| The Online Seller | Vol. 4, Issue 10 |
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Lisa Suttora lists 10 tactics for stretching your sourcing budget … Brad and Debra Schepp point out 5 business mistakes experienced sellers make … Dennis Prince tells the secrets to uncovering garage sale gold … Plus, we'll go over more steps you should take when you set up a business, the latest industry news, and more! |
Special Features: Auctiva Blog Weird and Wacky Listings Ask Auctiva Auctiva User Profile Auctiva Commerce Spotlight Feedback Forum |
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Making the most of your inventory budget
by Lisa Suttora
The cost of acquiring inventory is one of the largest business expenses both startups and established sellers incur. In the past few years, due to tightened credit and less cash-flow, many online sellers have struggled to keep their shelves stocked with the inventory needed to grow their sales.
It's because of this that merchants are eagerly looking for creative ways to stretch their inventory dollar as far as possible. Read story.
5 Business Mistakes You Might Be Making
Even experienced sellers find these bad habits can sneak into their operations.
by Brad and Debra Schepp
There's Still Gold in Garage Sales
How to find plenty of great bargains and good finds in a driveway near you
by Dennis L. Prince
Turn Online Sales into a Business, Part 2
Take your venture to the next level with these tips from the experts.
Turn Online Sales into a Business, Part 1
Take these first steps to make your dream of business ownership a reality.
E-Commerce Your Way, and NO Transaction Fees. Launch your independent off-eBay store today to attract more buyers and expand your business. Auctiva Commerce gives you complete freedom over your shop and offers completely customizable storefronts. Flat-rate monthly plans with absolutely NO transaction fees mean more of your hard-earned profits stay in your pocket. The 95+ store themes, integrated shipping carriers and automated shopping engine feeds make these fully featured stores a real value. Learn more.
News Stories
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Sixth consecutive quarter of U.S. e-commerce growth
Americans spent $38 billion online during this year's first quarter, a 12-percent increase compared to a year ago, according to research firm comScore.
Buyers shelled out the most cash on video games, consoles and accessories; books and magazines; computers; consumer electronics; and software, comScore reports. Spending in these categories grew by 13 percent compared to 2010's first quarter. Read story.
eBay Motors Turns the Key on Mobile App
Free app debuts to simplify car and parts shopping.
eBay Changes Up 'My eBay'
Sellers say they miss the page's customization.
Microsoft Agrees to Buy Skype
eBay's investment in the communication service provider ultimately pays off.
Prices at the Pump Send Americans Online
Shoppers spent 19 percent more online in April.
Auctiva Blog
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Whether you sell online as a hobby or a business, keeping good records of your financial activities is important—but it doesn't have to be a dreaded chore. The key is not to ignore your finances until April comes around. We've come up with a few suggestions and hints you can enlist to keep recordkeeping as simple as possible. Read more.
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Do you have to be a professional photographer to get professional-looking shots of your eBay items? No, and many of eBay's best sellers can attest to that. I've never taken a course in photography, and I get good shots with my fairly inexpensive point-and-shoot Nikon camera. Read more.
Get Instant Insight to Increase Conversion Rates. With FeedbackForms you get instant feedback from visitors to your eBay listings, Web store, blog or social media pages. Let the consumers of your site tell you where you can improve. Use the insight you gain to make changes that help your business grow. Auctiva users can automatically append FeedbackForms to every eBay listing—FREE! Find out more at FeedbackForms.com.
Weird and Wacky Listings
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If you're like us, when you saw Princess Beatrice parading this now-legendary wedding hat, you said, "I have got to get me one of those." As luck would have it, you can now bid on the genuine article—if you don't mind spending upward of $10,000 on a fashion accessory that, let's just say, doesn't go with everything. Can't afford the real thing? How about this clever knock-off?
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Love KISS, but worry the four rockers might be too wild to invite over to the house? You could bid on one of these four MINIs bearing the iconic face paint the members of KISS have sported for years. If you're the highest bidder you'll not only be helping UNICEF and relief efforts throughout the world, you'll also have a sweet ride—and you'll be able to rein in these MINI rockers if they get out of hand.
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You know you have what it takes to survive—you just don't want to go through the immunity challenges and the partial starvation, right? We thought so. But you can feel like you were on the island with other contestants when you buy one of these props from Survivor Redemption Island. Use them to illustrate just how long you would have lasted, or just get the immunity necklace to show you that would have been the ultimate survivor.
Ask Auctiva
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When will we be able to use our iPads to make listings on Auctiva? Will you be adding support for Android or other mobile platforms?Director of Engineering Tom Urbanowicz answers this and other questions from Auctiva users. 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
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Thomas Weller has created a galaxy filled with quality items for the home at discounted prices. As he tells it, his shops are where "the e-smart earthlings" go to find "out-of-this-world bargains."
Weller is the owner of Galaxy Mall on Auctiva Commerce and Galaxy_Shoppes on eBay, where he takes advantage of Auctiva's tools to make his listings stand out. He always had an interest in the Internet and online sales, and knew one day he would try it—but he always figured it would be on a temporary basis. But today his two online stores have made online sales his full-time gig. 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 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
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Ramiro Moreno has been in the business of selling wholesale vintage clothing for more than 18 years. But with the economy faltering, the entrepreneur decided to take his business online in 2007.
"I first started selling on eBay, where I saw the Auctiva showcase that other vendors had on their listings, and that's how I signed up with Auctiva," the seller recalls. "I used to have an eBay Store when I read about Auctiva Commerce. I knew very little about computers but reading here and there I was able to set up my own online store. In my wholesale business, I used to have sales one week every month, but selling online is better because I can get retail prices and make sales every day."
Since opening XL3 Clothing Wholesale on Auctiva Commerce, sales have been stronger than on eBay, Moreno notes. The software's ease of use has allowed him to customize his store, complete with a fancy Scrolling Gallery that literally shines with inventory. The store is simple and organized so shoppers can easily find what they're looking for, he adds. But what initially attracted Moreno to the e-commerce software was the value it seemed to provide. "What first drew me to Auctiva Commerce were the savings," he adds.
Moreno's shop is filled with hats, caps, scarves, jackets, kid's apparel, sweaters, T-shirts and more. But some of the most popular items are vintage NBA jerseys, Starter Jackets and Izod Lacoste Sweaters. Having a surplus of these items from his brick-and-mortar days, Moreno says he often tests out a few items to see which are popular and which he should restock quickly.
But it's his low prices, accurate item descriptions and hassle-free transactions that keep shoppers coming back, he adds. Moreno aims to please by providing quick shipping and assuring buyers they can return or exchange items if they are not completely satisfied with their purchases. He even goes so far as to let shoppers know if he's accidently left out a minor detail in an item description before he ships to ensure shoppers won't get any surprises in the mail.
Visit XL3 Clothing Wholesale.
Set up your own Auctiva Commerce Store and get complete freedom over your shop.
Feedback Forum
In response to "Recalls: The No-Man's Land of Selling," one reader writes: "I appreciate the article. The author is reminding us that it's a dangerous world out there. These shoppers do not know us personally, and will be quick to sue for any reason. I used to sell diet pills on eBay, and I knew I did so at the risk that someone may overdose or otherwise abuse them, then sue me. The risk is real; sellers be aware." 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.
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