Use these tips and tricks to successfully sell on Marketplace
List in the best category
Each category has specific functions
Always list your item in the best category to benefit from all features and to maximum visibility. For example, the espresso machines category allows buyers to refine by brand, model, groups, condition and location.
You can always see the current category structure in Directory.
Everything connects
Make it easy for buyers to find your item
Use the most accurate listing options. For example, if adding a Linea PB make sure you select the model as ‘Linea PB‘ (not just Linea) to be found in the correct search results and to benefit from United Baristas features.
Here’s a couple of other examples. The espresso machine brand is ‘Sanremo‘ (not the city San Remo). Or the single-group version of the Eagle One is actually called the E1 Prima (even though in the UK people commonly say ‘Eagle One Prima’). And maybe the trickiest brand to enter is ‘De’Longhi‘.
Setting the asking price
Get a good indication using recently sold prices
Let’s say you are planning to sell a two group Linea PB and you’re based in Shoreditch. You can identify an asking price by filtering listings to display La Marzocco 2-group machines within 100 km of London.
It’s important to note that prices typically vary by condition, shipment options, location and listing quality and your reputation.
Is it actually worth selling?
It generally makes sense to sell an item when the market value is greater than book value
We explain why the book value and market value are different in a guide available on United Baristas.
Keep in mind that other factors might be more important for you, such as:
- Upgrading equipment because of technological or operational advantages
- A need to convert assets into cash
- The cessation of trade of a business unit
When selling in circumstances such as these, you’ll typically be focused on achieving the best possible price as the selling price may be lower than book value.
Communicating Tax
It’s usually better to list of your item inclusive of sales tax
Even if your business thinks about pricing excluding VAT, consider what a buyer expects. There are several key benefits to listing inclusive of tax:
- Listings with prices inclusive of tax receive more enquiries
- The total price is automatically populated in the Trustshare escrow payment service
High quality listings
Make sure the image, title and feature text work in concert to create an accurate and compelling message
To create an attractive listing card, add:
- informative or catchy title
- feature text that piques interest
- an original featured image clearly displaying the item
- an attractive price
Make a compelling listing by
- using original images and videos showing the item and its condition
- adding item specific information
- clearly communicating shipping, delivery or collection options
Listing options
You typically have three listing options on Marketplace:
- Basic Listing
- Listing + Media Pack
- Featured Listing
You can use the Basic Listing option when selling items that:
- people are actively searching for, and
- the item is well known and in condition typical of its age
A listing with a Media Pack usually the best option.
Opt for a feature listing when you want to drive more visitors. Featured listings are:
- displayed first
- also displayed on similar listings
- prioritised in proximity searches and local listings
More visitors is most useful when you:
- need greater exposure to sell an item
- want to sell an item faster
Using Stats to understand listing activity
Stats are in beta
Items typically sell between 50 and 200 visitors. If your listing has had lots of visitors and is yet to sell it’s a signal that your listing lacks key information or the price is too high.
Repeat viewing is good. If your view number is not much greater than your visitor number, it shows that people are looking, and then not coming back. What information is the listing lacking? Are the photos and videos good?
If you listing has low visitor numbers, you should update the image, title and feature text to make it more attractive, plus consider promoting the listing to boost exposure.
It’s almost always awkward
We’ve seen thousands and thousands of enquiries – they’re almost always awkward
Sometimes they super-direct, for example ‘can I come a pick this up tomorrow’. But common openers often include questions like, ‘why are you selling this?’, or requests ‘can I have a photo of the item’s thingamajig, or negotiating stances, ‘I’m on a budget, can you accept ‘.
In each of these cases, the purpose of the question is to ascertain whether you’re a person they feel they can transact with.
When responding, answer their question. But more importantly, answer their question in a way that demonstrates you are decent, fair-minded human (especially if you are).
Getting the best price
A ‘good deal’ is one that both the buyer and seller can live with
If you initially get offered a price you can live with, you’ll need to decided whether you’ll accept or counteroffer.
In general, counteroffer. This will signal to the buyer that they’re getting the best possible price and will remove any lingering doubt they could have got your item a little cheaper. This usually makes completing the sale easier.
If you are offered listing price, you’re generally best to accept. Attempting to negotiate above asking (unless you’re explicitly selling ‘as offers in excess of’) can make completing the sale more difficult. And a good deal, is a completed deal.
If you are offered a price you don’t like, you need to research whether they’ve made a cheeky offer or if your expectations are inflated. You can check (again) recently sold prices on Marketplace. Plus, you now have the advantage of being able to ascertain buyer demand.
If your listing has been up for a while, the listing quality is high, and this is the only offer you’ve got – you can deduce your expectations were maybe too high. Conversely, if you’ve recently listed and received multiple offers, you’ll have a good sense of both demand and the current market price.
Arranging shipping, delivery or collection
Collection or delivery
If you are local you can meet the seller for inspection of the item before exchanging funds.
Shipping
If the goods are going to be shipped via courier or haulage company, consideration needs to be given to a number of aspects:
- Who will ship the item
- Who will insure the item
- How the item will be packed
Shipment by Seller
It is commonplace for sellers to ship items to buyers.
We generally recommend this process, so that the seller is responsible for the packing, shipping and insuring of the items. The costs, at least in part, are commonly passed to the buyer.
Shipment by Buyer
We appreciate that in circumstances where the buyer is able to obtain superior shipping rates (coffee companies often regularly ship bulky items), it may be financially preferable for the buyer to arrange and pay for the shipping.
This potentially creates a mis-match of responsibilities so we strongly recommend the parties agree minimum packaging standards and insurance in advance of the seller accepting the transaction.
Transaction
Receiving funds
If the item is in the agreed condition, the payment can be released. This is generally easier when using a payment escrow service, such as Trustshare.
The buyer can make payment into the escrow account before the buyers ships the item (providing reassurance for the seller). And the payment can be released once the buyer is in possession of the item (providing reassurance for the buyer).
Good sellers will not expect buyers to make payment in advance without recourse.
Marking the item as sold
Once the item has been sold, mark the listing as ‘sold’ on Marketplace
This removes your contact details and payment options from the listing.
Your listing will be automatically unpublished on the listing’s expiry date.
Successfully sell your items on Marketplace
Baristas and coffee businesses use Marketplace to buy and sell everything, coffee related.