Running an online shop

Running an Online Shop with Volunteers

Gerry Weetman

Shop Operations Lead,

Oxfam GB

Welcome and Introductions

Objectives

We will look at• Why sell online?

• How to sell online?

• What to sell online?

• Questions

A little bit of history…

Setting the Scene: Where have we come from?

Background• Oxfam shops have been selling online for

around 10 years

• Abe Books and eBay

• Oxfam’s Online Shop (OOS)

• Amazon Marketplace

• Play, Alibris

Which channels?

• 165 shops live and selling on OOS

• 38 shops sell on Abe Books (18 unique to Abe)

• 78 shops sell on eBay (46 unique to eBay)

• 3 shops sell on Play

• 4 shops sell on Alibris

• 50 shops sell on Amazon (28 unique to Amazon)

Why sell online?

What is the e-retail market doing?

• Verdict forecasts that by 2013, online shopping population will reach 34.8M (66.2% of the total adult population).

• And online share of spend will remain buoyant, rising to 10% of all retail spend by 2013

• Clothing and footwear has overtaken music and video to be the most frequently shopped for category online

24679:

E-commerce forecastProportion who have bought various goods or services online in the past 12 months (2010-based nVision projection)

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Computer hardware

Food/groceries

Electronic equipment

Tickets for events

Computer software

Films/music

Books/magazines/e-learning material

Travel and holiday accommodation

Household goods

Clothes & sports goods2016

2010

2006

Source: Eurostat Survey on ICT Usage/nVisionBase: UK

26900:

Home internet access forecast – UK & Ireland% of households having access to the internet at home

nVision forecast, 2010-based projection

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%2

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20

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UK actual UK

Ireland actual Ireland

EU25 average

Source: Eurostat Survey on ICT Usage/nVisionBase: UK and Ireland

26901:

Internet usage forecast – UK & Ireland% of individuals who access the internet, on average, at least once a weeknVision forecast, 2010-based projection

0%

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100%2

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UK actual UK

Ireland actual Ireland

EU 27 actual EU 25

Source: Eurostat Survey on ICT Usage/nVisionBase: All individuals aged 16-74

22475: The Future of E-commerce

Internet sales as a percentage of total retail salesValues. Not seasonally adjusted.

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£0

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£550Internet sales as a % of total retail sales (left hand axis)

Internet retail sales, £ millions (right hand axis)

Source: National Statistics/nVisionBase: UK

Why sell online?

• Increase your customer base• Profile your shop• Increase your sell through and ASP• Be part of the future

Bricks + clicks = success

Which channel?

Which channel?

• As we have seen, there are a number of channels to choose from and these are growing all the time

• But there are Pro’s and Con’s which need investigating before deciding

Channels available – pros and cons!

Channel

Reach Huge Very Big Small Small

Auction / Fixed price

Both Fixed Fixed Fixed

Audience Broad & Niche Broad Warm Niche

Fees (listing / commission)

Both Both No Both

Database building

No No Yes No

Storage space Small Medium Small Medium

Brand building No No Yes No

How do we sell?

How do shops sell online?

• Same principles as High Street• Shops select stock• Stock listed and presented to maximise features• Stock priced optimally to offer value to customer and Oxfam• Sales effectively picked and packed on time• Shops replenish inventory to maintain stock levels

What makes a good online shop?• 3 key factors based around 4 P’s (People, Product,

Property & Pounds)• People

• Successful Shop Manager who is able to recruit an additional team of volunteers

• Product• Sufficient, suitable quality stock

• Property• Adequate space to accommodate equipment and

storage of stock• When all 3 things are in place, you get the 4th P = £’s

Product Selection• Focus on quality and condition• Sort to identify high value / demand items

(ASP and Brand sell through)• Prioritise listing accordingly• List low ASP items only if you have sufficient

Volunteers• Provide and use minimum price guide that

respects your volunteers time - research as required

• Maximise listing through effective photography and complete / punchy descriptions

A picture is worth a thousand words

• Ensure a neutral background

• Minimum front and back shot

• Angle mannequin for a 3 dimensional view

• Take all shots from same distance to ensure constant white balance

• Include shots of styling details as required

• For books and music, a scanner may be used

A picture is worth a thousand words

Back Room Systems

Organisation• Letter, number system as standard• Monthly system also possible• Label each individual item:

• Location code• Product code

Dispatching• Must be sent next working day• Packing materials• Posting

What do we sell?

