Sell / Market on Ebay?

minimegeology

Hello Everyone!
 
I am struggling with a question.  I have recently developed a line of new rock and mineral kits for kids.  Because of the way they are made, they are expensive, but very nice.  I`m afraid that if my retailers sell our products at a discount on auction sites, it will lower the value of the products before we have a chance to get established.
 
Is is possible / appropriate to tell our retailers that they can not sell on these types of sites?
 
Thanks,
Tracy

DaleKing

That`s a good question. I`m not sure that you can legally forbid retailers to sell your products on ebay. Even if you have retailers sign a contract agreeing not to sell your products on ebay, I just don`t see how you can enforce it without alienating your retailers. But like I said, I`m not a lwayer.
 
Dale King
DKing2/5/2008 5:25 PM

bearygood

Great response, CraigL! That`s exactly right. The perception of eBay isn`t necessarily that what`s sold on it is junk, but that there`s a lot of junk sold on it. Those are two different things, the latter being that the people who buy from eBay know that finding good products takes time. That knowledge doesn`t necessarily say that your product is less valuable.

studiocherie

A retailer from whom I regularly buy on ebay told me that ebay saved his business.  He has two retail stores that he has owned and operated for more than 30 years, but retail sales were slowing, so he put items that weren`t moving on ebay.  Ebay has enabled him to greatly reduce his in-store inventory that had built-up over the years, and keep focused on what is new and/or hot in his marketplace.
If you have a retailer selling your items on ebay, there is good and bad news.  The bad news is that they couldn`t move it fast enough in their store.  Maybe you need to adjust your minimum order quantity.  The good news is that there is consumer education that happens on ebay that does not happen in the typical retail environment.  Your product sounds like it is something new and packed with quality features - maybe quality that only you can fully appreciate because you know what went into it and how it compares to other similar items.  In a store, people are not going to stand there and read the full description to become educated on your product, but they will on ebay!  People who buy on ebay read the descriptions carefully before they bid.
 
I would love it if one of my retailers put my changing pad/bag on ebay and educated consumers for me.  Like Craig said, after they have paid me the wholesale price, it`s up to them how they move it and for how much.
 
Hope that helps. 

minimegeology

taj71,
Thank you.  I had not heard of MAP pricing but that is a very good suggestion.  My biggest fear with something like ebay is that people will sell too cheap and make my brand look like it isn`t worth anything.  Ebay certainly has it`s place and I`ve sold lots of stuff on it but I was not happy with the interaction with the buyers who were basically looking for flea market prices.
 
Thanks! Tracy