The service will continue for eBay sellers using AdCommerce in Europe and Australia.

We are confident that consistently displaying the most relevant items highest in the search results is in the best interest of buyers, sellers and the eBay marketplace overall. We appreciate your participation in AdCommerce, and we wish you continued success with your eBay businesses.

If you have recently purchased AdCommerce ads for your store or listings, you do not need to do anything at this time—the AdCommerce placements you have already purchased to appear on these sites will automatically expire on August 4. Your final bill will be sent out in early September.

To continue to ensure maximum exposure for your listings, the best thing to do is focus on sound business practices and on delivering great value and service to your buyers. We referred to a number of best practices in our post last month that you’re welcome to revisit.

Thank you, and best of luck.

eBay AdCommerce team

Years ago, a group of friends who loved gadgets and finding great deals on eBay started selling unwanted, older-model gadgets and PCs.  They quickly realized the potential of selling on a platform that provides access to a huge target audience and began investing more money into building their eBay business, establishing the GhostBikes eBay store with a few niche products.

While the company started advertising with AdCommerce UK about a year ago, only 5 months ago did they begin optimizing their campaign.  The result?  Revenues from the company’s AdCommerce ads reached the high end of five figures. 

“This platform has been extremely successful for us,” says N. Patel,  Marketing & SEO Manager of GhostBikes. “We’ve only scratched the surface of the potential of AdCommerce for our business.”

Patel credits AdCommerce with raising brand awareness, with 40 million views that drive an impressive click volume and an ROI higher than that of other PPC channels the company has tested. 

Patel most values the support provided by the company’s account manager, who she says offers tips and tricks to get the most out of the program. She’s also a fan of the feature set.

“The AdCommerce tool itself is brilliant – especially the Ad Wizard which allowed us to create new adverts quickly and easily,” she says. “Without a doubt it has raised our brand awareness and profile on eBay, as we are getting views from millions of eBay visitors and generating thousands of clicks monthly.  We’ve also seen a steady increase in traffic and sales to our eBay store due to AdCommerce.”

Congratulations GhostBikes! We wish you continued success and look forward to hearing more from you in the future.

The AdCommerce Team

We understand that you may be disappointed and that these AdCommerce ads may have provided an advantage to your business. However, we are confident that consistently displaying the most relevant items highest in the search results is in the best interest of buyers, sellers and the eBay marketplace overall.  We appreciate you participating in the AdCommerce beta program to date and wish you continued success with your eBay businesses.

If you have recently purchased AdCommerce ads for your store or listings, you do not need to do anything at this time—the AdCommerce placements you have already purchased to appear on these sites will automatically expire on August 4. Your final billing will be sent out in early September.

In the meantime, to continue to ensure maximum exposure for your listings in Best Match, the best thing to do is focus on sound business practices and on delivering great value and service to your buyers. Here are a few best practices:

• Provide great service to your buyers
• Retain or achieve eBay Top-rated seller status on eBay.com
• Offer good prices and reasonable shipping
• List in the right format and the right categories
• Write accurate and relevant titles
• Write clear item descriptions
• Include great photos
• State your terms clearly

Thank you,

eBay AdCommerce team

1)      Be Specific in Your Advertisements & List USPs

AdCommerce works best when you let shoppers know exactly what you sell. Intentionally trying to mislead shoppers just to gain more traffic won’t generate the regular sales you need to build your business.  Give some thought to why a customer might have clicked on your ad and then not completed a purchase from your store.  For example, if you only sell an item in one color (i.e.: black pens), make that clear in your copy so that shoppers looking specifically for a blue pen don’t click, even if their search for ‘pens’ brings up your ad. Also, be sure to list anything that sets you apart from your competition. Do you offer free shipping? Do you have a wider range of products? Are your products better quality?

2)      Customize Your Landing Pages

You’ll get better results if you don’t just send all your traffic to your store landing page.  Use the relevant categories in your store or send the traffic to a search results page.  This will help shoppers find what they want quickly, and will improve your conversion rate.

3)      Take the AdCommerce Video Tour

It only takes a few minutes and really shows you what AdCommerce can do, allowing you to make the most out of your advertising on eBay. Check it out here.

