| The Online Seller | Vol. 3, Issue 16 |
|
|
 |
Acquisition by Alibaba.com opens more opportunity to provide additional value to independent online sellers.
by Auctiva staff writer
Auctiva has been acquired by Alibaba.com, completing the value chain for online sellers, officials announced today.
Throughout its 12-year history, Auctiva has been focused on helping sellers become more efficient and profitable in getting goods to retail. Now as part of a global leader in product sourcing, Auctiva can help customers use the efficiencies of e-commerce to more fully realize their profit potential.
Auctiva will continue to operate as it has. Founder and CEO Jeff Schlicht will continue to lead Auctiva, staying on as CEO of the company, and Auctiva will continue improving its current features and developing new enhancements to help customers sell more efficiently online.
"Auctiva is still Auctiva," Schlicht says. "Our management team, staff, locations, dedication and commitment to our users will remain the same." Read story.
 |
 |
eBay's Education Specialist program can open doors for you, as well as those you teach.
by Cindy Shebley
I've been honored to be a guest on the Top-rated seller Secrets panel at the eBay: On Location events this year. It's given me a chance to travel across the country and talk about the recent changes and how they affect our businesses. Plus, I've had an opportunity to meet a lot of brilliant eBay sellers.
I've found a real kinship with them. eBayers are fun-loving and generous. And they never stare at me as if I'm from outer space when I start talking about the Internet.
This summer in Chicago, I met an eBayer named Lisa. She and I hit it off instantly. A couple of times during the On Location event, Lisa turned to me and said, "I want to do what you have done. I want to teach and write, and I hope to be able to someday speak at these events." Read story.
Sizing Up the Competition, Part 1
How HammerTap research tools can give you a competitive edge
by Brad and Debra Schepp
Timing is Still Everything
Learn how to choose the right duration for your listings, and for your wallet.
by Dennis L. Prince
Shipping Solutions for Online Sellers
5 integrated services to simplify your life
Get Your Items Found, Part 2
Optimize your site for search engines with tips from eBay's Search guru.
Free eBay Shipping Service from Stamps.com! Simplify your eBay shipping. Stamps.com imports order data from eBay, posts tracking information back to your store, and it's compatible with First Class Mail International, so you can ship worldwide without ever going to the post office. Best of all, you can print eBay shipping labels for free. Sign up today and get a $55 bonus!
News Stories
 |
 |
Marketplace will accept just one checkout option by July 2011.
eBay users may soon notice changes when they purchase items on eBay, as the marketplace moves toward a unified checkout process and phases out third-party checkout systems. Read story.
PayPal Pushing for Dominance
New venture could see payment service accepted at brick-and-mortar stores.
Advertisers to Spend Big on Social Sites
Facebook expected to reap the biggest rewards.
eBay Adjusts Fragrance Policy
Sale of samples, copycat items banned on European sites.
Twitter Usage Skyrockets Worldwide
Rapid growth coincides with gains in mobile and Latin American e-commerce.
Auctiva Blog
 |
Whether you use Auctiva for launching your listings to eBay, or list directly on eBay, there are a few things every new seller should know in order to build a successful venture. Read more.
 |
Detailed Seller Ratings, or DSRs as many of us refer to them, provide a "more complete picture of the member's performance as a seller," according to eBay. But I'm not sure how true this is. Recently, someone left me ones in each of the four DSR categories (item description, seller communication, shipping, and shipping and handling charges), but still left me positive feedback. How does that work? Read more.
Coverage You Can Count On. Lost or damaged items can hurt your bottom line. Protect yourself with Auctiva Shipping Insurance. Policies cost up to 30% less compared to USPS and there are no long lines or forms to fill out. Set Auto-Purchase Rules to make buying and managing insurance policies easier than ever. Learn more.
