This week I thought I’d have a quick look at good use of social media and ask, ‘can social media make or break your business?’ I was intrigued to see the furore caused yesterday, 16th April 2018, when the pub chain JD Wetherspoon announced it was quitting its social media accounts. Ironically the vehicle it […]
Why do big businesses fail with increasing regularity? Some time ago I wrote a blog about Toys R Us and the struggles it was having in the US. At the time all the reading I did seemed to suggest that the European arm of the company would be safe. Unfortunately, yesterday we witnessed both Toys […]
We have decided to start the new year by introducing the ultimate selling guide for small businesses. Wholesale Clearance UK is a family firm, and we recognise the complexities, pressures and challenges of running a small business. Our Blog celebrates its sixth birthday later this year, and in that time we’ve written on every subject […]
What’s the difference between B2B and B2C long distance selling regulations? Are you confused about the difference between B2B and B2C long distance selling regulations? The law treats business-to-business contracts differently than it does business-to-consumer contracts. The Distance Selling Regulations no longer actually apply in UK law. They were replaced by the Consumer Contracts Regulations […]
It was announced yesterday (13/06.2016) that Microsoft is to purchase LinkedIn, the professional networking website, for $26bn (£18bn), which equates to $196 a share. That’s a lot of money. Apparently the deal will enable Microsoft to boost sales of its business and email software, although to be fair, it doesn’t sound as though they’re failing […]
I have been reading the furore surrounding the American Julien Blanc with interest. Julien Blanc is possibly the world’s saddest man. He’s a self-styled ‘pick-up artist’ (a PUA) who preaches some fairly aggressive and obnoxious tactics to ‘help’ men get women into bed through manipulation and coercion. You wouldn’t think this was the twenty-first century […]
If you’re considering going into business for yourself, you may not know where to start. A great many of our Wholesale Clearance UK customers own their own market stall and this is the backbone of their larger business concerns. Some combine the market stall with running an online business as well so that’s something else […]
If you’re a fan of Pinterest then you’ll be pleased to discover that eBay is revamping its UK website so that it includes a range of new features that will compete with other websites such as Pinterest and Etsy. If you’ve never heard of Pinterest you may be wondering what I’m on about. Pinterest is […]
Selling shoes online can be really difficult. One of my customers was telling me recently that shoe size differs so much between make and style, that it can be really hit and miss to sell successfully on eBay. This is a particular issue with fashion shoes which are more about style than substance quite often, […]
The 6 Best Apps for Buying and Selling on eBay eBay is one of the oldest, online auction websites in the world and it is probably the best known if not the best of the online websites. It has grown at an incredible rate since it was founded nearly 20 years ago. Millions of people […]
If you are considering becoming an Ebay International seller and listing items on eBay to make them available for international customers you may be wondering what the pros and cons are. Certainly selling internationally can be a little bit risky, so let’s have a look and see what we can advise you on. Advantages of […]
So that might be the longest title I have ever used in this blog but I wanted somehow to get a link in to bonfire night given that it’s November the 5th, however tenuous it might be. But in my mind the link is that instead of burning unwanted stock – let’s sell it for […]
I was having a conversation with a friend of mine the other day who owns a sweet seaside gift shop that sells a wide range of mid-priced gifts. She mentioned that without the cheaper pound shop lines that she offers, she would be in serious trouble some days. She has to work hard to take […]
A friend of mine is just opening a new shop in East Devon. It’s a massive gamble for her and her partner and while she is hugely excited she is also very concerned. She has been picking my brains about how to make her business successful. While I have been trying to be very positive, […]
1. Do what you love In order to have a successful business you really need to do what you love. If you love what you do you’ll find the energy to get out of bed in the morning and work late at night. You’ll get a lot more personal satisfaction too. Really think about what […]
People assume that selling on eBay is a walk in the park, but actually if you want to be successful, you do have to work very hard at it. Sourcing items, researching prices and creating listings can be very time consuming, so it is important to get it right from the word go. I’ve been […]
In these difficult economic times, running a small business can be extremely hard work. In spite of news items suggesting that online retail sales have rocketed (Retail Gazette for example, reports that ‘online retail sales rose 16 per cent year-on-year last month (March 2013), driven by clothing sales despite the freezing weather’) you may be […]
As an entrepreneur you are almost certainly going to need to make a pitch on occasion. It is a really useful skill to have if you are in the business of selling services and products, or if you ever need some investment or a loan for your business from a bank or other financial provider. […]
I’m feeling a little philosophical this morning and I’ve seen two quotes on my Facebook feed that I really like. The first was written by a freelance designer who said ‘the more I charge you, the more pressure I put on myself to perform for you’ and the second by American business magnate, investor, and […]
Entrepreneurs have to start somewhere, don’t they? Did you know that Marks and Spencer started life on a market stall in Kirkgate Market in Leeds and look what happened to them! They now have over 1000 stores worldwide. If you have ever considered running a market stall and our recent weather hasn’t completely put you […]
Branding is critical to a customer’s perception of you, and is part of the consideration that goes into the purchasing process. Your personal brand is part and parcel of what encourages or discourages a customer or client from buying into or from you. There are several levels of branding that you need to take into […]
A few weeks ago, one of our blog readers asked how he could attract people to his website, so I’ve had a think and done a bit of research. As Lee realised, simply having a website is not a sure fire way to attract customers because the World Wide Web has a complete surfeit of […]
The other day I wrote an article for an entrepreneurial website on how to start a business from scratch. I researched it thoroughly and wrote it up and it’s a great article, succinct and to the point, but it’s not practical. I know that when people search online to find out how to make their […]
Customer complaints are the pits! If you’re anything like me you’ll agree that they are difficult to deal with and they can leave you feeling drained and disheartened. By their very nature complaints are naturally negative and numbingly and emotionally challenging. Well hark, dear sellers, I have news for you. You need to change your […]
Wholesale