Auctiva is giving sellers the chance to win free listing service, free shipping insurance, sourcing coupons, custom design services and more, in a video-making contest that kicks off next week.
Winners of "Lights, Camera, Auctiva!" can receive up to one year on Auctiva's Diamond Plan, coupons to wholesale sourcing site AliExpress, up to $100 in free Auctiva Shipping Insurance, a custom listing template or logo designed by one of Auctiva's professional designers and more.
To enter the video contest, which kicks off Aug. 1 and runs through the end of September, sellers must create a commercial about Auctiva.com, upload their commercial to YouTube and share the link on Auctiva's Facebook wall. Commercials can be about Auctiva.com, in general, or a particular feature or set of features, explains Auctiva Communications Manager Robert Green.
"We want participants to have fun and get as creative as they can," Green adds. "We've tried to not add too many constraints to this contest in order to really let that creativity shine."
Diamonds and dollars and swag, oh my!
Anyone who likes Auctiva on Facebook, and is at least 18 years old, can participate. Auctiva will award multiple prizes, including one grand-prize winner, one first-place winner, several runners-up and a "wackiest entry" prize.
Free listing tools, plus a free custom logo, plus free stuff to sell—it's almost everything you need to sell on eBay
The grand-prize winner will earn six months on Auctiva's Diamond Plan—a $1,079.70 value—$100 worth of AliExpress coupons to buy wholesale inventory for resale, a $100 credit for Auctiva Shipping Insurance, a custom eBay listing template or logo, and an Auctiva gift bag filled with Auctiva-branded merchandise.
The first-place winner will earn six months on Auctiva's Platinum Plan, a $100 credit for Auctiva Shipping Insurance, a custom eBay listing template or custom logo, and an Auctiva gift bag. The Wackiest Entry will earn a 10-minute phone call with Auctiva founder Jeff Schlicht, a pound of coffee stolen from the Auctiva break room and Auctiva gear.
"We think this prize is priceless, in and of itself," Green says.
A People's Choice award, which features a year of service on Auctiva's Unlimited Plan, and other prizes, will be selected based on the number of likes the commercial gets on Facebook. All winners will be announced in October.
Product Analyst and Top-rated Seller Rebecca Miller, a seller of more than 11 years, says the prizes should help any seller with their business.
"Getting free listing tools, plus a free custom logo, plus free stuff to sell—it's almost everything you need to sell on eBay," Miller says. "And you could use your custom-designed logo for your Auctiva Commerce Store, too, if you have one, so these prizes could help you not just on eBay, but on your own online store."
Videos are more than fun
The contest should be a lot of fun for sellers, but it could also be a good way to experiment with video, says Auctiva EDU Assistant Editor Olga Munoz. She says videos can be a great way to show off products, especially if the items being featured are mechanical.
"With videos, you can show buyers how an items works, how to best use it, and more," she explains. "And, of course, you can just use video to introduce yourself to your buyers and give them a chance to get to know you to build trust."
She concedes that some sellers get intimidated when they hear the word "video," but says there's really no reason to be. "With today's cameras, and with video-editing software included on so many computers, capturing footage is easier than ever before," she notes.
"Sellers should give our 'Lights, Camera, Auctiva!' contest a shot! There's a lot of fun to be had and great prizes to win!" Munoz says.
The "Lights, Camera, Auctiva!" video contest runs from Aug. 1 through Sept. 31. For complete contest details and rules, visit the Auctiva Blog.