| The Online Seller | Vol. 3, Issue 5 |
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How to avoid the common traps that ensnare new entrepreneurs
by Brad and Debra Schepp
Working for yourself from home has long been an American Dream, but thanks to the recent economy more people than ever are taking the leap. The Wall Street Journal recently called this era "The Age of Going Solo." While many of these newly self-employed people are becoming consultants, we don't have to tell you that many others will try their hands at selling on eBay. Read story.
Get the Picture
5 common product photography mistakes, and how to correct them
by Cindy Shebley
7 Steps to Improved Fixed-Price Sales
Ready to go beyond auction selling? Here's a plan of action.
by Dennis L. Prince
Profiting From Change
What sellers need to know to benefit from eBay's Stores changes
by Janelle Elms
How to Sell: Handheld Electronics
A few tips to succeed in this competitive niche
Shipment Mapping Fosters Trust
Customer maps help give sellers credibility with new buyers.
View more Articles.
Auctiva 101 Webinars! — Get a close-up look at Auctiva's newest features and an overview our comprehensive suite of eBay listing management tools with Auctiva 101 Webinars. Ideal for new and experienced users, these one-hour classes let sellers interact with Auctiva management and developers to get the story behind the software and learn strategies for success on eBay. Webinars take place every week. To attend the next session, register now.
News Stories
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Consumers 'ready to treat themselves,' experts say.
While some U.S. taxpayers are expected to save their refunds from Uncle Sam this year, many others will use the money to indulge themselves, reports the National Retail Federation. Read story.
Buyer Behavior Varies by Niche
Study shows search engine usage depends on the product.
Social Site Allows Money Sharing
Facebook app enables transactions among friends.
View all News Stories.
Auctiva Blog
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Search engines continue to be a top resource for online shoppers. In fact, a recent study by Compete Online Shopper, a Web analytics company, found that 61 percent of online buyers use search engines when shopping around for products. The second most popular tool cited among these shoppers was coupon sites, with 35 percent of buyers saying they visit these. Retailer marketing e-mails came in third, with 29 percent of consumers reading them when deciding what to buy. Read story.
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Here at Auctiva, we work closely with eBay to make sure we stay in sync with its policies and features, while providing you with the best service we can. As part of this close relationship, eBay employees occasionally visit our Chico offices.Anytime eBay makes the three-and-a-half-hour drive from San Jose to Chico, you can feel extra energy in the air. Usually we don't get more than a day or two notice before our guests arrive—which doesn't give me much time to organize my junk—I mean, inventory. I have a mountain of shoe boxes, bags of Webkinz and Club Penguin plush toys, and stacks of anything and everything in my two cubicles—all waiting to be listed. Read story.
View all posts on the Auctiva Blog.
Unique Items Online
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This oversized piece of cereal may look ordinary but it no doubt has an infinite number of possible uses. You could… cover a mouse hole, patch a bicycle tire, make an earring, play Frisbee with a leprechaun, pin it to your lapel on National Cereal Day, pick a guitar, open an envelope, or skip it across the creek—just for starters. How many more uses can you think of?
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Who says unicorns aren't real? This seller seems to have found one of these mythical creatures and is offering three strands of its hair. Unicorn horns were said to be a source of power and a way to ensure a long life in medieval times; we're not sure if the same goes for hair, but it might. However, this seller isn't taking any chances. No returns accepted, the listing says.
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Get people under your spell with these vintage, hypnotic glasses. The rare specs are sure to make you the most popular guest at any party. But beware, the glasses warn they should not be used without their guidebook instructions. Guess the power may be too intense for some.
Shop Outside of the Box! — Take your shopping experience to a new level. Elefy is the place to find merchandise from thousands of independent sellers, all in one place—including unique and hard-to-find items. A simple search interface makes it easy to find exactly what you're looking for. Shop Elefy today.
Ask Auctiva
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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. If you need a technical issue resolved right away, please file a support request and your case will be addressed by our customer support team.
View all Ask Auctiva Articles.
Auctiva User Profile
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To say Gena Cornett is ambitious would be an understatement. While creating just one successful online store is a major achievement by any measure, she's launched five in the past year—and she has no plans to stop there."My goal is to have 20 more niche-based sites within the next three to five years," she says. 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 here.
Auctiva Commerce Store Spotlight
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Star Gordon wants her shoppers to celebrate themselves. In fact, her shop's logo encourages visitors to give their lives wings.
"The vision of CY is to encourage people to celebrate their own individuality and to become a cornerstone in your life and the lives of the people they love," according to the site. "CY endeavors to be here for you today and most importantly tomorrow. It will be a place where you can renew and rejuvenate your mind and well being, and become a point of reference for a lifestyle well defined and well lived."
The store is filled with handmade products such as journals, jewelry, candles, ceramics and yoga products.
"We thought creating and selling handmade lifestyle products would be a great way to bring one-of-a-kind, functional products to customers… while helping to sustain and improve poor communities and contributing to the livelihood of artisans and handcrafters," Gordon explains.
And shoppers have responded well to the socially conscious products Gordon has been offering since 2006.
"Our unique and quality products draw customers to the site and keep them coming back, [and so do] the personal attention and care we provide during the entire buying process," Gordon says. "This personal attention is not only limited to close interaction with the customer, but is extended by and solidified with our e-commerce platform, that is not only vital to the online customer experience but can be a real game changer."
Visit Celebrate Yourself.
Set up your own comprehensive Auctiva Commerce Store and get complete freedom over your shop.
Feedback Forum
In response to "eBay Insurance Change Takes Effect," one reader writes: "I have found out about the new insurance policy the hard way (to the tune of over $400)… that the seller of the item is responsible for paying to insure items, not the buyer as in the past. I sold an item and offered the customer the option to insure the package. I assumed (as in all auction purchases) that the buyer has an inherent risk because of the opportunity to purchase an item for much less than the retail value. The overnight package was lost by UPS. The buyer requested a refund. As the tracking number I provided them stated the package was lost by UPS, they received a full refund from me, as mandated by eBay." 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 here.
Sent by Auctiva Corp.
360 6th St., Chico, CA 95928