4)      Use Category Advertisements

Nearly a quarter of eBay shoppers use the categories to navigate the site, rather than the search box.  Ensure that you have advertisements on all the relevant categories and subcategories for your products.  These areas are often less competitive than the corresponding keywords, meaning you can acquire highly targeted traffic for lower cost per click.  If you’re only using category ads, try out a keyword ad to build a well-rounded campaign.

5)      Add Broad Match Keyword

If you have some keywords performing well as ‘Exact’ matches, chances are you’ll also see a good return from the same keywords as a ‘Broad’ match.  Broad match keywords will gain a lot more impressions, and therefore will generate more clicks.  As long as your advertisement is specific to the products you sell, the traffic you receive should still be very relevant and should convert at the same rate.

6)      Add Niche Keywords

The cost of traffic on general keywords such as ‘television’ or ‘shoes’ is always going to be higher than more specific terms such as ‘42 HD Plasma’ or ‘women’s red sandals.’  The niche terms should also convert a lot better, as long as they relate to what you sell.

7)      Use the AdWizard

The AdWizard uses dynamic content to make your advertisement look as relevant as possible, improving click-through rates.  Based on the keyword searched for, the AdWizard customizes the image used, the ad title and/or copy (providing you use the keyword insertion tool) and the landing page.  The AdWizard also suggests relevant keywords based on the products you stock and can be updated at the touch of a button, after you’ve updated your store inventory.  You can use the AdWizard to cover all your products, or you can narrow it down by category to create a more specific ad.

8)      Check your Advertisements on eBay

After your ads have been approved, check them out on eBay by searching for your keywords or navigating to your categories. Are they appearing exactly as you thought they would?  Do they stand out from your competitors’ listings and ads?

9)      Use the Smart Tag Wisely

The Smart Tag inserts the keyword that triggered the ad into the copy or title of the ad, making your advertisement appear more relevant to shoppers.  It looks something like {Keyword:#####} and is inserted using the blue Keyword button.  It’s a very useful tool, but use it with caution. If used incorrectly it can be counterproductive. A few tips to that end:

• We recommend using the Smart Tag just once, in the title where it will have the most impact. Don’t include it in every line of your ad.
• Consider how your ad will read once the keyword is inserted (see point 8). Make sure it makes sense and identifies what you actually sell.
• The word you choose within the brackets i.e. {Keyword: example} is purely a backup that will be displayed if the keyword triggered is too long to fit in your ad.  Don’t include text that you always want to display in this space because it will rarely be seen.
• Make room for the Smart Tag to fit into your ad.  Leave some spare characters on the line for keywords that are longer than your backup keyword.

10)   Learn, Adjust & Monitor

While some advertisers do get lucky and get everything working just right the first time, most people have to spend a little time looking at what’s working and what isn’t.  If the results aren’t there, take the time to consider why.  Are you bidding too much to be profitable? Is your copy misleading? Are the keywords no longer relevant?  Make adjustments based on your thoughts and monitor the outcomes. Don’t give up if something doesn’t work immediately; a little tinkering can go a long way.  Also remember, AdCommerce is a dynamic environment. Competitors can come and go, and search terms can spike and dip in popularity overnight.  Just because something doesn’t work now doesn’t mean it won’t in the future.  Likewise, if something is going well, keep an eye on it to ensure that it stays profitable.

AdCommerce has something to offer all of our eBay merchants, no matter how big or small you may be. If you feel like it’s not working and you’d like additional help or advice, please feel free to contact us. We want to make sure you get the most out of your advertising investment!

Happy Selling!

eBay AdCommerce team

eBay AdCommerce Team

We’re working hard to resolve this issue and will post an update as soon as we can. We apologize for the inconvenience.  Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

eBay AdCommerce team

Be consistent. Think of AdCommerce ads as a general listing. The same best practices that apply to listings also apply to ad copy. The shopper is comparing your copy with other sellers’ listings, so use that as a benchmark and figure out how you can persuade them to visit your store.

Focus on the benefits. What makes your products stand out from the crowd? Do you offer free shipping, customization or an enticing pricing promotion? Highlight the attributes that make your products better than the rest.

