Online sales keep booming, for new and used

ONLINE selling is booming in Australia and small business owners are rushing to get on board, with eBay revealed as the best place to attract buyers.

A new report by research firm Hitwise and international money transfer company OFX, revealed Australian eCommerce sales have grown at 8 per cent annually in recent times, from $17 billion worth in 2014 to $22 billion last year.

Growth is set to continue, as Australian households spend 10 hours online each day, with shopping a major activity, according to OFX eCommerce and partnerships manager Ed Wiley.

“The Australian and global retail market is continuing to see an increase in online and mobile sales, in particular over store purchases,” Mr Wiley said. “Consumers now have easy access to shop on the go via their mobile.”

The most visited Australian site was eBay.com.au with around 24 million weekly hits, while gumtree.com.au was next with around 15 million.

Other sites including harveynorman. com.au, kmart.com.au and target. com.au ranged between three and five million weekly visits.

With the advantage of launching first, in 1999, eBay has succeeded by evolving.

“They have changed considerably since launching,” Mr Wiley said, noting the move away from auction-based bidding to instant purchase, and partnering with household brands like Kathmandu and Chemist Warehouse.

“They have been quick to adapt and evolve.”

Mr Wiley said small business owners looking to get a piece of the eBay marketplace should ensure their website looked professional, with good page load speed and a clear “About Us” section to showcase legitimacy, while avoiding popups that appear as soon as a user arrives at the site, or when they are paying and checking out.

Former fashion blogger Isabel Zheng , pictured, discovered online selling after clearing out her wardrobe. She had quick sales success and began a side project helping others list and sell products online. She said images were the first key to eBay sales.

“Your buyers won’t be able to see and feel the items in person,” Ms Zheng said. “Photograph your inventory under natural light (to) bring out the colours and textures … include at least one photo of a card with your name as proof you’ve actually got the item.” Ms Zheng said it’s wise to fix used items up as well as possible before selling; be honest about flaws and realistic about pricing. “Try to find similar items on the market to calculate the prices people are willing to pay,” she said.