Cross-Promoting Both Channels

     

If you sell at both traditional retail and online, is there a way to promote both your channels and attain some sort of marketing synergy? The answer is both yes and no, depending on exactly how you want to run your business.

Some merchants prefer to keep their online and brick-and-mortar identities separate. This is a good strategy if your pricing varies significantly between the two channels, or if you sell different types of items online than you do at retail. For example, if you use eBay to move distressed merchandise at bargain prices, but your retail store moves first-line merchandise at full list price, then you may want to separate the two businesses as much as possible ”even to the extent of using different names for each business. If your retail customers found out about your discount activities online, the reputation of your retail store may be tarnished. Keeping the two businesses separate enables you to sell in ways you couldn't as a single entity.

On the other hand, many online and traditional businesses successfully coexist. If you perceive no channel confusion or conflict, there's no reason not to cross-promote your two businesses. Include your eBay member name , About Me URL, and Web site address in all your real-world marketing and promotion ”including your advertisements, flyers, and business cards. And include your real-world store address and phone number in all your online activities.

In reality, however, most dual-channel businesses exist in their own separate worlds . Online customers stay online, and local customers stay local. Still, there's seldom a reason not to cross-promote; it doesn't cost you anything. You never know ”you may get an increase in brick-and-mortar sales from local customers venturing in from cyberspace .

The Absolute Minimum

If you run a traditional retail business, you need to strategize how you can use eBay to increase your existing sales. Keep these points in mind:

  • If you sell commodity products, it's easy to use eBay to sell more of the same ”with little stress to your existing operation.

  • If you sell unique products, you may run into inventory problems ” especially if you try to sell the exact same items to customers in both channels.

  • Be careful when setting online pricing for commodity products; channel conflict can result if your local customers find you selling the same item for less on eBay.

  • Unless you use eBay to move merchandise that you don't otherwise sell at retail, there's no reason not to cross-promote your online and bricks and mortar businesses.




Absolute Beginner's Guide to Launching an eBay Business
Absolute Beginners Guide to Launching an eBay Business
ISBN: 0789730588
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2002
Pages: 167

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