Using Pinterest And Facebook to Promote eBay Auctions

Last week I mentioned using Facebook in a longer article about promoting eBay listings. A reader sent in a note about his success using Pinterest that I wanted to share with you, and another reader sent in some additional suggestions for Facebook users.

Promoting Auctions With Pinterest

Hi Terry,

I am really enjoying your IWantCollectibles newsletters. You asked for our experiences with Social Media:

I have been selling on eBay for 14 years, mostly part-time, but now full time to supplement my SS. I tried a Facebook page for over a year, but it just didn't work due to FB constantly changing the ground rules, the spam, and all the hoops you have to jump through. I finally gave up promoting the page out of sheer frustration.

I recently set up a page on Pinterest, and I am very encouraged and excited about my results so far.

I have made several sales as a direct result of something I pinned on Pinterest or someone asking about something else I might have in my eBay store. I have started slow, not wanting to spam all of my friends with a ton of listings, but my pins also show on my FB Timeline wall, so all of my FB friends see my listings anyway and that is a big plus for me.

Also, Pinterest is extremely easy to use, the look of my listings is outstanding with a neat clean page and sharp colorful pictures.

Thanks,
Ken Hicks
Smyrna, Georgia

I did some looking since getting Ken's note and found the types of things that work best with Pinterest are collectibles and household decorator items. Ken's items overlap both those categories.

So if you're selling collectibles or decorator items, it's probably worth your time to join Pinterest, and post a few pictures with links to your ebay auctions and see what happens. It's free and with the applets provided by eBay and Pinterest doesn't look like it's that hard to do.

Promoting Auctions With Facebook

Here's Michelle's note about Facebook and eBay:

Hi Terry,

Great newsletter!

In response to your inquiry about using Facebook; there are two ways you can do it.

You can post your listings individually as you found, but there is also a feed mechanism where every time you list a new item it will post to your Facebook wall. It only works the first time, not on a "Good Till Cancelled" repost.

There are some caveats. If you're an individual seller and you have no Facebook fan page, just a regular account DO NOT opt for the feed. Your friends will hate you. They'll begin to feel like your only goal is to sell to them. Also, be careful of posting too many single listings for the same reason.

If you have a Facebook Fan Page for your business, by all means, feed your listings to it or post a couple of key ones per day. Just keep in mind that people are coming to Facebook to socialize, not to be sold to. Keep it friendly.

My gut feelings on the eBay/Facebook combo: You'll put more time into it than you'll receive return out of it. Your time is better spent finding and listing great new items and providing excellent customer service.

Michelle ("M")
Owner, MJ's Consignments

Many of the articles and free reports here on IWantCollectibles were originally sent to readers of my Antiques and eBay Newsletter. Not all articles make it onto the website, and readers also get notices of free reports and special offers.

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