Selling is what you do best. But even the most experienced sellers can benefit from tapping into seasonal trends, events and cultural moments. To save you time, we’ve highlighted some key dates in Q2 to help you optimise your inventory, plan sales events, and take advantage of surges in searches.
Spring into action this Easter (9 April)
From Easter eggs to the rise of more thoughtful and sustainable slow gifting, there’s no end of products that will appeal to buyers this Easter. But with the days gradually growing longer, now is also the perfect time to start prioritising Home & Garden goods, as people get spring-ready, host Easter parties, and brave the elements with (probably premature) BBQs.
May’s abundance of bank holidays – including an extra bank holiday for King Charles III’s coronation - is all the more reason to get ready for a rise in backyard bashes. This is backed up by eBay Ads insights from recent bank holidays, where searches for ‘sunlounger’ rose by a massive 221% over the course of the long weekend between 29-31 May 2021. Searches for ‘deck chair’ and ‘garden sofa’ also surged by 197% and 115%, respectively, in the same timeframe*.
Given the current economic climate, it’s likely shoppers will continue to be on the lookout for added value. One way you can provide this is with seller managed services for bulky items - enabling you to offer buyers everything from the assembly of furniture to the removal of old items and packaging, and more!
Embracing ‘recommerce’ this Earth Day (22 April)
Every year, Earth Day brings together millions of people from around the world to raise awareness of the urgent action that’s needed to protect our planet. It’s by no means a retail moment, but its ever-growing momentum is a reminder of the role that businesses of all sizes can play in championing a circular economy.
Our latest Recommerce Report reveals how eBay sellers and buyers are at the heart of this, helping to build a worldwide marketplace where recommerce thrives. In 2022 alone, 1.6 million metric tonnes of carbon and 76,000 metric tonnes of waste were avoided through the selling of pre-loved and refurbished items on eBay**.
But beyond just helping the planet, recommerce also opens the door to new opportunities (and buyers). Of the 7,459 global buyers we surveyed, 90% said they’d purchased pre-loved goods on eBay in the past year - with refurbished tech and vintage fashion leading the way.
So, as winter coats start giving way to summer wardrobes - and our Authenticity Guarantee is expanded to include more sneaker models - there’s no time like the present to tap into the pre-loved fashion moment.
Cash in on Collectables
Back in 2020, trading cards saw something of a resurgence, as lockdowns led to the rediscovery of old hobbies - and the resurfacing of old card binders. eBay was at the centre of it all, with searches soaring and overall trading card sales on eBay climbing 142% in the year - with Pokémon leading the pack, averaging five card sales a minute***.
Fast-forward to today and the momentum is still going strong. This was very much the case in recent weeks when the listing of a legendary 1998 Pikachu Illustrator on eBay sparked a global media frenzy. But even if you don’t have a Pikachu Illustrator tucked away in your garage - or a spare £400,000 lying around to purchase one - there are no end of ways to cash in on collectables.
A good starting point is to join us at the London Card Show at Sandown Racecourse on 22 and 23 April. On the day, you’ll have the opportunity to network with like-minded sellers and buy, sell, or trade to your heart’s content. In the meantime, new or seasoned collectors who want to get in on the action can browse the latest Collectables trends on eBay.
Tee-rific ideas for Father’s Day (18 June)
From DIY tools to personalised gifts, eBay is a one-stop gifting shop this Father’s Day. But with the occasion falling on 18 June, it’s also flanked by a jam-packed sporting schedule, providing extra options for your inventory.
For golf lovers, the Masters (3 April), PGA Championship (18 May), US Open (15 June) and 151st Open Championship (20 July) are all likely to spark a surge in golf clubs and attire. Tennis nuts are also well catered for with the French Open (28 May) and Wimbledon (3 July). But arguably the star in this year’s sporting calendar is the long-awaited return of the Ashes to UK shores, which is sure to see cricket memorabilia be knocked for six.
eBay’s expansive catalogue of car parts and accessories is also a go-to for buyers in the run up to Father’s Day. But beyond simply catering to dads, recent eBay Ads insights also reveals how the parts and accessories opportunity is expanding, with Brits - especially younger generations - increasingly turning to DIY and pre-loved parts to fix up their cars.
5 ways to maximise these sales opportunities
1. Continue to optimise your listings
The better optimised your listings are, the higher your impressions (and hopefully conversion) will be. Explore our top tips to help boost your sales, for advice on listing titles and images - and the benefits of ending stagnant listings and instead relisting your items.
2. Stand out with Promoted Listings
Our suite of Promoted Listings products are a powerful way to help your items stand out on eBay. Following feedback from sellers, we also recently released Broad match: a new keyword match type available for Promoted Listings Advanced campaigns.
3. Use fast, tracked delivery options
To help you provide a smooth delivery experience, we recommend the use of fast, tracked delivery options. Doing so not only gives your buyers more visibility, it also helps to prevent the opening of “item not received” cases and gives you extra protection.
4. Leverage flexible funding with Capital for eBay Business Sellers
If you’re looking to source new seasonal products, Capital for eBay Business Sellers - in partnership with YouLend - gives you access to fast, flexible funding. Any funding you receive can also be repaid as you earn through a percentage of your eBay sales.
5. Safeguard your business with enhanced seller protections
We’re always striving to protect sellers and keep our marketplace safe. One way we’re supporting this is by enabling Top Rated and Above Standard sellers to offer partial refunds, as well as the option to request credits for returns labels issued on “item not as described” returns.
For more information on any of the above tips, check out eBay Academy to discover how you can use our extensive range of tools and features to build, grow and protect your brand.
* eBay Ads
*** Financial Post
