eBay Changes Announced This Morning

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The 2010 Spring Seller Update was announced by eBay this morning.

Looks like this round will be good for sellers!

Use this Seller Checklist to be sure you stay in compliance with the changes.

Learn How To Sell on eBay - The Basics & Beyond

Are you looking for someone to teach you how to sell on eBay? Do you want to learn how to turn your selling 'hobby' into a business? Or how to set up an eBay Store?

Education Specialists Trained by eBay are independent contractors in your local area who can meet with you for one-on-one or group trainings. They can provide the answers to your questions and they're the only instructors who have access to the 'official' eBay training materials.

To find an Education Specialist, go to the Education Specialist Directory and type in your zip code. This will provide a list of instructors and classes that are available in your area.

If you're on Twitter, you can follow @ebayuniversity to be notified as classes come up.

And if you're looking for a unique gift this holiday season, consider giving a gift certificate for an eBay class!

5 Online Selling Problems & How to Handle Them

Image by harold.lloyd (won't somebody think of the bokeh?) via Flickr

Holiday sales are in full swing and as an ecommerce seller you may be encountering some sticky situations that you haven't dealt with before.

What to do?

Join us our Tips From the Top podcast this Wed (Dec 9) at noon ET/9am PT when Charlene Anderson - experienced ecommerce seller - joins us to talk about how to handle 5 of the major/most common online selling problems.

Charlene currently sells on her own website as well as on eBay, Amazon, etsy and a couple of the smaller sites. With 10+ years experience in online selling, Charlene has run across all types of buyers and all kinds of problems that can occur. Make your life easier and learn from her experiences!

While I can't reveal all the selling problems Charlene will cover, I can say that it's not the end of the world if you ship the wrong item! :-)

The podcast Chat Room will be open during the call (Thu Dec 9 at noon ET/9am PT). We welcome you to join us 'live' so you can contribute to the discussion &/or ask questions about any 'problem situations' you've encountered.

We have also started a related 'Discussion' on The Savvy Seller Facebook page so please join in there - post a problem, offer a suggestion to someone else or just commiserate!

iabol for eBay: Multi-Carrier Shipping Solution

Image by sean dreilinger via Flickr

Mark Your Calendars!

What: 'Tips From the Top' Podcast

When: Tuesday, December 1 - 2:00pm ET/11:00am PT

Your are invited to join our 'Tips From the Top' podcast to learn about iabol for eBay - an easy-to-use multi-carrier shipping solution currently certified with UPS and USPS via Endicia.

This new eBay app gives eBay sellers more choices for domestic and international shipping. Designed with powersellers in mind, this solution is fully integrated with Selling Manager and Selling Manager Pro.

Marty Stamps, Director of Marketing at ABOL Software, will be our podcast guest on Tue Dec 1 (2pm ET/11am PT). He'll discuss the features and benefits of iabol for eBay and will be happy to answer your all your questions about this service.

New Terapeak Keywords App!

Image via CrunchBase

Today is the official release of the Terapeak Keyword Application for eBay sellers and best of all, it's FREE!

If you've ever sold on eBay, you know the first step to creating a great listing is coming up with a great title.

Terapeak Keywords is a free tool that helps eBay sellers optimize their listing titles.

Type in an item's name/description into the search field. Terapeak's tool will then sample 100 recent eBay listings that have also included the specified search term(s) and automatically produces a list of related keywords accompanied by average prices and other metrics.

By clicking the most valuable relevant keywords and adding then to your listing, you can continue to build your title until you've used up all 55 characters!

Here's the summary of its features:

• 20 suggested keywords related to your search
• average, maximum & minimum prices for each suggested keyword
• a self-refreshing suggestions list as you select additional keywords
• the ability to build your title until you've exhausted all 55 characters
• all data based on 100 recently closed eBay listings.

It's free!! Available on eBay's Selling Manager Applications platform Try it out!!

What a Hoot! My Bra Is For Sale on eBay!

As you probably know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. So many of us have been touched by this disease. It's time to band together, raise funds for research and make breast cancer a thing of the past.

In an effort to reach this goal, a network of eBay, Bonanzle and Internet sellers have organized a "BLING MY BRA" campaign that is running all month long to raise money for breast cancer research.

Each day during October there will be an eBay auction of one or more 'fantasy art bras' - creative confections with themes that are beautiful, funny & inventive. 100% of the money raised by these auctions goes to the Susan G. Komen For The Cure.

