We're not going to be "Brother Sharp," we're going to be "Brother Gold"—teaching you how to boost sales!

 In early 2008, like most Taobao sellers, I rushed into the world of online sales on Taobao, eagerly marching towards my goal. I dreamt of the gleaming blue crown (a high-ranking Taobao seller account) and the busy figures of customer service representatives; the feeling was like eating a delicious Hami melon from Xinjiang. But the next day, when I logged into Wangwang (Taobao's instant messaging platform), I was met with the same deserted chatter, and I was incredibly anxious!

  So, I started learning, posting, and replying on online forums, participating in various activities, working tirelessly from dawn till dusk, like a street vendor selling flasks. But the results weren't great; my online chat room remained silent. My initial enthusiasm had plummeted to rock bottom. Sigh! At this rate, I feared I'd be starving. Finally, I gathered a few brothers from my team and readjusted our plan. After a serious discussion, we found some feasible methods. After implementing these methods for a period, the results improved. Orders poured in like snowflakes, buyer reviews poured in, and after the initial stock sold out, another batch arrived. I was overjoyed. Below, I'll share my limited experience with you:

 

1. Integrity is fundamental, and virtue is the key to success. As Niu Gensheng said, "Small victories rely on intelligence, great victories on virtue." The competition on Taobao today is no less intense than the Warring States period in Chinese history, with many entering and many failing. Everyone laments the difficulty of doing business and struggles to survive. However, I have observed that many sellers on Taobao do not genuinely care about customer service, fail to communicate effectively, and some even mislead customers. They claim to have shipped items they haven't, or that products with missing functions have them. When problems arise after delivery, they make excuses and disappear when it's time for a refund. Worse still, some verbally abuse customers, shifting blame without admitting their own mistakes or apologizing. This is a very serious problem. Recently, a customer from Shanghai bought something from our store. Due to the rush of shipping, the wrong item was sent. The customer was furious upon receiving the item and even verbally abused our customer service representative with vulgar and abusive language. However, our customer service representative patiently communicated with the customer and resent the wrong item. The customer was surprised and grateful upon receiving the correct item, not only giving a great review but also recommending our store to friends. Therefore, all sellers should be open to communicating with their customers, treat them seriously, and strive to protect their interests; only then will your business thrive and grow.

2. Grasp market demand, improve product quality, and innovate marketing decisions. To grasp market direction, you must first understand customer needs. Customer needs determine the development direction of your store. Many people do not know how to understand the needs of online customers. I can share my insights: (1) People's needs are nothing more than "clothing, food, housing and transportation". You should first investigate how many sellers there are in a certain industry on Taobao, what percentage of them are crown sellers, diamond sellers and heart sellers. In this way, you can analyze where you are in this industry and estimate how much time you need to spend to reach which stage; (2) When your customers come to your store to inquire about your products, if they do not buy them, you should ask them why they do not buy them. Let them say it. Ask your customers more questions. After a period of time, you can compare and analyze the feedback data from these customers. If customers buy your products, you should interact with them frequently. When you visit them, you should ask them how they use your products. Collect this information. I believe you will know how to adjust your product and store operation direction. Improving product quality is a crucial means of expanding markets and establishing a store's brand. Without high-quality products, it's impossible to gain the favor of new customers and the trust of existing ones. So, first ask about the quality of your product before you try to sell it to your customers. Why do we often hear about the prevalence of counterfeit goods on Taobao? This is actually a harmful consequence of the unscrupulous and irresponsible behavior of some profit-driven sellers.

 If your product quality gives your customers peace of mind, you also need to innovate your marketing methods and strategies, such as changing your services, your free gifts, and your promotional tactics. Previously, we published articles about our products on relevant forums, communities, groups, blogs, and Baidu Knows, enthusiastically helping newcomers and diligently answering their questions. We also participated in Taobao activities, such as flash sales and one-yuan auctions, to expand the store and product awareness. For example, for our couple's outfits and women's clothing, we posted soft-sell ads on Taobao clothing forums and Ruili clothing websites, offering advice. What people really need is information, not a barrage of spam advertisements! Therefore, we must do every detail well, be diligent, attentive, hardworking, and promptly resolve customer feedback issues.

3. Don't blindly persist. Many people on Taobao say that persistence leads to victory and success, but let's first ask ourselves: why do we persist? What advantages and resources do we have to persist? What motivates us to persist? Once you make the wrong choice, persisting is like a mouse trapped in a bull's horn—with nowhere to go. I believe we must recognize the situation, think carefully, make reasonable choices, and prepare well. Only then can we do what we want to do well.