In-House Summer Selling Challenge: Wrap Up

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After 31 days of listing, photographing, packing and shipping, Auctiva Communications Manager Robert Green won our In-House Summer Selling Challenge, in which he went head to head against our Product Analyst Rebecca Miller. Robert had 43 transactions in July and about $1,400 in total sales.

Rebecca, a seller of more than 10 years, kept the competition close, losing by just four transactions with 39 and total sales of about $900.

“It was a lot of fun competing, and getting a glimpse into the life of a serious online seller,” Robert says. “I had previously sold on eBay very sporadically—mostly when cleaning out the garage or replacing something that I thought still had some value. Approaching selling like a business brings a lot more responsibility, stress and work!”

One of the things that surprised him the most during the contest was how much time sellers need to set aside to stay organized, have good communication with their customers and to get packages en route to their destinations. Luckily he had his Auctiva account to help, but it was still a fair amount of work. He was also surprised at the fees (final values fees, shipping costs, insurance costs, packing supplies expenses, etc.) associated with selling regularly, adding that these can take a substantial percentage of a seller’s profits.

Nonetheless, he was happy to win, although he notes that Rebecca will likely will win the war, if not this battle.

“I peaked,” Robert says of his participation in the contest. “She’ll keep doing this all the year. I probably will not.”

While Robert led in total sales and items sold going into the final weekend of the competition, Rebecca had a secret weapon for a comeback: several three-day listings that would end on Saturday, the last day of the challenge. The listings helped her inch closer, but the duration of the items may have affected their visibility, she says.

“If they all would had sold, I would have won,” Rebecca notes.

Still, she admits that it was good seeing Robert do well, she says. “It’s nice to see I’m rubbing off on people,” she says.

But that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t change her strategy so she could win, if she could do the challenge all over again.

“I probably would have lined up more merchandise like Robert did, instead of relying on all the stuff I have laying around; just get a large quantity of one item, instead of the potpourri of the products that I have,” she says.

Would the two do another selling challenge?
“Yes,” Rebecca says. “Let’s shoot for Christmas once I find the hot toy, nobody can beat me.”

“Maybe,” Robert notes. “I’ve learned a lot. I think I’d be tougher competition next time.”

What did you think of the in-house selling challenge? Have you and a friend ever gone head to head in a friendly selling competition? Tell us about it.