Online Terminology

RPLASP

Conversion

Sell T

hrou

gh

Live

Draft

Online Terminology

RPL

ASP

Conversion Sell T

hrou

gh

Live

Draft

Revenue per Listing - Gross sales divided by total number of listings both live and sold.

Average Selling Price – The total sales divided by the number of items sold

Listed items not available for sale

Listed items available for sale

The amount of items bought divided by the total visitors to

the siteThe number or value of items sold divided by total number or value of items listed

Where’s the money?

Where’s the Money?

What do shops sell on OOS?•We’ve sold some fantastic items

•Vintage Christian Dior, Bijou stunning costume jewellery set 1959

•£865.00

£865


•Back To The Egg by Wings, Paul McCartney. Original promo only picture disc, vinyl 33 RPM,

•£800.00

£800


•

£1,250.00

The Velveteen Rabbit - Margery Williams - 1922 first with jacket

£1,250

What do shops sell on OOS?•And some unusual items too..

•Duncan Maclennan Standard Boomerang

•£15.00

£15

Investment requiredRequired Equipment

Required equipment

£60

£150 Lights£71 mannequins

£50

£400 £75

£34

Who Do I Need?

What roles are available?

• VIP Scout• Fashionista• Photographer• Creator• Picker & packer• Media officer• Stock sourcer

• Van driver• Van buddy• Administrator• Role leaders

• What else do you need?

What Does That Mean?VIP scouts• Can you tell a D&G from a Dorothy Perkins? Ideal for those with an eye for quality and detail, this role is

challenged with selecting quality saleable items, stock control & inventory management.

Photographers• An interest in photography and styling would make you a perfect candidate for an online photographer.

Dressing mannequins and taking good quality photographs of garments and details.

Fashionistas • A passion for fashion, retro or vintage clothing would make you the ideal person to optimise the value of the

donations for Oxfam through research into current trends and market prices.

Creators• Do you have the skills in creative writing to describe products with the accuracy of detail and passion for

product that will excite buyers and lead to increased sales for Oxfam online?

Pickers and Packers• SOLD! Items now need to be picked from the racking, packed up and posted. Are you organised to ensure

the efficient and smooth running of the production centre and careful updating of dispatch systems?

Media officers• If you’re a people person and have recruitment or media experience, we would love you to help promote

these opportunities to the local community and media and maintain a core base of volunteers.

Where Can I Find Them?

Recruitment sources• For general recruitment-

• Posters in shop window• Posters in community buildings

(library/leisure centre/places of worship etc.)

• Job Centre Plus• Probation Service• Local Council Volunteer Bureaux or

Volunteering Service• Prison placement schemes• V involved• Reach• Working with community groups e.g.

Rotary, Lions’ Club, Book Clubs, Music Groups, Women’s Institute.

• Duke of Edinburgh• Asking current volunteer team

• Specifically for online selling-

• Gumtree

• Facebook

• Twitter

• Local amateur photography groups

• Community IT courses

Case Study- Madeleine

• Wallingford Shop- Has whole upstairs dedicated to online shop

• Promoted 2 volunteer ‘Open days’ To let people come in and have a look around and talk about opportunities with the online shop.

• Published open days in local magazine and on chalk board outside the shop

• Result = 5 new online shop volunteers from one open day!

What’s So Great About your Shop?!

What’s So Great About your Shop?!

• Be competitive!

• Promote the aspects of your shop or team which are really different/interesting

• Ask your current team what motivates them to work in the shop

• Always keep these ideas in mind when talking to prospective volunteers/designing materials

Questions?

Running an online shop

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