Somehow, one of my bras has become a 'fantasy art bra.' Not quite sure how it happened but I think a savvy little owl was involved.



Here's the link to the auction. Please place a bid!!

You can follow the action on Twitter using #BlingMyBra or by following @BlingMyBra.

Huge thanks to eBay seller WOADIELAND, Beth Cherkowsky and eBay seller GalleriaGifts, Melinda Jackson for coordinating this.

How To Take Your eBay/eCommerce Business To The Next Level

Image by danielbroche via Flickr

Do you

• sell online (eBay and/or other sites)
• know the basics
• want to grow your business
• need tips & info on creating a business plan, sourcing, marketing?

If this describes you, then you'll want to tune in to our Tips From the Top podcast this Wednesday, Sept 23 at 4:00pm ET (1pm PT).

John Peragine, Jr will be our guest. He is the author of eBay Income Advanced: How To Take Your eBay Business to the Next Level - For PowerSellers and Beyond.

We'll be talking about

• Expanding Your Business
• Advertising
• Developing and Using a Business Plan
• Evaluating the Success or Your Business using a SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
• and much more!

The Chat Room will be open and we welcome your questions! Mark your calendars and join the podcast this Wednesday, Sept 23 at 4pm ET/1pm PT.

Frozen Rats, Bonanzle, An eBay Experiment & A Southern Belle

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You will not want to miss today's Tips From the Top Podcast!

Please join us at 11:00am ET (8am PT) as we have the honor of interviewing Phaedra Stockstill. Phaedra is a serial entrepreneur, the owner/formulator at @ The Boutique, a podcaster and eCommerce Educator.

In today's podcast Phaedra will share the secrets to her success - past and present. You'll also be the first to hear the interesting results of Phaedra's recently conducted eBay experiment. We'll talk 'frozen rats' too!

Today's podcast will be accompanied by a slide presentation. The link to the slides will be sent to those who have joined The Savvy Seller's Facebook Fan Page - so if you haven't already become a fan, please do so now!

Our Tips From the Top Podcast Chat Room will be open during the call so please join us there and feel free to ask your questions!

Do You Run A Business? Top Tips For Your Success!

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The Savvy Seller's Tips From The Top Podcasts provide information essential to the success of your online or offline business.

Book-keeping is one of the most critical aspects of running a business yet it's often given the least attention.

Join us tomorrow, Fri Aug 14, at 11:00 am ET (8:00am PT) for our informative podcast with Kevin Reeth, CEO of Outright - a free, simple-to-use bookkeeping site designed specifically for those who are self-employed. Online sellers should note that Outright can be used on many eCommerce channels such as eBay, Amazon and Etsy.

Using Outright is as easy as pouring a cup of coffee so bring your coffee mugs and join us tomorrow, 11:00am ET for an informative half hour podcast as we talk about how to keep your business's financial health in check! The Chat Room will be open and we welcome your questions!

Win $25,000 To Grow Your Business on eBay!

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If you are an entrepreneur who’s dreamed of expanding your business online, eBay wants to help make that dream come true.

The first ever eBay Sellers Challenge gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to submit a business plan and video for a chance to win $25,000 to grow their business on eBay.

Even if you aren't sure the Challenge is for you, you will definitely benefit from the information on the eBay Sellers Challenge site.

Click on the 'Getting Started' tab for information on how to think through a business plan, learn the Top Ten Growth Strategies and Top Ten Selling Tips. Click on the 'Business Tools' tab, the 'Entrepreneurship 101' tab and the 'Resources' tab for more valuable information.

Once you've seen what's possible ..... go for it! And if you win, come back and tell us your story!!

eBayers: How WatchCount.com Can Help You

Please join us today (Tue June 9) for an informative podcast with Jake Becker, owner and webmaster of WatchCount.com.

WatchCount.com offers a collection of free tools and services for eBay buyers and sellers. These include unique marketplace search capabilities unavailable on the eBay site.

Sellers can avail themselves of automatic listing enhancements such as the WatchCount.com widget and both buyers & sellers can view the Most Watched eBay items in real-time to better help them frame both their buying and selling activities on the site.

Calling all sellers of collectibles: this category of users has found WatchCount useful in helping them determine which items are most in demand.

Join us today at 3:00pm EST (noon Pacific) on our ' Tips From the Top podcast' to learn all about WatchCount.com's features and benefits. The Chat Room will be open and your questions are welcome!

