Selling With the Seasons?

It’s January. Have you listed those swimsuits? Okay, maybe it’s a little premature to be selling swimsuits. Or, is it? Do you sell worldwide? Remember that on the bottom half of the world they’re having summer weather while here in the good ol’ USA we are suffering with snowstorms. If you have some highly desirable swimsuits or sandals or other summer items, there may be someone in a warmer climate who would pay a premium for them now, in January, while the listings are slim.

So what items are hot in the USA right now? An easy way to find out what clothing or accessories you want to be sure to be listing now is to take a walk through the mall, or even your local discount store. I was surprised a day or so into the new year to see new tote bags and purses in spring colors for sale at Wal-Mart. A day or two later I noticed some cute little children’s outfits with short sleeves, and it’s definitely still long-sleeve weather where I live. Obviously some people shop ahead or grab those new items while they’re available.

Wal-Mart didn’t get to be the world’s largest retailer by displaying Christmas items in January. In fact, by the day after Christmas those seasonal mark-downs were moving out and the Valentine’s Day gifts and candy were moved right in. The lesson? Keep an eye on the calendar. Next month’s calendar.

Last year I sold numerous pairs of sandals to buyers in Canada – especially in February and March! I was certainly surprised, but it occurred to me that March is Spring Break month. Perhaps those lovely customers of mine were planning a vacation, you think?

While we can never second guess our shoppers, we can at least be prepared for them by keeping seasonal as well as off-season items in our ebay stores. Learn to think like your customers and anticipate what they might be shopping for. You just never know when someone may be planning their next skip trip in July!