Be more specific. Potential customers will pass right over phrases like “best prices,” “high quality,” and generic product terms like “hats.” Are your prices 80 percent below retail? Is it hand-inspected? Do you offer in-demand brands? Do you specialize in extra large fedoras? These specific descriptions are more compelling and targeted than general phrases.

Be relevant. If you have a store that sells tires and trampolines, don’t try to create one ad to cover both bases. Create separate ads with a specific focus on the product the customer is searching for to increase your chances of getting the click.

Proofread. Nothing turns potential buyers off faster than misspelled words, grammar mistakes, punctuation faux pas and capitalization overload.  An error-ridden ad can lead potential buyers to make inferences about the quality of your service and products.

Use your words wisely. You only have a certain amount of space, so use it wisely. Empty phrases like “click here” do nothing but cut into the space you could be using for specific benefits. 

Complete the connection. Make sure that your copy is consistent from start to finish. If your ad talks about high heels but you lead the visitor to a page full of slippers, chances are the reader will simply navigate away from your landing page and click on another seller’s ads and or listings.

After polishing your copy, test a few variations to see which verbiage gets the best click-through rates. Good luck!

We really enjoyed meeting so many of you and learning more about your eBay businesses.  More than 100 eBay sellers at the event wanted to sign up for AdCommerce, so we’ll be working on getting you started and driving great results for you on eBay.

AdCommerce also co-sponsored the eOL After Hours Reception on Friday night, which was a lot of fun.  It’s nice to get out of the usual business environment and get to know our sellers in a more casual setting.  We’ll post a few photos and a video soon.  You can also check out a recap of the event and the party this week at The River, The Ranch and The Bay web site, http://RRBradio.com. 

Just for fun we’ve included some factoids below that we shared with sellers at the event. Some might surprise you – did you realize one keyword could be so valuable, or that billions of people are viewing AdCommerce ads on eBay each week?

• AdCommerce currently displays ads on 11 eBay sites and serves advertisers in 29 countries around the world.
• One of the top sales-generating keywords was purchased by an eBay seller in Germany, generating over $150K in sales on one keyword alone.
• One out of three PowerSellers in Europe is a registered AdCommerce user.
• AdCommerce is free to use, there are NO upfront fees, you only pay when someone clicks on your ads.
• It takes less than 15 minutes to get a campaign up and running with AdCommerce.
• You can start to see eBay sales increase from your AdCommerce campaigns within 24 hours.
• There are more than 5.5 billion views of AdCommerce ads served on eBay Inc. weekly .
• AdCommerce upgrades allows you to use new features like the Ad Wizard and detailed Sales Reporting.

Next up is eBay: On Location Chicago, on July 9 and 10. If you couldn’t make it to Dallas, or if you did and left wanting more, please join us!  We’re looking forward to another successful show.

Hope to see you in the Windy City!

The AdCommerce Team

On Location events feature a fantastic speaker lineup (think Duct Tape Marketing and The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, plus eBay Radio’s own Jim “Griff” Griffith), training classes, live demos and a top-rated seller panel discussion. Of course the eBay AdCommerce team will be on hand – we’ll have a booth in the sponsor area, so please come by and meet us. If you’re already using our pay-per-click advertising platform we’d love to get your thoughts on how it’s going. If you’re considering trying it out, we can look at ways AdCommerce can help grow your business, provide a demo or even sign you up to jump start your sales.

We had a great time getting to know some of our customers better at the On Location event in March in Atlanta, and we’re excited to do it again in Dallas. We got a lot of helpful feedback from sellers who have tried AdCommerce and those who hadn’t but wanted to learn more. These events are a perfect opportunity for us to meet many of you face-to-face and answer any questions you have.

If Dallas isn’t a possibility for you, upcoming dates and locations are Chicago on July 9 and 10, then San Jose on Sept. 1 and 2. We hope we’ll get the chance to meet you at one of them!