Giving Works!

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eBay has a program that helps sellers who want to contribute some or all of their auction proceeds to a charity of their choice.

The program is called Giving Works.

Perhaps you've come across listings with a distinctive blue & yellow ribbon icon next to them. That ribbon icon denotes a charity auction.

Many eBay buyers specifically look for charity auctions when they go to purchase an item.

These auctions typically bring in a higher closing price because buyers know some or all of the proceeds are going to charity.

An excellent example of an eBay seller using Giving Works is John (ColderICE ) Lawson. He is currently running a Giving Works auction where 100% of the proceeds will go to fight Breast Cancer. You can see him explain the auction here:

John has other charity auctions up as well. You can find all the auctions here or go to eBay and type 'colderICE' into the search box to locate them.

If you've ever thought about 'giving back' why not try eBay's 'Giving Works?'

A Stellar Seller w/ Good Buys All The Time

Last week during our Tips From the Top podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Maryann Lowden - an Education Specialist Trained by eBay, Silver level PowerSeller and experienced Trading Assistant.

Maryann is an enthusiastic eBay seller and her eBay sales have increased this past year - something quite notable during this economic downturn.

In addition, Maryann was just named one of eBay's Stellar Sellers.

I hope you'll take a few minutes and listen to this podcast & learn how Maryann achieved success, maintains a positive outlook and approaches customer service.

You can find Maryann on eBay under her ID 'onecrazyredhead', in her eBay Store, Good Buys All the Time or follow her on Twitter (http://twitter.com/crazy4ebay).

When Egos Fly: 3 Jerks And A Lady

Question:
What happens when 4 podcasters with 4 diverse backgrounds collaborate?

Answer:
When Egos Fly: 3 Jerks And A Lady!

Join Dave White (eBay & Beyond: Basics To Business), John Lawson (colderICE), Walt Kolenda (AuctionWally) and yours truly (TheSavvySeller) as we join forces to bring you the latest and greatest info on 4 'HOT' internet/ecommerce topics.

You are invited to join us for this one-of-a-kind, information-packed program on Thursday, March 19 at 2:00PM EST / 11:00AM PST.

So, who are we?

Dave White is a veteran of ecommerce with a full-time online business since 1998. He has been an eBay University instructor, eBay Education Specialist, PowerSeller and internet marketing consultant. In his work Dave saw a need to provide internet marketers with the truthful information they would need to be successful and so he created eBay & Beyond: Basics To Business radio in February 2007. 'ebay & Beyond' has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Small Biz Podcasts for 2009.

John Lawson is Founder and CEO of the online urban clothing store 3rd Power Outlet and author of the business blog colderICE.com. With Lawson at the helm, over the last 7 years 3rdPowerOutlet.com has grown to the point where the company ships over 100 packages a day and consists of a successful eBay store, online store and blog.

Walt Kolenda, aka AuctionWally, has been in the antiques and auction business since 1983. He became a licensed auctioneer in 1995 and does live auctions, appraisal days and charity events. You can find him at AuctionWally.com or hosting one of his two online radio shows, The AuctionWally Show and Brainstorming Bonanzle.

Marlene Gavens, aka 'The Savvy Seller', is a social media/internet marketing strategist and eBay Certified Business Consultant (one of only 30 world-wide). In addition to podcasting, blogging & teaching the 'official' eBay classes, Marlene develops internet marketing programs for both online & offline (brick & mortar) businesses.

Be sure to Mark Your Calendars and join us on Thursday, March 19th (2pm EST) for this unique event: When Egos Fly: 3 Jerks And A Lady!

Come participate in the conversation! If you have comments or questions, be sure to register with Talkshoe (http://www.talkshoe.com/) and meet us in the Chat Room. *You are welcome to listen in as a 'guest' however questions will be taken only from those who have signed up with TalkShoe and have a user name.

Online Success From Beanie Babies to Lobster Roaches

Last week I had the pleasure of interviewing Kat Simpson of Kat's-Kloset on our 'Tips From the Top' podcast series.

Kat is a bundle of energy! She's an eBay and Amazon seller, an Education Specialist Trained by eBay and a podcaster. Kat had some great stories to tell from her online selling experiences. Wait until you hear how a lizard and a tarantula led to selling Lobster Roaches on eBay!!

Kat also shared a great tips on how to choose which online sites to sell on, how she keeps track of inventory and how to make Endicia pay for itself!