Weird and Wacky Listings
 |
Send your beloved hamster to the great beyond in grand luxury. This mini sarcophagus, bejeweled with Swarovski crystals and sterling silver, is just the right size to cradle your tiny pet on its journey to the afterworld. And it comes with a bowl of ceramic sunflower seeds, just in case the little guy gets hungry.
 |
Tired of waiting for a UFO to land in your yard so you can prove to your family, once and for all, that aliens really do exist? Wait no more. With this packet of alien seeds, you can grow your own extraterrestrials and have a "close encounter" before you know it. Just don't let them borrow your phone to call home—the bill could be astronomical.
 |
Ever dream of becoming a spy? Look the part with these spy sunglasses. They'll shield your eyes from the sun's rays so you can focus on your mission: gathering top-secret information. They even feature mirrors on the sides so nothing will get by you. Don a cool black hat and a trench coat, and you'll be on your way to spy-dom. All you'll need now is a dark alley and a mystery!
Ask Auctiva
 |
 |
CEO Jeff Schlicht answers questions about Auctiva's recent acquisition by e-commerce giant Alibaba.com. Read more.
Got a burning question about Auctiva, eBay or e-commerce in general? Through our Ask Auctiva program, you can speak directly to Auctiva's top managers. All you have to do is send an e-mail to "AskAuctiva" at the Auctiva dot com domain. Selected questions will be answered by Auctiva managers and published in an article on the Auctiva Education tab. Read some recent Auctiva Q&A articles here.
Please do not submit inquiries requiring an immediate response. Instead, please file a support request for technical or account-related issues.
Auctiva User Profile
 |
Lisa Stadtmueller gives fashionistas the chance to snatch up designer purses at low prices and help feed hungry children at the same time.
"Why not make a difference while you shop?" she asks visitors on the home page of her Auctiva Commerce Store, Handbags4Hunger. Read story.
Get Featured Here
Got a success story you want to share? What amazing garage sale finds have you turned into monster profits online? How has using Auctiva's free templates and auction management tools improved your eBay business? Drop a line and tell us in 50 words or less about an outstanding e-sale experience, and perhaps we'll feature your story in an upcoming issue of The Online Seller newsletter. Submit your story.
Auctiva Commerce Store Spotlight
 |
Jennifer Colgan, the owner of Katie's Charms, admits she didn't always know a lot about charms and charm bracelets. In fact, when she bought her first box of beads, she didn't realize what she had.
"I bought a box of 250 beads thinking they were beads to make jewelry," she notes. "Turned out they were beads for European charm bracelets, and I was hooked. I realized it was a great niche market, and I loved the products.
"I love how you can design your own look, and change the look of your bracelet to match your mood," she continues. "I also love how personal they are. Each bead means something special to the person that wears it."
Katie's Charms is the place where charm enthusiasts can find the Murano glass, Swarovski crystals and other high-quality charms to decorate their bracelets at good prices. As Colgan's store motto says: Shoppers can fill their bracelets without emptying their wallets. Her store has attracted many visitors and garnered her more than 1,000 fans on the shop's Facebook page.
"I do get a lot of traffic from Facebook, and I love it because I use Facebook to personally connect with my customers," she says. "I'm able to ask them questions, and find out what they want and I can answer questions and provide information very easily."
Facebook is just another way Colgan strives to make her customers' shopping experiences a great one.
"I don't want happy customers," she says. "I want ecstatic customers, ones that can't wait to tell their friends about my store. [Buyers] can expect that I will continue to stock my store with new items and will always answer their questions and honor my policies."
Visit Katie's Charms.
Set up your own Auctiva Commerce Store and get complete freedom over your shop.
Feedback Forum
In response to "eBay Bucks Now Available to all Buyers," one reader writes: "Great! Interesting, I was offered it on my selling account when they started it [but] my buying account they would not give it on. I hate buying on my selling account so this is great news that I had not heard! [It's] not much, but it does mount up for sure!" Read the entire thread, and post your response.
If you'd like to comment on this newsletter, any article contained within, or on topics you'd like to see us cover in the future, Auctiva editors would love to hear from you. Send us your feedback.
Sent by Auctiva Corp.
360 6th St., Chico, CA 95928