Monthly Archives: December 2014

eBay, eCommerce, Small Business

How to Make PayPal Buy Now Buttons

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Buy Now
Buy Now Button

Guest Post By: Celeste Stewart

Introduction

If you’ve been thinking about selling items on your website but aren’t quite ready for a full-blown e-commerce shopping cart system, you can take advantage of PayPal’s “Buy Now” buttons. These buttons allow you to sell items on your website, blog, or evene-mail(I’ve used them for that and was very successful)without much effort on your part. Once set up, all the buyer needs to do is click the button and pay you!

The PayPal Buy Now button automatically takes the buyer to PayPal with all of the information pre-filled out. Even if the buyer isn’t a PayPal member, he or she can pay you securely with any major credit or debit card such as Visa or MasterCard. Once the person completes the transaction, you’ll get a notification of the sale, so that you can ship the product. The funds are instantly added to your account, unless you are paid with an eCheck which takes a few days to clear.

Unlike commercial shopping cart systems, these buttons don’t cost you anything other than the regular PayPal transaction charges. Making Buy Now buttons isn’t difficult if you only have a few items to sell however, if you have dozens of items, it becomes tedious. If this is the case, you may be better using the free PayPal shopping cart or using a more comprehensive shopping cart system.

How to Add a PayPal Buy Now Button

First, you must have a PayPal Business account. Once you’re signed into PayPal, go to the Merchant Services tab where you’ll see a row of tools including the Buy Now button, Add to Cart button, Send Invoice option, and Virtual Terminal option. Click on the link for the Buy Now button.

A simple form appears. Fill in the following fields: Item name or service, optional ID number, price, currency, buyer’s default country, and item’s weight (if applicable). Next, choose the type of button encryption you need. If you need to add links, such as email links or links for downloads, you’ll need to choose the non-encrypted button. Otherwise, choose encrypted.

Enter shipping method options and sales tax options. Either of these can be based on the information that’s stored in your profile or a flat rate. Once you’ve filled in all of the fields, you can either create the button right now or add more options by clicking the Add More Options button.

The additional options include generic text boxes where you can describe the item, customize the look of the Payment page, specify a URL for successful payment, specify a cancellation URL, quantity and shipping preferences, an option to allow customers to enter a note to you during the transactions, and an optional email address for receiving payments.

Once all of the details are filled in, click Create Button Now. Next, you’ll see a screen with HTML code. Hit the Select All button to select all of the code. Now, use your “control” and “c” keys on your keyboard to copy the selected text. Go into the HTML portion of your website and paste the code in by hitting “control” and “v” simultaneously. Many WYSIWYG editors have HTML modules that you must first access before copying the code. Click the appropriate HTML module button for your website editor and then copy the code into it. Enter descriptive text above the button letting buyers know what’s for sale and a picture if available. Save the webpage and publish.

You should now have a working PayPal Buy Now button on your website.

Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Small Business

5 Tips for Crushing Your Competition on Online Marketplaces

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Selling on Online Marketplaces
Crush Your Competition

Online marketplaces like eBay and Amazon are a boon for small business owners. Whether you are a startup with one room doubling as your office and your warehouse, or a physical store trying to reach new customers, online marketplaces are the place to be. Even niche product creators have platforms like Etsy to sell their goods online.

As businesses hop on to the online marketplace bandwagon, the competition continues to rise. If you want to find an audience in the competitive online marketplace arena, you need to stand out from the rest. Let us look at a few things you can do to overcome your competitors.

  1. Make sure your photos are of the highest quality.

This is probably the single most important thing you can do to immediately improve the quality of your listings. Taking great photos is absolutely crucial for impressing your customers. If you’ve visited Apple’s website, for example, you can see the impact that fantastic photography can have on brand image.

Products usually look better when they are photographed with white backgrounds. This isn’t a thumb rule though. If you find that a lot of your competitors are using similar photo styles, feel free to do something creative. Make sure your images look professional and share-worthy. Hire a professional to get your photo shoot done.

  1. Create an interesting story around your brand and the product you are selling.

Everyone loves a good story. Instead of beginning your product listing with a list of specifications, draw your viewers in by narrating the story of how the product came to be. Talk about why the product is better than the competition. Use emotive language.

Most e-commerce platforms allow businesses to have an “About Us” page. This is where you should talk about your own story and how your company came to be. Use videos and photos to create a more engaging narrative.

  1. Make your customers feel special.

Buyers love it when they feel appreciated for their purchase. You should always strive to add a personal touch to each of your shipments. This doesn’t need to be anything fancy – a simple thank-you note or a small accessory will do.

  1. Tap into the pulse of your market and get to know your buyers.

Companies that are able to form personal connections with their customers are more likely to succeed on online marketplaces. With social media, you have a platform to interact with your buyers on a more personal level. If your customers post photos of themselves using your products on Instagram, reach out to them and comment on their photos. If you find someone tweeting about your products, engage them in conversation. Communicate with influential people in your market and ask them to promote your products.

  1. Give your customers a solid guarantee.

Your customers need to know that they are in safe hands if they buy from you. On your product listing, mention the details of your shipping and return policies. Let your customers know where they can reach if you if they have any issues with their purchase. If you are perceived as a company with integrity, your sales will be much higher.

In summation, getting yourself noticed on Amazon, eBay or other online marketplaces can be tough. But if you follow the tips outlined above, you will have a much greater chance of success.