EBay can be used as an effective marketing tool for businesses. It has been wrongly reported that eBay’s power has waned owing to buzz by different e-commerce ventures and Amazon sellers. It has been said that the idea of online auctions has lost the interest of Internet users. It’s not true. EBay is still one of the most popular shopping venues. The statistics can be compared by the amount of searches generated on eBay. EBay gets search hits of about 2 billion per month, close to Google, with an exception that shoppers search on eBay for products, while Google generates search hits for all kind of searches.

EBay can be used to effectively market a brand-new online store with a new marketing approach. As your online store starts to take on eBay sales, you can rely on repeat sales and a growing customer base.

• You can use eBay for finding new customers. But, consider that eBay charges a promotional fee.
• EBay can be used as one of your top traffic referrers, a real money-making source.
• You can use it to auction off clearance or overstocked items.
• Use it to test new ideas. It can be used to generate new customers.

You can use eBay auctions simultaneously with a lower prices than you online store. Normally, eBay store items are about 8 to 10 percent higher than website prices to include eBay fees. It is also a fact that over half of the auction champs also purchase eBay store items, and about 5 percent of all website sales every month generate from a direct link from eBay. EBay does not allow you to put links to your website; you still get to put links to more product information that happens to be on the website. This can be used as a valuable tool.

If you have an online store and are not using eBay to drive more traffic and increase sales, you are missing out on a lot. You can also cut inventory, and eBay can be a great partner in your business success. If you have an established online business or a brick-and-mortar store, you can try the some of the following steps for eBay:

• Use the auctions for clearance and overstocked items, heavy discounts are sure to attract traffic and potential customers.
• Utilize auctions for best-selling products, and attract firsthand customers. It is a good idea to have an eBay store and to package products differently for eBay. Half of all auction winners will also purchase things from there.
• Price smartly: Price things in your eBay store 8 to 10 percent higher than your online store to help offset eBay fees. It will be helpful to think of eBay fees as advertising money when you consider the number of direct sales you make off it. It provides the best value out there.
• Link all your eBay listings to more product information, which can be your website.
• Incorporate coupons to be converted at your online store when shipping eBay customers their products. Include eBay in your marketing strategy, and you will find it an invaluable tool for growing your online business.

When used diligently, you can easily generate traffic from your eBay store and link it smartly with your online store. Successful businesses online use eBay as a significant marketing tool to increase sales and drive targeted traffic.