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The first MyEZsale survey results are in, and a hearty thanks to everyone who took it! (If you didn't, don't worry, we plan to have plenty of other surveys that will give you a chance to give us your feedback!).
A picture of the MyEZsale business person is emerging. Most of you have been in business at least a few years, with the largest percentage answer being 5 years or more.
The majority of you sell on an online auction site (not necessarily just one, but I'd venture to guess most of you sell on a site that rhymes with "d-jay").
Finding inventory at a price low enough to be profitable is your biggest challenge (for 40.7% of you that responded), so we plan to include more features about that. And now, to the results.
Where are you currently selling?
(Multiple answers allowed)
Online auction site(s) - 84.8%
Commerce-enabled Web site - 24.2%
Shows - 15.2%
Online storefront - 9.1%
Brick & Mortar store - 3%
Web site that directs people to offline channels - 3%
Online mall(s) - 3%
Mail order - 0%
I don't have an online or offline business - 1%
How long have you been selling online?
1-2 years - 27.3%
3-4 years - 18.2%
Less than 1 year - 18.2%
I don't sell online - 6.1%
Please indicate which sources bring you in the most dollar sales for your business. Rank them in order.
Online auctions - 49.7%
Ecommerce site - 24.9%
Other - 17.8%
Brick and mortar stores - 7.6%
How many people are employed at your business (including yourself)?
1 - 4 - 100%
Where do you pay to advertise your business?
(Multiple answers allowed)
I don't pay to advertise my business - 60.6%
Paid search engine listings - 12.1%
Ads on other web sites - 12.1%
Ads in email newsletters - 12.1%
Other- 9.1%
Print - 6.1%
What other ways do you market your business?
(Multiple answers allowed)
None - 42.4%
Email newsletters - 24.2%
Attend trade shows - 15.2%
Writer articles - 15.2%
Other - 12.1%
Affiliate programs - 6.1%
Speak at seminars - 6.1%
What do you sell online?
Antiques/art/collectibles - 61.3%
Other - 29.0%
Computers/consumer electronics/business equipment - 9.7%
What is the biggest challenge you face as an online business?
Finding inventory at a price low enough to be profitable - 44%
Effective marketing/driving traffic to site - 29%
Other - 17%
Technical/web site issues - 5%
Finding affordable storefronts - 2.5%
Fraud 2.5%
What methods of payment do you accept?
(Multiple answers allowed)
Money order/cashier's check - 84.8%
Paypal - 84.8%
Personal check - 78.8%
Credit cards - 27.3%
Other - 18.2%
For the following open-ended questions, we selected a few of the representative answers.
Which section or feature do you enjoy the most?
"More information about storefronts."
"All of it; popular businesses, or new businesses."
"I really enjoyed the info on building a web site and would like to see more of that sort of article, very simple building to more complex."
"Anything about traffic building (clicks) is helpful."
"I enjoy all the columns. They are informative and to the point."
What articles are least helpful?
"Ads."
"News roundup."
"To me information on wholesale buying is not helpful."
"So far they are all helpful; just have to find time to implement them."
Suggestions on features or sections we could add to improve?
"Keep up the good work on the website tutorials/articles. I think most subscribers have a good idea of how to manage auctions. The web sites are the tough ones. Try focusing on the technical for an issue or two. i.e. hosting, domains, php dynamic shopping carts, ssl, mysql databases, etc. These are some of the more difficult concepts on the web."
"Add a direct link to the myezysale forums, it's a great forum, just hard to locate."
"Maybe more how-to for beginners (how to set up and design a web-site, etc)."
"A new technology section that might highlight software and/or hardware that would assist in marketing/sales/purchase/managing of products online."
"Most of your articles are too technical for me as a beginner."
"More on inventory."
"Web site development. Good emommerce software for different kinds of goods. Keep giving suggestions on how to get people to your web site. Sometimes things have to be repeated."
"Comparing storefronts, web malls."
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