Spring has sprung. Time to clean stuff up! Start with your eBay workspace. Here are 2 (out of 3) tips for getting it all organized and shipshape.
1. Create —eBay only— space.
It—s a good idea to have a space that is designated —eBay only—. If you—re climbing over Christmas decorations in your garage in search of misplaced inventory, or prying the packing tape from Fido—s choppers, you—re wasting time. Remember, time is money!
2. Dedicate space for each eBay activity.
Even if your eBay business is confined to a small room, it—s smart to divide it up into activity-based stations that create a predictable flow for everything from listing to shipping. The more operational distractions that you can eliminate, the more streamlined your business will be. Consider setting up the following:
Listing Station
This is a desk or counter dedicated to research, editing photos, creating listings and responding to customer inquiries. Since this all involves a fair bit of sitting, make sure this space is comfortable and ergonomically sound. In addition, to save time, it should be stocked with tools that you need for listing-related tasks, like a tape measure, magnifying glass, etc.
Photo Station
Griff, eBay—s Dean of Education, stars in a whole video series on mastering the art of product photography, including how to set up your photo studio. You can learn a lot from him. The goal is to have your equipment at the ready when it—s time to snap product shots.
Shipping Station
This is a biggie. Many sellers swear by a counter-height shipping station. Think like a kitchen designer, and create a space that is L-shaped, U-shaped or galley-style so that everything is within arm—s reach. Ideally, it should be fully stocked with boxes, envelopes, an ample supply of bubble wrap and/or other packing materials, tape, shipping labels, etc.