The AdCommerce Team

A few tips from the webinar:

• Ad campaigns aren’t something you should set and forget. We recommend checking in weekly or biweekly to see how your ads are performing, but monthly will work if you’re short on time.
• When you’re checking on your campaigns, step back and look at the big picture, going back a full 6 months.
• Look at the reporting both by keyword and by campaign to get a complete view of what’s working best.
• Take your best performing keywords and brainstorm 10 more variations for each. For example, “digital camera,” “SLR camera,” etc.
• Check eBay Pulse for daily updates on what people are searching for on eBay. 

We realize we covered a lot of ground, so we’ve included a detailed Q&A below to go back over your questions and answer any we missed. If you have additional questions you’re welcome to check out our help page or contact us here. 

Questions & Answers

What is ROI?

ROI stands for Return on Investment. It tells you how effective your advertising is by measuring the number of bids or items sold that result from clicks on your AdCommerce ads. ROI information is only available when your ad directs users to an eBay Site.

How can the new ROI reporting help me manage my AdCommerce campaigns?

ROI reporting gives you insight into what’s working for you, and what isn’t.  It helps you make decisions about how to most effectively focus your advertising spending.  Now you have the insight to expand your efforts and spend more on keywords that work, and cut out the keywords that aren’t profitable for you.

What are the ROI metrics available to me in the portal?

On the Reports tab in AdCommerce, there are 4 measurements captured: # of Bids, Items Sold, Sales Amount, and Sales/Cost. “# of Bids” is the number of Bids that came from users who clicked on your Ad. Similarly, “Items Sold” is the quantity of items sold as a result of clicks on your Ad.  “Sales Amount” is the total dollar value of the items sold as a result of clicks your Ad. “Sales/Cost” is the total amount of Sales divided by the total amount spent on advertising.  This number tells you how much you made in sales for every dollar you spent in advertising.  Use this to help understand the efficiency of your Advertising campaign.

Why does the BID/BIN column matter for ROI?

BID means the number of bids generated on your auctions.  BIN means the number of times an ad click led a user to click “Buy It Now” and complete a sale.  While BIN activity is easily measured (it’s the sales price received as a result of the ad click), the BID number is not as easily assigned a value.  Both BID/BIN together illustrate how effectively your advertising is working for you.  Driving ad clicks to your auctions means more bids and a higher closing price.  You’re exposing your auctions to users who may not have otherwise found it – thereby driving up demand.

Why can’t I see sales results immediately?

Two reasons.  You won’t see anything right away because data reporting lags a few hours.  Second, the window of time sales events may be associated to a click is 30 days.  For example, if a user clicked on an ad on Tuesday March 9 and then made a purchase from you on April 8, that sale would be counted toward the click on March 9.  This is why it’s important to take a 30+ day historical view of your account; all of today’s sales won’t be reported until 30 days from now.

Why do you say that results might not happen until 30 days later? 

The window of time sales events may be associated to a click is also referred to as latency.  Our ROI latency is the industry standard 30 days. 

How do I know if the ROI I have is good?

Each advertiser has to determine this for him or herself.  If your ROI (sales/cost ratio) is less than 1.0, you need some optimization within your account because you’re paying more for the ads than they are generating in gross sales.  You have to determine whether an ROI of 2.0 or 5.0 or 10.0 is the minimum acceptable ROI for you, based on the advertised product’s costs (the wholesale cost of the product, plus your other seller fees, etc.).

Does the ROI report display which items were sold through AdCommerce?

AdCommerce reporting does not identify specific purchases.  Once a user clicks on your ad, a sale is counted when the user buys anything from you – not necessarily the item featured in your ad.  For example, if your ad displays on the keyword “watches” and a user clicks, but she ends up buying earrings, a sale is counted and reported for keyword “watches.”

How far does the ROI data go back?

Six months.

I looked at my ROI and it is not meeting my objectives.  What should I do?

Don’t panic, it can be fixed.  Don’t delete or cancel your campaigns – just pause them (this will preserve the historical data).  Review the help section on ROI and implement changes to your campaigns to improve performance.  If you need help, you can reach us from within your AdCommerce account: click the “help” tab and click “contact us.”

We hope you found this Webinar and follow-up useful in optimizing your AdCommerce campaigns, look out for our next Webinar next month!

Happy Selling!

eBay AdCommerce team