You might not think that it is possible to create and build your own brand if you are selling through an eBay store. But eBay stores, just like any other marketplace, offer you the opportunity to customize your page, interact with your customers and showcase how you work as a business - these are vital to brand building.
Many successful brands operate through an eBay store, and others go on to set up their own private websites are having built up their brand through eBay. You can do it too, and there are many ways that you can create a brand that customers will appreciate and return to again and again.
Here we take a look at how you can build your brand through your eBay store.
Provide superior customer service
There is no doubt that one of the most important ways to show off the quality of your brand is to provide fantastic customer service. And it is certainly the case that this can be done through the eBay platform. Providing speedy replies to questions and going above and beyond whenever possible can really showcase what kind of a brand you are.
90% of customers say that customer service is an important factor in whether they choose to do business with a company - so it is really vital that you get it right. On eBay this is as simple as promptly answering questions and dealing courteously with complaints and feedback, so it couldn’t be easier.
Make sure you are promoting your eBay store
It is probably the case that eBay is only one of a number of platforms that you operate on - it may be that you have your own website, and profiles with other large eCommerce platforms such as Amazon, Etsy and more. However, many brand owners make the mistake of only promoting their own website - seeing eBay simply as a marketplace that will attract its own customers.
This is usually because, firstly, the private website gives the seller a better price (without eBay’s commission) and because that is the more natural way to promote your business. However, it is important to note that promoting your eBay store can have benefits too. For example, eBay has a great deal of brand power of its own - many people prefer the comfort of a known brand.
This might seem counterintuitive to building your brand - but this is where you can build the brand post-sale.
Add a personalized thank you card
One way to build your brand after a sale has taken place is to add a personalised thank you card with your sales. Customers like it when they feel that you are treating them as individuals. There are many ways to achieve this - but it can be extremely effective to do something simple, and it can build your brand at the same time, showing off that you think about your customers.
This can be simply added in the packaging to any purchase that is made - it’s a task that only takes a few seconds. It can additionally act as a reminder to your customer, any time that they see your card.
Send a printed brochure
It is also a great idea to send further marketing materials with every purchase that is made. When someone has bought something from you in the past, it makes them far more likely to be open to buying from you in the future. So providing a brochure that mentions all of your products can actually be a hugely valuable thing to do.
It is cheaper than ever to have professional quality promotional materials printed and these can be light enough to add nothing to the weight of the packaging. And these brochures can be entirely personalized with all of your details so that once again it can promote your brand post-purchase.
Final thoughts
It is the case that small businesses can operate successfully purely through an eBay store. But if you want to get repeat business it is vital that you have a recognizable brand that your customers can seek out and return to. Having your own eBay store brand can be a massive benefit to your brand as a whole, even if you are also operating on other platforms.
