Building a successful online store with no marketing team

You’ve started organizing your house, you’ve assessed the clutter situation and you’re ready to sell some of your items. It’s time to get these items on the market, but how can you be sure your tactics will work?

When you hear the word “marketing” in reference to your clutter being sold online, it may seem a little over-the-top. The appeal of selling your old stuff online is, of course, the cash, but it’s also about the simplicity. Marketing doesn’t have to involve a full social media schedule and branding strategy, though. It can be really simple. To give your store the push it needs to gain traffic and make more sales, take a look at our marketing tips for your Curbza store.

Create an aesthetic for your store

Part of marketing is wrapping your product up in attractive packaging, right? Your store needs the same attention. When creating your ads, remember that each ad will be beside each other in photo form in your store. Consistency and quality is key when taking your photos. Focus on these three things when taking your photos to create an attractive inventory:

• The backdrop. Use the same (or a similar) background for your items. A white backdrop usually works well, whether it’s against a white wall, placed on a white floor or sheet. Another great way to showcase an item is in its natural habitat (think a bicycle outside, or a cooking pot on the stove).
• The lighting. Good lighting is key. Take photos in the daytime, close to natural light to get a clear and appealing photo. A great photo is worth more than you’d think. Some people scroll right by dark or blurry photos.
• The cleanliness of the product. If you’re selling an older item, make sure to clean it up before taking a photo. A little dust removal can go a long way. It’s tempting to snap a quick photo as soon as you identify it as clutter, but getting it in great shape before taking your picture may elevate its value.

Advertise on social media

When you post something on a buy and sell platform, your advertising usually ends when you click the “create ad” button. Take it one step further, and share your ads via social media platforms. Often people share bigger items like houses and cars on their social platforms to make sales, but skip the smaller stuff. If you post a lot of smaller items from around your house, share it on your Facebook, Twitter or Instagram page. Your followers may not be jumping at the opportunity to purchase your old curtains, but they’ll be exposed to your store as a whole.

A great way to share your store on social media is taking a screen cap of your store and sharing a section of you inventory with your followers. Give them a sneak peek of your offerings, and they’ll have to visit your store and browse your items.

Consider customer service

We know better than anyone that getting rid of clutter can be a pain, and the main focus is sealing the deal and getting it out the door. Speed and simplicity are important, but customer service can be an important factor in getting people to purchase from you again. Consider your Curbza store your own business. You don’t need to offer valet parking for pickups or anything extreme, but having a prepared response that’s clear, fair and considerate when a buyer tries to barter is a good idea. If you accept offers, be open about that in your ads. If a buyer has a great experience when doing an exchange with you, they’ll come back and review your store next time they’re looking to second-hand shop.

These are just a few ways to help build buzz around your store and get more traffic. If you haven’t downloaded Curbza yet, search for Curbza in the App Store or Google Play to get your free download. Check out what’s on the market and snap some photos of your clutter to start making money.

What’s something you always notice first about someone’s online store, and is it positive or negative? Let us know in the comments down below.