Excess PV hardware is a reality of doing business in the solar industry. As prepared as you are, scenarios occur that leave you with unexpected excess inventory.
For example, as an installer, you may incur excess from a cancelled, delayed, or downsized solar project. Perhaps you’re a distributor with excess stock from a bulk purchase or cancelled order. Or maybe you’re a reseller who’s stumbled upon a gold mine of top-quality hardware that the owner no longer wants.
In these cases, the savvy solar professional asks: “Where can I sell excess PV hardware that doesn’t eat up my time and resources?”
The answer: There are multiple online options to sell excess PV hardware, including Facebook marketplace, Amazon, and auction sites. Each option has solutions for positioning inventory in front of buyers.
As you consider your options, you don’t need to limit your decision to one solution. Consider listing excess inventory on multiple online channels to increase your visibility. You never know where new buyers will find you.
For solar companies, EnergyBin offers an efficient solution for “take-all” or volume sales, as the platform is designed to bring together pre-qualified wholesale buyers and sellers.
In this article, we provide a quick guide for how to upload inventory to EnergyBin as well as sales management tips. If you’re a solar company who’s currently not an EnergyBin member, request a demo to learn more.
How to upload excess inventory to EnergyBin
Uploading your inventory to EnergyBin is quick and easy to do. If you’re a member, check out our step-by-step user manual as a reference guide.
As a seller, you have four options for uploading your inventory. The option you go with depends on your unique situation.
Option 1: Add inventory lines manually – This option provides a solution for you to manage your inventory if you don’t already have an internal management system. It’s also helpful when you only have a few items to add at a time.
Option 2: Upload an Excel or CSV file – This option is useful when you have multiple line items to add at a time. Use our handy Upload Template to match your column headings.
Option 3: Auto-Upload – This option is perfect for sellers whose inventory is quickly changing. Sync your internal management system with EnergyBin for optimal convenience.
Option 4: Have us upload your list for you – This option is great for the times when you’re too busy and need our assistance. Simply email your inventory list to upload@energybin.com. Use our handy Upload Template to match your column headings.
Sales management tips for best results
To ensure the best results from uploading your inventory to EnergyBin, you’ll want to follow these recommendations. You’ll find these tips are helpful practices for listing your inventory online elsewhere as well.
1. Follow inventory protocol guidelines.
Verify that your upload satisfies EnergyBin’s Inventory Protocol, as stated here.
- All inventory should be shipped within 48 business hours or otherwise noted with a specific lead time not to exceed 14 days.
- The description field must be used for the product you’re listing. In other words, it’s not allowed to use this field for marketing messages.
- You must be authorized to represent the inventory being posted.
- Quantity and price information must be accurate and honored.
Refer to the Inventory Protocol as often as you need, which is published on the Upload page within the EnergyBin platform.
2. Ensure product descriptions are accurate and specific.
EnergyBin is a search engine that matches keywords based on part number, manufacturer, and description fields. Plain and simple, if you mis-spell a part number or manufacturer, you won’t appear in search results.
3. Complete every field.
Include information for every field, including condition, price, and quantity. In addition to searching by keyword, buyers can filter by these and other fields. You wouldn’t want your listing excluded by a filter search simply because you didn’t complete all the fields.
Give buyers enough information to help them move forward with requesting a quote. Put yourself in the shoes of your buyer to anticipate the information you’d like to know up front before having to talk to a salesperson. By providing complete descriptions, you’ll give the impression to buyers that you’re in the business of integrity.
4. Set a regular schedule to upload inventory.
Set a schedule to regularly upload your inventory. If you’re a company that has multiple team members using EnergyBin, consider appointing one or two employees to be responsible for uploading. Depending on the amount of inventory you have coming in and going out, set a daily or weekly upload schedule. Make it a habit that becomes second nature to your business operations.
Hint – EnergyBin prioritizes search results based on the age of the inventory listing. Upload daily to ensure your inventory appears at the top of search results.
5. Keep your listings up-to-date and respond to buyer inquiries.
Update quantity, price, or other fields when needed. Remove line items that are no longer available. Appoint a person within your company to quickly respond to buyer inquiries, preferably within one business day.
6. Provide exceptional customer service.
Unlike other online marketplaces, EnergyBin is all about building and nurturing relationships. These buyers are your industry peers. They’re not some strange buyer out in the world who you’ll never talk to. Treat them with exceptional customer service. Misrepresenting what you have available for sale or failing to respond to an RFQ in a timely manner could cost you a sale and could hurt your business reputation.
7. Promote your offerings.
Don’t wait for buyers to come to you. Be proactive. Promote your special offerings, clearance, or discounted products by sending Want-to-Sell broadcast emails. Advertise your broadcasted products on social media sites. Add a product catalog to your website. And consider picking up the phone to call and introduce yourself to other EnergyBin members. Again, the success you’ll achieve by listing your inventory comes down to building and nurturing relationships.
Crunched for time?
EnergyBin’s format is meant to make the sales process as streamlined as possible. However, we understand that selling excess inventory may be a burden with everything else you have going on.
If you determine sorting through your excess and preparing it for remarketing is too much to manage, then consider partnering with a solar equipment broker. Qualified brokers can help with everything from inventory audits to valuation, remarketing, and logistics.
Working with a broker won’t only take care of your current need but also form a business relationship for future needs to offload excess. Contact EnergyBin to connect with a broker today.
The main point
However you decide to deal with your excess PV hardware, the point is to move it along. Excess that’s sitting in your warehouse does nothing but collect dust. Plus, the longer you hold onto inventory that’s not selling through your primary sales channels, the more risk you incur of lost value.
Strive to liquidate your excess through resale. By doing so, you win with cash-in-hand and freed warehouse space. Buyers win with hardware they can deploy to new solar projects today.
More Resources
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