Nine Reasons to Open an eBay Store

Whether you are a seasoned eBay seller or just getting started,

opening an eBay store is a great way to reach customers you may not have captured otherwise. If you have thought about starting your own business, opening an eBay store is a great way to enter the world of entrepreneurship.

1. More exposure. EBay reports that their store sellers see a average 25 percent increase in sales three months after opening their store. Opening an eBay store exposes your business to hundreds, if not thousands, of potential customers that may have otherwise never found you.

2. Repeat customers. Store owners are much more likely than regular sellers to get repeat buyers, especially if they provide good customer service.

3. Save time. Opening an eBay store can save you time with special features, such as automatic relisting of unsold items. You can set your Store Inventory listings to last for longer durations, including 30, 60, 90, 120 days or "Good ‘til Cancelled." These listings automatically renew upon auction close if the item doesn’t sell.

4. Increased credibility. A professional-looking eBay Store gives you added credibility as an online retailer. Plus, you will have access to the eBay’s Business Resource Center, where you can download templates for professional-looking business cards. As an eBay store seller, you can create up to 20 custom categories within your store to merchandise your listings effectively.

5. Increased security and protection. When you sell products through your own Web site, you don't always know whether or not a customer is legitimate. EBay attempts to weed out unscrupulous customers through user feedback and ID verification.

6. Get your own Web site. When you open an eBay store, you get a unique URL you can drive customers to — whether or not they are eBay members. You can customize your store with your logo and images and colors of your choice.

7. Exclusive promotional features. EBay’s Cross-Promotion tool lets you control which items are cross-promoted to your buyers. You also get access to the eBay Stores Email Marketing Tool and a store-specific search box.

8. Free monthly sales reports. All store sellers receive free monthly sales reports that outline their activity by category (e.g., monthly gross sales, conversion rates, number of buyers). Additionally, if you have a Featured or Anchor Store, you will receive overall eBay marketplace data to benchmark your sales against other eBay sellers. And, with Accounting Assistant, you can export data about eBay and PayPal into QuickBooks.

9. Save money. eBay store sellers get special discounts on eBay fees and receive promotional offers and free subscriptions to some services. You also will save money on administrative costs, as eBay helps you keep track of your sales and print shipping labels and invoices.