You can listen to the interview here:




The Chat Room notes for this podcast are available at Chat Grabber. Type in 19245.

eBay Pictures Fee Changes on Feb 18th

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Starting Feb 18th, eBay will be making individual pictures, Picture Pack and Gallery Plus FREE for items listed in the following categories—Collectibles, Art, Pottery & Glass, and Antiques on eBay.com.

More detailed information can be found on the eBay site.

eBay Discussion Board Changes

Image via CrunchBase

eBay's Discussion Boards are getting a new look!

The new features include:

• more personalization and layout options


• time-saving features


• enhanced control over your experience

To make these changes, the Discussion Boards will be taken offline on Tue Feb 3 from 4pm - midnight PST.

You can check the Launch Board for a preview of what the boards will look like.

The Table Was Turned -

Happy New Year!

I hope the holiday season was everything you wished for and more!

To start off 2009, the table - well actually the microphone - was turned!

Instead of asking the questions as I do in our 'Tips From the Top' podcasts, today I was a podcast guest on John Lawson's (colderICE) Internet Commerce and eBay podcast show and he asked the questions!

John is CEO of 3rd Power Outlet, an eBay powerseller, podcaster and vlogger. He has all the bases covered! It was a pleasure, an honor and lots of fun to be on his show.

Hope you have a chance to download the podcast. It's one of the few times I'll be on the other side!

Holiday Note to eBay Buyers

Dear eBay Buyer,

Let me begin by thanking you for making your holiday purchases on eBay. Hopefully all were from ME!

No doubt the site looks different since your last visit, hence the purpose of this note.

While the changes on the site were meant to 'delight' you (the buyer), most of them did not come with a 'user manual' so we appreciate your persistence and, in fact, We (the sellers) are 'delighted' you found our items.

One change on the site has to do with the 'F-word' - FEEDBACK. (and yes, many sellers regard Feedback as the 'F-word').

This note will serve as your 'Buyer's Guide To eBay Feedback.' It involves a short lesson that will re-define a few words in your vocabulary and correct some previously held math concepts - so please bear with us and read carefully.

For your buying confidence & security, eBay Feedback allows you to see how your seller has performed during past transactions. This feedback was left by buyers who previously purchased an item from the seller. You will see general feedback (positive, negative or neutral) and comments.

You, too, will have the opportunity to rate your seller. Read on!

You will also see a box with yellow stars just to the right of the seller's Positive, Negative or Neutral rating. While you can 'mouse over' the stars for information, you'll find everything you need to know right here.

The stars refer to DSR's or Detailed Seller Ratings. These are additional ways in which the buyer can evaluate a seller. DSR's rate:

• How accurately the seller described the item
• How well the seller communicated
• How quickly the seller shipped the item
• How reasonable the shipping & handling fees were.

Now that you've purchased an item from me (and once again I thank you profusely), you can rate our transaction.

HERE'S THE TRICKY PART:

Remember how the DSR's are on a 5 star scale?

I'll bet you think 5 stars = excellent; 4 stars = very good, 3 stars = good; 2 stars = poor & 3 stars = fail. Right?

Wrong!! Here's where the vocabulary lesson comes in.

5 Stars = very (very accurate, very satisfied, very quickly, very reasonable)
4 Stars - accurate, satisfied, quickly, reasonable

While I won't bore you with details, suffice it to say eBay uses the DSR scores to advantage (or disadvantage) sellers in various ways.

Now here's the math lesson:

If a seller's DSR scores are below 4.3, they FAIL. Fail to get any advantages.

Bet you thought a '3' or below would be a failing grade! NOT! In the world of eBay, anything less than a 4.3 in DSR's is failing.

With this vocabulary & 'new' math lesson now completed, I once again want to thank you for purchasing from ME and taking the time to read this note.

Without getting on my virtual knees and begging, I encourage you to rate our transaction with 5 STARS. Any less and you may not find us here again. Enough said.

Your eBay Seller

Winter Shipping Tip

Through Twitter I've had the pleasure to come in contact with tjwindart - both Mr & Mrs!

I learned that 'Mr' tjwindart (or @Trent_T as he's known on Twitter) has alot of experience on the road.

That's why I paid particular attention to an eBay Guide that I believe was written by 'Mrs' tjwindart. It's called 'Extra Care in Shipping During the Winter Months.'

Since winter is fast approaching I thought I'd share the info with you. Here is the Guide.