20%

Remember to always over-estimate if you are not 100% certain of the shipping weight and dimensions. Under-estimating the shipping weight and dimensions may result in a net loss of revenue after the item is shipped. The lister will be held financially accountable if a net loss results from underestimating weight and dimension.

Each package should include the following:

• a business card for The Sellery eBay Consignment Services (use Armando's card)
• a business card for The Sellery Tools for consignment shops (use Thomas's card)
• any other promotional materials provided for you.
• a sales invoice is e-mailed to the buyer, so it is not necessary to include this in the shipment unless the buyer specifically requests one

If you are unsure of where to get these materials, ask your manager and they will show you where they are.

USPS Postage Calculator

If you need to secure one part of an item to another part of the same item, for example, the lid of a scanner, please use the stretch-wrap. Please DON'T use tape or anything else that will leave a residue on the item.

If you have at least one large package or more than a few packages, and are relying on the USPS to pick up your packages, please order a carrier pick-up from USPS:

• USPS Carrier Pick-up
  • at least two of the packages in the shipment must be sent using USPS priority mail.
  • Please be sure that no valuable un-insured packages are left where anyone can take them. If this is the case, either drive them directly to the post-office, or notify a manager.

Printing Labels

If you accidentally send something you don't intend to send to the DYMO, you can just clear out the printing queue by clicking on the printer icon in the system tray on the lower-right corner of the screen, selecting all the jobs, right-clicking, and choosing "cancel".